CHAPTER 620: CHAPTER 619: THE EMERGENCE OF A TREASURE?

It’s getting more and more interesting, huh!

In Jiang Yuan’s mind flashed the picture of the artificial satellite extending its solar panels flying through the universe. He thought, could it be that Yun Shu doesn’t need any modification and can just freely shuttle through the void?

However, the puppet beauty looked bewildered and shook her head, "I don’t remember anything."

The puppets bound in the system interface can also be summoned. Jiang Yuan was pondering whether once he reached the void, he should summon her over to try? Maybe it could trigger other forms.

Just now, when the key was synthesized, it triggered her "solar charging panel," didn’t it?

Thinking of the key, he clicked open to check the instance interface with a red dot.

Sure enough, there appeared a new instance named Jiao Long Tomb, with a thumbnail showing a giant Jiao Long skeleton coiling around an island. Below it, the difficulty displays seven stars, with red letters in parentheses: There is a risk of death, please explore cautiously.

The first instance completed at Riverfront Village had a difficulty of three stars;

The second ongoing instance at Mist-filled Ridge had a difficulty of five stars;

The third uncharted instance of the primary World Tree branch had a difficulty of eight stars, indicating extreme danger with a risk of death; the fourth Jiao Long Tomb instance had a difficulty only one star lower than the previous one.

"Venerable Family, I was fortunate to get brother Xie’s help during the subjugation of the Jiao Long remnant soul. I also promised that upon obtaining the shard synthesized key to invite him to explore together, what do you think..." Bai Yunqi gave a questioning look.

Jiang Yuan hesitated slightly, "It’s not that I’m being stingy, this Jiao Long Tomb is really dangerous. Even if you two join forces to explore, there’s a risk to your lives. If you’re cautiously considering seeking a chance in there, be very careful. Additionally, let Yun Shu draw more Teleportation Talismans to carry with you, and if something feels wrong, retreat immediately. Don’t try to compete unnecessarily."

The system has already incorporated the instance, so he can enter at any time. The key that also allows entry is left with Xiaobai to keep.

The saying goes that fortune favors the bold, so if they want to train themselves, he’s not stopping them. After all, you can’t really raise contract pets like hothouse flowers.

Let them bravely go forth, anyway, he’s not going for now. If anything does go wrong, with the system in hand, at least he can find a chance to remedy.

"Thank you, Venerable Family!"

"Thanks, Senior Jiang!"

Learning they had the freedom to enter the Secret Realm for exploration anytime, both were elated.

Then Bai Yunqi brought out a pile of Jade Boxes specially for storing herbs from the Storage Bag, "Here are six sets of herbs needed for refining the Soul Nourishing Pill.

According to the rules of hiring an Alchemist, the employer pays double the herbs, regardless of how many pills are formed, it’s irrelevant. At that time, only need to pay three pills as fee. Additionally, there’s two million Spirit Stones as the alchemy fee, half paid upfront and the other half upon delivery."

The small pile of a million Spirit Stones looked very attractive, making Yun Shu tilt her head in curious examination.

Great, the capital for purchasing the Pill Formula has been earned back!

Jiang Yuan collected all the herbs and then pushed the door into the Alchemy Room, clicking to refine the ordinary version of the Soul Nourishing Pill. Meanwhile, he checked through, picking out the herbs not recognized by the system and whose qualities didn’t meet standards, handing them to Yun Shu to sell in Cloud City’s shop.

Next, just need to wait three days; once a batch of Soul Nourishing Pills is successfully refined, the contract pet can deliver them, completing the task!

Originally, when Xie Chenyuan heard the words "Jiao Long Tomb," he was itching to go in and take a look. But upon hearing Senior Jiang say the dangers within, he casually did a divination and indeed today wasn’t suitable for exploration.

With the rare opportunity, he discussed with Bai Yunqi to temporarily adjust through cultivation and wait for the right moment to enter the Secret Realm and explore;

Yun Shu, fully charged, eagerly went to draw Teleportation Talismans. The finished product could be given to members of the courtyard for use and also sold at the Market. Thinking of her unshakeable status as a Talisman Master, she painted with even more enthusiasm;

The courtyard soon immersed in a peaceful and serene atmosphere. The earth-shattering movement earlier caused not a hint of impact.

Meanwhile, not too far northwest at Cloud City, deep underground in a pitch-black cave, a female cultivator sitting cross-legged in a sphere of faint blue-violet light suddenly opened her eyes, "A treasure has emerged? How can the Cloud Prairie have such activity? Could it be something wrapped in the Mist Cloud?"

The spherical net was woven from countless vines, nimble to stretch out forming a lotus platform holding the female cultivator.

Yuan Man, the City Lord of Cloud City, dressed in light green gown embroidered with gold threads, black hair pinned up with a wooden hairpin, with clear refinement and extraordinary temperament, sensing the energy waves from the earth’s tremors, she commanded the vines to spread upwards and then swiftly disappeared.

The next second, she stood in the center of the giant array atop the city, gazing southeast.

The night wind blew her hair, the direction from which the intense energy waves came had already returned to normal, with a glance only to see endless grass plains.

Occasionally a few clouds of mist drifted by and dissipated quickly, she extended her Divine Sense but still found no trace of anomaly.

"Strange, such intensity obviously indicates a treasure appearing, even if it’s the Mist Cloud, it couldn’t have disappeared so quickly, surely it wasn’t taken by other cultivators already, was it?" Yuan Man was puzzled, the cold wind making her cough repeatedly, looking tiredly back at the city she had built herself.

The bright lights shining, the night not waning, regardless of the Demon Beast or Demon Cultivator on the streets, all seemed harmonious, no disputes or noise, everywhere exuding peace and prosperity.

"Sigh!"

She gazed for a long time, heavily sighed.

In the beginning of the establishment of Cloud City, Yuan Man was full of youthful arrogance, desiring to create a perfect sanctuary for the beings who had suffered for generations living on the Cloud Prairie.

Living here, there would be no deceit, no oppression by the strong over the weak. Everyone could coexist peacefully, self-sufficient and joyful.

Yuan Man worked tirelessly for many years for this grand ambition, and finally her dream came true.

The beings that migrated into the city no longer needed to worry about being taken away by the Mist Cloud in their sleep. Those rare Demon Beasts no longer feared being slaughtered at will. No Evil Cultivator could sneak in to commit misdeeds, and merchants treated people honestly while residents were so trustworthy that they left their doors unlocked.

What a perfect city it was! She protected the underground treasures, serving as the greatest confidence for the residents above.

Everything was developing according to Yuan Man’s plans until her failure in ascension left her lifespan running short.

It was only then that she realized Cloud City had protected its residents too well. They were as kind and compassionate as flowers in a greenhouse, and once they stepped out of this city, they would become fat lambs waiting to be slaughtered by other Demon Cultivators!

Today is not like yesterday; the times have changed too quickly.

Yuan Man’s focus had been scattered too much, leaving her no time to care about what the outside world had become. Evil Cultivators increased, and more Demon Cultivators abandoned virtue and righteousness, while only the Demon Cultivators in Cloud City lived day after day, year after year in a life that never faced storms.

"As long as I live, I can protect the city for another day, but what if I die?" Rather than fearing the impending death, she was filled with anxiety about the future of the city she had devoted her heart to.

Where could she find someone able to shoulder the responsibility of being the City Lord?

Or perhaps, should she seek Earth Treasures to extend her lifespan?

The disturbance caused by the emergence of treasures caught her attention. Since last waking up ten years ago, Yuan Man had been searching everywhere, but the small worlds were crumbling more and more during the end-times era, leading to the complete extinction of many rare Earth Treasures, making it difficult to find items that could extend lifespan.

Even the Longevity Pill, no one could refine it anymore.

"Just take my chances, maybe when the opportunity comes I can extend my life for another hundred years. Whether there is hope for ascension or not, at least I can try to secure a future for Cloud City." She sighed lightly, her figure disappearing above the city.

Occasionally in the city, a slender vine flashed by—it was Lord City Lady Yuan Man guarding this pure land.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

[Normal Soul Nourishing Pill +99]

Jiang Yuan clicked harvest, and amidst the glittering golden light, a pile of 99 elixirs emitting a glossy sheen automatically went into the Storage Bag.

"Little Bai, I still have to trouble you to make a trip." He split three and put them into a Jade Bottle, handing it to the contract pet, "Make haste to deliver it, go quickly and return quickly."

For three consecutive days, Xie Chenyuan did not dare step lightly into the Secret Realm after failing to obtain auspicious signs, so he took the opportunity to cultivate in the small courtyard, even borrowing the Enlightenment Stone. Upon hearing about the need to deliver elixirs, he quickly followed Bai Yunqi to prepare to go together.

He had come to realize thoroughly now the need to learn shamelessness from the ancestors, grasp opportunities firmly.

Last time, a moment of enlightenment granted him the chance to explore the Secret Realm together—how could one be lazy at crucial times? Go along, lend a hand when possible, borrowing benefits from others but not being short-handed.

When Hu Zhile led the team directly to Carefree City via the Ancient Teleportation Array, City Lord Gongxi Yanchang was sighing heavily beside his young daughter.

Since being saved by the two benefactors last time, Jin’Er hadn’t shown any abnormalities again, her injuries healed quickly, and she had returned to being the beautiful, fair little girl she once was.

Only her Divine Soul was damaged, and she often appeared dull and dazed, and even though she would respond upon calling her name, her replies and speech were always a beat slower. Her thoughts were always muddled, sometimes even unable to clearly distinguish between morning and evening.

"Wait further, there’s really no other way." With a tired voice, the City Lord’s Wife sighed, "During this period, we’ve tried every possible method, and the child has become thinner after all the fuss to no avail. Alas...you say..."

She was truly exhausted, yearning for some assurance from her husband to boost her morale, but she also understood that even the City Lord couldn’t do anything to solve this issue.

Repeating the promise that everything would be alright was merely self-consolation.

But what if all six batches of herbs failed to be refined? Such things were not unheard of!

With increasing frustration, the City Lord’s Wife rose to burn incense, not caring which Immortal to beseech, merely seeking peace of mind.

"Reporting to the Lord City, the two elders Bai and Xie seek an audience at the gate!"

It was like a ray of hope in despair, and the husband and wife rejoiced, rushing to welcome them personally.

"Here are three Soul Nourishing Pills, please have a look, honored guests." Bai Yunqi offered the elixirs and patiently explained, "Have her swallow one, once she successfully refines it, then take the next one, and repeat the process until the elixirs are consumed, allowing her Divine Soul to recover as normal."

Feeling the warm energy contained in the elixirs, the City Lord and his wife were filled with tears of gratitude, and subsequently sought a trusted physician to inspect the elixirs, ensuring no issues before administering them to their young daughter, while also settling the remaining payment.

[Side Quest: The Concerns of Carefree City’s City Lord]

[Quest 5: Refine and gift three Normal Soul Nourishing Pills to Gongxi Jin for nurturing the soul devoured by the Flood Dragon’s remnants, completed. Reward: Advanced Soul Nourishing Pill Formula issued]

[Quest 6: Gift "The First Volume of the Mountains and Rivers Map" to Gongxi Jin to forge Good Karma. Reward: Lucky Gift Pack +1]