Northern Island is currently overseen by a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner named Xiao Lu. Since he hasnât invaded the Beishu Continent, but rather occupied the island to do business with Beishu, he has managed to maintain peace with the major sects of Beishu.
Xiao Lu is not from the Heavenly Inquiry Sect that was here a hundred years ago. After a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner from the Heavenly Inquiry Sect fell, Xiao Luâs Canglong Sect took advantage of the decline in the Heavenly Inquiry Sectâs power and annexed it.
The Canglong Sect fully absorbed the Heavenly Inquiry Sect. When the Heavenly Inquiry Sect had no other choice, its cultivators elected to surrender.
This led to almost everything belonging to the Heavenly Inquiry Sect being taken over by the Canglong Sect.
Among these was the trade route from the Dongqi Continent to the Beishu Continent. Due to Beishuâs barrenness, larger powers didnât value this business.
However, the Canglong Sect saw potential profit. Beishu still had some unique resources, especially since it retained some Divine Skills transmission, which was of immense value.
And these are secrets that no cultivators in the Dongqi Continent or even the entire Cultivation World knew about.
The Canglong Sect took over the Heavenly Inquiry Sectâs interactions with Beishu and chose the best approach by exchanging benefits with the Nascent Soul Cultivators.
Itâs almost laughable; in Beishu, a Nascent Soul Early Stage Practitioner dares call themselves an ancestor, whereas in the Cultivation World, even a Great Cultivator wouldnât make such a claim.
Perhaps only in the secluded Beishu Continent could such a thing happen. Thousands of years of isolation have cut this continent off from the outside world, creating a unique system on its own.
This is also why their Divine Skills transmissions havenât been lost. In the Cultivation World, Divine Skills lineages can sometimes be a source of danger. Only when oneâs strength is formidable can such transmissions be protected.
Once oneâs strength declines, forces will covet the Divine Skills transmissions.
The Divine Skills transmissions could become the downfall of a force; many such transmissions have perished alongside failing powers, which is why the concentration of Divine Skills in the Cultivation World is much less dense than in Beishu.
Of course, acquiring the Divine Skills transmissions is Xiao Luâs ultimate goal. First, he needs to build good relationships with the Nascent Soul Early Stage Practitioners on Beishu. Only after thoroughly understanding the true reliance of these sects will he consider obtaining the Divine Skills transmissions.
Even when acquiring the Divine Skills transmissions, there must be a perfect plan that doesnât cut off exchanges with Beishu.
Xiao Lu is patient. Over the decades, he has continued to interact with various Nascent Soul Cultivators and has gained numerous "friends."
He also sees clearly how on Beishu, none of the sects have strong power alone. However, any external force planning to target a sect would have to face the combined assault of all sects.
But this does not deter him. As he was ready to plot for the Divine Skills transmissions, his "friends" approached him.
"What occasion brings you all here together?" Xiao Lu showed no airs. It was with this attitude that he befriended many Nascent Soul Cultivators.
He was quite curious since, apart from the ancestor of Thousand Illusion Sect, every sect had at least one elder present, with some sects bringing two.
What major event could warrant this? Normally, each sect would only have one ancestor present while the others were in secluded cultivation.
For the ancestors to leave their sects, especially from those bringing two, it must be a significant matter risking the sect being unequipped with elder protection.
"Senior Xiao, we have a request!" said Ancestor Lu of the Senluo Sect.
After hearing the news of Li Shimingâs return to the Beishu Continent, especially from the Thousand Illusion Sect, they couldnât sit still.
Initially, they gathered all their Nascent Soul Cultivators to pursue Li Shiming when he disappeared. They even seized all the magical artifacts and resources from Yin Shilan, thoroughly offending Li Shiming.
Back then, they couldnât allow Yin Shilan to grow. If they let her cultivate with Li Shimingâs resources and advance to the Nascent Soul Stage, it would spell trouble for them.
They didnât expect that while they suppressed Yin Shilan, Li Shiming would return, his strength greatly enhanced.
The Nascent Soul Ancestors deliberated and eventually approached Xiao Lu, the Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner.
Having listened to them describe Li Shimingâs situation, especially hearing about the Secret of Cave Heaven on him, Xiao Luâs eyes flashed, and he was moved.
A Cave Heaven could undoubtedly propel the Canglong Sect to further heights, far more substantially than painstakingly scheming for Beishu.
"Are you certain? That Li Shiming is a Nascent Soul Middle Stage Practitioner?" He looked towards Venerable Huike and Elder Li.
"Yes, Li Shimingâs talent is frightening. He has been gone for a hundred years and already reached the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. When he left, he was only Late-stage Golden Core!" Elder Li confirmed confidently.
"You call him a genius, but in the Cultivation World, Iâve never heard of him!" Xiao Lu smiled inwardly.
Though far from the Dongqi Continent, Xiao Lu wasnât cut off from the Cultivation Worldâs news.
He had cargo periodically sent back to the Dongqi Continent.
If Li Shiming were a real genius, thereâs no way he hadnât heard of him.
He was more inclined to another explanation, that Li Shiming used some forbidden object to artificially elevate his cultivation to Nascent Soul Middle Stage, all in order to hasten his return for revenge.