BOOK 2: CHAPTER 453: CURRENT SITUATION OF JIUSHAN, SHENXIAO DRILL

Vol 2 Chapter 453 Current Situation of Jiushan, Shenxiao Drill

If Zheng Fa were to comment, he would say that Dragon Lord Shuyu Dragon asked a great question, hitting right at the heart of the matter.

Zheng Fa’s plan was vast and enticing, yet there was just one problem—he could not grasp it.

Not to mention how long it would take Zheng Fa to cultivate beyond the Golden Immortal realm, just raising a brand-new dragon clan was not something achievable in mere decades or even centuries.

Judging by the current situation in the Xuanyi Realm, Jiushan Sect simply did not have that much time.

It was hard to argue against that.

Seeing Zheng Fa remain silent, Shuyu Dragon lightly chuckled, sounding somewhat mocking,

“Dragon Lord doesn’t believe?”

“Whether I believe or not doesn’t matter. Maybe you have confidence, but I cannot entrust my life and legacy to your confidence.”

“In that case, I want to invite Dragon Lord to see something.”

“What?”

Zheng Fa flew toward the hall’s entrance, his voice echoing inside with just two words: “Confidence.”

Shuyu Dragon, hearing his resolute tone, became curious. She had to admit, although Zheng Fa’s words sounded vague and ethereal, they were strangely tempting to her.

When Zheng Fa flew out of the Heavenly Palace Hall, she followed closely behind with the Jiushan Sect elders.

The group flew out of Jiushan Sect’s Ziwei Yuan and descended from the high sky, heading toward the mortal realm of Jiushan Realm.

Shuyu Dragon had visited Jiushan Realm many times before but had never left the Three Enclosures and Four Lodges—mainly due to lack of interest.

But now she was somewhat curious about Jiushan Sect, so she observed quietly along the way.

Although she usually stayed underwater, she was not completely ignorant of the Xuanyi Realm’s situation.

In earlier years, to find her kin, she had traveled extensively across Xuanyi, visiting major sects under their rule, just unknown to most.

Therefore, she had a fair understanding of how Xuanyi mortals lived.

But the scenery before her eyes now was fresh and dazzling, overwhelming her vision.

A Divine Sky Flying Boat brushed past them;

through its windows, one could see it was packed with people.

Compared to their flying speed, this Divine Sky Flying Boat was quite slow, yet over half of its passengers were mortals!

Looking into the distance, Divine Sky Flying Boats darted through the air from all directions.

Counting them all, there were around twenty or so just within this brief moment.

Given the size of the Jiushan Realm’s mortal area, the total number of these flying boats must number in the hundreds or even thousands.

She glanced at Zheng Fa with doubt in her heart: the flying boat’s speed was comparable to a Golden Core cultivator’s, yet Zheng Fa allowed these mortals to ride? R̃𝙖ΝŏᛒËs̈

Shuyu Dragon said nothing but carefully observed the mortals and buildings below.

The group happened to fly over a large city.

Calling it a large city was generous—it had no city walls, only densely packed buildings spreading outward from the center in concentric circles, bigger than any city she had seen before.

The streets were wide and crowded, especially several main roads lined with shops, teeming with people.

The mortals’ clothing was distinctly different from Xuanyi customs: narrow sleeves, mostly wearing pants regardless of gender, the fabric looked sturdy and coarse, and the colors were mostly dull—mainly blue-black.

If poverty was the case, the men were strong and burly, quite tall.

The women’s faces were mostly rosy, hair black and glossy;

walking on the streets, they even seemed vigorous and spirited.

Did Jiushan Realm mortals only focus on eating and not on clothing?

Even a casual glance made Shuyu Dragon certain that these mortals’ lives were far better than those under the Four Sects’ rule.

“I have managed Jiushan Sect in Jiushan Realm for decades,” Zheng Fa suddenly said. “Dragon Lord may not know what the situation was when I first arrived.”

“What situation?”

“The entire Jiushan Realm had a population of less than ten million. Those you saw were mostly skin and bones. Anyone who lived past thirty was called a longevity elder.”

“Ten million?” Shuyu Dragon was shocked and looked at the city below. “I see over a million people in this city alone!”

“This is one of the larger cities in Jiushan Realm. Because transportation here is relatively convenient, the population has continuously gathered in cities, which makes them seem so populous.”

Shuyu Dragon curiously asked, “How many people are there in Jiushan Realm now in total?”

“Nearly 320 million.”

Senior Sister Zhang answered this.

Shuyu Dragon was momentarily stunned. “More than thirty times the previous amount?”

“That’s much less than expected.”

“That’s still less?”

Zheng Fa shook his head;

300 million was indeed less than they had previously estimated.

In earlier years, Jiushan Realm’s population growth rate hovered near eight percent.

If that rate had been maintained, after fifty or sixty years, there should be at least six hundred million people by now.

But later, the population growth rate in Jiushan Realm plummeted sharply.

It wasn’t that Jiushan Realm could not support more people—although Jiushan Sect’s territory was not large, with the help of immortal arts, the abundant resources allowed a very high population capacity.

The problem was—people were unwilling to have children!

This was something Zheng Fa had not anticipated but later understood.

Over the past fifty years, Jiushan Sect implemented two major measures in the mortal realm that greatly affected population growth: industrialization and popularization of education.

These two measures gave most people the means to support themselves.

When a person can independently sustain themselves, having children is no longer a must.

But this was not the only, nor the main, reason for the population decline.

The fundamental factor was the spread of cultivation culture.

Young mortals in Jiushan Realm mostly aimed to cultivate immortality;

in earlier years, they were unwilling to lose their primordial yin or yang.

Longevity increases also made everyone inclined to marry and have children later in life.

Additionally, cultivators tended to pursue personal refinement, detachment, and modest desires. Mortals looked up to cultivators as role models, which gave rise to new social thoughts.

Honestly, this was outside Zheng Fa’s plans, but he had to admit that it actually conformed well to Jiushan Realm’s developmental pattern. After discussions with Senior Sister Zhang and others, they planned to observe quietly for now since Jiushan Realm wasn’t really lacking people.

Though Zheng Fa thought the population was insufficient, Shuyu Dragon thought it was enough. Looking at those robust mortals, she felt it was rare indeed.

If it had been earlier, she wouldn’t have cared so much.

But Zheng Fa’s words about cultivating their own dragon clan had already been etched into her heart.

“Dragon Lord, as I said, we serve the world and help the people;

in making money and developing, Jiushan Sect does not lose to anyone.”

“So this is your confidence?”

She clearly understood that these mortals under Jiushan Sect’s rule had undergone earth-shaking changes in their lives, which alone proved Jiushan Sect’s governance ability.

Though dragons and mortals were vastly different, making money did not discriminate by race.

“Of course, that’s just to let Dragon Lord know we have the ability to create wealth,” Zheng Fa smiled, pointing ahead. “That, over there, is our ability to guard that wealth.”

Shuyu Dragon looked in the direction Zheng Fa pointed, her expression suddenly serious. She seemed unwilling to believe her eyes. She glanced at Zheng Fa again, then looked ahead, repeatedly scrutinizing. After a long while, she spoke: “Two of you?”

In front of them in the void, the Heavenly Emperor’s body smiled and lightly cupped his hands toward Shuyu Dragon.

“Let me introduce—this is my clone, called Heavenly Emperor’s Body.”

“Clone?!!”

The word “clone” rolled off Shuyu Dragon’s tongue with ups and downs, filled with confusion, surprise, and even disbelief.

She wasn’t the only one startled and ignorant;

the Dao Fruit stage had a notorious issue in the Xuanyi Realm—cloning techniques were always a sensitive topic.

It wasn’t that cloning methods didn’t exist, but all such methods deliberately suppressed the clone’s strength to prevent it from overtaking the original, and their spiritual intelligence was often incomplete, rendering them foolish.

Yet Shuyu Dragon sensed that the aura of this Heavenly Emperor’s Body was not inferior to Zheng Fa’s original self.

Heavenly Emperor’s Body flew closer. Shuyu Dragon’s eyes glowed blue as she examined him carefully. She was a True Immortal cultivator, and Heavenly Emperor’s Body seemed unapologetic, so she immediately concluded—

This was an Immortal Sect cultivator at the Hujie stage. Judging by cultivation level, he was indeed not lower than Zheng Fa himself.

But as for actual combat power, of course, he was not...

Wait!

Shuyu Dragon suddenly turned to ask Zheng Fa, “Is this clone the Divine Path Master of Jiushan Realm?”

“Dragon Lord figured it out?”

“I recognize this incense fire power. Most of those I saw earlier must have been this Heavenly Emperor’s Body.”

Heavenly Emperor’s Body landed before them and bowed to Shuyu Dragon. “Pardon me, Dragon Lord, the original was in seclusion at the time and could only let me receive you.”

Shuyu Dragon, seeing his lively expression and fluent answers, was even more impressed. “I have met you many times and never realized you were a clone. Sect Leader Zheng’s cloning technique is truly astonishing.”

Zheng Fa lightly cupped his hands to her.

Revealing the Heavenly Emperor’s Body served partly to display some strength and partly because the Sword Dao body had formed, giving Jiushan Sect a new trump card—it was time to peel an onion layer.

Moreover, Shuyu Dragon was indeed someone trustworthy—partly because she had confronted Dragon King Cangbin, and that was also connected to Jiushan Sect. This was something Shuyu Dragon herself wouldn’t mention, but Zheng Fa hadn’t forgotten.

“If that is so, your Heavenly Emperor’s Body might be equivalent to a Scattered Immortal or even a True Immortal in Jiushan Realm?”

“Scattered Immortal,” Zheng Fa nodded. “Perhaps close to True Immortal, but not quite.”

“The Tongtian Method truly is miraculous,” Shuyu Dragon sighed, then added, “A clone at Scattered Immortal level—this is your confidence?”

Shuyu Dragon silently calculated in her heart.

After Zheng Fa killed Luo Sanxian of Haori Mountain, the Xuanyi Realm had long acknowledged his strength, treating him as a True Immortal.

Jiushan Sect also had Zhang Senior Sister and Xie Qingxue, two invincible existences below Dao Fruit.

Now adding another Scattered Immortal clone.

Counting strength, they were not far from Cangmo Dragon Camp;

with herself added, they would definitely surpass Cangmo Dragon Camp.

But to say a Scattered Immortal clone would give her much confidence seemed a stretch.

“No, my Heavenly Emperor’s Body is a tool to display confidence.”

“Oh?”

Shuyu Dragon’s curiosity grew. Zheng Fa pointed forward and said, “Dragon Lord, please look.”

Following Zheng Fa’s finger, Shuyu Dragon was slightly stunned. She asked in doubt, “Profound Earth Primordial Magnetism Array?”

The scene ahead was somewhat familiar.

Barren mountain peaks, black-blue reflective rocks, very different from what she had seen before entering Jiushan Realm.

The only difference was the flat tops of these peaks, with several rows of houses and some enormous magical treasures.

“This is the Profound Earth Primordial Magnetism Array, also the newly established Shenxiao Army of Jiushan Sect.”

“Shenxiao Army?”

“The Shenxiao Army consists of Jiushan Sect’s disciples most skilled in Thunder Method. In fact, they could be considered your grand-disciples, Dragon Lord.”

Shuyu Dragon turned to Xiao Yuying, seeing the proud expression on her disciple’s face, and silently shook her head.

“So, you want the Shenxiao Army to command the Profound Earth Primordial Magnetism Array?”

“Dragon Lord has keen insight.”

That was indeed true.

The Heavenly River and Shenxiao Armies—Heavenly River Army was the strongest armed force, the ultimate trump card for survival.

The Shenxiao Army’s role was different.

They leaned toward defense, reconnaissance, and transportation, perfectly matching the Profound Earth Primordial Magnetism Array, and were fundamentally applications of the Thunder Method.

They were a perfect match.

“They are my confidence.”

Hearing this, Shuyu Dragon was puzzled. She had seen the Profound Earth Primordial Magnetism Array before and was impressed, but how could it compare to a Scattered Immortal clone?

Perhaps sensing her doubt, Zheng Fa smiled lightly, curling his middle finger to flick the air.

A red long rainbow streaked across the sky.

Before Shuyu Dragon understood what was happening, the Heavenly Emperor’s Body had followed the rainbow and charged forward.

With each step, he grew ten zhang taller. Upon reaching the Shenxiao Army, Heavenly Emperor’s Body was ten thousand zhang tall;

even his knees were higher than the black mountain peak.

Nine golden solar disks circled behind him, and his breath carried a burning heat that seemed capable of incinerating everything.

Heavenly Emperor’s Body slammed a fist down toward the Jiushan Sect disciples, his might causing Shuyu Dragon to ask in surprise, “What is this?”

“This is the Shenxiao Army’s drill.”

“Drill?”

“Oh, it means they are trying to face a Scattered Immortal.”

Shuyu Dragon was stunned and looked at the disciples, feeling some pity.

What kind of lives were her grand-disciples leading…

Unexpectedly, though she worried for the Shenxiao Army, the disciples seemed accustomed to facing such powerful foes.

They dashed swiftly over the hills, moving in orderly formation, wielding their magical treasures.

One squad’s innate treasure seemed to be drums.

The drumbeats surged, carrying blue light, rapidly spreading in all directions.

Another squad’s treasure was similar magical mirrors.

They tossed the mirrors into the air simultaneously, forming a wall facing Heavenly Emperor’s Body’s fist.

Other disciples appeared to be controlling the Primordial Magnetism Array.

“Their spirit is firm, but their strength...”

Shuyu Dragon remained skeptical about the Shenxiao Army. To her, even controlling the Primordial Magnetism Array meant only a Dharmakaya-level strength.

Compared to Dao Fruit, it was like heaven and earth.

Beside her, Zheng Fa said nothing more, simply looking farther ahead.

Shuyu Dragon followed his gaze and noticed something unusual.

Countless beams of light surged from all directions toward this place.

Within the blue light, drumbeats echoed, seemingly responding to the disciples here.

“Are there other Shenxiao Armies? No, and also Primordial Magnetism power from the Earth Veins?” Shuyu Dragon suddenly understood but became more incredulous. “How large is this Profound Earth Primordial Magnetism Array?”

Though asking Zheng Fa, her eyes fixated on the mirror wall.

Hundreds of light beams converged on the mirror wall, forming an almost tangible white giant pillar. Reflected off the mirror surface, it collided with Heavenly Emperor’s Body’s fist.

As the two forces met, Shuyu Dragon saw with wide eyes that Heavenly Emperor’s Body seemed overwhelmed and involuntarily took three steps back.