Origin Paradise!

As the figure landed, the second shot struck his back, the spreading blue-red energy staining his skin and instantly corroding a deep, half-foot-deep wound, from which blood gushed forth like a spring.

boom!

A series of loud bangs rose up as the mountain demon leader smashed the surrounding boulders indiscriminately. Then, he grabbed the broken stones and launched them at the surrounding area. A boulder the size of a human head blasted straight through the trunk of a large tree in the distance.

boom!

Another shot fell.

Jiang He kept dodging, not wanting to get injured during the break between missions. This time, his opponent had no fancy abilities and lacked the wisdom to change the course of the battle, so the outcome was not in any suspense.

With the fifth shot, the Hunting Mark, stacked to five layers, detonated. A horizontal slash completely shattered the mountain demon leader's spine. Jiang He followed up with a Dragon Tail Sweep, striking the back of the opponent's head and rendering him unconscious. He then quickly performed the Blood Servant Ritual; otherwise, without the incomplete rudimentary self-healing ability to sustain his life, the guy would have died.

The duel between the leaders has ended.

The pangolin circled and roared wildly, declaring its status and position.

More than twenty mountain spirits slowly emerged from the forest. The most agile mountain spirit tried to escape, but Jiang He took the opportunity to set up the Crimson Baptism and used the Alchemy Piercing Bullet to shatter its head.

[Hint: You have obtained the Legion title "Mountain Demon Lord"]

[Name: Mountain Ghost Lord]

[Category: Titles]

[Quality: Rare]

[Effect: Commands the Mountain Spirit Legion, increases specific affinity by 30%, current quantity: 31]

……

The dawn light filled the sky, yet it did not obscure the darkness of the forest.

Jiang He led the thirty-one mountain spirits back to Yuwang Valley, where Wuhe and Lao Hei came to greet them.

"Boss, we've struck it rich again."

"Xiao He, is this leader reliable?"

Jiang He said, "Starting today, Big Guy will be the deputy leader of the Mountain Ghost group. Mountain Armor and Mountain B will assist him. It's no problem for the Mountain Ghosts to help us build the camp, but we have to meet their daily needs for wood. Normally, a Mountain Ghost needs about one piece of wood a day, but Big Guy will probably need two. Wu He, you will be in charge. Try to build the framework of the camp in ten days."

"clear."

Wuhe immediately began to make arrangements: two mountain spirits were sent to build granaries, the bird legion had captured geckos all night and had already piled them up into several small mountains, and two more were sent to help dig wells. The eagles and golden eagles were not capable of doing hard labor, so the rest were divided into two groups to participate in camp construction and timber transportation.

Jiang He continued logging, taking a break every half hour.

During this time, Lao Hei brought over grilled gecko meat and spring water.

The entire Yuwang Valley was bustling with activity, resembling a large construction site. Due to logging, the forests bordering the valley had receded several meters, leaving the border area exceptionally rich in resources. As long as one wasn't at the bottom of the food chain, one could wander around without starving.

In the blink of an eye, twelve days have passed.

The camp construction failed, and due to the mountain spirits' overwhelming labor capacity, Wuhe reorganized the camp into a miniature city.

On both sides of the valley, a simple city wall has been built, which is 2.5 miles long, 5 meters wide and 7 meters high. Inside, 40 wooden houses have been built. Blood pool, granary and well are located on the right side of the small town. Watchtowers have been built in the four corners. During this time, Jiang He and the deputy leader went to the boulder flat area and captured four newly arrived wild mountain spirits. They also successfully opened up a path and transported boulders many times, which made the city wall maintain a good degree of sturdiness.

Inside the small town, a pool-sized reservoir was excavated on the left side. Jiang He continuously poured energy into it, and the water gradually turned a faint bluish-red.

Wuhe, clutching the construction blueprints, said, “Boss, your corrosive water can make the gaps between the boulders disappear, but the concentration must be diluted, otherwise the whole boulder will be gone. Besides acting as a corrosive adhesive, we can also build two moats outside the city walls. Then we can increase the concentration, and falling in will mean certain death.”

Jiang He finished injecting energy and said, "The mission's cooldown period is over. How are you two doing?"

The old black dog lying to the side raised its tail, looked up, and replied, "Anytime."

Wuhe perked up, "Then let's wait until we get back to continue repairing. Should we start a derivative mission or a world mission? If we descend upon the Remnant World a second time, it's very likely that many years will have passed since the First World War."

Jiang He took out a world invitation, the very one that the Grey Knight had sent to him through a messenger.

"The unknown real world may contain a way to activate the secret treasure of silkworm life. Dawn, courage, freedom, and transcendence are too general symbols. I tried it a few days ago, but I can't find a clue yet."

The man, dog, and bird left the corrosive pool and chose a wooden house to stay in. No matter how much time has passed in the real world mission, it is only one second in the real world, so safety is guaranteed and there is no chance of encountering a beast horde attacking the city when they return.

Jiang He used the World Invitation.

[Hint: Bringing modern weapons in addition to items will significantly increase the difficulty of the mission]

[Note: Item pouches do not support cross-world transport of live animals]

Familiar scenes appeared before Jiang He's eyes. He saw the vast grasslands beyond the Great Wall, the majestic and long city walls, and the canals that ran across the land. Countless iron cavalry marched south, the mountains and rivers were shattered, and the great city fell. At the same time, there were also martial arts masters who could leap over walls and fight on the mountainside, as well as martial arts experts who fought on the mountainside. Ghosts and monsters roamed the deep mountains and forests, and Taoist priests entered the mountains with their swords.

In the autumn of 1125, the Great Qian Dynasty was filled with endless songs and dances, and adorned with flowers. Unprecedented prosperity permeated the land. The martial arts world was teeming with heroes. Six grandmasters sat in seclusion, while ten others vied for supremacy. The Jianchi Mountain Sword Tournament, held once every twenty years, was convened once more.

Amidst a scene of prosperity, the iron cavalry of the Northern Barbarians plots their southward advance, the White Lotus Demonic Cult stirs with restless energy, demons howl at the moon in the Ten Thousand Mountains, and rebellious forces rise from the land like dragons and snakes. The emperor cultivates Taoism, powerful ministers hold court, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is corrupt and decadent, and the Prince of Anbei commands an army of 160,000, entrenched in Yizhou. What will become of this world?

[Quest Name: Ancient Martial Dynasty]

[Mission Type: Single-player World Exploration]

[Main Quest: Ensure that Daming Prefecture does not fall]

[Task Rewards: ① 300 game coins and experience points ② 1 rare-level targeted skill ③ 1 free attribute point and 1 skill point]

[Task Time Limit: 180 calendar days]

[Temporary language translation module loading]

[Initial Identity: Earl of the Pacification Army]

The world begins!

Chapter 108 Ancient Martial Dynasty

September 1125, the sixth year of the Xuanhe era.

Northeast of Daqian, within the territory of Yizhou

As the sun sets over the long river, its afterglow as faint as a flickering candle, the earth is gradually enveloped in twilight, and the red sun slowly sinks with an indescribable loneliness.

A caravan traveled northwards, heading towards Daming Prefecture, the capital and important border town of Yizhou.

In the center of the caravan, a majestic and luxurious carriage moved quietly. Its wheels were tall and rolled smoothly and solemnly. The carriage was made of fine wood, inlaid with gold and jade, and a lifelike four-clawed python encircled the outer wall. The horses pulling the carriage were all brightly colored and strong.

Outside the convoy, more than thirty iron cavalrymen stood in formation, guarding the carriage. At the head of the convoy, a figure fully armored suddenly trembled, as if a phantom projection had come to life, as if a mysterious primordial power had been implanted into this world.

After landing, Jiang He observed the outside world through his helmet. He was in a plain, with towering mountains at the end of his vision. The distance between them was unpredictable.

At the same time, basic information consistent with the current identity floods into the mind. The higher the identity, the more extensive and in-depth the initial intelligence. If it were a death row inmate starting out, it would be like being completely in the dark.

"Daming Prefecture is located east of the Jianchi Mountains, south of the Ink Great Wall, and at the end of the Hangming Canal. It is the capital of the northeastern wing of the nine provinces of the Great Qian Dynasty. It is also an important front-line town for resisting the northern barbarians. Ten years ago, the emperor turned to Taoism and established four major governorates to oversee the military affairs of the four directions. The Prince of Anbei, who commands an army of 160,000, is the Grand Governor of Anbei."

“My uncle suppressed a rebellion in the south, but unfortunately died in battle. As a result, he was awarded the title of Earl of the Pacification Army. Since he had no children, the title fell to me.”

Jiang He pondered. His title didn't seem very prestigious, probably because the Southern Ming court wasn't powerful enough. The Southern Ming wasn't a unified dynasty and didn't match the Great Qian, which ruled over the nine provinces.

The sound of horses' hooves echoed as the caravan moved forward.

Jiang He glanced back at the luxurious carriage behind her, her heart stirred slightly, and she secretly reviewed the initial intelligence she had obtained.

“Princess Anbei is the direct disciple of the leader of the Five Dou Dao Sect, the national religion. As for the leader, he is one of the six great masters in the secluded world. According to the descriptions in the martial arts world, he should be a Silver Life. My current task is to escort the princess back to Daming Prefecture and then take up the post of a fourth-rank commander.”

Just as someone turned around, the carriage curtain was drawn back, and an old woman with a cane stepped out. She was dressed in cloth, thin, and her face was full of wrinkles from years of hard work, but her eyes held a sharp glint.

The old woman moved with light steps, and after landing, she took a few steps and quickly passed the iron cavalry to the lead position.

"My lord, my servants are acting strangely. Please be careful and do not let the thieves disturb the young lady. I am not good at fighting, so thank you in advance."

As soon as she finished speaking, centipedes, about the length of a forearm, emerged from the collar and cuffs of the old woman's clothes. They were jet black and shiny, clearly containing deadly poison. One of them was wrapped around a high-quality ginseng root. After she took it into her hand, she gently pushed it away and handed it to someone.

Jiang He reached out and caught the ginseng. The rich, fresh scent of herbs filled his nostrils. With his base stats improved, this rare treasure, brimming with vitality, was easy to identify. In a critical moment, its life-saving effect was no less than that of a vitality potion.

"Generous."

Jiang He recognized the person in front of her, or rather, the other party was a renowned martial arts master. Granny Jiudu was the ninth most skilled martial artist in the world, as certified by Tianxing Tower. She was enshrined in the Anbei Prince's Mansion and usually served as the princess's bodyguard. Her poison skills were exquisite and unparalleled.

Taking the Jianchi Mountain Sword Tournament as an example, every twenty years, Tianxing Tower will judge the world's best swordsmen, which can be described as a contest of a hundred boats. However, this list does not include the six grandmasters, since it is meaningless to list them together, and to seriously rank them would only bring trouble.

Upon hearing what the Duke of Pingluan said, Granny Jiudu's expression became subtle.

"My lord, I know you have lived in the south for a long time, but since you came to Yizhou, if high-ranking officials and nobles give you ginseng, it is best not to say anything like 'generous' or 'praise.' We have plenty of top-quality ginseng here. It is just a gift to avoid any mistakes. It is easy for people to misunderstand that you are being sarcastic. I have no choice. Precious things are all poisonous."

“Gold and silver are also acceptable,” Jiang He said earnestly, as both are important alchemical materials.

"I haven't touched silver for six or seven years." Granny Nine Poisons looked embarrassed. She was a servant of the royal palace and was essentially the head steward. She could give orders for whatever she needed. Even when rewarding servants, she didn't need to give them money in person. She could just have the accountant collect the money. She had no need for silver at all. If she was really short of it, she could just spread the word and the next day groups of wealthy merchants would come to offer it to her.

Jiang He was speechless. It was still too far removed from the level of using money for him. The fact that the ninth-ranked person in the world was willing to become a royal servant must have some compelling reasons. However, in general, not all heroes are truly free.

According to initial intelligence, three years ago, the prince went hunting and got into a conflict with a wandering swordsman over prey. The swordsman intended to settle things peacefully, but the prince suddenly whipped him in the face. As a result, the swordsman was willing to risk his life and killed the prince, but his family was also wiped out. The incident was full of inside stories and caused a great uproar.

"Does Granny Nine Poisons know Lei Junzi, the eighth-ranked person in the world?" Jiang He asked. Lei Junzi was the Gray Knight. She hadn't provided any information about his identity and was very confident in his reputation.

"I've met that fellow who's skilled with longswords and lightning magic a few times," Granny Nine Poisons said with a smile. "He was once the champion of the younger generation at the Jianchi Mountain Sword Tournament, and later became the eighth in the world, but he disappeared for several years."

As the two were talking, a centipede suddenly began to writhe wildly.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Lord." Granny Nine Poisons clasped her hands in a fist salute, then turned and went straight back to the carriage, her movements ethereal and graceful.

Jiang He looked back and saw smoke and dust rising in front of her.

The lieutenant immediately dismounted, rested his head on his quiver, listened intently to the ground, and then remounted to report.

"My lord, bring about a hundred horsemen."

Jiang He pondered. It wasn't just the difference in numbers; more importantly, the guards needed to protect the carriage. If he ordered a charge, he should be able to kill many enemy cavalrymen. But after the charge, the positions would be reversed, and the carriage would be exposed to the enemy's forces.

However, if they hold their ground, the cavalry's advantage in charging cannot be utilized, and without the speed boost, their own losses will be heavy. In short, they are in a dilemma.

"Give me a bow and arrow," Jiang He said.

The lieutenant, named Du Chang, immediately threw his hard bow and quiver over.

Jiang He drew an arrow and tore a strip of cloth from the outer garment of his armor. Because armor was prone to getting cold or conducting heat, ancient soldiers usually chose to wear an outer garment. After tearing off the cloth, he took out a black gemstone and tied it to the arrowhead. Then he bent his bow and nocked the arrow.

When it comes to archery, Jiang He isn't exactly accurate, but his high physique (11 points) and strength (9 points) allow him to easily draw the bow, which can hold two bushels of stone, to its full extent.

The fingers loosened, the arrow left the bowstring, soared straight into the sky, and then plummeted at the end.

Deputy General Du Chang exclaimed in surprise, "Lord, you have incredible strength!"

Another man serving as a military advisor said helplessly, "But it's not very useful."

"Don't worry."

Jiang He drew his bow again and fired the second black arrow.

Chapter 109 Three Masters

The setting sun melts gold.

Hundreds of cavalrymen galloped at top speed. The composition of this team was quite complex, including commanders from the Northern Barbarian tribes, henchmen of bandits from Yizhou, and martial arts masters from Kyushu.

The middle-aged man leading the charge had handsome features, a gleaming sword in his right hand, and his eyes were fixed on the carriage at the end of his line of sight.

"Brother, this side quest is deadly. If we kill Princess Anbei, we definitely won't be able to stay in Yizhou anymore."

A scarred man on horseback following on the right spoke up.

The young man on the left sneered, "Who cares about the King of Anbei and Andong? The main quest is almost finished in a few days. Who's going to put up with him? You're just too cautious. You'll never amount to anything. I tricked these bandits into thinking there was a caravan ahead, and they obediently came."

The warhorse galloped, and the scarred man snorted coldly. All three of them were players, with the eldest brother being the highest level, already at LV12. He had added points at least twelve times, and his agility specialization was as high as 11. Combined with his extremely fast-moving electric sword, he dominated the martial arts world of the province.

It was precisely because of the suppression of this one-word lightning sword that he was too lazy to waste words with the reckless young man in front of him. Otherwise, with a single Wind and Cloud Palm strike, even a bull would be instantly killed. Once the caravan was broken through, the barbarians and bandits in the caravan would immediately notice something was wrong, and in the end, he and his elder brother would have to step in to appease them.

The group sped forward, and the young man roared a few times. This feeling of speed and the days of robbing and plundering were so wonderful that they were almost maddening. Unlike the cautiousness of the real world, in the Great Qian world, heroes could break the law with their martial arts. As long as they were bold enough to escape, there were plenty of people from the Demonic Sect who could do whatever they wanted.

The White Lotus Demonic Cult accepts all martial arts practitioners who are hostile to the righteous path. As long as they declare themselves as disciples of the cult in public once, they immediately become disciples of the cult. They have dedicated elders who travel around to help them, and they can take action for the disciples of the cult as they please.

As the cavalry charged forward, suddenly, the handsome middle-aged man at the head of the cavalry looked up at the sky. An arrow landed dozens of meters ahead, its accuracy astonishing.

The young man laughed loudly: "You're tickling me!"

The next second, the arrow struck the ground and detonated the black gem. The intense heat roared, and amidst the blazing light, shockwaves surged and strong winds swept through.

Because of the distance, the explosion did not cause many casualties, but the thunderous roar startled the warhorses, causing them to scatter and flee in panic, and half of the hundreds of men were immediately scattered.

Only forty-odd riders managed to maintain their momentum and continue forward. The second black arrow followed closely behind, landing very close to the first one.

The explosion rose in the ranks, killing seven or eight people instantly and causing more than a dozen to fall from their horses. Without superior martial arts skills, they were injured or killed the moment they hit the ground during this full-speed charge.

Two cavalrymen landed headfirst, their bodies rolled several times, twitched briefly, and then quickly became motionless. A northern barbarian soldier lost control of the reins, and as his horse reared up, he was forced to fall backward, landing on the back of his head, and immediately died.

Amidst the chaos, the handsome middle-aged man bent down and rushed through the smoke, with the scarred man close behind.

The young man didn't have the same riding skills as the other two, and he fell off his horse and broke his left leg. He gritted his teeth and drank a small bottle of healing potion that he treasured. If he didn't participate enough, Origin wouldn't consider him to have completed the side quest.