Recovering his strength, Tang Haoran was in high spirits and began to elaborate on the situation of the cultivator world in Xia Country to Han Lang.
Contrary to what Han Lang had imagined, the cultivator world of Xia Country was not solely comprised of martial artists; cultivators like himself also held significant sway. However, due to the sparse spiritual energy on Blue Star, the success rate of cultivating martial arts in the early stages was higher than that of cultivating immortality. Consequently, martial cultivators at the level of Tang Haoran’s martial artist realm were the most numerous in the entire cultivator world.
Nevertheless, starting from the mid-stage of the martial artist realm, which corresponded to the Foundation Establishment realm of cultivators, the cultivator world began to polarize. Rogue cultivators without resources or influence found it extremely difficult to make further progress in their lives. In contrast, sects, schools, and even families possessed their own methods to continue their cultivation.
Firstly, let's talk about the sects. It was almost universally known throughout the cultivator world that the five great sects—Shushan, Kunlun, Emei, Tianshi, and Wudang—were ancient immortal cultivation sects that had stood tall in Xia Country for thousands of years. Each of them occupied one of the five remaining massive spiritual脉 within Xia Country. It was said that within the range of these spiritual脉, the spiritual energy was so dense that it was visible to the naked eye. Cultivating there meant enjoying the most top-tier cultivation resources.
Of course, as hidden great sects, the five great sects rarely appeared in the secular world and did not participate in secular conflicts. For them, achieving immortality was their lifelong pursuit. Unless there was an unavoidable reason, they would not willingly leave the sect’s grand formation, where spiritual energy was abundant, for even a moment. Therefore, if their whereabouts were discovered, it would signify that something momentous had occurred nearby. In such a case, one could only pray for their own good fortune.
Next, let’s discuss the schools. The Ten Great Schools were the next in line after the five great sects. Among them, Lingxiao Xuan, Tiandao Yuan, Feixing Gu, Xuanshuang Ting, and Shenmeng Dao were primarily focused on immortal cultivation. Xiaoyao Yuan, Tianwu Ge, Qingtian Dian, Qingyou Ge, and Feilai Xuan were primarily focused on martial cultivation. Each of them also possessed a spiritual脉, whose spiritual energy density was more than a thousand times higher than the outside world. However, compared to the five great sects, their spiritual脉’s density was at most only one-tenth of theirs. Thus, although the Ten Great Schools held considerable status, their foundations had a generational gap compared to the five great sects. Consequently, the cultivators of the schools were not as mysterious as those of the five great sects, and they occasionally sent disciples down the mountain for experience. The primary reason for this was to seek their own opportunities, as the difficulty of achieving immortality relying solely on the sect’s spiritual脉 was far greater than that of the five great sects.
Further down were the minor sects and families. Xia Country was home to countless minor sects and numerous families. In essence, there was not much difference between the two; it was merely a matter of whether the inheritance was through a sect or a family. However, while the spiritual脉 of the Ten Great Schools were similar in size, making their strength roughly equal, the minor sects and families were entirely different. Their foundations varied, and their strength was uneven. Some, by luck, managed to find a decent minor spiritual脉 on this land, and their overall strength was often higher. Others could only guard their gradually depleting spiritual脉, struggling to cultivate from one meal to the next. Even more so, some families could only barely secure a place at the bottom of the cultivator world by relying on special cultivation techniques passed down from their ancestors. It was precisely because of this that these families and minor sects collectively formed the most diverse stratum of the cultivator world. Apart from not frequently appearing before ordinary people as cultivators, they had almost merged with ordinary people.
“If what you’re saying is true, are the Eight Great Families of Le City also affiliated with the cultivator world? Then the Gou family…” Han Lang was somewhat surprised. All along, his competition with the Gou family had been through ordinary, conventional means. For one thing, he did not want to expose his identity as a cultivator; for another, he believed that the struggles of ordinary people should be handled with ordinary methods. But if the Gou family also belonged to a family within the cultivator world, wouldn’t the Han family be in extreme peril? Thinking of this, cold sweat broke out on his back.
Fortunately, Tang Haoran quickly clarified. “Ah, Brother Han. These families are not those families! The Eight Great Families of Le City are merely ordinary business families, whereas families in the cultivator world usually represent immortal cultivation noble families! The two cannot be compared. Otherwise, how would my humble Tang family dare to call itself a prominent family?”
“So that’s how it is!” Han Lang nodded repeatedly, and at the same time, he couldn't help but feel relieved.
“But cultivators’ strength is far superior to that of ordinary people; they should logically be above ordinary people. Why are they so well-behaved and living in harmony with ordinary people?”
Tang Haoran took a deep breath and then said, “This has to do with the power that surpasses the five great sects.”
Han Lang was shocked: “There are powers that surpass the five great sects?”
“Heh, of course! Otherwise, wouldn’t the entire Xia Country become a world of cultivators?”
Han Lang was immediately filled with curiosity: “Then what is this power?”
Tang Haoran smiled proudly: “Of course, it’s the country!”
It turned out that Xia Country originally had six of the most superior spiritual脉. To ensure the number of outstanding cultivators in the entire country, the country distributed five of them to the five sects with the most complete inheritances. The purpose was for them to constantly maintain the existence of powerful individuals in the country, preventing invasions from other countries. On the other hand, to maintain stability in the cultivator world and to avoid showing favoritism, ensuring fairness and justice within the cultivator world, the last superior spiritual脉 was reserved by the country for the entire cultivator world.
But the cultivator world was vast. How could one superior spiritual脉 satisfy it? For this reason, the country enacted special laws, similar to the college entrance examination, selecting a group of exceptionally talented young people from various regions each year for cultivation.
However, speaking of which, cultivators are not scholars. After their strength improves, would they act like ungrateful wretches and bite the hand that feeds them? The country was not worried about this problem. Because that vibrant red national flag was the only ancient divine artifact that had been passed down to the present day. It could not only slay gods and demons but was also the only command flag to open the gate of the Heavenly Dao. Unless you no longer wished to ascend to immortality! Unless your strength could surpass immortals and gods!
Of course, the use of the ancient divine artifact came at a great cost, and it also had many restrictions, so the country would not use it unless absolutely necessary.
“Therefore, with the country’s oversight, how would cultivators dare to act recklessly? Each level of the Ministry of Public Security has special departments specifically for handling cultivator cases. So, even if there were no other cultivator families in Le City, my Tang family could only compete with them using conventional means.”
Han Lang chuckled: “The conventional means you speak of probably include those unsavory ones, right?”
“This…”
“Haha…”
“Haha…”
The two looked at each other and laughed heartily, understanding each other without a word.