Senior Sisters, I Don’t Want To Work Hard Anymore

Chapter 11: Profound Comprehension Realm

In the distant horizon,

Above the clouds, nine black-painted skyships, each over a hundred zhang long, flew slowly. The smooth and sleek hulls were adorned with countless small-sized talismans that shimmered brightly, converging into a hazy light curtain that isolated the fierce gusts and freezing cold of the high altitude.

On the leading skyship, a plump old man stood by the railing on the spacious foredeck. His wide silk robe was covered in golden ingot patterns, and a young man and woman stood on either side of him, both of them extraordinary in appearance and demeanor.

The surrounding view was incredibly expansive, with an endless sea of clouds spreading out before their eyes. Occasionally, they could see some unknown birds of prey swiftly flying in the distance, and the dark gray land could be faintly seen below.

"...The atmosphere of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace is not as grand as before," the plump old man sighed softly, his tone filled with melancholy. "Thinking back to the past, our family was just one of the many subordinate forces of this super sect, and not even one of the prominent ones."

The young man in the black shirt chuckled lightly, "Uncle, why worry? If it weren't for the drastic changes and decline in strength of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, how could our subordinate families have the opportunity to break free and establish our own power? Although those years were difficult at first, we have finally made it through!"

"Indeed," the young woman in the green dress smiled charmingly, "Now, among the hundreds of floating landmasses in the surrounding Star Domains, our Shang family can be considered a prominent and influential family. Even Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, our former master, has to treat us with respect and deal with us on relatively equal terms."

The old man, Shang Zimu, was currently the highest authority figure in the Shang family. Accompanied by two outstanding juniors from the family, he brought generous gifts to visit Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace, intending to negotiate certain business cooperation matters with the senior sister of the palace. Of course, the main purpose was to seek a marriage between the young man in the black shirt, Shang Yunyi, and a core disciple he admired.

Millennia ago, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace was still a member of the super sect, with its influence spreading across hundreds of major Star Domains in the Extreme Void Starry Sky. At that time, the Shang family was just an ordinary cultivator family, with a strength that was neither high nor low, insignificant among the many subordinate forces of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace.

Later, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace declined, and its influence greatly diminished. The subordinate families and small sects that lost their protection had to find a way out. Some joined other super sects, some formed alliances for mutual support, and some remained neutral.

The Shang family was one of the lucky few. Due to the strategic location of their family headquarters on a floating landmass, which was a key transit area for several important starry trade routes, they were very suitable for doing business. Coupled with the intelligence of their family head at the time, they made a decisive transformation. After experiencing initial difficulties and setbacks, they gradually turned the tide and their family business prospered. Now, they had even squeezed into the threshold of an ordinary major power.

Shang Zimu patted his bulging belly and spoke with a steady tone, "Although Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace has declined, it has still existed for tens of thousands of years as a super sect. There are still several hidden powerful experts supporting the situation within the sect, as well as several precious treasures suppressing their fortune. The past heritage still remains, so we must not underestimate them."

"You're right, Uncle Grandfather," Shang Yunyi agreed, "Even though Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace has gone from prosperity to decline, it has only been around for about ten thousand years. The lingering influence of the super sect is still there, and there are still many strong cultivators within the sect. Certain hidden channels and networks of relationships must not have been completely lost. It is not something that ordinary major sects can compare to."

The young girl in a green dress, Shang Yao, spoke up: "I heard that the current head of the sect, Mu Yinghua, is quite a formidable figure. Her skills and temperament are outstanding. So, Uncle Ancestor, do you think that Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace has a chance to rise again and regain its past status and glory?"

"Difficult, very difficult."

Shang Zimu shook his head: "Building a family is like picking up a needle from the ground, while ruining a family is like sifting through sand. It's easy to fall from the peak, but climbing back up is not an ordinary challenge! Not to mention, those forces that have grudges against Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace will not give them any opportunity. They will definitely do everything they can to hinder and sabotage."

The birth of any super sect is not an easy task. It requires millions of years of painstaking cultivation, generations of sect leaders striving to accumulate strength, and no obvious weaknesses in any aspect. In addition, they must engage in alliances, both near and far, and establish a large sphere of influence with numerous vassal forces. Only with some special opportunity can they squeeze into this small circle.

But ruining a family is much easier. Just appoint an incompetent leader, and within a few years, the hard-earned accumulation of hundreds of generations will be destroyed.

Shang Yunyi was about to speak when he caught a glimpse of several rapidly moving golden dots in the far distance.

After a dozen breaths, as they approached, he could clearly see that they were three magnificent golden ships, moving in the same direction as their own fleet.

"The people from the Palace of Calamitous Fate have actually come?"

Shang Zimu's voice sounded puzzled: "These guys have always been low-key and only like to play behind the scenes with conspiracies. Why are they making such a grand visit this time? What kind of medicine are they selling?"

In the Extreme Void Starry Sky, the Palace of Calamitous Fate is a true super sect, and it is the oldest and most mysterious existence in this small circle. The people of the sect have always been low-key and secretive, making it difficult for outsiders to know.

Any disciple or elder who comes out of the Palace of Calamitous Fate is skilled in feng shui, observing the stars, and deducing the operation of celestial mechanisms. A few of the reclusive elders can even manipulate the mysteries of creation, divining the fortunes of the world, the fortunes of the nation, and even the fate and destiny of individuals, as clear as observing the palm lines.

At this moment, inside the leading golden ship, within a hall shielded by numerous formations and restrictions, wisps of smoke and mist filled the air, and the glow of the setting sun shimmered. Six or seven figures sat around a round jade table, each emitting a powerful aura, their faces indistinct.

"...Lord, it has been confirmed,"

A deep voice sounded unhurriedly: "The luck of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace has recently shown a significant increase, and there are no signs of stagnation in the short term."

The figure sitting in the center raised his head slightly and asked softly, "Compared to before, how much has it increased?"

"More than twenty percent."

This answer clearly surprised everyone present, and they began to discuss rapidly.

"...... The Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace has long been in decline, and for nearly ten thousand years, it has been continuously diminishing and dissipating. How could such an abnormal situation occur?"

"...... That's right, once this overall decline in strength takes shape, it is difficult to fundamentally reverse it without special circumstances."

"...... The Sect Master has made some achievements, but she is still far from meeting the standards of the revival of the sect. She alone cannot accomplish such a feat."

"...... So, why is such an abnormal situation occurring? It completely contradicts the results of the sect's previous divinations. Where exactly is the problem?"

Silence fell over the scene.

The plight of the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace in recent years has been evident to all the forces in the Extreme Void Starry Sky. With a significantly reduced sphere of influence and a population of mortal subjects less than one-tenth of the past, coupled with the tradition of only accepting female disciples, the number of potential cultivators that can be discovered during each grand opening of the sect is far fewer than other super sects.

The new generation of disciples is the foundation of all major forces. The quantity and quality of these disciples directly determine the strength of the sect hundreds or thousands of years later. It is a crucial factor that cannot be ignored.

No matter how powerful a force is, talents are the most important strategic resource. Without people, everything is impossible to discuss, and even the greatest foundation cannot be preserved.

Perhaps there may not be any obvious problems in one or two generations, but over time, the burden will accumulate and become difficult to overcome. After all, those old antiques who play a crucial role in the sect are not immortal, and there must always be new people coming in to ensure the long-term stability and existence of the sect.

After a long time, a voice softly spoke, "According to my deduction, there are three possible reasons for this abnormal situation."

"First, a powerful being in the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace's secret realm unexpectedly made a breakthrough and reached an unfathomable realm of cultivation. Second, this sect has obtained some unimaginable treasure to suppress their fate. Third, they have discovered a disciple with extraordinary talent and luck."

The important figures present nodded in agreement. Apart from these three possibilities, there are others, but the probability is extremely low. Since the birth of the Extreme Void Starry Sky, there have been only a few cases, so they are not considered by the crowd.

The figure sitting in the center slowly said, "The first possibility is very low. The few powerful beings still alive in the Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace were more or less injured by the calamity ten thousand years ago. They must spend years in seclusion to recover and make further progress. It is basically impossible to achieve that in just ten thousand years."

"The second possibility has some likelihood and needs further verification through various channels. As for the third possibility, I believe it is the most likely. Perhaps we can consider activating our senior undercover agent in this sect to quickly investigate the situation. What do you all think?"

"Very well, I have no objections."

"I second that."

"I second that."

In the secret hall,

On the cold jade bed covered in purple clouds for thousands of years, Qin Muling sat cross-legged. In front of him were more than ten green jade pill bottles, all containing precious elixirs sent by his senior sister.

As the formation in the hall fully activated, a large amount of spiritual energy surged in, quickly filling the entire hall, almost completely engulfing his figure.

Around the jade bed, there were also a large number of spirit stones piled up. In case the replenishment of spiritual energy during the breakthrough was insufficient, Qin Muling could extract the spiritual energy from these spirit stones as an emergency measure.

The mysterious seed in his sea of consciousness trembled slightly. Strands of exceptionally pure spiritual essence descended from the unknown, silently merging with Qin Muling's spiritual consciousness, then transforming into surging magical power, gradually filling his meridians.

His mind sank into the sea of consciousness. With each long breath, faint and subtle bursts of sound came from within his body. The qi and blood in his organs surged like a mighty river, forming an unfathomable vortex. The surrounding spiritual energy crazily gathered and flowed into his body, like countless rivers converging into the sea.

In this world, the Body Refining system was the starting point of cultivation, and the Qi Refining stage was divided into nine small realms. Strictly speaking, cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm still belonged to the category of mortals. Their lifespan usually did not exceed a hundred years. Even with various life-extending elixirs, living to two hundred years was the limit.

Since they were mortals, they could not escape the iron law of aging. Once they passed the age of fifty, their vitality and physical abilities would begin to decline, irreversibly. Unless they had extremely special encounters, they basically had no hope of breaking through to the Profound Comprehension Realm.

What was the Profound Comprehension Realm?

After reaching the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, cultivators would further refine and sublimate their essence, energy, and spirit to the extreme, stimulate the potential deep within their bloodline, and draw in the essence of the void, breaking free from the shackles of mortal bodies. This would result in a dual transformation of the spirit and the flesh, giving birth to various unimaginable powers, becoming true cultivators in the real sense.

Once this step was taken, it meant that the cultivator's strength would skyrocket, undergoing a qualitative change compared to the Qi Refining Realm. They could communicate with the void, absorb the spiritual energy between heaven and earth to nourish and replenish their own consumption, and maintain their physical functions at their peak for a long time. Their lifespan usually reached around three hundred years.

"So this is the Profound Comprehension Realm? It truly is extraordinary, the feeling of possessing the power of heaven and earth... It's amazing!"

Qin Muling's eyes were slightly closed as he quietly comprehended his state after the breakthrough. The majestic magical power surged in his meridians, making his whole body feel extremely comfortable and unprecedentedly powerful.

In this world, fame, fortune, and dominance were all external things. Only power was eternal. One must possess great power in order to control their own destiny, rather than being manipulated like a pawn by those with great divine abilities.

(The first leader of the alliance has appeared in this book. The lord is overwhelmed. Thanks to Conan Jiuduan, and thanks to all the readers who have rewarded and voted!)

(End of this chapter)