Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

  At Mount Kunlun in the Hua Nation, the seemingly plain and ordinary mountaintops were actually covered in a powerful array, maintaining the sight of many mountains when seen from the outside.

  And within the array, many pavilions stood within the fog-filled Secret Realm.

  “Sect Leader, the threat of the Sky Demons has passed.”


  “Oh?”


  A voice of surprise could be heard deep amidst the clouds, saying, “The humans of the Hua Nation should not have been able to handle the Sky Demons invasion right now…… How did they do it? Could a fellow sage of another sect have stepped up?”


  “There isn’t.”


  An elderly white-haired man was speaking. “I have split out a Yuan Spirit clone and had a journey to the Hua Nation, investigating the specifics of the matter. The Sky Demon threat was resolved this time because of a cultivator named Jiang He.

  “Jiang He has reached True Child despite his youth, as well as possesses several premium-grade soul treasures and a sword array technique.”


  The elderly person paused at that, lowering his voice a few decibels as he added, “I’ve also found out that Jiang He has learned a secret Yuan Spirit technique, although I believe that might not be true. How could a True Child who has yet to condense their Yuan Spirit be able to cast a Yuan Spirit technique?”


  Deep in the temple, the other voice could not help laughing. “The commoners are truly ignorant. Do they even know how frightening secret Yuan Spirit techniques could be? Not even our Taixu Sect had grasped it with our thousands of years’ worth of history.”


  Nonetheless, his tone shifted as he continued, “Nonetheless, it is just as you put it: the kid is gifted, and after our sect closed our doors over two thousand years ago, we’ve only accepted disciples on twelve occasions, the last of which was three hundred years ago…… Fifth Elder, please return among the commoners once more and observe the kid’s temperament. Bring him back to the Taixu Sect if he has the right attitude and recruit him as our disciple.”


  Having received his orders, the white-haired Fifth Elder was about to leave when the voice inside the temple spoke again, saying, “Perhaps it is not only our Taixu Sect that is observing the commoners—the other sects would certainly be watching, what with the Revival of Qi and the age of chaos that possibly follows. I’m afraid that more individuals who gain great destiny would hence be born among the commoners, and Jiang He’s almost demonic prowess is a sign of such fortune. That is why the other immortal sects would covet him, and so you must make haste and undertake drastic measures if need be.”


  “Yes, Sect Leader!”


  The Fifth Elder of the Taixu Sect left, and quickly flew away from Mount Kunlun.

  ***

  As a matter of fact, the same thing was happening within the other secluded immortal sects.

  And Jiang He was simply unaware about it all.

  It was now seven in the evening, and the sky was fully dark as it was now November here at Xibei.

  In his farm, Jiang He was starting at the little black bell glinting faintly over his palm, unable to hold back a look of delight on his face.

  [Sky Demon Bell]

  [Tier: Mediocre-grade sage item]

  [Sacrifice a drop of blood for use.]

  “Mediocre-grade sage item……”


  “The farm is really contributing lately—to think that it has actually strengthened to being a mediocre-grade sage item……”


  Biting his finger and dripping out a drop of blood, Jiang He quickly refined the Sky Demon Bell and learnt about its details. It appears that it was a defensive item used for binding one’s enemies, which was not that different from the Nine Dragons God Fire Shroud in usage. That being said, while the Nine Dragons God Fire Shroud could be used for restraining an enemy defensively, it could kill an opponent as well. Once True Samadhi Flames were released inside, even full-fledged Yuan Spirit individuals would be killed without premium-grade soul items to protect themselves.

  Still, the Sky Demon Bell was still a sage item, and mediocre-grade at that.

  Most importantly, not even Convergence-tier individuals would easily free themselves when it was invoked to restrain an opponent in critical moment.

  Putting away the Sky Demon Bell, Jiang He’s stats panel appeared before his eyes at a single thought.

  [Name: Jiang He]

  [Cultivation: Immortal Path—novice Yuan Spirit; Martial Arts—divine-tier (divine union)]

  [Ability: Royal Sword, fire]

  [Martial Arts Cultivation: Indestructible Diamond (Mastery+), Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms (Mastery+), Strengthened Nine Yang Technique (Eighth Tier+), Ninefold Thunderblade (Mastery), Dragon-Elephant Prajna (Mastery), Nine Heavenly Stars Body Formula (Third Tier+), Three Thousand Calamities (Fourth Style+), Ice and Fire Duality Sword Array (Mastery), Sword Array of Five Elements and Six Pulses (Mastery), Twenty-Three Swords (Mastery).]

  [Owned Land: 9 Mu]

  [Farm Level: 5 (EXP 455,800/500,000)]

  [System Backpack: 24 boxes]

  [System Shop: Unlocked]

  [Farm Points: 100,000]

  “My farm’s EXP is somehow nearing the five hundred thousand goal already?”


  “But why are my Farm Points so low?”


  Jiang He could not help complaining. As a matter of fact, he had just obtained 50,000 Farm Points out of the 100,000 Farm Points he had right now. It appears that planting costs had increased considerably after leveling up his farm even though the Farm Points and EXP he earned had increased as well, not to mention that it would cost him several million with a random leveling up his cultivation techniques.

  “That is why I must earn more Farm Points so that the farm could level up this time around!”


  “Either the mutated rice or the initiation pellet would work…… still, the fact is that planting mystic treasures and soul items earns the most Farm Points, accumulating dozens of thousands Farm Points apiece. Still, those are too rare to plant in batches.”


  Jiang He’s mind hence went to work for a better earning of Farm Points.

  He was considering one question.

  If he became a master of item refinement, could he craft soul items on a massive scale and then plant them?

  And the answer was……

  No!

  “Leaving aside how rare the materials are for forging mystic items or soul items and how uncertain it is to find those, forging one alone would take hours, even days…… how am I supposed to mass produce them?”


  “Why don’t I go on a robbery instead if I have so much time……”


  “Hmmm?”


  Jiang He stopped in his tracks just as he stepped out of his farm.

  He was surprised by the idea that suddenly occurred to him.

  “Can’t believe I would actually come up with such a scary idea. How could I do something like that when I’m a law-abiding citizen? Moreover, who on Earth could own that many soul items? Surely I can’t rob the secluded immortal sects, can I?

  Robbing the secluded immortal sects?

  Others aside, that idea was quite viable, though ‘robbing’ was a little too much here.

  After all, he had no argument with the secluded immortal sects, and he surely could not run off to their domain without any reason to ‘borrow’ some soul items, could he?

  Jiang He, who was ready to return to the mansion for dinner, suddenly had a twinkle in his eye and looked off to the distant horizon.

  In the air, a sword light was streaking toward him.

  “Royal Sword Flight!”


  Jiang He’s gaze narrowed. However, before he could think, he sensed an unrestrained divine mind extending towards him, before quickly shifting directions to dart straight for his house.

  Looking up, Jiang He found a man dressed in white and bearing a youthful visage arriving on his sword over Jiang He’s head.

  The youthful men’s expression was prideful as he looked down at Jiang He, flatly asking, “Are you Jiang He?”


  Jiang He frowned but said nothing, but then heard the youthful man say, “I am the eldest True Heir of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s chief disciple and True Heir. The master has mentioned that you have a connection with our sect, and I have come today to bring you to our sect.”


  Just as he was about to say something, Jiang He turned his eyes to find another immortal radiance arriving from the horizon.

  That immortal radiance appeared to be a cloud, on top of which stood an elderly person with snow white hair and a childish visage. As he descended from the skies above and glanced at the white-clothed youth standing atop the sword, he smiled. “So it’s you, Zhong Yue of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. Has your master been well?”


  “Elder Mo of the Taixu Sect.”


  The youth named Zhong Yue offered the elderly man a fist-palm salute, smiling as he said, “Thanks for your concern, Elder Mo. The leader is quite well.”


  The two men then had a few idle exchanges before Elder Mo of the Taixu Sect turned toward Jiang He and smiled. “Are you willing to join my Taixu Sect, Jiang He? You need not turn us down in a hurry, for such is the karmic connection of disciples. If you join the Taixu Sect, the True Habitant and chief of our sect is willing to take you in as a personal disciple, and you may cultivate every immortal art and sage technique in the Taixu Sect.”


  Back in his yard, Jiang He could not help smiling. “I say, fellow sages…… weren’t you people insisting that it isn’t the right time to come out? Why would two of you come out today at once?”


  “By the way, could you come down to talk?”


  “I, Jiang He, possess quite the temper. What I always hate to see most is others showing off above me.”