Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1376 - 734: Mission_2

With an abundance of resources and a peak Spiritual Energy setting, bolstered by the Treasure Lotus Hall and various Spiritual Objects, the five Nascent Soul cultivators practicing the 'Heavenly Human Technique' are making breathtaking progress.

The speed of their advancement is many times faster than that of peers at the same level, even if they were training alone; however, they are currently cultivating in unison, further amplifying the effect.

Li Yuanba felt the weight of Li Shiming’s influence; he knew that if he did not push himself, he would eventually become a burden rather than an asset to him.

"This is our objective, look it over first!" Wu Qi said, cutting the conversation short. He produced his Identity Jade Disc and displayed the details of a mission.

As Li Yuanba scanned the contents of the assignment, his facial expression shifted slightly.

"A Grotto Heaven has surfaced? Why hasn't the pavilion sent any Great Cultivators to handle this?" Li Yuanba asked, his voice laced with confusion.

The mission Wu Qi presented involved a newly discovered Grotto Heaven. While the gateway to the Cave Heaven Space had not fully stabilized, the leaking spatial energy had already been pinpointed.

"Great Cultivators are forbidden from intervening; this is a strict treaty upheld by every super force on the Central State Continent, and no one dares break it. Furthermore, because this Grotto Heaven is located within the Central State Continent, cultivators from other continents are barred from participating!" Wu Qi clarified.

After a moment of reflection, Li Yuanba realized that this struggle for the Grotto Heaven was a localized contest among the elites of the Central State Continent.

The reason smaller sects weren't officially banned was simpler: their Nascent Soul Middle Stage disciples were completely outclassed by those from the super forces.

While some large sects might possess talented Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioners, they still found themselves overwhelmed when facing the core disciples of the continent's top powers.

The ban on outside continents also provided a layer of protection for Li Yuanba; the White Emperor Sect would not risk the wrath of all the Central State's super forces by sending powerful figures to hunt him during this specific mission.

"Will there be many Sword Cultivators from our pavilion joining the fray?" Li Yuanba inquired, moving to his next concern.

"Of course, the majority of the pavilion's core Sword Cultivators will be there. This Grotto Heaven is vital; securing it could potentially produce another Half-step Great Power for us!" Wu Qi replied, eyes shimmering with anticipation.

"What is the link between a Grotto Heaven and reaching the rank of a Great Power?" Li Yuanba asked, masking his deep interest with a tone of casual curiosity.

Internally, he was gripped by the significance of this connection and was desperate to understand the mechanics behind it.

This was esoteric knowledge absent from his previous readings, likely a secret shared only among the inner circles of the super forces.

"I have heard rumors that if a Great Cultivator finds a Grotto Heaven that aligns perfectly with their own attributes, they might achieve the Mahayana Realm directly by fusing with the Cave Heaven Core. Even if the alignment is imperfect, fusion still offers a path to becoming a Half-step Mahayana.

Creating a Grotto Heaven from scratch to reach the Mahayana Realm is incredibly difficult; many Great Powers within the super forces have actually attained their status through this type of inheritance!" Wu Qi’s explanation was slightly vague, yet it exposed the hidden foundations of the great sects.

Li Yuanba nodded as the pieces fell into place, finally understanding why super forces consistently maintained their Great Powers.

His extensive study of ancient texts had taught him how nearly impossible it was to become a Great Power.

Yet, looking at the current landscape, every super force was anchored by one. It turned out there was a reliable shortcut: by merging with a Cave Heaven Core that matched one's attributes, a cultivator could seize a predecessor’s Grotto Heaven and ascend to the Mahayana Realm.

Naturally, the process was likely fraught with hidden perils and was not as effortless as it sounded.

However, this method effectively bypassed one of the most grueling hurdles of the Mahayana transition, making the path far more attainable.

Within a massive sect, finding a disciple whose attributes mirrored a predecessor was quite easy; in fact, multiple candidates could be groomed in every generation if necessary.

A Great Power lives for at least five millennia; even by the most conservative estimates, they can protect a super force for five thousand years. During their twilight years, they can carefully select a successor to take over their Grotto Heaven and become the next guardian.

With the vast wealth of a super force, they could prepare several backups if the primary successor failed. As long as one person succeeded, the sect’s dominance was secured for another five thousand years.

Of course, failures occurred; those super forces that lost their status were usually those who could no longer find a compatible heir for their Grotto Heaven, proving the inheritance process was not foolproof.

"What are the attributes of the Grotto Heaven in this mission?" Li Yuanba asked, noting the absence of that detail in the report.

"It belonged to the Langcai Great Power. While he was a Gold Element Great Power, he was not a Sword Cultivator. Consequently, the compatibility of his Grotto Heaven with our Sword Cultivators is quite poor," Wu Qi explained with a sigh.

Wu Qi was aware that even if they captured the Grotto Heaven, he wouldn't be the one to fuse with it. The Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion would pick the most suitable candidate, hoping to at least create a new Half-step Great Power.

That was the ideal outcome, though the odds of a Sword Cultivator successfully merging with a non-sword Grotto Heaven—even a Gold-aligned one—were incredibly slim.

Regardless of the fusion prospects, they had to fight for it. Even if it couldn't be inherited, it would serve as an elite training ground for the pavilion's disciples.

"Also, the mission orders state that if we cannot hold it, the Cave Heaven Core must be destroyed. We cannot allow the Grotto Heaven to fall into the hands of rival forces!" Wu Qi added.

Having witnessed Li Yuanba’s prowess in past battles, and knowing he had slain several Nascent Soul Middle Stage experts and even Half-step Great Cultivators, Wu Qi viewed him as the strongest Nascent Soul Middle Stage Sword Cultivator available.

This was the reason Wu Qi had sought out Li Yuanba specifically for this task.

If any Nascent Soul Middle Stage practitioner had a chance to seize the Grotto Heaven, it was Li Yuanba.

The order to destroy the core was a strategic necessity. Because the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion consisted only of Sword Cultivators, they were limited in who could inherit such a place. Other super forces, however, were more diverse.

For those sects, finding a Gold-attribute cultivator to match Langcai Great Power’s Grotto Heaven would be relatively simple.

If a rival super force successfully claimed the Grotto Heaven and raised a new Great Power, the geopolitical balance of the Central State Continent would be shattered.

The Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion could not allow that. A rival with two Great Powers would dominate the continent and stifle the growth of all other major sects.

"I will prepare myself," Li Yuanba replied after a brief pause.

He did not view himself as invincible. His greatest weapons, the Spirit Treasure Xingyi Sword and the 'Ten Thousand Sword Peak', had to be kept hidden, which limited his true offensive power. While he could easily handle standard Nascent Soul Middle Stage enemies, the elite core disciples of other super forces were a different matter.

He knew that if those elites formed a coordinated front against him, he would be in a difficult position.

Even with Wu Qi's assistance, he needed to arrange secondary plans to ensure he wouldn't be overwhelmed by numbers.

"We depart at this time tomorrow. We can't afford any delays!" Wu Qi said. He understood the need for preparation; facing the strongest experts of the super forces was a life-or-death gamble.