Inside the colossal floating warship.
Mu Yinghua, along with a group of elders, was inspecting a vast storage area, where boxes of various sizes, all flickering with a faint sealing light, filled every corner of the space. There were also massive blocks of pale blue ice crystals, sealing the corpses of high-level spirit beasts, including those at the Feather Transformation Ascending to Immortality Realm, and even Elemental and True Immortals. These were considered high-grade ingredients or materials for concocting medicines.
“…Our large-scale purchasing could attract attention from certain powers in a year and a half, despite our best efforts at secrecy.”
Fairy Butterfly spoke, aware that such an unprecedented scale of procurement could not go completely unnoticed, especially at this critical moment of impending calamity.
During times of war, resource scarcity and price surges are inevitable. The higher-ups of the major Dao Lineage’s powers are meticulously reviewing their assets, preparing to live frugally. Yet, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace was doing the opposite, spending a vast amount of top-grade spirit crystals on purchases without restraint. Over time, it would be impossible not to draw the attention of those with ulterior motives.
Mu Yinghua pondered lightly, “It’s impossible to keep it a secret forever. We never intended to keep it hidden for long. As long as we can ensure our operations remain undisturbed for the next few years, that’s enough.”
The procurement teams sent out were composed of high-ranking female immortals from the sect, all disguised and using secret divine abilities to shield their destinies, ensuring their true identities remained concealed.
Such practices were common in the Great Void, with many powerful forces conducting their shady dealings in this discreet manner. Thus, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s actions initially did not attract special attention.
However, once the frequency and scale became excessive, becoming a target was inevitable. Especially for those organizations specializing in intelligence and secrets, such news was always of great sensitivity.
That’s why Mu Yinghua said that ensuring no issues arose in the next few years, allowing Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace to successfully complete its strategic reserve plan, would be considered a success.
Passing by a dense wall of large boxes, Mu Yinghua casually waved her hand, and a huge purple nanmu box with cloud patterns floated over, hovering in front of the female cultivators.
As the lid opened, a dazzling treasure light spilled out, revealing rows of uniformly exquisite and ornate sword cases, exactly one hundred in number.
Mu Yinghua casually picked up one, drawing the sword gently. The bright blade was like a clear autumn water, its purity tinged with a chilling sharpness and surrounded by a faint, magnificent aura.
This was a top-grade magical treasure-level flying sword, crafted from fine materials and with excellent refinement techniques, typically suitable for core disciples from the True Person Realm to the Heart Demon realm.
According to the list given to the Supreme Sect Master by Fairy Butterfly, just the top-grade magical treasure-level flying swords procured this time numbered in the millions. Without significantly expanding the number of core disciples, this could meet the sect’s needs for tens of thousands of years. As for other grades and types of magical treasures and instruments, none were less than a million in quantity.
Mu Yinghua nodded slightly, placed the sword case back, and continued to the next storage area, which was filled with various one-time use magical instruments and talismans.
Fairy Butterfly casually summoned a golden-threaded bright sandalwood box, opening it to present several chicken-egg-sized, pitch-black pellets to Mu Yinghua for inspection.
These were Five Ghosts Geng Metal Mother-Child Thunderbolts, which upon activation with a specific incantation, could unleash power capable of severely injuring the physical bodies and Divine Souls of ordinary Feather Transformation Ascending to Immortality Realm cultivators within a hundred miles, posing a significant threat even to Elemental Immortals.
Such one-time use magical instruments, which were consumed in staggering amounts during large-scale battles, were procured by Fairy Butterfly in quantities exceeding ten billion, virtually emptying the stock of all the Cloud Void Market Association’s inventory.
Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s sweeping action certainly brought unimaginable profits to the market, but it also nearly depleted their inventory of all types of goods. Even if the market’s backers mobilized millions of artifact and pill refining masters and skilled craftsmen to work day and night, it would take decades to restore the stock to its former levels.
Of course, with the long lifespans of cultivators, a few decades were inconsequential. Would any business complain about being too successful to handle?
(The chapter is not finished yet!)
Moreover, Fairy Butterfly was just one of the many procurement teams. Similar teams were numerous, with astonishingly large floating fleets and heavenly boats returning to the Main Altar of the Sect with massive resources every day.
The Great Void was vast and boundless. Even now, with only about thirty percent of the Dao Lineage’s powers surviving, there were still hundreds of thousands of them, with no shortage of forces specializing in business with cultivators.
“…Keep stockpiling! As long as the sect’s storerooms are filled, even if those major powers realize it was Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace’s doing, what can they do about it?”
Mu Yinghua said with a light laugh, and the surrounding female immortals agreed. The overall strength of the sect was not what it used to be. All the injured and slumbering Supreme Elders had recovered, with a large number of mid-level female cultivators successfully crossing their tribulations. Additionally, many of the sect’s heavy weapons had been repaired, ensuring any hostile forces that came knocking would be sent away with their tails between their legs.
“By the way, this fleet has brought back millions of cultivator slaves, all with decent cultivation levels. Sect Master, how do you plan to arrange them?” Fairy Butterfly inquired.
Mu Yinghua thought for a moment and said, “Just follow the usual practice. After verifying their identities, assign them to work in the mines, pill workshops, and artifact workshops. The sect is in dire need of manpower right now.”
Fairy Butterfly agreed. There were many reasons why cultivators became slaves, and there was no need to delve into them. However, using them for tasks that mortals could not handle was very effective.
Moreover, according to the traditions of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, male cultivator slaves were not allowed to enter the Main Altar of the Sect. They were usually sent to remote territories to do the hardest, dirtiest, and most tiring work, never to see the light of day again.
The slaves allowed into the Main Altar of the Sect were female cultivators, who were usually assigned lighter duties. Those who performed well even had the chance to regain their freedom, though this would require tens or hundreds of thousands of years of hard work.
In the Misty Illusion Secret Realm.
After a good rest, Qing Muling stepped back onto the flying platform, accompanied by his Senior Sisters, and left the floating warship to explore the various lakes and mountains. Although this was a wild region, the scenery was genuinely impressive, with some magnificent and breathtaking views rarely seen even within the Main Altar of the Sect.
“…Junior Brother, can you not use this artifact when you go out next time?”
Fengxia, the little phoenix, snuggled up to Qing Muling, her fiery red fairy dress outlining her voluptuous curves, and her seductive eyes shimmering like autumn waters as she spoke softly, “I am your official mount, yet since returning to the sect, you’ve never ridden me!”
“Uh…”
Qing Muling frowned, her words… were they proper?
The surrounding Senior Sisters also glanced sideways, noting that this little phoenix was not easy to handle, trying to seduce their Junior Brother in various ways! Talking about being a mount, was it for riding during the day or night, or perhaps both, was left unsaid.
“Alright, I’ll… consider it when there’s a chance.”
Qing Muling replied vaguely, understanding the matter without needing to state it explicitly.
“Don’t just placate me! At least take me with you during cultivation, okay?”
Fengxia pouted, feeling aggrieved that she had been excluded from the closed-door cultivation sessions with the Senior Sisters and Qing Muling, suspecting they were engaging in some indescribable games. Why couldn’t she join in?
After a moment’s hesitation, Qing Muling relented, “Discuss it with Senior Sister. As long as she agrees, it’s fine.”
“Great, it’s settled then!”
Fengxia smiled, her eyes curving with joy.
Seeing Fengxia’s demeanor, the radiant Dragon Ritual Princess pursed her lips and exchanged a subtle glance with Su Yuanzhen.
Since Junior Brother had a mount, couldn’t she also… use the need for a mount as a pretext to arrange for an assistant to come over?
Preferably someone not too high in cultivation, but outstanding in other aspects. If she performed well, her own lineage would no longer be isolated and weak, Dragon Ritual Princess thought to herself.
In a pale yellow palace dress, her hair elegantly coiffed, Xuebing Xuan smiled and said, “Junior Brother, we’re all close to reaching the Xuan Immortal realm. How about taking us back with you next time, and we can return after crossing the Heavenly tribulations?”
Under continuous dual cultivation, Senior Sister Xuebing Xuan, along with Cheng Yulan, Qi Yalan, and Luo Huan, were all at the peak of the True Immortal realm. Even Fengxia was the same, due to awakening her ancient bloodline.
Only Luo Wanqing and Yu Binghua, who joined later, were a step behind in their cultivation progress and would need more time to reach the completion of the True Immortal realm.
“That should be fine,” Qing Muling said, looking at Yu Lingzhou. He was planning to leave the Misty Illusion Secret Realm temporarily and wanted to know if it would affect the female cultivators busy gathering resources here, so he had to ask for the opinion of this Supreme Elder.
Yu Lingzhou blinked her beautiful eyes, pondering, “If it’s just to return after crossing the tribulations, it shouldn’t be a problem. So go quickly and come back soon!”
She was concerned that if Qing Muling left for too long, without his supreme fortune’s protection, something unexpected might happen here. After all, this was a wild region untouched for millions of years, and who knew what deadly things were hidden deep in the vast mountains?
Qing Muling understood her concerns and nodded, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in no more than three days. There won’t be any problems.”
The reason the Senior Sisters were eager to cross their tribulations and ascend to the Xuan Immortal realm was because of the Dragon Ritual Princess. Although she and Su Yuanzhen were both Golden Immortals, their status and influence were not yet clear due to their recent arrival. But given time, that could change.
To ensure their place in Junior Brother’s heart, Xuebing Xuan and the others dared not slack off. Only by catching up with the Dragon Ritual Princess’s cultivation progress could they truly feel at ease.