Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

But Qingwu Zhenjun was different; after he traveled abroad and advanced to the Nascent Soul stage...

Instead of staying in the bustling Yunzhou or going to a region with relatively abundant resources, he returned to his hometown.

There are only some second-tier spiritual veins here, with thin spiritual energy, not even enough to support Core Formation cultivation, let alone a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

Qingwu Zhenjun forcibly gathered all the spiritual veins within a radius of ten thousand miles with his great magical power, and then used the fourth-order spiritual tree in his hand as the core to fuse all the spiritual veins, thus creating a fourth-order spiritual vein.

Then, using the fourth-order spiritual vein as his core, he commanded the wind and rain, changed the world, and spent a thousand years transforming the desert into an oasis.

This is Qingwu Prefecture as it is today.

With a Nascent Soul cultivator suppressing the storm, the weather was favorable, and even the endless sandstorms were forcibly kept out.

This oasis has now become a rare and blessed place in the desolate region.

Lin Zhao was also amazed after hearing it.

The ability to transform the world and influence a region thousands or even tens of thousands of miles around Qingwu Prefecture is the true manifestation of boundless magical power.

Qingwu Zhenjun advocated order, so the area within a radius of ten thousand miles was the most peaceful region and also the largest trading center for goods and materials, making it extremely prosperous.

Someone in the caravan mentioned something produced in Qingwu Prefecture—Qingwu Spirit Liquid—that could repair old injuries.

This is the most coveted treasure for those of them who walk in the desolate region.

People who make a living in desolate areas often carry various hidden injuries.

The Qingwu Elixir can repair hidden injuries and restore them to a normal lifespan.

If one could live in Qingwu Prefecture year-round, even without drinking the spiritual liquid, just breathing the air and drinking the water there would allow one to recover from some injuries over time.

Unfortunately, they were just ordinary people, and it wasn't so easy for them to settle down in Qingwu Prefecture.

The oasis land had long been occupied by those who arrived earlier, and they could only stay on the outskirts for a while before having to leave.

Lin Zhao sat by the campfire, listening silently.

Its effects of repairing old wounds and restoring lifespan are somewhat similar to those of the Azure Spring that comes with the Azure Azure Wood of Azure Azure Immortal City.

Both are spiritual liquids derived from spiritual wood, and both have the effects of repair and longevity.

Whether it's a coincidence or there's some connection between these two spiritual trees, I don't know.

The topic gradually shifted to the situation in Qingwu Prefecture.

Some say that Qingwu Zhenjun has lived for nearly two thousand years, and his lifespan is almost over.

Recently, several of his disciples have been fiercely fighting with the elders, both openly and secretly vying for power.

If True Lord Qingwu were to pass away, it would be hard to say whether this vast oasis could still be preserved.

Lin Zhao knew that this was true.

Qingwu Zhenjun has been guarding this place for two thousand years since he advanced to the Nascent Soul stage.

The fourth-order spiritual veins here were all suppressed by him—the spiritual veins in the desolate region are extremely unstable, and once the suppression of a Nascent Soul True Monarch is lost,

In a few decades or at most a century, the oasis will be swallowed up by the sandstorms again.

Two thousand years of hard work, all gone in a single day.

Lin Zhao couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for this Qingwu True Lord whom he had never met before.

With the body of a Nascent Soul cultivator, he did not seek to improve his cultivation or pursue the great cause of his sect, but instead transformed his hometown from a desolate wasteland into a blessed land.

Two thousand years is enough time for him to go elsewhere to pursue higher realms and more opportunities, but he chose to stay.

In contrast, Lin Zhao didn't pay much attention to his own hometown, Yunxia Mountain Range, because he was wary of the inside story.

Of course, he also knew that True Monarch Qingwu had only returned after advancing to the Nascent Soul stage.

He must be capable of protecting himself before he can talk about protecting others.

If Lin Zhao wants to solve the problem of the Yunxia Mountains, he needs at least a combat strength comparable to that of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

After traveling for several more days, the caravan finally entered the territory of Qingwu Prefecture.

The sand began to harden, and green wild grass sprouted, which then turned into shrubs and finally into green woodland.

The air began to fill with moisture, and the wind blowing on my face carried a damp coolness.

Qingwu Prefecture has tens of millions of people, no immortal cities, and is divided into twenty-four cities and seven major markets.

The twenty-four cities are primarily inhabited by mortals, with a small number of cultivators as secondary inhabitants.

The seven major markets are directly under the command of True Lord Qingwu, and are managed by some of his disciples and Core Formation elders.

There are more than twenty Core Formation cultivators, more than two thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators, and more than one hundred thousand ordinary Qi Refining cultivators.

This number is quite powerful for a Core Formation power, but it's rather paltry for a True Monarch in the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

Many low-grade Qingwu trees are planted in Qingwu Prefecture.

A single Qingwu tree can form a small gathering place for mortals—its canopy can form a spiritual barrier to block sand, its roots can retain water and soil, and its leaves can gather spiritual energy to form rainwater that can nourish the land for miles around.

Under a single euphorbia tree, there can be anywhere from a hundred to a thousand people, who together form a village.

Lin Zhao realized the moment he stepped into Qingwu Prefecture that this vast oasis was a training ground.

It was similar to the Taoist temple he set up on Zhaoyang Peak, but on a scale many times larger.

It was Qingwu Zhenjun who spent two thousand years refining the entire thousand-mile oasis into a vast Daoist temple, with the Qingwu Tree as its core.

Each Qingwu tree is a miniature of the Daoist temple. Its roots extend deep into the ground and connect with the fourth-order spiritual vein, absorbing spiritual energy and regulating wind and rain.

The further Lin Zhao went, the more alarmed she became.

With Qingwu Zhenjun's abilities, if he had chosen a better location with abundant spiritual energy back then...

Two thousand years is enough time for him to establish a celestial city, command a million cultivators, and be ranked among the top in Yunzhou.

But he chose this desolate desert region, starting from scratch, and the Qingwu Tree multiplied from a single tree to tens of thousands.

Qingwu Zhenjun has stayed here for two thousand years, never venturing out to seek opportunities, nor participating in any external disputes.

Surprisingly, during the construction of Qingwu Prefecture, he grasped the true essence of the dojo—the Qingwu Tree is a component of the dojo's power.

With the help of the power of the Daoist temple spanning thousands of miles, he actually broke through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

It's important to know that many Nascent Soul cultivators in the sect are stuck at the early stage their entire lives, unable to make any further progress.

Meanwhile, Qingwu Zhenjun, in a desolate desert, relied on planting trees and managed to grow to the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

This talent is truly extraordinary.

If it weren't for Qingwu Prefecture's burden, he might have gone even further and might have even advanced to the late Nascent Soul stage.

On the other hand, if he hadn't poured all his energy into Qingwu Prefecture, he might not have been able to build this training ground, and it's hard to say whether he could have broken through to the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

Who can truly understand the meaning of a single bite or sip?

Lin Zhao composed himself and walked toward the nearest market town.

He found a teahouse and sat down. The second-floor window seat offered a view of the entire street.

He listened to the idle chatter of the cultivators around him, the discussions about the situation in Qingwu Prefecture, the disputes between several Nascent Soul disciples and the elders, and the recent movements of True Monarch Qingwu.

At the same time, they were also considering whether to reveal their sect's identity directly.

In the end, they decided to try to meet with Qingwu Zhenjun first and test his attitude.

No one knows what Qingwu Zhenjun's mindset was regarding that verbal promise from back then.

After all, the value of a second-tier spirit wood is more than ten thousand times that of a fourth-tier spirit wood.