Long Wei stepped into the teleportation array with Long Xiao Chong, skillfully casting a spell to activate it.
Teleportation arrays were rare on the Eastern Continent, but in the Demon Realm, they were commonplace, the usual method for long-distance travel.
A familiar sense of dizziness washed over them. The two closed their eyes, stabilized their mana, and allowed a force to propel them into the boundless void.
However, at that very moment, a violent tearing sensation surged, nearly ripping Long Xiao Chong’s body apart.
Fortunately, Long Wei intervened, narrowly preserving his body.
“Disaster! We’ve been caught in a spatial乱流!” Long Wei exclaimed.
Teleportation arrays were spatial formations. A miscalculation during teleportation could easily lead to being swept into spatial turbulence.
In their Demon Realm, teleportation array technology was extremely mature. Teleportation errors were considered mere legends, less likely than choking on one’s food.
But their luck today was terrible, encountering such an unfortunate event.
“Hold onto me!”
In this moment of crisis, Lord Long Wei displayed a degree of responsibility. He instructed Long Xiao Chong to hold onto his waist, while he channeled all his demonic energy to resist the spatial turbulence.
This spatial turbulence was like a colossal meat grinder, continuously tearing, crushing, stretching, and distorting everything caught within it.
As expected of a Void Refining expert, Long Wei conjured a dense barrier of demonic energy around himself, firmly protecting them.
This barrier was continuously shattered by the spatial turbulence, only to reform.
...
The demon rebellion on the Eastern Continent had been preliminarily quelled. The humans who had been forced to relocate to small islands in the Eastern Sea were now returning.
Upon returning to their homeland, they were greeted by a scene of devastation.
However, the humans of the Eastern Continent possessed a great advantage: their vitality was as tenacious as wild grass. With even a sliver of soil, they could take root, sprout, and multiply.
But now, all the humans were filled with renewed vigor, determined to rebuild their homes from the ruins.
As for the depletion of spiritual energy, that was a matter to be addressed later. The immediate priority was the severe shortage of people; increasing the population was paramount.
The Eastern Continent had once boasted billions of inhabitants. After the demons’ rampage, only ten to twenty million remained.
These remaining ten to twenty million were all cultivators, with virtually no mortals.
Cultivators generally had lower fertility rates and desires compared to mortals, with countless remaining single their entire lives.
Some even went to extremes, abstaining from romantic relationships for hundreds or thousands of years for the sake of cultivating certain techniques or for other peculiar reasons.
An ordinary mortal couple, with ample resources and food, could produce hundreds of offspring within a century.
A cultivator might spend a hundred years in seclusion, and even when free, they wouldn’t focus on producing hundreds of descendants within a couple of centuries.
If the population could not grow, the human race on the Eastern Continent faced the risk of extinction.
Xiao Fei was powerless in this regard. Cultivators valued freedom and were quite independent in their thinking, making them difficult to sway.
He could only gather the remaining ordinary mortals, numbering about a hundred thousand.
This was likely the first time in the history of human cultivation that the number of cultivators far exceeded that of ordinary mortals.
These mortals were now treated like rare animals. They were provided with generous living conditions, encouraged to spend their days idly and focus on procreation.
The slogans were: “Men’s kidneys must not rest, and women’s bellies must not be empty.”
Other cultivators were overseeing these matters. Xiao Fei, meanwhile, had been preoccupied with how to acquire spirit stones.
He needed to attain greater strength and advance to the Soul Transformation realm.
Although the demons had been defeated and driven back, the passage to the Demon Realm still existed. Who knew if the demons might return?
Furthermore, if his strength were sufficient, he wished to personally visit the Demon Realm. One couldn’t simply endure being bullied; revenge should be sought whenever an opportunity arose.
With the spiritual energy on the Eastern Continent depleted and no spirit stones available, he had to turn his gaze towards the vast and resource-rich Eastern Sea.
The demon races of the Eastern Sea had also suffered immense losses in the recent war, their vitality greatly depleted.
However, their losses were primarily in manpower; their resources remained largely unaffected.
Dr. Xiao’s reputation was highly regarded among the Eastern Sea demon races. Today, he personally visited the Black Flood Dragon clan of the Eastern Sea, receiving a warm welcome from their clan leader.
“The esteemed Dr. Xiao’s visit brings great honor to my humble abode!”
“Please, take the honored seat!”
“You are too kind, fellow Daoist!”
Xiao Fei settled into a large jade chair. Several young sea demons had already brought forth spiritual fruits and tea.
“Dr. Xiao, please try these. They are spiritual fruits and teas unique to our Eastern Sea, and their taste is quite good.”
Xiao Fei picked up a spiritual fruit, popped it into his mouth, and chewed it carefully. The texture was excellent.
“Good! Very good!”
“If Dr. Xiao likes them, I shall send you several hundred catties when you depart.”
The Black Flood Dragon clan leader said with great generosity. Xiao Fei knew these spiritual fruits were precious, sold by the piece in the market.
“Thank you, fellow Daoist! I heard that you sustained some injuries in the recent battle. How is your condition now?”
Fearing the Black Flood Dragon clan leader might harbor other intentions, Xiao Fei quickly added,
“I happen to have some healing pills on hand, which might be of use to you, fellow Daoist.”
The Black Flood Dragon clan was one of the powerful clans in the Eastern Sea, but in the recent battle, they had suffered countless casualties, with many members crippled.
The demon races of the Eastern Sea had made significant contributions and paid a heavy price in the war against the demons.
The Black Flood Dragon clan leader’s interest was immediately piqued. Not only he, but many of his kin had also sustained injuries that had yet to heal.
Some injuries were so severe that they could never recover without top-tier healing pills.
Since Xiao Fei was known as Dr. Xiao, and humans were skilled in alchemy, he might possess such top-tier healing pills.
“Thank you for your concern, Dr. Xiao. I am indeed injured, but it is an injury that only the most top-tier healing pills can cure.”
The Black Flood Dragon clan leader looked at Xiao Fei with anticipation.
“Indeed, I happen to have such pills.”
“May I ask if the Black Flood Dragon clan leader has ever heard of ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs?”
“Hiss~~”
Upon hearing this, the Black Flood Dragon clan leader’s pupils contracted, and he couldn’t help but gasp several times.
“You possess ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs!”
At this moment, the Black Flood Dragon clan leader even harbored a wicked thought, wanting to keep Dr. Xiao there.
Every time a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb appeared, it would trigger a chaotic battle within the cultivation world, resulting in rivers of blood.
However, this thought was fleeting. Xiao Fei’s reputation among the human race was immense, and such an act might ignite a war between the human race and the Eastern Sea demon races.
The Eastern Sea demon races were in urgent need of recuperation and were not in a state to engage in another large-scale conflict; they could not afford further turmoil.
Moreover, since Xiao Fei had brought it up himself, it implied an intention to trade.
If something could be bought with money, why resort to violent robbery, which would also cost many lives?
Xiao Fei glanced at the Black Flood Dragon clan leader’s reaction, which was exactly as he had anticipated. He smiled slightly.
“Indeed, in the last battle against the demons, I was fortunate enough to obtain a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb and refined it into healing pills.”
“May I ask what conditions Dr. Xiao requires to transfer the healing pills in his possession?
As long as Dr. Xiao names them, all the clans of the Eastern Sea will do their utmost to fulfill them.”
The Black Flood Dragon clan leader, sensing hope, eagerly inquired, his heart already prepared for a significant expenditure.
“Fellow Daoists of the Eastern Sea and I recently fought side-by-side, defeating the invading demons. We share a bond of comradeship.
How could I possibly ask for precious treasures from my fellow Daoists of the Eastern Sea!
Fellow Daoist only needs to purchase them with a small amount of spirit stones.”
The Black Flood Dragon clan leader was surprised by Xiao Fei’s simple request. Everyone knew the Eastern Sea was rich in resources, making this almost a free giveaway.
“Dr. Xiao truly possesses great integrity! We cannot wait!”
At this moment, the Black Flood Dragon clan leader was deeply moved. In the current cultivation world, such righteous and loyal cultivators were rare indeed.