265: Chapter 265 The Great Dao is Ruthless! Times Have Changed!

...

White Cloud Temple, Yunjian Mountain Range.

After Shi Jian entered seclusion, the Sect's overall strategy shifted drastically, turning from outward expansion to inward defense.

Old Daoist Yun Du acted tactfully. Well aware of the adage that the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be blown down by the wind, he ordered all peaks to contract their defensive lines, stationing heavy forces in the northern lands of Feng Prefecture and the homeland of Ming Prefecture.

At the same time, they threw open the mountain gates to widely recruit Disciples.

The strict Spiritual Root screening of the past was also relaxed slightly.

Loose Cultivator servants with Four-Element Spiritual Roots or Five-Element Spiritual Roots could enter the Outer Sect to do chores, as long as they had clean backgrounds and were diligent.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Currently, the Sect's businesses were spread too thin. The White Cloud Temple branch in Hua Prefecture, the Zhao Family Chamber of Commerce in Yuan Prefecture, and the northern branch in Feng Prefecture were all limbs extended from White Cloud Temple, requiring a massive amount of manpower...

Furthermore, White Cloud Temple was continuously growing stronger.

How could Daoist Yun Du not see the underlying risks? Therefore, he recruited Disciples widely; these people were destined to be cannon fodder to fill the lines in the future!

White Cloud Temple was no longer what it used to be.

Similarly, White Cloud Temple was no longer the White Cloud Temple of old. The former White Cloud Temple was merely a law-abiding Golden Core Sect—neither high nor low, neither strong nor weak, with an orderly Legacy.

But the current White Cloud Temple was no longer Daoist Yun Du's one-man show.

In the years that followed, the number of inner and outer Disciples of White Cloud Temple more than tripled, with the total number of Disciples in the entire Sect reaching nearly ten thousand!

The Southern Mountains were dominated by the orthodox lineage of White Cloud Temple.

Most of the Disciples and legacies were located here, led by the Yun Clan lineage, with dozens of smaller branches serving as support.

Meanwhile, the furnace fires of the Artifact Refining Hall never went out day or night.

Nowadays, Artifact Refining, Beast Taming, and Alchemy were among the most profitable businesses for White Cloud Temple. Relying on the massive amount of Ore excavated from the Evil Water Marsh, the techniques of the Artifact Refining Hall had progressed by leaps and bounds.

In recent years, they had even gained the ability to independently refine flying ships and warships.

At this moment, a commercial spirit boat thirty zhang long was moored on the Sword-Washing Terrace.

The hull of the boat was crafted from century-old ironwood, its outer layer clad in refined Black Rock Gold, and fully engraved with Wind-Riding and Fortification array patterns.

This was the first batch of large commercial Spirit Ships independently refined by White Cloud Temple, named "Chuanyun," and could be considered a top-grade Magical Artifact.

Sun Qiming stood on the deck, turning his head to look at the Hall Master of the Artifact Refining Hall beside him.

"How long does it take for this ship to make a trip to Hua Prefecture?"

"Replying to Elder Sun, fully loaded with cargo and with favorable wind and water, it can arrive in half a month."

"If we encounter astral wind layers along the way and need to take a detour, it will take an extra five days," the Hall Master of the Artifact Refining Hall reported with a lowered head, wiping away sweat.

"Can it defend against the bandit Cultivators along the way?"

"The ship is equipped with three Spirit Stone Cannons, all of which are High Grade Magical Artifacts capable of delivering a blow comparable to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator's attack. Additionally, with the Tortoise Shell Array, even if attacked by someone at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, it can hold out for half an hour."

"If presided over by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and supplied with an ample amount of Spirit Stones, it is sufficient to withstand the joint attack of three Foundation Establishment Cultivators simultaneously."

Hearing this, Sun Qiming nodded slightly.

With the trade routes between Feng Prefecture, Hua Prefecture, and Yuan Prefecture opened, White Cloud Temple's Spirit Medicines and beast materials were exported in an endless stream, in exchange for a massive amount of Spirit Stones and scarce Medicinal Pills.

As the business grew larger, many naturally became envious. Although the major Sects would not personally take action to cause trouble in recent years...

...some Loose Cultivators driven mad by poverty were capable of doing anything.

It was better to be cautious; careful sailing keeps the ship afloat for ten thousand years.

"Increase the manpower. Every trading Spirit Ship must have at least two Foundation Establishment Cultivators escorting it."

"Tell the escorting Foundation Establishment brothers not to force things if trouble arises. If the cargo is lost, we can earn it back, but staying alive is what matters most. Even if they have to abandon those Qi Refining Disciples, it doesn't matter. Preserving their own lives is the priority."

"Yes, Elder Sun."

Having finished arranging the defense of the merchant ships, Sun Qiming flew back to the Main Peak on his sword.

Today, the Sect had a major event.

As White Cloud Temple continuously grew stronger, there were more and more Cultivators with external surnames. Among them, an external Elder named Chang He was about to undergo Core Formation today.

Chang He had been in the Sect for over a hundred and twenty years and possessed a Dual Spiritual Root Aptitude.

His cultivation had been stuck at Foundation Establishment Perfection for twenty years, and more than half of his Lifespan had already passed. Unwilling to stop here, he decided to give it his all.

In the Southern Mountains, there was a spiritual land called the Cold Pool Cave.

At this moment, the weather in this area was shifting dramatically.

Spiritual Qi gathered into a funnel, pouring down into the Immortal Cave. Old Daoist Yun Du and Sun Chengzhu stood shoulder to shoulder on the cliff, watching the churning spiritual clouds, both of them expressionless.

"Without the heaven and earth qi, I'm afraid it will be difficult."

Sun Chengzhu pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his tone flat, having long grown accustomed to life and death.

Yun Du sighed, "Cultivation is just like this; if you do not advance, you retreat. Rather than waiting to die in vain, it is better to take a gamble. What if he succeeds?"

"What if?"

Sun Chengzhu shook his head and sighed, "Senior Brother, there aren't that many 'what ifs' in the cultivation world. More often than not, it is a narrow escape from death."

"Without the assistance of heaven and earth qi, those in this world who can rely on their own natural talent to cross this tribulation have been extremely rare throughout history, and less than one in ten survive."

Before his words could fade, a shrill, miserable scream echoed from the Immortal Cave.

The voice was filled with despair, and the agonizing pain of flesh tearing and bones shattering bypassed the isolating formation, resounding through the heavens and earth!

The Spiritual Qi funnel collapsed, and the Great Dao phenomenon came to an end.

The dao rhyme and qi mechanism of the world collapsed along with it. The clouds in mid-air lost their support, turning into a storm of bloody rain that showered down.

Inside the Cold Pool Cave, Chang He had long lost his human form.

Half of his body was withered like dry firewood, while the other half was swollen like a ball. The True Essence within his body ran rampant, his Meridians completely shattered and turning into pus and blood...

"I am not willing! How unjust is the Great Dao!"

Chang He roared toward the sky, his eyes weeping blood. He clutched his collar tightly, trying to hold onto the life force slipping away from his body.

With a muffled bang, Chang He's Physical Body could not withstand the violent spiritual power and shattered directly. His flesh and blood flew in all directions, turning into thousands of clouds and mist that drifted and scattered into the world...

Thus, his body died and his Dao dissipated, his physical form completely dissolving into clouds, mist, and spiritual energy. Not even his Divine Soul remained, making his death incredibly tragic.

Yet another Cultivator who attempted to attain the Cloud Dao Golden Core path had perished here.

And this time, the one who died was even a Dual Spiritual Root Genius. It was truly a pity; one could only say he was born at the wrong time...

Old Daoist Yun Du closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Give him a grand burial and preserve his personal wealth and Legacy. As for his descendants left behind in the Sect, ensure they are well-provided for for three generations."

Sun Chengzhu also sighed and said:

"This is the second one this year. First there was Elder Li, and now Chang He. Forcing Core Formation without the heaven and earth qi is nothing more than adding another handful of yellow earth."

"I wanted to witness the growth of the Sect, but it has only brought more grief."

"Senior Brother Yun Du, since this matter is settled, I will return to Feng Prefecture first to guard the northern branch. I will come back to see you in a few years."

After saying that, Sun Chengzhu bowed and turned to leave.

Transforming into a ray of sword light, he flew far away into the sky.

Meanwhile, everyone in White Cloud Temple, from top to bottom, was as silent as cicadas in winter.

The Golden Core Great Dao was so cruel. Those Foundation Establishment Cultivators who had harbored wishful thinking were completely chilled to the bone by these two tragic failures.

If they didn't have the fate for it, they had better stop dreaming that beautiful dream as early as possible...

Truly, the Great Dao was ruthless, and the path of Dao was full of bumps.

This Golden Core Dao was, after all, a natural chasm that was truly terrifying. If one survived, they succeeded; if they failed, they would be reduced to ashes!

...