Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1619 - 856: The Beginning

Li Yuanba chose to close his eyes for a rest, completely disregarding the various great cultivators scattered nearby.

He reasoned that once the moment arrived for the resource point to fully ripen, he would simply breach the formation and seize the great cultivator resources for himself.

One should not be misled by the shared status of these individuals; the struggle for great cultivator resources is never a trivial matter to be handled carelessly.

Even powerful great cultivators must exercise extreme caution when deploying their internal Qi, as any destructive actions against the environment are sure to invite swift retaliation from every major force present.

These specific constraints were clearly detailed in the mission briefings issued by the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion.

Consequently, these limitations actually provided a significant strategic advantage to those who, like Li Yuanba, specialized in the path of the sword.

It is widely understood that other great cultivators, seeking to unleash their maximum combat prowess, often resort to techniques that encompass vast areas—tactics that simply cannot be utilized within the confines of such a resource point.

Perhaps only upon destroying the formation could they unleash their most lethal techniques; however, once the defense is shattered, they must once again restrain their power to ensure their strikes do not cause collateral damage to the surrounding environment.

As he mused over these thoughts, a great cultivator suddenly rose, shot into the sky, and vanished into the distance without uttering a single word.

Moments later, yet another great cultivator stood up and similarly departed.

Some among the remaining group offered mocking glances, clearly disdainful of what they perceived as cowardice, while others looked on with hesitation, weighing the prospect of retreating themselves.

Li Yuanba did not even need to open his eyes to recognize that the two who had fled were the very same individuals he had encountered back in the Hell Cave Heaven.

Great cultivators who have truly witnessed Li Yuanba’s ferocity would naturally be wary of his even greater strength following his recent advancement.

Clearly, these two possessed enough self-awareness to recognize their own limitations and understood that their chances of securing resources in a battlefield favored by a sword cultivator were dismal.

It was no secret that Li Yuanba was far from merciful; he had already claimed the lives of several other great cultivators in the past.

Given his infamous reputation for ruthless efficiency within the Hell Cave Heaven, his lethal tendencies were well-known to those collected here.

"Mr. Li, I shall withdraw from this competition for resources. I hope we might meet again when the time is more opportune!" Great Cultivator Sun rose to his feet and spoke with a polite smile.

"Mr. Sun, I appreciate your decision to step aside," Li Yuanba replied, opening his eyes to offer a brief, respectful nod.

Because Great Cultivator Sun had withdrawn with such transparency, Li Yuanba felt inclined to grant him a modicum of respect.

Upon hearing this, Great Cultivator Sun simply smiled and ascended into the clouds, though his true emotions regarding the retreat remained hidden.

Regardless, it could not have been a pleasant experience; these great cultivators had all accepted this task in earnest, and leaving empty-handed after such extensive preparation was undeniably frustrating.

Yet, he understood perfectly that clashing with an formidable sword cultivator like Li Yuanba over uncertain resources was simply not a pragmatic investment.

Furthermore, choosing to depart early allowed him to cultivate a potential positive connection with Li Yuanba.

With only six great cultivators remaining at the site, further observation led two more to abandon the area.

The final four who stood their ground were not swayed by Li Yuanba’s legend, even though they were undoubtedly aware of his reputation.

The title of the finest Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator in the realm was insufficient to strike fear into these four, as they had never personally witnessed the intensity of his combat during that earlier stage of his Cultivation.

After exchanging subtle glances and a volley of private transmissions, the four moved closer to one another, clearly establishing a loose, temporary alliance.

Li Yuanba remained entirely unfazed; even if these four united their strength, they sparked little concern within him.

Several hours bled into the day until another great cultivator arrived from the horizon.

"Why are there so few cultivators participating this time?" the newcomer asked, glancing around the sparse gathering with visible confusion.

Li Yuanba did not know him and offered no response to the inquiry.

The quartet of allied cultivators, remaining hyper-vigilant of Li Yuanba, similarly chose to ignore the new arrival.

"Surely the conflict hasn't commenced prematurely. Breaking the formation with such a small group will be a difficult endeavor!" the man muttered to himself after landing, seemingly unperturbed by the cold atmosphere.

After surveying the field for a moment and sensing the underlying tension, he opted to keep his distance, choosing a spot to sit independently.

During the subsequent days, several more great cultivators drifted into the area.

It remained unclear whether word of Li Yuanba’s position had spread, but none of the newcomers were individuals who had been present at the Hell Cave Heaven; to Li Yuanba, they were all strangers.

These later arrivals maintained a cautious distance from the initial four-man alliance.

As for Li Yuanba, though the new arrivals scrutinized him as well, they treated him as far less of a threat compared to the organized, allied group.

As the maturation of the items within the resource point drew near, every great cultivator present began to perceive the distinct fluctuations of energy radiating from the vicinity.

This indicated that the resource point had intensified its defensive formation, a phenomenon occurring specifically when the resources matured, forcing the formation to temporarily increase its isolation to prevent any leakage of their aura.

Had this protective measure not been bolstered, the potent energy of the maturing resources would have seeped out, inevitably drawing the attention of both rogue cultivators and ravenous spirit beasts.