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

Chapter 572 - 571: Spoils of War

Jiang Yuan let out a cold snort and said no more.

Some things are better left unsaid; intelligent people will remove the mysterious soul fragments within themselves, completing their own souls, and refrain from attending demonic gatherings, naturally avoiding more danger.

If someone doesn’t learn a lesson from such experiences, it can only be described as natural selection at work.

He managed to scare and intimidate the mortals with the terrifying appearance of his exoskeleton armor, easily deterring everyone present, while Gao Ye wiped cold sweat nervously, standing quietly in line, waiting to be dealt with.

"Huh? My Yang Energy was absorbed? Why can’t I feel it?" Wang Dazhi was skeptical.

He couldn’t understand how the Wanxian Sect, so good and without any entry barrier, allowing anyone to join, and even providing rice and flour for its members, could be a place for evil spirits to absorb Yang Energy?

Gazing at the corpse of Sect Leader Lu from afar, Wang Dazhi furrowed his brows even more tightly, for this was a venue granted with a skill by the Fox Immortal, a venue of an immortal, how could it not handle an invading monster?

Logically speaking, with the place being attacked, the immortal should intervene. Ordering a Daoist child to descend and fight the monster for three hundred rounds would be a perfect time for the Wanxian Sect to gain fame.

Everything about today’s incident seemed strange, and though Wang Dazhi couldn’t understand it, the monster was too terrifying, so he could only obediently stand in line, letting the others deal with him.

If there was any sensation, it was that the constant feeling of never being full suddenly vanished, though nothing else was noticeable.

By the time Wang Dazhi was allowed to leave, he had come to a realization—while the Wanxian Sect was good, the Sect Leader’s power was too weak to fight the monster. Since the monster dared to come knocking, perhaps it was supported by another immortal, hence the threat not to believe in other sects lightly.

Tsk, tsk, as the saying goes, when immortals fight, mortals suffer.

Wang Dazhi thought that mortals only don’t want to live an ordinary life and merely wish to seek a path to immortality, what’s wrong with that? Can you control my thoughts when you control the heavens and earth?

In the future, if one seeks immortality and the Dao, it’s best to first look at a sect’s strength, like the Wanxian Sect which lacks even the opportunity for resistance is indeed too weak.

"Gao Ye, if you lack affinity with immortality, do not force it, or destiny will bear the consequences, ultimately harming others and yourself." Jiang Yuan, after multiple checks, confirmed there were no remaining stragglers, only then did he extract the fragment from the City Lord’s body, advising, "As a court official governing this city, doing practical deeds for the country and people is itself the path to accumulating merit and virtue, yet you’ve forsaken the essential and pursued the trivial, repeatedly erring. My words end here, consider carefully your future path yourself!"

He abruptly leaned down, staring at Gao Ye with a massive and terrifying skull, ominously saying, "Don’t wait until you reach Hell to regret it, for then it will be too late."

"Yes, yes, yes! I know I’ve done wrong!" At this moment, Gao Ye seemed to see scenes of Hell through the hollow darkness of the skull, his face turning pale as he nodded vigorously, "Thank you, Immortal Master, for your guidance. I will no longer pursue the affinity with immortality. I, I will immediately address and deal with those fraudsters and reform the city for the benefit of the people to become a good official!"

Jiang Yuan waved his hand signaling him to leave, then ordered the Yu Hu warriors to retrieve the Holy Stone of the Green-eyed Fox Race from the pavilion at the top of the Golden Tower.

[Celestial Chess Stone: A piece from the Celestial Realm bestowed by an immortal of the Green-eyed Fox Race, once a means of communication between the Celestial Realm and the Green-eyed Fox Race. After tens of thousands of years of worship and faith by the race, it initially developed spiritual intelligence but faced the catastrophe of the collapsing heavens and earth, drifting in the void until its intelligence was exhausted, it landed in the Human World. An excellent material for artifact refining, it can be used for the forging and upgrading of the Chaotic Heaven Bell.]

Having confiscated the "Divine Statue" offered by Lu Erxi and placed the Spirit Testing Disc into the storage bag, he then retracted the Yu Hu warriors and executed the Demon Seal Escape to vanish from Wan’en Temple.

A moment later, Jiang Yuan, having shed the exoskeleton armor, re-entered the city, found a tea stall to sit and rest while leisurely inspecting the spoils.

After the first battle with the mysterious, he could feel the system’s annoyance with these entities, from the rewards previously given like the Great Wilderness Heart Scripture to the capture net and the Soul Hook, it seemed meticulously tailored to utterly dismantle the mysterious.

More interestingly, starting from the confiscation of the Flame Rat leader’s storage bag in the Wilderness World, any seized storage bags would require some time before they could be opened.

Only this beautiful storage ring of the Green-eyed Fox Clan Leader required no waiting countdown and could be immediately opened and inspected.

[Illusionary Charm Technique: A Heavenly Level low-level cultivation technique. Specialized cultivation technique for the Fox Race possessing a Charm Technique Spirit Root, requiring cultivation from the outside-in through layers. The practitioner, from the initial alluring appearance to an overall change in energy and vitality, becomes so charming and engaging in every movement, that beings of any race or gender would willingly submit, achieving victory without combat.]

[Jade Ruyi: An item enhanced by special energy in the Ghost Realm, classified as a First Grade Spiritual Artifact, can be used to complement the Illusionary Charm Technique.]

[Ice Soul Profound Gold Sword: A First Grade Spirit Sword enhanced by special energy in the Ghost Realm, slightly tainted and unusable, can be decomposed into materials at the Treasure Forging Workshop for weapon upgrades.]

......

After reviewing them one by one, most magical treasures and spiritual artifacts inside the storage ring brought by Jing Peiran were somewhat tainted and could only be decomposed at the Treasure Forging Workshop. This way, top-tier materials could be accumulated for upgrading the Long Spear, which could be forged into a rather decent flying sword.

Last time I went to Chenxi Valley of the ancient top ten sects to deliver peaches, the Supreme Elder Chen Mingxuan had him comprehend Sword Intent at Wan Jian Peak. Now, there are still 18 points of Sword Intent left unused on the interface. According to the system’s detailed instructions, once the weapon is upgraded to a sword, these Sword Intent points can be used to increase either skill points or attack power.

However, decomposing the long spear into materials and then forging it into a treasure sword takes a bit of time; it’s better to prioritize upgrading the more handy Chaotic Heaven Bell.

After all, being a Divine Artifact, upgrading it by one level will significantly enhance its power, whether it is used as a shield, for smashing foes, or temporarily detaining enemies, it proves very practical.

"The Fox Race’s exclusive Charm Technique can only be used by those with special Spirit Roots, so Hu Zhile is ruled out, as she has an Earth Spirit Root and can’t cultivate it." Jiang Yuan thought of the gossip-loving little fox and pondered that he should hurry home to see what her Spirit Root is. If she can cultivate it, what a great thing that would be!

Just think about it; she’s already good at gossip and gathering information. After spending one night at Pavilion Master Cang’s place, she almost dug out the secrets. If she had the charm augmentation, she might even be attractive to both genders... that would be incredible.

He circled around and found two target individuals to whom he passed on the "Demon Suppression Scripture." Jiang Yuan then went to the inn to call Yun Mo and prepare for heading back home.

Aside from the tasks involving Plant Spirit Roots that can be completed with an Acceleration Card, the other two are long-term tasks that shouldn’t be rushed. After wandering around so much, it’s still best to return to the Celestial Sword Sect to check on the apprentice’s situation and complete the side quests before heading home quickly.

Although there is a courtyard communicator that can control everything remotely in the courtyard, he still misses his peaceful little courtyard terribly.

Moreover, having reached Level Six, he promised to buy scenic items for the Bluebird to encourage faster cultivation;

If Miss Hu Jiu can cultivate Charm Techniques, gifting her a Heavenly Level Cultivation Technique and a First Grade Spiritual Artifact, the Jade Ruyi, would mean that at the very least, from now on, the two sisters would definitely be bound to the little courtyard’s interests. They would surely be of great use in the future.

If Miss Hu Jiu doesn’t have the Fox Race’s special Spirit Root, then there’s no alternative but to toss it into storage to gather dust for now.

"Thanks to you, Wan Li!" Wan Mingchuan lay on the wide back of the Ice-winged Eagle, expressing his lingering fear: "I was already very cautious, who would have known it was an illusion here, a step into thin air almost cost me my life!"

He thought, with grandfather’s strategy in hand, entering the Secret Realm should be less troublesome and more successful.

What he never expected was that, even with the greatest help of a simplified map, it merely prevented him from easily entering a futile Mirror Secret Realm and alerted him not to be lured away by minor skirmishes outside, but to go deeper inside to find the Divine Sword. Aside from that, he had to explore the perilous path the rest of the way.

Just like before, Wan Mingchuan had barely managed to kill a small demon beast blocking his path. Once he relaxed, he stepped into an illusion, nearly falling off a cliff to his death. Fortunately, he was no longer the foolish mountain village boy of the past, and at the critical moment tried to save himself and incredibly managed to summon the flying mount, Wan Li.

Spreading his wings, Wan Li caught him steadily, narrowly avoiding disaster.

"I don’t know how it happened either. While cultivating, I suddenly had a feeling, as if I heard the young master’s summoning, and subsequently appeared here," Wan Li replied while riding the wind, "Since I’ve been summoned into the Secret Realm, I’ll accompany you in exploring. At least having an assistant can make it somewhat safer."

Wan Mingchuan felt more assured in his heart, anyway since Sect Leader Fang announced when entering the Secret Realm that fate determines life and death, being able to summon a flying mount to help can be seen as a life-preserving skill given by his master, and it’s the perfect chance to cultivate a tacit understanding with Wan Li.

The enormous Ice-winged Eagle glided over the mountains and rivers, casting a shadow, flying according to directions towards denser forests in search of the next landmark.

Three days in the Secret Realm passed in a flash. After enduring innumerable hardships, when finally standing in front of the Divine Sword, Wan Mingchuan felt somewhat disappointed—a rusty Giant Sword, its former glory gone.

It lay lifelessly in the deepest chamber of the Secret Realm, lacking even a scabbard, with time carving thick marks on the blade, making it hard to believe this piece of scrap iron-like object was once the Celestial Flying Sword.

"Puff!"

Wan Mingchuan stepped forward, grabbed the Giant Sword, and immediately, many particles, possibly either dust or rust, fell off. It felt quite heavy but lacked any Spiritual Energy.

"Throughout the journey, the Secret Realm didn’t have much Spiritual Power, and the risks posed by the demon beasts and plants weren’t high. I think perhaps it’s because this world’s Spiritual Energy has dissipated for too long, causing the Secret Realm’s Spiritual Power to deplete," Wan Li observed and analyzed, "Whether cultivator or Divine Artifact, Spiritual Energy is the fundamental reliance.

Without Spiritual Energy, cultivators lose replenishment and will turn into mortals, aging, and dying faster than even regular humans;

Divine Artifacts, over the long years, will lose all their power as their Spiritual Energy dissipates, becoming no different from ordinary items. However, it is a Divine Sword after all, there might be hidden mysteries, since we are here we might as well bring it back for the master to have a look. He’s experienced, who knows, he might be able to restore the Divine Sword!"

Wan Mingchuan sighed, "That’s all we can do, hopefully, it can still be useful, otherwise this trip would be too disappointing with nothing gained."

His companion answered with a laugh, "How could there be nothing gained? Everything experienced in the Secret Realm is valuable. Besides, I can already sense the Spiritual Power flowing within you, constantly battling until exhaust, consuming Elixirs, and absorbing Spiritual Energy—perhaps upon leaving the Secret Realm, you might face Thunder Tribulation and ascend in Realm!"