Chapter 214 - - 212 Rapid Expansion of Seven Star Gate_1

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Having used Xu Heming to demonstrate his “To have complete command with a single call” skill effect, Duge then had someone summon his seventh junior brother to elevate his realm.

The seventh junior brother had an exceptionally high aptitude and, after switching to the mental method of Sky Mist Valley, managed to break through in just half a day.

This was thanks to the abundant spiritual power provided by Duge.

During the battle with Sky Mist Valley, the seventh junior brother displayed exceptional talent in controlling the field, playing a decisive role in the fight, so naturally, Duge needed such a clever aid and intended to nurture him to avoid a premature demise.

In just one day, the junior brother advanced from the Qi Refinement Realm to the Foundation Establishment Stage, overwhelmed with joy and admiration for his third senior brother. Occasionally, when he looked at Duge, his eyes seemed to sparkle with stars.

After helping the seventh junior brother advance his power to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Duge stopped the transfer of spiritual power and turned to recharge his drained spiritual power with a large-capacity power bank.

Xu Heming’s realm was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and Duge sharing his spiritual power could not possibly raise his own realm to the peak of Foundation Establishment.

The more spiritual power he shared out, the lower his own realm would be.

If Duge wanted to quickly cross realms, his next target had to be a Golden Core.

Golden Cores have strong mobility and resilience, and they can also fly, so Duge had to conserve his spiritual power for himself.

…

After briefly appeasing the disciples of Sky Mist Valley.

Duge left Sky Mist Valley with a group of elders with severed arms and their limbs, returning to Seven Star Mountain.

Sky Mist Valley was almost the same as Seven Star Mountain.

It had spiritual energy, but not much of it.

Once the number of disciples increased, the supply of spiritual energy would fall short, slowing the pace of cultivation.

Xu Heming occupied the place in Sky Mist Valley where the spiritual energy was richest, and it took him fifty years just to barely reach the peak of Foundation Establishment.

Before Duge took over the body, he saw a man and a woman flying with swords, at most in their twenties or thirties.

Thus, the territory they fought over so fiercely was not even coveted by prestigious sects. Cultivating here, compared to those places rich in spiritual energy, was countless times less efficient.

Duge couldn’t share his spiritual power equally with every disciple in the sect.

If he wanted Seven Star Gate to develop for the long term, he had to do what Xu Heming did, expand the territory and seek other places rich in spiritual energy.

And with so many years of development in the cultivation world, most of the places with rich spiritual energy and suitable for cultivation have been taken. To find a wild place with such energy was practically impossible.

So, there was only one path left—robbery.

The battles within the cultivation world were essentially a process of resource redistribution.

To rob resources, you need people; to recruit disciples, you need more resources. The sect thus forms step by step and eventually grows stronger.

It’s just that this time, Xu Heming was unlucky and kicked on a tough bone, not only failing to gain benefits but also investing himself in the process.

Of course, this was related to the lack of heritage in Sky Mist Valley.

A mere fifty years wasn’t enough for the sect to form a cohesive force with most of the experts spending their time in cultivation, so they collapsed instantly when faced with Duge, an unreasonable and overwhelming powerful opponent.

…

Xu Heming knew the limitations of small sects’ development.

Even if he reached Golden Core, advancing further in a place like Sky Mist Valley was as difficult as climbing to the heavens.

He aligned himself with Duge for two reasons: one was to stay alive, and the second was simply to bet on the future!

The domineering technique Duge used to extract others’ power for his own advancement showed him a shortcut beyond ordinary cultivation, and Duge’s methods and personality also meant that he could not cultivate honestly by himself.

Perhaps one day, Seven Star Gate would be labeled as a Demon Sect, but demon sects that have lasted a thousand years also exist—what could the Righteous Sects do to them?

Anyone would want to chase after longevity grandly—only a fool would care whether they joined a Demon Sect or a Righteous Sect…

Moreover.

Compared to other Demon Sects, Duge also knew how to disguise himself, to win over people’s hearts.

In this regard, he was already much better than most of the arrogant Demon Sects.

…

Reattaching severed limbs required superior medical skills, only available at the Medical Immortal Sect. Traveling from Sky Mist Valley to Medical Immortal Sect would take at least ten days to half a month.

Moreover.

The Medical Immortal Sect charged exorbitant fees, which had to be paid with spirit stones—universal currency in the cultivation world. But the combined resources of Seven Stars Gathering Sect and Sky Mist Valley couldn’t even produce a single spirit stone.

Therefore, the task of reconnecting the arms had to be put on hold for the time being.

Fortunately, unlike in the real world, in addition to cold storage, regularly infusing spiritual power into the severed arm can fully ensure its vitality and prevent it from necrotizing.

This incident made Duge once again realize the poverty of the sect and the insufficiency of his own strength.

Otherwise.

If he had been able to perform Sword Flight, he could have gone to the Medical Immortal Sect for help, or even brought back the healers.

But increasing one’s strength is not something that can be rushed. Seven Star Gate and Sky Mist Valley were too weak, not even close to the league of the great sects. With Duge’s current strength, he also dared not provoke the powerful sects with Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators.

This matter could only be put on hold to figure out a plan in the long run.

…

Before departing, Duge and his group were in the Qi Refinement Realm, but upon their return, they had already reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, taking no more than five days to return to the Seven Star Gate.

Money has the power to make ghosts turn millstones.

During Duge’s absence, the development of the Seven Star Gate was in full swing. Rows and rows of unfinished houses had already taken shape, and a wide road stretched straight up to the official way, connecting all the villages and towns along the route.

The reason for the rapid construction was not only due to the call of Seven Star Mountain but also the villagers’ initiative.

The ordinary people had tasted the sweet fruit of Seven Star Gate’s rapid development. The better the roads, the more merchants passing through, making their stocks more valuable.

Well-constructed roads meant faster carriages. Sometimes, when Seven Star Gate announced a new project, getting the news first could mean earning an extra sum of money.

Therefore.

Even if the Seven Star Gate didn’t pay, they were willing to help build the roads.

The commoners didn’t need to understand the underlying mechanics of stocks; knowing that their stocks were increasingly valuable was enough for them.

Merchants have a keen sense of smell, realizing that the stock model introduced by Seven Star Gate could make money, and even faster than their own business ventures, they swarmed in like sharks scenting blood from all directions.

The once quiet Seven Star Gate was now bustling like a marketplace, hardly looking like a Cultivation Sect anymore.

…

“Seven Star Gate’s inner palace construction project is nearing completion”

“Seven Star Gate is tendering for the construction of the road connecting to Dalo Town and Erlibridge Town, planning to invest three thousand taels of silver”

“The total value of Seven Star Gate has skyrocketed, with the current valuation of eighty million taels of silver for the sect, planning to issue thirty million shares to the public. Act fast if you wish to purchase.”

“Seven Star Gate is calling for tenders for canteen construction projects…”

…

The many elders of Sky Mist Valley, witnessing the bustling Seven Star Gate, with people carrying chests of money up the mountain or leaving with happy faces, were all frozen in place, faces full of confusion and incomprehension.

After a long while, Lu Dong, carrying Xu Heming, came back to his senses. He turned toward Duge and painfully squeezed out a sentence, “Sect Master Wang, you truly have a way with management!”

At this moment.

He could have kicked himself, wishing he had known what a haunt Seven Star Gate was; he wouldn’t have bothered to covet such a territory if he had been full and idle.

Cultivators seek tranquility. How is one expected to practice with these mortals’ constant noise and clamor!

Moreover.

No amount of spiritual energy could withstand the pollution of this endless worldly dust!

Xu Heming even doubted whether Seven Star Mountain still had any spiritual energy left at all.

To think that they had jeopardized a perfectly good Sky Mist Valley for such a worthless place, losing hands and feet and not knowing when they could be reattached. At the thought, he felt like spitting blood…

No wonder his injuries had been healing so fast and his attributes had never stopped increasing; little Junior Sister was truly remarkable.

If this trend continued, Seven Star Gate would sooner or later become the number one sect in the civilian world for raking in money…

Duge’s eyes twinkled with mirth as he turned to Xu Heming, “Elder Xu flatters me. Cultivation starts with the heart. ‘Big Dipper Seven Star Skill’ differs from other sects’ techniques, with Enlightenment Dao as its foundation. This place is our land of enlightenment, and we will seek elsewhere for our true practice. As for spiritual energy? After the battle with Sky Mist Valley, Elder Xu surely doesn’t still believe we rely on cultivation for improvement, right?”

“…” Xu Heming suddenly froze.

At this time.

Having received the news, the giddy little Junior Sister had already rushed down the mountain and came straight to Duge.

She looked him up and down with concern, “Third Senior Brother, you’re finally back. You have no idea, Elder Brother and I have been worried sick these days. You’re not hurt, are you?”

“How could Third Senior Brother possibly get hurt?” Duge laughed, “Little Junior Sister, issue a new announcement. The Seven Star Gate’s merger with Sky Mist Valley is complete, with over a thousand disciples from Sky Mist Valley joining Seven Star Gate. Now we have 20 at the Foundation Establishment Stage and 200 at the peak of Qi Refinement Realm…”

Little Junior Sister was stunned; she then looked at the dozen or so one-armed people beside Duge and asked incredulously, “Them?”

“The Valley Master and elders of Sky Mist Door,” Duge smiled proudly. “But now, they are elders of Seven Star Gate…”

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