UGB Chapter 2005 The Ecosystem
Chapter 2005 The Ecosystem
Within this realm...
Who else possesses such supreme authority, daring to command the world with an absolute tone of authority!
Even a Nascent Soul cultivator must bow down and obey orders?
These words were like a wake-up call, and the surrounding cultivators suddenly realized what was happening.
A young Foundation Establishment cultivator nearby immediately chimed in:
"What the Taoist priest says is absolutely right, he must be the president!"
However, rather than listening to the chairman's teachings, what we should be considering right now is where to put our battle merits.
Should one exchange for miraculous elixirs, improve their cultivation, and seize the current opportunity for cultivation?
Or should I take this opportunity to join the Monks' Guild and secure a stable position?
The voice just fell,
A straightforward monk immediately sat up straight, his tone firm and his attitude resolute:
"We cultivators seek nothing more than the cultivation of the Great Dao in our entire lives, so naturally we prioritize the advancement of our cultivation!"
As long as one's own cultivation level is high enough...
If you want to join the association and get a position in the future, it will be a piece of cake and an easy task!
Moreover, the chairman has already made it clear that joining the association means giving up most of one's freedom, and one's every word and action will be subject to control.
The association's rules and regulations are by no means just for show.
Violations will be severely punished.
More importantly...
If one later finds the job unbearable and wants to resign, the employment qualification earned through previous military achievements will be completely invalidated.
All the hard work has gone to waste.
This risk is simply not worth it!
Therefore, I have made a decision: all the battle merits I have gained this time will be exchanged for cultivation pills to strengthen my foundation, nourish my vital energy, and break through cultivation bottlenecks.
I will never covet the empty fame and petty benefits of an association position!
Furthermore!
With our cultivation level and battle achievements as ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, even if we successfully get a job, what good job can we get?
If they are assigned to a remote, small immortal city, they will still have some say and can receive some preferential treatment in resources;
However, if one were to fall into a medium-sized immortal city, one would only be relegated to a low-level menial job, accomplishing nothing.
If one is unfortunately assigned to a large immortal city, one will be the most inconspicuous member among all living beings, with no sense of presence whatsoever!
Moreover, large and medium-sized immortal cities are filled with numerous sects, powerful figures, and complex interpersonal relationships.
Although the association has clear and ironclad rules, undercurrents and interpersonal relationships are everywhere.
We are helpless, independent cultivators, without any sect background or powerful backers...
In the end, all the credit and benefits were monopolized by scions of powerful families and those with connections.
All the hard, tiring, and risky jobs fell to us.
Being forced to take the blame and bear the responsibility for mistakes—what a frustrating situation!
These words are blunt and realistic, every word hitting the nail on the head regarding the difficulties and pain points of the low-level independent cultivators.
This instantly resonated strongly with the group of independent cultivators in the teahouse lobby.
Many cultivators nodded in agreement, their faces filled with a sense of shared helplessness and recognition.
Then,
A burly, strong-boned Foundation Establishment cultivator suddenly stood up and spoke in a booming voice:
"Although this fellow Daoist's words are rough, every word he says is true."
It also fully illustrates the plight of us independent cultivators!
Such injustice is indeed widespread in all the immortal cities of the association.
This is by no means unfounded.
Therefore, I firmly believe that for us rootless and unaffiliated independent cultivators, only our own cultivation level is our true source of confidence.
Other empty titles, positions, and connections are all trivial matters and not worth relying on!
Just as everyone was agreeing and concluding that focusing on spiritual cultivation was the best course of action...
A clear voice slowly rang out, breaking the consensus among the crowd.
A handsome young cultivator with a gentle demeanor shook his head slightly, a thoughtful look in his eyes:
"What you two fellow Daoists say is certainly reasonable, but it is not absolute."
Within the association, there are also excellent positions suitable for independent practitioners like us.
For example, the position of a third-tier, ninth-rank inspector does not require involvement in any factional disputes within the immortal city and is detached from local interpersonal entanglements.
Although this position offers a modest monthly salary in spirit stones and meager material rewards, its potential for advancement is extremely high, and the path to promotion is clear.
Furthermore, it is not subject to the control or checks and balances of the city lords of various immortal cities, sect leaders, or local forces, and directly connects with the headquarters of the Cultivator Association.
They only obey orders from headquarters.
The key is……
Patrols allow for secrecy and discreet conduct, eliminating the need to publicly reveal one's cultivation level or identity.
There's no need to worry about being targeted by various forces.
They will not be coerced, bribed, or forced to take sides by local powerful figures.
In my opinion, this position is practically tailor-made for rogue cultivators like us who have no background, no connections, and only seek a peaceful path of cultivation and steady advancement!
As soon as this word comes out,
Everyone was taken aback, and a glint of light flashed in the eyes of many, who instantly had a plan.
Immediately, a more knowledgeable and experienced elder cultivator chimed in, slowly explaining in detail:
"This young friend has a keen eye and a long-term vision!"
I studied the association's various job positions in detail in my early years, and the position of Inspector is indeed an excellent choice.
This position belongs to the highest level of the association, the Supervisory Hall, and is independent of the local systems of each immortal city.
City lords, department heads, and sect leaders have no right to interfere with the actions of the patrol envoys.
Its influence on it is negligible.
Simply put, the Surveillance Hall serves as the eyes and ears of the Cultivator Association throughout the world.
The inspectors are those pairs of eyes that see into all directions and supervise good and evil!
They wield extraordinary power and hold a transcendent position!
Besides the inspectors, the association also has many other small but powerful positions, which are not constrained by local factions and are very suitable for independent cultivators like us to cultivate in depth.
If any of you fellow cultivators are interested, you may speak with me privately later.
I will tell you all about the advantages and disadvantages of various positions, the secrets to promotion, and the taboos of holding office. All your questions will be answered for just one hundred spirit stones!
What was originally a serious and solemn discussion about choices in spiritual practice has unknowingly gone completely off track.
The topic gradually shifted from "How to choose between cultivation level and position" to "Analysis and sale of popular positions in the association".
The atmosphere inside the teahouse became increasingly humorous and lively.
at the same time,
All the myriad immortal cities present the same scene.
The battle merit exchange halls, exclusive to each of the major immortal cities, were already packed with people.
The long lines stretched out like giant dragons.
The line stretched from inside the palace gates all the way to the end of the long street.
The crowd was densely packed with cultivators waiting to exchange their battle merits.
These cultivators queuing up were all survivors of the war that wiped out their races.
Every victory is stained with blood and sweat.
They even risked their lives to obtain it.
Cheng Buzheng's statement about the one-month redemption period was clear and unambiguous, and no one dared to ignore the rule that the redemption would expire if overdue.
January may seem like a long month, but it passes by in the blink of an eye.
It should be noted that each immortal city has tens of thousands of cultivators participating in the battle.
Some immortal cities even have hundreds of thousands of cultivators.
Massive crowds, complicated redemption process...
If you hesitate even slightly, you may miss the opportunity.
Therefore, no one dared to slack off and rushed to queue up immediately.
No one wants their hard-earned war merits to go to waste.
The long queue was filled with a cacophony of voices and noise.
The familiar cultivators chatted in small groups, discussing their respective exchange plans in hushed tones.
"What do you intend to exchange for this time, fellow Daoist?"
Is it a secret cultivation technique, or a spiritual elixir for spiritual practice?
A cultivator in blue robes turned to look at his friend beside him and asked softly.
"Naturally, it is a panacea for strengthening the body and breaking through bottlenecks!"
The safest path is to steadily improve one's cultivation level!
And you?"
I agree with you!
By the way, I haven't seen Fellow Daoist Yu yet. Have you seen him?
After past battles, he always loved to travel with us; why is he nowhere to be seen today?
A monk looked around, a puzzled expression on his face.
Upon hearing this, the cultivator beside him sighed softly, his tone tinged with a hint of melancholy and detachment:
"Alas... from now on, we and Brother Yu Dao will probably no longer be on the same path."
What do you mean by that?
Could it be that Fellow Daoist Yu has other plans?
Everyone quickly pressed for more information.
That's right!
Fellow Daoist Yu's battle achievements far surpass those of you and me, and you have already met the exchange threshold for a position in the association.
It seems he's planning to abandon the spiritual herb resources and instead join the cultivators' association to seek a position.
Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly understood and their faces showed emotion:
"No wonder we couldn't find him; he must have chosen someone else."
I was originally thinking of asking him to queue up together to exchange for the elixir, but now it seems unnecessary.
After a moment of reflection...
Everyone quickly snapped out of their thoughts, calmly awaited the exchange, and said no more.
Meanwhile, deep within the long exchange queue in another immortal city...
Several cultivators huddled together, whispering in hushed tones.
His words revealed a hidden calculation and probing.
"Is the trick you just mentioned for exchanging battle merits really reliable?"
Is there really no risk?
A cultivator looked wary and asked in a low voice, full of curiosity.
"Of course it's true. I found out about it after asking around and verifying it repeatedly. It's definitely not a lie!"
The monk beside him nodded firmly.
"Tell me quickly and in detail!"
If this method works, I will treat you to a good drink at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion in the city later, and I promise I will not go back on my word!
"You said it, you can't go back on your word!"
"Don't worry! Don't you know what kind of person I am?"
"Tell me quickly, or I might change my mind!"
Seeing this, the cultivator stopped being mysterious and lowered his voice to speak slowly:
"As everyone knows, in order to eliminate the chaos of trading battle merits, the association has long established rules that completely bind battle merits to personal tokens."
Private transactions, transfers, and sales are strictly prohibited.
There seems to be no room for shortcuts.
Take, for example, the rare elixirs that allow one to break through bottlenecks...
The system of fixed battle merits for redemption and exclusive use by specific individuals appears flawless on the surface.
However, we can change our approach and instead of directly exchanging for finished pills, we can use our battle merits to exchange for rare main ingredients and precious auxiliary materials for refining pills.
Then, find a highly skilled alchemist with a high success rate and pay them to start refining pills.
Once the alchemy is successfully refined, all cultivators who contributed spiritual herbs and financial assistance will receive a share of the pills, which will help them break through cultivation bottlenecks.
This is far more cost-effective than directly exchanging for a single bottle of elixir.
However, this method has great drawbacks. First, the remuneration for high-level alchemists is extremely high, which is a considerable expense that ordinary cultivators cannot afford.
Secondly, the art of alchemy is inherently perilous; loss of control over the alchemical fire or conflicting medicinal properties can both lead to failure.
Failure would mean losing all battle merits, spirit stones, and elixirs; the risk was extremely high.
Having said that,
He changed the subject and continued:
"Besides this method, there is a safer and less risky way to take shortcuts."
We can team up and split items to exchange for composite treasures!
For example, I use my battle merits to exchange for a high-level array plate, you exchange for the matching array flag, and the other fellow cultivators exchange for array eyes and other matching items.
Individual combat merits are limited and simply not enough to exchange for a complete third-tier formation.
By working together to disassemble, exchange, and combine the elements, a complete set of third-tier formations can be assembled!
With a third-tier formation protecting us, our safety will be greatly enhanced when we team up to explore, search for treasure, delve into secret realms, and hunt monsters in the future.
When encountering a powerful enemy, one can deploy formations to defend against them or escape to save one's life.
At the same time, the advantages of the formation can be used to gain more opportunities and resources.
In the long run, the benefits far outweigh those of a bottle of cultivation elixir!
The only drawback is...
After this splitting and exchange, each of us had only enough battle merits left to exchange for one basic enhancement elixir.
Short-term progress in cultivation will be significantly reduced.
After a few words,
The surrounding cultivators all looked hesitant, caught in a dilemma.
"In that case, it's a dilemma."
"yes!
The opportunity to obtain exclusive battle merit pills after a war is extremely rare, and these pills are specially designed for cultivators to break through their bottlenecks.
"If you miss this opportunity, you'll never again have such a universally beneficial chance for cultivation. Obtaining the same spiritual medicine will be as difficult as ascending to heaven!"
"However, a third-order composite formation is also a rare and precious treasure."
We, as independent cultivators, are weak and powerless, and would normally have no chance to obtain such a treasure.
It was only thanks to post-war benefits that we had the opportunity to collect them all.
If we miss this opportunity, even if we encounter it by chance in the future, it won't be our turn, for us low-level, unaffiliated cultivators!
"..."
The sounds of agonizing, hesitant, and weighing options rose and fell in the crowd.
at the same time,
Such scenes of all kinds of people facing difficult choices are staged in turn in front of the exchange hall of every immortal city in the world.
The vast majority of low-level independent cultivators ultimately choose a cautious approach, prioritizing the exchange of various elixirs and miraculous medicines for strengthening their foundation and breaking through bottlenecks.
Focus on strengthening one's own cultivation.
Firmly believe that one's own strength is the only eternal path.
Only a few resourceful and cooperative individual cultivators invited each other to form teams, foregoing short-term cultivation advancement, splitting their battle merits, complementing each other's needs, and exchanging them for various high-level, multi-functional treasures.
Such as complete third-tier formation sets, sets of rare spiritual herbs, and matching offensive and defensive magical artifacts, etc.
This paves the way for long-term spiritual practice in the future.
In stark contrast to independent cultivators...
Under the unified arrangement and intervention of the sect leaders and elders, almost no cultivators from the various immortal clans and orthodox sects exchanged for cultivation elixirs.
They used all their battle merits to exchange for various rare immortal techniques, inherited cultivation methods, and secret arts...
All of them were incorporated into the sect's and immortal clan's archives.
This will enrich the sect's foundation, strengthen the immortal clan's heritage, and accumulate strength for long-term development.
In a short time.
With the great battle over, the once tense and solemn immortal cities finally shed the shadow of war.
Everywhere was bustling and lively.
The streets and alleys of each immortal city were bustling with people.
The returning cultivators traveled in twos and threes.
Or they might discuss the war.
Or perhaps to tally up the war achievements,
A vibrant and lively scene.
This bustling atmosphere wasn't limited to the residences of ordinary cultivators.
The caves of those powerful individuals burdened with guilt and forced to atone for their sins have always been the most secluded and desolate places in the entire city.
The place is usually deserted.
Not to mention visiting cultivators, even passing rogue cultivators avoid him like the plague.
But today, this long-silent area has transformed from its usual desolate state, now bustling with activity – a rare sight indeed.
Several subtle fluctuations of spiritual energy quietly landed around the cave.
It also broke the silence of the past few years.
...(End of this chapter)