Translator: CinderTL
Eighty-four Primordial Spirit True Monarchs.
One hundred and thirty-eight Nascent Soul True Lords.
Among the eighty-four Primordial Spirit True Monarchs, the most powerful force was undoubtedly General Xuan Mi's Guard Corps, led by Yu Jin.
They accounted for sixty-one of the eighty-four.
The remaining twenty-three came partly from the Hall of Justice and partly from the Sword Bearer Legion's inspection team and the Frigid Jade Fortress.
Strictly speaking, however, they all belonged to the same system under the Multiverse Hegemony War Committee.
Now, with Yu Jin's words, everyone's gaze turned to Li Chunjun.
Li Chunjun understood the significance of True Monarch Huang Tian revealing his identity as a Nominal Disciple of the Profound Yellow Supreme.
He was the linchpin!
At this critical moment, a strong and trustworthy leader was crucial.
Without hesitation, he accepted their nomination.
"Since you all trust me, I will do my utmost to lead us safely back to Human Territory."
Li Chunjun continued, "Our immediate task is to continue the work we've been doing these past few days: first, clearing the surrounding area; second, thoroughly investigating the hundred-plus Lesser Thousand Worlds. We'll strive to win over potential allies, but we won't show mercy to our enemies!"
"We await Sword Prodigy Li's orders," Yu Jin and the others replied solemnly.
"Regarding the matter of clearing the surrounding environment, I need to reiterate something," Li Chunjun said, his gaze drifting outward.
He glanced at the vast, empty expanse of starry sky beyond the Azure Star Minor Realm. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke: "I have a nagging feeling that something is amiss with this starry sky!"
"Sword Prodigy Li means...?" Zuo Cheng asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Commander Yu used the Golden Crow Battleship's detection system to scan this area. The Dao Rhythm fluctuations here are unusually active. Logically, there should be a Cultivator Civilization present, yet we've found no trace of one. This is highly abnormal," Li Chunjun explained.
The True Monarchs exchanged glances.
After a moment, Su Fang spoke: "Didn't we speculate a few days ago that the unusual Dao Rhythm fluctuations here were caused by a once-flourishing Cultivator Civilization that vanished after a Starquake?"
Li Chunjun didn't endorse this theory. Instead, he shifted the conversation to another matter: "You should all be familiar with Li Hentian, the Star Brilliance First Rank from the day before yesterday. You know he cultivated Mind Power. The reason I defeated him is because my Mind Power surpasses his."
"Mind Power!?" The Nine Tribulation True Monarchs were simultaneously shaken.
As cultivators at the peak of the Primordial Spirit Realm, they were acutely aware of the importance of Mind Power. It was an essential prerequisite for channeling the power of the Dao and breaking through to Void Refining!
Li Chunjun...
The more one learned about him, the more astonishing he became.
How could a Nascent Soul True Lord achieve such feats!?
No wonder he had become the Solar Radiance First Rank, and no wonder he had been accepted as a Nominal Disciple of the Profound Yellow Supreme!
"These past few days, my Mind Power has been repeatedly warning me that our surroundings are unsafe!" Li Chunjun said calmly. "I don't know if it's because the aftershocks haven't subsided or if some unknown enemy is lurking in the shadows, but... I believe we must thoroughly investigate the surrounding starspace! Leave no detail unchecked!"
"The profundity of Mind Power is beyond doubt," Yu Jin said gravely. "If Sword Prodigy Li believes our surroundings are problematic, then they certainly are! I will immediately issue orders for everyone to be on high alert and report any anomalies they observe!"
The other True Monarchs echoed his sentiments.
Li Chunjun nodded to them.
Though their side had only eighty-four True Monarchs, their quality was exceptionally high.
Four were Nine Tribulation True Monarchs!
More than half of the remaining True Monarchs had reached the Fourth to Sixth Tribulation levels.
Among them were a Seven Tribulation Examiner and an Eighth Tribulation Deputy Commander.
Thus, while their total number fell short of a hundred Primordial Spirits, their actual combat strength far surpassed that.
Even against the top Lesser Thousand Worlds, they would hold a significant advantage.
After consulting with Li Chunjun, the True Monarchs quickly formed a decision-making circle led by Li Chunjun and four Ninth Tribulation True Monarchs, assigning each a specific role.
True Monarch Huang Tian was put in charge of internal affairs, coordinating the True Monarchs, True Lords, and resources within Blue Star.
Su Fang was tasked with sending people far into the cosmos to gather intelligence.
Zuo Cheng was to lead True Monarchs on patrols, safeguarding Blue Star's security.
As for Yu Jin, he was to conserve his strength, preparing for a full-scale war that might erupt in the face of crisis.
With these brief arrangements made, everyone took up their duties.
Li Chunjun also began to shift his focus to his own cultivation.
He needed to complete the enhancement of his Lifebound Flying Sword as soon as possible.
Moreover, witnessing the collapse of the Azure Sea Domain and facing the cosmic cataclysm firsthand had stirred his Destruction Sword Intent, which showed signs of evolving into Destruction Sword Stance. He needed to seize this opportunity to consolidate his progress.
If he could truly cultivate Destruction Sword Stance...
His strength might undergo a two-stage leap.
He would transcend the Primordial Spirit True Inheritance stage, leaping from a level comparable to the peak of the Primordial Spirit Realm to the level of a "Prodigy"-class Primordial Spirit True Monarch.
Once he fully refined the two top-tier Sixth-Rank materials, transforming his Lifebound Flying Sword into a high-grade Quasi-Dao Artifact, his combat power might even reach the level required to qualify for the Cosmic Light List Challenger Qualification.
Before entering closed-door cultivation, however, Li Chunjun returned to the Taixu Sword Sect.
At this moment, the Taixu Sword Sect was naturally gripped by widespread panic.
Though most didn't know exactly what had happened or the scale of the disaster that had struck the Azure Star Minor Realm, the sight of the empty, unfamiliar expanse of space and the external environment rapidly darkening and growing cold due to the loss of stellar radiation made it clear that something catastrophic had occurred.
Unfortunately, all the Primordial Spirit True Monarchs were overwhelmed with urgent matters, leaving no one to explain the situation in detail.
Despite their anxiety, the Nascent Soul True Lords could only fret helplessly.
When Li Chunjun returned to the Taixu Sword Sect, the Nascent Soul cultivators, fully aware of the significance of being ranked first on the Star Brilliance List, rushed to greet him.
They wanted to get a good look at their sect's Chief Solar Flare Prodigy and learn the specifics of the situation outside from his own lips.
Li Chunjun didn't hold back.
Once Huan Ming, Jiang Yuqiu, You Long, Bai Lian, Lei Yuan, and even the impatient Shadowless True Lord and Qi Qian Yu had gathered, he laid bare their current predicament.
After hearing his words, the Nascent Soul True Lords were stunned.
"A Cosmic Quake triggered by a trap laid by the Divine Race?"
"We... are no longer in the Profound Yellow Great World? Not even in the Human Territory?"
"We've left the Human Territory and entered a completely unknown expanse of starry sky?"
The Nascent Soul True Lords exchanged stunned glances, their minds reeling.
For many Nascent Soul True Lords, leaving their Realm Region was no easy feat.
In fact, over half of them had lived for centuries without ever venturing beyond the boundaries of the Realm Region that nurtured them.
Huan Ming and his companions, who had crossed vast distances from the Profound Yellow Great World to pioneer the Blue Star Lesser Thousand World, were already considered a well-traveled group.
This alone put them ahead of over ninety percent of Nascent Soul cultivators.
But to have left the Profound Yellow Great World entirely, to no longer even be within the Human Territory...
This was beyond their comprehension.
"While the external environment has changed, the Blue Star Minor Realm of today is different from the past. We now have over eighty Primordial Spirit True Monarchs. When the sky falls, the tallest ones will bear the brunt. So, all of you should continue cultivating and living your lives as usual."
Li Chunjun spoke calmly.
Then, as if remembering something, he added, "The only thing you need to focus on is going out more often to gather resources to keep the major protective cities running smoothly. Also, we must intensify our efforts to promote martial arts and cultivation. Those who can cultivate Qi Refining should do so, and those who can't should focus on Body Refining. As people's strength increases, their resistance to harsh environments will also improve."
Though still deeply worried after Li Chunjun's words, everyone understood his reasoning.
With dozens of Primordial Spirit True Monarchs present, there was no need for Nascent Soul True Lords like them to charge into battle.
Their role was...
truly just to maintain order within the protected cities and promote the cultivation system as best they could.
Simultaneously, the Nascent Soul cultivators clasped their hands in respect: "We humbly obey the Supreme Elder's decree."
Li Chunjun did not reject the title of "Supreme Elder."
He had no intention of joining the Taixu Sword Sect of the Profound Yellow Great World, but that didn't mean he wanted to sever ties with the Blue Star Taixu Sword Sect.
At least until they betrayed him, he wouldn't mind lending them a hand within his capabilities.
After the discussion concluded, the Nascent Soul cultivators dispersed.
However, Li Chunjun called out to Jiang Yuqiu, who was about to return to Flaming Phoenix Peak.
He produced a storage pouch and handed it to her: "Peak Lord Jiang, please deliver these items to Senior Sister Jiang for me."
Jiang Yuqiu took the pouch and glanced inside, her expression immediately changing: "Myriad Spirits Divine Light!? And... a Supreme-Grade Nascent Soul Formation Pill!?"
Jiang Yuqiu stared at Li Chunjun in shock. "These things are too precious... You..."
"Yes, take them to Senior Sister Jiang," Li Chunjun said.
Whether it was the Myriad Spirits Divine Light or the Nascent Soul Pill, these top-tier resources for Golden Core cultivators were worth only dozens or hundreds of Spirit Crystals each.
For Li Chunjun's current wealth, exchanging for dozens or even hundreds of sets wouldn't be a problem.
"When I was in Qi Refining, Senior Sister Jiang was already in Core Formation. Now that I've reached Nascent Soul, and she's still in Core Formation, it just doesn't seem right," Li Chunjun explained.
"But... how can Wanyu compare to you?"
"Senior Sister Jiang's talent is exceptional! With the Flaming Phoenix Blood flowing through her veins, who dares say her talent is lacking?" Li Chunjun countered.
"This..." Jiang Yuqiu hesitated. She feared that accepting these gifts and giving them to Jiang Wanyu would completely exhaust their debt of gratitude.
After a long moment, she finally said, "You should deliver these things to her yourself. That way, you can explain everything clearly in person."
Li Chunjun glanced at her, realizing she had misunderstood. He said calmly, "These are just some resources for reaching Nascent Soul. There are even more valuable resources for reaching the Primordial Spirit Realm in the future. This is just the beginning."
Primordial Spirit?
Jiang Yuqiu was puzzled.
"Just give it to Senior Sister Jiang."
Li Chunjun didn't offer any further explanation. "I'll be cultivating on the Golden Crow Battleship next. You can contact me through the Jade Talisman."
With that, he soared into the sky on his escaping light and vanished above the Taixu Sword Sect.
Jiang Yuqiu watched Li Chunjun's departing figure, then glanced at the precious cultivation resources in her hands—worth more than the entire fortune of a Nascent Soul True Lord. Sighing, she said nothing more and headed towards Flaming Phoenix Peak.
(End of the Chapter)
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