"I have not yet roamed the Dali Dynasty. To think that the secular world is actually so magnificent and beautiful?"
High in the sky, a white crane flew beneath the clouds. Below, the mountains and rivers were like a painting, the cities and fields vast, the crowds like ants. City after city, road after road, with intersecting pathways; the prosperity of the human world and the towering red dust were all taken into the eyes.
Fang Han admired it from high in the sky, filled with endless emotions.
"My Dali Dynasty is not even the most prosperous country. Heading east, there are several other great dynasties, especially the Great Xuan Imperial Dynasty under the command of the Taiyi Daoist Sect. Its population exceeds ten billion, occupying thirty-six thousand majestic prefectures, with immerse material wealth and endless talents produced; that is a true great empire. Comparatively speaking, the Dali Dynasty is merely a second-rate country."
"A population of ten billion? How many people is that? If lined up, they could fill up the sea." Fang Han couldn't imagine what kind of scene that "Great Xuan Imperial Dynasty" was like. Just how prosperous was it? It truly wouldn't be an exaggeration to say white jade was used as walls and golden bricks as paved ground.
"The Taiyi Daoist Sect is the oldest and most vast immortal sect among the Ten Gates of the Immortal Dao. They have an extremely strict system of rule. Outer court disciples within the sect must also go to the secular dynasties to perform good deeds and accumulate merit. Based on the amount of an outer court disciple's merit, they are promoted to inner court disciples, and even rewarded with spirited weapons and elixirs. Precisely because of the rules of the true merit ranking, the commoners of the dynasties under their command are vastly stronger than other dynasties, producing endless streams of astonishing and peerless talents, much more powerful than our Yuhua Sect."
Princess Hongyi knew quite a lot.
"Merit ranking?"
"That's right, it is the merit ranking. Outer court disciples of the Taiyi Sect must roam the world, treat illnesses and save people, help the commoners behead demons and slay devils, deter corrupt officials, and eradicate the treacherous and cunning. They can even help them increase grain production. All these things are merits, and every single matter is recorded because when outer court disciples of the Taiyi Sect go out to roam, they must carry a merit book. Everything they do is recorded on it and handed over to the sect."
"Such assessment methods are truly worthy of the orthodox orthodox sect, the number one sect. In comparison, my Yuhua Sect is much inferior." Comparing the behavior of Yuhua Sect disciples to the Taiyi Sect disciples Princess Hongyi spoke of, Fang Han instantly judged the high and low.
"The rest of the Nine Gates of the Immortal Dao are all gradually learning it. This time, Hua Tiandu making such a big move, making an example out of you and taking away your Seven Malices Gourd, might not necessarily not be setting the groundwork for reforming this matter. However, the strength of our Yuhua Sect cannot compare with the Taiyi Sect. Plus, demons and devils frequently cause trouble, and other immortal sects cause obstructions. To truly monitor the world, assess disciples, and establish ledgers of good, evil, and merit encounters tremendous resistance. You should know that sects like the Heavenly Stars Sect, the Sun and Moon Sword Sect, and the Ten Thousand Returns Immortal Island all recruit disciples in the Dali Dynasty, the Dade Dynasty, and the Daxu Dynasty. The three major dynasties are not the exclusive domain of the Yuhua Sect."
Princess Hongyi seemed to have conducted a deep study regarding the general trend of the world and the various immortals of the Daoist sects; her aspirations were not small.
Fang Han glanced at her in surprise.
Their eyes met, but then both slid away simultaneously.
"The Ten Gates of the Immortal Dao hold an Immortal Dao gathering once every cycle of sixty years. First, it is to unite to resist demons and devils; second, it is to observe the bearing of the disciples from the various sects. However, for this Gathering of Immortals, only those in the Divine Ability Realm can participate, while disciples on the Mountain and River Ranking can go to watch. Fifty-five years have already passed since the last Gathering of Immortals. In five more years, the new Gathering of Immortals will be held. If the Yuhua Sect's disciples can gain the upper hand this time, then we can exclusively monopolize the vast territories of the three major dynasties. Recruiting more disciples means the better the aptitude of more disciples, and the greater the chances of stepping into the Divine Ability Realm and becoming true legacy disciples. I heard that the Heavenly Stars Sect has over six hundred thousand disciples with excellent aptitude, so their sect has more true legacy disciples than the Yuhua Sect; rumor has it that it already exceeds one hundred and fifty and is still growing. The Yuhua Sect has also been struggling somewhat these years; fortunately, Hua Tiandu is propping it up."
Princess Hongyi continued speaking, "Therefore, Fang Han, offending Hua Tiandu has made things really difficult for you. Hua Tiandu is now the pillar of the Yuhua Sect."
"That is nothing. If I step into the Divine Ability Realm and become a true legacy disciple, the Yuhua Sect precisely lacks talents, and they will definitely value me too." Fang Han saw things very accurately.
"Ah! Ahead is the abyssal crevice. Prepare everything, we are going down. I once secretly came down this earth crevice. In its depths, there are many veins of ore, among which are the most precious Dharma Crystal Jade mines, heavily guarded and mined by the army of underground demonic humans. The reason I dragged you here this time is that since you have a Dao artifact, you can endlessly load things up. We will take the opportunity to make a huge fortune."
Among the great mountains in the distance, a deep earth crevice opened like a wide, fanged mouth, terrifying and ghastly. Princess Hongyi pointed with her hand and licked her lips while speaking.
"To think there are actually Dharma Crystal Jade mines…"
Fang Han's heart was also moved.
Dharma Crystal Jade was a kind of miraculous ore because it contained magic power! It was extremely rare. Rumor had it that in the Primordial Era, during the war between immortals and devils, after those primordial demonic gods and immortals overturned heavens and earth with massive magic power, the residual spiritual energy was combined with jade stones, forming dharma crystals.
Magic power was generally only possessed by experts in the Divine Ability Realm. But this kind of stone possessed it. It could refine various dharma artifacts, even assist a person's spiritual cultivation, and also improve the quality of elixirs.
It was said that some dharma crystals even carried natural grand formations within them. As long as one obtained a piece, it could be refined into a high-tier spirited weapon, or even a Treasured Artifact.
Generally, even the Ten Gates of the Immortal Dao didn't possess many of such dharma crystal veins. A piece of dharma crystal was virtually a natural spiritual pill in itself.
"Since that's the case, let's go down. However, since there is a Dharma Crystal Jade vein, there will definitely be heavy guards of the underground demonic human army, even guarded by a Great Asura equivalent to an expert of the Divine Ability Realm. Going down, we can only act quietly and cannot make a big show of force." Fang Han knew the stakes.
"Let's go!"
After settling on the plan, they took Crane Fairy and fiercely shuttled straight down into the earth crevice. At the same time, Fang Han had already worn the "Blood Cotton Demonic Garment" on his body. Although this spirited weapon clothing wasn't as good as the Heavenly Wolf Smoke, it had a great effect for self-defense and body protection.
At the same time, a thought crossed Fang Han's mind, and the ten Asuras in the Yellow Spring Picture were eager for action.
Passing through the long, narrow, and deep earth crevice directly dropping into the abyss, about the time it takes an incense stick to burn passed, and Crane Fairy glided down to land on the ground.
This time, the underground world was even vaster and boundless. Fang Han could even see rising mountain peaks on the underground plains. They were covered thoroughly with tall mushroom and fungal plants, and countless demon beasts lived within, hunting and preying, forming a food chain even crueler than the surface.
Puff!
Just as Fang Han landed on the ground, over a dozen wind sounds suddenly sprang up. Blood shadows burst out, a fierce aura pressing down; unexpectedly, over a dozen Blood Wolves were pouncing over to kill him and Crane Fairy.
However, just as these Blood Wolves leaped into mid-air, their bodies suddenly snapped into two pieces, because ten demonic shadows appeared by Fang Han's side. These demonic shadows emitted sharp sword light, flashing in an instant, and carrying all before them, entirely slaying the ten Blood Wolves.
Subsequently, from the tops of the skulls of the ten slain Blood Wolves, a blood crystal was picked out, and their whole body's essence blood also converged into threads, shooting into the Yellow Spring Picture inside Fang Han's body.
A blood pill the size of a sesame seed condensed in the Holy Water of the Yellow Spring.
"Why is the blood pill as small as a sesame seed? It's not enough to piece together between my teeth." Fang Han shook his head and secretly asked "Yan."
"The essence blood of Blood Wolves is not vigorous enough; you must kill tyrannical existences like Yakshas, Flying Heavenly Yakshas, and Asuras." Yan twitched his nose: "The woman beside you is right; there is an aura of a Dharma Crystal Jade vein here. Just keep going east. I smell a massive amount of demonic qi…"
"Fang Han, this is…"
Seeing the ten Asuras floating around Fang Han like demonic shadows, Princess Hongyi jumped in fright.
"These are the ten Flying Heavenly Yakshas I captured last time. I refined them into Asuras and integrated flying swords into their bodies. They are now tremendously lethal Demonic Sword Puppets. With their protection, even if we encounter a demonic human army, we can stay safe. Let's go! We head east."
Along the way, the ten Asura demonic shadows bobbed up and down, reaping lives like a meat grinder. Within a three-thousand-step radius centered on Fang Han, all poisonous snakes and fierce beasts—be it Blood Pythons, Blood Bears, or Blood Wolves—not a single one was left; all were killed.
The ten Asuras were like ten reapers of death. Blood pills were constantly refined, but they were pitifully small. Fang Han also ignored it, directly groping forward, while Yan swept around with magic power, frequently discovering rare spiritual medicines in secretive places.
Slaughtering fierce beasts and gathering medicinal herbs and ores while advancing along the way was rather pleasant and risk-free.
After about half a day, just as Fang Han was about to sit down and rest, suddenly in the distance, a straight beam of sword mane shot up directly, like an aurora.
"Ah, this is the sword art and flying sword of another sect. Disciples of another sect are also gaining experience underground. It is very likely they are battling demon devils. Let's go over and take a look. This kind of sword qi light is like dazzling stars; it seems to be the methods of the Heavenly Stars Sect!"
Seeing this, Princess Hongyi was greatly astounded.
"Heavenly Stars Sect!"
Fang Han moved. "Let's go, let's go take a look."