Chapter 494: The Divine Crafting Hall |
After the conversation with Extreme Sword Spirit General, Meng Zhang didn't fully achieve his goal, but he gained a lot. At the end of the conversation, Meng Zhang asked Extreme Sword Spirit General what kind of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects he needed to help him reshape his divine body. Extreme Sword Spirit General told him that he required Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects that were vibrant with life and rich in life force. Deep Earth Spirit General and others were already assisting him in collecting them.
Each Guardian Spirit General required different Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects. For example, Deep Earth Spirit General used Fifth Earth Essence to reshape his divine body, while Shocking Thunder Spirit General utilized Heavenly Thunder Essence.
Although collecting regular Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects with Taiyi Sect's current influence was not difficult, acquiring higher-grade ones would require much more effort. The better the quality of the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects, the greater the recovery aid they provided for the Guardian Spirit Generals.
Meng Zhang also didn't rely solely on the information from Extreme Sword Spirit General. He briefly introduced Taiyi Sect's current situation to the elder, and Extreme Sword Spirit General praised him, calling him exceptional and even stating that he was the key figure for Taiyi Sect's revival. Meng Zhang was pleased to receive such recognition from this esteemed elder.
Extreme Sword Spirit General hesitated when he learned about Taiyi Sect's need for Gold Core level cultivators. He asked for help in collecting some special items, not magical tools or pills, but objects with spiritual power that had been used by powerful Sword Cultivators. The items' power or grade didn't matter; what was crucial was that the previous owners must have been Sword Cultivators, and the stronger, the better.
Meng Zhang found this request strange and challenging. In Demon Wind Gobi, genuine Sword Cultivators were scarce. Apart from the Jade Sword Sect in Jiuqu League, there were only a few scattered Sword Cultivators. Finding items used by them wasn't an easy task.
However, Meng Zhang respected Extreme Sword Spirit General deeply and was determined to fulfill his request. He didn't wish to stay away from Demon Wind Gobi for long, as he was concerned about the situation there. After completing his conversation with the elder, he hurriedly left.
Once Meng Zhang left, Delicate Water Spirit General, who had remained silent during the conversation, glanced at the bead containing Extreme Sword Spirit General's Soul and sarcastically remarked, "From the way you acted just now, you don't seem like a straightforward Sword Cultivator but rather a cunning old fox."
"Didn't you say that you always seek direct solutions to problems and won't resort to tricks? Regardless of the difficulties, you would cut through with a single sword."
After hearing Delicate Water Spirit General's words, Extreme Sword Spirit General fell silent for a while before saying, "Do you misunderstand Sword Cultivators, thinking that they are inflexible and incapable of adapting to changing circumstances? I understood the principle of 'yielding to overcome hardness' hundreds of years ago."
"That matter is too weighty, and it's not something that he, a Gold Core early-stage junior, can bear."
"I don't tell him for his own good."
After saying this, they both fell into silence.
Unaware of what transpired after his departure, Meng Zhang returned to Grand Lion Ridge, and nothing unusual happened. When he reached Taiyi Sect, life continued as usual. The entire sect mobilized under his command, using abundant resources to collect the items needed by Extreme Sword Spirit General.
With Jiuqu League's support, Taiyi Sect had established a stable trade route, gaining many connections. Collecting common Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects wasn't difficult. However, obtaining higher-grade ones required more effort.
Extreme Sword Spirit General received the necessary Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects and quickly regained his divine body and strength. Three years later, Meng Zhang met a transformed Extreme Sword Spirit General, now appearing as a refined middle-aged scholar, showing no signs of a Sword Cultivator's aura.
Upon sensing Extreme Sword Spirit General's cultivation base, he appeared to be at Foundation Building mid-stage. However, a closer inspection left Meng Zhang uncertain.
For a Foundation Building-stage cultivator to hide his true strength from Meng Zhang, a Gold Core Daoist Master, was no simple feat. Extreme Sword Spirit General was indeed extraordinary.
After awakening, Extreme Sword Spirit General was appointed as an elder in Taiyi Sect due to his seniority and contribution. In fact, apart from a few individuals, no one in Taiyi Sect knew the true origins of the four Guardian Spirit Generals; they were considered hidden aces cultivated by Taiyi Sect.
After meeting with Meng Zhang, Extreme Sword Spirit General left Demon Wind Gobi and headed to Jiuqu League. Taiyi Sect had successfully fulfilled its goal by collecting the required Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects.
However, collecting items used by Sword Cultivators proved more difficult. In the past, while Meng Zhang was at Jade Sword Sect, he had befriended a few cultivators from there. He sought their help first.
Meng Zhang dispatched envoys to Jade Sword Sect, visiting the cultivators he knew, hoping to purchase items used by Sword Cultivators. However, the cultivators were not very enthusiastic in their reception and couldn't assist him in obtaining such items.
Taiyi Sect faced several challenges, but one day, Jue Ying learned of the situation and sought Luo Ye Daoist Master's help. Dark Alliance had extensive influence in Cultivation World, and through some connections, Luo Ye Daoist Master helped Meng Zhang acquire two items once used by Sword Cultivators.
One was a broken Third Rank flying sword, once owned by a Sword Cultivator, now only a half-foot long fragment. The other item was a worn-out gray pouch called the Sword Pouch, a special treasure used by Sword Cultivators to nurture flying swords. The pouch's nurturing function was lost due to damage, making it affordable for Meng Zhang.
Meng Zhang carefully stored these items, unsure of their usefulness for Extreme Sword Spirit General. Apart from handling occasional tasks, his primary focus was on cultivation.
With Taiyi Sect's development in Demon Wind Gobi, the sect's income had significantly increased. Moreover, being part of the Grand Dust World and having connections with various sects through the Hanhai Alliance expedited resource acquisition.
Demon Wind Gobi offered a better living environment than Endless Sea of Sand, with numerous oases and lakes. Taiyi Sect cleared many of these oases of demonic beasts, and now they served as bases for various cultivation forces, including Taiyi Sect.
The sect had also started to move some mortals to these oases, and many cultivators had settled there as well. With the growth of mortal population, more cultivators were being produced, fulfilling Taiyi Sect's purpose.
Although Fire Cloud Sect and Flying Swan Sect had minor conflicts, news of Wu Mingwei, a new Gold Core Daoist Master from Flying Swan Sect, caused Fire Cloud Sect to become cautious. Wu Mingwei had risen after experiencing a major setback, and this news had implications for the entire Endless Sea of Sand region.
Meng Zhang felt the pressure of Flying Swan Sect's resurgence, knowing that it was not a favorable development for Taiyi Sect. He felt that Flying Swan Sect's growth was more concerning than Fire Cloud Sect's actions.
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