Chapter 930: Waiting for Ye Mo
At a secluded location on the desert's edge, a hidden teleportation formation shimmered into existence. Over twenty cultivators had gathered, including the eighteen previously transported away, along with two friends they had summoned. Qiu Xuanyu was the sole exception, having departed immediately.
All eyes remained fixed on the formation, awaiting the arrival of one man: Ye Mo, the cultivator who had shamelessly pilfered their herbs. They were there to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.
Many witnessed Qiu Xuanyu's hasty retreat, silently judging his cowardice. He clearly feared Ye Mo more than losing his herbs.
The formation flared again – Pan Yi had arrived.
His fellow cultivator, an eighth-level Golden Core stage expert, inquired, “Brother Pan, what was his haul?”
Pan Yi's face was ashen. He replied coldly, “Eighty percent of the herbs, and the spirit crystal.”
Huang Yushan, noting Ye Mo's absence, stood and addressed the group. “That arrogant insect took the lion's share! Our purpose here is to make him pay. But first, let us each report our losses to prevent disputes later.”
His suggestion met with general approval.
Huang Yushan began, “I lost sixty percent of my herbs, including two Five-Colored Lotuses, and so forth.”
Liu Yuetang was startled. Ye Mo had taken even more from Huang Yushan than from her.
Ji Zhiyuan then stood, stating coldly, “I lost seventy-five percent of my herbs, and a Burst Yin Bead, among other things.” A moment later, she finally grasped Ye Mo's earlier remark, realizing his actions had been unexpectedly beneficial. A smile spread across her face as she addressed her fellow cultivators. "Let's go."
Their departure left many confused, but no one attempted to detain them. With Ye Mo’s eventual arrival, their absence meant a larger share for those remaining.
After they left, Qiqi questioned Liu Yuetang, “Big Sister, why didn't you wait for your fifty percent?”
Liu Yuetang sighed. “Do you think we could have recovered it? If Ye Mo lacked foresight, he would already be overwhelmed. I believe they’re wasting their time; within three days, most will depart.”
“But that's the only teleportation exit. He must pass through it, won't he?” Qiqi asked, puzzled.
Liu Yuetang shook her head. “I don't know for sure, but I suspect he has another way out. He's cunning and meticulous. I wouldn't underestimate him. In the future, avoid becoming his enemy.”
Qin Muxin remained silent; her master had imparted similar wisdom.
…
However, Ye Mo had no alternative exit. The teleportation formation had a fixed destination, established by someone far more powerful than himself. He lacked the power to alter its function; attempting to do so risked being trapped in spacetime, a potentially fatal error. Random-location teleportation formations demanded advanced materials and significant cultivation.
But Ye Mo didn't fret; he had acquired the spirit herbs he sought, enough to reach the Nascent Soul stage. Even with those waiting, his escape was as simple as using the most obvious method—departing just before his scheduled teleportation out of Herb Valley.
Southern cultivators weren't transported to the Northern Far State, leaving only Ji Zhiyuan as a significant concern.
Ye Mo entered the ravaged herb gardens, instantly sensing the dense spiritual energy. The absence of spirit herbs suggested something unusual.
He extended his spiritual sense, which, despite his early Golden Core stage cultivation, rivaled that of a mid-stage cultivator. Even so, after extending it for tens of kilometers, he encountered an impenetrable barrier.
Employing earth mobility, Ye Mo delved deeper, the spiritual energy intensifying with each meter.
After an hour, he discovered the source: an underground spirit range. While low-grade, Ye Mo sensed its potential for future growth into a mid-grade range.
The discovery presented a new challenge: extraction. He was not alone in this discovery; others knew of its existence but lacked the means to access it, pretending ignorance for later acquisition.
A spirit range held immeasurable value, surpassing spirit stones. Even five-star sects might lack a comparable resource. Ye Mo knew six-star sects possessed mid-grade ranges.
He must secure the range, providing him with a personal cultivation haven. His remaining spirit marrow, while significant, would only suffice to reach Golden Core stage level 3 at best. The spirit range, while inferior to a spirit marrow pond, possessed far greater spiritual energy.
No storage ring could contain a spirit range; and even if one could, Ye Mo lacked the means to do so.
Ye Mo entered the Golden Page World, his only viable option. To his astonishment, the world had expanded significantly. He expected growth after reaching Golden Core stage, but the increase far exceeded his anticipation, even surpassing the gains from foundation establishment. Had it not been his own, he doubted his spiritual sense could have fully mapped its extent.
The interior remained dull and gray.
Ye Mo located Silver, basking in the spirit marrow pond, her feathers strikingly white.
“Are you a spirit beast now?” he mused, surprised. He never imagined the bird from Earth could evolve into a level 1 spirit beast – or perhaps she had always been one?
Silver cast a contemptuous glance before returning to her soak.
Ye Mo ignored her. With the Golden Page World's increased size, he realized it could easily accommodate a thousand spirit ranges, let alone one.
His focus now shifted to the method of extraction.