Chapter 856

Chapter 856: Qianxing Meeting

It is well known that Qianxing Immortal City was established by thousands of merchants working together, making it a city of significant scale and strength, classified as “Earth” level. It is also one of the most prosperous cities within the Nine States Immortal Alliance.

The Qianxing Meeting was established even before Qianxing Immortal City, and the conditions for joining require being a member of a merchant family as well as having a cultivation level above the Purple Palace!

Since the Qianxing Meeting never advertises itself and remains very low-key, ordinary cultivators know very little about it.

“Sorry.”

However, Wang Chen showed little interest in this so-called Qianxing Meeting. “True master Chenming, I currently have no plans to join any alliance; I hope you understand.”

According to Wang Chenming’s introduction, the influence of the Qianxing Meeting was undoubtedly vast and formidable.

If just one person from each merchant family was part of the meeting, the entire Qianxing Meeting would have over a thousand true masters, and just thinking about it could send shivers down one’s spine.

Joining such a large organization has obvious benefits.

Connections, support, and resources would all be readily available!

But there is no free lunch in this world; to enjoy privileges inevitably means to shoulder responsibilities, and even to be bound and restricted.

One of the conditions to join the Qianxing Meeting is to be a member of a merchant family; as an outsider, Wang Chen would likely need to become part of the Sanqun Family first to meet this requirement.

This would essentially put double shackles on himself!

Wang Chen was currently cultivating alone while running his shop, living a carefree life—why would he complicate things for himself?

He was firm in his refusal; however, Wang Chenming seemed to have anticipated this reaction and smiled as he said, “True master Wang, do you know the most important condition for breaking the Golden Core and condensing the Yuan Ying in the Haotian Realm?”

The most important condition for breaking the Golden Core and condensing the Yuan Ying?

Wang Chen paused in surprise.

He genuinely didn’t know!

Wang Chenming did not expect Wang Chen to answer and continued, “That is to settle the causes and effects and give back to the heavens!”

Any cultivator living and practicing in the Haotian Realm inevitably consumes a vast amount of spiritual energy from the world, and the higher the cultivation level, the greater the consumption.

This is the cause and effect that cultivators owe.

When a peak Golden Core cultivator wishes to break the Golden Core and condense the Yuan Ying, he must repay part or all of that owed cause and effect. Otherwise, he will surely face heavenly tribulation during his promotion.

At that time, not to mention breaking the Golden Core and condensing the Yuan Ying, just surviving would be incredibly lucky!

This secret was not meant for ordinary cultivators with average talent and no hope of immortality to know.

Even if they did know, it would be of no use to them.

But the situation was entirely different for someone like Wang Chen, a newly advanced Golden Core with boundless potential.

According to Wang Chenming, the sooner the cause and effect to the heavens was repaid, the better; otherwise, during the Golden Core stage, the cumulative cause and effect would become greatly substantial, inevitably impeding the process of breaking the Golden Core and condensing the Yuan Ying!

After listening, Wang Chen fell silent.

He had originally thought that the most important condition for breaking the Golden Core and condensing the Yuan Ying was akin to the eight treasures needed for condensing the elixirs.

Wang Chen didn’t care because he condensed the Golden Core entirely through his own strength; the condensing elixir treasures he had painstakingly collected before ended up being of no use.

And he had successfully formed a first-grade core!

With this precedent, Wang Chen naturally felt confident.

After listening to Wang Chenming’s words, Wang Chen realized that the matter was far more complex than he had initially thought; the process of Yuan Ying condensation was intricately tied to the karmic laws of heaven and earth.

This was not a challenge that could be overcome merely through innate talent.

Even relying on external advantages might not suffice!

Wang Chen’s mindset shifted rapidly as he inquired, “May I ask, revered one, how might one settle this celestial karmic debt?”

“It’s quite straightforward!”

Wang Chenming spoke candidly and without holding back. “Descend to the lower realms and harvest spiritual energy to repay the heavens!”

Wang Chen suddenly remembered the Inquiry Bell held by the Fox Queen, which connected to the Misty Mountains Realm!

Regrettably, at that time, he was unaware of the celestial karmic implications, and his ascension back to the Haotian Realm from the Misty Mountains Realm had not allowed him to harvest any spiritual energy from there.

Could he return to the Misty Mountains Realm?

Wang Chen’s intuition warned him that this might lead to significant complications!

He listened as Wang Chenming elaborated confidently, “The lower realms are boundless, as numerous as the stars in the galaxy, but every realm one might find is already claimed. To borrow and harvest spiritual energy is an exceedingly arduous task!”

The number of lower realms is beyond count, but locating one and mastering the method to enter it is no simple feat.

The resources and manpower required could be astronomical.

With such a substantial investment, a return is imperative.

Naturally, that return must be harvested from the lower realms!

However, not all lower realms are abundant in resources; some may have lain desolate and barren for millions of years, offering nothing of value.

This further escalates the cost of searching for and developing lower realms!

Thus, a small world rich in resources is of immeasurable value, and why would it be easily lent out for spiritual energy harvesting?

Moreover, once the spiritual energy of a small world has been harvested, unless one is fishing in a dried-up pond, it would require a considerable amount of time to replenish.

Within the powers that control such a small world, those wishing to harvest spiritual energy must wait in line!

The wait could be as short as a few decades or as long as a century, even two or three hundred years!

Wang Chenming explained, “Our Sanqun Wang Family possesses a small world, but five years ago, a Golden Core elder from our family descended to harvest spiritual energy, and it will take at least a hundred years for it to recover.”

Wang Chen felt a stir in his heart upon hearing this.

The situation was quite different from that of the Misty Mountains Realm!

The Misty Mountains Realm had seen many Yuan Ying and Golden Core cultivators descend, but aside from a single Fox Clan Beast King, they all perished within.

Yet, from Wang Chenming’s tone, descending to harvest spiritual energy in the lower realms did not seem particularly perilous.

This raised significant questions!

Unfortunately, after Wang Chen’s Soul Returning to the Heavens, he had lost the Reincarnation Pearl; otherwise, he could have consulted Elder Yao, the Nascent Soul true immortal, and uncovered many secrets.

He wondered if, after his return, Elder Yao had also managed to escape the celestial prison of the Misty Mountains Realm and re-entered the cycle of the Haotian Realm!

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Wang Chen asked, “So, if I join the Qianxing Meeting, will I have the opportunity to descend and harvest?”

“Precisely!”

Wang Chenming clapped his hands and smiled. “The Qianxing Meeting controls several unexplored small worlds. True master Wang, if you are willing to join the legal lineage of the Sanqun Wang Family, we would be willing to secure a spot for you!”

Is it truly that simple?

Merely by joining the Sanqun Wang Family, I could obtain a coveted opportunity to descend to the lower realms?

Wang Chenming was not Wang Chen’s father, and Wang Chen was not so naive. “What would be the cost?”

“Ahem!”

Wang Chenming coughed lightly. “You would need to surrender half of the harvested spiritual energy, and the risks of unexplored small worlds are unpredictable; there is a genuine risk of perishing upon descent.”

Indeed, no free lunch falls from the sky!

Moreover, Wang Chen suspected that Wang Chenming was withholding additional details.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, “True master Chenming, this matter is of great significance; may I have some time to consider before I respond?”

“Of course.”

Wang Chenming smiled warmly. “Let me know whenever you’ve made your decision; the doors of the Sanqun Wang Family will always remain open to you!”

“Come, let us drink!”