Chapter 1838: Asura Field

On the Kyushu side, after the expedition to the Blood Refining Realm, cultivators above the True Lake realm could choose to enter the Peerless Continent and battle the Corpse race, earning merits by slaying them.

However, the Corpse race cannot reproduce. Over the years, the number of Corpse race members on the Peerless Continent has significantly decreased from what it once was. This has directly led to a problem: it's becoming increasingly difficult for cultivators above the True Lake realm to earn merits.

Unlike at the beginning, when the entire Peerless Continent was overrun with the Corpse race, allowing cultivators to easily gain a large amount of merit by hunting them.

According to Xiao Jiu's estimation, within ten years at the latest, the Peerless Continent will no longer qualify as a training ground because there will be no more Corpse race members for Kyushu cultivators to hunt.

At that point, how will cultivators above the True Lake realm continue their practice? Without a channel to earn merits, they won't be able to exchange for cultivation resources, which will inevitably lead to a series of problems.

This is why Xiao Jiu is preparing for the future, wanting to establish a battlefield specifically for True Lake realm cultivators. However, doing so would greatly deplete Kyushu's foundations.

This was the reason Xiao Jiu sought out Lu Ye; it wanted to acquire more foundational replenishment.

Hearing this, Lu Ye also realized it was a significant issue.

In fact, many years ago, Lu Ye had considered this: what would happen if the Corpse race on the Peerless Continent were wiped out one day? Without the Peerless Continent as a training ground, cultivators above the True Lake realm in Kyushu would find themselves in a very awkward position.

Establishing a True Lake battlefield was one solution, but if they did that, should they also establish a Divine Sea battlefield?

Frankly, Lu Ye felt that allowing True Lake realm cultivators to battle and compete on a battlefield wasn't too problematic. However, allowing Divine Sea cultivators to do the same would be somewhat inappropriate.

Even with Kyushu's current environment, it wasn't easy for cultivators to reach the Divine Sea realm. Such intense battles would certainly lead to the demise of many Divine Sea cultivators, which would be a drain on Kyushu's future.

After a period of contemplation, Lu Ye asked, "How long can the situation on the Peerless Continent be maintained?"

Xiao Jiu replied, "Judging by the merit exchange trends among Kyushu cultivators in recent years, the Peerless Continent can last for about another ten years, certainly no more than fifteen."

"Let's not rush into establishing the True Lake battlefield," Lu Ye said. "I'll ask cultivators from other realms later to see what development models their realms use. If any are useful, we can learn from them."

"Oh," Xiao Jiu acknowledged.

Lu Ye then recalled something else and asked, "I remember entering some secret realms before. You created those, right? If so, can you create some secret realms suitable for cultivators above the True Lake realm to train in?"

"Of course," Xiao Jiu replied. "These types of secret realms have always existed, but their numbers aren't large. Creating and maintaining them also depletes our realm's foundations. If there were too many, it would be better to simply establish a True Lake battlefield."

Lu Ye understood.

Xiao Jiu indeed had the ability to create such secret realms, but it wasn't without cost; ultimately, it still consumed the realm's foundations.

As for establishing a Divine Sea battlefield, that would consume even more foundational resources.

Completely solving this problem would not be easy.

"Someone's coming, I'll take my leave," Xiao Jiu suddenly said, then quickly disappeared with Little Huaniang.

Lu Ye looked up towards the sky, vaguely sensing a familiar aura rapidly approaching. A moment later, he saw the woman who had landed nearby and walked up to greet her, "Why are you here?"

The person who arrived was Su Yuqing.

Su Yuqing turned her head and surveyed the surroundings. "I came to have a look," she said, then asked, "Is this where you grew up?"

"My sect, the Azure Blood Sect."

"It is indeed a place blessed by nature and spiritual energy," Su Yuqing nodded slightly. For a Sun-Illuminated cultivator like her to praise it so highly indicated the beauty of Ao Mountain's scenery, though it was also possible her presence there influenced her perception.

Accompanying Su Yuqing, Lu Ye walked around Ao Mountain for a while. A few hours later, by the Moon Lake, he caught some fat fish and started a fire to roast them.

While Lu Ye was busy, Su Yuqing sat quietly nearby. As the sun set, golden rays of sunlight streamed through the mountain crevices, illuminating the woman as if she had stepped out of a painting. Suddenly, she asked, "Is something on your mind?"

"Hmm?" Lu Ye looked up at her.

"The fish is burning," Su Yuqing gestured.

Only then did Lu Ye smell a burnt odor and quickly flipped the roasting fish.

"If there's anything troubling you, you can tell me. I am much older than you; perhaps I can offer some help."

Lu Ye thought this made sense, so he moved closer to her and began explaining the difficulties Kyushu was currently facing.

Su Yuqing listened quietly, then realized what Lu Ye had been contemplating. "So, you want to know how Kyushu's future should unfold?" she asked.

"Yes," Lu Ye replied. "Cultivators of the lower four realms have always been the foundation of the cultivation world. For Kyushu, the Spirit Stream and Cloud River battlefields are the best training grounds for cultivators of their respective levels. In the past, with two major factions in prolonged conflict, even True Lake and Divine Sea cultivators had places to go. However, since Kyushu ascended to a large realm, many things have changed. We are the first generation of Star Constituents in the current Kyushu, and we bear the heavy responsibility of revitalizing the realm's future. The Peerless Continent won't last much longer. Once the Corpse race is exterminated, where will cultivators above the True Lake realm go? Yuqing, how did your Little People race solve this problem?"

Su Yuqing shook her head. "My race's situation isn't suitable for yours. Our cultivators don't engage in much conflict; it's more about sparring and exchange. Therefore, relatively speaking, cultivators of my race, at any level, lack a certain fierceness and appear inexperienced in battle, especially in life-and-death combat. This was particularly evident during our previous conflict with the Blood race from the Blood Extinction Realm. Fortunately, our race excels in the art of talismans, which compensates for this. To put it bluntly, without talismans, our cultivators would almost certainly lose in a confrontation with foreign races, given the same cultivation level. So, I believe what you're considering is correct: cultivators need to experience more life-and-death trials to gain stronger self-preservation abilities after entering the Starry Sky."

Kyushu's situation was completely different from that of the Little People race. In fact, it could be said that the challenges faced by cultivators in most realms were unlike those of the Little People.

From the beginning of their cultivation, the Little People race had always remained within Square Inch Mountain. As long as they didn't leave, they rarely encountered foreign races with whom they needed to contend. Furthermore, they had talismans for protection, so even if they lacked ferocity and experience in life-and-death battles, they could still establish themselves in the Starry Sky.

Frequent conflicts within a realm, where life and death are common, inevitably breed some hatred and casualties, but they are beneficial for the overall future of the realm.

"So you agree with establishing True Lake and Divine Sea battlefields?" Lu Ye asked.

Su Yuqing shook her head. "Whether I agree or not is irrelevant. This is ultimately an matter for your own realm, and it depends on your own choices."

Lu Ye said solemnly, "Perhaps I can ask cultivators from other realms and learn from their situations."

"That's one way, but every realm's situation is different, so it might not necessarily suit Kyushu," Su Yuqing said as she took a roasted fish from Lu Ye and took a small bite. Then, as if remembering something, she asked, "Have you ever heard of the Asura Field?"

Lu Ye was stunned. "What is that?"

"A paramount Starry Sky treasure!" Su Yuqing explained.

Lu Ye's eyes lit up. "A paramount Starry Sky treasure?"

"Yes. This paramount Starry Sky treasure once belonged to a race called the Heavenly Asura. This race was exceptionally warlike, and every member was intelligently gifted and powerful. At their peak, this race conquered hundreds of star systems, enslaving all living beings within them. The Asura Field was the Heavenly Asura race's most prized treasure."

"Once belonged? Did this race go extinct?" Lu Ye keenly sensed.

"They went extinct countless years ago," Su Yuqing nodded.

Lu Ye was somewhat surprised. "How could such a powerful race go extinct?"

"When things reach an extreme, they reverse; when prosperity peaks, it declines. This is a common occurrence. No race in this world can remain prosperous indefinitely. The Heavenly Asura race was indeed powerful, but they had a major flaw: difficulty reproducing, leading to a sparse population. Combined with their warlike nature, they offended countless races during their prime. In such a situation, if they could maintain their peak, it would be fine, but any sign of decline would lead to irreversible destruction."

"When the wall falls, everyone pushes it!" Lu Ye understood.

A warlike race, with a sparse population, yet one that enslaved hundreds of star systems, would inevitably be attacked by all sides if it provoked a backlash.

"After the Heavenly Asura race was annihilated, the paramount Starry Sky treasure, the Asura Field, remained in the Heavenly Asura's home star system."

Lu Ye asked in astonishment, "No one coveted a paramount Starry Sky treasure?"

Su Yuqing smiled faintly. "Of course not. It's just that no one has been able to refine this paramount Starry Sky treasure. Throughout history, countless Sun-Illuminated cultivators have tried, but all returned without success. In fact, no one has even found the main body of this paramount Starry Sky treasure to this day. Over countless years, only one legend has persisted: only those with the bloodline of the Heavenly Asura can find this treasure and make it acknowledge them as its master, as it was originally the Heavenly Asura race's treasure."

"Are you telling me all this because..." Lu Ye looked at her, puzzled. While a paramount Starry Sky treasure was certainly valuable, they had just been discussing Kyushu's future development. Lu Ye couldn't understand what the Asura Field had to do with Kyushu's future.

"The Asura Field is very peculiar. It was originally a treasure used by the Heavenly Asura race to temper their members. Legend has it that it contains countless secret realms where cultivators can enter to train themselves. Furthermore, the Heavenly Asura race apparently stored massive amounts of treasures within the Asura Field. Cultivators who successfully complete trials in these secret realms could receive benefits. These were originally prepared for the Heavenly Asura race members. When the Heavenly Asura race was on the verge of extinction, they even threw all their clan's resources into the Asura Field!"

Lu Ye's eyes lit up as he listened.

Lu Ye couldn't personally comprehend how powerful the Heavenly Asura race was, but to enslave hundreds of star systems—how terrifying must the wealth they accumulated have been? Before the Heavenly Asura race was annihilated, all these treasures accumulated over countless years were cast into the Asura Field...