311: The map is outdated

After "listening" to the end, Qi Xuming suddenly asked, "Are you saying that Long Yuan wants to help you transform into a Cultivator? Or are you going to Cultivate the Soul Dao?"

"Yes, that is what he said! However, he also mentioned that this process is extremely dangerous and might not succeed, but I have already made up my mind. No matter what, I must undergo this transformation!" Qi Huaiyi said firmly.

"Did he say what price it would require?" Qi Xuming asked.

"A price? He didn't mention it. Perhaps it is because he is relatively familiar with me..."

"Go to the clan treasury immediately and withdraw one billion Xuan coins, then go find Long Yuan to undergo the transformation!" Qi Xuming ordered.

"What?! One billion Xuan coins?!" Qi Huaiyi's eyes widened in shock.

"That's right! You can put all other matters aside for now. Spend this period following Long Yuan and focus on breaking through the threshold to become a Cultivator. Do not return unless you become a Cultivator!" Qi Xuming nodded.

Qi Huaiyi was stunned upon hearing this. Does this mean if he fails to become a Cultivator, he won't even be able to return to the Qi Family?

"Old Ancestor, if I fail the breakthrough, will I still be able to return to the Qi Family?" Qi Huaiyi stammered.

"You?! In Cultivation, one must forge ahead courageously and not look back. If you are already thinking about a retreat, I fear your chance of success is less than ten percent!" Qi Xuming snorted.

Qi Huaiyi was shaken by these words and suddenly realized, "Old Ancestor, I understand! If I do not complete the task this time, I will not give up!"

"Good! Go quickly!"

"Yes! Old Ancestor!" Qi Huaiyi slowly backed out of the Immortal Cave, turned around, and rushed toward the clan treasury...

Inside the Immortal Cave, Qi Xuming muttered to himself, "Another billion Xuan coins, that is quite a large sum. But if the Qi Family can produce one more Soul Cultivator, our foundation will surely increase greatly! Right, I had them check last time; I wonder if the clan can find any more descendants with Bloodlines containing abnormal energy?"

He immediately contacted the Qi Family Elder Council to inquire, but was told they were still fully engaged in the screening process, so he had to let it go. His gaze fell upon the Jade Slip on the table. He picked it up solemnly, took a deep breath, and pressed it against his forehead. He channeled a sliver of spiritual power into the Jade Slip. Sure enough, as his consciousness entered the Jade Slip, he saw a Cultivation Technique. The words "Great Sun Burning Heaven Art" were flickering with golden light, emitting a captivating aura. Merely sensing this aura caused the spiritual power within his body to become active, and its circulation speed accelerated slightly...

"Wonderful!" Qi Xuming immediately began to study it with insatiable hunger...

At the Southern Division Black Tortoise Guard station, Captain Sima Cuo and the others were staring helplessly at a map of the wilderness north of Nanyue Base. There was an eye-catching mark on the map that read "Tiger Tooth Mountain"!

That was the destination of their mission, but after learning that a large number of cultists and beast tribes were gathering there, they found the sight of Tiger Tooth Mountain particularly glaring...

It was as if that place was mocking them, calling them incompetent for not even daring to go there!

They felt helpless in their hearts. In terms of their duties, the Xuanwu Guard primarily dealt with sporadic bandit unrest within the country and the investigation of corrupt officials. They were not capable of going head-to-head with beast tribes and large groups of cultists; that was more of a task for the army.

The situation on Tiger Tooth Mountain was exactly that. The enemy intended to launch a large-scale beast horde aimed at the entire Nanyue Base. Such strength was definitely not something the four hundred or so men of the Xuanwu Guard could handle. Moreover, according to the information provided by Long Yuan, there were over thirty Beast Generals on the mountain alone. Such strength was certainly not something they, a few Martial Commanders, could resist. If they really went to suppress the bandits, they would likely be throwing themselves into the tiger's den!

"Elder Long has arrived!" the guard outside shouted loudly.

The four men perked up upon hearing this and hurriedly rose to welcome him. They saw a young man walking over leisurely—it was indeed Long Yuan!

"Elder Long, have you finished your business?" Captain Sima Cuo asked with a fawning smile.

Long Yuan nodded and said, "It is finished! You captains can just call me Long Yuan from now on..."

"How could that be? Elder Long is young yet possesses astonishing cultivation. In the Xuanwu World, age does not matter; the strong are respected. Elder Long is definitely worthy of the title!" Captain Sima Cuo said solemnly.

Gu Fengyang, who was on the side, also interjected, "That's right. If we don't let us call you Elder Long, it would make us seem like we don't know how to conduct ourselves. How would we manage our subordinates in the future?"

"Exactly, exactly..." Bai Song and Yu Feiyu, Chief Captain of the Southern Division both chimed in repeatedly.

Long Yuan said helplessly, "Alright then. It is indeed necessary to be more formal when on a mission! I wonder what Head Yu says? Can Shuntian Prefecture dispatch two Martial Commanders for us?"

Upon hearing this, bitter smiles appeared on all four of their faces. Captain Sima Cuo sighed, "No reply yet! I imagine, just as Elder Long predicted, it is unlikely that we can dispatch two Martial Commanders at this time!"

"That's right, Elder Long. Never mind suppressing bandits; even defending Nanyue Base is a problem! With Nanyue Base's current strength, I fear we cannot withstand the impact of so many Beast Generals!" Gu Fengyang said worriedly.

"Once the city walls are breached and a large number of exotic beasts rush into the city, I fear the ordinary citizens will suffer heavy losses!" Bai Song said.

"A large-scale beast horde will impact more than just Nanyue Base; it will also affect the various subordinate secondary and tertiary bases, as well as the countless small towns behind them. I fear the entire Southeast Region will fall into chaos by then!" Yu Feiyu, Chief Captain of the Southern Division sighed.

While listening to them, Long Yuan walked to the map and looked at the mark on it, saying, "This map is somewhat outdated."

"What? This is our Southern Division map. Could it be wrong?" Captain Sima Cuo asked in surprise.

"This map was drawn according to the terrain from over two hundred years ago, but the situation has changed significantly now. If you try to find it using this map, you will most likely not be able to find Tiger Tooth Mountain!" Long Yuan said.

"Is that so? Could Tiger Tooth Mountain move on its own?" Captain Sima Cuo asked incredulously.

"It is not that Tiger Tooth Mountain moves on its own, but that the ground is constantly expanding, causing minor changes to surface features. Over two hundred years of accumulation, the overall changes have become quite significant!" Long Yuan explained.

"Is that so?!" The four were dumbfounded, as this was the first time they had heard this information.

Long Yuan picked up a pen and drew some lines, arrows, and circles on the old map according to the new terrain information, and re-marked it. Then he said, "This is the current terrain. Your mission is, first, to keep an eye on an area in the North City, which is the Fang Family, and second, to prepare for bandit suppression after I set off!"

"What?! We are going to... suppress the bandits?!" The four were shocked and turned pale.

Long Yuan laughed, "I am not asking you to go suppress the bandits right now, but to first gather at the designated location and get ready. Wait for my message to come through before going up the mountain to suppress the bandits!"

"Ah?!"

"Does Elder Long mean that you want to take us to Tiger Tooth Mountain to suppress the bandits?!"