Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

Without any hesitation, he stored all the magical treasures, along with the dozen or so storage bags, into his core storage space—behind that mysterious stone door.

He had no intention of leaving any of these things to the Tianxing Sect.

Having done all this, Ying Xuan took a step forward and returned to the true core island of the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiends Formation.

His gaze fell on a specially constructed platform in the center of the island.

There, at this moment, lay a mountain of magical treasures and artifacts! Their light shimmered, and spiritual energy intertwined; there were hundreds of magical treasures and thousands of artifacts!

These were all items that cultivators who joined the Tianxing Sect since its founding had "temporarily" stored in the sect's treasury or directly contributed to exchange for points to obtain cultivation manuals and longer spiritual vein cultivation time. Now, naturally, they all belonged to Ying Xuan.

"This saved me a lot of time and effort in collecting information."

Looking at this pile of "wealth," Ying Xuan didn't show much joy on his face; instead, it was as if he had completed a predetermined task.

He raised both hands, his ten fingers moving rapidly like phantoms, casting a series of profound and complex spells.

These techniques are different from the weapon-refining inheritance he brought from the Great Qin World and the mainstream weapon-refining methods of this world. They combine the strengths of both worlds and also draw upon a trace of the sparse incense and spiritual power accumulated in the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend Array, generated from the daily offerings of the Heavenly Star Sect disciples, as well as the pure spiritual energy gathered by the array.

"Om-!"

The incantation transformed into countless light runes, which, as if possessing life, flew towards the mountain of magical treasures and artifacts, merging into them.

In an instant, hundreds of magical treasures and thousands of magical artifacts trembled simultaneously, emitting clear or deep humming sounds! Various colored lights soared into the sky, illuminating the entire core island in a bizarre and dazzling manner! The powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy and the aura of laws intertwined and collided, which would have alarmed the entire Tiannan if not for the array that provided the barrier.

Under the combined influence of this extraordinary incantation, the power of incense and prayer, and the pure spiritual energy, the internal structure and material properties of these magical artifacts began to undergo subtle yet profound changes.

Some minor impurities were refined and removed, the originally imperfect array runes were optimized and adjusted, and some magical artifacts were even slowly transforming into higher-level magical treasures...

This process lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

As all the light gradually faded and the buzzing subsided, the magical artifacts floating on the platform appeared to have changed little in appearance, but Ying Xuan could clearly sense that their "essence" and "potential" had been upgraded to a higher level!
In particular, the hundreds of magical treasures are now emanating a more refined and pure aura, even carrying a faint trace of "spirituality." If they can be properly nurtured and refined in the Great Qin World in the future, their probability of becoming immortal artifacts will greatly increase.

“Excellent. Bringing them back to Qin would be enough to arm an elite army of cultivators.”

Ying Xuan nodded in satisfaction and, with a wave of his hand, collected all the completed magical treasures and artifacts on the platform.

However, just as he finished doing all this, when he should have been in a good mood, his brows furrowed slightly, and instead of joy, his face gradually became shrouded in gloom.

He closed his eyes and carefully sensed himself.

Not right.

The large-scale refining of magical artifacts just now, especially the special method of fusing the methods of two realms and drawing upon the power of incense and prayer, consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy and mental focus. This is in accordance with common sense.

In particular, since he has now developed a complete set of eight spiritual roots within his body, which are closely connected to the world of this realm, his body should automatically and efficiently absorb spiritual energy from the surrounding environment to replenish itself after being depleted.

It's even possible that through this deep "interaction," one can absorb a trace of the powder of the laws of heaven and earth, allowing for a very slight growth in one's spiritual root and cultivation.

but.

The spiritual energy he had just consumed was slowly recovering entirely thanks to the profound foundation of his own primordial spirit as an Earth Immortal. The rich and pure spiritual energy around him was something his spiritual root couldn't absorb...? Or rather, the world of this realm was "refusing" to provide deeper "nourishment" to beings of his level who possessed spiritual roots?
He had previously taken the Heaven-Mending Pill, instantly generating eight elemental spiritual roots and drastically increasing his strength, directly reaching the peak of the Nascent Soul stage in this realm. However, since then, no matter how he cultivated or comprehended, even his recent attempt to refine a magic weapon, which could be considered a special form of "cultivation practice," his cultivation level had stagnated. Previously, he had only assumed that he had temporarily reached a bottleneck, or that the Nascent Soul stage in this realm was inherently difficult to advance, and hadn't paid much attention to it.

But now, considering the anomalies during the refining process and what Feng Xianzi said before his death, "If the Nascent Soul stage is stagnant, cultivation will be difficult to advance, and one will suffer harm instead"...

A clear, somewhat infuriating truth came to mind.

"The limitations of heaven and earth..."

Ying Xuan slowly opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.

He looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing through the array space, seeing the invisible laws of this world.

"It's not a bottleneck, it's a lock. This world doesn't allow cultivators to reach 'too high' levels in the 'lower world'."

Once a certain critical point is reached, a mechanism—likely the 'spiritual root' within a cultivator's body, closely connected to heaven and earth—will lock away their ability to continue absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and comprehending deeper laws, and may even exert a negative influence.

Before he had a spiritual root, he cultivated the cultivation system he possessed, which was not deeply connected to this world, so he was not subject to this restriction. However, after consuming the Heaven-Mending Pill, he actively generated a spiritual root and established a deep connection with the laws of this world, and this "restriction" quietly took effect.

Therefore, his strength surged when his spiritual root was formed, but after reaching the "ceiling" allowed by this world, it completely stagnated.

"The control over heaven and earth at three levels... is so tight."

Ying Xuan muttered to himself, his tone carrying a hint of anger and displeasure at being tricked.

He had thought that spiritual roots were just tools and bridges, but he never expected them to be part of the shackles.

The consciousness of this world is truly adept at preventing "native" powerhouses from breaking through the world's limits.

His previously relaxed state of mind was now clouded by a shadow.

This means that his strength in this realm has reached its limit. To advance further, he must either break free from these shackles or... leave this realm as soon as possible and travel to a higher-level world. The prerequisite for leaving is finding a stable passage, or having the ability to create one himself.

"It seems that the coordinates of those void channels must be verified as soon as possible."

Ying Xuan looked beyond the formation, his gaze sharpening. Feng Xianzi's "gift" and the Mulan people's "generous gift" now seemed even more urgent and important. At the same time, the arrangements for the Tianxing Sect and Han Li also needed to be reconsidered. With their strength locked down, some plans that could have been carried out gradually might have to be accelerated.

Ying Xuan stood atop the core island, his fingertips still seemingly tinged with the lingering spiritual energy from refining the magic weapon, yet the enlightenment and the accompanying sense of unease he couldn't shake. He looked down at his palms, as if he could "inner-vision" the eight spiritual root talismans within his body, which were closely connected to heaven and earth, yet also subtly formed some kind of invisible shackles.

“Spiritual roots… The greatest benefit of this world for cultivators is perhaps the ability to clearly perceive and absorb the spiritual energy and law powder of the corresponding attributes, quickly get started, and lay a foundation. For me, it is an excellent bridge to becoming familiar with the basic laws of this world.”

Ying Xuan murmured to himself, a complex mix of emotions swirling within him.

"The Heaven-Mending Pill granted me eight spiritual roots at once, making this 'bridge' perfect. However, precisely because this bridge was built so well and connected so tightly, I was 'identified' by this world as a 'top-tier local cultivator' who needs to be strictly controlled."

Everything he had done before—establishing the Tianxing Sect, collecting a vast amount of cultivation manuals, weapon crafting and talisman-making traditions, resource samples, and even preparing to transplant a large number of spiritual roots and herbs—undoubtedly had enormous and long-term benefits for the future growth and enrichment of the cultivation civilization system of the Great Qin world.

Bringing these things back would be enough to allow the cultivation civilization of the Great Qin to avoid countless detours and start directly from a higher level.

However, all these benefits cannot replace the most fundamental problem.

His own abilities have stagnated.

The world of cultivators is, in essence, a world where strength reigns supreme. Resources, power, and knowledge are all extensions and aids to strength.

When one's cultivation is stuck in a quagmire from which there is no breakthrough, no matter how many external objects one collects, it is difficult to conceal the anxiety and emptiness deep in one's heart.

Especially for someone like Ying Xuan, who aspires to higher ideals and has seen a wider world, being trapped in a world with a clear and low ceiling is nothing short of torture.

"Staying in this world has little value for me personally."

Ying Xuan clearly recognized this.

The initial goals have been exceeded, the path to improving strength has been blocked, and staying here will only mean watching the Tianxing Sect, this "tool," continue to operate automatically and harvest the last remaining value.

This gave him the urge to leave immediately.

However, reason made him suppress this impulse.

"Wait a little longer... There are still some loose ends to clean up, and we need to maximize our profits."

Ying Xuan turned his gaze to the majestic and bustling Tianxing Mountain Range below.

His divine sense swept across the area like an invisible radar, clearly revealing the situation in several key areas.

Outside the treasure pavilion, crowds thronged, and various streaks of light rose and fell incessantly. Cultivators lined up in long queues, their faces showing eagerness, anticipation, and even a hint of heartache, handing over magical treasures, artifacts, and rare materials to the disciples on duty in exchange for "points jade tokens" representing their sect's contributions.

Among them, there were quite a few cultivators who were clearly dressed in the style of the Mulan Grassland. The items they brought out often carried the rugged and wild atmosphere unique to the grassland, which attracted the attention of some cultivators from the former Yue Kingdom and the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. Their eyes were filled with scrutiny, fear and a hint of competition.

The scene in front of the library was even more lively.

Especially outside the passage leading to the area storing high-level cultivation techniques, it was almost completely packed with cultivators. The dense spiritual energy was somewhat chaotic due to the overwhelming presence of so many cultivators, and various protective auras flickered erratically. The sounds of arguing, bargaining, and even the occasional brief clash of auras all demonstrated just how fierce the "buying frenzy" was here.

The Nascent Soul cultivators of the Mulan Grassland often travel in groups, and with their numerical advantage and the fact that they have recently joined the sect and may have relatively "abundant" points, they are quite imposing, forming a subtle confrontation with the original Nascent Soul cultivators of the Tianxing Sect.

Outside the important spiritual fields and medicinal gardens under the jurisdiction of the Spirit Plant Hall, there were also many cultivators lingering, most of them bringing various spiritual herbs and seeds to "appraise" or "exchange" for points.

Some of the Mulan cultivators brought out rare spiritual roots that were special products of the grasslands and even carried faint fluctuations of laws, which made the appraisers of the Spirit Plant Hall exclaim in surprise.

"This is... a struggle, a fight."

Ying Xuan smiled knowingly, as if watching an interesting drama unfold.

He saw it all very clearly. He established the Heavenly Star Sect as a Nascent Soul cultivator and broke the unspoken rule of "not easily passing on techniques" and the monopoly of high-level cultivation methods by top sects that had existed in this world for thousands of years. He openly displayed more than a dozen Nascent Soul cultivation methods and hundreds of Core Formation cultivation methods, with prices clearly marked.

This is an irresistible temptation, like a nuclear bomb, for all cultivators who are stuck at a bottleneck and have no idea what the future holds!
Especially for newcomers to the Mulan Grassland, this allure also conceals a life-or-death crisis.

The Mulan Grasslands, the Yue Kingdom, and the Nine Kingdoms Alliance are sworn enemies, burdened with countless blood debts. Previously, both sides had their own territories, and while there was a difference in the number of high-level combat personnel, it wasn't a significant disparity, maintaining a balance. But now, they've been forced into the same "sect." Although they're temporarily restrained by the sect leader and dare not act, who can guarantee what will happen in the future?

The original Nascent Soul cultivators of the Tianxing Sect already harbored resentment and murderous intent towards them. If they were to fall behind in their cultivation techniques... then if the sect leader were not present in the future, or if the restrictions were relaxed, these "outsiders" would likely immediately become the targets of attack and purge!

Therefore, for the cultivators of the Mulan Grassland, the most important thing after merging into the Tianxing Sect is not to familiarize themselves with the environment or to make connections, but to exchange for a sufficiently high-level and powerful cultivation technique as soon as possible at all costs!

Only by enhancing their own and their tribe's strength can they gain a foothold in this dangerous place and have the resources to protect themselves or even retaliate!

Similarly, the original Tianxing Sect cultivators felt an extreme sense of crisis upon seeing the Mulan people frantically exchanging for cultivation techniques.

How could they sit idly by and watch their enemy's strength grow rapidly? So they desperately contributed resources, completed tasks, and competed for points, hoping to exchange for higher-level cultivation techniques or the precious opportunity for "master's instruction" to widen the gap.

This situation—one of mutual suspicion and competition, all dangling from the carrot of "advanced cultivation techniques"—is exactly what Ying Xuan is happy to see. The fiercer the competition, the greater the "price" they are willing to pay for points, and the more and more valuable the resources, magical treasures, spiritual herbs, and knowledge the Tianxing Sect can harvest.

"wait."

Ying Xuan made his decision, his eyes calm and unwavering.

"Wait until they organize and record the classic texts of the Mulan Grassland into the library; wait until they exchange their best magical treasures and rarest materials for points."

Furthermore, we must wait for them—whether they are the Mulan people or the original people—to honestly reveal the secrets they have kept hidden, such as those ancient spiritual roots that they rarely show to others, or the information about the origins of rare spiritual herbs that only they themselves know.

He remembered that when he ordered the collection of rare spiritual roots, the Nascent Soul elders probably didn't even list all of them. They were definitely still hoarding some of the truly treasured items, or those from extremely secret locations. (End of Chapter)