Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

Chapter 480 Loose Cultivator Alliance

Li Yuan slowly finished his practice.

The basics of the Burning Wood Everlasting Spring Technique have been completed; there is still much to be done.

The spiritual energy circulated slowly through the meridians, and the cycle of fire and wood continuously replenished the energy consumed in the dantian.

The pure white light of the supreme-grade elixir swirled steadily in the dantian, round and round.

After temporarily settling matters in Wulin Market, Li Yuan set off for Shuizhou.

The route followed the same trade route as before, transiting through the interstate transmission network of Tianyuefang City before finally arriving at Nanyuanfang in Shuizhou.

When Li Yuan entered the market, he had already adjusted his aura to the normal state of the early Golden Core stage.

When Zhou He saw Li Yuan enter, he looked up and was taken aback for a moment, then his pupils suddenly contracted.

"He's formed his core?"

"Um."

Zhou He's expression changed from surprise to delight. He patted Li Yuan on the shoulder, quite forcefully.

"Tell me, when did you break through?"

Not long ago.

Zhou He nodded, without asking for further details.

After exchanging a few words about their recent situations, the topic turned to business.

"Since the teleportation array was activated, Nanyuanfang has changed quite a bit." Zhou He said, holding his teacup with a touch of emotion.

"In the past, when materials were transported from the land to Shuizhou, the losses and risks along the way ate up most of the profits. Now that the teleportation array at Tianyue Sect is open, the price difference of materials has been immediately eliminated."

"However, low-grade materials are still in short supply."

Zhou He shook his head. "It's not cost-effective to use teleportation arrays for low-level materials. Shuizhou produces very little of it itself and relies entirely on imports from the mainland."

Li Yuan wrote down this information.

Zhou He took another sip of tea, then suddenly put down his teacup and looked at Li Yuan.

There's something I'd like to mention to you.

"explain."

"You are now a Golden Core cultivator, and you frequently travel between land and sea. Would you be interested in joining the Loose Cultivator Alliance?"

Li Yuan looked at him.

Zhou He explained, "The Loose Cultivator Alliance is the largest loose force in the sea, with members spread across various islands and markets in the outer sea. I myself am also a member of the alliance."

"What is the structure of the alliance?"

"Overall, it's not too loose; each level has clear rules and task systems. But the constraints on the Golden Core level are very loose. Basically, it's just a nominal position where they enjoy the alliance's access and intelligence benefits." Zhou He paused.

"However, there are definitely benefits to joining. The sea is different from the land; the rules here are different from those on land."

"How so?"

"Navigating at sea is a major problem," Zhou He said seriously, putting down his teacup.

"For Foundation Establishment cultivators flying alone at sea, replenishing spiritual energy is extremely difficult. There are no spiritual veins on the sea surface, and the concentration of spiritual energy is far lower than on land. If the spiritual energy consumed during flight is not replenished in time, the speed will become slower and slower, and they can only risk cultivating on or in the water to replenish their spiritual energy."

"Therefore, Foundation Establishment cultivators always travel at sea in groups. The ships are equipped with spirit-gathering arrays and defensive formations, with several people taking turns on guard duty. They can also look after each other if they encounter sea beasts. One of the biggest functions of the alliance is to provide a platform and route information for independent cultivators to form teams and go to sea."

"Where are the Golden Core cultivators?"

"The Golden Core stage is much better than the Foundation Establishment stage. It has abundant spiritual energy reserves and a faster flight speed, so most low-level sea beasts wouldn't dare to provoke it. But it's not absolutely safe either."

Zhou He said, "There are third-order or even higher-order sea monsters in the deep sea area. It's not uncommon for Golden Core cultivators to be surrounded and attacked when they are alone."

Cultivators in the seas continue the tradition of traveling in groups by boat, not only for safety, but also because the supply of resources at sea is extremely dependent on fixed outposts. Without the support of an alliance or power, it is extremely difficult for a lone cultivator to operate in the seas for an extended period.

"I am a cultivator from the land realm. Will joining have any impact?" Li Yuan asked.

"No." Zhou He waved his hand. "The alliance welcomes all, including many land cultivators. As long as you have Golden Core cultivation, you can just register on the main island. Besides, you've been doing business in Shuizhou for years, so you're practically a local."

Li Yuan considered it for a moment.

The alliance's ease of access and intelligence network are of practical help to my operations in the seas, and the constraints of the Golden Core level are minimal. The benefits of joining far outweigh the costs.

"Can."

Zhou He laughed: "Alright, I'll send a message back to the alliance first and go through the internal procedures. A Golden Core cultivator joining the alliance should be approved very quickly."

He stood up, took out a communication jade slip from behind the medicine cabinet, and infused it with spiritual power to activate it.

A moment later, the jade slip lit up, indicating that a reply had arrived.

"It's done." Zhou He put the jade slip away. "The alliance replied very quickly and wants you to report to the main island to officially register as an alliance member. I'll take you there."

The two flew away and arrived over the main island two days later.

The main island was several times larger than Nanyuanfang, with buildings arranged in a pleasing, staggered pattern, and a large number of various kinds of ships moored at the dock. From a distance, a light blue curtain of light shrouded the island, which was a defensive formation covering the entire island.

Li Yuan followed Zhou He onto the island and walked along the stone path toward the center of the island.

The alliance's council hall is located in a three-story stone building in the center of the island. The stone building has a simple appearance, but the array restrictions are extremely tight, and the doors and windows on each floor are inlaid with spiritual energy sensing array patterns.

Zhou He stopped at the entrance. A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator on duty looked at Li Yuan and said respectfully, "Golden Core Fellow Daoist, please follow me. The guild leader is already waiting."

Second floor reception room.

An elderly man dressed in a dark blue robe sat in the main seat. He had a thin face and deep-set eyes, but his eyes were extremely bright and sharp. The spiritual energy around him was deep and heavy, indicating that he was in the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

President of the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

When the old man saw Li Yuan walk in, he immediately stood up and took two steps to greet him, with an extremely warm smile on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Li is a Golden Core cultivator from the mainland, and he also has his own trade routes in Shuizhou. He is a talent that the alliance desperately needs."

Lu Yuanxing got straight to the point.

"To be honest, fellow Daoist, although the long-distance teleportation array at Tianyue Sect has been opened, the teleportation fee is too high, and the capacity transported each time is also limited. Most of the members of the Loose Cultivator Alliance are local cultivators from the sea area, and the procurement channels for land-based materials have always been our weakness."

"The chairman wants me to help transport the goods?"

"I wouldn't dare call it helping," Lu Yuanxing smiled. "It's more like a collaboration. The low-grade materials that Fellow Daoist Li brought from the land are much cheaper in the sea than those transported via the teleportation array. Fellow Daoist earns the price difference, and the alliance members can also buy affordable items—a win-win situation."

Li Yuan nodded, but did not immediately express his opinion.

"Tell me about the conditions and benefits for joining the alliance."

Lu Yuanxing raised his finger and explained each point one by one.

"As for the conditions, it is extremely simple for Golden Core cultivators to join the alliance. They just need to register their identity, pay a symbolic joining fee, and then complete at least a few transactions in the alliance's island market each year. There are no attendance requirements, no mandatory tasks, and no restrictions on fellow cultivators joining other forces at the same time."

"In terms of benefits, there are four main areas. First, the alliance has the right of passage and anchorage on all islands without additional fees. Second, the alliance has access to navigation maps and a maritime intelligence network, including information on monster distribution, spiritual vein locations, and danger zone markings. Third, transactions in the alliance's island markets enjoy internal pricing, which is 50% lower than market prices. Fourth, to obtain specific resources or rare materials, one can complete alliance tasks to earn contribution points, and then use those contribution points to exchange for them."

Do newly joined members have initial contribution points?

"Yes." Lu Yuanxing took out a blue jade token from the table and handed it over. "Golden Core cultivators who join the alliance will initially receive 500 contribution points. This amount is quite generous within the alliance, enough to exchange for several mid-grade spells or a batch of second-tier spiritual materials."

Li Yuan accepted the jade token and probed it with his spiritual power.

The jade token contains the alliance's basic rules and contribution value details. Five hundred contribution points have considerable purchasing power, demonstrating the alliance's high regard for Golden Core cultivators.

How extensive is the alliance's maritime coverage?

"The entire outer sea." Lu Yuanxing's tone carried a hint of pride. "The Loose Cultivator Alliance is the force with the most members and the widest coverage in the sea. From the near sea to the outer sea, from the Kunpeng Islands to the Southern Abyss Sea, the alliance has established trading markets and supply stations on more than a dozen islands. The total number of members exceeds three thousand, including more than ten Golden Core cultivators."

"In addition, the alliance has established cooperative relationships with Dragon Abyss Pavilion, Coral Palace, and other sects."

Li Yuan digested this information.

The Loose Cultivator Alliance was larger than he had anticipated. With over three thousand members, more than a dozen island markets, over ten Golden Core cultivators, and a network of cooperation with various forces, it had become a force to be reckoned with in the sea.

"Okay, I'll join the alliance."

Lu Yuanxing beamed with joy and completed the membership application on the spot. Li Yuan imprinted his divine sense mark on the jade token, officially becoming a Golden Core level member of the Loose Cultivator Alliance.

After the formalities were completed, Lu Yuanxing poured Li Yuan another cup of tea.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing I'd like to tell Fellow Daoist Li."

"Speaking."

"The deep sea region has been quite turbulent lately." Lu Yuanxing's expression turned serious. "In the past six months, the activity of monsters in the deep sea region has become more and more frequent. A large number of low-level sea monsters have been surging from the deep sea to the shallow sea, and even a few third-level sea monsters have appeared in waters where they shouldn't be. The Alliance's patrol teams have been attacked many times and have suffered considerable losses."

"Have you found the cause?"

"It's not a settled matter yet," Lu Yuanxing shook his head.

"Some speculate that a change occurred in a spiritual vein somewhere in the deep sea, destroying the sea monsters' habitat and forcing them to migrate outwards. Others say that the seal on some underwater ruins has loosened, releasing spiritual energy that has attracted a large number of sea monsters. The specific cause is still under investigation."

Lu Yuanxing paused for a moment, then continued, "The Alliance is preparing for a deep-sea cleanup mission, scheduled to depart in half a month. The main objective is to eliminate several sirens' gathering points and restore the safety of shipping routes. The mission area is near a group of underwater reefs."

Submarine reefs.

Li Yuan's heart stirred slightly.

The location of that group of reefs is not far from the third branch teleportation array previously discovered in the underwater ruins.

"Are there any contribution points rewards for completing the task?"

"Of course." Lu Yuanxing nodded. "Contribution points will be calculated proportionally based on the number and grade of the sea monsters killed."

Li Yuan did not immediately agree, but simply nodded to indicate that he understood.

After leaving the council hall, Zhou He waited outside.

"How is it?"

"It's in." Li Yuan put the jade token away.

Zhou He smiled and said, "That's good. Having the alliance's membership will make things much easier at sea."

The two walked along the stone path toward the dock.

The boats moored at the dock swayed gently in the sea breeze, and the distant sea shimmered with golden light under the setting sun.