128: Chapter 128 Hidden Dangers to Peace, Undercurrents Rise Again

Before the celebratory cheers of the Myriad Realms had even faded, discordant notes began to emerge in Black Stone City.

Inside the council hall of the Star Vein Guardian Academy, heated arguments broke out one after another.

"The Black Stone Realm has been destroyed! We should take advantage of this momentum to expand and seize the resources of the astral sea!"

Lin Feng, leader of the radical Disciples, slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his eyes burning with fervor.

"The original intention of the Guardians is to protect, not to invade and expand!" an orthodox Elder refuted.

Disciples from both factions insisted on their own views, arguing incessantly in a tense and volatile atmosphere.

When the news reached the Alliance Grand Hall, Ling Shuang's expression turned grave. "This trend must not be encouraged."

Bai Yunzhou had just returned from patrolling the realms. Upon hearing about this, he headed straight for the Guardian Academy.

Inside the council hall, the argument was still raging, and no one noticed his arrival.

"The power of our Star Spiritual Vein is enough to sweep across the Black Sea! Why should we stay stuck in our ways?" Lin Feng questioned loudly.

"Resources are limited! The strong deserve them, while the weak are only fit to be eliminated!"

A radical Disciple agreed, "The Alliance Leader and Elders are far too conservative!"

Bai Yunzhou stepped in slowly, bathed in a clear radiance, and the hall instantly fell silent.

"A Guardian should protect the living beings of the Myriad Realms, not use strength to bully the weak," he said, his tone calm yet full of majesty.

Lin Feng took a step forward. "Elder, the astral sea is vast, with boundless resources."

"If we do not actively seize them, other realms will covet them sooner or later."

"If other realms invade us, we will naturally rise up and fight back," Bai Yunzhou replied.

"However, actively expanding will only plunge the Myriad Realms into the flames of war."

Ling Shuang arrived shortly after and added, "Was the lesson of the Black Stone Realm not profound enough?"

"They invaded because their resources were depleted. How can we repeat their mistakes?"

Lin Feng was still unpersuaded. "Times have changed. We have the blessing of the Star Spiritual Vein."

"Expansion is not invasion; it is securing a larger living space for the Myriad Realms."

Bai Yunzhou shook his head. "Living space must be built through self-development, not plundered."

"The Star Spiritual Vein is enough to nourish the Myriad Realms. Why covet the lands of others?"

The orthodox Disciples voiced their agreement one after another, while the radicals looked unwilling to concede.

"This matter touches upon the core ideology of the Guardians. We must convene the Myriad Realms Guardian Assembly for a vote," Ling Shuang proposed.

Bai Yunzhou nodded. "Only by letting the Cultivators of the Myriad Realms decide together can we convince everyone."

As the news spread, Cultivators across the Myriad Realms engaged in heated discussions, splitting into two factions.

Most of those supporting expansion were young Cultivators, eager to achieve fame and military glory.

Those insisting on protection were mostly Elders and common people, who cherished peace.

The Yao Race of Qingmang Mountain also joined the debate, with the Old Ape Patriarch supporting the orthodox faction.

"Peace is hard-won. The Yao Race does not wish to go through the flames of war again."

Allies such as the Liuli Realm and Lingxi Realm also sent messages opposing expansion.

"Aggression only makes enemies. The Alliance should prioritize peaceful coexistence."

The Myriad Realms Guardian Assembly was held as scheduled, with a massive crowd gathering at the Black Stone City Plaza.

As the representative of the radical faction, Lin Feng took the stage first to present his argument for expansion.

"Expansion allows us to obtain more Spiritual Vein resources and strengthen the Myriad Realms."

"It will help us withstand unknown future threats and permanently guarantee the prosperity of the Myriad Realms."

His speech was highly inflammatory, leading many young Cultivators to shout in agreement.

An orthodox Elder then took the stage to speak about the importance of the philosophy of protection.

"When the Guardian Academy was founded, protection was set as its core purpose."

"War only brings casualties and tears countless families apart."

The citizens below nodded repeatedly, bursting into thunderous applause that drowned out the shouts of the radicals.

Ling Shuang stepped onto the high platform, her gaze sweeping across the crowd. "Expansion may seem beneficial on the surface, but it carries immense hidden dangers."

"In the astral sea, powerful entities abound like trees in a forest. Blind expansion will inevitably lead to backlash."

"Our primary task right now is to consolidate the Foundation of the Myriad Realms and develop ourselves."

Lin Feng refused to back down, shouting in rebuttal, "Is the Alliance Leader afraid of those unknown forces?"

"The Myriad Realms are strong and powerful now. What is there to fear?"

Bai Yunzhou slowly stood up, the Power of Chaos and Star Spirit power intertwining around his body.

"I am not afraid of war; I am opposed to meaningless aggression."

"The honor of a Guardian lies in protection, not conquest."

He raised his hand and waved it, causing illusory images of the tragic aftermath of war in the Myriad Realms to appear in midair.

"This was the scene during the Black Stone Realm's invasion. Do you wish to see it repeated?"

In the illusion, villages were destroyed, living beings suffered terribly, and rivers of blood flowed.

The young Cultivators showed visible emotion, and the shouting of the radicals gradually died down.

"Expansion might bring short-term benefits, but it will ruin long-term peace."

"The prosperity of the Myriad Realms does not lie in the size of its territory, but in the peace and happiness of its people."

Bai Yunzhou's words were like a morning bell and evening drum, awakening many people from their delusion.

Lin Feng turned pale, yet he still refused to give up. "But resources will eventually run out."

"When that time comes, where should the Myriad Realms turn?"

"The potential of the Star Spiritual Vein has not been fully unlocked; we can dig deeper into our own potential."

Bai Yunzhou responded, "The Star Spirit Reconciliation Academy has already researched a method for Spiritual Vein regeneration."

"In the future, the Spiritual Veins of the Myriad Realms will only grow more prosperous. There is no need for plunder."

He made the research findings on Spiritual Vein regeneration public, causing a sensation throughout the venue.

Gazing at the materials, the Cultivators' eyes filled with pleasant surprise, and no one mentioned expansion anymore.

Seeing that the tide had turned, Lin Feng despondently stepped off the stage, and the radical faction completely lost its sway.

"The assembly votes to uphold the philosophy of protection and oppose expansion and aggression," Ling Shuang announced.

Thunderous applause erupted across the entire plaza as the Cultivators of the Myriad Realms reached a consensus.

Watching this scene, Bai Yunzhou's eyes filled with gratification. "The original intention of the Guardians has not wavered after all."

"The radical Disciples may head to the borders to station themselves and temper their Dao Hearts."

"Understand the true meaning of protection through actual combat, rather than obsessing over expansion."

Although Lin Feng and the radical Disciples felt reluctant, they could only accept the order.

The next day, the radical Disciples headed to various border outposts in batches.

Bai Yunzhou saw them off in person. "Though conditions at the border are harsh, they can sharpen your Heart-Nature."

"I hope you remember that the sword in your hands is meant for protection."

Lin Feng nodded in silence, turned around, and set off on the road to Shattered Star Gorge.

At the Shattered Star Gorge defense line, Zhou Zhiting had already received the directive to receive the radical Disciples.

"The border is dangerous. You must remain vigilant at all times and not let your guard down."

She assigned the radical Disciples to patrol teams to inspect the rift daily.

Although Lin Feng and the Disciples harbored reservations in their hearts, they executed their tasks conscientiously.

The Myriad Realms restored peace, and various development initiatives progressed in an orderly manner.

The Star Spirit Reconciliation Academy's Spiritual Vein regeneration method began to be promoted, yielding remarkable results.

The Spiritual Veins in every realm flourished increasingly; Cultivators' Cultivation speed accelerated, and common folk lived and worked in peace and contentment.

The recruitment scale of the Guardian Academy continually expanded, absorbing Geniuses from all races across the Myriad Realms.

Incense burnt as brightly as ever at the Hall of Heroes, and the spirit of the heroic martyrs was passed down through generations.

Bai Yunzhou patrolled the realms daily, inspecting development progress and guiding Cultivators in their Cultivation.

Passing through Qingmang Mountain, he felt deeply gratified to see the Yao Race and human Cultivators coexisting harmoniously.

The Old Ape Patriarch led the young members of the Yao Race to participate in the Spiritual Vein regeneration project.

"With this regeneration method, the Spiritual Veins of Qingmang Mountain have grown even richer."

Bai Yunzhou nodded. "Only when all races share one heart can the Myriad Realms enjoy long-lasting peace and stability."

He gave guidance on the Dao Heart to the young members of the Yao Race and imparted the essence of the Chaos Star Spirit Art.

The strength of the young members of the Yao Race rose rapidly, turning them into an important component of the Guardian forces.

News arrived from the Liuli Realm that an anomaly had appeared in its Spiritual Veins, requesting assistance.

Bai Yunzhou and Ling Shuang set off immediately to the Liuli Realm to investigate.

The Spiritual Veins of the Liuli Realm were unexpectedly depleting at a rapid pace—plants were wilting, and Spiritual Qi was becoming thin.

The Realm Lord of the Liuli Realm had a worried expression on his face. "For some reason, the Spiritual Veins suddenly began to decline."

Bai Yunzhou activated his Chaos Eye and discovered foreign creatures entrenched deep within the Spiritual Veins.

"It's the 'Spirit-Devouring Worms.' They feed on Spiritual Veins and reproduce at an extremely fast rate."

Ling Shuang's expression turned solemn. "If these bugs spread to the Myriad Realms, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"We must clean up the Spirit-Devouring Worms immediately to stop their spread."

Bai Yunzhou channeled the Power of Chaos, injecting it deep into the Spiritual Veins to cleanse the Spirit-Devouring Worms.

The Power of Chaos countered the Spirit-Devouring Worms, causing the swarms of bugs to die off one after another.

The Cultivators of the Liuli Realm also cooperated fully, spraying specially crafted insect-repellent potions.

After several days of hard fighting, the Spirit-Devouring Worms in the Liuli Realm were completely cleared out.

Nourished by the Power of Chaos, the Spiritual Veins gradually regained their vitality.

"Thank you, Elder and Alliance Leader, for your aid. Otherwise, the Liuli Realm would have been in grave peril," the Realm Lord said gratefully.

"It was no trouble at all. Members of the Alliance should support one another," Bai Yunzhou replied.

He left behind the method for Spiritual Vein regeneration and the formula for the insect-repellent potion before taking his leave.

Upon returning to the Myriad Realms, Bai Yunzhou immediately issued orders to step up the monitoring of Spiritual Veins across all realms.

"The Investigation Department must closely monitor the movement of Spiritual Veins and strictly guard against the reemergence of Spirit-Devouring Worms."

"The Star Spirit Reconciliation Academy must speed up research to refine methods for insect repellence and Spiritual Vein repair."

The directives were swiftly communicated, and the Myriad Realms entered a state of Spiritual Vein protection.

At a border outpost, Lin Feng and the radical Disciples encountered an unexpected incident during their patrol.

Beside the rift in Shattered Star Gorge, a small number of Spirit-Devouring Worms had actually appeared and were gnawing on the star veins.

"Oh no, it's Spirit-Devouring Worms!" Lin Feng's expression changed drastically as he immediately ordered their elimination.

Although the radical Disciples had once advocated expansion, they also understood the gravity of the situation.

Holding their star spirit guardian swords, they fought with all their might to kill the Spirit-Devouring Worms, not daring to be careless.

Zhou Zhiting rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing that the Spirit-Devouring Worms had been controlled, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"These Spirit-Devouring Worms likely spread over from the Liuli Realm."

"We need to thoroughly search the area around the rift to ensure no bugs slipped through the net."

Lin Feng volunteered, "I will take the Disciples to conduct a comprehensive search."

He led the patrol team to carefully inspect every corner of Shattered Star Gorge.

After three days, all Spirit-Devouring Worms were finally cleared away, preventing them from spreading further.

Zhou Zhiting saw him in a new light. "Thanks to you this time, you've accomplished a great deed."

Lin Feng showed a look of shame. "I was too radical before and almost caused a disaster."

"Protecting the Myriad Realms isn't limited to the single path of expansion."

Zhou Zhiting smiled slightly. "It is a great virtue to recognize one's mistakes and correct them."

"It seems the tempering at the border has helped you understand many truths."

Lin Feng nodded. "I will stay and guard the border, making amends through practical action."

His transformation deeply moved the radical Disciples as well, settling them down to guard their posts peacefully.

The Spiritual Vein protection work in the Myriad Realms yielded results, and no further Spirit-Devouring Worm disasters occurred.

The Star Spirit Reconciliation Academy's research also achieved a new Breakthrough, developing a long-lasting insect-repelling formation.

Insect-repelling formations were set up at the cores of Spiritual Veins in every realm, significantly boosting the safety factor.

When Bai Yunzhou patrolled the realms and learned of Lin Feng's transformation, he felt quite gratified.

"The growth of one's Dao Heart is far more important than the increase in strength."

Ling Shuang added, "Perhaps sending them to guard the border was the right choice."

"Comprehending the meaning of protection in actual combat is more effective than preaching."

The peaceful development of the Myriad Realms got onto the right track—Spiritual Veins flourished, and all living beings enjoyed peace and happiness.

The prestige of the Guardian Alliance grew increasingly profound, making it a symbol of justice in the astral sea.

Many small and weak realms actively came forward, requesting to join the Alliance and seek protection.

After discussing with Ling Shuang, Bai Yunzhou agreed to accept these realms.

"The gates of the Alliance are open to all forces that uphold justice and long for peace."