Great Wealth and Prosperity!

"Twelve second-tier Spirit Vein, one third-tier Spirit Vein, and various spirit materials converted into Spirit Stone, amounting to five or six hundred thousand."

"Eight hundred and seventy-three second-tier spiritual items, and forty-two third-tier spiritual items."

"A total of 800,000 low-grade Spirit Stone and 5,000 mid-grade Spirit Stone."

Shi Jian was calculating in his mind, and this was not the entire amount recovered from this trip. This was only Black Sha Commandery, not even counting Fenghe Commandery.

If we can fully digest and absorb everything we've gained this time...

The size of White Cloud Temple will at least double from its original size!

War has always been the fastest way to get rich; murder and arson bring wealth and power. The ancients were right.

"Prepare to retreat."

"We've taken everything we were entitled to. If we stay any longer, even the Supreme Purity Sect will get envious."

It's a big no-no to hoard food. With various forces in the Wei Kingdom plundering Jin Kingdom, White Cloud Temple is getting too rich and risking resentment. Knowing when to stop is the best long-term strategy.

Yun Du and True Person Qingshan had no objection to this.

They also understood the principle that possessing a treasure is a crime.

It's never safe to wander around with so many resources. The only secure way is to bring them back to the sect and convert them into our own strength.

Two giant airships took off.

When they arrived, the flying boat was filled with trepidation and determination; when they left, the cabin was crammed with vast resources that could change the fate of the sect.

Shi Jian stood on the deck, looking down at the devastated land of the Jin Kingdom below.

The scorched earth, the dried-up rivers, the abandoned cities—this national war has destroyed most of the vitality of this land.

Without hundreds or thousands of years of recuperation and restoration, the Jin Kingdom could never hope to recover its former strength.

"This is the world of cultivation."

Shi Jian muttered to himself, "There is no distinction between good and evil, only naked struggle for interests and the survival of the fittest."

If you are weak today, I will devour you; if I am weak tomorrow, others will devour me.

The Wei Kingdom has won a great victory this time, but its internal structure will inevitably undergo a major reshuffle.

The Supreme Purity Sect has seized two prefectures of the Jin Kingdom, and its power has expanded rapidly, which will inevitably disrupt the original balance among the three major sects of the Wei Kingdom.

The Profound Purity Sect suffered heavy losses fighting the sea monsters in the North Sea; the Grand Purity Sect also gained a lot of benefits in the eastern war zone, but not nearly as much as the Supreme Purity Sect.

The future of the Wei Kingdom will likely not be peaceful.

In times of crisis, the three families are one family; but in times of hardship, they cannot share wealth and prosperity.

However, these are not things that Shi Jian needs to worry about right now. Deceit and intrigue, with things changing every day, are the norm in the cultivation world.

His primary task now is to go back and process this enormous amount of resources.

The two low-grade Blessed Land and Spirit Vein of the Fenghe Sect, plus the Spirit Vein drawn from Black Sha Commandery, are enough to allow White Cloud Temple's strength to experience an explosive surge.

Meanwhile, his Demon Race forces will quietly grow stronger deep within the Beast Pasturing Mountain, utilizing these resources...

"Turbulent times produce heroes, and also great demons."

"If I were given a few hundred more years, I too could lead the Demon Race to rise, contend for supremacy over this continent, and unify the Xuanling!"

Shi Jian opened his mouth wide, facing the fierce winds high in the sky, and let out a deep roar.

The flying boat pierced through the clouds and sped off towards the southwestern border of the Wei Kingdom.

Two weeks later.

White Cloud Temple, Cloud Sword Mountain Range.

When the two fully loaded flying ships landed on the main peak square, the entire sect erupted in cheers.

Elder Yun Tianfan, who remained behind, looked at the boxes of Spirit Stone and materials that had been unloaded, as well as the jade boxes that sealed the Spirit Vein, and tears streamed down his face.

"May God bless my White Cloud Temple! May God bless my White Cloud Temple!"

Yun Tianfan knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly towards the direction of the Ancestral Hall.

Sun Mao and Zhao Yanshan, along with the Lineage cultivators from the nine counties under their jurisdiction, came forward to greet them.

They also reaped great rewards at the Fenghe Sect's side. With the two groups joining forces, White Cloud Temple's resources had expanded to an astonishing level.

A portion of the resources was then allocated to the Azure Light Gate.

True Person Qingshan then led the troops of Qingzhou Commandery away from White Cloud Temple. Although the old man's gains on this trip were not as great as those of White Cloud Temple, the resources he obtained were still enormous.

It's not a joke that he might break through to the Golden Core Middle Stage in a few years.

At the Purple Firmament Peak, the Thunder Pool still churns.

Shi Jian returned to his familiar cave abode, his massive body sprawling on the stone platform, letting out a comfortable sigh.

There's no place like home, no matter how good it is.

"Lord Rat, pass on the order."

Shi Jian closed his eyes and began to arrange the next steps.

"All Demon Race, retreat entirely to the depths of Beast Pasturing Mountain. Without my order, no Demon Beast is permitted to venture out and cause trouble."

"Distribute the resources we brought back according to the previous ratio."

"Let those brats eat and train to their hearts' content. I want to see more Foundation Establishment Realm demons appear in the shortest possible time."

"Understood, sir." The Lord Rat acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Shi Jian rolled over, his thunderous eyes flashing with a deep light.

Resources are in hand, territory is in hand.

The main theme is a long period of dormancy and consolidation...

The path of cultivation is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind.

This thunderous giant bear has already gained some power and status in this game of chess called the Profound Spirit Continent.

But that's not enough.

He wants more than just qualifications.

He wants to be the one who sets the rules and wields the pieces!

Ripples spread across the surface of Thunder Pool, and purple-gold lightning danced across Shi Jian's body. He slowly closed his eyes, immersing himself in cultivation.

After consuming the Golden Core and flesh of the True Person Bone Sha.

He has already sensed the bottleneck, and perhaps in another twenty or thirty years, he will be able to break through the shackles and advance to the Golden Core Middle Stage.

Everything still needs to be prepared.

Perhaps when he wakes up again, the world will have changed again.

It's unknown whether the Jin Kingdom will still exist when he awakens again, or whether the demonic path will be completely eradicated; time will tell.