My equipment is designed for cultivation; I started by slaughtering my way through a small world.

The essence of immortality lies in the application of profound attributes. The profound mysteries of fire and earth attributes that Gu Qing comprehended originated from the Fierce Rock Prison Technique. The highest level of profound mystery recorded in this technique is level 10.

Gu Qing's understanding of the profound mysteries of gravity beyond level ten stemmed from the magic crystal inheritance of the lava behemoth.

"As it stands now."

"Unless you have earth-attribute demonic crystals or earth-attribute monster cores and other related materials, you won't be able to comprehend the mysteries of gravity on your own very quickly."

"After the falling out with the Immortal Wood Group, it will probably cost a lot to get the Foundation Establishment chapter of the Blazing Rock Prison Technique from them."

Even if one comprehends the ultimate technique that combines fire and earth attributes, one will still be limited by the basic profound level of the fire and earth attributes.

The maximum power of this ultimate technique can only be increased by upgrading the corresponding fundamental mysteries.

This path, for the time being, has reached its peak.

Another way to quickly improve one's strength is to comprehend ten profound mysteries of the wood element as soon as possible. When one comprehends the tenth profound mystery of a single element, a qualitative change will occur.

The Azure Emperor Sword Manual records six profound mysteries of the wood attribute swordsmanship. In addition to the mysteries of blooming and withering flowers that Gu Qing has already comprehended, Gu Qing has now mastered eight profound mysteries of the wood attribute.

Only two more wood-attribute mysteries are needed to trigger the first transformation of the wood-attribute mysteries.

Finally, continue to cultivate your natal spiritual root, the Bitter Bamboo of the Sword Realm. The sword energy with spatial attributes that the Bitter Bamboo of the Sword Realm comes with can definitely help you defeat stronger enemies when dealing with those who do not understand the mysteries of space.

The fact that they slew the venomous dragon during the forbidden area trial proves this point.

"Based on my experience cultivating the Bitter Bamboo of the Sword Realm, it provides profound insights with each advancement. The second and third options can actually be pursued simultaneously."

"By cultivating the Bitter Bamboo of the Sword Realm, I can comprehend the profound mysteries of the remaining two wood attributes."

Thinking of this, Gu Qing immediately summoned his natal flying sword.

With a slight thought, his natal flying sword transformed into a purple jade-grade sword-realm bitter bamboo, taking root in the earth.

He took out the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Eye Creation Bottle and poured the Creation Essence onto the roots of the Bitter Bamboo. The Bitter Bamboo in the Sword Realm instantly felt extremely hungry, so hungry that Gu Qing's eyes were glazed over.

The surrounding spiritual energy surged in, but it was far from enough.

Gu Qing quickly took out several thousand or even tens of thousands of spirit stones from his storage ring and piled them at the base of the Sword Realm Bitter Bamboo. A large amount of spiritual energy was absorbed by the Sword Realm Bitter Bamboo.

The spirit stones piled on the ground were changing color at a visible speed, from radiating spiritual light to gradually dimming.

Although the natal spiritual root consumes a lot of resources, the transformation of the bitter bamboo is still visible to the naked eye.

Seventeen days later.

The bitter bamboo in the natal sword realm has nurtured patches of pink jade, which are over five thousand years old.

"The effect of the Creation Essence on the ripening of the Bitter Bamboo in the Sword Realm continues to decline. The White Jade level can ripen it for a hundred years every day, the Blue Jade level for eighty years every day, and after reaching the Purple Jade level, it can only ripen it for sixty years."

"When the Bitter Bamboo evolves into the Pink Jade level, the effects of the Creation Elixir will likely diminish, and it may only last forty years."

"From the Bitter Bamboo of the Pink Jade level Sword Realm to the Ten Thousand Year Spiritual Root, there is a two thousand-year time span in between."

"Well, it's alright."

"Only fifty days."

Thinking of this, Gu Qing became even more excited about comprehending the mysteries of the wood attribute. He sat down under the bitter bamboo and devoted himself to comprehending the fusion between wood attribute spells and wood attribute swordsmanship.

Through magic and swordsmanship, one can comprehend profound mysteries.

At the same time, the Bitter Bamboo of the Sword Realm is consuming a large amount of spirit stone resources every moment, transforming the resources in Gu Qing's hands into foundation and strength.

……

Just as Gu Qing was working hard to improve his strength and solidify his foundation.

Inside the main hall of the Azure Emperor Sword Sect.

Su Changge sat at the very front of the main hall, surrounded by Foundation Establishment Realm stewards who held real power in the management of the sect, such as elders like Jian Xiangzhu.

"Currently, two of the ten major merchant guilds affiliated with the sect have been wiped out by the Tiger Fiend Sect."

"Does anyone have any opinions?"

Upon hearing this, the many Foundation Establishment Realm deacons in the main hall frowned and pondered deeply. However, after thinking for a long time, they still had no brilliant plan to reverse the current collapse.

Su Changge rubbed his temples and looked at the elders of the sect, saying, "Junior Sister Jian, Junior Brother Miao Feng, Junior Brother Zhi Qiu, do you have any ideas?"

Ye Zhi Qiu stepped forward, waved his hand in front of everyone, and a water mirror technique appeared.

On the water mirror, the scene of the destruction of the Wei Family Chamber of Commerce and the Liu Family Chamber of Commerce was projected. Thousands upon thousands of Qi Refining Realm Tiger Fiend Sect disciples were seen, each one fearless of death, their faces numb and their eyes lifeless.

These Tiger Fiend Sect disciples didn't seem like living people at all; instead, they were like bloodthirsty beasts or walking corpses.

Ye Zhi Qiu said with a solemn expression:

"Sect Leader, and all the stewards."

"Judging from the battle footage transmitted by the two chambers of commerce, after the Tiger Fiend Sect took control of the Golden Rooster Ridge spirit stone mine, they began to completely drop their pretense and use the Blood Fiend Technique to cultivate cannon fodder."

"Under the onslaught of massive cannon fodder, the strongholds and forces outside the sect are no match for the Tiger Fiend Sect's mass troop deployment tactics."

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "The Tiger Fiend Sect trains so many low-level cannon fodder. Their cultivation levels are not high, so how come they were able to break through the formations and various war artifacts set up by our sect's stronghold?"

Ye Zhi Qiu pointed to a scene within the Water Mirror Technique and said, "The Tiger Fiend Sect's Bone Spirit True Technique should have broken through. These cannon fodder they create can unleash Foundation Establishment Realm combat power in a short period of time."

"Both the Blood Fiend Technique and the Bone Spirit True Method originated from the Wei Kingdom's royal family... What if the Wei Kingdom transferred even more evil arts?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.

Ye Zhi Qiu continued, "The royal family of Wei has a mysterious origin and has risen to power very quickly. In recent years, their behavior has become increasingly arrogant."

They possess many evil arts and can cultivate their subordinate forces at an extremely rapid pace. Their hidden ambitions are growing ever larger, and they are not only placing spies near our Azure Emperor Sword Sect, but also doing the same to the other three major sword sects.

Forgive my bluntness, but their ambitions are no longer limited to our sect, or even the four major sword sects; they are eyeing the entire Tiannan Continent.

"As their power grows, their actions will only become faster."

Su Changge nodded in front of everyone, then steered the conversation back to Ye Zhi Qiu, saying:

"Shall we return to our Azure Emperor Sword Sect?"

Ye Zhi Qiu waved his hand, and the image on the Water Mirror Technique changed to show the situation of the remaining eight major merchant guilds. Among the remaining eight guilds, some were actively defending themselves, reinforcing the various defensive formations of their guild headquarters. Others, sensing something was wrong, began to proactively gather their valuables and assets, shrinking their power.

After showing these images one by one, Ye Zhi Qiu said in a deep voice:

"The Ten Great Chambers of Commerce are the peripheral forces of our Azure Emperor Sword Sect. People from other major sects and forces are all keeping an eye on this side."

"If the Tiger Fiend Sect continues to conquer other merchant guilds and wipe them out, it will make other forces realize our weakness, and they might also take action and tear a piece of our flesh."

"If other forces follow suit, the best-case scenario would be if they only robbed the assets of the outer forces' strongholds. The worst-case scenario is if other forces join forces to slaughter our disciples outside, skinning them alive, and even refining their souls..."

Ye Zhi Qiu said solemnly, "Everyone, the sect has reached a critical moment of life and death. Outside the sect, our stronghold resources are being lost at any time."

"In addition to that, there's the issue of sect expenditures."

"Without resources coming in, we can't continue to improve our strength, and the disciples will become anxious and disheartened. If morale is low, it will be very difficult to manage the sect."

"With the sect's current reserves of resources, plus the recent breakthroughs of many disciples to the Foundation Establishment realm, the daily resource consumption is even more terrifying than before."

"If we can't get resources from external forces and strongholds, it won't be long before the sect's internal order falls into chaos..."

As Ye Zhi Qiu continued to deliver one piece of bad news after another, the expressions of the many deacons in the main hall grew increasingly grim.

Sensing that something was amiss in the atmosphere inside the main hall, Su Changge encouraged her:

"The Tiger Fiend Sect only trains cannon fodder disciples with weak foundations. These low-level cannon fodder disciples can't even survive for thirty or fifty years, let alone advance to the Foundation Establishment stage."

As long as we hold on, these people will be like bandits in a mortal country.

They weren't immortal cultivators; they were all short-lived beings, destined to be wiped out.

"in addition."

"Elder Gu has already broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. With his current cultivation level, he is capable of refining a third-tier Insect Soul Condensation Pill."

"With this pill, my strength can be restored to its peak."

"Once my strength returns to its peak, I can begin to reclaim the lost sect strongholds."

"At that time, the Tiger Fiend Sect will take advantage of the opportunity to wipe out other forces and collect various resources. Who knows whose they might end up with?"

Su Changge pointed to the map displayed by the Water Mirror Technique and continued:

"Have the remaining eight major merchant guilds consolidate their power and relocate all cultivators to Azure Emperor City."

"Once all the Foundation Establishment Pills that the sect disciples have recently refined are converted into strength, the sect will have more than a hundred more Foundation Establishment Realm warriors."

"At that time, we will recover the lost territory one by one."

Everyone present knew that the territory outside the sect, including the spiritual herb plantation, the spiritual beast breeding farm, and so on, was the foundation of the sect, providing it with various cultivation resources.

Just then, Jian Xiangzhu suddenly stood up and said to Su Changge:

"Sect Leader, the various high-quality pills refined by Elder Gu will be crucial in terms of healing and sustaining health during battles, as well as in enhancing strength."

"I suggest increasing investment in Elder Gu to help him consolidate his cultivation as soon as possible, so that he can make a greater contribution to the sect."

That makes sense.

Upon hearing this, Su Changge and the other Foundation Establishment Realm deacons all nodded in agreement.

The effects of high-quality Foundation Building Pills are evident to all.

Although they couldn't match the Foundation Establishment Pills refined by Gu Qing, they could benefit from the other pills he refined.

……

After the meeting in the main hall concluded, the other stewards began to carry out orders, shrinking the sect's peripheral influence.

Su Changge transformed into a streak of sword light and headed straight for Cuiyun Peak.

Not long after.

He then encountered Yang Xi, who was guarding the entrance to the bamboo forest on the back mountain.

"Yang Xi, is your master still in seclusion?"

"Huh?!"

A voice suddenly came from the sky, which surprised Yang Xi.

next moment.

Not long after.

He then encountered Yang Xi, who was guarding the entrance to the bamboo forest on the back mountain.

"Yang Xi, is your master still in seclusion?"

"Huh?!"

A voice suddenly came from the sky, which surprised Yang Xi.

next moment.

Su Changge suddenly appeared before Yang Xi, who quickly bowed and said:

"Greetings, Sect Master."