Oh?
Ye Chuan tried clicking to use the Spirit Crystal. As the icon lit up, it indeed worked directly!
[After using the Spirit Crystal, the cultivation technique automatically activates. Estimated absorption and breakthrough to the mid-stage of Qi Refining Realm in 24 hours.]
Ye Chuan immediately felt a buzzing sound from his body as the technique accelerated on its own, absorbing the spiritual energy from the Spirit Crystal and refining it into spiritual power.
How to describe it?
It was like being a computer’s CPU, with the cooling fan inside his body whirring loudly.
He quickly checked his status—
[Name: Ye Chuan
…
Status: Auto-cultivating (accelerated by Spirit Crystal absorption). Time remaining until mid-stage Qi Refining Realm: 1 day (affected by technique, spiritual root, physique, etc.)]
From seven days down to just one!
This really was a treasure. If only he could get his hands on more.
Thinking this, Ye Chuan silently glanced at his wallet—he could afford a few more rounds, and tomorrow he’d have another four thousand yuan.
"Pulling for physique costs money, pulling for spiritual roots costs money, and adventures cost money too." The thought made Ye Chuan hiss and narrow his eyes.
Wait… this doesn’t feel right.
Something’s off here.
Why does it feel like everything requires spending money? Ye Chuan suddenly realized that despite having money, he still felt somewhat poor.
High income, but even higher expenses!
But considering the benefits of adventures, he decided to go for one more today.
A thousand yuan—let’s go!
After charging in, Ye Chuan exchanged it for another adventure attempt.
[Landing Location: Tianxuan Continent]
[You appear at the entrance of a village in the Donghua Divine Continent. A strong scent of blood fills the air. Will you enter?]
This scenario feels familiar.
Ye Chuan thought for a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise. Could it be that wolf demon again?
Whatever, better retreat for now.
[You chose not to enter the village, but behind you is a sheer cliff. Facing the bottomless abyss, you decide to—]
[1. Shout “Man!” and jump down to see if you can stumble upon a legendary opportunity.]
[2. Attempt to use your Qi Refining Realm strength to fly across on a sword.]
[3. Return to the village.]
Ye Chuan: ?
A cliff behind him, a blood-soaked village ahead.
"Great, just great. No way out, huh?" Ye Chuan couldn’t help but laugh bitterly at the options on his phone, even clapping sarcastically.
Fine, let’s check out the village.
Though it pained him to waste a thousand yuan, compared to the guaranteed death of jumping off a cliff, he chose to enter the village and test his luck.
Maybe it wasn’t that wolf demon after all.
[Facing the endless abyss, you turn back and enter the village. The overwhelming stench of blood makes you uneasy. Corpses of villagers are strewn everywhere—a group of black-clad bandits is pillaging the settlement. You decide to…]
[1. Intervene and save the villagers.]
[2. Loot the corpses.]
[3. Find a way to escape.]
Loot the corpses?
Seeing the familiar option, Ye Chuan’s eyes lit up, but he quickly reconsidered. This was just an ordinary village—what treasures could these commoners possibly have?
Better take down the bandits instead.
[You choose to intervene. Though the black-clad men are skilled, they’re merely untrained mortals. Wielding your sword and channeling spiritual power, you cut through them like vegetables. Most are swiftly defeated, and the remaining bandits, recognizing your cultivation methods, threaten: “Our Black Wind Gang is backed by the Qianyuan Sect!” You decide to…]
[1. Declare your name (enter text).]
[2. Leave no survivors.]
[3. Immediately kneel and apologize.]
Oh?
Threatening someone stronger than you? That’s just asking for death.
Ye Chuan found these bandits’ logic baffling, but seeing the first option, a mischievous grin spread across his face as he typed on his phone.
[You choose to declare your name: “I am Huang Haotian of the Qingyun Sect!” The bandits freeze in shock, their faces paling. “The Qingyun Sect?!” they exclaim before scattering in panic. After cutting down a few, some manage to escape the village. You decide to…]
[1. Chase the remaining fugitives.]
[2. Stay and speak with the surviving villagers.]
Ye Chuan didn’t hesitate.
[You choose to talk to the remaining villagers, but they all cower in fear. In a corner, you find someone who appears to be the village chief and learn that the Qingyun Sect is actually a notorious demonic sect—hence the villagers’ terror. You decide to…]
[You choose to partially explain the situation. Though the chief remains skeptical, he eventually claims to believe you. The bandits had come for a village treasure, and to prevent further attacks, the chief offers it to you for safekeeping. You decide to…]
[1. Accept the treasure.]
[2. Refuse the treasure.]
Take it!
Absolutely take it!
[You choose to accept the treasure—a simple yet ancient jade pendant engraved with a miniature Spirit Gathering Array, which accelerates cultivation speed.]
[Just as you take the pendant, the village chief, seizing the moment when your guard is down, swings an axe at your neck.]
[“You’re no better than the rest!” he snarls. You realize too late that the chief is also a Qi Refining cultivator—he had hidden earlier, fearing the bandits might have other cultivators among them.]
[You die.]
[Adventure concluded. Items eligible for retrieval: 1.]
Huh?
Ye Chuan was momentarily stunned by the sudden twist. Wait, why did the chief attack out of nowhere?
Damn it, is everyone here a villain?
It seems not a single decent person exists in this world.
Ye Chuan finally gained a clearer understanding of the deceitful nature of the cultivation world. Rubbing his temples, he consoled himself that at least this trip wasn’t a total loss.
[Item: Ancient Jade Pendant
Blue-grade. Engraved with a miniature Spirit Gathering Array. Permanently reduces auto-cultivation time by 2 days per realm.
Equippable. Can be appraised further.]
Not bad, right? It speeds up idle cultivation, which is perfect for a lazy person like Ye Chuan.
Good stuff, definitely worth a thousand bucks!
Ye Chuan equipped it. Though no physical pendant appeared around his neck, his character info now displayed it under the equipment tab.
As soon as the pendant was equipped, his phone vibrated.
[You have reached the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Realm.]
[Status: Auto-cultivating. Time remaining until late-stage Qi Refining Realm: 6 days (affected by technique, spiritual root, physique, etc.)]
Ye Chuan was surprised—had the pendant skipped the Spirit Crystal absorption phase?
Sensing his spiritual power, he confirmed it had indeed grown denser compared to the early stage.
"Now when I meet early-stage cultivators in adventures, can I call them ants?" Ye Chuan chuckled, fairly satisfied with the outcome.
Too bad he didn’t find anything to boost his precious money-tree’s favorability.
More snacks, maybe?
But no rush. Ye Chuan decided to take some time to consolidate his gains (and save up money).