NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 234: Four Places
Chapter 234: Four Places
The Void God Flower grows in the Void, and its primary growing regions are controlled by major forces. It is nearly impossible for outsiders to lay claim to these areas.
Even the Goddess of Time, with her Supreme Being-level strength, cannot casually seize these resources, as it violates the long-standing, unspoken rules of the cultivation world.
Just as other supreme beings would not plunder the “cultivation resource areas” controlled by the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, the supreme beings of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands cannot plunder the resource areas of other great powers. Doing so would provoke a war between the Supreme Beings, a consequence that no major power could afford.
Therefore, the Goddess of Time could only suggest that Xu Lian search for Void God Flowers in unclaimed regions or areas with cultivation restrictions.
Xu Lian’s cultivation required five to six times the resources of a normal cultivator for each major realm. Even the Goddess of Time couldn’t “afford” to support him. Imagine the resources needed to cultivate him to the level of a Supreme Being – it would take enough resources to cultivate five to six Supreme Beings! The Goddess of Time herself hadn’t even reached the Supreme Being realm, so how could she afford to cultivate five or six Supreme Beings?
Moreover, the Goddess of Time had left the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands and was now alone, having lost her share of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands’ resource regions. The cultivation resources of the Divine Clan were all sealed, and she didn’t possess many resources herself. In terms of cultivation resources, she was no different from a “rogue supreme being” and couldn’t provide much support to Xu Lian.
Xu Lian had no choice but to find a way to obtain cultivation resources on his own. This was a path that he would inevitably have to take!
The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were only willing to provide him with “one set of Supreme Being Cultivation Resources,” which was already a significant gesture considering the laws of the Divine Kingdom and the Goddess of Time. This set of resources was enough to cultivate a Supreme Being! How many peak geniuses dreamed of such an opportunity?
Unfortunately, Xu Lian needed much more-five sets of Supreme Being resources… Even the wealthy Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were not willing to provide that.
If the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands were to provide Xu Lian with the resources needed to cultivate five to six Supreme Beings, they might have to face a long period of time without new Supreme Beings after the older generation passed away… The risk was simply too great, and the cost too high.
Therefore, the stance of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands was clear: they would provide one set of Supreme Being resources to Xu Lian in order to keep him and the laws of the Divine Kingdom within their ranks, while also maintaining a good relationship with the Goddess of Time.
As for the additional four sets of Supreme Being resources that Xu Lian needed to “satiate” his cultivation, that was his own problem. Who asked him to have such a voracious appetite?
“Void Fishing Platform, Divine Barrier Waterfall, Ruined World numbered 8452, and Ancient Battlefield numbered 2457.”
Xu Lian muttered to himself. These were the four places the Goddess of Time had mentioned where Void God Flowers grew. These areas were unclaimed and not controlled by any major power, so anyone could enter them.
All four places were within the territory of the Yin Dynasty.
Aside from these four places, there were undoubtedly other unclaimed regions where Void God Flowers grew, but they were in the territories of other dynasties, too far away. For Xu Lian’s safety, the Goddess of Time didn’t mention them.
The Goddess of Time briefly explained these four locations to Xu Lian so that he could familiarize himself with them.
The Void Fishing Platform was a mysterious place.
Every cultivator who went to the Void Fishing Platform had to prepare a fishing rod and bait. The “bait” was cultivation resources. The hook was then cast into a spatial rift, where it could catch all sorts of things.
The more valuable the bait, the greater the chance of catching something good.
Of course, success wasn’t guaranteed.
Sometimes the bait would be lost and the hook would come up empty – a total loss.
Other times, the catch would be less valuable than the bait – a small loss.
And occasionally, rare treasures would be caught-a huge win.
Thus, the Void Fishing Platform had an element of gambling, making it particularly popular among cultivators without strong backgrounds. They dreamed of striking it rich with a single cast, hooking a supreme cultivation manual or a divine weapon.
The Goddess of Time mentioned this place because almost any kind of cultivation resource could be caught here, from Condensation Pills to resources needed by quasi-supreme beings. Void God Flowers were no exception.
The Goddess of Time’ advice to Xu Lian was: “Don’t get carried away at the Void Fishing Platform. Try your luck, but if you don’t catch anything, move on to the other three places.” She warned him not to use something as valuable as the Sword of Destruction as bait just to catch a Void God Flower.
I’m not an idiot… Xu Lian silently complained about the Goddess of Time’ occasional mischievousness. He decided that as punishment, he would make her bear at least eight children. Was that too much?
There were many theories about the origin of the Void Fishing Platform.
The most plausible one was that an ancient evil power was sealed underneath the platform and could not get out. Therefore, this was the only way they could trade cultivation resources with the outside world.
After explaining the Void Fishing Platform, the Goddess of Time moved on to the Divine Barrier Waterfall.
As the name suggested, this was a region with cultivation restrictions-only those at or below the Divine Source realm could enter, and those at or above the Return to the Void realm could not.
The origin of the Divine Barrier Waterfall was a long story, tied to the annals of cultivation history: the Prehistoric Era, the Ancient Era, the Barbarian Era, the Ancient Era, and the current Mysterious Era.
The Prehistoric Era needed no explanation-it was before recorded history, with no surviving records or texts, so no one knew what it was like.
The Ancient Era was the time when the Divine Clan flourished. Of course, the Divine Clan was just a slightly larger wave in the long river of the Ancient Era. The legendary Divine Kingdom was also a larger wave, though it existed in a different time than the Divine Clan, so there was no overlap.
The Barbarian Era saw the rise of major forces like the Yi Sect, the Thirteen Clans, the Yin Dynasty’s royal family, the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands, and the Blood Sea. These powers had deep foundations and had been passed down to the present day.
The Ancient Era was a relatively stable period, with few new major powers emerging and few major powers collapsing.
The Mysterious Era was characterized by a deteriorating environment and the rise of mysterious phenomena, as if the whole world was shrouded in mist. Even beings like the old Supreme Being of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands couldn’t see through it.
The Divine Barrier Waterfall was a remnant of a great power from the Barbarian Era that had collapsed.
It was said to be a place where this force cultivated resources, though it was unclear why it had been preserved.
The Ghost Soul Sect once launched a large-scale attack, attempting to seize this place and make it their sacred land. However, they failed and instead triggered the area’s defense mechanisms, resulting in the deaths of several of their top experts. This incident became a laughingstock in the cultivation world and a stain on the Ghost Soul Sect’s reputation, often brought up by other major forces.
“What about the Ruined World numbered 8453 and the Ancient Battlefield numbered 2457? What are their origins, and why do they have numbers?”
The Goddess of Time explained in detail, and Xu Lian listened with great interest, never growing impatient.
Although he had been in this world for several years, he still knew very little about it. He was eager to learn more about these ancient secrets.
He was like a dry sponge, absorbing all the information.
“The Ruined World is a remnant of a legendary ancient holy land from the ancient era. This holy land, like the Divine Kingdom and the Divine Clan, had great ambitions. They wanted to create a world that would evolve into a heavenly realm.”
The voice of the Goddess of Time was like a clear stream flowing through a mountain valley, always soothing to the soul. The more Xu Lian listened, the more he wanted her to bear more children… What a strange feeling.
Xu Lian had already anticipated the outcome. “Then this legendary ancient holy land also suffered divine retribution?”
Goddess of Time: “Correct. This ancient holy land was destroyed by divine retribution, and the world they were trying to develop into a heavenly realm was shattered into many ruined worlds scattered across the land.
The Ruined World numbered 8453 hovers over the Yin Dynasty territory. It contains many remnants of cultivation resources, including Void God Flowers, all of which are unclaimed.”
Xu Lian asked, “Haven’t any major forces tried to conquer it and claim it for themselves?”
Goddess of Time: “The Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands tried once by sending three Supreme Beings. They were able to break in, but they awakened the corpse of an ancient Supreme Being that had been slumbering in the ruined world. That ancient Supreme Being was incredibly powerful and still retained a lingering will to protect its homeland. The three Supreme Beings of the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands had no choice but to retreat, unwilling to engage in a fight to the death with the corpse of the ancient Supreme Being.”
“…” Xu Lian couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of respect. As expected from a legendary ancient holy land on par with the Divine Kingdom and the Divine Clan. Even after suffering divine retribution and dying, the Ancient Supreme Being’s corpse still retained the will to protect its homeland and was able to repel three Supreme Beings from the Nine Heavenly Sacred Lands. How could it not be formidable?
The Goddess of Time said: “In truth, whether it’s the Ancient Era or the Barbarian Era, most of the relics left behind by the major ancient forces have already been claimed. The remaining unclaimed relics are unclaimed for a reason.”
Xu Lian thought about it and agreed. The current great powers were no pushovers. They had “conquered and absorbed” many relics from ancient times. The unclaimed relics that remained were basically “stubborn holdouts” or “tough nuts to crack”…
Finally, the Goddess of Time spoke of the fourth location, the Ancient Battlefield numbered 2457. “Most of the current great powers originated in the Barbarian Era.
At the beginning of the Barbarian Era, the great powers grew like bamboo shoots after rain.
By the middle of the Barbarian Era, these powers had reached their peak and were expanding their territories and influence. Conflicts were inevitable, leading to an unprecedented war among the Supreme Beings. Almost every major power was drawn into this war.
During that time, the Ancient Battlefield was formed and scattered throughout the skies of the world. It contains the remains of Supreme Beings, fragments of divine weapons, cultivation resources, and more.
The major forces have considered cleaning up the battlefield, but it’s difficult to determine ownership. In order to avoid reigniting such a war, they made an agreement: no one above the Great Ability realm could enter. However, those below the Great Ability Realm were free to enter and seek their fortune.
But there are still great dangers in there. I only mentioned this place because you have the laws of the Divine Kingdom to protect you.”
After listening to her explanation, Xu Lian finally had a basic understanding of these four locations. “The Void Fishing Platform is for testing my luck;
The Divine Barrier Waterfall is to test my strength;
The Ruined World and the Ancient Battlefield are for seeking my fortune.
Right?”
The Goddess of Time acknowledged with a soft “Mm.”
Just as Xu Lian was about to say, “O, take me there,” a piece of skull flew out from the mist and landed on his head.
“…” Xu Lian was stunned. O, what does this mean?
The Goddess of Time said: “This is a divine bone left behind by a Divine Clan supreme powerhouse who endured divine retribution. The laws of time condensed in this bone have been comprehended by me. However, this powerhouse had reached an extremely high level of cultivation before he died. If you wear this bone, the aura of the laws of the Divine Kingdom will be hidden from you, and you will be able to move freely in space, change your appearance, shape, cultivation level, aura, and other characteristics. This will help you avoid unnecessary trouble.”
Xu Lian’s eyes lit up. This was a treasure! The skull of a supreme powerhouse, one that had withstood divine retribution without being destroyed, was undoubtedly unbelievably strong and divine. It was probably the most valuable treasure of the Goddess of Time.
However, he hesitated. “O, if I take this divine bone, will the ancestral land of the Divine Clan be invaded? Does the Divine Clan have any enemies? Will you be in danger? Maybe I shouldn’t take it, or maybe I should leave the Sword of Destruction with you?”
“Don’t worry, no one can invade the Divine Clan’s ancestral land.”
The Goddess of Time taught Xu Lian how to use the Divine Bone.
After mastering its use, Xu Lian felt the light of the Divine Kingdom’s laws being concealed. His appearance, shape, cultivation level, and aura all changed. Then he felt the world spin around him – clearly, O had already sent him away.
When Xu Lian reappeared, he was standing on an enormous rock like a floating island.
Next to the rock was a terrifying rift in space, like a black river or the entrance to an abyss, with cold, eerie winds blowing out of it.
There were many people here, but it was quiet. Everyone held a fishing rod, baiting their hooks with cultivation resources and casting them into the spatial rift.
Clearly, this was the Void Fishing Platform.
O, your husband didn’t bring a fishing rod… Xu Lian scanned the area to see if anyone had an extra fishing rod. He noticed that many people had multiple rods.
“Elder, I came in a hurry and forgot to bring a fishing rod. Can I buy one from you?”
Xu Lian clasped his hands and bowed to an elderly man who was fishing.
The old man had a kind and approachable demeanor, and indeed, he smiled and handed Xu Lian a fishing rod. “Here, take this.”
“Thank you, thank you.”
Xu Lian expressed his gratitude.
The rod wasn’t worth much – maybe one or two Spirit Stones at most – but it was essential here. Without it, he couldn’t fish.
He wasn’t in a hurry to start fishing. Instead, he wandered around observing how others did it and planning to follow their example.
As he walked around, people glanced at him but didn’t pay much attention to him, seeing him as unremarkable.
After watching for about half an hour, Xu Lian understood. It was just like fishing.
First, you “bait the area” by scattering some cultivation resources in the space rift to attract the “fish”.
Then, you bait your hook and cast it into the rift to start fishing.
Of course, the “fish” in the space rift weren’t ordinary fish.
If the fisherman had a specific item in mind, he could write the name of the desired item on the “bait”. It was unclear whether the “fish” in the spatial rift could understand this, or if it had any effect.
But since everyone was doing it, it probably had some effect.
With that, Xu Lian found an empty spot near the old man, grabbed a handful of spirit stones, and scattered them into the spatial rift to bait the area.
Then, he inscribed the words “Void God Flower” on a spirit stone and attached it to the hook.
With a flick of his wrist, he cast the hook into the spatial rift.
The process was simple, but whether or not it would succeed was another matter.
“Young friend, are you trying to catch a Void God Flower?”
The old man chuckled and looked at him. “Void God Flowers are considered to be controlled cultivation resources by major powers. Their value cannot be measured in Spirit Stones. If you use a single spirit stone as bait to catch a Void God Flower, you will probably be disappointed.”
Xu Lian asked, “Elder, are you saying that I need bait of equal value?”
The old man shook his head. “If the bait was of equal value, there would be no need to come here to fish. You could just trade with someone directly, wouldn’t that be better?
Most of the people who come here want to strike it rich with a small investment. But the investment can’t be too small. Using a single spirit stone to catch a Void God Flower is too great a difference in value. The chance of success is practically zero.”
Xu Lian understood. It was like buying a lottery ticket. He got the idea, but the problem was that he didn’t have any good “bait”.
Aside from Spirit Stones, he only had life-extending spiritual fruits, which he was saving for the women in his life to prolong their life span. He couldn’t use those.
Then there was the Heavenly Serpent Grass, which was undoubtedly more valuable than the Void God Flowers. If he used the Heavenly Serpent Grass as bait and it was taken without catching a Void God Flower, or if he only caught one or two flowers… he would suffer a huge loss.
The old man said, “You can use a bait that’s slightly less valuable than a Void God Flower. That would give you a better chance of catching one.”
Xu Lian sighed. “Thanks for the advice, Elder, but I don’t have any good bait.”
“Then there’s nothing you can do. You’ll have to use spirit stones and fish slowly.”
The old man smiled and said nothing more.