Choosing a Spirit Land

"Retainers?"

Hearing Bai Zichun's words, Ye Qingxuan was somewhat puzzled. Blessed Cultivators could recruit retainers of their own? Why had the materials he read in the Library Pavilion never mentioned it?

What Ye Qingxuan did not know was that Blessed Cultivators recruiting retainers was merely a trivial matter to the Xuantian Sect, so naturally, it had not been specifically recorded in the Library Pavilion's special space.

After all, retainers offered no substantive help to the growth of a Blessed Land!

Seeing Ye Qingxuan's confusion, Bai Zichun smiled and explained:

"After becoming a Blessed Cultivator, you'll be confined to one place. And a Blessed Land isn't small—you'll always need people to help you handle some trivial matters, won't you?"

As he spoke, Bai Zichun gave Ye Qingxuan a detailed introduction to the situation regarding retainers.

Blessed Cultivator Retainers were not Xuantian Sect Disciples, and the Xuantian Sect would not provide them with cultivation resources. However, they could cultivate in the vicinity of the Blessed Land where their Blessed Cultivator resided.

Moreover, Blessed Cultivator Retainers had to swear a Dao Oath. During their service, they could not violate the Xuantian Sect's sect rules or do anything that betrayed their Blessed Cultivator!

But Blessed Cultivators themselves could not casually do anything detrimental to their retainers either!

Furthermore, the higher the rank of the Blessed Land, the more Retainer Quotas the Xuantian Sect would grant.

After all, once a Blessed Land advanced, its area would see a Huge Improvement. When the time came, the Blessed Cultivator would need more retainers to handle trivial matters!

Once Ye Qingxuan became a Tier One Blessed Cultivator, he could possess two Retainer Quotas.

Such Retainer Quotas were rather precious to those small families and Rogue Cultivators outside.

In the Outside World, there was no cultivation environment as exceptional as this within the Xuantian Sect!

Of course, after officially becoming a Blessed Cultivator, a Blessed Cultivator's Token would gain the authority to communicate with the sect's various halls.

When the time came, the Blessed Cultivator himself could also use his Sect Token to post missions in the Mission Hall with Contribution Points and hire Sect Disciples to handle matters!

However, hiring Xuantian Sect Disciples to do things was certainly not as convenient as directing one's own retainers.

After hearing Bai Zichun's explanation, Ye Qingxuan finally understood!

However, the matter of retainers was not urgent. His Top Priority now was to first determine the Spirit Land he would contract and seize his territory before anything else.

Thus, Ye Qingxuan respectfully bowed to Bai Zichun and said:

"Thank you for your guidance, Manager. This Disciple intends to first investigate the condition of the Spirit Land!"

Hearing This, Bai Zichun Nodded:

"Mhm, go! Once you've decided, come back and register with me!"

"Yes, Manager!"

After taking leave of Bai Zichun, Ye Qingxuan used Sword Flight toward the Teleportation Array.

At the Original Place, Bai Zichun watched Ye Qingxuan's departing figure. Once again, he could not help but nod, stroking his beard as he praised:

"Neither arrogant nor impetuous, steady and prudent in his actions. Not bad, not bad indeed!"

It could only be said that first impressions were truly important. Once someone had a favorable impression of a person, they could always find merits even where there were none.

After leaving the Blessed Cultivator Courtyard, Ye Qingxuan first took a Teleportation Array to the Late First-Order Spirit Land closest to the Xuantian Sect's main peak, Xuantian Peak!

In truth, "close" was only in terms of the Xuantian Sect's vast territory. A distance of around 20,000 Kilometers was already extremely far for Ye Qingxuan, who was currently only in the Qi Refining Realm.

Ye Qingxuan flew over this Spirit Land on his sword!

Before his eyes stood a modest mountain peak, the most inconspicuous kind within the Xuantian Mountain Range.

Around this mountain peak stood quite a few mountains and valleys containing Second- and Third-Tier Spirit Veins.

Though they were merely Second- and Third-Tier Spirit Veins, the overall Spiritual Energy Density of this place rivaled that of a Tier 5 Spirit Vein in the Outside World!

However, no Xuantian Sect Disciples had come to establish Cave Mansions nearby, because the Core Disciples who possessed the authority to establish Cave Mansions did not think much of such territory!

The reason its Spiritual Energy Density far surpassed the Spirit Veins' actual grade was simply because there were far too many High-grade Spirit Veins within the Xuantian Mountain Range.

The entire Xuantian Mountain Range possessed one Tier 10 Spirit Vein, located atop Xuantian Peak, the main peak of the Xuantian Mountain Range.

Beyond that, the Xuantian Mountain Range had more than a dozen mountains containing Tier 9 Spirit Veins, over a thousand mountains containing Tier 8 Spirit Veins, and countless more Below Eighth-grade.

Even the Blessed Cultivator Courtyard where he had previously stayed was built atop a Tier 6 Spirit Vein. This was one reason Ye Qingxuan, relying on his Single Element Spiritual Root, had reached Qi Refining Perfection in merely a little over twenty years.

It was also why the Cultivation Speed of the various disciples within the Xuantian Sect far surpassed that of cultivators in the Outside World.

The Spiritual Energy inadvertently dispersed by these High-grade Spirit Veins filled the entire Xuantian Mountain Range, keeping its Spiritual Energy at an extremely high concentration.

Regarding this, the Xuantian Sect's High-level members adopted a laissez-faire attitude and had not chosen to seal off the Spiritual Energy of these High-grade Spirit Veins.

Because Spirit Veins complemented one another!

Spirit Veins were akin to the veins and arteries of the Dihuan Realm. Their purpose was to help the world purify Negative Energy, absorb and transform Chaos Energy from beyond the world, and help the world accumulate the foundation needed for advancement.

Thus, as long as they were not subjected to destructive damage, Spirit Veins were sustainable resources that would continuously grow and advance with the passage of time.

When dense Spirit Veins gathered in one location, their Spirit Machines intertwined, creating a mutually reinforcing effect that accelerated the Promotion Speed of the Spirit Veins.

This was the key to every world accumulating enough energy to continuously grow until it advanced. It was also the main reason Hegemon-level Forces such as the Xuantian Sect could endure through Long Years and even grow ever more prosperous.

It could be said that as long as the Xuantian Sect managed things properly and did not destructively exploit its Spirit Veins, the Spiritual Energy within the Xuantian Mountain Range would continue to slowly increase. The only difference would be how much time was required.

This was the primary reason the major Hegemon-level Forces throughout the Dihuan Realm Regions cultivated Blessed Cultivator Disciples.

What they valued was not the little Low-Tier Resources Blessed Cultivators currently brought them. What they valued was the future of their respective Sect Strongholds, built up by generations of Blessed Cultivators over Long Years.

According to the information indicated on the map, after Ye Qingxuan arrived at the summit of this mountain, he spread out his Spiritual Sense and probed the surroundings.

Ye Qingxuan soon found a circular cave entrance roughly three meters in diameter at a spot between the mountainside and the summit. Outside the entrance was a protruding Stone Platform.

After entering through the circular opening, Ye Qingxuan discovered a not-small patch of flat ground near the entrance, its surface mostly covered in stones.

But as he proceeded deeper inside, it was Another World.

Deep within the entrance lay an enormous space. Above it, a pristine white pearl emitted a gentle glow, illuminating the entire space until it was bright as day!

"Did not expect there to be a Spirit Vein's companion?"

Ye Qingxuan was no longer the ignorant Youth he had once been. The books he had read over the years had not been for nothing, and he naturally recognized this pearl!

This kind of pearl was a Companion Spirit Pearl of a Spirit Vein!

Judging by its Aura, Ye Qingxuan determined that it was likely a Tier 1 Mid-grade Spirit Pearl. The Spiritual Energy contained within was equivalent to a High-grade Spirit Stone, and the Spiritual Energy inside the Spirit Pearl was extremely gentle, making it well suited for injured cultivators to regulate their breathing and recover.

Below the Spirit Pearl was a level expanse roughly Ten Miles Square.

At the center of the flat land was a Spirit Spring. At that moment, Spirit Water continuously bubbled from its springhead, turning the Spirit Water overflowing from the deep spring into streams that flowed freely.

Surrounding the Spirit Spring were patches of fertile Spirit Soil. Beneath the Spirit Land, under Ye Qingxuan's Spiritual Sense, an Azure Jade Spirit Vein was Faintly Visible. Judging by its Aura, it had indeed only recently advanced to the Late First-Order!

Within the Spirit Soil generated above the Spirit Vein, many varieties of Spirit Plants were currently growing, though most were Spirit Plants of little use!

After examining the core Spirit Vein of this Spirit Land, Ye Qingxuan turned and returned by the original route.

When he reached the entrance, Ye Qingxuan stood upon the Stone Steps inside it and gazed at the distant scenery beyond the mountain. A feeling of utter ease and delight suddenly rose within him.

He had a fairly favorable impression of this Spirit Land, but he did not easily Make a Decision.

He took to Sword Flight once more!

After leaving This Place, Ye Qingxuan took the Teleportation Array again, traveling through several transfers to inspect the other two marked Spirit Lands.

Of the other two, one was a not-small valley with beautiful surroundings; the other was likewise a mountain peak, though its environment was slightly inferior to the first one!

After going in circles, Ye Qingxuan ultimately returned to the original mountain peak!

"Here it is!"

After looking over three Spirit Lands, Ye Qingxuan made his choice.

He chose this Spirit Land for two main reasons: