Chapter 107: Chapter 75: Invitation_1

Translator: 549690339

“Hmm?”

Xu Yang cast his gaze down and looked at the woman: “Is there something else?”

Although she also had the cultivation of the tenth level of Qi Cultivation, when he swept his gaze over her, Yun Yan was startled and hurriedly said, “Senior, please don’t misunderstand. There’s something White Dragon Island would like to discuss with you.”

After speaking, she pushed forward a storage bag.

Xu Yang looked at her for a while before picking up the storage bag to check it and finding that it was full of spirit stones.

Yun Yan smiled and said, “These three thousand spirit stones are the bounty for those three robbing cultivators. Senior has acted heroically, eliminating demons to guard the Dao, and has removed a scourge for our White Dragon Island. This is a small token of our gratitude. Please accept it!”

“I would be disrespectful to refuse.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang did not say much and directly accepted the three thousand spirit stones.

Seeing this, Yun Yan’s smile grew even broader: “In addition, there’s another matter I must inform Senior about.”

After she finished speaking, she clapped her hands.

“Come in!”

As she spoke, the door was pushed open, and two disciples of White Dragon Island led a pale-faced youth inside.

Xu Yang glanced at him, his expression unchanged, and turned his gaze away.

Yun Yan said with a light laugh, “This person is a pawn of the robbing cultivators. Yesterday, he led the way for Senior with malicious intentions. Our White Dragon Island has already destroyed their den, leaving only this one.

How he should be dealt with is entirely up to Senior to decide.”

The youth was pale and struggled to direct his gaze towards Xu Yang: “Senior, I was also forced into this. I ask for your magnanimity, please spare my life…”

“Your matters have nothing to do with me.”

Before he could finish, he was cut off. Xu Yang’s expression was indifferent. He didn’t even look at the youth, only saying to Yun Yan, “Just get to the point.”

“Senior is indeed decisive and efficient.”

Yun Yan smiled, gestured for the two to take the youth away, and then put on a fragile and overburdened expression: “Although Senior has just arrived, you must have heard quite a few rumors outside, haven’t you?”

Xu Yang remained indifferent, giving no response.

Yun Yan didn’t care and continued, “Although many of the market rumors are baseless, they are not entirely without cause. In recent years, White Dragon Island has indeed been unable to suppress the situation. Otherwise, these robbing cultivators wouldn’t be so rampant as to dare to attack White Dragon

Island disciples in secret.”

Xu Yang’s expression did not change, but he weighed her words in his mind.

Previously, it was said that although robbing cultivators were extremely lucrative, their situation was difficult for they were looting from the mouths of various major powers. Therefore, they were universally condemned and had to live like rats, scurrying about in hiding.

Given that, why were The Three Scourges of White Dragon so boldly brazen, committing robbery in broad daylight right outside White Dragon Island? Could it be that White Dragon Island did not care?

They truly did not care!

More than a decade ago, rumors circulated that the elder of White Dragon Island, the great cultivator in the later stage of Foundation Establishment, was nearing the end of his life and no longer had the strength to take action and maintain control.

Although within White Dragon Island there was a junior island master at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, the early and late stages of Foundation Establishment were two different concepts. He could only defend White Dragon Island and was somewhat powerless concerning matters outside the island.

He didn’t even dare to leave the protection of White Dragon Island’s grand formation because there were many enemies of White Dragon Island.

Previously, they were deterred by the elder’s late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. Now, as the elder’s life was nearing its end, only a junior at the early stage of Foundation Establishment remained. Once he left the island, he would surely be targeted for assassination by formidable enemies.

Hence, White Dragon Island increasingly found it difficult to maintain control. Robbing cultivators grew bolder and more audacious, not only robbing cultivators outside the island but even targeting disciples of White Dragon Island who ventured out.

The Three Scourges of White Dragon were an example of this.

If this situation continued to develop, it wouldn’t be long before the White Dragon Island market would lose its customers and eventually be forced to close.

This was the outcome White Dragon Island’s enemies and competitors wanted to see.

This is the norm in the Cultivation World.

A powerful cultivator can lead a family or a force to great strength, but also to weakness and even destruction.

After all, cultivators have a limited lifespan and cannot live forever.

Speaking of lifespan, Xu Yang had also discovered something else: the lifespan of cultivators in this world was unexpectedly short.

Yes, short!

Xu Yang found out after some investigation that the cultivators of this world were indeed a group of short-lived beings.

How short-lived?

The lifespan of those at the Qi Refinement Realm, even at its peak, was merely two hundred years.

The lifespan at the peak of Foundation Establishment was only three hundred years.

At the Golden Core Realm, even a patriarch could only live for five hundred years.

Only those at the Nascent Soul stage with great divine powers could have a lifespan of a thousand years.

If this wasn’t short-lived, what was?

Keep in mind that in the world of Great Tang, Xu Yang, after merging the Longevity Jue, the Heavenly Demon Strategy, the Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, and other top martial arts to further transform and enhance his Martial Arts Scripture, had a longevity that far exceeded the cultivation techniques of this world

A Grandmaster martial artist at the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm, in terms of the cultivation realm, was only comparable to a cultivator at the Perfect Qi Refinement stage, yet he possessed a lifespan of three hundred years, on par with a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

As for those who had entered the Co-Dao Realm, the martial artists who had attained that level didn’t even need to be mentioned. Their cultivation corresponded to Foundation Establishment cultivators, but their lifespan was five hundred years, on par with a Golden Core patriarch.

Why is it that cultivators can’t outlive martial artists?

Is the cultivation technique inferior to the martial path technique?

No, in terms of both the body and divine soul or the internal Yuan mana, the quality of a cultivator is higher than that of a martial artist.

Xu Yang speculated that the reason cultivators in this world had such short lifespans was not due to the problem of cultivation techniques, but rather, it was an issue with the world itself.

There was something wrong with this world!

Not just the cultivation skills, but the Martial Arts Scriptures were the same—cultivating Martial Arts Scriptures in this world did not increase one’s lifespan as much as in the world of Great Tang.

Why?

Xu Yang could not be sure, perhaps it was due to the world level. With a higher world level, the constraints on lifespan were stronger, and there might even be a “Heavenly Dao” consciousness that suppressed these cultivators.

Perhaps, given his current weak strength and low level, Xu Yang did not dare to jump to conclusions.

In any case, cultivators in this world simply had short lifespans.

But Xu Yang was an exception.

Although the Martial Arts Scriptures were also suppressed by the world and their life-extending capabilities were far inferior to those in the Great Tang world, it did not affect Xu Yang too much. Now, at the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm, he was comparable to a Perfect Qi Refinement cultivation, possessing three hundred and fifty years of life, surpassing the lifespan of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

Why?

Because the main reason for his longevity was not only due to the Martial Arts Scriptures but also—Skill Traits!

Extending life, Eternal Youth, and Founder of Martial Scripture, these Skill Traits either directly increased his lifespan or enhanced the effects of Martial Arts Scriptures, which indirectly extended his lifespan.

Martial Arts Scriptures were suppressed by the world, but Skill Traits were not. This “cheat” granted Xu Yang all abilities and effects that were unimpeded by the world, even breaking through the normal rules of the world.

For example, the planting skill. Normally, in the mundane world, it was impossible for ordinary plants to transform into Spirit Plants, but Xu Yang could cultivate Spirit Rice from ordinary rice in the mundane world by enhancing the seeds through his planting skill optimization.

There was also cultivation. Due to the issue with Spiritual Roots, the efficiency of Martial Arts Scripture cultivation was far inferior to that of cultivation skills, but with various Skill Traits, Xu Yang’s cultivation efficiency of Martial Arts Scriptures could rival or even surpass cultivation skills.

It not only bridged the gap in techniques but also the disadvantage of “Spiritual Roots.”

This demonstrated the strength of these Skill Traits, and the terrifying nature of the Attribute Panel.

The level of this “cheat” might be even higher than he imagined.

Attribute Panel, what exactly is it, what secrets does it hide, is there a conspiracy, any dangers?

Xu Yang had once questioned this, or rather, he always had such doubts.

But questions remained questions; he did not obsess over them, nor did he become maniacal and resist the Attribute Panel or discard the Skill Traits.

They were his foundation for survival, regardless of what was involved behind them, any secrets, conspiracies, or plots; he had to rely on this power for now.

Abandoning it would be the most foolish thing to do.

The right choice was to utilize its power, but not to rely entirely on it.

Just like the Martial Arts Scriptures, they were achieved through the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits, but they were also a product of Xu Yang’s own hard work. Even without the Skill Traits, they would still be Martial Arts Scriptures, not vanishing into thin air, losing all effects.

That was a digression, back to the main point.

The Island Master of White Dragon Island, his lifespan was nearing its end!

If the situation on White Dragon Island could not be suppressed, to prevent the market from closing, the only solution was to enhance strength.

There were many ways to enhance strength, but the most direct and quickest was to bring in outside help.

“Let’s not beat around the bush!”

With a smile, Yun Yan cut to the chase, “May I dare to ask if senior is a Loose

Cultivator, or if you already belong to a sect or family?”

Xu Yang’s expression remained unchanged as he coldly responded, “What difference does it make if I’m a Loose Cultivator or attached to a sect?”

“If senior already belongs to a sect, then we naturally would not presume to disturb you.”

Yun Yan shook her head, revealing her intention, “But if senior is a Loose Cultivator, then I, on behalf of White Dragon Island, sincerely invite senior to join us. White Dragon Island is willing to offer senior the position of Law Enforcement Elder, where you can cultivate with the benefits of a Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion, and receive various tributes every year. Should you achieve meritorious deeds, you may exchange for treasures from our stores.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Yang straightforwardly replied, “I appreciate the kind offer, but I am accustomed to being as free as a cloud and wild crane, and really do not wish to be restrained. Farewell!”

Having said that, and not caring about Yun Yan’s reaction, he bowed and headed for the door.

“Senior…”

Yun Yan intended to retain him, but seeing his determination, she halted her steps, a bitter smile appearing on her face.

She truly wished to recruit this person to join White Dragon Island.

After all, he was a Thunder Cultivator, a Thunder Cultivator with Perfect Qi Refinement.

In terms of combat power, he was no less than a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and even surpassed some Foundation Establishment Cultivators who were not adept at fighting.

If he were to join and become the Law Enforcement Elder for White Dragon Island, leading teams to clear out nearby Robbing Cultivators, the market of White Dragon Island would surely be able to continue its operations.

Regrettably, the man was resolute and unmoved.

However, it was also understandable. The current situation on White Dragon Island was not just an issue with Robbing Cultivators; it involved pressure from many enemies and competitors, already tangled up in the disputes between Foundation Establishment forces.

Without enmity or incentive, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would naturally not risk attacking a Perfect Qi Refinement Thunder Cultivator.

But if it involved a cultivation market, the enormous benefits were enough to tempt a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to take the risk.

The man saw things clearly and therefore would not stumble into danger.

About this, she was helpless; she could not coerce him against his will.

“Well then, we might as well lie low for a while, wait for the Island Master’s cultivation to advance, then repav those families in kind.. Fortunes shift and change; which family can remain evergreen for an eternity?”