Chapter 1820: Checking the Blood Refining Realm

The integration of the Eastern Fangcun Mountain went exceptionally smoothly; aside from some minor turbulence within the realm, no substantial losses were incurred. The news was relayed from the east to the south and west. Many Pygmy race Sunlight Realm experts were incredibly excited, knowing that in a few decades at most, Fangcun Mountain, which had been divided for countless years, would be reunified. The entire Pygmy race, from top to bottom, was filled with immense anticipation for this event.

Inside Fangcun Mountain, Lu Ye calmly observed. After the eastern part was integrated, he clearly perceived that his control over this realm had not weakened; instead, the foundational power of the realm he could mobilize had grown stronger. Back then, relying solely on the foundational power of the core world, he could suppress that Insectoid Sunlight Realm expert, significantly reducing the strength they could exert and ultimately leading to their demise at his hands. If he had been wielding the current Fangcun Mountain that day, the suppression of that Insectoid Sunlight Realm expert would have been even more intense.

After the eastern part was integrated, the Pygmy race, from top to bottom, began to get busy. After all, the territory of the entire world had expanded, and many things would change. These changes would require the Pygmy race to gradually adapt. It was obvious, however, that the integrated Fangcun Mountain had a much better cultivation environment than the previous eastern part. This would undoubtedly be more conducive to the growth of Pygmy cultivators.

What's more, there was originally a spirit jade ore vein in the core world. Looking across the starry sky, this was a resource possessed only by top-tier realms. Under Lu Ye's perception, after the eastern part was integrated, this spirit jade ore vein actually showed signs of growth; and although the speed was slow, it was indeed growing. This made Lu Ye wonder what changes this spirit jade ore vein would undergo once Fangcun Mountain was completely whole, with the south and west integrated as well.

The resettlement in the eastern part would still take some time. Lu Ye did not get involved. With the three Sunlight Realm experts overseeing the east, no major issues were likely to arise. He leaped away, departing from Fangcun Mountain.

Looking around, to the left of Fangcun Mountain, in the distant void, lay the Nine Provinces. To the right, stretched the Blood Refining Realm. The three realms formed a triangular distribution, gathered in this part of the starry sky.

Lu Ye's gaze turned towards the Blood Refining Realm. He activated his spiritual power and sped towards it. Traveling leisurely, he arrived at the Blood Refining Realm more than two hours later. When he had come here previously, as a True Lake Realm cultivator, he had felt the Blood Refining Realm was immensely vast. Now, revisiting as a Moon Glimmer Realm cultivator, he found that the realm he had once perceived as massive was, in fact, not all that significant.

The entire Blood Refining Realm was now peaceful. Countless humans lived there. Because the Blood Refining Realm had its foundational power largely consumed by the Nine Provinces back then, its realm level was undoubtedly very low. The spiritual energy within the entire realm was not very dense, barely able to foster low-level cultivators. Lu Ye estimated that if left undisturbed, humans born in the Blood Refining Realm, even if they embarked on the path of cultivation, could at most advance to the Cloud River Realm and would have no further room for advancement.

However, currently, major sects of the Nine Provinces had established training grounds in the Blood Refining Realm. Their cultivators taught the Blood Refining Realm humans how to cultivate. If anyone showed outstanding talent, they would be brought into the Nine Provinces. The Blood Refining Realm had long become a place for the Nine Provinces to select talent. Putting aside other sects, just for the Blood Jade Sect, since conquering the Blood Refining Realm, the sect had indeed recruited many promising talents from there.

Lu Ye hadn't visited the Blood Refining Realm for many years. Strictly speaking, he hadn't returned since the war with the Blood Refining Realm concluded. Back then, his cultivation was low, and his insight limited; he couldn't discern anything significant. But arriving here today, Lu Ye had some different feelings.

The Blood Refining Realm was actually not very suitable for human habitation. This realm, after all, was formed from the Blood Ancestor's remains after their death. Everything in this realm was more suited for the Blood Race. Humans could survive here, but their lifespans were generally not long. This was undoubtedly an effect of the overall environment, an omnipresent influence that humans simply couldn't avoid.

Previously, while Lu Ye was organizing the core world, Chen Xuanhai and Su Yuqing, having some free time, traveled around the Blood Refining Realm for a while. Given the knowledge and experience of these two Sunlight Realm experts, they undoubtedly also discovered this problem. A few days ago, Chen Xuanhai had given Lu Ye a suggestion: to find an opportunity to relocate all humans from the Blood Refining Realm to the Nine Provinces. Otherwise, while no problems would arise in the short term, in the long run, the lifespan of humans living in the Blood Refining Realm would become increasingly short, eventually risking extinction.

This matter was not difficult. The Heavenly Mechanism Pillars had teleportation capabilities. The Nine Provinces only needed to gather a group of cultivators to assist with the mass migration of the Blood Refining Realm's human population. Settling the Blood Refining Realm's humans was even less trouble; the territory of the Nine Provinces was sufficient to accommodate them. This hadn't been done before primarily because no one had realized the issue with the Blood Refining Realm. Furthermore, at that time, the Nine Provinces' foundational power wasn't particularly abundant, and large-scale teleportation of living beings required consuming its foundational power. Lu Ye already had a plan in mind for this matter. He just needed to go to the Nine Provinces' Guardian Hall and speak with the current Guardian. The Guardian Hall would then step forward, uniting the strength of the Nine Provinces, to formulate a relocation and resettlement plan for the Blood Refining Realm's human population. They could then execute it according to the plan.

Lu Ye's reason for coming was not this matter. Rather, it was when he returned with the core world three years ago that he felt a peculiar connection between himself and the Blood Refining Realm. However, since he had been busy organizing the core world, Lu Ye hadn't had time to consider this. This connection became even more pronounced a few days ago, after he had finished organizing the core world. Lu Ye had traveled between the Nine Provinces and the Myriad Manifestations Sea many times. Each time, he would pass near the Blood Refining Realm. He had never had this feeling before, yet it appeared precisely when he returned with the core world last time. This was clearly unusual.

If the appearance of this connection was due to changes in the Blood Refining Realm, it seemed unlikely, as the Blood Refining Realm had not undergone any significant changes. Therefore, the problem lay with him. He had refined a drop of the Blood Ancestor's precious blood! The process of organizing the core world had also thoroughly refined the residual power of the precious blood. That was why the connection had become more direct. The matter was clear: the Blood Refining Realm was formed from the Blood Ancestor's remains, and he had refined a drop of the Blood Ancestor's precious blood. It was precisely the power of this drop of precious blood that gave him a connection with the Blood Refining Realm. Lu Ye now wanted to know the source of this connection and what changes it might trigger. This required him to investigate it personally.

In fact, there was one more thing he was puzzled about. According to existing intelligence, after the Blood Ancestor died, their remains transformed into several parts: a torso, a head, and one for each limb. Each of these parts, through the evolution of long years, became a paradise for the Blood Race to live in, transforming into a realm. Currently, although the Blood Race controlled many realms in the starry sky, only these few realms were considered the true foundation of the Blood Race. These major realms, though not yet at the level of top-tier realms, were all among the most supreme large-scale realms. Especially the Blood Source Realm, formed from the head, which was said to be showing a tendency to evolve into a top-tier realm.

Since the realms formed from other parts of the remains were so formidable, why was the Blood Refining Realm, formed from the torso, so weak? Lu Ye didn't know what exactly the Blood Refining Realm had experienced, but he felt fortunate, because if the Blood Refining Realm had been powerful enough, there would have been no expedition back then. The current Nine Provinces would likely have long been enslaved by the Blood Refining Realm, and humanity would have already become blood food for the Blood Race.

Gathering his thoughts, Lu Ye floated along, adapting to his surroundings. He saw numerous blood pools. These blood pools, scattered throughout the Blood Refining Realm, were originally the Blood Race's most beloved training grounds. If a member of the Blood Race cast themselves into a blood pool, they would have a chance to obtain Sacred Blood within it. If they could refine it, they could become a Sacred Venerable. Even if they didn't find Sacred Blood but managed to survive by luck, their strength would still greatly increase. Of course, the risks were also great; entering a blood pool was essentially a life-or-death situation. But compared to the many Blood Race members throughout the starry sky, the Blood Race of the Blood Refining Realm was undoubtedly fortunate because they had a very direct means of obtaining Sacred Blood. In contrast, for the stronger Blood Race members in the starry sky, obtaining Sacred Blood was not so easy.

Gazing at these blood pools, Lu Ye felt that if he delved into them, he might have a chance to find residual Sacred Blood. However, this held little appeal for Lu Ye. His own sacredness was already formidable, and refining more Sacred Blood would not significantly enhance it.

He continued to drift. Soon, he noticed something. As he moved within the Blood Refining Realm, the ethereal connection also changed, sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker. Lu Ye explored, following the changes in this connection, eventually arriving at a place: Jade Pillar Peak!

From north to south across the Blood Refining Realm, there were several well-known locations. Heaven-Sustaining Peak and Jade Pillar Peak were two of them. These two spirit peaks were located at the Blood Ancestor's chest. Below them lay the Cloud Luo Plain, and further down was the Divine Palace Sea, which Feng Wujiang had led the Nine Provinces' human race to occupy back then. Jade Pillar Peak was a scene of devastation. The final battle between the Nine Provinces' cultivators and the Blood Refining Realm's high-level Blood Race forces had erupted on Jade Pillar Peak. In that battle, many cultivators from the Nine Provinces' Divine Sea, who participated in the expedition, were deployed. The numerous Blood Race Sacred Venerables of the Blood Refining Realm, using unknown methods, had fused their sacredness here, creating an incredibly powerful crimson giant. Unfortunately, it was ultimately slain by the Nine Provinces' cultivators. Even after so many years, the traces of the great battle had not completely faded.

At the very center of Jade Pillar Peak, a massive blood pool churned with blood. Lu Ye flashed to the side of the blood pool and gazed down. He could feel that the source of that connection was deep beneath him! It wasn't as if he hadn't delved into blood pools before. He had dared to enter them even as a True Lake Realm cultivator, let alone now. Thus, without any hesitation, he flashed and plunged in.

Spiritual power enveloped his body. The viscous blood water surrounding him offered no obstruction whatsoever. Lu Ye descended continuously. In the dark, lightless environment, there was little oppressive feeling. Instead, he felt as if he were in his element. Lu Ye vaguely felt that this was related to his possessing powerful sacredness. Otherwise, if it were another Blood Race member, they wouldn't find it so easy.

Lu Ye indeed found Sacred Blood here. He refined it casually. It was better than nothing. After an unknown period, he suddenly felt his body lighten. The viscous blood water that had enveloped him vanished completely at that moment, and he found himself falling into a huge chamber.