Chapter 9

"Senior Zhang, shall we just let it be?" Yuan Wuxing asked tentatively, his neck retracted.

"Afraid?"

"Who would be afraid of those Jiang family beasts? Whenever I think of those skeletons, a surge of anger rises in my chest." Yuan Wuxing stiffened his neck, the veins on his forehead bulging, but he soon wilted.

"But if we really affect the faith in the Human Emperor and thus the fight against the Heavenly Demons, we would truly be sinners for all eternity."

The death of several hundred infants was indeed a major event, but the Human Emperor's defense of the Nine Provinces was an even greater cause. If given a choice, Yuan Wuxing would likely choose the latter.

Jiang Li chuckled, "You're overthinking it. My sect leader once told me that the current Human Emperor is exceptionally talented, far surpassing all previous generations. The power of faith is beneficial, but its absence doesn't affect anything."

Yuan Wuxing was immediately relieved.

What Jiang Li didn't say was that he grew stronger each time he passed through a thunder tribulation. After his fourth tribulation, the power of faith became useless to him. One hundred and sixty years ago, he forged a bronze tripod and placed it in the Human Emperor's hall. All the faith from the Nine Provinces would not be bestowed upon him but would instead enter the bronze tripod, to be left for the next Human Emperor.

...

"System."

In the dead of night, Jiang Li summoned the system interface.

[Congratulations, host, for enduring arduous cultivation and fierce battles, defeating Jiang Yixing. Would you like to claim your reward?]

Jiang Li's lips twitched, wanting to ask the system when these "arduous cultivation and fierce battles" had occurred.

Suppressing the urge to complain, Jiang Li said, "Claim the reward."

A pure force descended from the void, pouring into Jiang Li's body.

"This power..."

Jiang Li's expression was one of surprise: "...it's actually less than what I generate with a single breath. Oh, this is for the Qi Condensation stage, so it's fine."

According to Jiang Li's estimation, if he had used this power initially, he would have reached a "perfect" state during the Foundation Establishment stage. This was a privilege reserved for core disciples of major sects, far surpassing the foundation of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators and enhancing their combat power by several levels.

"Good stuff." Jiang Li praised, then expelled the force from his body.

Who would refine a force of unknown origin?

Then, a bamboo scroll tied with a thin red string fell from the void, named *Dragon Tiger Arhat Power*, a body cultivation technique.

According to the technique, as cultivation deepened, it would gradually alter the practitioner's blood, causing them to burst with unparalleled strength when emotionally agitated. The cultivation levels were divided based on animal strength, such as the power of a cow, a tiger, an elephant, a dragon, etc. The standard for minor success was the power of a tiger, for moderate success, the power of a dragon, and for major success, the integration of dragon and tiger power. When fully cultivated, one could wrestle with a true dragon in extreme anger, displaying immense brutality.

After reading the introduction in two minutes and making some deductions in three, Jiang Li concluded: a waste of five minutes.

This body cultivation technique was very powerful, even a Deity Transformation cultivator would consider it a treasure.

However, it was useless to Jiang Li.

Currently, the Four Seas Dragon Clan was popular with a technique called *Human Emperor Jiang Li Power*, said to be personally compiled by the Four Seas Dragon Kings. When fully cultivated, one could wrestle with one of Jiang Li's hands.

From the results, Jiang Li hadn't seen any dragon clan member win against his single hand.

As for other items like pills with cloud and fragrance, and middle-grade spirit swords, Jiang Li had no interest at all.

He specially designated a section in his storage ring for the system, placing these pills, swords, and body cultivation techniques together, labeling them:

"Useless things from the system, No. 2"

The previous beginner's gift pack was naturally No. 1.

[New Task: After joining the Cloud Transformation Sect, the eldest grandson of the Grand Elder, Yun Bo, believes your Five Elements Spirit Roots are dragging down the average spirit root level of the sect and constantly makes things difficult for you. Please defeat him with overwhelming power.]

[This task can be abandoned]

[Task Reward: One opportunity for enlightenment, a fragment of a mysterious map, one high-grade spirit artifact of any style (upgradable)]

This time, Jiang Li could quickly recall who Yun Bo was.

The Cloud Transformation Sect was a small sect near Qingcheng, with a late Golden Core sect leader and five Golden Core elders. At the time, Jiang Li's innate spirit roots were concealed, displaying the worst Five Elements Spirit Roots, and no sect wanted to take him in. Jiang Li deduced from the shopping lists of Cloud Transformation Sect disciples that the sect was financially strained. He then found an opportunity to speak with the sect leader, analyzing the local economic situation and suggesting ways to make money. The sect leader was amazed and, despite opposition, appointed Jiang Li to manage the finances, with the sect leader supervising.

Jiang Li did not disappoint, turning around the Cloud Transformation Sect's financial losses and even acquiring several small sects. Eventually, he obtained the core techniques and cultivation guidance from the Grand Elder before traveling around the Great Zhou again.

During this period, Yun Bo formed alliances to bully new disciples. Jiang Li discussed with the Grand Elder, who pretended to die, causing those who followed Yun Bo to scatter. Yun Bo, after experiencing the coldness of the world, finally realized that cultivation was the most important and thus reformed and worked hard.

"Three hundred years ago, when I returned to the Cloud Transformation Sect, Yun Bo had already reached the Nascent Soul stage. With the longevity pills I gave him, he should still be alive."

Jiang Li decided not to abandon this task yet.

The fragment of the mysterious map attracted him.

[New Feature: Store]

Jiang Li was delighted; finally, there was an interesting feature. He summoned the store, and a screen-like light curtain appeared in his mind, displaying neatly arranged items in large quantities.

Focusing on any item would bring up its description on the light curtain.

However, Jiang Li soon became disappointed. The items displayed were all from their world, with no modern gadgets like phones, computers, nuclear bombs, or satellites, nor any items from the immortal realm.

The phone was not a big deal; he mainly wanted to try resisting a nuclear bomb with his body.

"System, are there no items from other worlds?"

[Please visit other worlds first, host.]

Jiang Li pouted; another useless feature. If he could go to other places, why would he need this system?

"System, sort the items by the number of source points required, from highest to lowest."

The number of items on the light curtain quickly changed. At the top were the techniques of the Human Emperor's hall, followed by the Dao Sect's treasure, the Taiji Heavenly Seal, and then the most valuable items from other sects and imperial cities, such as a Tribulation Transcender puppet and immortal's notes.

These items were good, but Jiang Li had either used them or had no use for them.

For example, during the fight against the Heavenly Demons, the Dao Sect lent the Taiji Heavenly Seal to Jiang Li. He used it a few times but found his own weapon more convenient, so he returned it to the Dao Sect. A Tribulation Transcender puppet was even less useful to him, a Great Perfection cultivator. As for the immortal's notes, he had exchanged cultivation experience for the opportunity to read them.

Moreover, Jiang Li suspected that these items did not appear out of nowhere but were stolen from the sects.