Qin Yang Merchant Guild's Qin Zhang was originally supposed to be the sixth person in Qingrao Region to reach the Mahayana stage.
Initially, Li Qi assumed Qin Zhang would have some connection with other Mahayana cultivators in Qingrao Region.
Furthermore, it was even possible that the supreme powerhouse of Qingrao Region would have come to buy him over in advance due to Qin Zhang's impending breakthrough.
Therefore, Li Qi's initial concern was whether the Mahayana cultivators of Qingrao Region would trouble him if he destroyed Qin Yang Merchant Guild.
But now, it seemed Li Qi had been overthinking.
After Qin Yang Merchant Guild was completely wiped out, not a single Mahayana cultivator made a sound.
Even according to the message transmitted by his third natal spirit puppet, it was possible that those Mahayana cultivators had secretly sent subordinates to divide Qin Yang Merchant Guild's resources.
"Qin Yang Merchant Guild didn't have any close ties with Mahayana cultivators. It's good to know this."
Li Qi couldn't help but reveal a slight smile. If any Mahayana cultivator had sought revenge for Qin Yang Merchant Guild, Li Qi would have been troubled for a while, contemplating how to quickly increase his strength and then go to their doorstep to deal with them.
Now that he learned those Mahayana cultivators were indifferent to the demise of Qin Yang Merchant Guild, it was for the best.
At the same time, Li Qi's gaze gradually deepened.
Having reached this level of cultivation, Li Qi could feel it.
Even with the vast resources of the secluded, desolate black market in Yin Zong Region, Li Qi's progress in breaking through to higher realms was becoming increasingly slow.
Remaining in such a small place was never a wise decision.
To quickly advance his cultivation, coming to a prosperous area was inevitable.
Or rather, even if Li Qi didn't come to the prosperous area now.
In the future, when he truly broke through to the Mahayana stage.
He would need even more resources, and the combined resources of dozens of desolate black markets around Yin Zong Region would not be enough for him to break through even a single minor realm.
At that time, Li Qi would still come, it was merely a matter of sooner or later.
And coming later was naturally not as good as coming sooner. After all, with Li Qi's current strength, he could be considered invincible beneath the Mahayana stage.
Even arriving earlier, with the abundance of resources in this prosperous area, Li Qi's cultivation speed could be even faster.
"In the future, I will eventually have to extend my influence to this place. For now, I will let my natal spirit puppets mingle in this prosperous land and gather more information."
Li Qi murmured to himself and then sent his third natal spirit puppet a final message.
To help him understand this prosperous land.
Thus, all the things Li Qi currently needed to do were handed over to his natal spirit puppets.
As for Li Qi's main body.
He was about to break through to the fourth level of Tribulation Crossing.
Since he had decided to extend his influence to the prosperous land, his own strength naturally had to keep pace.
After all, being invincible beneath the Mahayana stage only meant beneath the Mahayana stage.
Cultivators above the Mahayana stage still exerted terrifying pressure on Li Qi.
Only by continuously improving his strength, and once Li Qi could truly attain combat power comparable to Mahayana cultivators.
Only then would he have the right to establish a foothold in this prosperous land, and then use the resources of the prosperous land to continuously enhance his strength.
After all, the final scenes in Xu Qingfeng's memory had shown Li Qi true terror.
Although he didn't know if that kind of terror would befall him.
It still made Li Qi wary. If that kind of terror were to descend upon him one day, and he was unable to resist, he might only die with regret.
Li Qi looked up slightly and glanced at the formations he had casually set up around him.
Previously, he had only set up minor formations to recover from his injuries, but this upcoming seclusion could not be so casual.
With a light tap of his finger, countless formation patterns were slowly drawn out before Li Qi, emitting radiant spiritual essence.
Finally, after the formations that put Li Qi at ease were completed,
Then, as if struck by an idea, the Annihilation Space slowly unfolded behind Li Qi. With a wave of his hand, countless heavenly treasures were tossed into the Annihilation Space.
Pure energy was instantly refined and fed back to Li Qi's surroundings.
Li Qi's aura also gradually became restrained and stable at this moment.
At this point, Li Qi had truly entered seclusion.
...
Cultivation knows no seasons, years pass unnoticed.
For ordinary cultivators, seclusion means time flows by in the blink of an eye.
For great cultivators like Li Qi, especially one on the verge of breaking through to a new minor realm, it was even longer.
Ten years.
Twenty years.
Fifty years.
Eighty years.
A mortal's entire life would pass within Li Qi's period of seclusion.
He didn't know why, perhaps it was because Li Qi's previous realm breakthroughs were too rapid.
Nearly a hundred years had passed since Li Qi entered seclusion, but during this past century, Li Qi showed no signs of breakthrough.
Only the Annihilation Space diligently provided him with pure energy.
As for Li Qi, he remained motionless, like a withered bone, and even his aura was more restrained.
But there was no other way. This was still Li Qi.
If it were any other Tribulation Crossing stage cultivator trying to break through, they might spend several hundred or even a thousand years in seclusion without necessarily breaking through.
Thus, in this monotonous and quiet period, another thirty years passed in Li Qi's seclusion.
One hundred and ten years of time could be considered the longest period of seclusion for Li Qi.
Fortunately, this seclusion was not endless.
At a certain moment, a faint ripple suddenly appeared in Li Qi's aura, which had been extremely restrained.
Following this, this subtle ripple suddenly expanded.
Li Qi's aura, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly surged.
The potent aura of the fourth level of Tribulation Crossing pressed outwards, but it was blocked by the surrounding isolation formations that had already been set up, not leaking out in the slightest.
It continued until a certain moment when Li Qi's surging aura gradually stabilized.
Li Qi's eyes slowly opened, a faint light flickering within them.
Li Qi felt the powerful aura within his body.
The breakthrough to the fourth level of Tribulation Crossing was now complete.
"Finally done."
Stretching leisurely, Li Qi couldn't help but reveal a relaxed smile.
Now, Li Qi had reached the fourth level of Tribulation Crossing.
According to Li Qi's calculations, when his cultivation reached the seventh level of Tribulation Crossing, he should be able to contend with cultivators in the early stages of Mahayana.