Huh? Isn't this an adventure kingdom building game?!

Chapter 1028 - 859: A Deal with the Demon Realm

This arrangement was truly sincere, and Jiang Yuan gladly accepted it.

The only problem was that he wouldn’t get paid until the beginning of next month, which meant he had to wait for a little over half a month. Furthermore, the Demon Realm Alliance is the largest organization in the entire Wilderness World, surpassing even the world’s top five hundred companies, so they must be formidable.

He wondered how long it would take to shut down the alliance, and if he could break his previous record of not lasting three months in any job.

[Side Quest: Collective Ascension]

[Task 1: Successfully obtain a position within the Demon Realm Alliance, regardless of rank. Completed. Reward: Celestial Melodies Music Box Blueprint +1 issued]

[Task 2: Within one month, uncover the details of the collective ascension plan. Reward: Universal Divine Artifact Upgrade Card +1]

[Universal Divine Artifact Upgrade Card: Can be used on any artifact identified as a divine artifact by the system, whether crafted in the Lower Realm or a Supreme Divine Artifact from the Upper Realm, regardless of model or level.]

[Note: This card allows a one-time specific energy infusion into a divine artifact but does not guarantee an absolute upgrade. Different models, versions, and levels of divine artifacts require different amounts of energy for upgrading. Individual differences exist; it may result in a three-level jump or fail to upgrade. Please be advised.]

When Jiang Yuan received the Director’s badge, the system finally indicated task completion and presented Task 2.

"Mr. Jiang is generous, and although he doesn’t care about the reward for eliminating inner demons, as a cultivator, I must adhere to the Heavenly Dao Laws and not take advantage for free," Du Li pondered. "I just heard that sir lacks spirit medicine and heavenly materials and earthly treasures. How about this: I will accept the initial shock therapy every day to suppress the inner demons, and every month, you can select any item you fancy from my personal collection. What do you think?"

As he spoke, he waved his wide sleeves, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall rapidly dispersed its clouds, revealing a steep cliff within the painting.

Whether it was the painting enlarging or the cliff approaching was unclear, but in an instant, a wide opening appeared on the wall of the quiet room. Inside, many basketball-sized luminous pearls were hanging, further illuminating the heavenly materials and earthly treasures placed within the cave, making them glisten brilliantly.

[Meteorite: An energy body from a collapsed world. Formed from the essence of heaven and earth after enduring the void and world barrier tests. Can be used to upgrade the Divine Mountain Statue]

At a glance, Jiang Yuan spotted a familiar, unremarkable, gray, pitted stone in the corner, identical to the one he had seen in Miss Qi’s treasure trove!

Honestly, besides the hassle of going back and forth, hitting someone with the Demon-Subduing Pestle every day didn’t cost him anything. Instead, he could explore the tactile sensation and strength needed to eliminate inner demons.

First, Du Li had arranged an internal position in the alliance for him, earning a salary without doing anything every month. Second, one shouldn’t be too greedy; selecting a suitable piece once a month was enough.

The third and most important point—meteorites were rare, and even the system rewards had never offered them. Encountering one was a treasure money couldn’t buy, so he should be content!

"Sir truly has sharp eyes; this item is fascinating," Du Li praised when he noticed Jiang Yuan’s instant interest in the meteorite, without even glancing at the other treasures. "This was acquired a thousand years ago while I strolled around West Feather Mountain and sensed a peculiar energy fluctuation.

Soon, I spotted a meteor streaking across the sky. Believing a great treasure was emerging, I chased after it and obtained this ordinary-looking stone.

Intriguingly, I invited many friends to appreciate it after bringing it back. Everyone could sense its uniqueness, yet nobody, including several renowned treasure appraisers, could determine its origin or use.

Even bringing a ninth-grade artifact refiner from the otherworld couldn’t refine it using his abnormal fire. Many dao friends offered hefty sums to purchase it, but I declined them all, not expecting it to be useful today."

He offered the meteorite with both hands and inquired, "Could you enlighten me on its origin and use? Firstly, to solve my longstanding curiosity; secondly, if you find it useful, I could have alliance members throughout the Wilderness World search for other meteorites."

There was no need to keep the meteorite’s origin confidential, so Jiang Yuan explained according to the system’s appraisal details: "This item isn’t particularly rare; it’s the remnant energy of a collapsing world.

However, its unique experience of drifting and settling in the void, followed by a fortuitous fusion at a world barrier, imbues it with the essence of heaven and earth. As for its use..."

He thought for a moment and chuckled, "It can be used to fuse and repair a very special divine artifact. Currently, to my knowledge, its use is limited to this."

Indeed! Mr. Jiang possessed quite a few divine artifacts, but they all needed repairs.

The rarity of materials required for repairs was such that, without serendipity, finding even one piece might take a hundred years or more. No wonder there was some disdain for the damaged divine artifacts; repairs are indeed a challenging undertaking.

Having paid this month’s fee for being struck, Du Li felt much lighter at heart.

Jiang Yuan, seeing him back to normal, eagerly asked, "Alliance Leader Du, how do you feel? How many strikes can you endure in one day?"

"Huh? Isn’t once a day enough?" He shuddered inwardly, as the pain that had just subsided seemed to start aching again.

"Once a day would mean it would take even longer, as I don’t know if your inner demon will self-recover. Naturally, the more strikes you can endure, the better," Jiang Yuan thought to himself. Even He Miancun, a girl, could endure four strikes a day. You’re a dignified Tribulation Crossing Realm cultivator, only able to withstand one strike?

Isn’t that too fragile?

Upon hearing that the inner demon might self-recover, Du Li’s briefly lightened mood turned heavy once more.

Getting hit really hurt! Just thinking about it made his liver tremble.