NOVEL NEXT Chapter 292: The Sea and the Cavern
Chapter 292: The Sea and the Cavern
The Goddess of Time spoke as if she were recounting a well-known tale, “In terms of rarity, restricted life-extending spiritual medicines are even scarcer than restricted cultivation resources. Not every great power has access to exclusive regions where such medicines are cultivated. Only a handful of major powers have such areas. As for the unclaimed areas where limited life-extending spiritual medicines are cultivated, they are even rarer. There are only two such places in the entire world. One is the Spirit Devouring Cavern, and the other is the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea.”
The Spirit Devouring Cavern? Just by hearing the name, Xu Lian could tell that it wasn’t a pleasant place. He chuckled, “Let’s talk about the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea first.”
As if reading his thoughts, the Goddess of Time said, “In terms of danger, both places are perilous. However, with the laws of the Divine Kingdom protecting you, as long as you’re careful, you should be fine. The Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea is located in the easternmost region, a vast sea filled with steep stone mountains, hence its name. It’s a place where herb gatherers often gather. Those who are nearing the end of their lives also go there to try their luck, as well as resource gatherers from major powers.
Most who go to the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea manage to collect some spiritual medicine, and rarely return empty-handed. The Spirit Devouring Cavern, on the other hand, is a relic from the Primordial Era.
The life-extending spiritual medicines that grow there are not abundant, but their quality is exceptionally high. Those who venture into the Spirit Devouring Cavern will either return with nothing or with extremely valuable medicines. Both places have their advantages and disadvantages. It’s up to you to decide which one to prioritize.”
Xu Lian thought for a moment, “I think I’ll go to the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea first. That way, I won’t return empty-handed. I can bring back some life-extending spiritual medicines for the women back home, and then I’ll go to the Spirit Devouring Cavern to look for higher-quality medicines. As for those two places, Sages and Supreme Beings probably don’t go there, right?”
With his current cultivation at the 7th stage of Origin Tracing, the renowned Sword of Destruction, the immortal techniques from the Sacred Spirit Record, and the protection of the Divine Kingdom’s laws, Xu Lian was confident that he had no match below the Sage Realm.
The Goddess of Time replied, “For unclaimed regions like this, there’s an unspoken agreement among the top powers. Sages and supreme beings generally don’t go there, as it could easily lead to conflicts between supreme beings with unpredictable consequences”.
Xu Lian now had a clear understanding. These so-called unclaimed regions were basically the result of the great powers’ mutual deterrence and balance. If all the cultivation resources in the world were compared to a large cake, the major powers had each taken their share, and the crumbs and leftovers that fell during the division became the unclaimed regions.
Xu Lian smiled, “Places where Sages and Supreme Beings can’t go are my domain. I should be able to reap a good harvest this time.”
“Don’t be too overconfident. It’s said that deep within the Ten Thousand Peaks Stone Sea, there are slumbering supreme beings of the sea tribes. The Spirit Devouring Cavern also holds unknown dangers,” the Goddess of Time cautioned one last time before closing her beautiful eyes and entering a meditative state.
How adorable… Xu Lian couldn’t help but feel the urge to hug her and plant a kiss on her cheek. Unfortunately, he knew that he was no match for her, so he quickly dismissed the thought.
Despite having cultivated for over a thousand years and possessing vast knowledge, the Goddess of Time still had the attitude of a young woman at heart, unlike the cold and indifferent attitude of the experts of the older generation.
This was largely due to her upbringing. Shortly after her birth, the Divine Clan suffered a calamitous divine punishment, and she was sealed within a painting. Some of the Divine Clan’s elders burned themselves to break the seal, allowing her to emerge. The portrait spirits of the Divine Clan guided her cultivation, and she was doted on by all, making her the Divine Maiden of the clan and their only hope.
Her primary goal in cultivation had always been to free her sealed clansmen.
After joining the Heavenly Mystic Sacred Land, her unparalleled talent allowed her to rise like a supernova, outshining all her peers. In less than a thousand years, she reached the pinnacle of the Sage Realm and even comprehended the laws of time contained within the divine bones left behind by the Divine Clan’s supreme beings. Her strength now rivaled that of a true Supreme Being.
Now, having touched the realm of a Supreme Being and with the added power of the laws of time, even ordinary Supreme Beings might not be her match. Her cultivation journey had been remarkably smooth, almost entirely free of setbacks, which had shaped her mindset. Unlike the experts of the older generation who rose through countless trials, she was not as shrewd or calculating.
Xu Lian emerged from the fog.
His gaze swept over the women before settling on Pei Zhaoxi.
He walked over to her.
And led her into the room.
Pei Zhaoxi was inwardly pleased but feigned complaint, “Husband, you always pick on me to bully.”
Xu Lian had originally intended to discuss serious matters with her, but since she mentioned bullying, he decided to indulge her a little.
After a while.
Xu Lian said, “My cultivation is progressing rapidly, and my life span is long. I could easily live for thousands or even tens of thousands of years. Unfortunately, your talents and abilities limit you. You’re unlikely to reach the level of a great expert, so you won’t be able to accompany me for the rest of my life.”
Pei Zhaoxi sighed, “We also want to accompany you all your life, but no matter how hard we cultivate, we can’t keep up with your pace.
Then she smiled, “If it weren’t for you, with our talents, we would have aged and withered long ago in small places like Green Bamboo Town and Pingyang County. Thanks to you, we’ve traveled from those remote areas to top-tier powers like the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and the Divine Clan. Our life expectancy has far exceeded that of ordinary people. Every extra day we live is a bonus, so we have no regrets. If we’re not around in the future, you shouldn’t grieve too much. Xin’er and Xianyu have good abilities and should be able to accompany you for a long, long time.”
Her positive attitude filled Xu Lian with both relief and sorrow.
He took out all the spiritual fruits and handed them to Pei Zhaoxi, “These are life span extending fruits. I’m entrusting them to you. If anyone at home is on the verge of running out of life span, give them one. I plan to go out and look for more life-extending spiritual medicines. I’ll do my best to extend your life spans as much as possible.”
Pei Zhaoxi’s eyes lit up, and she quickly took the fruits. Although she claimed to have no regrets, she was certainly willing to extend her lifespan if possible.
Xu Lian instructed, “You are the main wife, so you must be generous. These fruits lose their effectiveness after consuming ten, so don’t eat them all yourself. Don’t give any to our descendants either. They’ve been cultivating under the guidance of the portrait spirits since childhood, and they have a solid foundation. Their lifespan is much longer than yours. They’ll have to rely on their own efforts to cultivate. Keep these fruits for yourselves.”
Pei Zhaoxi nodded, “Husband, I understand.”
In truth, there weren’t many of these fruits left. Xu Lian had secretly given ten to Wang Cuiyun and some to Xiao Mei’s parents. The remaining fruits could only provide three to five for each of the women.
Thanks to the guidance of the Divine Clan portrait spirits, the women’s lifespans were still relatively long. Even if they didn’t become great experts, they could still live for two to three hundred years without any problems.
Xu Lian gave the fruits to Pei Zhaoxi as a precaution. He wasn’t sure how long his journey would take, and it was better to be safe than sorry. He didn’t want to return after a long absence only to find that some of the women had died. That would be too painful for him.