Chapter 77

Jiang Feng did not show any courtesy to them, but Ping Luan Shan and the others also understood that things were not as easy as he said.

Among a thousand people, only one can become a Treasure Artisan, and every upgraded treasure is a highly sought-after treasure.

Although the auxiliary wooden armor cannot assist in battle, it can accelerate their cultivation speed, making it more practical than ordinary treasures!

Not to mention, it was tailor-made, time-consuming, and labor-intensive, and it would certainly be the most suitable for them.

The few of them did not say much more, but they deeply remembered Jiang Feng's kindness in their hearts.

Jiang Feng, on the other hand, was quite indifferent.

In his view, the materials in Hua Su's warehouse were enough to offset the price of several upgraded treasures, and even more.

Hua Su actually valued these few disciples very much, and helping them achieve better results in the major exam was the best way to repay Hua Su.

With the help of the Heavenly Mechanism Cube, the subsequent data collection and adjustment became much simpler, and Jiang Feng's skills became increasingly proficient. The second piece of wooden armor was completed two days later, and after that, he basically maintained a pace of one and a half days per piece.

Wang Erhu proactively stated that he did not need it for the time being, so five days later, Ping Luan Shan and the others were all equipped with auxiliary wooden armor.

They clearly felt that after putting on the wooden armor, their bodies became warm, and the speed of the Ming Force surging within their bodies increased significantly.

Jiang Feng found that although he had made three more pieces, only the pattern of the earliest one appeared in the Treasure Catalog.

This indicated that the Treasure Catalog only certified different types of treasures, and repeated remaking of the same piece could not be upgraded.

Jiang Feng was talented, diligent, rational, and very considerate. The longer Hua Su interacted with him, the more satisfied he became with this disciple. So, when Jiang Feng came to find him that day and expressed his intention to go to Tai Cang City ahead of time, he thought for a moment and waved his hand, "Since that's the case, there's only half a month left. Let's go together! We can also get used to the atmosphere of the exam venue in advance!"

Hua Su was very decisive. After making the decision, he called for a carriage that day, left Wang Erhu at home to watch the house, and took the rest of the people and some household items to Tai Cang City.

Tai Cang City is located by the Changchuan River, not far downstream from Hezhong County.

Hua Su brought them to the Changchuan River and changed to a boat to travel upstream. The next day, they saw the bustling city.

When Jiang Feng saw the city wall, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He had previously scheduled his time too tightly and almost forgot the travel time—after all, not all transportation was as fast as the carriage Qiu Jueye had taken him in. Ordinary people traveling by boat or carriage really took a long time!

He had a sudden thought and flipped open the copy of the Treasure Catalog left by Fang Liuxian, his gaze fixed on a light boat.

This boat was only seven feet long and two feet wide, just enough for one person to stand.

It was called "One Leaf," a piece of upgraded treasure. Riding on it, one could fly through the wind, covering a thousand miles a day!

If he could make it, Jiang Feng would be much more flexible in his movements.

Hua Su, though he appeared unkempt, was actually very meticulous. He had somehow prepared a place to stay in Tai Cang City in advance, so they could settle down as soon as they arrived.

The new residence was located on the east side of Tai Cang City, secluded and quiet, but not small. It even had an independent training ground, which was perfect for their use.

Jiang Feng put down a small amount of luggage, said a word to Hua Su, and went out the door.

Before leaving, Hua Su reminded him, "This place is not like the countryside; it's more chaotic. Be careful with everything." Then he laughed, "You are always steady, so there shouldn't be any problems."

It was now the afternoon of June 21st, exactly half a month before the July 7th state exam.

In other words, Jiang Feng had to go to the Jiezi Pavilion today to complete the procedures to ensure that he would get "that thing" in half a month.

Tai Cang City, the capital of Yushui Prefecture, was the largest city Jiang Feng had ever seen.

It spanned the Changchuan River, connected by a bridge in the middle, and most of the buildings were wooden. The black fish-scale tiles reflected golden light in the sunlight, showcasing the prosperity of a large city and the unique elegance of a waterside city.

The Jiezi Pavilion was located in the southern part of the city, near the river, surrounded by various shops, most of which were related to martial cultivation.

The exam venue for their state exam was also not far from the Jiezi Pavilion.

In a sense, this area of the city, centered around the Jiezi Pavilion, formed a martial cultivation zone.

The Treasure Artisan Association, treasure material stores, custom-made and sold treasure shops, martial arts schools, training grounds... everything related to martial cultivation was available here.

Jiang Feng was dazzled by the sights, but fortunately, he remembered the tight schedule. After asking for directions, he headed straight for the Jiezi Pavilion.

The Jiezi Pavilion was a four-story wooden building, occupying a vast area and being the most prominent structure in the vicinity.

As soon as Jiang Feng reached the entrance, a sudden whiff of blood hit his nose. He instinctively looked up and was instantly stunned.

Under the sign of the Jiezi Pavilion, above the lintel, hung a fresh head!

The head was larger than a human's, with two black horns on top and fierce fangs protruding from the lips.

Although it was already dead, its eyes bulged out of the sockets, filled with a fierce and murderous aura.

Jiang Feng had never seen a demon before, but as soon as he saw the head, the word "demon" instantly popped into his mind.

The Jiezi Pavilion served as a bank, storage facility, and auction house, all of which were purely commercial.

Why was a demon's head hanging here? And it was still fresh, clearly having died not long ago!

In front of the two-story-high gate, besides Jiang Feng, many others were standing. Many people were pointing at the head and discussing it. Jiang Feng did not need to get too close to hear their conversation.

"See that? That's the grandeur of the Zhong family!"

"Right, the Zhong family truly represents our human race. They should deal with demons in this way!"

There were also newcomers like Jiang Feng who asked, "Excuse me, sir, I'm new here and don't understand. What's the deal with this demon's head? Why is it hanging here?"

As soon as this topic came up, the locals immediately became excited and began to talk non-stop. "This is one of the great spectacles of our Tai Cang City, and a great virtue of the Zhong family!"

The matter was simple. It was actually a long-term policy of the Jiezi Pavilion.

The Jiezi Pavilion offered unlimited and uncapped rewards for demons.

Anyone who could obtain a demon's head could come to the Jiezi Pavilion to claim the reward.

The reward varied based on the demon's level and the location of its appearance, but it would never disappoint the claimant.

The demon's head obtained through the reward would be hung at the entrance of the Jiezi Pavilion for three days as a warning.

The person pointed to the head and said, "This is a Scholar-level demon. I wonder what benefits the martial cultivator who brought it in received!"

The young man sneered, "It's just a show to win people's hearts."

Upon hearing this, all the locals' faces darkened. An old man gave him a cold look and said disdainfully, "A show to win people's hearts? Why don't you put up the money for a thousand years?"

This policy had been in effect since the establishment of the Jiezi Pavilion, which was over 1,200 years ago. In these 1,200 years, tens of thousands of demon heads had been collected, and the amount of money spent was incalculable.

Even if it was to win people's hearts, persisting for so long was enough to win enough hearts!

Moreover, everyone who knew who owned the Jiezi Pavilion knew the blood feud between the Zhong family and the demons. This policy was just the most superficial manifestation of it.

The young man's words caused trouble, and all the locals looked at him with disgust, wishing they could stay ten feet away from him.

He awkwardly walked to the side of the street, wanting to ask a fruit vendor about the matter, but before he could open his mouth, the vendor waved him away like a fly, "Go away, I won't sell anything to someone like you!"

Jiang Feng was extremely surprised by what he saw.

If he hadn't come here, he would never have imagined that the Zhong family had such prestige among the common people!

No wonder, demons were the greatest enemies of humans, and the Zhong family's actions were a statement.

We have a blood feud with demons, and we are willing to be the first line of defense for humans against demons!

Jiang Feng smiled slightly, walked into the Jiezi Pavilion, and was greeted by a screen.

The screen was about ten feet high and forty feet wide, with Ming Force flowing through it, making it a county-level treasure.

Jiang Feng had been studying the copy of the Treasure Catalog left by Fang Liuxian and had some understanding of the structure of Ming Force.

He could see that the only function of this county-level treasure was to display. When you gazed at it, mountains, rivers, and all kinds of animals and plants flowed past, as if you had instantly traveled through thousands of mountains and rivers and seen all the wonders of the world!

Jiang Feng stood in front of the screen, completely lost in thought.

At the entrance of the Jiezi Pavilion, some uniformed attendants were moving around to serve guests. They were clearly well-trained, polite, and never disturbed guests without permission.

Seeing Jiang Feng admiring their treasure screen, the attendants exchanged smiles, and one of them said, "I'll go."

Just as he was about to step forward, a middle-aged man in a steward's uniform hurried out and called, "Two of you come with me..."

He was about to continue speaking when he saw Jiang Feng and looked puzzled.

An attendant asked, "Boss, what's wrong? Is there a problem with this young man?"

The boss thought hard, "This young man looks familiar, as if I've seen him somewhere..." He thought for a long time, then slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "It's him! The order from above says that whenever this young man is seen, the Pavilion Master must personally receive him!"

"The Pavilion Master personally receives him?"

The attendants were all shocked and asked in unison.

The Jiezi Pavilion is usually only set up in major cities on the Nine Heavens Continent. The Pavilion Master, in addition to managing the Jiezi Pavilion itself, also manages all the businesses of the Zhong family in the surrounding area, holding considerable power.

The Pavilion Master of the Jiezi Pavilion is on par with the Prefect of Yushui Prefecture. For such a young man to be personally received by the Pavilion Master was quite surprising.

The attendants asked, "Who is this young man?"

The boss didn't have time to explain, waved his hand, and hurriedly went in.

Jiang Feng was immersed in the images on the screen and didn't hear their conversation.

At this moment, a voice suddenly called out his name, "Hey, Jiang Feng!"

Jiang Feng was startled and came back to his senses. He looked at the person who had just walked in, and the smile on his face disappeared. "Jiang Huiming."