MTLNOVEL Chapter 370 Cooperation
The auction event drew to a close.
With the precedent of a Refining Void Demon Cultivator of the Yin Moon Sect being killed, the auction was peaceful and smooth.
Everyone abided by the rules obediently.
Especially when Alkaid declared that he could accept orders for custom Dao Artifacts, causing everyone to speculate whether an Artifact Sage stood behind him or if he was directly supported by the Penglai Dao Lord, these powers naturally did not dare to act rashly.
Of course, while they didn't dare to make any rash moves, there was no shortage of cultivators who were waiting to see some excitement.
Everyone knew that the Yin Moon Sect, having lost a Refining Void Demon Cultivator, wouldn't let the matter rest so easily.
Moreover, the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Dao Sect, Zong Wenxian, would definitely drag his feet a bit on the "rescue"...
Although it was impossible not to save them, it provided the Yin Moon Sect an opportunity to exploit the time difference.
Now it remained to be seen whether Alkaid could withstand this oncoming tribulation from the Demon Cultivators.
…
"Resources worth 40 billion Pure Yang Great Pills."
Alkaid felt the fully-packed Storage Treasure.
He did not put these items to use right away, but instead focused his attention on the ancient tree within his Spiritual World.
Two Dao Artifacts sold.
Especially since one of the Dao Artifacts had a "cost" that was extremely low, it directly increased his "experience"...
"This little?!"
Alkaid's brow furrowed.
He added the "experience" to the branch of [Immortal Path: Shattering Void], pushing the progress from the original 36% to just 45%, not even a full 10%.
"Not even as much as killing a single Refining Void Demon Cultivator; the 'experience' I gained from killing the Evil Eye was around 11%, and now, for two Dao Artifacts, I only get 9%?"
This efficiency...
Was slow.
Moreover, within that 9%, the Void Sword was likely only 3%, while the Thunder Halberd accounted for 6%.
"Following this trend, if I rely solely on selling Dao Artifacts to raise my realm to the level of a Dao Lord, I would need more than thirty pieces. On average, it takes me about five years to refine a Dao Artifact. If luck isn't on my side, it could extend to ten or even twenty years. In other words, to fill the remaining 55% of experience, even if things go smoothly, it would take nearly a hundred years."
A hundred years, it couldn't be said to be slow.
But compared to his current cultivation time, it was no longer adequate to merely describe it as slow.
It could only be described as excruciatingly slow.
Therefore...
"If I want to advance quickly, I still need to put effort into [Demon Hunting]."
Alkaid pondered slightly, considering the situation he was currently facing...
"Yin Moon Sect."
He waved his hand, and an array of light and shadow appeared before him.
Soon, Chi Yu's figure materialized.
"Sect Leader."
"Has the Yin Moon Sect shown any movements?"
As Alkaid spoke, he seemed to think of something and added, "What about the Lu Family, Li Family, Jing Family, and that Wu Changfeng? Have they made any unusual moves?"
"Yes," Chi Yu promptly replied.
But his expression was slightly odd: "But… it's a bit strange."
"How so?"
"Isn't the date for the tribute right around the corner? We thought the Lu Family, Li Family, and Jing Family would tighten resources to force us to fill in with our own, but... everything went smoothly."
Chi Yu explained: "Whether it was the Lu Family, the Li Family, or the Jing Family, they all cooperated surprisingly well. Our people went and were able to collect all the resources without difficulty, ensuring that the Sect's once-in-a-decade tribute has no more issues."
"Oh?"
After hearing this, Alkaid gave it some thought and understood why these families had become compliant.
Previously, they had been at odds with him, first because they did not know his true strength, and second because they felt that by coming to the Southern Region, he was snatching away Zong Wenxian's fruits of labor, which Zong Wenxian would definitely not let go without a fight.
Zong Wenxian had the means, and Alkaid reckoned it wouldn't take long for him to fade into obscurity, just like the Sect Leader from the Northern Region, becoming obedient and subdued.
Even if he wanted to make a splash and have a career, eventually, he would end up like Song Youque, caught at an opportune moment and divided and conquered.
But now...
The situation was obviously different.
The abilities he had shown...
No need to mention a threat to Zong Wenxian; at least for the short term, Zong Wenxian was already unable to come up with any effective measures to restrain him. His future had become unpredictable.
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In such a situation, the Lu Family, Li Family, Jing Family, and other powers naturally did not dare to act rashly, lest they get caught in the crossfire of the Sect Leader-level confrontation and be obliterated.
"I believe that the Lu Family and Li Family have become prudent since they are ultimately backed only by a Peak Master, not even a Vein Master, and their interests are not as deeply tied with Zong Wenxian, their confidence is not that firm. But would the Jing Family willingly bow their heads and submit so meekly?"
Alkaid said, then directly ordered, "Increase the surveillance on the Jing Family!"
As he spoke, he thought of something, shook his head and said, "Forget it, once the auction ends, the Capital Dragon Slaying Formation will naturally not be able to continue. Without this Formation to cover our tracks, sending you to monitor the Jing Family would be too risky, exposing you easily. I will personally follow up on this matter. You just focus on your own tasks and prepare the offerings."
"Yes."
Chi Yu quickly responded.
After Chi Yu left, Alkaid wasted no time. His figure flashed, and he silently left the Southern Capital.
With his current ability to perform Void Blinks, it was not just the most powerful in the Southern Capital, some at the Refining Void Level, who could not detect him; even those at the Shattered Void Realm, unless they were constantly focusing their attention on the area he was in, would not have the slightest chance of noticing him.
In a few blinks, he had already arrived at a city a million miles away from the Southern Capital.
To the north of this city, in the Great Rift Valley, there was an environment suitable for the growth of Carefree Grass.
Most of the Jing Family's personnel were originally stationed in the core of the Southern Region — the Southern Capital. But with Alkaid taking over the Southern Capital and controlling the Capital Dragon Slaying Formation, the Jing Family's members naturally sought refuge in their family's second stronghold, an area they referred to as Carefree Valley, as their safety was no longer guaranteed.
The most central area of this valley was enveloped by a Formation spanning three thousand miles. The Formation's level was only Eleventh Level, but through the years of continuous management and rebuilding by the Jing Family, in terms of killing and trapping enemies, it was not inferior to a Twelfth Level Formation.
However...
Alkaid himself was already a Tenth Level Array Master, and he possessed extremely profound knowledge in Void Techniques. Furthermore, since this surveillance Formation was only functioning at the Eleventh Level, it could not always be operating at maximum power. In a few blinks, Alkaid had already reached the most core area of this Formation.
"Its offensive capabilities are comparable to a Twelfth Level Formation, and it is presided over by Jing Zhengyang, a powerful cultivator from the Refining Void Realm... It's feared that it has the ability to trap and kill at the Refining Void Level."
After observing for a while, Alkaid evaluated with a smile.
Then, after a brief survey, he arrived at a cliff face.
He carved out a hole in the cliff, five meters deep and three meters high, and set up a Formation that did not interfere with the operation of Carefree Valley's Formation to conceal himself. He then used the light of his True Spirit to illuminate the area less than a hundred miles away where Jing Zhengyang and others were located.
"If I wanted to kill someone, I could completely trap Zhengyang, who is at the Refining Void Level, in the Heaven-Sealing Stele before he even has time to react, and then leave Carefree Valley with a blink through the Void before they activate the Formation. However... it's easy to kill someone, but the tedious aftermath and inquiries that need to be dealt with afterward are more troublesome. After all, the Jing Family has the support of Supreme Elder Jing Yuntian from the Shattered Void Realm."
Alkaid contemplated.
While maintaining the illumination from his True Spirit's Light on Jing Zhengyang and the others, he also dedicated some energy to absorbing and understanding the two newly acquired Dao Techniques: Supreme Human Emperor and Time Torrent.
Although he could not put them into practice at the moment, his understanding of these two Dao Techniques was deepening as he continued to digest them.
Fortunately, Jing Zhengyang and other members of the Jing Family did not keep Alkaid waiting for long.
Or rather, the prospect of profits amounting to 4 billion Pure Yang Great Pills made both the Yin Moon Sect and Jing Zhengyang somewhat restless.
Alkaid had only been hiding in the cliff for three days when another cultivator at the Refining Void Level, a Demon Cultivator, appeared within the range of his True Spirit's Light perception.
"They've arrived so soon."
Alkaid quickly activated Supreme Selflessness to make his Divine Sense undetectable as if completely one with the world. Maintaining the form of his True Spirit's Light, he quickly arrived outside a loft built in the valley.
Then...
He took out the Shadow Retaining Stone.
...
"So it's the Eight Desolations Demon Lord's top disciple, Chi Sha True Monarch? My apologies."
Jing Zhengyang looked at the Refining Void Demon Cultivator who arrived like a wisp of black smoke, maintaining his guard while trying to greet him as friendly as possible.
"Jing Family Head, this new Lord of the Heavenly Dao Sect in the Southern Region is a bit unruly."
The Demon Cultivator known as Chi Sha True Monarch conveyed with his Divine Sense, which was filled with a cold, sinister aura.
"You're not unaware of the traditions of our Heavenly Dao Sect. Each Vice Sect Leader will come to the region for trials, and only those who endure the pressure from the Sect Leader can become the new Sect Leader. It's because of this method of nurturing that each Sect Leader of our Heavenly Dao Sect is genuinely outstanding, ensuring the enduring prosperity of the Heavenly Dao Sect for countless years. Thus, the attitude of this Vice Sect Leader does not represent our Sect Leader's stance," Jing Zhengyang explained.
"It is precisely because I understand this that my master sent me personally to handle this cooperation, showing our sincerity," said Chi Sha True Monarch, before directly asking, "Alkaid, we from the Yin Moon Sect want him, what is your purpose?"
"Want him? That's not going to happen; the Yin Moon Sect can only take Alkaid's corpse. Our Jing Family ancestors, including the Sect Leader, will never allow a living Vice Sect Leader to reach the Yin Moon Sect," Jing Zhengyang said. "As for our purpose... we only hope that Alkaid leaves the Southern Region as a corpse, to restore peace to the region."
Chi Sha True Monarch's emotional fluctuations seemed unusual. "You don't want the Dao Artifacts on Alkaid's body, nor the 4 billion he just auctioned off?"
"Those are your spoils of war; naturally, we won't make unreasonable demands," said Jing Zhengyang.
Chi Sha True Monarch looked somewhat astonished.
Then as if realizing something, he said, "You only allow us to leave the Southern Region with Alkaid's corpse... Are you betting on the mysterious Artifact Sage behind him?"
"Whether there's an Artifact Sage or not is still uncertain," Jing Zhengyang said with a smile. "We're just taking a gamble."
"Is that so," Chi Sha True Monarch said indifferently, "then back to the key point of our cooperation."
Locking his Divine Sense onto Jing Zhengyang and sensing his every emotional fluctuation, the Demon Cultivator said, "Jing Family, do you really have a way to sabotage the Capital Dragon Slaying Formation, to render it unable to launch smoothly?"