At this time, there were more and more cultivators inside the immortal sect, totaling more than 1,200, but fewer and fewer cultivators returned to the sect during this time. Only one or two people would rush back every one or two days.
In other words, the originally over two thousand cultivators in the Yunzhong Valley were reduced to just over one thousand after the Great Cleansing on Lingsha Continent, almost halving their numbers.
Among the casualties, the vast majority were Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators.
There were also some Nascent Soul cultivators who fell, but not too many. Most Nascent Soul cultivators sensed the danger and were able to escape using their life-saving methods.
Overall, the impact of this calamity on the Yunzhong Valley was far less than imagined!
After Su Hao came out of the disciple records, he breathed a long sigh of relief and thought to himself, “Because the channels for obtaining resources have been severely damaged, the exchange prices for materials have skyrocketed, with the Spirit Stones experiencing the highest increase.”
“Spirit Stones are the energy cores that maintain large-scale formations. The sect even openly purchases various materials and Spirit Stones from its disciples using contribution points to reinforce and stockpile the sect’s defensive formations.”
“In other words, the higher-ups of the sect have already foreseen that the main base of the Yunzhong Valley will be invaded by external enemies in the future.”
After pondering for a moment, Su Hao realized that there would be no absolute peace anywhere in this world. Even though the Yunzhong Valley was far from the Lingsha Continent, located deep in a remote basin in Annan Hengzhou, there would still be covetous individuals.
Because the fluctuations of spiritual energy in the Yunzhong Valley were only slightly lower than those in the Lingsha Continent, it could be said to be a rare blessed land, making it an excellent main base for the sect.
“It doesn’t matter. If real enemies come, we will use absolute strength to repel them all until no one dares to come.
If we can’t win, we can always move with the sect.”
When he first joined the sect, Su Hao promised Feng Ling to abide by those rudimentary ‘sect rules’, so he wasn’t going to casually throw away what he had said before reaching the fundamental bottom line.
Moreover, the Yunzhong Valley did give him great help, and he had many things to learn from it in the future.
Now that he had learned the Feng lineage techniques of the Yunzhong Valley, his spiritual power characteristics had already been preliminarily formed, making it extremely difficult to switch cultivation paths.
It would almost overturn everything he had done before and rebuild the spiritual power system. In this way, it would be basically wasted.
This was also one of the ways the sect used to restrain its disciples!
Turning to Feng Ling who was following him, Su Hao said, “Master, when I came back, I found a box of Spirit Stones on the way. The sect happens to need them, so they’ve started an activity to exchange Spirit Stones for contribution points. Let’s move them from the disciple records to exchange for contribution points! I want to use contribution points to exchange for the techniques and skills of the Golden Core Realm!”
Su Hao continued, “Of course, I’ll give you half of this box of Spirit Stones!”
Feng Ling suddenly stopped in her tracks, “A box of Spirit Stones??? How big is the box? And you want to give me half?”
Su Hao gestured with his hand, “It’s about as big as a table, so fitting four or five of you is no problem.”
“Gasp—”
Feng Ling took a sharp breath, “This… so many! Isn’t this worth thousands of Spirit Stones? This is half a year’s harvest for a small outpost! I’m going to be rich!”
She confirmed again, “You’re giving me half?”
Su Hao said, “Of course, you’re my master after all.”
Actually, what Su Hao wanted was to pin the source of these Spirit Stones on Feng Ling.
Su Hao added, “However, you should say that you found this box of Spirit Stones accidentally in an uninhabited cave.”
Feng Ling, enchanted by the immense wealth, nodded directly, “Alright! This is what I found! You can give me half. Where is it? Let’s go get it quickly.”
Su Hao said, “Follow me!”
Su Hao led Feng Ling to the testing ground, then brought out a prepared box of Spirit Stones and placed it in front of her, opening the lid, “Master, please take a look!”
Inside the box were milky-white Spirit Stones the size of walnuts, instantly captivating Feng Ling’s eyes.
Feng Ling approached slowly, reached out to scoop up a handful, then let them slip from her hand.
“Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!”
The unique crisp sound of the Spirit Stones struck her heart, causing her heart to beat a few times faster, thumping against her chest.
“We’re… we’re rich! Feng Wei, we’re rich!”
Su Hao could even see a hint of sparkle at the corners of Feng Ling’s mouth. He couldn’t help but remind her, “Master, it’s just these little things, don’t worry about it. You can have more in the future.”
Feng Ling came to her senses, sucked in the corner of her mouth, widened her eyes, and said, “There’s more?”
Su Hao said, “In the future!”
…
Spirit Stones are formed from a special ore under the long-term radiation of spiritual energy wavelengths. They contain a unique energy, which Su Hao called ‘natural spiritual power’.
The ‘natural spiritual power’ contained within the Spirit Stones is a kind of energy different from the spiritual power within a cultivator’s body. Normally, cultivators cannot absorb the spiritual power within the Spirit Stones to replenish their own spiritual power consumption.
Of course, through special methods, it can be reluctantly used, but the energy of these transformed Spirit Stones is of inferior quality compared to spiritual power, incompatible with the spiritual power within the body, and not suitable for extensive use.
Therefore, no cultivator would expend huge effort to deal with these Spirit Stones.
The role of Spirit Stones is usually to set up fixed large-scale formations, making them one of the most important strategic resources for sects large and small.
Furthermore, since the energy of Spirit Stones is not easily volatile and consumed, Spirit Stones have become the common currency of cultivators.
It can be said that as long as there are enough Spirit Stones, one can buy most materials, artifacts, and pills. Almost anything can be bought, even ‘Red Spring Refining Elixir’, as long as there are enough Spirit Stones.
However, the reality is that those who have so many Spirit Stones are not lacking in that ‘Red Spring Refining Elixir’, but those who lack the refining liquid also lack Spirit Stones.
Feng Ling had never seen so many Spirit Stones before, so it’s no wonder she acted so unrestrainedly. But after indulging for a while, she eventually returned to her usual graceful demeanor.
She said with great arrogance, “Let’s go, let’s exchange these Spirit Stones for contribution points now, and then exchange a bunch of pills with the contribution points. Ohoho, my cultivation speed will definitely skyrocket, the Golden Core is in sight, the Golden Core is in sight!”
Su Hao smiled, “I thought Master was going to exchange for artifacts!”
Feng Ling sneered, “Hmph! Are those artifacts as powerful as my Qingyan? Forget it if not! However, it’s still possible to exchange for some materials…”
Feng Ling suddenly grinned, “Feng Wei, can you craft defensive and escape artifacts? Help me craft one of each, how about it? Don’t worry! I’ll provide the materials!”
Su Hao said, “Doesn’t your Qingyan already have defensive and escape functions?”
Feng Ling replied, “That’s not the same! Combining them together isn’t convenient! I want them separate!”
Su Hao’s eyes twitched slightly. It was clear that Feng Ling wanted to make a couple more top-notch artifacts!
But it wasn’t much trouble, so he casually said, “Alright then! No need for materials, just wait a few days.”
Excitedly, Feng Ling clenched her fists and waved, “Let’s go exchange for contribution points!”
Without Su Hao needing to lift a finger, she controlled Qingyan to create a green barrier, lifting up a large box of Spirit Stones and flying towards the disciple records.
The two quickly arrived at the disciple records. After Feng Ling displayed the entire box of Spirit Stones, all the cultivators in the disciple records were shocked and gathered around to watch.
“I heard that this box of Spirit Stones was picked up by Junior Sister Feng Ling over in the Lingsha region. Is it true?”
“Junior Sister Feng Ling’s luck… is simply unbelievable!”
“Why can’t I have such luck? Is it because I don’t usually like to explore?”
“Brothers, please don’t harbor any illusions. How many of us actually enjoy exploring? Where are they all now?”
“Indeed.”
“If it’s not meant to be, then so be it.”
“Even so, I really want some! Why not ask Junior Sister for a few? After all, she has so many.”
“What’s it to you whether she has them or not? With such an attitude, how can you cultivate into a true immortal!”
…
For a while, Feng Ling became the focus of everyone’s attention.
As for Su Hao, a seventeen-year-old cultivator, he had nothing to do with them.
