Former Interstellar Mercenary In Urban Cultivation World
Chapter 1008: Breakthrough (Part 1)

Chapter 1008: Breakthrough (Part 1)

Everyone immediately turned around to look and discovered that the Immortal Palace had been overrun by wandering spirits.

A swarm of wandering spirits poured out from the palace, each scrambling over the others to charge forward.

Moments later, over a dozen powerful presences surged from behind the wandering spirits, soaring directly into the sky.

These figures were more solidly formed, and the oppressive aura emanating from them was so overwhelming that it crushed any thought of resistance.

These were Body Integration stage wandering spirits, a qualitative leap beyond those at the Deity Transformation stage.

If someone in the Soul Formation stage might still have a slim chance to defeat a Deity Transformation stage spirit, the odds of a Deity Transformation stage cultivator defeating a Body Integration stage spirit were less than one percent.

"This is bad! Those wandering spirits are coming!" The faces of the cultivators immediately turned pale, especially those of the cultivators that were lagging behind. Panic set in as they hastily picked up their pace, hoping to overtake those people ahead.

But those people in front were just as unwilling to be surpassed, they were scrambling desperately forward.

"These wandering spirits are moving so fast. I wonder if they’ll be affected by the gravity field of the Immortal Spring," the elite disciples of the major sects muttered with grim expressions.

At that moment, the dozen powerful Body Integration stage spirits sped toward them like arrows.

However, as they crossed into the plaza, their movements abruptly slowed, their flight becoming sluggish. Surprisingly, the wandering spirits at the Soul Formation stage and Deity Transformation stage seemed to navigate more nimbly than their Body Integration stage spirit.

"What’s going on? Why are those Body Integration stage spirits moving so much slower than us?" Some cultivators noticed the anomaly.

"I see now," Taeseon Lei murmured in realization.

"What do you mean, ’you see’?" Seongwoo Jin asked.

"The higher the cultivation level—be it a human or a spirit—the stronger the gravitational suppression they experience when entering the plaza. That’s why these Body Integration stage spirits are slower than the Soul Formation or Deity Transformation ones. Look closely: even the Soul Formation stage spirits are moving faster than the Deity Transformation stage spirits."

"It’s no wonder martial uncle and martial aunt managed to leave us in the dust," Seongwoo Jin said, understanding at last.

"Exactly, this explains it," Eunbyeol Ling chimed in.

Both of them were in the Soul Formation stage but possessed the strength of the Deity Transformation stage. Yet, the gravity field seemed unaware of this discrepancy, so they endured less suppression than others of higher cultivation.

Temujin Lei, who had been pushing himself to his limit without catching up, finally felt a sense of relief.

At least now, he knew it wasn’t a matter of inferiority in skill or strength. The reason he couldn’t catch up was the stronger gravitational pressure he had been under at the time.

"Still, they’ve breached the plaza. It won’t be long before they make it across. If we encounter a Body Integration stage spirit, we’re all done for."

Everyone felt as though a massive stone had weighed down their hearts. Yet, they were unwilling to abandon such a rare opportunity.

"For now, we can only take it one step at a time. Let’s grab as many boxes as we can before they reach us!" Yunse Qiao shouted, taking the lead and charging ahead.

Of course, by "charging," he merely moved slightly faster than walking.

The others were similarly "inspired," immediately entering sprint mode. They paid no attention to the wandering spirits in the plaza, who moved so slowly it seemed they were merely strolling, glaring at the cultivators with fiery eyes.

Amalia and Kenny Lin, determined to make the most of their time, stopped attempting to catch the weaker glowing boxes.

After examining the contents of one such dim box, they decided to leave the faintly glowing ones for last, as it merely contained an advanced cultivation technique.

For them, advanced techniques were no longer a rarity. What they truly needed were materials.

Before long, they finally reached the upper reaches of the river.

Crossing the horizontal line that had obscured their view, they finally saw what lay at the river’s source.

It was an ocean-like expanse, vast and boundless, with rolling waves shimmering with radiant light. The boxes, glowing with various intensities, floated amidst the waves, bobbing and drifting with the currents.

What they had seen before was merely the tip of the iceberg.

"So the so-called river turns out to be a vast, lake-like sea..." Amalia exclaimed in disbelief.

The sheer amount of Immortal Spring it must have taken to form such a spectacle was unimaginable, likely requiring countless years to accumulate.

"Let’s go!" Kenny Lin moved first, heading toward the nearest box.

One after another, others arrived from behind. Upon seeing the multitude of floating boxes on the water’s surface, their eyes lit with madness as they dashed forward, unwilling to fall behind.

A cultivator’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he reached out for a box within arm’s reach.

Unexpectedly, just as his fingers were about to touch it, a sudden surge of powerful current swept the box away, flinging it far out of reach in an instant.

The same misfortune befell others, including Kenny Lin. He barely managed to grasp the edge of a box before it wrenched itself free and slipped away.

As more people arrived, the boxes were no longer merely floating quietly on the water’s surface. It was as if a cold current had been unleashed, causing all the boxes to rise into the air. They spun and swirled, evading everyone’s grasp with startling agility.

"Of course, it wouldn’t be so simple. From the looks of it, the boxes in the middle and upper reaches are actually easier to catch compared to these," Amalia remarked thoughtfully.

"There’s no way I’m letting these tricky boxes beat me," Kenny Lin muttered, his irritation growing.

These blasted boxes, trying to outwit him, only fueled his competitive spirit further.