The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 43: The Failed Southwest Spirit Stone Mining Project

While Professor Mu Tian was teaching cultivation techniques and conducting Chuandao across the globe, sending countless ordinary people into a frenzy of excitement, a series of perilous scenes were unfolding in the Southwest of Huaxia. Gigantic beasts roared and bellowed, their massive bodies as large as small mountains. Radiance shimmered across their forms as they charged headlong toward the tanks ahead, utterly unafraid of life or death. Flesh and blood pitted against steel behemoths! In the past, such a scene might have been unimaginable, yet now it was happening—and what was even more terrifying was that the colossal beasts were actually winning. Tanks—humankind’s formidable weapons of war, renowned for their astonishing defensive capabilities—were being mercilessly trampled under the beasts’ hooves. “Boom! The explosions of shells rang out ceaselessly, accompanied by the giant beast’s anguished roars and howls. Bullets, shells, tanks, helicopters... A tidal wave of giant beasts... Both sides were locked in fierce combat! The human army kept retreating, driven by the flood of behemoths all the way from deep within the mountains to the outskirts, continuing to advance toward the plains—and was now on the verge of reaching the nearest cities. With the enemy at the city gates, the torrent of behemoths surged like a tidal wave, devouring everything in its path. “Hold the line! We must keep these beasts outside the city and hold out until the civilians have been safely evacuated!” For the people living outside the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southwest, this moment felt like the end of the world: countless mutated beasts and spirit beasts of terrifying might swept in, threatening everyone’s lives. On the human side, however, they had not given up resisting the beast tide. The army and human warriors fought fiercely in a bloodbath, fending off wave after wave of attacks. In the human command camp, a group of imposing human warriors—some seated, some standing—were discussing countermeasures. If one were to look closely at those present, their identities would surely astonish anyone. Venerable Deming of Donglin Temple, Professor Cha of Tianhai Cultivator Academy, Liu Hansu of the Oriental Pearl, Long Fei—the Chosen One, Wuxinzi, the great master of the Daoist sect, and Ruan Jingwei, head of the Ruan family... Every single one before them was a being who had transcended the Meridian Condensation Realm—legendary Divine Perception Realm powerhouses standing at the very pinnacle of humanity. Yet even these figures at the apex of their respective realms could not hide their despondency and concern at this moment. “The depths of the Great Mountains are rich in spiritual energy. These spirit beasts and wild animals are used to a life of luxury; they likely won’t take much interest in our barren wasteland. If we hold them off for a few waves, these beasts will gradually disperse.” “Ah, we had planned to advance into the Hundred Thousand Mountains to develop spiritual resources, but we’ve gotten off to a bad start. We haven’t even begun, and already we’re being chased and attacked by spirit beasts—we’re completely powerless to fight back.” “By the Boundless Heavenly Lord! The spirit beasts have truly awakened to sentience—their intelligence rivals that of us humans. They occupy these sacred, hidden realms and are far too powerful. This humble monk was chased by a winged spirit tiger for half a day and nearly lost my life.” “Yes, they’re far too powerful. The spiritual beasts in the Hundred Thousand Mountains are truly terrifying. What we’ve encountered is merely the tip of the iceberg. We thought we stood at the forefront of the world, but it turns out the spiritual beasts are… and beyond them lie even more terrifying divine beasts. Where will we humans go from here?” Ruan Jingwei’s words left the entire hall in silence—so quiet you could hear a pin drop. In a small office compound in the Imperial Capital. The room was simply and modestly furnished, lined with various documents and files, without a trace of opulence or luxury. An elderly man sat upright at his desk, holding an ordinary fountain pen in his hand. The desk was covered with papers, and he appeared to be hard at work. However, the elderly man holding the pen had not put it to paper for quite some time. His gaze was not fixed on the documents on the desk; instead, he was lost in thought, staring out the window. His furrowed brow made the wrinkles on his face even more pronounced, as if they were expressing the sorrow and unease in his heart. The resource development project in the Southwest’s Hundred-Thousand Mountains had been underway for only three days, yet the troubles had been unending. First, the project got off to a bad start: several survey teams were dispatched but all met with disaster, vanishing without a trace in the vast Ten-Ten-Thousand Mountains. Immediately afterward, a large contingent of powerful warriors led an expedition into the mountains only to encounter formidable spirit beasts, emerging with a hard-fought victory at the cost of significant casualties. After many twists and turns, they finally located a massive Spirit Stone Mine. Just as the earlier surveys had indicated, it was a vast deposit rich in resources, with vast quantities of spirit stones hidden deep within the mountains. Both the Spirit Stone Mines and the accompanying spirit-infused minerals were truly astonishing. This discovery sent shockwaves through the group and filled them with enthusiasm, but it also marked the beginning of a catastrophe. Just as the humans were preparing to launch a large-scale operation to establish the Spirit Stone Mine, countless mutated beasts and spirit beasts surged frantically out of the mountains, relentlessly attacking the humans and driving them out. The humans suffered heavy losses! Even human warriors who had surpassed the Pulse Condensation Realm could not gain the upper hand against spirit beasts of the same level; they were forced to retreat in disarray. The spirit beasts, seizing the opportunity, surged out of the mountains, threatening human cities. Thinking of this, the old man would often sigh. The rise and fall of over a billion people rested entirely on their decisions; every step was like walking on thin ice, for they feared that a single misstep could make them sinners. The current development of the Southwest was no exception. Intelligence officers had previously investigated conditions deep within the mountains across the country, and the findings sent a chill down the old man’s spine. Spirit beasts whose intelligence rivaled that of humans, a natural cultivation environment rich in spiritual energy, an abundance of various resources... there was even no shortage of spirit beasts guarding the ancestral steles... On the old man’s desk, a photograph was prominently displayed in the most conspicuous spot. In the photo, a heritage stele stood tall, surrounded by a group of spirit beasts lying quietly prostrate around it, their expressions one of deep contemplation and reflection... “If we don’t act quickly, the future will truly be a terrifying world. How will we humans possibly withstand these spiritual beasts that are on the rise...” The issue at hand is no longer about nations versus nations, or conquest versus subjugation; it concerns the survival of our race and the future of humanity. “But how are we supposed to act?” The old man flipped through the various reports on the development of the Southwest lying on the table, one after another. Not a single one put his mind at ease; each report was so shocking it sent a chill down one’s spine. A cloud of gloom hung over him, refusing to lift! Just as the old man was frowning deeply, his face etched with worry, someone came to report to him. “What’s happened now? Have the spirit beasts retreated from the border cities in the Southwest?” “They have! I was just about to report this to you. Our such-and-such Army Group...” A few minutes later, the messenger briefed the old man on the latest battle developments. After listening to the report, the old man let out a sigh of relief and said, “Thankfully, the civilian population wasn’t endangered—that’s a blessing in disguise. Is there anything else to report?” “Commander, on the internet...” The old man waved his hand dismissively. “Ah, when we make mistakes, we always have to accept criticism. Let them say what they will.” “No! Commander, that’s not what I’m reporting to you. Just watch this video and you’ll see. Online, while the events in the Southwest have spread widely and caused quite a stir, no one has the time or energy to worry about anything else right now...” The old man took the person’s phone and played the video. The next moment, a young man who looked like a teacher came into the old man’s view.