Chapter 416: Chapter 307: The Azure Light Formation of Eight Gates_2

Chen Mobai voiced his concerns, and Yue Zutao nodded, outlining the key issue.

“In the past, when the Five Elements Sect was dominating, Back to Sky Valley, Mountain Shaker Peak, Snow-blowing Palace, and Liu Jia Mountain banded together for survival. The Gold Core ancestors of these four families can be regarded as friends who have braved life and death together.”

“So you’re saying our Divine Wood Sect may possibly face the four largest sects in the Eastern Wilderness?”

“That’s the worst-case scenario. However, Back to Sky Valley has always remained neutral, backed by the large business association Star Heaven, and is solely interested in making Spirit Stones, so they basically won’t involve themselves in such matters. If we are only dealing with three sects, joining hands with Golden Cliff, we should be able to withstand them.”

In other words, the Divine Wood Sect had already prepared psychologically for a major battle against the other three sects.

Hearing this, Chen Mobai couldn’t help but sigh at how common battles have become in the Tianhe Realm.

The cultivators here, right from their early days of Qi Cultivation, seem imbued with the idea that only by fighting can they progress to the next level.

The shortest route from Jian Country to Lei Nation passes through Yun Country and Snow Country, naturally crossing Snow Country.

However, that is the territory of the Snow-blowing Palace, and with the possibility of the three sects joining hands, Chu Zuoshu would naturally not walk into the trap. He detoured through Yun Country and then went to Lei Nation.

Fortunately, they had the magic boat for the journey, and they also needed time to familiarize themselves with the Azure Light Formation. Only after five days and five nights did they finally arrive in Lei Nation.

The first stop in Lei Nation, and the frontline of the battle with Mountain Shaker Peak, was the location of the Spirit Stone Mine.

Phoenix Wave State, Rolling Thunder Mountain.

The Foundation Establishment elders of the four major cultivating families in Lei Nation led hundreds of Qi Practitioners in respectfully welcoming the magic boat of the Divine Wood Sect.

Eight streams of spiritual light descended from the sky, and Chu Zuoshu and his seven companions alighted onto the open ground.

“I, Lian Chenghai, pay my respects to Hall Master Chu. I did not expect you to personally come here. Your presence truly graces our humble Rolling Thunder Mountain.”

A tall and upright male cultivator with wide cheeks, big ears and a purple-colored face stepped forward.

It seemed that he knew Chu Zuoshu as he came forward with the other three Foundation Establishment cultivators to greet him.

“Two town guards from our Divine Wood Sect were murdered in your Lei Nation, and two patrol members disappeared here. If you can’t give me a satisfactory answer, I fear there might have to be a change in the immortal cultivation families of Lei Nation.”

Chu Zuoshu calmly stated something that caused all the Lei Nation cultivators present to turn pale.

No one doubted the truth in his words, knowing that the Divine Wood Sect could indeed make it happen.

“Bring them forward!”

Lian Chenghai immediately signaled to the family’s cultivators behind him, who then brought ahead several dozens of captives.

“After receiving the news, we led people to surround the Gong family and Zheng family, intending to rescue the members of your sect. However, the old devil from the Gong family and Zheng Wulyu had already fled Lei Country with a group of people via the Teleportation Array. Still, we managed to capture thirty-six cultivators from both families who had blood relations, along with the Spirit Stones and treasures they didn’t manage to take.”

While speaking, Lian Chenghai took out a large storage bag and presented it in front of Chu Zuoshu, who nodded. Yue Zutao on his side immediately stepped forward to accept it.

“These thirty-six people can first be kept to mine. If we start a war with Mountain Shaker Peak, they can atone for their crimes.”

Chu Zuoshu announced the fate of these people from the Gong and Zheng families. He did not choose to exterminate them directly but opted for a more ruthless path.

“Yes, we will have our family members personally guard them.”

While speaking, Lian Chenghai began to introduce the three Foundation Establishment cultivators beside him.

They were the supreme emperors of the other three major families in Lei Nation. These venerable ancestors, who wielded great authority within their families in the past, now dared not make a peep in front of the eight people from the Divine Wood Sect, remaining obsequious.

Chu Zuoshu: “How did my fellow disciples Fu and Yuan go missing?”

Lian Chenghai: “The two immortal masters from your sect infiltrated the Gong family and found the missing Luo Town Defender. But they were discovered by the old devil from the Gong family. He decisively killed Luo Town Defender and then joined forces with Zheng Wulyu and others to chase down Masters Fu and Yuan. Upon receiving a message from your sect, we, the four families, immediately led our family’s cultivators to surround the two families. But we were one step too late, and the core cultivators of the two families managed to escape via the Teleportation Array.”

While speaking of this, Lian Chenghai appeared ashamed.

However, without the actions of their four families, Fu Xingzhou, and Yuan Chiye wouldn’t have been able to escape so easily. All in all, they had done what needed to be done.

“A hundred miles past this Rolling Thunder Mountain, it falls into the territory of the Rock Country right?”

Chu Zuoshu stood at the highest point of Rolling Thunder Mountain, looking towards the rugged hills not far away, and spoke.

“Correct. When the Spirit Stone Mine was discovered here before, Shake Mountain wanted to muscle in, but was repelled by your Sect’s Elder Zhou.”

“How large is this Spirit Stone Mine?”

“Approximately one hundred lower-grade raw Spirit Stones can be dug out each day. According to an investigation by your Sect’s Spirit Vein Department, mining should last around sixty years.”

Chen Mobai, who heard this on the side, calculated silently in his heart. That meant this small Spirit Stone Mine was worth two to three million Spirit Stones.

In this case, it was indeed possible to arouse the covetousness of Shake Mountain.

However, mining a Spirit Stone Mine is tedious. After all, the number of cultivators is limited, and having them mine would also delay their cultivations.

Typically, one sends a team to be stationed, and then have physically strong mortals labor. These are good at by the local immortal cultivation families. They are basically local tyrants, able to summon tens of thousands of mortals at a command.

For this reason, although the Lei Nation is the territory of the Divine Wood Sect, they could monopolize this Spirit Stone Mine with their military force. But they still have given six-tenths of the profits to the six major families of cultivators locally.

After all, this Spirit Stone Mine’s total output per year is only around thirty-six thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones, it’s simply not worth mobilizing forces for such a small profit.

However, for local Cultivator families, over three thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones per year is a huge fortune.

For them, mortals can be dismissed with food and copper money, a deal that promises a great return without any capital.

But there are some who are never satisfied.

The Gong family and Zheng family are examples of this. Especially the old ancestor Gong Wanshan of Gong family who is at the mid stage of Foundation Establishment. Always comparing himself to Ji Zhenshi, he also aspires to reach Core Formation.

The Spirit Stone Mine was originally discovered by him, but once this thing is mined on a large scale, the leakage of Spiritual Energy will cause a rain of Spiritual Energy and it’ll be hard to hide.

Lian Chenghai is also at the mid stage of Foundation Establishment. After discovering this, the six major families of Lei Nation first had a good internal fight, but nobody wanted to suffer losses. Gong Wanshan even teamed up with his in-law’s family, the Zheng family, asking for half of the profits.

Nobody was willing to submit to anyone. Since Lian Chenghai couldn’t beat Gong Wanshan, in a fit of anger, he turned to Luo Shupin.

After the Divine Wood Sect entered the battlefield, Gong Wanshan was still unwilling to give up, he even went so far as to reveal this matter to the Town Guard of Shake Mountain next door.

Unfortunately, Sect Elder Zhou Wangshen was a formidable Cultivator and nobody could get the better of him. In the end, Shake Mountain retreated, and the Gong family could only endure.

However, the development of events ultimately went beyond everyone’s expectations.

The Gong family and Zheng family resented the Divine Wood Sect for this matter and completely shifted their loyalty to Shake Mountain.

It seemed that Shake Mountain wasn’t prepared for this either.

Seven days after Chen Mobai and others arrived at Rolling Thunder Mountain, only then, in the sky of the Rock Country, did five or six Shake Mountain cultivators in golden robes and two Foundation Establishment cultivators in brown brocade clothes fly over.

“Chu Zuoshu, come out and see me!”

The lead cultivator from Shake Mountain had white hair but held an aura of authority around him. His high nose made him dignified; he had two black Iron Gall nuts were rotating constantly in his palm. After his arrival, he stood in mid-air, his words resounding like thunder, echoing across the entire mountain peak.

“Ji Dingjin, you’re still not dead yet.”

Chu Zuoshu also took seven cultivators of the Reward Virtue Hall and flew out of Rolling Thunder Mountain straight at the group of people from Shake Mountain.

“I have protected the Gong family and Zheng family. Hand over the cultivators of their families, and we’ll call it quits. We Shake Mountain won’t compete with your Divine Wood Sect for this Spirit Stone Mine.”

Ji Dingjin seemed uninterested in arguing with Chu Zuoshu. He pointed to the two cultivators beside him, presumably Gong Wanshan and Zheng Wulyu.

Chu Zuoshu shook his head, ran a hand over his own mustache, and with a smile uttered a sentence that prompted an uncontrollable outburst from the other side.

“Well, that’s awkward, because I wish you were dead.”