Lin Qingzhu turned around, her voice hoarse after three sleepless days, but brimming with energy.
"First, the Taia Immortal Vein was among the last batch of Immortal Veins to enter and take control of Central Province ten thousand years ago. They have the least seniority and the shallowest reserves. Unlike Purple Gold, they have no old wealth to fall back on, and unlike Great Hua and Extreme Firmament, they didn't cultivate a host of vassals early on. They're the least able to withstand risks."
She raised a second finger.
"Second, their Immortal Vein ranks among the most active of those that remain."
"Isn't high activity a good thing?"
One of the accompanying Cultivators beside her couldn't help interjecting.
Lin Qingzhu looked straight at him.
“For ordinary Cultivators, yes. For an Immortal Vein system on the verge of rotting away, not necessarily.”
She raised her hand and drew several lines across the hide scroll.
"High activity means the Immortal Vein isn't quite dead yet. It also means it can devour more, convert more, and spur more breakthroughs. But Taia's problem is that they can't keep it under control."
"The Immortal Vein recovers quickly, but its spiritual energy is also more volatile. Their disciples cultivate faster, but the likelihood of something going wrong rises along with it."
"The records mention it seven times. Over the past three hundred years, the proportion of Taia Inner Sect Disciples suffering cultivation deviation has kept rising, and every Immortal Vein tidal period brings a sharp spike."
She pulled out another Jade Slip and tossed it to Zhou Xuan.
"This also contains the Pill Hall's external procurement records. Over the years, they've been buying large quantities of a cold-aspected mineral powder called meridian-sinking sand, along with mind-calming spirit medicines that suppress violent surges in the meridians."
"That