by <unknown>
Nie Junxia, a sword expert from Heavenly Essence Village who had been silent the whole time, opened his mouth and said slowly, "Mr. Gao, you mentioned that Yan Jun is merely in the high level of the Building Foundation Stage. Then why is he one of the leading experts of the Children of Occult Orbs? What about the stronger Cultivators at the Core Formation Stage and the Nascent Soul Stage? Are they not engaged in the exploration of the Occult Orbs?"
The gold phantom which was Gao Tieyi nodded its head approvingly.
"Excellent. You are truly elites of the elites. Your observation is sharp.
"It's true that Building Foundation Stage Cultivators are the main force to explore the Occult Orbs. Experts at the Core Formation Stage or the Nascent Soul Stage seldom set foot on the Occult Orbs unless it is absolutely necessary."
Everyone was dazed by what he just said. Humming whispers immediately filled the cabin.
Gao Tieyi explained, "There are two main reasons why Core Formation Stage and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators do not participant in the exploration of the Occult Orbs.
"Firstly, the souls of Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators are too enormous. The cost is unimaginably high to transport them hundreds of lightyears away.
"The same logic applies for the demons of the Blood Demon Sector. The mediocre demon beasts can trespass into the Heaven's Origin Sector easily through wormholes, but to transport expert demons, it requires large-scale teleportation arrays with a great consumption of energy.
"If you find it hard to understand, you may think about it as follows.
"For a stone the size of a fist which weighs three kilograms, you can throw it thousands of meters away without any trouble.
"But if it is a stone ten meters in diameter which weights three tons, you will only be able to throw it dozens of meters away even if you try your very best.
"At present, our purpose is to throw 'the stone' as far away as possible with as little strength as possible. Of course, we will select the stones that are smaller in size and lighter in weight, which are the Building Foundation Cultivators such as yourselves.
"If we were to choose the Refinement Stage Cultivators, we could teleport even more people in one trip. But Cultivators at such a stage are too weak to handle all kinds of crises inside the Occult Orbs. We would actually be killing them by teleporting them there.
"Therefore, the Building Foundation Cultivators are the main force on the battleground of the Occult Orbs!"
It was quite a simple metaphor.
The Building Foundation Cultivators were pebbles, whereas Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators were stones weighing thousands of tons. Of course, the former would be easier to be tossed away.
Everyone in the cabin was smart enough to get what Gao Tieyi meant. They all nodded their heads.
Gao Tieyi continued, "The concern of cost is just a secondary reason. If it is really necessary, teleporting a batch of Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators to the Occult Orbs without bothering the budget is not completely undoable.
"The problem is, though, that all kinds of strong magical equipment left during the bloody battles over the past 40,000 years can be found on most of the Occult Orbs. Although their masters have mostly perished, many of them have been set into the automatic detect and attack mode. Once they're triggered, they will start hunting and slaughtering until the spiritual energy contained inside is used up.
"When Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators enter an Occult Orb, it's very likely that they will trigger such magical equipment and be chased by it. How can they explore the Occult Orb if so?"
Pondering for a moment, Nie Junxia shook his head lightly.
"Mr. Gao, if Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators will be haunted, wouldn't it be even more dangerous for us Building Foundation Cultivators? Once the barriers are activated, I'm afraid we'll be blown into pieces instantly."
He asked the question that the others all wanted to ask.
Although they were not scared of death, they did not intend to die for no good reason.
Gao Tieyi smiled and said, "Let's say you have a pair of Heaven Splitters which can automatically aim and attack. It has limited cannonballs and spiritual energy. If an insignificant demon beast appeared in your fire range, would you want to fire or not?"
Nie Junxia was dazed for a moment. Deep in thought, he shook his head.
Listening by his side, Li Yao knew what Gao Tieyi was trying to say immediately.
The attack of Heaven Splitters equaled to the full-strength strike of a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator. But the spiritual energy consumption for each attack was astronomical. The cost for every shot amounted to that of a few crystal tanks being burnt to the ground. Besides, the barrels, body, and rune arrays of Heaven Splitters will suffer erosion during each attack.
If it were to fire at any random demon beast, thirty or fifty low-level demon beasts would be more than enough to let it overload and be completed wrecked.
Therefore, most of automatic magical equipment had been set with a threshold. Only when it sensed that the power of the enemy was above the threshold would it perform an attack.
Gao Tieyi said casually, "I believe you better understand now why the federation launched the Children of Occult Orbs Initiative and why it picked so many elites such as yourselves from millions of Cultivators, don't you?
"Frankly speaking, although you are merely at the Building Foundation Stage and your comprehensive ability is far from that of Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, in my opinion, the future of the federation lies in your hands!
"It is universally known that the distance between the Heaven's Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector is getting smaller and smaller. The two worlds are very likely to merge within the next fifty years.
"War between the two Sectors has already commenced.
"However, the Heaven's Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector are almost on par with each other. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been engaged in conflict for five hundred years without a winner.
"If we were to fight each other the hard way, in a head to head battle, neither side could be sure that it would win. Even if the opponent were defeated, the winning side would have to pay a terrible price.
"Half a year ago, Deep Sea University, Star Nebula University, First Military Academy of the Federation, as well as the admin-type Cultivators and research-type Cultivators in the General Staff, gathered together and ran an enormous simulation taking all kinds of variables into account. Their conclusion was that—
"If the two Sectors really merge and a regular war between the two worlds is started, even if the federation defeats the Blood Demon Sector, two thirds of the cities will be demolished, half of the population will be wiped out, and three quarters of Cultivators will perish!
"It is the same for the Blood Demon Sector. The federation will definitely fight until the last of its warriors die. Even if the Heaven's Origin Sector is occupied in the end, the demon kings and demon emperors are likely to be mostly killed.
"So, unless there is no other choice, neither of the two parties wish to perish together with the enemy through regular warfare.
"In fact, both parties have high hopes for the Occult Orbs.
"Countless secret arts, skills, magical equipment, and weapons that are far more advanced than the Heaven's Origin Sector's and the Blood Demon Sector's are buried in the Occult Orbs.
"Let's say one of you is lucky enough to dig out an arsenal, a starship of the Star Ocean Imperium, or even a piece of destructive stellar magical equipment. Then we'll be able to suppress the Blood Demon Sector with zero casualties, won't we?
"On the other hand, the Heaven's Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector are very close to each other in the four-dimensional level. We are almost twins. The Occult Orbs we discovered can be discovered by the Blood Demon Sector, too.
"In some
of the Occult Orbs, there are no arsenals or fleets that are of use to us. But there are demonization dens, which, if controlled by the Blood Demon Sector, will be able to procreate existences that may even be stronger than demon emperors!
"If such a nightmare comes true, the Heaven's Origin Sector will be doomed to extinction."
His words ignited everyone's passion.
Everybody had felt, more or less, that more powerful people were supporting the world. Core Formation and Nascent Soul were the decisive forces of the war between the two Sectors. Building Foundation Cultivators like them were far from significant in the big picture. All they had to do was to fight to the best of their ability without worries.
Hearing what Gao Tieyi just said, they suddenly recognized that they actually would have the opportunity to change the destiny of the Heaven's Origin Sector.
"Stellar magical equipment…" Li Yao muttered.
His blood started burning.
Hadn't a piece of stellar magical equipment the size of a satellite or even a planet whose rays radiates beyond an entire galaxy always been an ultimate dream for refiners such as himself?
If he was given a chance to touch a piece of stellar magical equipment with his own hands, study its structure, and even perhaps steer it in person to conquer the Blood Demon Sector…
It would be worthwhile even if he had to die the next day!
But Nie Junxia was an extremely calm person. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Mr. Gao, I'll save the loyalty-pledging talks. Everyone setting off on the path of Cultivation has been prepared to be sacrificed when we must be!
"I only want to know this: what concrete benefits are there for us to risk entering the battleground of the Occult Orbs as individuals?
"Are they really able to enable us to break our limits and be reborn?"
Chapter 356: Incomparable Benefits |
Hearing his words, the other six Cultivators started breathing faster. There was desire in their eyes too.
As Cultivators, they might not crave for longevity. But they definitely hungered to be stronger beyond their limits and illuminate the entire world!
Improving, evolving, and advancing!
Those were the natural instincts of a Cultivator!
Gao Tieyi's bright gold phantom nodded its head solemnly and declared unhesitatingly, "Of course!
"The Star Glory Federation never treats any hero unfairly who has made contributions to mankind!
"Exploration in the Occult Orbs can place the participants in deadly dangers which may even lead to irreversible injuries or even death!
"If you are courageous enough to be heroes of the federation, you will be able to be blessed with incomparable benefits!
"Firstly, in some Occult Orbs, a lot of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures exist, including many that are hardly seen in the Heaven's Origin Sector and can only be found in the ancient books. As long as you are capable of excavating them, you will be entitled to absorb or refine them first.
"Some other Occult Orbs are natural paradises in which one day of your training equals to ten days or even a fortnight in the Heaven's Origin Sector!
"However, most of the Occult Orbs cannot bring you benefits directly.
"Let's say during one of your discoveries, you find an arsenal of the Star Ocean Imperium, or a fleet of starships. The powerful weapons and vehicles, of course, will not be your property.
"Another example. If you are asked to lay waste to the caves of an ancient legendary demon in an Occult Orb which can be traced back to the era of the Demon Beast Empire, you can hardly gain anything even though you will have to risk your lives in the mission, too.
"No worries. The founding fathers of Occult Orbs Fellowship have thought of the problem.
"To better motivate everyone to accept the missions of exploring the Occult Orbs, there is a critical concept in Occult Orbs Fellowship called 'contribution points'.
"Your every operation will be converted into contribution points according to the difficulty of the task, outcome of the task, casualty rate, and other criteria.
"Contribution points are extremely useful in Occult Orbs Fellowship.
"To say the very least, Occult Orbs Fellowship has dug out a lot of magical equipment and weapons which are too advanced and sophisticated for us, the Cultivators from the Heaven's Origin Sector, to comprehend. We don't know how to replicate or manufacture them at all.
"Which means that almost every artifact in the Occult Orbs is unique.
"Such artifacts hardly appear in the outside world except for necessary purposes such as researching. They can only be redeemed by your contribution points here!
"Besides, the precious, rarely-seen Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the Heaven's Origin Sector can be redeemed by your contribution points, too!
"Above Deacons, there are Nine Councilors in Occult Orbs Fellowship who are all peak experts at the Nascent Soul Stage. They stop by the headquarters and supervise everything in turn.
"For this month, Senior Yan Ba, the 'Iron God', is staying with us.
"You can even redeem your contribution points for some time to talk with the Nascent Soul State Cultivator face-to-face and be enlightened by them."
"Hiss…."
Everyone gasped.
Li Yao's heart was boiling.
The Nine Councilors were all at the Nascent Soul Stage. The best Cultivators of the Star Glory Federation were almost entirely gathered here.
As for Iron God Yan Ban, he was a legend in the world of Cultivators himself.
He had been an Elder of the Marvelous Fist Sect generations ago. But he withdrew from the affairs of his sect and focused his attention on Cultivation a hundred years ago.
Marvelous Fist Sect was a sect for body practitioners. Senior Yuan was a weird one among his fellows, because he was a rarely-seen 'body fundamentalist'.
Most body practitioners, although claiming that their body was their weapon, did not reject ancillary magical equipment in a combat such as power knuckles and crystal suits designed for body practitioners.
After all, times had changed. Magical equipment nowadays was getting more and more advanced and easier to carry, which could significantly boost their potential.
But according to the conservative body practitioners, such a behavior was an out-and-out betrayal of the ideals of the body practitioners.
Among the conservative body practitioners, the most rigid ones never relied on any magical equipment. They fought by triggering the ultimate power hiding in the deepest depths of the human body.
Such people were the monks of the body practitioners. They were known as 'body fundamentalists'.
Yan Ba was the best body fundamentalist in the world!
Using his bare hands, without any help of any magical equipment, he was enough to wield the strength of the Nascent Soul Stage. It was not hard to imagine how powerful his body was.
'Contribution points can be traded for some quality time together with a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator? They're so much more useful than the credits of the Grand Desolate War Institution!'
Li Yao was deep in thought.
With the Thousand Tempering Hundred Refining technique that he'd been training in, his body sturdiness was better than most people. Thanks to the tedious refining work every day, his physical strength was enormous, too. He was almost half a body practitioner.
If he could be given a chance to talk with Iron God Yan Ba and accept his enlightenment, wouldn't that be awesome?
When he returned to the Grand Desolate War Institution, he could share Yan Ba's words with Ding Lingdang. His girlfriend might be able to advance yet another level!
Seeing that the seven of them were all seething with desire, Gao Tieyi decided to add more oil to the fire. He waved his hand. Almost a hundred light beams flowed out of the bright gold figure.
They were the picture and introduction of all kinds of weapons, magical equipment, and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Enshrouded in dazz
ling glamor, they were spinning in the small cabin slowly.
"They're all treasures from the Occult Orbs. Just take a look. With enough contribution points, it's possible that you can get any of them!"
"Wow!"
"Ahhhh!"
"Hiss!"
Li Yao's six companions were all exclaiming in astonishment.
Li Yao's own pupils were widened, too, while he felt like drooling.
'This 'Ultimate Void Obliterator' can blow up the space directly and constitute a space gap without a sound. The enemy's body will be torn apart in silence!
'This 'Hounding Soul Tracer' has tracking abilities. As long as the features of the enemy, such as their scent, soul wave, voice frequency, etc., are input into it, it will be automatically triggered when the enemy is fifty kilometers nearby and fly to the enemy before it is detonated!
'And this is 'Shadow Fiend Ring'. Put on the forehead, it can be activated with a telepathic thought. Not only does it boast stealth ability, it can also launch powerful mental attacks which can interfere with the brain of the enemy by blocking the information transmission between the retina and the optic nerves, so that the enemy will not know that they see something when they see something.
'More importantly, it can function on enemies who are way stronger than the wearer!
'Magical equipment from the era of the Star Ocean Imperium is indeed powerful, mysterious, and immeasurable. It is indeed the culmination of the Cultivation civilization. Even artifacts from 40,000 years ago can't be any better than that!
'I can't wait any longer to dismantle the magical equipment into pieces right now and study them carefully!'
"Huh. What's this?
"Shredded Fire Lotus, Silver Cup Flower, Burning Phoenix Crystal, Gold Cicada Fruit… So many extinct Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures!"
Li Yao finally couldn't contain himself any longer. He started exclaiming in disbelief together with the other six Cultivators.
The inventory of the treasures listed many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that had never been seen in the Heaven's Origin Sector. Even the Hundred Smelting Clan 40,000 years ago had classified them as 'Extremely Rare'.