Chapter 41 Ten Thousand Pills
Inside the cultivation room, Zhong Cai casually remarked as she counted the pills, "Oh? Is the excitement over already?"
Wu Shaogan helped him take inventory and said with a smile, "I heard they'll be setting off tomorrow."
The two were talking about the selection of people to go to the small secret realm in Qianqiao Town.
Although they weren't interested in the so-called secret realm, such a realm was extremely rare and precious for Qianqiao Town. If they were lucky enough to enter it, it could bring great fortune to their families.
However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined; the better something is, the more dangerous it is, and it's unlikely that everyone will emerge unscathed.
After arranging the various pills by grade, Zhong Cai said, "Grandpa's letter said that the business of Qi-replenishing pills and head-protecting pills has started, but it's only just begun. I have so many low-grade pills here. Do you think we should set aside a few to increase the variety of pills over there, or wait a little longer?"
Wu Shaogan pondered for a moment and said, "Let's wait a bit."
·
Four days ago, Sun Hu did indeed send a message.
The letter first congratulated Wu Shaogan on his ability to resume cultivation, and then included several dozen kilograms of second-tier beast jerky and several hundred kilograms of fresh first-tier beast meat.
Undoubtedly, the second-tier gift was a congratulatory gift for Wu Shaogan, while the first-tier gift was a token of affection for his grandson.
The letter mentioned that the West Tiger Group has been doing well recently, although the specific reasons are hard to say, but overall it is much wealthier. The letter assured the grandson that he could rest assured and that he should write to the West Tiger Group if he needed anything.
The letter didn't mention anything else, but Zhong Cai knew very well that his grandfather wanted to talk to him about the elixir, but he only made small talk to avoid the news being leaked after the letter was intercepted.
So Zhong Cai not only wrote a simple letter to thank his grandfather at the time, but also sent Qingkong Puppet to Xihu that night.
Sure enough, when the Azure Sky Puppet returned, it carried a thick letter that had clearly been written beforehand, as well as a bag full of gold.
The letter detailed Xi Hu's current situation.
·
In order to avoid revealing that their grandson was the alchemist who supplied the West Tiger Hunting Group, Sun Hu and Sun Liu were very patient. More than two months after Zhong Cai left the West Tiger Hunting Group, they slowly began to contact other hunting groups and sell the two kinds of pills.
For hunting groups of all sizes, Qi-replenishing pills are a much-needed resource for long hunts, while head-protecting pills can enhance the cohesion of members, making them highly sought after.
Xihu naturally couldn't easily sell at the market price—after all, things are valued for their scarcity, and if they were to sell at the same price as the pill shops when no one else could buy them, wouldn't they look like suckers?
Therefore, Xihu's public statement was that they had paid a considerable price in private to establish this relationship, so in addition to the intrinsic value of the pills, there were additional costs involved.
In short, the high price is to be expected.
Therefore, Xihu offered this price:
The market price of a medium-grade Qi-replenishing pill is one gold and fifty silver, but it is currently three gold per pill.
The low-grade head-protecting pill, which costs eight gold coins on the market, is now twelve gold coins per pill.
The market price for a mid-grade head-protecting pill is twelve gold coins, but now each pill costs twenty gold coins.
The various hunting groups understood the reasoning behind this, and since most of the pills were of medium quality, while the head-protecting pills, although of low quality, were even rarer than the qi-replenishing pills, their prices were acceptable.
·
Sun Hu stated that they released the pills gradually, and there was a considerable amount of profit involved.
For the West Tiger, the information about relatively safe hunting locations that can be obtained from other hunting groups is a great benefit.
Often, the resources they need can be obtained from other hunting groups at a relatively low price by selling pills together, saving them a lot of money.
The profit margin for these pills is substantial, and they are currently being sold gradually.
However, after discussing it, Sun Hu and Sun Liu both felt unworthy of the money, so they sent over all the gold.
·
Zhong Cai naturally instructed Qing Kong to make another trip and return the excess gold.
He could sell it for a high price, but his maternal grandfather and aunt had a lot of trouble dealing with people. Since it was already agreed upon, he wouldn't take more than his share.
Zhong Cai was not short of money, but the profits could help Xihu develop. For him, Xihu was not only a channel for processing low-grade pills, but also a way to show his affection for his family—hoping that his grandfather and aunt could live longer through this.
·
Zhong Cai put labels on the different boxes one by one and said, "You mean, they're coming out too frequently?"
Wu Shaogan nodded and said, "You produce pills too quickly. One person can be equivalent to a small sect." As he said this, he seemed to be thinking, "...We can also find another reason, such as saying that after Xihu befriended a pill master disciple, he also made connections with the entire small sect."
"But this will give your grandfather and aunt a fright."
Zhong Cai thought for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.
"Wow, I'm so amazing!"
As he spoke, he took the last label that Wu Shaogan had written and slapped it onto the box.
Looking at the twenty-odd boxes with different labels, both of them felt a sense of joy at their harvest.
·
It's no wonder Zhong Cai was proud; his alchemy skills had truly improved.
In just one month, with Wu Shaogan's help, Zhong Caixin refined as many as five different kinds of pills!
Wall Heart Pill, Hundred Herbs Pill, Meridian Continuation Pill, Meridian Protection Pill, Restoration Pill... Each type of pill only took about three days to produce pills, and once produced, it could directly reach a full twelve pills.
Besides, after several attempts, Zhong Cai was able to quickly adjust the refining method, and each type of pill was refined into a top-grade pill!
The yield rate also reached 80%.
This is still because the time is too short, and the soaking time for each type of pill is too short. Otherwise, with more time for refinement, it is obvious that not only can the pill yield rate reach more than 90%, but the number of top-grade pills will also be greater.
However, because it was a new type of elixir, Zhong Cai inevitably produced some inferior ones.
The number is certainly not large...
The lowest grade of low-grade Wall Heart Pills is only eighteen, and the highest grade of low-grade Restoration Pills is only fifty-five.
These five types of pills are all very suitable for the cultivators in the hunting party.
The Heart-Protecting Pill and Heart-Protecting Pill have the same purpose: to protect the heart during blood tempering. The Meridian-Protecting Pill is used to protect the meridians when opening the Ren and Du meridians, while the Meridian-Restoring Pill can reconnect broken meridians. The Herbal Pill targets internal injuries, while the Restoration Pill targets external injuries.
·
Zhong Cai pondered for a moment and said, "Let's not scare Grandpa and the others for now. We can use that excuse later." He thought for a moment and added, "But some of the low-grade pills that were given to Xi Hu should not be confused with those stuffed into the blind boxes."
Wu Shaogan agreed: "Pack them up separately."
Zhong Cai nodded, picked through the boxes, and divided them into two groups.
“Heart-protecting pills are common. Alchemists who have honed their skills for a long time can produce some high-grade ones, which are then collected by West Tiger.”
"Let's put the Bixin Pills into the blind boxes."
Wu Shaogan then put away the four boxes containing the Bixin Pills, ranging from top-grade to low-grade.
Zhong Cai pointed left and right with her fingers.
"Pulse Protection Pill, Herb Pill, Restoration Pill... Oh right, and Blood Tempering Pill! These are all pills available here, and can be given to Xihu."
"I haven't heard of the Meridian Restoration Pill. Many cultivators have to use rare medicines to slowly restore their meridians after they are broken. You can put it in a blind box."
"We've already released the Jade Complexion Pill before, so we'll just put it in the blind box as well."
"This kind of beauty regimen isn't really suitable for the Western Tiger region. For independent cultivators, preserving their lives is more important..."
"As for the remaining Soul Nourishing Pills... let's put the top-grade ones into the blind boxes, and keep the high-grade ones for now. Qingkong will handle them."
With this allocation, everything related to blind boxes was handed over to Wu Shaogan, and in the future, when making blind boxes, they would take it from him.
The West Tiger's was placed with Zhong Cai.
The Soul Nourishing Pill is to be kept by Qingkong.
·
Zhong Cai then checked the Dan Yun again.
Wu Shaogan reported the number: "Thirteen thousand two hundred and thirty-five."
Zhong Cai let out a breath and said, "I've saved up more than ten thousand again."
Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "Still drawing cards?"
Zhong Cai hesitated and remained silent for a moment.
Wu Shaogan asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
Zhong Cai cleared her throat and said frankly, "If all the cards are drawn, my investment in Dan Yun will reach 100,000."
Wu Shaogan suddenly realized: "Then, you can upgrade your qualifications?"
Zhong Cai hesitated for a moment, but couldn't help but break into a bright smile: "Yes!"
Wu Shaogan was also happy for Zhong Cai and immediately said, "Then let's draw the lots. Afterwards, the altar will list the resources, so we can quickly raise them."
Zhong nodded vigorously and said, "After my altar is upgraded, although I don't know exactly what changes will occur, at least the defensive power will definitely increase." He speculated, "The top-grade Yellow rank corresponds to a level 5 low-grade to top-grade Xuan weapon, which can only ensure that cultivators below the Suspended Illumination level cannot break it."
"But the next stage is the mid-grade Xuan-level aptitude, which corresponds to the sixth-grade high-grade and top-grade Xuan weapons. They should be able to completely defend against Fusion cultivators... and even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators will have some resistance. We will be safer."
Wu Shaogan smiled slightly.
Zhong Cai gestured happily, "We'll also do our best to help you improve your aptitude. We have enough Xuan Pearls on hand. We can directly summon nine thousand Dao Soldiers to meet the upgrade standard for the Command Platform. It will also list the resources you need, and we can collect them together! It'll be much more convenient!"
Wu Shaogan's smile deepened: "Okay."
The two chatted happily.
Wu Shaogan quickly set up defensive arrays.
Zhong Cai did not hesitate to summon the altar.
·
This sacrifice is to meet the upgrade criteria.
Zhong Cai's choice was to go to the Purple Flame Pool once, the Red Flame Pool three times, and the Blue Flame Pool twice.
As the flames in the crater changed color and tumbled, they successively spewed out seals of different colors.
Zhong Cai did not rush to open them, but instead took down the seals first.
When the blue seal was expelled, the golden circle around the pit came to an end.
Almost simultaneously, the entire altar was enveloped in a rainbow of light.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan stood in front of the pit, surrounded by a hazy, colorful halo.
The halo was extremely beautiful, as if you could reach out and touch it, and catch it in your palm.
At that moment, a flood of information suddenly appeared in Zhong Cai's mind.
Zhong Cai exclaimed in disbelief, "Wow, the resources they're asking for are terrifying!"
Wu Shaogan turned his head to look.
Zhong Cai took a deep breath and said directly, "It must include a level 6 refining material with one of the five elements attributes. They also specifically reminded me that each subsequent level upgrade will require a similar refining material. If I choose the metal attribute now, then I can only choose from the other four attributes for future upgrades."
"Then we'll need two of each of the other four types of level-five refining materials. That's eight pieces in total. This is also essential."
"Four pieces of each of the three levels of the five elements; sixteen pieces of each of the two levels of the five elements; and sixty-four pieces of each of the one levels of the five elements."
"But each level three refining material can be replaced by ten level two refining materials, and each level two refining material can be replaced by ten level one refining materials."
Zhong Cai swallowed cautiously.
"I did the math. If I want to upgrade, besides one level six material and eight level five materials, if I replace everything else with level one materials... I'd need 624 level one materials of each of the five elements! That's a total of 3,120 materials!"
Wu Shaogan was stunned.
However, he quickly patted Zhong Cai reassuringly and advised, "Don't worry too much about this. The Five Elements Refining Materials are indeed the most expensive among those of the same level, but Level 1 Refining Materials are not uncommon, and the price of each piece will mostly not exceed one gold. All together, it will only cost three to five thousand."
Zhong Cai said through gritted teeth:
"It's already cost this much just to raise my aptitude to the Profound rank. I can only imagine that when I raise it again, I'll probably need one level 7 refining material and several level 6 refining materials. Besides that, the price of level 1 materials will increase at least tenfold, or even more... And then what? Level 8 refining materials? Level 9 refining materials? Top-tier level 9 refining materials?"
Wu Shaogan rubbed Zhong Cai's cheeks to prevent him from biting his teeth until they hurt.
“Just take your time looking.” His tone was gentle. “Besides, your altar can yield so many things, maybe it’s right there?”
Zhong Cai pouted, still feeling a bit depressed.
Wu Shaogan also showed a hint of melancholy, and said softly, "We're in the same boat. If you want so much, I'm afraid my command platform will be..."
Zhong Cai immediately said, "What are you worried about? I'm here for you!"
Wu Shaogan smiled gently and said, "So don't be upset, you still have me."
Zhong Cai felt comforted.
The two hugged each other.
Zhong Cai perked up and said, "Let's slowly plan for Level 6. We can have Qing Kong buy Level 5 and Level 1 equipment."
Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "Anyway, I'm not short of money."
Zhong Cai's mood improved, and she laughed, "That's right, anyway, we're not short of money!"
Next, Zhong Cai began to open the sealed envelope.
The first two Azure Flame Pools were opened, both of which were level three resources.
Then came the three Red Flame Pools, from which I obtained one level 3 resource and two level 4 resources.
Zhong Cai said, "Medium level."
Wu Shaogan: "There's one left."
Zhong Cai gripped the purple seal and immediately activated it!
The next instant, three circles of golden light flowed across the purple seal.
Zhong Cai was a little excited: "It's a level six resource!"
Although it's not the best level 7, level 6 is still pretty good!
Aside from a few guaranteed level 6 rare herbs from ten consecutive pulls, the two of them don't have many level 6 resources on hand—they're all still out there frolicking around!
Seeing Zhong Cai's happiness, Wu Shaogan smiled and urged, "Quickly, see what it is?"
Zhong Cai then directly reached her hand into the smoke and grabbed it forcefully—
When he withdrew his hand, a heavy ring appeared in his palm.
Zhong Cai stared at it for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "What's it for?"
Wu Shaogan raised an eyebrow and said, "A-Cai is very lucky."
Then, he took the ring and gently snapped it open.
The heavy ring was split in two, revealing two antique, iron-black rings.
The details are also much more refined, and it no longer looks clumsy.
Wu Shaogan took one and put it on his middle finger, then put one on Zhong Cai's finger as well, explaining, "These are level six high-grade storage rings, just right for each of us."
Zhong Cai looked at her middle finger, her expression a little strange.
Wu Shaogan continued, "This is the highest quality storage ring, with a capacity of about a thousand cubic meters. The pair of rings is the most special of them. If someone else takes one of our rings, it cannot be opened. Only by getting both of them and combining them into one can we obtain the resources inside."
"The owners of the matching rings can transfer what they intend to the other person's ring simply by lightly touching the ring faces together."
Zhong Cai listened, her expression still somewhat subtle.
Seeing Zhong Cai's reaction, Wu Shaogan was a little puzzled: "What's wrong?"
Zhong Cai paused for a moment, but didn't hide anything.
"...In my previous life, wedding rings were worn on the middle finger to signify engagement."
Wu Shaogan was taken aback, then reached out to grab Zhong Cai's hand, preparing to remove it from his hand.
Zhong Cai frowned unconsciously.
Wu Shaogan indeed took off the ring and then let Zhong Cai try it on her other fingers.
Zhong Cai suddenly understood what he wanted to do. For some reason, her face felt hot, and she quickly curled her fingers and shouted, "Old Wu, wait, wait!"
Wu Shaogan stopped what he was doing, smiled and teased him, "It's my fault. We're getting married, not just engaged. We should wear the right finger..." He gestured, "In your world, which finger do you wear for marriage again? Should I change my finger too?"
Zhong Cai subconsciously answered, "Ring finger." Seeing Wu Shaogan about to put it on him, he snatched it away, also putting it on his middle finger, and glared at him, saying, "Alright, alright, stop messing around! This world is riddled with holes, and we're both wearing ring fingers on purpose, are we afraid those time travelers won't notice?"
Wu Shaogan was just joking, but seeing Zhong Cai's face turn slightly red, he felt a little uncomfortable.
Then, he coughed lightly and said, "It's still my fault... I'll listen to you."
Zhong Cai couldn't help but laugh.
Both of them, of course, still wore them on their middle fingers.
In this world, anyone who owns a storage ring usually wears it on their middle finger.
·
After determining the upgrade resources for the altar, Zhong Cai hurriedly urged Wu Shaogan.
Wu Shaogan took out the command platform as instructed.
Next, they plan to spend nine thousand Xuanzhu in succession.
Last time, the two of them spent a considerable amount of time summoning a thousand Dao soldiers while figuring things out. This time, it would take nine times longer, and they would have to summon and synthesize them simultaneously. Even though they were already quite skilled, it would still take them a lot of time...
The two sat on the stone seats.
Zhong Cai was in charge of throwing the mysterious pearl, and Wu Shaogan was in charge of beating the drum.
Soon, as the black flames leaped in the pit, ordinary armored soldiers emerged, lining up one by one in front of the stone seat, just like last time.
Once it reaches one hundred, Wu Shaogan will be combined.
Unsurprisingly, the synthesis failed.
Gradually, more than two hours passed.
With the help of two skilled workers, approximately four hundred Dao soldiers are summoned and synthesized every hour.
When Zhong Da announced outside the cultivation room that dinner had been prepared, they had only spent one thousand Xuanzhu.
Three bronze-armored soldiers were obtained—including the one that was successfully combined.
Zhong Cai was a little disappointed: "The same expense, but one less than last time."
However, he quickly cheered up. It was true that there were only three bronze-armored soldiers this time, but each of them had a fairly high initial minor realm, so when feeding them later, he would need to use far fewer Xuan Pearls.
That works too.
My luck wasn't too bad.
Wu Shaogan pulled Zhong Cai up and took back the command platform.
The two stood in the quiet room.
Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "Come after you finish eating."
Zhong Cai agreed, "It's still early, there's no need to rush."
·
Dinner was as good as Qiao Hong's usual standard, using only first-grade wild beast meat, but it was absolutely delicious.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan also found the food palatable.
However, for Zhong Cai, the dishes were still nourishing and contained some energy that could be refined, while Wu Shaogan simply enjoyed the taste.
Zhong Cai didn't think much of it. There were plenty of resources available for cultivation, so there was no need to worry too much about food and drink. Just enjoy it.
Besides, after Wu Shaogan and Zhong Cai had their first round of meals, there were still a few dishes for him to enjoy on his own.
—To prevent Lao Wu from going hungry, Zhong Cai had long ago instructed Xiang Lin to occasionally prepare some dried meat under Qiao Hong's guidance, and to go to the big restaurants in the county town every few days to buy several portions of third-grade dishes at once, so that Lao Wu would not go hungry.
Xiang Lin naturally complied.
Before long, Zhong Cai finished eating.
Wu Shaogan quickly swept up the rest.
Bichen then brought over several other level-three dishes at just the right time.
At this moment, Wu Shaogan started eating, picking and choosing among the dishes with his chopsticks, selecting a small piece of meat about the size of his thumb that was the most energy-efficient and had the best flavor, and putting it into Zhong Cai's bowl.
Zhong Cai chewed slowly, squinting her eyes contentedly.
Upon seeing this, Wu Shaogan's lips curled into a slight smile.
·
After dinner, the two sat side by side on soft chairs and enjoyed the evening breeze in the courtyard.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door outside the courtyard.
Zhong opened the door, looked around, and then went to the second gate to report.
It turned out to be Huang Qing and Wu Youbo, a married couple.
Zhong Cai raised her eyebrows: "It's them? Didn't they go on their honeymoon?"
Wu Shaogan glanced at him and said with amusement, "Please come in."
Zhong Da went immediately.
Soon, they brought back a beautiful couple with bright and cheerful expressions.
Zhong Cai stood up and greeted them, "You two are newlyweds, what brings you here?"
Huang Qing and Wu Youbo were surprised to be teased like this and immediately felt embarrassed.
But undoubtedly, their eyes and brows conveyed affection, and they had a very good relationship.
The two were very straightforward and stated their purpose directly.
“This time, Father has been granted a spot to enter the Lesser Secret Realm.”
"I wonder if there's anything you two need?"
·
Although the Huang family head knew Wu Shaogan's background, seeing that Huang Qing and Wu Shaogan and his wife had naturally become friends, he didn't tell Huang Qing anything and just assumed that they were friends freely.
Huang Qing felt indebted to Wu Shaogan and Zhong Cai and was thinking about how to repay them sometime.
The fact that the Huang family head received a spot this time is due to his correct decision and effective leadership of the family. Logically speaking, he could have easily secured a spot for himself. However, he did not, but instead participated in the lottery like everyone else.
Luck was on Huang's side; he actually drew the winning number himself.
Huang Qing knew that the secret realm was rich in resources and was a rare opportunity, so she secretly discussed it with her father.
He asked if his father could keep an eye out for resources in the secret realm if the two needed them.
After all, he had given most of what Wu Shaogan and his wife had given him to the Huang family.
The head of the Huang family readily agreed.
Huang Qing was delighted and quickly came to visit.
—After all, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan did not settle in the town, so even if their cultivation level reached the standard for drawing lots, they could not participate and would definitely not have a spot.
·
Zhong Cai hadn't expected that Huang Qing was still thinking about that matter of inheritance.
However, he noticed that the town had a good atmosphere, especially since the head of the Huang family was quite fair, so it was normal for his son to be kind and honest.
Zhong Cai looked at Wu Shaogan.
Wu Shaogan nodded slightly.
Zhong Cai then took out a small bottle and handed it to Huang Qing.
Huang Qing was somewhat puzzled, but could tell that it was probably a pill.
Zhong Cai smiled and said, "I've heard that all sorts of resources are available in this kind of secret realm. Since Brother Huang is willing to help, I won't stand on ceremony."
Huang Qing waited for him to continue.
Zhong Cai said, "I don't have any specific desires, but I do like novel things. If it's convenient for Patriarch Huang, please bring back any rare and precious medicines, ores, and rare treasures that you can find. I don't care about the level of the resources; you can show me anything that the Huang family doesn't urgently need, and I'll buy it at market price."
As he said this, he lightly tapped the medicine bottle.
"These are things that Shao Gan saved up before, which I don't need now. Patriarch Huang may encounter some dangers on his journey to the secret realm, so having this with me will make me a little safer."
Huang listened attentively and, at Zhong Cai's prompting, opened the medicine bottle.
The next instant, he recognized it and blurted out, "A mid-grade Hundred Herbs Pill?"
Zhong Cai smiled and said, "That's right."
Huang Qing felt a surge of excitement.
Although he felt that since it was a secret realm suitable for cultivators at the Heavenly Guidance Realm, his father, with his peak Heavenly Guidance strength, shouldn't face too much danger entering it, he couldn't be completely at ease, as some of the resources there were of high grade.
Baicao Dan is a wonderful medicine for treating internal injuries.
Internal injuries are often very dangerous for cultivators, and it is difficult to find the specific problem in a short time. However, if the father feels unwell but cannot be sure, he can take this pill directly to eliminate the abnormality.
Especially since it's a mid-grade medicine, even a peak-level cultivator at the Heavenly Guidance stage can alleviate 50% of their injuries after consuming it.
Taking three pills consecutively can almost cure the disease.
The medicine bottle contained three Hundred Herbs Pills. The secret realm would only be open for seven days, which was enough.
Huang Qing was both grateful and ashamed, and quickly said, "This elixir is of great value, I am willing to pay..."
Zhong Cai waved his hand, stopping him, and said, "We can use resources to offset the value of the pills. We'll settle any overpayment or underpayment when Patriarch Huang returns."
Huang Qing naturally had no objection.
He didn't stay there for long. After exchanging a few words, he went back with Wu Youbo.
Upon arriving at the Huang family home, Huang Qing quickly went to see his father and handed him the elixir.
The Huang family head glanced at the pills but did not show any surprise.
No matter how rare the elixirs were, it was easy for the young master to save up some.
·
Huang Qing came and went in a hurry.
Zhong Cai didn't mind, and just smiled and said to Wu Shaogan, "Maybe when Patriarch Huang comes out this time, he can bring more refining materials with the five elements attributes?"
Wu Shaogan chimed in, "If they really brought them, we'll buy them all."
The two laughed and returned to the training room side by side.
Two or three more hours passed, and a thousand Xuanzhu were spent.
Those cultivators at lower levels need more sleep, so Wu Shaogan urged Zhong Cai, who was eager to stay up all night to summon Dao soldiers, to go to sleep.
Zhong Cai was still a little unwilling.
Because among these Taoist soldiers, there were still only three bronze-armored soldiers.
·
The next morning.
Even though the courtyard they bought was relatively secluded and quiet all year round, this time was different.
Many people hurried past outside the courtyard, and numerous hushed conversations drifted in:
"Hurry, hurry! I heard they're leaving!"
"I have to see them off; that's a secret realm that yields level two or three resources!"
"That's right! That's a secret realm! Nobody in our town has ever seen one before!"
"I heard that several rogue cultivators were selected by lottery in the town, and their strength is only at the seventh or eighth level of the Heavenly Guidance Realm. They are really lucky!"
"That's right! It's a pity that none of us here are above the fifth floor, so we don't even qualify for the lottery."
"I need to be more diligent in my cultivation in the future, otherwise I'll miss out on any good opportunities that come my way."
"That's right, that's right..."
Zhong Cai listened, and suddenly became interested.
Wu Shaogan, who understood him, suggested, "Why don't we go and see them off too?"
Zhong Cai hesitated for a moment.
Wu Shaogan pushed his shoulder and went out with him, laughing, "There's no rush to spend money now. We'll come back after we drop them off. We have the whole day to spare."
Zhong Cai thought about it and agreed.
Although he was indeed very curious about what resources were needed to upgrade Lao Wu's command platform, watching the excitement wouldn't hurt.
So, Zhong Cai went from being pushed along to actively pulling Wu Shaogan along.
The two mingled with the crowd and followed the flow to the town entrance.
The place was packed with people, but while the townspeople and their families were there to join in the fun, they also lined both sides of the road, not stopping the lucky ones who were heading to explore the secret realm.
Several large families, including the Huang family, contributed their efforts, not only providing mounts to the people selected from their own clans, but also giving away some of the better quality ones to the townspeople who had the quota.
So all the townspeople saw that the twenty cultivators riding fierce horned horses were fully armed and looked menacing.
The townspeople waved goodbye.
Zhong Cai laughed, took Wu Shaogan's hand, and raised his hand along with everyone else.
A little further away, Huang Qing and his wife, who were standing in front of the window of a private room in a restaurant, saw them and smiled.
These two... are quite interesting.
·
Even though the people have left, the town remains lively.
Many townspeople gathered in groups of three or five, discussing the matter animatedly. Some were filled with endless fantasies about the secret realm, others speculated about what might be inside, and still others worried about the safety of those who had drawn the winning lots... or perhaps they were envious and secretly harbored some ill intentions.
After enjoying the festivities, Zhong Cai happily took Wu Shaogan back home.
Keep summoning the Dao soldiers!
·
The opening of the secret realm has caused a stir from all directions.
Perhaps due to the abundance of resources, even a "small" secret realm can actually accommodate up to 10,000 cultivators at the Heavenly Guidance Realm.
Of course, after being distributed to the surrounding twenty-odd cities, each city would only have a few hundred.
The Wu family has fifty slots.
After careful discussion, the head of the Wu family and the heads of various factions selected all clansmen who were at the peak of the Heavenly Guidance Realm.
Only in this way can we be safer and bring out more resources from the secret realm.
However, apart from those who are allowed to enter, other clansmen can also go to explore the vicinity of the secret realm if they wish—but they can only go alone and cannot go with their clan.
The Wu family took out a level-three flying boat, which was driven in turns by three carefully selected elders at the Enlightenment Realm.
There were fifty tribesmen on the flying boat, as well as a little boy who was only four years old.
It was Wu Dongxiao.
Wu Dongxiao nestled in a large chair, his eyes darting around with lively interest.
Not far away, a tall and handsome young man walked over with a smile and sat down next to Wu Dongxiao.
"Dong Xiao, do you recognize me?"
Wu Dongxiao tilted his head and looked at it, then hesitated and said, "Is it... the eighth branch's cousin?"
The handsome young man's eyes twisted almost imperceptibly.
This little brat doesn't even know who he is!
How could you underestimate him like that!
The handsome young man suppressed his emotions and smiled gently at Wu Dongxiao, saying, "You remember very well. I am from the eighth branch, and my name is Wu Shao'an. You can call me Uncle Shao'an."
Wu Dongxiao honestly addressed him as "Uncle Shao'an".
Wu Shao'an rarely gets to see Wu Dongxiao, so he puts a lot of effort into building a good relationship with him.
Wu Dongxiao has always been pampered by his family and relatives. Seeing how good Wu Shaoan is to him, he also becomes close to Wu Shaoan.
Beside them, the ninth branch elder of the clan, who was responsible for looking after Wu Dongxiao, glanced over and saw Wu Shao'an interacting with Wu Dongxiao in a very intimate manner, with a hint of ingratiation...
·
The elders of the nine branches of the clan did not find it strange.
Although Shao'an is of medium-grade Earth quality, it is still quite different from top-grade Earth quality.
Dong Xiao's strength has improved rapidly, and his future is obviously extraordinary.
Shao'an wanted to befriend Dongxiao and establish a good relationship in advance, hoping that the uncle and nephew could help each other in the future. He even hoped that Dongxiao could share some of the good things he got with him, which was only natural.
The reason why the Ninth Clan Elder accepted this task was not only because the head of the family and his wife gave him sufficient compensation, but also because they were optimistic about Wu Dongxiao's future.
The Ninth Elder is still relatively young, and his aptitude is only at the Xuan level. He might get stuck at a certain level for many years without making any progress, and then Wu Dongxiao will catch up with him.
At that time, Wu Dongxiao might repay him with some resources that could help him break through, because of his current kindness.
Moreover, the Nine Branch Elders also felt that Shao'an's good relationship with Dongxiao was a way of indirectly getting involved with him, and that he might be able to get some benefits from Shao'an in the future...
The elder of the nine branches of the clan withdrew his gaze, in a good mood.
Over there, Wu Shao'an and Wu Dongxiao were getting along very well, and Wu Shao'an even took out some food that he had prepared in advance and gave it to Wu Dongxiao.
Wu Dongxiao was hungry, so he shared the food with Wu Shao'an.
·
Gradually, the airship arrived at a desolate wilderness.
Many different flying boats have been moored here, all hovering in mid-air, waiting for the secret realm to open.
Those who can fly are all quite accomplished; there are many more people densely packed on the ground.
Various families and forces sent some powerful individuals in advance to clear out a space—those without a quota could only stand here and had to be subject to control.
If these people dare to trespass when the secret realm opens...
Then, all that awaits them is death.
Wu Dongxiao stood on the deck of the flying boat, looking down at the densely packed crowd below, somewhat amazed.
He had never left his house before and had never seen such a sight.
He really broadened his horizons this time.
·
About an hour later, the secret realm opened, emitting vast expanses of cloud light.
Countless cultivators with available spots flew away, rushing into the cloud of light, like countless tiny black dots.
Wu Shao'an smiled and bid farewell to Wu Dongxiao, adding, "When I come out, I'll bring you a gift."
Wu Dongxiao was very happy and waved gently at Wu Shao'an: "Uncle Shao'an, be careful!"
Wu Shao'an smiled again.
Then, he and his fellow clansmen entered the secret realm.
·
The secret realm has opened, and there will surely be many cultivators stirring up trouble and starting battles within it.
Meanwhile, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan continued to live a peaceful and tranquil life.
I've just become a little numb to it.
Zhong Cai spent another three thousand Xuanzhu to summon and synthesize a total of thirteen bronze-armored soldiers.
If you do the math, it's a little better than before.
Then another two thousand were obtained, and six bronze-armored soldiers were acquired.
We only need two thousand more Mystic Pearls to meet the requirements for upgrading the Commander's Platform.
Zhong Cai exhaled and stiffly tossed out a bag of Xuanzhu pearls.
Wu Shaogan randomly beat the drum, summoning the enemy a hundred times in a row.
Just like every time before, neither of them had any expectations.
One by one, armored soldiers emerged...
The time it takes to be summoned and to emerge from the crater is roughly the same.
Zhong Cai even calculated that, based on the time of her previous life, each statue lasted twelve seconds, and there were fifty statues per minute.
Now, Zhong Cai silently counts.
"Fifty-six, fifty-seven..."
We only need about forty more statues to complete the synthesis.
Zhong Cai counted down the seconds in her mind, bored.
But this time, he's already read for eight seconds. Shouldn't the armored soldiers be appearing in the black fire by now?
However, the black flames continued to leap.
The flames were surrounded by a deep blue mist.
This is a sign that the bronze-armored soldiers have been summoned, but the bronze-armored soldiers only appear for eight seconds.
Zhong Cai was puzzled when suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he grabbed Wu Shaogan.
"Old Wu! Isn't it, isn't it—"
Wu Shaogan's heart stirred slightly, and he pulled Zhong Cai along, saying quickly, "Perhaps."
Zhong Cai was very excited, staring intently at the clouds and mist.
A few golden rays of light danced above the clouds.
Zhong Cai became even more certain.
Infected by Zhong Cai's joy, Wu Shaogan also felt a touch of happiness.
A few breaths later, a strange figure appeared faintly in the deep blue clouds.
The figure was no longer the bronze-armored soldier with a helmet and a puppet-like appearance as before. Instead, when it appeared, it seemed to look up and receive some information before slowly walking out of the black flames.
·
He was a middle-aged man clad in heavy armor, his features not particularly handsome, but rather bearing the marks of time. His thick, black hair was simply tied back, and his eyes shone with a lively light.
He also had a helmet, but it was clearly much better in design and material than that of ordinary bronze-armored soldiers.
Beside him lay a fierce tiger, the beast spirit mount that had come with him and was in harmony with him.
·
Upon recognizing Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan, the middle-aged man promptly performed a bow, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Centurion Tang Lie greets the Emperor."
Wu Shaogan smiled and said, "No need for such formalities."
Zhong Cai carefully observed the middle-aged man and felt that he was indeed very strong—compared to the bronze-armored soldiers who had been nurtured to the peak of the Suspended Illumination Realm, this centurion was more imposing.
Tang Lie appeared calm, but deep down he also felt something was amiss.
He was a dead man, but his restless spirit kept him there.
I wonder what year it is now, and how long he has been dead?
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