Chapter 1713: Sea Immortal Mountain on the Sea

With a light tap of its hooves, the sheep and cart sprang into the air again, soaring over several terraced houses before gently landing back on the dirt road.

Looking back, they saw the houses were completely undamaged; only a single roof tile had been dislodged.

This was their first time witnessing a sheep cart that could 'run on roofs and walls.' These large sheep clearly possessed extraordinary talent for controlling the wind.

Even the Black Armored Army was astonished, while the townspeople dropped to their knees, ignoring their belongings scattered across the ground. They prostrated themselves in the direction the sheep cart had departed, loudly chanting the name of the Wind God.

Despite the cart's speed, He Lingchuan could still hear cries of "Immortal Lord, Immortal Lord!" trailing behind them. He turned to Lu Jing and asked, "Do you not often descend the mountain?"

Immortals, after all, are meant to reside high above the clouds. If the disciples of the Illusion Sect frequently descended, allowing mortals to see them all the time, wouldn't that diminish their mystique?

Lu Jing promptly replied, "Cultivation is difficult, and the sect forbids disciples from descending the mountain without permission. All purchases and interactions with civilians are handled by designated personnel."

The sheep cart was incredibly fast, almost a blur, and in no time at all, it had left the small town behind, heading towards Stone Dragon Mountain.

From a high vantage point, three-fifths of Silver Pearl Island is covered by the Stone Dragon Mountain Range. From a distance, the mountains resemble a majestic screen, with the main Stone Dragon Peak particularly striking, towering into the sky and often shrouded in mist above its mid-slopes, a truly magnificent sight.

The Yingtai sheep cart also passed along the dedicated path for the Wind God Temple, but did not stop. They could only sense that the temple was remarkably grand and expansive before they continued their journey into the Stone Dragon Mountain Range.

Unnoticed by anyone, a boy of thirteen or fourteen on the mountain path heard the sound, looked up, and stared intently at the sheep cart.

He watched the large sheep pulling the cart, and also saw the people riding inside.

Naturally, the sheep cart was as swift as a fleeting shadow, vanishing from his sight after just a few breaths.

Once they began ascending the mountain, Yingtai truly demonstrated its prowess. As it ran, the landscape on either side became a blur, and it traversed cliffs and ravines as if on flat ground. On several occasions, it even ran parallel to the ground, treading directly on sheer rock faces, yet neither the sheep, the cart, nor its passengers ever risked falling.

The only minor drawback was that the cart swayed dizzyingly when performing its 'roof-running' maneuvers. Those who couldn't keep their balance easily risked spraining their backs, reminding He Lingchuan of the roller coasters he had ridden in his past life.

Everyone instinctively kept their distance from Aunt Zhu. Falling onto her would truly be a devastating experience, leaving one riddled with wounds and bleeding profusely.

Lu Jing had just mentioned that Yingtai could originally fly by harnessing the wind. Why couldn't it now? He Lingchuan mused that it was likely due to the significant drop in spiritual energy concentration within the blessed land over the past six months, forcing them to travel by land at a reduced speed.

This clearly indicated how rapidly the spiritual energy was being consumed here.

He Lingchuan had previously suspected that True Immortal Qianhuan might have departed from the Upside-Down Sea, but this observation rendered such a concern entirely unnecessary.

Only an ancient True Immortal of this caliber could possibly consume such vast quantities of spiritual energy from a blessed land.

Upon entering the Stone Dragon Mountain Range, pilgrims were nowhere to be seen. Instead, the roadsides were alive with various rare birds and exotic beasts. For instance, an owl with a white body and black spots, and two small antennae on its forehead, perched on a roadside branch. But when it rotated its head 180 degrees, they discovered it possessed a human face!

A human-faced owl.

As the Yingtai cart raced through the valley, it nearly collided with a herd of spirit deer. These deer were even taller than ordinary horses, pure white like snow, and seemed to glow with a faint, ethereal white light in the dimming valley, appearing remarkably sacred.

The higher they ascended the mountain, the more concentrated the spiritual energy became.

A dense, greenish mist even drifted through the air—

Spiritual energy in such a nebulous, vaporized state was something even He Lingchuan had never witnessed before!

Even though they had recently undergone the baptism of the Emperor's Flowing Sap in the outside world, taking several deep breaths here still made them feel light-headed, as if from oxygen intoxication!

"The spiritual energy on this mountain is incredibly potent!" Dong Rui exclaimed in surprise. "It's at least six or seven times stronger than down in the lowlands!"

The spiritual energy on Silver Pearl Island was already a world apart from that of the human realm just four months prior.

Yet the spiritual energy on Stone Dragon Peak was many times more potent than that found elsewhere on Silver Pearl Island!

He Lingchuan understood that this was largely because the spiritual energy drawn in by the Spirit Gathering Grand Formation was concentrated specifically on Stone Dragon Peak. Silver Pearl Island merely benefited from the overflow, receiving just a fraction, yet its spiritual energy was still far richer than the outside world.

He took a deep breath, feeling his chest and lungs expand with ease and his body becoming notably lighter.

These immortals certainly knew how to live comfortably. Hidden away in their blessed land, self-contained and prosperous, they could live out their tranquil days, utterly unconcerned with the rise, fall, or suffering of the human realm.

The destitution and hardship of the beings on the Shanjin Plain? Oh, they simply couldn't—or wouldn't—see it.

He Lingchuan gripped the cart's wooden panel. If it had been an ordinary carriage, he would have surely left several indentations with his fingers.

Lu Jing, however, shook his head. "It has already weakened considerably compared to before," he said. "Since you come from the outside world, do you know what has transpired?"

Dong Rui feigned a look of bewilderment, asking, "Oh? What's happening outside?"

"Heh heh, it's just that the Inverted Heavenly Gang Grand Formation was broken, and now these bastards can't siphon spiritual energy from the outside world anymore!"

Lu Jing said nothing further.

Even if these individuals were from Spirit Mountain, as a disciple of True Immortal Qianhuan, he had no need to be obsequious, nor was he obliged to answer every question put to him.

Dong Rui then asked, "Now that we're ascending the mountain, will we be able to see True Immortal Qianhuan in person?"

Lu Jing shook his head. "The Immortal Venerable is currently in secluded cultivation," he replied. "For more details, you'll need to inquire with Sect Master Xiao."

He had answered very cautiously, knowing that once they reached the mountain, these people would inevitably learn that the Immortal Venerable was in seclusion, so his words weren't a true leak. However, upon hearing this, He Lingchuan exchanged a meaningful glance with Aunt Zhu, thinking, "Just as we suspected."

Something has happened to Qianhuan.

Before, it was merely suspicion; now, it could be confirmed.

Before they entered the storm zone, they had already thoroughly discussed the oddities surrounding True Immortal Qianhuan's current seclusion. He had entered seclusion earlier than expected and had been unusually slow to emerge. He Lingchuan had also mused whether True Immortal Qianhuan had suffered severe injuries that simply hadn't healed.

But Aunt Zhu considered this possibility highly unlikely. For a great immortal of True Immortal Qianhuan's caliber, if injuries couldn't be healed after more than 150 years of secluded cultivation, it could only mean damage to his very essence.

Even if celestial gods descended to confront him, only a chief deity could inflict such severe wounds upon True Immortal Qianhuan; other gods would find it exceedingly difficult. Conversely, for a chief deity to heavily wound True Immortal Qianhuan, they would also have to pay a considerable price, likely resulting in a mutually devastating outcome.

Such powerful beings were typically disinclined to act personally, which led Aunt Zhu to lean towards the theory that True Immortal Qianhuan had encountered a setback in his cultivation.

From Lu Jing's answer alone, it was impossible to tell if He Lingchuan's or Aunt Zhu's hypothesis was correct.

Wan Qifeng also interjected, "Has Mr. Lu already achieved immortal cultivation?"

Lu Jing glanced at him. "Even within a blessed land, achieving immortality through cultivation is not an easy feat," he replied.

This implied that he had not.

The path ahead gradually widened, revealing a vast valley that had been transformed into cultivated fields. The figures of mortals reappeared, diligently toiling with baskets on their backs and hoes in hand.

At first glance, these fields seemed no different from ordinary farmland, equally verdant and thriving beautifully. But Wan Qiliang, with his keen eyesight, noticed two small figures running in the field even as the Yingtai cart sped past—

Chubby, baby-like little figures, barely a palm's height, with green leaves sprouting from their heads, adorned with a few red elixir fruits.

They almost darted right beneath the sheep cart, waving their tiny arms and legs excitedly.

"Whoa, ginseng sprites!" Wan Qiliang had only ever heard of such rare wonders in storybooks, never imagining he would witness them firsthand. "Is this an immortal field?"

"Indeed," Lu Jing replied, then countered, "Are there none left in the human realm?"

"They've been gone for ages," Dong Rui sighed. "The best medicinal fields in the human world are in Beijia, and even those are for intensive, large-scale cultivation."

No wonder these folk would rather die than leave this blessed land; the benefits here are simply too good, aren't they?

Ling Guang also watched intently. It recognized at once that the fields contained numerous rare medicinal herbs that typically only grew on high-altitude cliffs, perishing if transplanted, and were prohibitively expensive. Yet, here, the immortals cultivated them as casually as if they were planting common scallions, growing plump, robust, and remarkably vibrant.

If the sheep cart hadn't been moving so quickly, it would have truly wanted to leap off and observe them closely.

Wan Qiliang couldn't help but comment, "I thought immortal fields would employ unique cultivation methods. Why is it still done by mortal hands?"

"Why not use magical arts and divine powers for irrigation and planting seedlings?"

"Furthermore, the density of mortal farmers here was far greater than in the flatlands."

From afar, it appeared as an ethereal and unattainable immortal mountain, yet zoomed in, the verdant fields were teeming with busy figures clad in humble cloth.

Lu Jing shook his head. "I once oversaw the agricultural affairs on Stone Dragon Peak," he explained. "Alas, the weeds in immortal fields grow even faster than the spirit herbs themselves. Some are poisonous, some strangle the spirit herbs, and others can regrow even if not fully uprooted. Ultimately, it still requires human eyes to identify them and human hands to pull them out. What kind of divine power could manage all that on its own?"

No tool or magical art can match the dexterity of human hands. Thus, mortal labor is a crucial component of this entire system.

Further ahead lay vast stretches of fruit orchards, mulberry fields, and workshops, all of which equally required human involvement.

Dong Rui, curious, asked, "They say immortal garments are seamless. Could it be that even the immortals' treasured robes are handwoven by mortals?"

"Unless brocade silk and jade fabrics can automatically weave themselves into garments, yes, they require human hands," Lu Jing chuckled. "Regardless of the treasured garment, the first seven steps—such as combing and weaving the brocade—must be done manually. Only the later stages of shaping, refining, and inlaying are taken over by the sect."

Basic raw material preparation and initial processing, all these tasks require mortal labor.

"Furthermore, many disciples do not possess the ability to abstain from grain and cannot subsist on wind and dew for extended periods. Their food, clothing, shelter, and transportation all rely on the entire Silver Pearl Island for sustenance," Lu Jing continued. "The amount of labor within the sect is immense; how could we possibly manage it with just our limited numbers?"

Both men acknowledged, "So that's how it is."

He Lingchuan also understood that there was another crucial reason Lu Jing avoided mentioning: cost.

Mortal labor was incredibly cheap compared to farming with divine arts and magic. They ate little, worked much, and were obedient, so why wouldn't they be utilized?

Precious spiritual energy should ideally be reserved for cultivation, combat, artifact refining, and setting up formations. Why waste it on farming?

At its core, all economic activity boils down to cost accounting. Even the high and mighty immortals had to factor in these calculations.

On the other hand, if the mortals on Silver Pearl Island held no value for Qianhuan or the Illusion Sect, their fate would undoubtedly be the most tragic.

In any world, people survive only because they possess value and are useful to others.

The sheep cart traveled for several more miles, and the fields lining the mountain road gradually gave way to desolation. While the field paths were still visible, weeds had already grown quite high.