Chapter 313 : Refining the Treasure Ship, Developing Tianxu State

The Tianxu Province alone, with a territory slightly larger than the combined 3 provinces, nurtured rare resources such as spirit herbs, mineral veins, and demonic beasts.

The 3 provinces needed the resources of Tianxu Province, while Tianxu Province required the cultivators from the 3 provinces—a relationship of mutual dependence.

However, this territory was far too vast, and the distance between the 2 sides too immense—a single round trip often entailed 5 or 6 years of arduous travel.

For Qi Refiners whose lifespan barely exceeds a 100 years, this was far too protracted and arduous.

At this thought, everyone fell into deep contemplation.

Chen Changxuan swept his gaze over the assembly before speaking. "During the recent beast tides, we've successively harvested over a dozen third-order demon carcasses."

"If we gather a large quantity of first-grade spirit wood and don't prioritize speed or combat capability, we can refine several medium-to-large treasure ships."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces lit up with joy.

Xu Daoyuan (Person Name), who was also an artificer, nodded and couldn’t help but exclaim with delight, “If we use the bones of a third-order demon beast as the keel and add a large quantity of low-grade spirit wood, we can forge a third-grade treasure ship.”

"This treasure vessel is relatively weak in combat, with a speed of merely 10 1000 miles per day, yet it is fully capable of carrying over 5 100 low-level cultivators."

Lyra's eyes lit up as she turned to Elara and asked, "How many third-order demon beast dragon bones do we currently have here?"

"Many of the bones were previously refined into magical instruments." Elara calculated silently before stating, "Only 3 remaining skeletons are now suitable for crafting into a treasure ship."

"Just 3 treasure ships are still far from sufficient." Lyra shook her head, her gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd. "Your respective clans previously exchanged for some third-order demon beast remains as well. I wonder how many still remain in your possession today."

The old clan leader smiled faintly and replied calmly, "Our Chen Clan possesses 4 third-order skeletons suitable for crafting treasure ships."

Everyone chimed in 1 after another, and they discovered that the various great clans of the Sky Ruins Alliance still possessed a total of 12 demon beast skeletons when combined.

12 demon beast skeletons were sufficient to forge 12 treasure ships, capable of transporting 6,000 cultivators in a single voyage.

Once these treasure ships are forged, they will be able to establish multiple routes within the territory of the Sky Ruins Alliance, thoroughly interconnecting the spiritual mountains of all major families.

Eldrin calculated and found that across the 4 provinces of the Sky Ruins Alliance, there were 30-7 third-grade spirit veins and over a 100 second-grade spirit veins.

There were over a 100 1000 cultivators gathered here. Once these routes were established, even charging just 10 spirit stones per person would yield an enormous profit.

If Qi Refining cultivators only returned to their clan once every decade, with an estimated annual flow of 20,000 visits, they would likely generate over 200,000 spirit stones in revenue each year.

After deducting the cost of using the spiritual vein's energy to recharge the treasure ship's power, the annual profit still reached 100,000 spirit stones. Over a century, this amounted to a business generating 10,000,000 spirit stones in profit.

It must be understood that although the Chen Clan was 1 of the most elite Purple Mansion immortal families, with spirit veins and earth veins under their control comparable to those of weaker Golden Core immortal clans, their annual revenue amounted to no more than 70,000 to 80,000 spirit stones.

Everyone did their own calculations, and all felt a twinge of temptation.

Yet they understood full well that while the sum appeared vast, not just anyone could claim a share of the spoils.

With Lyra (Person Name), a Golden Core Ancestor, and Eldrin (Person Name), whose strength rivaled that of a Golden Core cultivator, present, this business opportunity was certainly beyond their reach.

However, since the beast bones in his possession could be refined into a treasure ship, Xavier still held some hope. He couldn’t help but speak up, “May I ask, Ancestor, how are the routes and business of these treasure ships arranged?”

Eldrin exchanged a glance with Lyra. After all, they still needed the treasure ships of these celestial clans. He then declared, "Regarding the trade routes, those celestial clans possessing treasure ships may also claim a share."

"You can contract the flight routes, but you must hand over 50 percent of the profits as the contracting fee."

Everyone nodded in agreement. There were 12 treasure ships in total, with the Chen Clan and Lyra (Person Name) accounting for 7, while immortal clans like the Pan Clan and Xu Clan combined could produce 5.

For immortal clans like the Xus, possessing even a single treasure ship meant they could secure an annual profit of 5,000 spirit stones—a substantial gain, even after surrendering half their earnings.

Although this amount would still need to cover various expenditures such as stipends for clan members, distributing allowances to the clan was in itself a necessary expense.

What the great immortal clans truly fear is not the distribution of allowances, but the inability to afford them. If there are insufficient positions to assign to the clan's cultivators, that family would truly be living off its dwindling resources, inevitably destined to decline over time.

The Chen Clan and Celestial Ruins Mountain (Location) were no exception. Operating the routes required cultivators, and guarding the treasure ships demanded a considerable number of them as well. A portion of these earnings would be allocated as official stipends to be distributed accordingly.

Having resolved to open a new route, the group immediately returned to their clan to gather materials for forging a treasure ship.

Forging a massive treasure ship requires consuming vast quantities of first-grade spirit wood. A single vessel demands over 10,000 logs of first-grade spirit wood. Even with the Chen family's influence, gathering such an immense amount of spirit wood in a short time proved nearly impossible.

Fortunately, the Greenleaf Bamboo from Mount Qingyang was renowned throughout the Chu Kingdom. Lyra had tens of thousands of them felled and gathered a massive quantity of first-order spirit wood, finally assembling all the required materials.

This third-grade treasure ship was not particularly difficult to forge, yet it demanded an immense amount of time and effort. Eldrin and Lyra did not take part personally, but they mobilized over a 100 artificers and formation masters from the Chen Clan and the Heavenly Ruins Alliance.

The artificers carved low-tier formation patterns onto each piece of spiritwood, while a third-rank artificer oversaw the overall structure and design. After more than a year of meticulous work, the 7 treasure ships were finally completed.

The other major clans, though proceeding at a slower pace, also succeeded in refining it after expending over 2 years.

Once these treasure ships were forged, they immediately began operating, and cultivators from the 3 provinces started entering the Tianxu Province.

For a time, with the influx of numerous cultivators, the development of Tianxu Prefecture accelerated severalfold. In just a few years, new small-scale spirit stone mines had already been excavated.

Just as the major immortal clans were advancing the development of the Heaven Ruins Realm in full swing, the high-level cultivators of the Heaven Ruins Alliance had already entered seclusion.

Xavier, Old Ancestor Fang, Elara, and the others were all nourishing their meridians, awaiting the next opportunity to assault the Golden Core.

The Old Patriarch also engaged in relentless arduous cultivation, striving to reach the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion as soon as possible in order to assault the Golden Core Realm.

Eldrin (Person Name) finally carved out a rare moment from his hectic schedule to advance his final Lifebound Magical Treasure.

Now, his Sky-Severing Twin Swords, Earth-Sovereign Bell, and Water-Lily Throne had all advanced to the fourth rank, with only the Magnetic Light Mirror failing to achieve its ascension.

This time, he and Lyra had obtained 4 Void Gems. 3 of them were refined into Teleportation Array Disks, while Eldrin kept the remaining 1 specifically to advance the Primordial Magnetic Treasure Mirror.

This Magnetism Treasure Mirror restrains all metal-attributed magical treasures and supernatural powers. If a Void Gem (Spiritual Object) were to be incorporated, it would further enhance its wondrous utility in suppressing and sealing opponents.

Chapter 1 The biting cold wind howled through the mountain pass, carrying with it the scent of frost and decay. Li Ming, a young man barely 16, shivered as he trudged along the narrow, snow-covered path. His thin robes offered little protection against the elements, but his eyes burned with a fierce determination that belied his frail appearance. He clutched a small, worn pouch close to his chest. Inside, a faint, warm energy pulsed – the last of his family's meager inheritance: 3 Low-Grade Spirit Stones. To a mortal, they were a fortune. To a cultivator, they were barely enough to purchase a single basic Qi-Gathering Pill. "Just a little further," he whispered to himself, his breath forming plumes in the icy air. "The Verdant Cloud Sect's recruitment trial is just beyond this ridge. This is my only chance." He had been walking for days, surviving on dried rations and melted snow. His body ached, and his spiritual energy was nearly depleted. Yet, the memory of his family's downfall, the sneers of the other clans, and the weight of his own dormant potential drove him forward. Suddenly, a sharp, metallic clang echoed through the pass, followed by a surge of violent spiritual pressure. Li Ming froze, pressing himself against the icy rock face. Peering cautiously around an outcropping, he saw a scene of carnage. 3 cultivators in grey robes, their auras sharp and menacing, surrounded a single figure in blue. The air crackled with unleashed power. Spells – globes of condensed shadow and blades of solidified wind – shot back and forth, scarring the ground and shattering the surrounding boulders. "Hand over the Azure Python's core, and we might let your soul reincarnate!" 1 of the grey-robed cultivators snarled, his voice dripping with malice. The blue-robed cultivator, a woman with blood trickling from the corner of her lip, stood her ground. In her hand, a crystalline shortsword glowed with a pale, watery light. "The Black Wind Mountain scavengers," she spat. "You dare ambush a disciple of the Verdant Cloud Sect?" Li Ming's heart skipped a beat. *The Verdant Cloud Sect!* The very sect he was trying to reach. He watched, hidden, as the battle intensified. The woman was skilled, her sword art fluid and precise, forming defensive ripples that deflected the incoming attacks. But she was outnumbered 3 to 1, and her spiritual energy was clearly waning. 1 of the grey-robed men lunged, a wicked-looking dagger aimed at her back. Without thinking, acting purely on instinct, Li Ming acted. He wasn't strong enough to fight, but he remembered a crude Talisman his grandfather had left him – a simple Flash-Bang Talisman of the lowest grade. He fumbled in his pouch, his fingers numb, and found the rough paper slip. Channeling the last dregs of his Qi into it, he threw it into the center of the conflict. *BANG!* A blinding flash of light and a deafening roar erupted, stunning the 3 attackers for a crucial second. The woman in blue didn't hesitate. Seizing the opening, her sword flared. "Tidal Wave Slash!" A crescent of pressurized water shot forth, slamming into the distracted cultivators and sending them stumbling back. She glanced towards Li Ming's hiding spot, her eyes wide with surprise and gratitude for a fleeting moment, before turning her focus back to her enemies, pressing her momentary advantage. The leader of the grey-robed men, his face contorted in rage, glared in Li Ming's direction. "You little insect! You'll pay for that!" He gestured, and a shard of dark energy, like a piece of solidified night, shot towards Li Ming with lethal speed. Time seemed to slow. Li Ming saw the attack coming, felt the deathly cold aura it emanated, but his body was too exhausted to move. This was it. His journey would end here, before it even truly began. *Is this my fate?* he thought, a wave of bitter resignation washing over him. *To die nameless in a frozen pass?* But as the shard was mere feet away, the small, seemingly inert jade pendant hanging from his neck – a family heirloom he had worn since childhood – suddenly grew warm. Then, it flared with an ancient, profound light, emitting a low hum that resonated with the very fabric of the world. A translucent, shimmering barrier materialized before him. *CLANG!* The dark shard shattered against the barrier into motes of dissipating energy. Both Li Ming and the grey-robed cultivator stared in shock. "What... what is this?" the attacker stammered. Before anyone could react, the jade pendant's light intensified, and a vast, overwhelming divine sense swept over the mountain pass. It was a pressure so immense it felt like the sky itself was falling. The 3 grey-robed cultivators froze, their faces pale with terror, their bodies unable to move under the crushing weight. A voice, ancient and resonant, as if coming from the depths of time itself, echoed directly in Li Ming's mind, though his lips did not move. *"After 1 100 1000 years... my bloodline... finally awakens?"*