Chapter 490: Disgruntled |
After the establishment ceremony of the Grand Sea Alliance, Meng Zhang received several distinguished guests, engaged in warm conversations, and then took the initiative to bid farewell and returned alone to the back. The remaining matters would naturally be handled properly by Senior Disciple Niu Dawei. Dealing with the affairs between the members of the alliance was Niu Dawei's responsibility.
As Taiyi Sect gradually developed and constructed the Grand Lion Ridge, various buildings on the ridge became more complete. Meng Zhang looked at a nearby mountain peak, his face showing slight displeasure.
On this day of celebration, Meng Zhang had personally invited Qin Hongying to participate long ago, but Qin Hongying politely declined. According to her, she had stated beforehand that she would not involve herself in the conflicts among the Cultivation World; she was only here to help Taiyi Sect resist the monsters.
As a guest of Taiyi Sect, Qin Hongying had been supported by them for quite some time, but she didn't give any face to Meng Zhang. Naturally, Meng Zhang was not happy about it.
Thanks to the efforts of Deep EarthSpirit General over the years, the Third Rank spirit vein in the Grand Lion Ridge had recovered by a large extent. However, this Third Rank spirit vein was inherently insufficient, and its consumption was severe. Most of its spiritual energy was supplied to Qin Hongying, except for what was needed for maintaining the Third Rank Mountain Protection Great Formation – Metal Wind Violent Flame Formation.
As the sect's master, Meng Zhang ironically did not receive a sufficient supply of spiritual energy from the Third Rank spirit vein.
As a Gold Core Daoist Master, Meng Zhang needed to absorb a large amount of spiritual energy daily, or else he couldn't sustain his original Cultivation Base. On the other hand, Qin Hongying, who had cut ties with the Dao, had made rapid progress in her Gold Core stage.
If it wasn't for a piece of spiritual marrow in his possession that had supplemented a considerable part of his spiritual energy needs during his breakthrough to Gold Core stage, he would have struggled to maintain his Cultivation Base, let alone make progress. However, that piece of spiritual marrow had been mostly depleted during his Gold Core breakthrough, and over the years, it had been continuously diminishing. It wouldn't be long before it was completely exhausted.
When that happened, the insufficient spiritual energy from the Third Rank spirit vein would force Meng Zhang to consume high-grade spiritual stones constantly to continue his cultivation.
If Taiyi Sect had to continue supporting Meng Zhang's needs, it would burden the sect heavily and even affect its development.
Thinking about these matters, Meng Zhang grew more dissatisfied with Qin Hongying.
Hiring this Gold Core guest had not been cost-effective. Initially, it was due to the pressure from Dark Crow Demon General that Meng Zhang reluctantly agreed to Qin Hongying's conditions. At times, he even felt like he had been tricked by her.
If there were other candidates available, Meng Zhang would genuinely consider hiring a new Gold Core guest.
Shaking his head, Meng Zhang put aside these vexing issues and returned to his usual residence.
Not long after he came back, Deep EarthSpirit General and Delicate WaterSpirit General came to pay their respects to him. Meng Zhang received the two Guardian Spirit Generals in the courtyard.
With the goal of cultivating Gold Core-level combat power for Taiyi Sect as soon as possible, the sect had been collecting various suitable Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects over the years for the three Guardian Spirit Generals to absorb and use.
After absorbing these Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, Deep EarthSpirit General and Shocking ThunderSpirit General had already restored their Cultivation Base to the completion stage of Foundation Building. It seemed like they were just one step away from reaching the Gold Core stage.
However, crossing this last step was uncertain and could take an unknown amount of time. The spiritual items that could help Deep EarthSpirit General and others reach the Gold Core stage were beyond the current capability of Taiyi Sect to access. All the sect could do was explore and develop their own territory in the hope of encountering such treasures.
This was a matter of luck, something they couldn't actively seek.
Of course, Meng Zhang wasn't entirely helpless. After entering the Gold Core stage, he continued to cultivate various Divine Abilities and secret techniques, including his insights into the Grand Evolving Fortune.
He had a faint feeling that his Grand Evolving Fortune technique would soon have a breakthrough. When that happened, he would be able to use it to deduce the whereabouts of the sought-after treasures.
Grand Evolving Fortune had helped Meng Zhang solve many problems before and rarely let him down. Now, he pinned his hopes on this technique.
Of course, Grand Evolving Fortune was different from other secret techniques. Sometimes, even if he felt a breakthrough was imminent, there might still be obstacles to overcome.
Meng Zhang wasn't sure when his Grand Evolving Fortune technique would enter the next stage.
Delicate WaterSpirit General, who came together with Deep EarthSpirit General to visit Meng Zhang, was quite a rare guest. Although she showed respect on the surface, there was a hint of disdain in her attitude towards Meng Zhang.
Normally, she seldom interacted with Meng Zhang and rarely took the initiative to visit him. It was normal for capable individuals to have a certain temperament, and Meng Zhang was not someone who lacked tolerance.
Delicate WaterSpirit General excelled in various aspects and had her unique strengths, making her extremely valuable to the sect. After awakening just a few years ago, she had only been at the Refining Qi completion stage, but now she had already reached the late stage of Foundation Building.
Though it was due to the sect's continuous supply of various water-system spiritual items, Delicate WaterSpirit General's personal efforts should not be overlooked. She recovered her Cultivation Base at a faster rate compared to Deep EarthSpirit General and Shocking ThunderSpirit General.
Especially in terms of combat strength, she often displayed power beyond her current Cultivation Base realm. Challenging higher-level opponents in the Cultivation World was not common, but Delicate WaterSpirit General had this ability.
During the invasion of Demon Wind Gobi by Taiyi Sect and the great battle with the army of monsters, Delicate WaterSpirit General had displayed immense prowess, killing many powerful Second Rank monsters. Her contributions were crucial in securing victory alongside the Gold Core cultivators like Meng Zhang.
Moreover, Delicate WaterSpirit General had extensive knowledge and expertise in various cultivation arts. She was particularly adept at Spirit Plant Technique, with great insights into cultivating spiritual herbs.
The most crucial medicinal gardens of Taiyi Sect were constructed by Delicate WaterSpirit General after Deep EarthSpirit General had adjusted the spirit veins. She personally cultivated and transplanted various spiritual herbs, significantly improving the quality and quantity of the sect's medicinal output.
Delicate WaterSpirit General was also well-versed in the rare Spirit Water Conceiving Dan Art, allowing her to refine some special elixirs. She had a profound understanding of the seldom-seen water refinement technique in artifact forging as well.
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