readytorunbook Chapter 214 Benefit Exchange
Chapter 214 Benefit Exchange
Chapter 214: Exchange of Interests
In Emperor Xin Yu's exclusive Grotto-Heaven realm.
By the side of a crystal-clear lake, two stunningly beautiful women dressed in luxurious and exquisite robes were playing a game of chess. They were focused and seemed to have been competing for quite some time.
After a long while, as Emperor Xin Yu made a move, the Great Brahman Sound Monastery's Buddha Master Miaoxin let out a sigh and reluctantly admitted defeat.
"This is already the tenth game," Emperor Xin Yu raised an eyebrow and calmly gazed at the other woman. "Since you've lost, you must abide by our agreement and not try to scheme against him anymore."
Miaoxin helplessly said, "Your cultivation is higher than mine, and when it comes to divination and calculations, I naturally can't compare to you. Losing to you is only natural, isn't it?"
She was currently at the Quasi-Saint Emperor realm and had no chance of winning against Emperor Xin Yu in his peak state. She had lost ten games in a row.
Emperor Xin Yu remained unmoved. "Don't say such useless words. Losing is losing. Are you implying that you're weak and have a reason to complain?"
"Well, that's true," Miaoxin said lightly. "Since Qin Muling was discovered and brought back by your sect, it is considered an opportunity for Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace. I'm not really trying to poach him from you. It's just that our two sects have been helping each other for many years, cooperating in many significant matters. It seems reasonable to cooperate again in matters related to him."
"What do you want to do?" Emperor Xin Yu asked.
"My master once mentioned to me that within a thousand years, I will definitely break through the final barrier and ascend to the Quasi-Saint Realm. However, the great calamity has arrived, and I'm afraid I won't be able to make it in time. If I can't pass this barrier, I might die without achieving my goal."
"So what?" Emperor Xin Yu inquired.
"I need to borrow the power of his luck and destiny to advance in cultivation, just like his senior sisters," Miaoxin said calmly, not hiding her true intentions. At present, only Qin Muling could help her in this matter.
Due to the good relationship between the two sects in the past, Miaoxin had visited the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace headquarters more than once and had naturally seen Xue Bingxuan and the other women. At that time, she thought their aptitude and destiny were decent but far from their current level.
Now, it goes without saying that if Qin Muling could change their destinies to such an extent, she should be able to do the same.
Emperor Xin Yu shook his head gently. "That's impossible. The gap in your cultivation levels is too large, and the risks to him are difficult to estimate. At least wait until he reaches the Mysterious Immortal realm before considering it."
"Furthermore, the value of a Quasi-Saint Emperor's Dao Fruit, I don't need to say much about it, right? Why would Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace help you with such a big favor? Can you offer equivalent benefits in exchange?"
Even brothers settle accounts, let alone two Supreme sects. Despite their good relationship in the past, there was no reason for free benefits.
Miaoxin fell silent for a moment and smiled faintly. "You have a point. I can wait for him, and... the Great Brahman Sound Monastery can certainly pay a sufficient price for this matter. Whether it's for him or for Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace."
"I believe that the Emperor will prioritize the long-term interests of both sects and make the most practical choice. After all, if the Great Brahman Sound Monastery were to fall in the future, it wouldn't be a good thing for Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, right?"
After contemplating for a moment, Emperor Xin Yu finally nodded. "Then go back and wait for news. Come back to discuss when he becomes a Mysterious Immortal."
After the success of the first batch of female cultivators in transcending tribulation on Dao Seeking Peak, the following months were filled with ever-changing weather and thunderstorms. The heavy dark tribulation clouds dispersed and gathered again and again.
After all the female cultivators in the Destiny Realm completed their transcending tribulation, it was the turn of the female cultivators at the peak of Immortal Ascension to collectively undergo transcending tribulation. Each batch consisted of 150 cultivators, with three batches per day.
In other words, after a day and night, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace would add a total of 450 Origin Immortals.
Although Origin Immortals are the lowest level of immortals in the hierarchy, their status and power are still far beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators. Especially with such a large number of Origin Immortals, the overall strength of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace would significantly increase.
Such a big movement should not be able to escape the notice of others. Some high-level spies lurking in the sect could easily see the anomalies in the sky above Dao Seeking Peak.
However, Mu Yinghua had foreseen this early on and took strict and meticulous measures to maintain secrecy. With the cooperation of Emperor Xin Yu, this step went quite smoothly.
All the female cultivators who needed to undergo transcending tribulation would be personally received and screened by Emperor Xin Yu in batches. Some hidden spies would be directly recognized by her.
It is not common to successfully hide from the divine ability secret technique of a peak state Emperor. Unless another Emperor takes action, it is difficult to do so without leaving any trace.
Even for the female cultivators who passed the screening, they still needed to make a solemn oath and have a restriction planted in their bodies by the Emperor. They were not allowed to disclose anything about Qin Muling to anyone, and the restriction would last for a thousand years.
During this process, numerous undercover agents were exposed under the gaze of Emperor Xin Yu and subsequently eliminated. This happened in various sects.
This caused the remaining spies to keep a low profile, fearing being targeted by the high-level members of the sect. They were mostly cultivators who did not need to undergo transcending tribulation, so they had not been traced yet.
For the high-level members of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, as long as they safely passed this period and allowed all the female cultivators who needed to undergo transcending tribulation to complete it successfully, it would be considered a great achievement.
Even if the high-level members of those hostile forces heard the news, what could they do to Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace? It was already a done deal. Faced with an opponent with significantly increased strength, would they risk starting a war that could overturn the foundation of their sect? Don't forget that the calamity of the Demon Race has not yet passed!
Therefore, until the last batch of female cultivators at the peak of Immortal Ascension successfully withstood the heavenly tribulation and transformed into Origin Immortals on the Immortal Ascension Platform, nothing unexpected happened.
Next, it was the turn of the female cultivators at the peak of Origin Immortal to undergo transcending tribulation. After accumulating for hundreds of thousands of years, the total number of cultivators reached over 33,000.
This posed a greater challenge. With Qin Muling's current cultivation level, she could ensure that one batch of 50 female cultivators would successfully overcome the tribulation and complete the transformation of the True Immortal laws every day.
Speaking of which, among those old Supreme sects, there were many cultivators who dared not undergo transcending tribulation and were stuck at their current cultivation level. Compared to Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, their numbers were not much different. If they could all successfully undergo transcending tribulation, the overall strength of the Extreme Void Starry Sky cultivation world would definitely rise several levels.
Of course, this was just wishful thinking. Without a unique opportunity like Qin Muling's, they basically had no chance of passing the test of heavenly tribulation. When their lifespan was exhausted, they would have to disperse their cultivation and perish. If they were lucky, they might leave behind a wisp of remnant soul to be reincarnated and start over. If they were unlucky, they would simply vanish into thin air.
Therefore, in the eyes of the high-level members of those sects, disciples like them who had exhausted their potential and had no hope of advancing further were basically no different from cannon fodder or lackeys. After the calamity of the Demon Race arrived, they were sent to various territories as expendable guards. If they could drag along a certain number of enemies before dying, it would be considered a gain.
So, as each day passed, the strength of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace was rapidly increasing, while the strength and foundation of those other Supreme sects were irreversibly declining.
After protecting over ten thousand female cultivators at the peak of Origin Immortal through their tribulation, Qin Muling decided to seclude herself for three months to restore her damaged luck and spend time with her senior sisters. She also planned to let the Innate Primordial Spirit Seed absorb and digest the power of the heavenly tribulation.
Naturally, Master Mu Yinghua agreed and arranged an accelerated time formation. He was now the number one contributor to Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, so whatever he wanted to do made sense.
The effect of the formation is a twenty-fold increase in the flow of time. After all, it's Qin Muling's first attempt at dual cultivation in the formation, so he needs an adaptation period. Therefore, a higher flow of time was not arranged. However, by the end of this seclusion, it will be enough for his cultivation to reach the Destiny Realm Late Stage.
In Senior Sister's chamber.
On the spacious embroidered bed, after intense movement, they began to silently adjust and recover.
The cultivation base of a dual cultivation partner who has advanced to the True Immortal stage is naturally transformed in the chamber, making them almost indistinguishable from demons to ordinary Destiny Realm cultivators. It's only because of Qin Muling's exceptional talent that he can endure it.
In the depths of his sea of consciousness, the virtual image of the Azure Lotus bloomed with brilliant radiance. Pure spiritual essence surged and quickly merged into Qin Muling's body, visibly restoring his vitality at a rapid pace.
"You've worked hard, Junior Martial Brother!" Luo Huan said gently, embracing Qin Muling and giving him a kiss. With a slight wave of her hand, a plate of fresh and tender five-colored lotus seeds flew lightly from a nearby table. Her delicate jade fingers gently picked up one, held it in her glossy and beautiful mouth, and then leaned over to feed it to her junior martial brother in her arms.
Enjoying Senior Sister's thoughtful care, Qin Muling had completely recovered in a short while. He reached under the pillow and took out his communication jade talisman, infused it with spiritual energy, and began to check the latest news inside and outside the sect.
[Yu Lingzhou: That Miaoxin Buddha Lord has already left, as well as the Divine Maiden Sect, Azure Hill Hall, and the Lu Hua Palace. It is said that they plan to come back after some time, but of course, I hope they never come back!]
Those troublesome people have finally left?
Qin Muling breathed a sigh of relief. It seems that Emperor Xin Yu and the sect leader were quite capable. They sent them away without him having to intervene. Although it can't be guaranteed that they will give up, having a peaceful period is still good.
[Immortal Lord Huan Die: From the way you speak, it seems like they want to snatch your dual cultivation partner. Is it necessary to be so nervous?]
[Yue Yi Tian Jun: Exactly, any fox seductress who wants to make a move on our junior martial brother shouldn't be given a good face! Our Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace has countless beautiful women. Do we need outsiders to worry about it?]
[Immortal Lord Feng Hua: Hmm, regardless of the reasons, the various secrets on Junior Martial Brother's body should not be revealed to outsiders. It's enough that we know in our hearts.]
...
[Mu Yinghua: Let's not dwell on this matter. Let's talk about the situation outside the territory.]
[Heavenly Monarch Bing Yuan: There's nothing much to say. The defensive lines in various territories have been holding up well recently. The casualties among those anomalies have been too high, and there are signs of a slowdown in their attacks. So, there haven't been any major battles during this period.]
[Yu Lingzhou: It should be because of the reinforcements we sent out. Compared to the defensive lines of other sects, we have a relatively abundant force that can be mobilized.]
A few days ago, after more than ten thousand female cultivators successfully transcended their tribulations, they stayed in the time acceleration formation for several days under Mu Yinghua's arrangement, stabilizing their cultivation levels.
Then, they were assigned to different territories to guard against the invasion of the Demon Race descendants. Alternatively, they served as a mobile support force, ready to rush to regions facing danger at any time.
With the sudden increase in the number of living forces in Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, the situation in many Star Domains under their jurisdiction immediately improved significantly. Not only did the casualty rate among disciples decrease significantly, but they also killed a large number of Demon Race descendants.
It can be foreseen that with the passage of time, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace will not only be able to defend all the territories but also consider launching a counterattack and reclaiming the Star Domains they had lost.
[Immortal Lord Huan Die: We're doing well here, but the other sects are not doing so great. I heard that a Demon Race Quasi-Saint Emperor appeared outside the main hall of the Nine Nether Forest Net Hall, causing them heavy casualties. They almost couldn't hold their protective formation!]
[Yue Yi Tian Jun: The Nine Nether Forest Net Hall is really unlucky. How did they attract such a terrifying monster? What happened afterward?]
Nine Nether Forest Net Hall is also presided over by a Quasi-Saint Emperor, but due to old injuries that have not fully healed, they can only exert about seventy percent of their strength.
[Immortal Lord Huan Die: Their Emperor used the sect's heavy weapon to counterattack and severely injure the invading Demon Race Emperor at the cost of their own injuries. This resolved the crisis, but it's hard to say when that Emperor will recover unless Dao Court is willing to lend a hand.]
[Yu Lingzhou: Although Nine Nether Forest Net Hall belongs to the demonic forces, they still obey Dao Court. Perhaps they can seek some support?]
[Mu Yinghua: That's true. I just received news that Emperor Xuan Yin of Dao Court has agreed to provide Nine Nether Forest Net Hall with one billion merits of heaven and earth and additional high-level resources. It should be enough for them to hold on for a while.]
...
"...If the situation allows in the future, can I take on this kind of business? I can help certain cultivators from friendly forces transcend their tribulations in exchange for a large amount of rare resources," Qin Muling asked thoughtfully.
The threat of the Demon Race calamity is growing stronger, and even some long-standing Supreme Dao lineages are starting to feel powerless. In another two or three years, it's uncertain how many more Supreme Dao lineages will collapse.
Once those Dao lineages are finished, the victorious high-level Demon Race can concentrate more forces to besiege the remaining Supreme Dao lineages, and the pressure on Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace will inevitably increase.
So, while the situation hasn't worsened yet, helping allied Dao lineages strengthen their power can at least allow them to hold on a bit longer and share the burden with Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace.
Beside Qin Muling, Xue Bingxuan blushed and spoke with a pleasant and content expression, gently supporting her smooth and delicate body as she said softly,
"That can be done, but we must handle it with caution. The number of spots offered each time should not be too many, and it's best to limit it to those below the True Immortal realm, so as not to affect the long-term interests of our Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace."
"I understand that. The specific regulations can be decided by the Sect Master!" Qin Muling said. With the current Demon Race calamity, it's natural for these allied Dao lineages to easily unite and cooperate externally.
However, after the calamity passes, it's hard to say if the relationships between the major Dao lineages will remain as harmonious.
It's just like the relationships between countries in the secular world; eternal friendship is impossible, only eternal interests.
Qi Yalan lazily turned over beside them, her slender and round legs pressing against Qin Muling. Her beautiful eyes narrowed, like a well-fed cat, as she said in a sweet voice,
"Let's not talk about that for now. Tomorrow is the day to help the remaining Origin Immortals transcend their tribulations. After this is done, we can go out and hunt the Demon Race to earn merits. How about that?"
After advancing to the mid-stage of True Immortal, the senior sisters' strength greatly increased, but they haven't personally fought in battle yet, so naturally, they are eager to try. This is also the best way to quickly improve their strength.
Cheng Yulan, who was massaging Qin Muling's legs, raised her head and said, "Of course, but little junior brother still needs to treat those Supreme Elders who are sleeping in the Grotto-Heaven Secret Realm. We have to finish this before we can go out."
Qin Muling nodded, "There's no need to rush this matter. Let's take it slowly."
The next day, Dao Seeking Peak, which had been silent for a while, became lively again.
The mistake has been corrected. By the way, I want to inform the readers that the Lord has been banned from the official website for a week and won't be able to reply to some enthusiastic readers' comments until the 21st. I hope everyone understands.
(End of this chapter)