Chapter 502: Chapter 356: Independent Cultivator Alliance (2)

[Soon, your story among the Loose Cultivators lost its heat a bit.]

[However, you could still sense that when you are out and about, people look at you quite differently, and there’s even more exploited and oppressed Loose Cultivators coming to you to complain. After dealing with two cases, you preemptively decided to leave under the guise of traveling. As expected, more Loose Cultivators came looking for you, hoping you would help them seek justice.]

[You are neither a Holy Mother nor overly eager to help; it’s just that when certain things happen right before you, it’s impossible to ignore them. But you are not a meddlesome do-gooder either.]

[In the year 5077 of the New Source Era, Loose Cultivators grew increasingly dissatisfied with the Sect Alliance.]

[By the year 5078 of the New Source Era, the Independent Cultivator Alliance began its inception. You were already aware that your deeds among the Loose Cultivators might serve as a catalyst.]

[Because you perfectly embody the characteristics of a Loose Cultivator: having Five Spirit Roots, of mundane origin, without a family background, nor a powerful master.]

[Even your relationship with the alliance was automatically imagined by many Loose Cultivators to be merely a simple employment contract.]

[In the year 5080 of the New Source Era, the Nine Sects began suppressing them, as they did not want the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm to have a tenth major power emerge.]

[Meanwhile, the Business Alliance remained silent. The Business Alliance reveres Spirit Stones and lacks a clear heritage system, complementing the Nine Sects, forming a cooperative relationship.]

[The appearance of a tenth sect doesn’t pose a significant impact on the Business Alliance.]

[You sense the scent of conspiracy within, but you’re unsure about the pros and cons.]

Because with the explosive growth in Cultivator population, Loose Cultivators are becoming more numerous.

Various sects are becoming increasingly choosy towards Loose Cultivators, and in some places, working for a year only earns a measly spirit stone.

There’s production-type Spirit Beasts that consume resources worth more than a single spirit stone for a year’s work.

This is in the present; even in the past, when Loose Cultivators were scarce, there were somewhat of Independent Cultivator Alliances forming within various Cultivation Realms.

The existence of Loose Cultivators is present everywhere, making it impossible for them to entirely disappear.

[In the year 5082 of the New Source Era, the Independent Cultivator Alliance was established in the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm.]

[The alliance invited two Golden Core Masters who practiced in deep mountains as Supreme leaders and took various markets as bases.]

[The Nine Sects wanted to force the alliance to dissolve, but were unable due to the sheer number of people within the alliance. Due to public pressure, the Nine Sects agreed to the establishment of the Independent Cultivator Alliance.]

[Shortly after the alliance’s formation, the Nine Sects started infiltrating, with many agents joining within...]

[You were invited to join the alliance’s council of elders by Dong Jing, the Alliance Leader.]

[You became one of the elders of the Independent Cultivator Alliance’s council.]

[The entire Qu Hong Cultivation Realm’s power structure began to fluctuate...]

[The Nine Sects controlled all the spirit veins within the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm, while the Three Major Business Alliances have stakes from the Nine Sects, cooperating and complementing each other, with most of the masters within these alliances originating from the Nine Sects.]

[Apart from the Hundred Stars Alliance, which has relatively more armed forces, the Nine Sects originally controlled almost all the higher powers within the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm.]

[However, those they couldn’t control became resources and survival grounds for Loose Cultivators.]

[But nowadays, those places have been absorbed into the Independent Cultivator Alliance.]

[In your view, becoming a Cultivator now means you must join either the Independent Cultivator Alliance, the Nine Sects, or one of the Three Major Business Alliances. Otherwise, in an enormous Qu Hong Cultivation Realm, there is no place for a new Cultivator to survive.]

[The offerings you receive from the Independent Cultivator Alliance have been increasing steadily.]

[You feel a sense of doubt, wondering if this contradicts the original purpose of the Independent Cultivator Alliance’s creation.]

[The forces of the Independent Cultivator Alliance, the Nine Sects, and the Three Major Business Alliances are intertwined and knotted, enveloping the entire Qu Hong Cultivation Realm.]

[But the world isn’t only black and white; you can see the positive impact of the Independent Cultivator Alliance.]

[Everything has benefits and drawbacks; at least the emergence of the Independent Cultivator Alliance led to the extinction of many Tribulation Cultivator Groups, greatly improving the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm’s public order.]

[In the absence of an absolute overlord, the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm surprisingly entered into a rare state of order.]

[You didn’t speak much, only held several lectures, explaining your understanding of the Five Elements Technique, thus accepting several registered disciples; these disciples are all of Five Spirit Roots, but strong-willed and endlessly diligent individuals, among whom one has a talent as an Array Master, whom you have brought into the Divine Strategy Pavilion and kept by your side.]

[In the year 5085 of the New Source Era, your application was approved, and the Hundred Stars Alliance agreed for you to enter the Secret Realm.]

[This particular Secret Realm World was beyond the expectations of the Hundred Stars Alliance, almost consuming all their efforts.]

[The Hundred Stars Alliance therefore hired nearly two hundred Foundation Establishment True Cultivators, two Golden Core Masters, more than ten Fake Core Cultivators, and countless Qi Refining Cultivators.]

These forces aren’t necessarily all under the Alliance’s control but were hired in the form of Loose Cultivators and sect disciples.

The Hundred Stars Alliance invested heavily in this endeavor.

However, the Alliance always prioritizes profit, moving at the scent of gain.

If they were willing to expend such a cost, it implied the Secret Realm World held enough returns.

As seen through Zhong Heng’s perspective now, this is indeed the case.

The entire Secret Realm is called the Great Xia World.

It’s a large Secret Realm.

The upper limit for a large Secret Realm is a Fake Nascent Soul.

This world has an exceptionally developed Cultivation Civilization, lacking sufficient mineral resources and spirit beasts within.

Development of magical artifacts and artifacts stagnated.

Thus, cultivators continuously developed magic skills, inventive and intricate magic skills were created one after another.

The mere collection of these skills and their sale would be profitable enough for the Hundred Stars Alliance to break even.

Not to mention the abundant spirit veins in the Great Xia World. The Great Xia Imperial Court and the Seven Great Holy Lands jointly occupy this world.

The cultivation levels need not be discussed; they are simply slight modifications to the Path of Cultivation, not deviating from its essence.

There is only one Golden Core existence among them, the protector deity of Great Xia, Heaven and Earth Mage Qiu Yi.

It’s just that after being pursued and beaten by Yunmiao Master, he hides in the shadows, targeting the Hundred Stars Alliance with constant sneak attacks.

This is why Hundred Stars Alliance sent two Golden Core Masters here.

Besides the Golden Core, Great Xia also has around twenty to thirty powerful individuals above Fake Core and below Golden Core, referred to as ’Celestial Master’ level by the Hundred Stars Alliance, called Pseudo Core Powerhouses.

The reason is no more than the imbalance in this world’s resources, which necessitates refining realms to improve breakthrough rates.

Pseudo Core Powerhouses aren’t difficult to deal with but require Fake Core Cultivators to confront them.

There aren’t as many Fake Cores available; in Jiuzhou, Fake Core is a transitional realm, with few remaining there permanently.

Thus, the Hundred Stars Alliance has spent considerable time strategizing in this world.

While working on cultivation techniques besides development, the alliance relishes it.

Now, three of the Seven Great Holy Lands have already been conquered, and even the Great Xia Imperial Capital has been toppled by two True Masters.

Currently employing a strategy of boiling the frog in warm water to prevent the opposing forces from scattering into areas already occupied, engaging in guerrilla warfare against the alliance, which would increase the alliance’s costs in occupation.

"Master Zhong!"

"Please."

Zhong Heng donned a more exquisite robe, and before he could introduce himself, someone recognized him.

The two rows of high-cultivation guards beside him respectfully bowed to Zhong Heng.

"Brother Zhong, you’re here!"

Lin Wui appears in front suddenly, looking more spirited than ever, while the guards on the side are stunned at how Lin Wui addressed Zhong Heng.

Lin Wui, definitely not simple, turns out to be Master Zhong’s sister.

"Target, Five Elements Holy Land."

A Dragon Horse Spirit Beast pulled the carriage down, as Lin Wui opened the curtain for Zhong Heng.

[You arrived at the Great Xia World.]

[You headed toward the Five Elements Holy Land, already conquered by the Hundred Stars Alliance...]