Claiming Land at a Gallop

Shen Mo released three mid-stage fifth-tier Demon Soul Generals—Fairy Peiyu, Hongjue the Rogue, and Yang Chengxiong (Lü the Groom)—and, after branding them with the Soul Splitting Curse Seal, had them remain at the former site of the Fulong Immortal Sect to guard the tens of thousands of Chiyan Sect members constructing the mountain-protecting grand formation!

He himself appeared amid the mountain ranges southeast of Jade Spring Mountain, a million li away.

Jade Spring Mountain held countless mineral deposits within it, yet no matter how majestic its mass was, it could not withstand the ceaseless excavation of hundreds of millions of cultivators over thousands, even tens of thousands, of years!

Thus, Fairy Jade Spring had issued a decree long ago, strictly forbidding cultivators and factions within the mountain from extracting mineral resources there, lest they dig the mountain full of holes, damage its terrain, earth veins, spirit veins, and the like, and thereby disrupt the layout of her immortal Blessed Land...

Reclaiming land upon the mountain's surface, establishing sect gates, constructing formations, building Spirit Fields and medicinal gardens, and so forth did not fall under this prohibition.

To cultivators, underground mineral deposits were indispensable cultivation resources, including raw Spirit Stone ore, jade for all manner of uses, refined iron, immortal gold, and more.

Not to mention that mining was one of the most important sources of income—without these things, even daily cultivation would be greatly affected. Before long, they would have to live like the mountain's demons and monsters, eating raw flesh and drinking blood, using bones as tools!

Therefore, any cultivation faction with even a little foundation would choose a territory outside Jade Spring Mountain, drive out or slaughter the demons, ghosts, and monsters above and below ground, erect formation barriers, then dispatch their disciples and servants to mine underground