With Cultivation Simulator in a Chaotic World-Chapter 270 - 240: Southern Wilderness (2)

"I had no choice but to come to the Mountain Monarch for a bite to eat, though I didn’t expect to annoy the Mountain Monarch."

"Damned it, it’s the Shang Family Castle’s elders to blame. Even the River Spirit lord in the village lowered the sacrifice standards, yet they raised the taxes when they found out..."

Mao Da simply felt an infinite affinity from the young man in blue before him, allowing him to speak freely.

Unconsciously, Mao Da poured out everything he knew.

Among them were curses against the elders and infinite admiration for the River Spirit that guarded the village.

Jiang Ming smiled.

"It’s quite odd, isn’t it? Those fellow countryman elders are only good at oppressing you, while the River Spirit, a Spirit Monster, actually pities you..."

Mao Da’s eyes showed a hint of confusion.

The Giant Tiger had long been dismembered, its core absorbed by Jiang Ming and transformed into Spirit Points.

The remaining essence and blood were conveniently refined by Jiang Ming into pills.

It’s rare to find Spirit Monsters in the wild close to ’calamity’ grade like this Giant Tiger. Its refined blood and flesh into pills also offered some promotion to Jiang Ming’s cultivation.

"You take the rest of it. Keep the meat to strengthen yourself, hunt more game after you’re strong. For other parts, go explore this forest..."

Jiang Ming smiled, adjusted his hat, and left like a breeze.

Jiang Ming continued his journey south.

Gradually, traces of human habitation appeared.

Villages sporadically dotted the land.

The presence of villages indicated that human cities were not far off.

Villages couldn’t exist without cities, and cities needed villages to supply resources.

Soon, a towering city emerged before Jiang Ming.

The walls were high; the guards’ eyes gleamed with vigor, each at least at the Martial Arts Hall Master level.

This is a prime city similar in standard to Mingwu City.

Jiang Ming slightly adjusted his hat, lowering his aura again.

The guards merely glanced at Jiang Ming, seemingly forgetting to check his identity as they did with others, letting him enter the city.

"Black Sea City..."

Three giant words hung at the gate.

"Black Sea..." The words reminded Jiang Ming of his experiences in Sword Spirit Heaven, though ultimately, they were two separate worlds.

Walking on the street, Jiang Ming combined his Divine Sense with the true Divine Sense of a Phoenix Spirit, subtly probing in all directions like tendrils.

Every person’s words and actions on the streets replayed in Jiang Ming’s mind, and every detail was committed to memory.

"This Southern Wilderness... is quite interesting."

Besides various customs, accents, and clothing differences, the biggest impression Southern Wilderness left on Jiang Ming was the number of evil presences in the wild.

Many, Spirit Monsters were several times more numerous compared to the Sea Suppression Realm.

The further south you go, the greater the number of evil presences.

Though Spirit Monsters are also bloodthirsty and cruel, they are among the few evil presences willing to cooperate with the Human Race; the cunning Spirit Monsters were glad to work with human cities, ’raising’ a batch of humans.

This way, both sides were satisfied.

The only ones suffering were those sacrificed every year, but they couldn’t speak up, and who cared anyway.

Through this unique system, the Southern Wilderness, though resource-poor, didn’t differ much in population compared to the Sea Suppression Realm.

And now...

Jiang Ming looked around.

"Ruyi Sect."

"Evergreen Sect."

"Yushang Pavilion."

Unique signs stood in various street corners and alleys.

The word Immortal Master was openly displayed to the public.

These weren’t cultivation sects but rather upgraded martial arts halls, teaching general knowledge and providing pathways to becoming an Immortal Master.

"I don’t want to, I don’t want to go with you!"

"Mother, mother! Help me!"

"Father..."

Suddenly, cries for help echoed, immature yet desperate, across the street.

The surrounding passersby seemed unfazed, as if familiar.

"Little girl, to follow my young master is your fortune."

"My young master is the Heart Lamp Immortal Master of Cyan Dragon Manor. He’s willing to give you a concubine spot. Such fortune for you."

Two burly and fierce henchmen with strong foundations in Martial Dao dragged a young girl in a yellow skirt aged around eleven or twelve.

Her parents beside her were also persuading her.

"Snatching girls in public, the City Lord’s Mansion won’t intervene..." Jiang Ming whispered faintly in a passerby’s ear.

"Brother, what are you joking about, that’s an Immortal Master!"

"Immortal Masters naturally have privileges. Instead, this girl, able to become an Immortal Master’s concubine is her fortune. She’s unwilling, even mentioning some boy-next-door, laughable."

"Oh?"

"Immortal Master, once becoming one, one can rise suddenly in stature! Even a beggar boy yesterday might become an Immortal Master, just one word from him can seize those wealthy families’ wives and daughters."

"Martial Artists practicing in various sects, if they break through, they can join the City Lord’s Mansion, serve the Great Lii, and enjoy better treatment."

"Interesting..."

"The path to Immortal Master is obvious for all. With talent and effort, anyone can become an Immortal Master, truly superior!"

"Hmm? Where’s everyone..."

"What just happened... huh? Whom was I talking to? What did I say?"

Puzzlement filled the passerby’s face.

Jiang Ming blended back into the crowd.

Behind him, the screams gradually ceased. Perhaps the girl was persuaded, or maybe forcibly taken away.

But Jiang Ming wasn’t one to meddle in every situation. Besides, following an Immortal Master might not be a bad outcome.

Moreover, this was the way of Southern Wilderness.

This was a strengthened version of Mingwu City.

Everyone in the city seemed madly obsessed with becoming an Immortal Master.

Those with money hardened their bodies, following the traditional Heart Lamp route for Martial Artists. The less fortunate used a potential-enhancing technique which mostly resulted in death from Life Force depletion, yet many still died practicing it each year.

Of course, the deaths were too tragic, so most stuck to the first path.

Immortal Masters lorded above, all must give way to them.

This fueled the desire for everyone to become Immortal Masters while opening paths to ascend, making Immortal Master status accessible to everyone.

Thus, much like Jiang Ming’s previous life of internal competition, Immortal Masters would multiply.

Yet, becoming an Immortal Master still had thresholds, not everyone could rise suddenly in stature.

Though this stimulated enthusiasm, it also morphed the Southern Wilderness’s social environment into gradual sickness.

"The resources supporting Southern Wilderness cities are..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Even with a large city like Mingwu City, under normal circumstances, the number of Martial Artists wouldn’t be too high. Mingwu City had ’blood oxen’ enabling Martial Artist numbers to swell, yet Immortal Masters were still scarce.

Black Sea City’s resources were evidently fewer than Mingwu City’s, yet it had many more Immortal Masters.

"From those evil presences’ blood in the far south?"

Jiang Ming slightly sniffed and entered a sect’s premises.

Like it was his own home, Jiang Ming walked past numerous disciples, picked up a bottle of pills from the shelves, and sniffed it closely.

He probed his Divine Sense within.

Black particles, still black particles.

Besides, it had a strong bloody scent and some herbal aroma.

These pills were crafted from evil presences’ blood mixed with auxiliary herbs.

If consumed, it greatly boosted cultivation, benefiting not just Qi-Blood, but even the Heart Lamp.