Cultivation starts from devouring the Dao fruits

The cultivator's Lifebound Magic Treasure still had a secret connection with his corpse, and those Golden Core cultivators could easily distinguish the true from the false with a slight examination.

Yunluo Immortal City and the Hanlong Empire's four Demon Sects had all been in conflicts, and they naturally understood the Sect-protecting Cultivation Techniques of the four Demon Sects very well.

After Elder Feng carefully examined Lu Tianye's corpse, he slightly nodded and said, "He indeed practiced the Sect-protecting Cultivation Technique, Heaven-Defying Devil God Code, of the Heaven-Defying Demon Sect, and this person is indeed Lu Tianye."

Yun Jingxuan smiled charmingly and said, "Elder Zhao, you have worked hard! This is the first time a True Disciple of the four Demon Sects has fallen since the war began, and he was even a Nascent Soul seed of the Heaven-Defying Demon Sect. You have truly made a name for yourself throughout the world this time!"

Elder Feng and the four Golden Core cultivators standing beside Yun Jingxuan all flashed a hint of complexity in their eyes.

Lu Tianye was a True Disciple of the Heaven-Defying Demon Sect and one of the Nascent Soul seeds, and his reputation was significant even in the Great Qian Empire.
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Zhao Yu had initially been an ordinary Late Golden Core Stage cultivator—many Golden Core cultivators in the Great Qian Empire did not know his name. However, after he slew Lu Tianye, many Golden Core cultivators in the Great Qian Empire Cultivation World would hear of his name and deeds.

Zhao Yu modestly said, "It was merely by luck, if I had not torn apart their plans ahead of time, I alone would not have stood a chance against them."

Yun Jingxuan smiled faintly and handed a jade slip to Zhao Yu, "Elder Zhao, you are too modest. You have slain four Golden Core cultivators, including a True Disciple of the Heaven-Defying Demon Sect. The immortal city has rewarded you with 1,376,000 contribution points, and your status has also been promoted to a Gold-ranked Elder.

This is the catalog of resources from the Immortal City, please have a look!"

The two City Lords of Yunluo Immortal City clearly understood that rewards were what these Golden Core cultivators seeking refuge valued the most—without sufficient rewards, these cultivators would not pledge their service to Yunluo Immortal City.

Zhao Yu pressed the jade slip to his forehead, and with a sweep of his Divine Sense, he saw that he could now exchange for many Fourth Order Spiritual Medicine and Golden Core Pills as a Gold-level Elder.

In Yunluo Immortal City, Silver-level Elders could only exchange contributions for Foundation Establishment Pills, while only Gold-level Elders could exchange for Golden Core Pills.

Zhao Yu slightly furrowed his brows and said, "There are too few Third-order Evil Ghost Relics, why are there only nine?"

Yun Jingxuan said, "In the Great Qian Empire, there are Cultivation sects stationed in various places suppressing demons and evil spirits. Most evil spirits are suppressed even in their incipient stage, and those Third-order Evil Ghost Relics are mostly cultivated by sects that breed evil spirits, naturally making them rare."

Zhao Yu chose nine Third-order Evil Ghost Relics and used the Immortal City's contribution points to exchange for a large amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that could enhance the power of the White Ghost Emperor, several rare Fourth-order Earth-Attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, and lastly exchanged one magical treasure for each of the three women—Li Xianjiao, Wu Zixin, and Tuoba Xue.

The combat power of Golden Core cultivators primarily comes from the Divine Skills they cultivate, as well as from magical treasures, Spirit Beasts, Spirit Insects, and Spirit Corpses. A powerful magical treasure can even enhance a cultivator's combat power by more than double.

Li Xianjiao and her fellow Golden Core cultivators could easily suppress the Northern Barren with just one Lifebound Magic Treasure, but in a Cultivation Holy Land like the Great Qian Empire, Golden Core cultivators with only one Lifebound Magic Treasure had quite ordinary strength.

Yun Jingxuan quickly sent over the resources Zhao Yu had exchanged and promised to use the power of the Immortal City to help him continue purchasing Third-order Evil Ghost Relics and other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that could nurture Third-order Spirit Ghosts.

In the days to come, Zhao Yu stayed in Yizhi Mountain, continuing to practice his Cultivation Techniques while refining pills and consuming various Spiritual Medicines to enhance the power of the White Ghost Emperor.

Yunluo Immortal City's Yunlan Dan Pavilion.

Zhou Minglan said anxiously, "Madam, the Gu family from Luoling who promised to send the materials has suddenly reneged! The Gu family hopes that you can go to Luoling to talk with them!"

Wu Zixin said indifferently, "Refuse them! Tell them that if they do not deliver the materials on time, they will have to compensate us a hundredfold at Yunlan Pill Hall!"

Zhou Minglan gritted her teeth and said, "Madam, both the Wang family and the Shentu family have refused to deliver the materials. If we lose the Gu family's line as well, we'll have no materials left. Besides, we'll have to pay the salaries of the Pill Masters, Talisman Masters, and Artifact Refiners! This way, we are going to lose more than a hundred thousand spirit stones every year!"

Under Wu Zixin's leadership, Yunlan Pill Hall had been flourishing, earning more than two hundred thousand spirit stones each year. As the Store Manager of Yunlan Pill Hall, Zhou Minglan, who wielded great power and had gained countless benefits, naturally did not want to see Yunlan Pill Hall decline.

"Whenever something abnormal arises, there must be demons at play. They want me to leave Yunluo Immortal City, there must be a problem. Now is the time of war, and since my husband has slain the four great Golden Core cultivators, attracting much attention, I cannot risk leaving the Immortal City. Doing so would turn into my husband's vulnerability."

"As long as my husband can safely return, even if Yunlan Pill Hall is gone, it can be rebuilt. Go get the spirit stones and dismiss those Pill Masters, Talisman Masters, and Artifact Refiners," Wu Zixin said calmly.

Zhou Minglan suddenly became anxious, "Madam, those are talented individuals we've managed to recruit with great difficulty! Dismissing them would be such a waste! Now is the time of war, and each of them can earn us a large amount of spirit stones! If we dismiss them now, others will immediately snatch them up!"

Wu Zixin shook her head slightly, "During this time of war, everything must prioritize my husband's safety! We cannot become a burden to him!"

Zhou Minglan sighed deeply, a look of reluctance on her face, "Yes, Madam!"

After dismissing everyone at Yunlan Pill Hall, Wu Zixin and Zhou Minglan returned to the cave mansion named Little Pill Peak by Li Xianjiao.

Li Xianjiao said gravely, "Sister Zixin, you've done well! My husband has slain the four great Golden Core cultivators and thus attracted much attention. Many people, friend or foe, might want to find leverage over him. We must not create trouble for him.

Sister Xue'er, we must all stay within the core area of the Immortal City during this time, and absolutely refrain from leaving under any circumstances."

Tuoba Xue nodded slightly, "This concubine understands! It's just right for me to enter seclusion for cultivation, and leave the outside matters to you!"

Wu Zixin said, "This concubine is also going into seclusion, I'll leave the outside matters to you."

Li Xianjiao nodded slightly.

The next day, the forces belonging to Zhao Yu began a total retreat under the orders of Li Xianjiao and completely withdrew into the inner part of Yunluo Immortal City, directly giving up many territories.

Other forces within Yunluo Immortal City quickly divided up those advantages.

In a villa within the Great Qian Empire,

"So cautious! It's understandable that Zhao Yu, that damned old tortoise, is cautious, but his wives too? It really is troublesome," a young Golden Core cultivator dressed in white robes and sporting a ponytail, possessing a stunningly handsome face, muttered while holding a cup of spiritual wine.