vstars Chapter 65 Little White Island
Chapter 65 Little White Island
Chapter 65 Little White Island (Please subscribe!)
one year later.
A massive, five-toothed warship, resembling an aerial fortress, flew out of the Azure Sea Gate. Once outside the island, it landed on the open sea, cutting through the waves to conserve its spiritual energy.
This is a warship from the Azure Sea Sect supporting the front lines, and its deck is packed with cultivators.
"Young Master's decision to postpone departure by a month was indeed wise—I heard that the last warship was ambushed by Zhong family cultivators and suffered heavy losses—"
Qin Ruxue, dressed in a smart white dress, looked dashing and full of admiration as she gazed at Fang Qing.
"Take this mission seriously and try to get another Foundation Establishment Pill."
Fang Qing smiled.
Although cultivators who fail to establish their foundation twice will find it difficult to obtain foundation-establishment opportunities from sects again, it is wartime after all! If we want people to risk their lives, we naturally need to loosen the restrictions.
Moreover, he has his own support and is also going through Linghu Zhong's back door, so his chances are still very high.
Although Qin Ruxue is now known as a Qi Refining stage cultivator, she actually possesses Foundation Establishment combat strength. Even if it's not long-lasting, she rarely encounters any danger when carrying out Qi Refining disciple missions, and instead has plenty of opportunities to make meritorious contributions.
And isn't there someone behind the scenes offering advice and divining good and bad fortune?
"I'm going there this time to try and get as much benefit as possible."
Fang Qing gazed at the sea and muttered to himself.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, cultivation becomes increasingly difficult.
According to his calculations based on the "Azure Sea Technique," after a year of cultivation, he still only had three drops of liquid mana in his dantian, with little growth.
It's estimated that it will take at least another year to break through the upper limit and condense the fourth drop of liquid magic.
This liquid mana is easy to replenish once it's depleted, but it's very difficult to increase its upper limit!
"Based on this calculation, it takes about two years to increase the upper limit of liquid mana by one drop. To accumulate one hundred drops and reach the Pseudo-Core stage, where one can attempt to form a Core, it would take at least one hundred and ninety-four years! This doesn't even include the bottlenecks and trials of breaking through from the early to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and from the middle stage to the late stage—"
"The lifespan of a Foundation Establishment cultivator is only two hundred years. Even with life-extending pills, it's difficult to exceed two hundred and twenty years—which also means that someone of my average aptitude, if I only know how to cultivate diligently in my cave without using any other means, may not even reach the peak of Foundation Establishment by the time I'm old!"
"No wonder cultivators of average or below-average aptitude, even if they manage to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, have no hope of forming the Core stage for their entire lives, and most of them linger in the early or middle stages of Foundation Establishment."
Improving cultivation speed actually varies in difficulty.
The most difficult thing is naturally improving one's own aptitude. Fang Qing has read so many classic texts, but he still hasn't found a way to improve one's aptitude.
A simpler approach is to improve the external environment, such as cultivating on a third-tier spiritual vein or consuming pills that enhance magical power!
"Among second-tier pills, those that allow one to break through to the next level are the most precious. Next are pills that enhance mana. I couldn't find any pill recipes on the fourth floor of the Heavenly Book Pavilion before, but I did find some on the sixth floor."
While transforming his cultivation technique that year, Fang Qing also refined several pools of second-tier pills, earning sect contribution points. He then entered the sixth floor of the Heavenly Book Pavilion and exchanged several pill formulas for them.
At this moment, his hand, which was inside his sleeve, was constantly rubbing against a jade slip.
"Water Essence Pill, a mid-grade second-tier pill, primarily made from second-tier water-attribute demon cores, flesh, and bone marrow, can assist Foundation Establishment cultivators in their cultivation."
The pill formulas of the Azure Sea Sect fully reflect the characteristics of living by the sea and relying on the sea for sustenance. Foundation Establishment cultivators who want to increase their magical power cannot do without the body materials of second-tier demon beasts.
Of course, not every second-tier sea beast develops a demon core. Therefore, the "Water Essence Pill" also comes in two qualities. One type does not have a demon core and is made purely from the blood, flesh, and bone marrow of demon beasts. This type of pill is a second-tier low-grade pill and is suitable for cultivators in the early stages of Foundation Establishment.
If a second-tier demon core is used as the main material, it can be made into a second-tier mid-grade product. Some high-quality products can even reach the second-tier high-grade level, which is suitable for cultivators in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage or even the late Foundation Establishment stage to improve their mana!
"But how precious are second-tier demon cores? If you have them, they are basically used to refine Foundation Establishment Pills—which are quite extravagant to use to refine pills that enhance mana."
"Therefore, many mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even some late-Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Azure Sea Sect, may only use second-grade low-level Water Element Pills for cultivation. Most of them don't even take any pills normally, relying solely on the spiritual energy of their cave dwellings for arduous cultivation—"
If Fang Qing wants to form his core, it would be best to consume the Water Essence Pill for cultivation.
The problem is that second-tier monsters usually hide deep in the sea, and to hunt them, you have to sail a large ship into the deep sea and rely on luck to find one or two in the vast ocean.
Where else can you find something this enjoyable? Third-tier demonic beasts actively drive a large number of second-tier demonic beasts here, and as long as you have the skill, you can kill them at will. Of course, if your own cultivation and magic are not good enough, and you end up as food for demonic beasts, then there is nothing to complain about.
A thought struck him, and he took out another jade slip, which was filled with battlefield intelligence.
In the most prominent position, there was a picture of a third-tier demon beast.
"Third-Tier Demon King—Overturning Sea Turtle!"
In Fang Qing's gaze, this tortoise was as huge as a mountain, with a bluish-green shell covered in menacing barbs.
Even just a picture or image exudes a terrifying aura.
"As expected of a third-tier demonic beast—but turtle-type demonic beasts aren't known for their offensive capabilities, so it's probably about the same as that Sect Leader Linghu who possesses Core Formation combat power through the aid of an external core—"
Fang Qing cast a divination in advance, and the troop transport ship naturally sailed smoothly to the Zhong family's sea area.
Little White Island.
This island was originally occupied by the Zhong family, but was later captured by the Bihaimen and used as a bridgehead for invading the Zhong family's territories.
On the island, various colored lights flashed, clearly indicating that a powerful formation had been set up.
Whizzing!
One after another, flying boats or magical artifacts shimmered with light, carrying cultivators. These were either disciples of the Azure Sea Sect who were out hunting sea beasts and Zhong family cultivators, or unaffiliated cultivators employed by the sect.
The bloodstains on the rocks had not yet faded, adding a touch of menacing atmosphere to the island.
Rumble!
The five-toothed warship docked in the harbor, eliciting cheers from the many cultivators in front.
"Hmm? It seems the cultivators on Little White Island are quite welcoming of our arrival; clearly, the pressure at the front lines is immense—"
Fang Qing, dressed in a blue robe with the Azure Spirit Soft Armor underneath, was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Naturally, he wouldn't travel with Qin Ruxue, but was instead invited to the center of Little White Island, to a newly built bronze hall.
"This style is somewhat similar to the General Affairs Hall of a sect."
He entered the hall and saw two rows of Foundation Establishment cultivators sitting around him. Elder Wanbao sat at the head of the table with an expressionless face.
"Senior Brother Wanbao—we have come to receive your command."
Fang Qing and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators on the same ship all bowed.
"Alright, alright—Junior Brother Zhang, you're in charge of repairing the island's formation. Junior Brother Lu—you go to the Talisman Hall."
Elder Wanbao pulled out a few jade slips, quickly assigned tasks, and then looked at Fang Qing: "Junior Brother Fang—we haven't congratulated you on your successful Foundation Establishment yet."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Wanbao."
Fang Qing clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.
"Haha—Junior Brother has just advanced to Foundation Establishment and is also an alchemist. He can be in charge of logistics under me. The battle at the front is urgent, and we are in dire need of several kinds of healing and Yang-attribute pills—hmm, Junior Brother, you will be in charge of refining Yang Xuan Pills."
Wan Bao laughed and said, "This is what Linghu Chongfei mentioned in his letter."
"I've reviewed the formula for the Yangxuan Pill, and there aren't many problems. It just needs a hot spring—"
Fang Qing pondered for a moment and then answered in this way.
The Yangxuan Pill is only a high-grade first-tier pill, but when held in the mouth, it will continuously nourish the body with a strong yang energy, which is obviously due to the large number of cultivators who were frostbitten during the great battle between the sect and the Zhong family.
"No problem. This island has already been transformed and has eight springs, three of which are hot springs. I will now order one of them to be assigned to my junior brother."
Elder Wanbao readily agreed.
Night fell.
As high-ranking cultivators of a sect, their benefits would not be reduced much even during wartime.
Fang Qing was assigned a second-tier cave dwelling on Little White Island. Although the spiritual energy was only second-tier low-grade, it was already quite good.
He sat cross-legged on the futon, silently pondering the intelligence he had gathered that day.
Battle reports from the rear can be falsified; only those from the front lines are truly accurate!
"The battlefield can now be roughly divided into two parts—the first part is the main battlefield, where our sect's two Core Formation elders are leading most of our elite cultivators in a joint attack on the Zhong family's stronghold—Taibai Island!"
Taibai Island is protected by a third-order formation and presided over by Zhong Xuanli, a Core Formation cultivator. It is quite extraordinary and held off the Bihai Sect army for two whole years!
Of course, these two years were not without significance; the amount of spiritual energy and resources consumed was astronomical.
The Zhong family's grand formation is constantly drawing spiritual energy from the earth's veins, which has gradually thinned the spiritual energy on the island. It is likely that in a few years, the earth's veins will be shaken, greatly reducing the power of the formation. That will be the opportunity to destroy the island!
The other battlefield is the Sea Turtle!
This demon king's whereabouts are unpredictable, and he has unleashed a massive beast tide to attack the transport fleet and logistics routes of the Azure Sea Gate, with Little White Island being the most crucial of these.
Furthermore, occasionally the Sea Turtle would personally attack the protective array of Little White Island, forcing Linghu Patriarch to return to its aid, giving Taibai Island a chance to breathe.
"It seems that both battlefields are dragging on; it remains to be seen which side can't hold out any longer?"
Fang Qing's expression gradually turned serious: "The Bihai Sect's expedition has been arduous. Although it has abundant resources from the Tianxin Linked Islands and is currently at its peak, if a weakness is exploited and its logistics suffer serious damage, the entire expeditionary force might be left behind in the Zhong family's waters. That would be a huge problem."
Now that he has reached the Foundation Establishment stage in the sect, he naturally sides with the sect.
"The Zhong family patriarch is hiding within the formation, making him difficult to capture for the time being. The key lies with the Sea Turtle!" Once we find its exact location, the two Core Formation patriarchs can work together and potentially kill it.
But that old tortoise was incredibly cunning. Every time, it would only exchange a few blows with Linghu Ancestor after confirming that Fairy Bibo was being held back by the Zhong family patriarch.
If anything is amiss, immediately venture into the deep sea and flee thousands of miles away.
In short, the goal was to avoid encountering the two Core Formation elders of the Azure Sea Sect at the same time, a strategy that can be described as extremely cautious.