Grinding EXP From a Demon Hunting Ship

This was also to remain hidden.

Flying through the open sky was far too conspicuous.

’In this sea region, the publicly known Nascent Soul True Monarchs are Li Jinhua and Yuan Lan. As for those hiding in the shadows, who knows how many more there are!’

Su Ye was on high alert.

The Volcano Grotto Heaven was at least a sixth-tier Grotto Heaven.

A Grotto Heaven of this caliber meant a massive output of resources, making it well worth the all-out struggle among the Nine Sects of the Inner Sea.

It was perfectly reasonable to dispatch several Nascent Soul True Monarchs to vie for the Volcano Grotto Heaven.

However, for now, the Volcano Grotto Heaven’s defenses were incredibly formidable. They contained a scorching fire poison potent enough to severely injure even a Nascent Soul cultivator.

This layer of defense forced the old Nascent Soul monsters lurking in this sea region to exercise temporary restraint, preventing them from breaking out into an all-out, bloody conflict.

If the Volcano Grotto Heaven’s defenses could hold out for long...

’Perhaps the struggle for the Volcano Grotto Heaven would be restricted to the Golden Core Stage?’

But Su Ye didn’t have high hopes for that.

Based on his contact with the Dream-keepers, their current situation didn’t seem optimistic.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have allowed him to take the Crimson Tears. Besides the Heart Demon Oath, there were no other binding constraints on him for taking this fifth-tier Spiritual Object!

What’s more...

’The Star Casting Hall has suffered repeated setbacks. They’re lagging far behind the cultivators of the three sects in the fight for the Volcano Grotto Heaven... I highly doubt they’ll just admit defeat.’

They had already lost the struggle at the Golden Core level.

And based on their performance, there was no hope of a comeback.

The best solution, of course, was to dispatch a Nascent Soul cultivator to win it all back!

’In other words, there’s a good chance the high and mighty Nascent Soul True Monarchs will come to blows in the Day Flame Sea Region over the Volcano Grotto Heaven?’

Su Ye sucked in a breath through his teeth.

At this thought, Su Ye winced, pressing a hand to his forehead and rubbing his temples in frustration.

’Nascent Soul!’

’The fifth major realm of the Spiritual Mechanism Immortal Dao, following Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Crystal Formation, and Golden Core!’

Even in the Ancient Era, a Nascent Soul cultivator could be addressed as a True Monarch, having crossed the threshold into the ranks of those with Great Techniques!

What’s more, with the advent of the Crystal Skill, the tribulations of the Celestial Dao have become even more perilous.

The result is that the average high-level cultivator who successfully overcomes their tribulation is significantly more powerful than their counterparts from the Ancient Era!

For example, a Golden Core Stage cultivator of the current era, with the help of methods like Arrays and Orbits, could influence a small or medium-sized sea region, albeit at a certain cost.

Take Qiuya, the ancestor of the Spirit Control Sect. She used the Gui Cang Wind Stone and a specific Array to alter the storm patterns of the Qingwei Sea Region.

Nascent Soul True Monarchs are even more terrifying. If they were to act with their full power, even a large area like the Day Flame Sea Region would be drastically affected!

And the destructive power unleashed by several Nascent Soul cultivators clashing would increase exponentially!

Even Li Jinhua couldn’t guarantee Su Ye’s safety during a battle between Nascent Soul cultivators.

"A fire at the city gate brings disaster to the fish in the moat..."

Su Ye sighed softly.

As the leader of the Flame Alliance, he was the theoretical ruler of the Day Flame Sea Region. But once the conflict escalated and the Nine Sects of the Inner Sea made their entrance, he completely lost control of the situation.

He could only pick a side and serve as a pawn... ’Er, maybe a little better than a pawn,’ he mused. ’An elite troop, perhaps?’

Su Ye didn’t like this feeling at all. So what if he was an elite? At a critical moment, wouldn’t he just be sacrificed in an exchange?

Su Ye muttered to himself, "The only one I can trust is myself."

Only with enough personal strength could he face any storm without fear, standing firm and unshakable.

’First, I need to advance to the Late-stage Golden Core!’

’At the same time, I’ll attempt to advance my physical body and soul to the fifth tier!’

Focusing his mind, Su Ye steered the Ghostly Flood Dragon toward the Far South Continent.

...

The Ghostly Flood Dragon was extremely swift.

Even in its submarine form, which was slower than flying, it still reached the Far South Continent within a few days.

After passing through the gray wall barrier, Su Ye wasted no time. He gathered a group of elites and ventured deep into the Far South Continent, heading for the two other main cities of the Northern Territory besides Tewa Kan City.

Cyan Rattan City and Golden City.

Of course, Su Ye had given them these names himself.

He had named them based on the characteristics of the gods they worshiped.

As the names suggested.

Cyan Rattan City worshiped the Cyan Rong God.

Su Ye had crossed paths with this god before, and it had even contributed a precious portion of life divinity to him.

Golden City worshiped the God of Sovereignty, a deity who presided over ’Dominion’ and ’Law’ and was also the chief god of the Northern Territory.

The city was once renowned for its rigorous legal system, becoming a unique beacon of civilization in the otherwise barbaric and bloodthirsty Northern Territory.

However, that was all in the distant past.

As times changed, the gods’ radiance gradually faded, and they came to require blood sacrifices for sustenance.

The God of Sovereignty was no exception. Thus, the royal family and its Priests frequently amended the laws, adding numerous unavoidable, vaguely-defined crimes.

They used these to declare innocent commoners guilty of breaking the law and sent them off to be used as blood sacrifices!

The royal family and the Priests were incredibly smug, thinking themselves absolute geniuses. They had managed to satisfy the need for blood sacrifices without technically violating the God of Sovereignty’s sacred tenet of upholding the law!

Killing two birds with one stone—it was a total win!

Unfortunately for them...

this behavior utterly destroyed the sanctity of the law.

The laws of the Golden City went from being something sacred and inviolable to an absolute joke. From the commoners to the royal family, no one truly believed in them anymore.

As a result, the faith of the believers collapsed, and the God of Sovereignty’s ’Law’ divine portfolio began to waver.

This, in turn, caused His power to plummet. Among the three chief gods of the Northern Territory, His condition was the worst and His power the weakest, forcing Him into a state of year-round slumber.

Naturally...

main cities like these stood no chance against Su Ye and the elites of the Nanyaoguang Corporation.

Su Ye didn’t even have to act himself. Ziyuan, along with the elite Foundation Establishment cultivators, was enough to dismantle the two cities’ defenses and complete the occupation.

Su Ye had no interest in managing mortals or establishing his rule.

He handed these trivial matters over to the Nanyaoguang Corporation, which had professionals to handle such things.

The royal treasures held little meaning for Su Ye either. He picked out a few valuable items for himself and had the rest added to the corporation’s warehouse, to be resold or used by the company.

The only thing he cared about was the Spiritual Spring!

Then, Su Ye ventured deep underground and began Refining the Spiritual Spring.

...

The process of Refining the Spiritual Spring was uneventful.

Su Ye proceeded methodically, absorbing the Spiritual Spring Origin and circulating his Cultivation Technique to convert it into Magical Power.

During this process, his Magical Power reserves grew at an astonishing rate!

「A month later.」

Su Ye finished refining Cyan Rattan City’s Spiritual Spring. Of course, he didn’t drain the pond to catch the fish.

He left behind a strand of the Spiritual Spring Origin, ensuring the fourth-tier Spiritual Spring would not dissipate entirely.

After all, the Spiritual Spring had taken thousands of years to accumulate its power.

Refining the Spiritual Spring Origin to accumulate Magical Power was already quite ruthless.

As for utterly destroying the Spiritual Spring—an act so depraved it would curse one’s descendants—Su Ye felt it was best to avoid it.

It was like harvesting chives but pulling them up by the roots; they’d never grow back. That was just too depraved.

’Besides, it’s not like I’m desperate for that last little bit,’ Su Ye mused.

He then traveled to Golden City.

It took him another month to refine and absorb that city’s Spiritual Spring Origin as well.

Su Ye had single-handedly drained nearly all of the Origin from two fourth-tier Spiritual Springs.

This act yielded astonishing returns!

His Magical Power shot up, reaching the very peak of the Mid-stage Golden Core!

The barrier of Magical Power accumulation was completely overcome!

With his reserves now full, Su Ye could break through the bottleneck and advance to the Late-stage Golden Core at any moment!

Deep underground.

Beside the dried-up Spiritual Spring.

Su Ye opened his eyes and murmured aloud.

"This speed is terrifying. My cultivation during the Golden Core Stage is even faster than it was during Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment..."

"In just a few short years, I’ve broken through two minor realms, and now I’m about to advance to the late stage?"

Su Ye was momentarily dazed. ’Is this what it means for a long period of accumulation to finally bear fruit?’ he wondered with a sigh.

He let out a long breath.

He calmed himself, thought for a moment, and stood up.

Because of the Nether Mirror’s existence, Su Ye chose not to attempt his breakthrough on the Far South Continent.

Instead, he spent several hours returning to Jade Dew Island to attempt the advancement in his own lair.

THUD.

The entrance to his cave residence sealed shut, enveloped by a protective Array.

Su Ye sat cross-legged and adjusted his essence, qi, and spirit to their peak condition.

At the same time, he took out the jade box containing the ’Dragon Demon Heart’ and the Crimson Tears.

He placed it directly in front of him.

He took a deep breath.

"Let’s begin!"