So what if I have a few billion concubines while I'm cultivating immortality?

That was a world so rich in spiritual energy that it materialized into a mist!

The mountains and rivers were shrouded in spiritual mist, and even a single blade of grass emitted a faint spiritual light. Occasionally, streaks of light would flash across the sky at astonishing speed.

But Qin Xiao keenly sensed something was amiss.

The "composition" of this spiritual energy is completely different from that of the Cloud Realm!

More importantly, Qin Xiao activated the Cave Heaven Instrument, tracing the direction of the wisps of spiritual energy being absorbed from the Cloud Ripple Realm.

He saw it!

The spiritual energy drawn from the Tianzhu Mountain array core flowed into a specific area of ​​the upper realm through the not-yet-completely-severed passage.

Then, it did not blend in with the upper realm and was directly abandoned!

"It was definitely a trap..."

Qin Xiao felt a chill run down his spine and continued to observe.

The celestial instrument was operating at full power, and the golden pattern on its forehead shone even brighter.

At the same time, a terrifying hypothesis took shape in Qin Xiao's mind.

"The Spirit Devouring Array of Tianzhu Mountain has been drawing spiritual energy from the Yunlan Realm for thousands of years, not because the upper realm lacks spiritual energy, but for other purposes!"

"fishing……"

"They're 'fishing'!"

"They deliberately left the Tianzhu Mountain passage open, even actively guiding cultivators from the lower realms to discover and study it, attempting to use it to reach the upper realms..."

"Because the Ascended are the 'fish' they truly desire!"

Qin Xiao gasped, quickly withdrawing his divine sense. The golden pattern on his forehead dimmed, and the light from the Cave Heaven Instrument receded.

Although it's just speculation.

But considering everything we've seen, the possibility is extremely high!

The Tianluo Sect has set up an array in the lower realm for thousands of years. How could they easily abandon the passage?

Those who died guarding the formation might not have been abandoned, but rather part of the bait!

Qin Xiao's expression was solemn as he turned to look at the area below the altar.

The sacrificial ceremony to Heaven was nearing its end, yet the people were still cheering, and the officials stood respectfully in solemn silence.

He suppressed his inner turmoil and completed the final steps of the ceremony.

That night, in the secret chamber of the rear hall of the Zichen Palace.

Qin Xiao summoned all his Daoist partners, his expression serious.

"Husband, what's wrong?"

Luo Qingluan keenly sensed something was wrong. "But is there something amiss after the breakthrough?"

"The breakthrough was a great success."

Qin Xiao shook his head, "I saw some things using a secret method."

He told the women everything he had seen that day, as well as his own speculations.

The room was completely silent.

Fairy Yaoguang was the first to react, her pretty face turning pale: "Husband, are you saying that the Tianluo Sect set up the Spirit Devouring Array not primarily to extract spiritual energy, but to lure cultivators from the lower realms to the upper realms through that passage?"

Qin Xiao said in a deep voice: "Those who ascend carry the aura of the lower realm and enter the upper realm through the proper ascension channels. They must have sufficient cultivation and will also undergo the baptism of the laws of heaven and earth to cleanse themselves of worldly dust."

Yu Qingyi said coldly, "They want to capture ascended beings? Why?"

"I don't know."

Qin Xiao shook his head. "But in any case, this passage is a trap."

Mu Ziyan said softly, "Then all our previous plans..."

"All void."

Qin Xiao said decisively, "You must not attempt to reach the Upper Realm through that passage. Our previous thinking was wrong. Tianzhu Mountain is not a shortcut, but an abyss. The true path is to cultivate to the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, trigger the tribulation of heaven and earth, and ascend to the Upper Realm with your own strength! Only those who have been baptized by the laws of heaven and earth can wash away all hidden dangers and establish themselves in the Upper Realm. Now, focus on your cultivation. I have already reached the Nascent Soul stage and have a lifespan of three thousand years. Although the spiritual energy in this realm is thin, making it difficult to break through in ordinary cultivation, I can use spiritual springs and secret techniques to help you cultivate. You have all reached the Nascent Soul stage, so you have plenty of time."

Fairy Yaoguang pondered, "If the Tianluo Sect finds out we're not taking the bait, will they resort to other methods?"

"Possibly."

Qin Xiao's eyes turned slightly cold. "Therefore, we need to speed things up and improve our strength as much as possible."

He looked at the women: "After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, cultivation places greater emphasis on state of mind and insights. I will compile my insights from this breakthrough and share them with you. In addition, the Xuanji Pavilion and the Tianluo Sect's records contain many accounts of Nascent Soul stage cultivation, which we can refer to."

Luo Qingluan asked, "What about Tianzhu Mountain...?"

"Maintain the status quo."

Qin Xiao said, "There's no need to deliberately destroy it, nor to get any closer. Just pretend it doesn't exist."

"Even if they're fishing, we should be like the carp that leaps out of the water, transforms into a dragon, and soars upstream!"

"We must become true dragons that overturn fishing nets, crush fishing rods, and make anglers turn on them!"

Upon hearing this, all the women were deeply moved.

They thought they had found the key to breaking the deadlock, but it turned out to be an even deeper trap.

This reversal was startling, but it also ignited a stronger fighting spirit.

"We will obey our husband's command!" the seven women replied in unison.

From that day on, the direction of development quietly changed.

In the imperial court, Qin Xiao no longer secluded himself, but regularly attended court to handle government affairs, bestow favors upon the people, and continuously consolidate his imperial prestige and gather the power of the people.

The atmosphere of cultivation became even stronger within the imperial harem.

Qin Xiao compiled his insights on the Nascent Soul Transformation into "The Divine Transformation of the Emperor's Soul," which he shared with the women and guided them on their path to Nascent Soul Transformation.

The outer academy continues to expand, selecting and training more promising cultivators as a reserve force.

Secretly, Qin Xiao would activate the Cave Heaven Instrument every so often to observe the upper realm.

He saw things more and more clearly and collected more and more information.

Three months later, during an observation, Qin Xiao finally confirmed that terrifying hypothesis.

Through the celestial telescope, he saw somewhere in the upper realm...

Inside a gloomy underground palace, dozens of weak and listless cultivators were imprisoned.

These cultivators all carried a distinct "lower realm aura," and their cultivation levels ranged from Core Formation to the early stage of Nascent Soul.

Their collarbones were pierced by chains, their cultivation was sealed, and they were imprisoned like livestock.

In the center of the underground palace, several Tianluo Sect cultivators were extracting a certain "original energy" from a Nascent Soul cultivator who had just been brought over from the lower realm. The cultivator screamed miserably and eventually turned into a dried corpse.

The extracted primordial energy was then injected into a spirit crystal!

"really……"

Qin Xiao withdrew his gaze, his face grim.

The Tianluo Sect uses ascended beings as "materials" to refine something!

That passageway is the conveyor belt of the slaughterhouse!

"Husband?"

"Fairy Yaoguang called softly."

When Qin Xiao told them what he had seen, all the women were horrified.

"How dare they trample on the path of cultivation like this!"

A cold glint flashed in Yu Qingyi's eyes.

"In the eyes of the powerful beings in the upper realm, cultivators in the lower realm may be no different from ants."

Fairy Yaoguang said bitterly, "In ancient times, weren't the cultivators of this world the same? Some demonic sects would capture cultivators and refine them..."

Qin Xiao remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Our relationship with the Tianluo Sect is no longer just an ancient feud. This is a struggle for the Dao, a struggle for survival."

He then looked up, his gaze piercing through the palace ceiling and gazing into the endless void: "The pasture will catch fire, and this fire will start in the Cloud Realm, burn all the way to the Upper Realm, and reach the gates of the Heavenly Luo Sect!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the power of vows surged within the hall, and the divine image of the Emperor's soul faintly appeared.

What Qin Xiao didn't know was that at the same time he was activating the Cave Heaven Instrument to observe the upper realm...

The Upper Realm, Tianluo Sect.

An elderly man with white hair, who was meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes.

A hint of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes, which then turned into a cold laugh.

"So what if they noticed?"

Even if an ant knows it is an ant, what can it change?

He closed his eyes again, ignoring it...