Chapter 3428: Hundred Grasses Domain

"The Chamber of Commerce that Seraph Yi leads is from one of the thirty-six domains, the Great Domain. As the Chamber of Commerce developed and Senior Yi Shang’s status rose, the Great Domain became one of the top domains among the thirty-six. Similarly, some of the other places that you’ve heard of, such as Heavenspire, are also from the thirty-six domains. The same is true of the Primal Beastland and the Gate of Laws, which are also part of these domains."

Old Tao drew a star chart of the Spirit Nidus and pointed out

Boundless’s

current location.

Lu Yin pointed to where the top and bottom sections of the "灵" character intersected, which corresponded to the top of the “火” section. "Is there a domain here?"

Old Tao nodded. "That is the Hundred Grasses Domain. It is in the general center of the Spirit Nidus, connecting the upper and lower regions.

"The High Seraph resides in the Ascendant Hall’s Apex Palace, right? Since all thirty-six domains belong to the Ascendant Hall, where does the High Seraph stay?"

"The High Seraph doesn’t have a specific domain, and the Apex Palace is the Apex Palace. It governs the thirty-six domains, but it exists in a separate parallel universe that actually lies above the Spirit Transformation Universe. It’s also connected to the thirty-six parallel universes, but its spirit threads are called minor spirit threads. Similarly, they also form the 灵 (Spirit) character."

Yuan Qi stared at Old Tao. "How do you know this?"

Old Tao respectfully answered, "Senior, you’ve been gone from the Spirit Nidus for too long. Many of the rules have changed. In your time, entry to the Apex Palace was forbidden, except for the High Seraph and the Seven Seraphs. Others needed special permission, and no one was allowed to speak of the Apex Palace.

"Over time, more and more people learned about the Apex Palace, and somehow or other, some details were leaked. This led to much of the Spirit Nidus learning about it.

"Moreover, when I became a deputy city lord of Beacon City, I had the fortune to enter the Apex Palace along with the other two deputies."

Yuan Qi understood and ceased his questions.

"Tell me more about the Hundred Grasses Domain," Lu Yin ordered. He quite liked its central location. This would make it convenient for people from all across the Spirit Nidus to reach them.

Old Tao said, "There’s nothing special about the Hundred Grasses Domain. It’s been declining for quite some time, to the point where there have been recent rumors about abolishing the domain and replacing it with another parallel universe."

"Is the Hundred Grasses Domain declining? Since when?" Yuan Qi asked in surprise.

He recalled the Hundred Grasses Domain as being extremely prosperous.

Old Tao explained again, "When you were last here, Senior, the Hundred Grasses Domain was indeed flourishing, and it was all thanks to the marvels of their Hundred Grasses. However, due to one person and one comment, the domain was ruined. It’s never recovered, and it now faces the prospect of being replaced."

"This has something to do with the High Seraph, doesn’t it?" Yuan Qi asked.

Old Tao nodded. "The person responsible is named Yu Shan. He is a disciple of the High Seraph, and he made the comment..."

Lu Yin did not interrupt and simply listened quietly. A domain that had been targeted by the High Seraph and had since fallen into complete decline? It was perfect.

The Hundred Grasses Domain was founded upon the Hundred Grasses Universe, which was a remarkable universe in the Spirit Nidus. The most amazing aspect of the universe was its Hundred Grasses.

The Hundred Grasses was not a collection of a hundred different grasses, but rather a single plant that was called “Hundred Grasses.” However, each plant had a hundred possible mature variations. When the plant first sprouted, no one could predict what its mature form would be, but each variation was very beneficial to cultivators, each in their own way.

When the Hundred Grasses Domain first appeared, countless cultivators from all across the Spirit Nidus had flocked to it to obtain some Hundred Grasses for themselves. Finding a mature plant that perfectly suited them was no different from obtaining a heavenly treasure, as it would provide them with immense help. The Hundred Grasses thus propelled the domain to the peak of the thirty-six domains.

There was only one way to obtain the Hundred Grasses: to search through the Hundred Grasses Universe. They grew nowhere else aside from that one universe. On top of that, the Hundred Grasses did not remain stationary, moving about while growing. On average, a cultivator would need about five years to find a plant, and then it would take some more time for the plant to fully mature.

Each plant had a hundred possible mature variations, but the chance of a person finding a Hundred Grasses that perfectly suited themselves was quite slim. Fortunately, each plant could grow six leaves, which meant that whoever found it would have six chances. If the matured plant was not suitable for the person who had found it, they could simply trim the leaf, and another would grow in its place. Each cycle took roughly five years between clipping and full maturation.

Thus, it took about thirty years for the plant to mature all six times. Given the different paths that each Spirit Nidus cultivator took, it was difficult for anyone to find a plant that perfectly suited their cultivation method within the six attempts that were possible. Still, it was still possible to at least find a version of the Hundred Grasses that was somewhat beneficial.

While it might seem like it took a long time to find a plant and wait for it to mature, it was not much for cultivators. While their plant matured, they could go about their business and simply let their Hundred Grass to grow. The Hundred Grasses Domain took care of the plants on behalf of the cultivator who found it, which meant that the only effort they needed to put in was the time searching for a Hundred Grasses.

In the past, many people had significantly increased their strength by using a Hundred Grasses. Their successes had drawn more and more people to the Hundred Grasses Domain, which had used the opportunity to recruit many talented cultivators, and the domain had become incredibly prosperous. The domain had been ruled by a Seraph in the past, and the Hundred Grasses Domain had been peerless. It had been so influential that not even the High Seraph had been able to suppress the domain.

However, the domain had fallen into a state of total decline due to a single person and a single comment.

Yu Shan had gone to the Hundred Grasses Universe and found the seed of a Hundred Grasses which he had then planted. Five years later, the plant matured, but into a variation that would not benefit Yu Shan at all. Normally, people would simply leave the planet, trust that the Hundred Grasses Domain would protect it for free, and then return five years later for another attempt. No one would take another’s Hundred Grasses.

Instead, Yu Shan gave his plant to someone who was perfectly suited for the plant, saying, "Rather than trimming the leaf and waiting thirty years for a chance that something suitable might appear, why not give it to someone else? During those same thirty years, I could find six more Hundred Grasses and have them grow. The probability is the same as trimming a leaf and waiting, but by doing so, I can help five other cultivators.

"With the same amount of time and the same probability, more cultivators can be helped. Isn’t that wonderful?"

After hearing the man’s comment, the High Seraph had appeared in person and praised Yu Shan for his incredible generosity. The man had then been accepted as a disciple and given the name "Yu Shan Tian.”

The person who received the Hundred Grasses was incredibly grateful. After absorbing it, their strength soared, and they even managed to get onto the White Spirit Rankings of their generation. The fact that Yu Shan Tian had been accepted as the High Seraph’s disciple and the other cultivator’s success with the Hundred Grasses both became widely celebrated stories that spread across the entire Spirit Nidus.

Two people had benefited greatly, but their success made life difficult for others who had found more Hundred Grasses.

People did not want to give their own plants away. While waiting five years for their plant to mature, they could pursue other goals or spend their time cultivating. By giving their plant to someone else, they would need to continue searching for more Hundred Grasses, which would waste their own time.

If Yu Shan had simply made a single comment, no one would have cared. Cultivators rarely adhered to ideals of selfless generosity. However, Yu Shan’s comment had earned him the High Seraph’s praise, and the man had become the High Seraph’s disciple as a result, which had placed him in the spotlight. On top of that, his comment was so virtuous that no one could refute it.

Later, someone had trimmed the leaf off of a matured grass that had not suited them, only to be reprimanded by Yu Shan Tian. That person had then been ostracized and eventually committed suicide out of depression. After that incident, no one else dared to search for grass in the Hundred Grasses Universe.

Spending five years searching for a plant that would most likely benefit another person was something that most found to be unbearable. Even selling the mature plant was not acceptable, as people were striving to improve their own strength, not make a profit.

As time passed, people stopped visiting the Hundred Grasses Domain. The Seraph who had ruled over the Hundred Grasses Domain eventually died while fighting in the Consciousness Megaverse. This led to the total decline of the Hundred Grasses Domain.

After Old Tao finished his story, silence reigned aboard

Boundless

for a long time.

Everyone sighed in regret.

After hearing the story, everyone immediately understood that the High Seraph had schemed against the Hundred Grasses Domain in a rather despicable manner. Regardless of whether Yu Shan had acted with sincerity, there was no denying that his words had led to the fall of a domain.

One person and one comment had destroyed an entire domain.

Lu Yin stared off into the distance. The High Seraph was far more insidious than Lu Yin’s expectations. The man was far more than just a paragon of strength.

Yuan Qi sighed. "Back then, the Seraph of the Hundred Grasses Universe didn’t get along with the High Seraph, and the two often clashed. Whenever the Seven Seraphs had a problem with the High Seraph, it was always that Seraph who stood up. I knew that he would meet a bad end, and I was right.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"The High Seraph didn’t take personal action against the Hundred Grasses Domain, but one person and one comment proved to be even more effective. The very thing that gave rise to the domain’s prosperity became the cause of its decline. How ruthless."

The Origin Progenitor went into seclusion. This story offered him a new perspective on the High Seraph. This was an enemy that they needed to be extremely wary of.

"Pillar, try not to disturb me for some time," he said.

Lu Yin nodded in agreement and glanced back at the star chart. "Let’s head to the Hundred Grasses Domain."

It was decided.

Boundless

sailed through the Spirit Nidus’s universes, attracting countless stares as it traveled.

Due to the ongoing war with the Consciousness Megaverse, the Spirit Nidus had a number of battleships, but none could compare to

Boundless

. The vessel was larger than any that belonged to the Spirit Nidus.

As the ship sailed along, many tried to board

Boundless

in order to pay respects to the master of the ship, but

Boundless

ignored everyone. This led to many people becoming irritated and upset, and that dissatisfaction only grew as more people were offended.

"Qi Xue, an elder of the Zhenyu Sect, requests an audience with the master of

Boundless

," a stunningly beautiful woman announced in a polite voice as she stood in front of the battleship.

No one aboard the vessel responded, and

Boundless

simply passed the woman by.

"Nie Yun, eldest son of the Nie family, requests an audience with the master of

Boundless

."

Boundless

passed that man by as well.

"Guan Ting, sect master of the Shangyi Sect, requests an audience with the master of

Boundless

. Please deliver my message."

Boundless

moved on.

"Cangu Yijian[1] requests an audience with the master of

Boundless

."

"Interesting. Cangu Yijian? What the bold name," a voice rang out from

Boundless

. Many people who had been secretly watching the ship focused intently as someone finally received a response.

The Spirit Nidus had never seen a battleship as impressive as

Boundless

. A vessel of this size had to be extraordinary, which was why many people repeatedly sought an audience. Despite no one receiving any response, nobody had dared to openly express their irritation. So, a crowd of people had gradually formed in the shadows.

Speculations ran rampant regarding which faction

Boundless

might belong to. Many thought that the vessel might belong to a Seraph.

In front of

Boundless

, a man with a small mustache was overflowing with pride. Unlike all the others, who had been ignored, his name had elicited a response from the battleship. If word of this spread, would it not show that he surpassed those who had gone before him?

Dozens of factions from various domains had sought an audience with the master of

Boundless

. Many of these organizations were very powerful, and yet only Cangu Yijian had been acknowledged.

On

Boundless

, Old Tao turned to face Ce Wangtian. "The Cleaved Valley Sect is a faction in the Wooden Vein Domain. They are led by a sequence powerhouse who trains in the forty-sixth-ranked sequence techni-"

"It’s only ranked forty-sixth? Don’t bother saying anything else," Ce Wangtian dismissively interrupted the explanation and looked ahead again. "Cangu Yijian, right?"

The mustachioed man nodded calmly and arrogantly. "That’s me."

"You should be called Cangu Yiguaizhang."[2]

The man froze for a moment before flying into a rage.

The people watching the exchange struggled to stifle their laughter. What a savage jab. Cangu was not a name given for a cripple, but rather the Cangu cultivation technique. They were not a weak faction in the Wooden Vein Domain, and their leader was even a sequence powerhouse. Despite that, they had been viciously insulted.

1. 残谷一剑 means One Sword Cleaved Valley. "Cangu" means cleaved valley, and is the name of the man's sect.. ☜

2. Because he's weak, Ce Wangtian is changing the "sword" in the man's name to "crutch." ☜