A week after Qi Ping's New Domain Plan was announced, wave after wave of cultivators from across the Star-Sea Continent arrived at the large domains surrounding the Qingtian Domain.
This staggering number of practitioners filled the eight large domains adjacent to the Qingtian Domain to the brim. Even many cultivators from within the Qingtian Domain itself had come out to see the commotion. When the final headcount and registries were placed before Qi Ping, even he was shocked by the enthusiasm.
He had originally estimated the scale would cover four or five domains, but the number had surged to eight! Had it not been for Lin Yue's excellent management and emergency measures—having prepared industrial and management models for ten domains—the chaos brought by this massive population would have been enough of a headache for Qi Ping.
Yet, amidst the excitement, an inexplicable sentiment rose in Qi Ping's heart.
'Sigh, what most cultivators desire is merely a stable life and a relatively fair mechanism for advancement.'
In this regard, there was little difference between a cultivator and a mortal. Having seen so many types of people in the cultivation world, Qi Ping found that most practitioners weren't the crazed seekers of power he had imagined. They didn't all disregard life and death for the sake of the Dao; for them, cultivation was just a way of life, much like earning Spirit Stones.
While everyone hoped for endless wealth and the power to suppress all things, most knew their talent and abilities were limited. For the majority, a decent skill and job, or a respectable cultivation level, was enough. Outside of work and cultivation, what they truly wanted was to eat, drink, and be merry.
Aside from a small minority, no one truly treated cultivation as their entire life, just as no one treated a job as an eternal career. Aside from the initial novelty and the thrill of a breakthrough, cultivation was usually dull and boring. Most cultivators just wanted to be happy and live in a fair environment.
However, in the cultivation world, this was even harder to achieve than in the mortal world! There were far more madmen among cultivators. A single demonic practitioner or a crazed ruler could bring about total annihilation, and the probability of encountering such a threat was quite high.
In the cultivation world, a "cultivator" was a type of special "Spirit Stone." This trait dictated that the world would never be peaceful; there were simply too many lunatics who went mad for resources. Thus, looking at the history of the Star-Sea Continent and the entire cultivation world, it was essentially a history of people devouring one another. Massacres and regional extinctions were all too common.
Only during the rare times when a good ruler appeared did the ordinary cultivators have the chance to live in a relatively stable and fair environment, without worrying about threats from others or the powerful. In fact, if it weren't for the oversight of the Heavenly Dao and the treaties signed by high-level experts, the cultivation world would have likely destroyed itself long ago.
'Peace and stability are fleeting in history; devourment and struggle are the main themes...' Qi Ping sighed inwardly at this thought.
As a member of this world, even though he had become the supreme leader of the Star-Sea Continent, he was still a tiny speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. He could be swallowed by stronger predators at any time. Look at the Star-Sea Continent's history—so many Mahayana experts, yet the world still ended up like this.
In this world where Monster Races, Demon Races, and various factions fought incessantly, building a stable home was no easy task. For Qi Ping, the road was still long. In the past, he only faced threats from other cultivators on the continent. As an Earth Immortal, he had sufficient confidence to protect his foundation and build an unprecedented home.
Combined with the deterrent of the Heavenly Dragon Continent, no other world or faction was willing to risk offending them to invade a resource-poor place like the Star-Sea. But now, things were different.
Qi Ping had become a rare Earth Immortal, which forced the top practitioners of the Heavenly Dragon Continent to back off rather than risk the world's backlash to kill him. They had given up on "protecting" or "harvesting" the Star-Sea Continent, but they had also intentionally drawn the horrific Demon Race here.
Now, the Star-Sea Continent could only rely on itself. Though Qi Ping stood at the peak, he did not feel the arrogance of a ruler. Instead, from his high vantage point, he felt a terrifying killing intent blowing toward him. Countless beings far stronger than him were standing before him, some casting ill-intentioned gazes.
Qi Ping no longer had anyone above him to provide shelter; he had to face the true darkness of the cultivation world alone. Once those monsters decided to move against him, a world-ending war would follow. To watch the people of the Star-Sea Continent, his friends, and his family die at his feet was something Qi Ping could never accept.
Worse still, the Star-Sea Continent had been too famous in ancient times. Every faction in the cultivation world possessed its coordinates. Anyone capable of crossing the Boundary Sea could reach this place. Thus, there was only one path left for Qi Ping: to kill.
Only by slaying every intruder and using their blood to display the Star-Sea Continent's strength would the rest of the world fear to covet this place. Only then could Qi Ping protect the home he had built with so much effort.
'I only hope these people can produce some brilliant geniuses. One person cannot carry an entire continent!'
Qi Ping brought the strongest spirit veins of the continent here with the fish swarm. The cultivators below were naturally ecstatic at this era-defining sight, their eyes filled with hope. This hope touched Qi Ping.
In his previous life and when he first entered this world, was he not just like them? He only wanted a good environment to live a life without regrets, alongside his friends and family. Looking into their eyes, Qi Ping felt like he was seeing countless versions of his former self.
Especially after all the traitors and demonic practitioners had been purged, those who remained were either ordinary grassroots cultivators or people of excellent character. In this moment, something shifted in his consciousness.
A certain understanding grew clearer. His Dao-heart and the phenomenon of Heaven, Earth, and All Living Things began to transform. In this special state, as he met the hopeful gazes of the crowd, Qi Ping faintly formed a special resonance with the living beings of this world, binding him, the land, and the people closer together.
A miraculous power began to merge into Qi Ping's body. This power was of such high quality that among the thousands of cultivators present, only Meng Tianqi and Bai Liyun could sense it. They looked at each other, seeing an irrepressible shock in each other's eyes. The path Qi Ping walked had once again shattered their understanding.
In this moment, they truly realized that in the entire Star-Sea Continent, only Qi Ping had become an Earth Immortal! It turned out that the path of immortality did not have to belong only to oneself; it could belong to this world and all its living beings! It seemed that only such a person could earn the heartfelt submission of so many cultivators. Only such a person was qualified to be the King they truly embraced.
While Qi Ping and the others were lost in thought, endless cries of excitement rang out from below.
"Heavens! So many spirit veins! Are those all the high-level veins we aren't even qualified to see?"
"The largest one with the strongest pressure must be our continent's only Sixth-Grade Spirit Vein, right? Is Senior Bee going to settle it in the New Domain?"
"And those Fifth-Grade veins... one, two, three... gods, this is too exaggerated! Any single one of them could support a powerful sect, and he's putting them all in the New Domain?"
"There are more than a hundred Fourth-Grade veins! Too many!"
"I feel like just by looking for a moment, my cultivation has started to loosen!"
"Now that you mention it, I feel it too!"
"Incredible! If all these veins are settled in the New Domain, what will the spiritual qi density be like?"
"I bet it will surpass any other place on the continent. Even the Qingtian Domain won't be able to compare!"
"We were right to come! With so many spirit veins and a leader like Senior Bee, the future is bright!"
"With Senior Bee here, we will surely destroy all intruders and reach the peak!"
"I heard that the higher our cultivation, the better we can resist the Demons. I must work hard. For the sake of my son and his mother, I have to give it my all!"
Endless shouts of wonder echoed, carrying a resolve that could not be ignored. Many people felt a strong sense of belonging to this place at this moment.
What surprised Qi Ping was that this massive wave of voices appeared in his consciousness as if not a single word was missing! He accepted this vast influx of information without any discomfort; instead, his soul strength and cultivation level began to rise! His path of Heaven, Earth, and All Living Things grew and transformed rapidly.
'Is it because of the people below?'
Qi Ping hadn't expected to one day walk such a path. He had originally thought he would just stay low and live a long life until he reached the peak. But it seemed that the initial hope of staying hidden was unrealistic. The path of cultivation and farming he walked would eventually place him at the center of all resources.
However, he did not dislike this path. What he was doing now was the deep desire of his heart. He would build the home of his dreams!
With this conviction, Qi Ping moved.
"Today, on behalf of the fellow Daoists of the Star-Sea Continent, I announce the creation of eight new domains! These eight, together with the Qingtian Domain, shall be known as the Star-Sea Nine Domains!"
"These Nine Domains shall be our strongest line of defense against external enemies and alien races!"
"These spirit veins brought from across the continent are moved in accordance with the mandate of Heaven. Only by doing this can we secure a slim chance of survival for our Star-Sea Continent!"
"The strongest Sixth-Grade Spirit Vein shall belong to all cultivators of the Star-Sea! Heaven is my witness: anyone who performs great deeds for the Star-Sea Continent, regardless of their background, shall receive the blessings of this vein!"
"The future of the Star-Sea Nine Domains is in your hands!"
As Qi Ping's words fell, countless spiritual opportunities erupted. The power of the Great Dao vibrated violently. Golden lotuses, representing Providence, began to bloom from the earth throughout the region! (TN: The appearance of golden lotuses is a high-level auspicious phenomenon representing the world's recognition of a righteous act.)
Then, this spiritual Providence surged into the Sixth-Grade Spirit Vein. A seven-colored immortal light erupted from the vein! Any cultivator touched by this light saw black, filthy substances emerge from their skin before vanishing. Their bodies felt lighter than ever.
"This is...? My talent has increased!"
"Heavens! Senior Bee's words actually triggered the highest level of resonance with the world? He even made the spirit vein produce immortal light that can enhance one's talent?"
"Spiritual lotuses appearing from the earth! I never thought I would have such an opportunity!"
Endless shouts of wonder continued. It wasn't just the ordinary cultivators; even Qi Ping, Meng Tianqi, and the others were stunned! They had not expected this!
This was the highest resonance of the Star-Sea Continent! Because they were close to the source and possessed thick Providence, they also received massive benefits. Meng Tianqi and Bai Liyun felt their talent improve noticeably. Even Qi Ping felt his Yin-Yang and Five-Element Physique become even more flawless, gaining a sense of purity he had never felt before.
Yet, the phenomenon did not stop. A mysterious sound of the Dao emanated from the seven-colored spirit vein, sweeping over every cultivator in the Nine Domains! Everyone who heard it felt their sea of consciousness grow cool, as if it had been thoroughly cleansed. A sense of comfort they had never known rose from their souls.
Simultaneously, the things they couldn't understand in their cultivation suddenly became clear. Countless insights into the Dao and their own hearts surfaced in their minds.