Could it be that I am the cruel villain?
Chapter 377 - 242: The Past Event of Spiritual Energy Exhaustion_2

Chapter 377: Chapter 242: The Past Event of Spiritual Energy Exhaustion_2

They all wanted to be the one who eats more, including Liu Tangxi herself.

"Every time the grand ceremony opens, disciples from various great sects compete in martial arts. This is not merely a plundering of resources, but also a means of internal consumption. I have always been curious as to why the population in the Cultivation World is so scarce, considering that ordinary cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage have a lifespan of nearly two hundred years."

"Not to mention those above the Nascent Soul Stage, it is not difficult for those with middling cultivation to live three to four hundred years, and top-level cultivators each have a lifespan of a thousand years."

"Take our Purple Cloud Palace as an example, like our batch of third-generation and fourth-generation disciples, there were a thousand new disciples within decades, even if excluding those who were harmed outside, at least seven to eight hundred should remain. Logically, after a century, there should be at least five hundred more in the Nascent Soul Stage."

"But the reality is the opposite."

"The previous generation of disciples, namely Yu Ying and others who participated in the last tournament, numbered less than a hundred, just a few dozen in fact, and in the entire Mountain Gate, there were only a few hundred disciples above the Nascent Soul Stage."

"The situation is similar across all great sects, such a terrifying mortality rate, yet people continue to come forth because only when enough cultivators die, can this so-called Cultivation World be sustained, can this land be nourished."

"Our cultivation is built upon the bones of others."

He bluntly expressed this radical notion.

Even Liu Tangxi found this somewhat extreme statement hard to believe, but she didn’t refute, she had one good point, which is to always wait and see the whole picture before drawing a conclusion.

The young man sighed, regardless of the era, the development of society was inevitably like this. The modern society he once lived in was actually the same, just that replacing "cultivation" with "money," or perhaps "labor," would be more fitting.

To become the top echelon, to control society’s wealth and resources, one must inevitably step on countless others, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

"This kind of loss isn’t deliberately caused but unconsciously led to, it’s more of a natural law. Senior Sister, you always say if the disciples don’t travel alone and gain experiences, they can’t grow, but do you know the reason why?"

Before she could speak, Jiang Feng took the initiative to say, "If possible, Senior Sister, you’d be out every day killing and causing chaos for me, bringing back all cultivation resources and all kinds of top cultivation techniques and secret manuals, then I could just comfortably cultivate with these resources. Wouldn’t I still be able to become successful?"

"Even if lacking in combat experience, as long as my realm and magic treasures are good enough, I could crush others. Others use Xuan Rank treasures while I use Heaven Rank, what do you think?"

Hearing this somewhat absurd statement, Liu Tangxi almost subconsciously responded.

"Where would I get all these things for you? After stepping into the Divinity Transformation Stage, it’s not a problem that spirit stones can solve anymore, it also requires enlightenment, including secret manuals and magic treasures. With so many disciples in the sect, even I could not possibly..."

Her voice grew fainter.

Her face showed a look of sudden realization, after explaining for so long, she finally understood what Jiang Feng was trying to say. Yes, it is precisely because resources are scarce and unevenly distributed that she encouraged her junior brother to risk his life fighting outside.

Enlightenment, experience, and exposure are also part of cultivation, and they are the most important parts.

"Senior Sister, it’s good that you understand. No master would want their disciples to go die, but if they don’t let them go, then they truly won’t even catch up to eating hot shit."

"People are also a type of resource. If a cultivator dies, then the spiritual energy inside them will dissipate and automatically bury into this land, just like now, I may look lively and bouncing around, but in the eyes of those who control the Cultivation World, I’m just a few walking spirit stones."

"Maintaining competition and loss among cultivators allows the resources of this land to be richer, the bones of the dead cultivators will turn into nourishment, cultivating spirit stones and spirit grass underground, for future people to cultivate."

"Senior Sister, if I’m not wrong, there have been several incidents of spiritual energy exhaustion in the past thousands of years. That was exactly when the world was at peace, the Cultivation World was stable and all families flourished. Cultivators were as common as dogs."

"And every time there was a spiritual energy exhaustion, many sects were forced to fight fiercely over meager resources, but after the chaos, the so-called crisis of spiritual energy exhaustion would disappear."

"They only know the results but do not understand the principle, hence from then on, there would be the Jiuzhou Martial Arts Tournament periodically."

Her delicate foot withdrew from the embrace of the young man.

This move left him stunned, thinking perhaps he said something wrong, could it be that he was seen as tarnishing the sect?

But the next second, Liu Tangxi just flashed to the chair. With a flick of her petite hand, she picked up the teapot and snapped her fingers towards the distant lantern.

Snap!

A flame emerged, illuminating the entire room, during which not a trace of Spiritual Energy leaked out, showing her profound power.

Then, she gestured invitingly.

Whenever I propose some special topics or speak nonsense, my senior sister listens very seriously, not because I am extraordinarily clever, but because I can simply summarize these matters.

To put it in plain terms, the cultural literacy rate in this era isn’t high, and there are no modern courses about literary language types, hence they can’t truly express their intended meanings and can only act accordingly.

However, they do not know the principle behind it.

Just like how it’s recorded in "Compendium of Materia Medica" that "widow’s bedside ashes" can cure ailments; this kind of ash has quite a good effect on wound infections, but they do not know the principle behind it.

But Jiang Feng knows.

It’s because there are no men in the house, forcing the widow to spend a lot of time working outside, leading to dust accumulation in the hard-to-reach corners of the house where molds naturally breed.

That is, what we now call penicillin.

Those leaders of the Great Sects, they only know to let their disciples take risks and fight each other to obtain more Cultivation Resources, to elevate their societal status, and to hold the power of speech within the Cultivation World.

They are unclear about the principle, only knowing that these are rules passed down by ancestors, and they just need to follow them to keep the sect developing, even if it means sending their disciples to their deaths, even if it pains their hearts, they would still grit their teeth and let them participate.

"These disciples compete and kill each other to vie for more favorable cultivation resources, and with each reduction in their numbers, there will be more of such resources available to others; thus, this land can continue to nurture enough Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures."

"That’s why the Jiuzhou Martial Arts Tournament’s schedule is so unstable, which is not only related to the discovery of new Grotto Heavens and Ancient Relics, but also intimately linked to the ecological chain of the entire Cultivation World."

"Although I’m not great at history, if I remember correctly, there has never been a Martial Arts Tournament amid the chaos of wars between nations, not just in the Cultivation World, but also not held within sects, because there are enough cultivators falling, and there is neither a shortage nor a need for resources."

"Sister, if I am not wrong, wherever cultivators’ battlefields are, whether in ancient times or today, they should always be the best places to encounter opportunities, right?"

He glanced at Jiang Feng, then nodded.

She didn’t know why, but every time she participated in the Jiuzhou Martial Arts Tournament or when sect disciples underwent trials, they would choose ancient battlefields. It’s quite strange that the disciples who survived those trials by chance would return with great fortunes and impressive skills.

If it weren’t for Jiang Feng explaining the reasons to her clearly, she too would have been in the dark, only sending her junior sect members to participate in the cruelest and most competitive battlefields without guessing the reasons behind it.

Taking a deep breath, suddenly saying so much had made his mouth dry; he picked up the tea and took a sip to moisten his throat.

"Sister, and the sect as well, what you have given me, and can give me, is only this much. If I want to advance further, to continue to secure a foothold in this Cultivation World, I will have to seize it myself."

"The so-called Jiuzhou Martial Arts Tournament of the Cultivation World is actually just an openly accepted method of plunder, agreed upon by the major sects."

"Everyone has their own destiny, especially after passing the Nascent Soul threshold; I believe even you, sister, cannot continue to forcibly elevate my realm."

"Sister."

The youth suddenly paused, then asked very softly.

"How many years exactly has the Cultivation World been at peace?"