I've already become an immortal lord, and only now is the spiritual energy reviving?

Shurobuchi.

The only market town within a radius of 100 miles.

People from all walks of life gather here. Whether it's bloodstained black goods or priceless treasures, with spiritual stones paving the way, there's no price that can't be pried open or goods that can't be bought.

The market is located in a remote corner.

The dark figure pulled his hood down, his body slightly hunched, and his thin, bony fingers rhythmically tapped the table.

"Fellow Daoist, it has been two years. Do not tell this old Daoist that I have not even caught a glimpse of him."

Hua Yangzi's voice was hoarse as she deliberately suppressed her anxiety.

Across the table, a lean cultivator named Zheng Minglong chuckled, toying with two beast bone beads between his fingertips, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

"You're being too formal. I, Zheng Minglong, have been in the Shulufang business for decades, and the foundation of my character lies in one word—trust."

Snapped.

A jade bottle was slammed onto the table.

Zheng Minglong's smile faded, and he lowered his voice:

"Yu Mingzhen is a unique creature, born only in the deepest ravines where the essence of the sun and moon alternates for a fleeting moment. To get it, I wasted an entire treasure-hunting rat."

Upon hearing this, Hua Yangzi disregarded pleasantries, grabbed the jade bottle with his withered hand, and slightly opened it.

Just one glance.

A pure and peaceful atmosphere, brimming with vitality, washes over you.

The weight that had been weighing on Hua Yangzi's mind for three years was finally lifted.

Three years.

In just three years.

The little girl, who was not even as tall as the stove at the time, persevered through the extremely barren cultivation environment of Guanhua Sect and made unstoppable progress all the way to the mid-stage of the Fetal Breathing Realm!

The speed of his cultivation was astonishing.

Hua Yangzi felt both gratified and alarmed whenever he thought about it.

I am gratified that the sect's revival is on the horizon, but alarmed by the incomplete and flawed nature of the "Jade Condensation Technique of the Cold Pool".

If one wishes to advance from fetal breathing to Qi cultivation, this method is too domineering and must be supplemented with "Jade Bright True Qi" to neutralize the cold poison; otherwise, the foundation will be completely destroyed and the meridians will be severed.

Name your price.

Hua Yangzi gripped the leather bag tightly, his voice hoarse.

"A regular customer, no fluff here."

Zheng Minglong raised a finger and then flipped it over.

"One hundred and twenty spirit stones, plus one newly released Grade-1 Detoxification Pill this season."

"One hundred and twenty?!"

Hua Yangzi was nearly startled and jumped up; that was a huge sum of money, enough to empty the Guan Hua family's coffers.

"Brother, you get what you pay for. You almost lost your life over this little bit of anger. I, Zheng, also need to eat."

Zheng Minglong remained calm, picked up his teacup, and looked as if he had the other party completely under his control.

A long silence followed.

Hua Yangzi sighed dejectedly, his back bending even more.

With trembling hands, he untied the Qiankun bag from his waist and took out spirit stones one by one.

The movements were slow, as if cutting flesh.

Each spirit stone was obtained by Chai Wu and his disciples through countless days and nights of toiling in the dark mine.

But for Shu Yan, and for the child whose eyes lit up when he called him "Grandpa Sect Leader".

This money has to be spent!

The money and goods were exchanged.

Zheng Minglong counted the spirit stones, his face beaming with smiles: "You're so generous! If you ever need any unconventional spiritual energy in the future, just come to me, and I'll take care of it perfectly."

"snort."

Hua Yangzi snorted coldly, clutching the leather bag tightly to his chest, stood up, pulled his cloak tighter, and hurriedly disappeared into the crowd.

A sudden commotion erupted at the exit of the market.

"Get out of the way! This is an official matter for the Imperial Sword Sect; all bystanders, please clear the way!"

Seven or eight young men and women, dressed in white robes with blue patterns, descended upon the market with great fanfare, wielding flowing swords.

The young man at the head of the group had a handsome face and an arrogant expression. His robes shimmered with precious light, and a high-level storage bag, exclusive to inner disciples, hung from his waist.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone.

This group of disciples from major sects, who were only at the early stage of Qi Refining, wielded their sword energy soaring through the crowded streets, and none of the surrounding rogue cultivators dared to speak out.

Hua Yangzi dodged into the shadows by the roadside, his head bowed low.

Shurobu is nominally an enterprise under the jurisdiction of the "Yujian Sect".

It is a truly grand phenomenon.

Today, Guanhua Gate's confrontation with it is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

Fortunately, the entire sect strictly followed the sacred furnace's decree—to remain stable.

We will never expand westward, not even a step, even though spiritual energy there is abundant.

"Let you be smug."

Hua Yangzi pressed the warm leather pouch in his arms, a fierce and restrained look flashing in his eyes that only an old wolf possessed.

"When my Yan'er grows up...when the lineage of the Dao rises..."

If there is truly no way to avoid it, then war will break out in a single day.

Even if Guanhua Gate is littered with corpses, and we have to use a few old bones to fill that mountain of knives and sea of ​​fire, we must protect Shuyan and safeguard the Sacred Furnace!

The old Taoist priest suppressed his murderous intent, transformed once again into a down-on-his-luck rogue cultivator, and disappeared into the path back to the mountain.

......

Inside the main hall.

The incense burner that once occupied the center of the main hall is no longer there.

Since the miraculous appearance several years ago, Huayangzi and Yang Dan discussed and built a secret chamber in the rear hall to respectfully invite the "Ancestor" to move there, where incense was offered day and night.

In front of the portrait of the patriarch.

The slender figure stood with his back to the palace gate, meticulously performing a grand salute.

Three years have passed since Shu Yan joined the sect. She has grown slightly taller, but is still slender. Her blue Taoist robe has been washed until it is white, but it is not stained with dirt.

"The first bow is to express gratitude to the ancestral master for transmitting the teachings."

The child's voice was clear, cool, and steady.

Shu Yan placed her palms together, raised them to eyebrow level, and bowed.

He rose, straightened his robe, and bowed again.

His movements were meticulous, like replicating illustrations from a classic book, surpassing even seasoned practitioners who had been learning for decades.

Hua Yangzi leaned against the palace door, remaining silent.

Looking at the stubborn figure, his old face was both kind and complex.

This child is so sensible it breaks my heart.

these years.

Aside from cultivation, he helped He Qin organize the classics, never playing around or complaining about hardship.

Even... Hua Yangzi always felt that she had seen through everything long ago.

As for the secret of the Sacred Furnace, should we tell her now?

Hua Yangzi was conflicted.

Hiding things from her would feel like a sin.

After pondering for a moment, Shu Yan finished the last set of Taoist bows.

He didn't turn around, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, and spoke in a flat tone.

"Grandmaster, it has been a long time since you returned."

"Ouch!"

Hua Yangzi, who was lost in thought, was startled and almost stepped on the threshold.

Shu Yan turned around, her eyes as still as water, and bowed.

Hua Yangzi's face flushed slightly, and to cover his embarrassment, he quickly chuckled and said, "Ahem... well, Yan'er, Grandpa was afraid of bothering you."

As he spoke, he rubbed his hands together, then pulled a warm jade bottle from his bosom as if presenting a treasure, and shook it.

"Guess what treasure Grandpa brought back? You guessed right... Hmm, you can have an extra chicken leg for dinner!"

Shu Yan stood quietly, her gaze falling on the old man whose face was full of wrinkles from smiling.

"One hundred and twenty spirit stones... It hurts so much, old Taoist."

But this Qi is a good thing; it can protect Yan'er's meridians. Even if it means going bankrupt, as long as she safely crosses the hurdle of Qi cultivation, it's all worth it.

The voice is familiar, flowing through my heart like a gentle stream.

One hundred and twenty spirit stones.

Shu Yan's fingertips curled slightly inside her sleeve.

She knew better than anyone else about the sect's predicament.

My heart ached, but my face remained expressionless.

Shu Yan understood that showing that she knew everything would only make her elders uneasy, or even frustrated.

What they hoped to see were children delighted by the gifts, not cunning demons who had seen through the ways of the world.

She blinked, and a perfectly measured hint of curiosity appeared on her usually aloof face.

"Is it a new talisman brush? Or... that 'Treatise on Plants and Trees' that Yan'er has been longing for?"

Her tone was soft and gentle, with a touch of childishness.

"All wrong! Hahahaha!"

Seeing that she couldn't guess, Hua Yangzi was overjoyed and shoved the jade bottle into Shu Yan's hand, beaming with pride:

"It's 'Jade Bright True Qi'! Now our little genius no longer needs to suppress his cultivation!"

Shu Yan held the jade bottle, letting out a soft exclamation of surprise, then her eyes crinkled into a smile: "Thank you, Grandmaster! Yan'er will certainly live up to your expectations!"

"Good! Good! That's the spirit I've been looking for!"

Hua Yangzi gently patted the girl's head with satisfaction.

"I won't disturb your meditation. I still need to go and check on that fool Chai Wu. He's always teaching those little monkeys how to do horse stance."

Watching the old Taoist priest humming a wild, off-key tune as he walked away, Shu Yan's childish expression vanished, replaced by a calm demeanor.

He gripped the still-warm jade bottle tightly in his hand and turned his gaze toward the forbidden area of ​​the rear hall.

"incense burner......"

A soft murmur.

Over the years, she always heard this phrase in the hearts of the sect leader and elders.

Whenever a sect encounters a great calamity or a great opportunity, the words "incense burner" appear with extremely high frequency.

The strange thing is...

Whenever she tried to concentrate and find out what was so special about that thing, her thoughts were forcibly cut off by an invisible hand.

Is it the foundation for the revival of the sect?

Curiosity grows, like a cat's claws scratching at your heart.

Immediately, Shu Yan felt relieved, and a very faint smile appeared on her lips.

Whatever it is, at least it is protecting this home and its loved ones.

Since Grandpa doesn't want to talk about it, there must be a reason.

Rushing into an investigation would only damage the relationship.

"I'll wait."

She turned around and looked at the portrait of the patriarch again, her eyes clear and bright.

"Until the day you are willing to tell me yourself."

......

"Found it!"

Hard work pays off.

Among the three skills that can be activated in the Divine Tree, I finally managed to find this crucial function.

"Hidden so deep, is it to guard against thieves?"

Qingyuan grumbled as he hovered the mouse over the "divine power" icon.

[Supernatural power: acting on behalf of others]

[Synopsis: Incense serves as a bridge, and incarnation acts as a proxy.]

[Effect: Depending on the disciple's cultivation level and the amount of incense consumed, the disciple will be transformed into a present-day practitioner.]

In this state, one can transmit Taoist scriptures/complex information (such as documents, images, etc.), which the recipient will interpret as "sudden enlightenment" or "sacred initiation."

"That's more like it!"

Qingyuan slapped his thigh.

What is enlightenment?

It's like the official version of direct data connection, like having a tube inserted into your head!

Shifting my gaze, right next to [Substitute], there were two other supernatural power branches that looked as gray as if they had just been unearthed.

[Celestial Instrument: Consumes incense offerings/spiritual essence, controls the celestial phenomena of a region, can imbue rain with life force, wind with hidden sword intent, and clouds with thunderous sound, transforming ordinary weather phenomena into supernatural powers to benefit the sect and suppress external enemies.]

It looks pretty intimidating.

If someone is so blind as to come knocking on your door, it would be really satisfying to send a bolt of lightning flying.

But this is, after all, a raising game, and the ancestor isn't always watching over a Pikachu that generates electricity.

As for the other "Master", he is full of question marks, and they don't even give you a brief introduction. He seems unapproachable.

"One is a mage build, the other is a support build."

Qingyuan glanced at the [Incense: 512] he had painstakingly accumulated in the upper left corner.

The entrance fee for the Great Supernatural Power is expensive, requiring 500 incense offerings.

Once it recovers, it's basically back to square one.

After a little thought, I understood.

It is better to teach people to fish than to teach people.

Instead of being a mere turret that only unleashes powerful attacks, it's better to use [Proxy] to grant the sect a full-map boost and increase its strength.

Teaching them how to build guns and cannons is the core technology of the farming strategy.

Having understood this point, I will stop rambling.

"I choose you, Proxy Beast!"

[Note: Consuming 500 incense sticks, the "Substitute" supernatural power imprint is being reactivated...]

[Welcome Your Excellency, as you reclaim your authority: to act on the will of Heaven and enlighten all beings.]