A Remarkable Talent Emerges from the Dao Sect's Walking One

With the Red Dust Pure Land matters settled and the Red Dust Fairy still unknowing when she would awaken, Jiang Li no longer lingered there. He instructed them to absolutely keep the Red Dust Fairy's situation secret and never spread word of it, for with her allure, who knew how much trouble could stir.

He made a trip to the Dao Sect and asked the Dao Sect Master for a Remote Communication Talisman.

"Hm? Every other time I've asked you for a Remote Communication Talisman, you've had that pained expression. Why so generous this time?" Jiang Li saw the Dao Sect Master's beaming smile and felt he was up to no good.

The Dao Sect Master appeared to be about Jiang Li's age, both looking like youths in their prime.

He clasped his hands behind his back and said with a grin, "The Dao Sect has produced an emissary of remarkable talent—how could I, as Sect Master, not be pleased?"

"If you're calling someone remarkably talented, they must be quite the junior prodigy. What kind of genius are we talking about? If it's no trouble, why not bring them over for a look?" Jiang Li grew interested as well. To witness the growth of a talented junior would give him, the Guardian of the Nine Provinces, a sense of accomplishment.

The Dao Sect Master kept smiling. "No trouble at all. You're familiar with this person too."

"Oh? A junior I know?"

The Dao Sect Master's smile vanished, replaced by a stern expression. "Zhang Li, as the Dao Sect Emissary, why do you not bow before this Sect Master!"

Jiang Li's smile froze.

Later, according to Dao Sect disciples, a strange wail echoed above the sect, with faint cries of "I will never stand with Ji Zhi!" barely audible.

Soon after, the Dao Sect Master stepped forward to clarify: it wasn't faint—someone was indeed shouting "I will never stand with Ji Zhi!"

Not long after, the current Human Emperor issued a statement, urging everyone not to spread rumors or believe them.

Jiang Li handed the Remote Communication Talisman to the Red Dust Pure Land, saying to inform him if the Red Dust Fairy showed any signs of activity.

The Red Dust Pure Land naturally agreed. Their Red Dust Ancestor was an immortal from the Upper Realm, with unfathomable cultivation. If she stirred up trouble, only Jiang Li could handle it.

Jiang Li returned to Great Zhou, not to settle scores with Zhou Emperor Ji Zhi, but to complete the task given by the system.

Fortunately, this task was simple. Yun Bo of the Cloud Transformation Faction was still alive. Thanks to taking a Longevity Pill, he had another two hundred years to live, and his appearance was that of a middle-aged man.

Cultivators had long lifespans, and their looks didn't change with age but with their mental state.

For instance, Jiang Li and the Dao Sect Master both appeared as youths, indicating their minds were young, full of vitality, with sharp thoughts and vigorous blood—the spiritual state most advocated by cultivators, though few achieved it.

For example, the female cultivators of the Red Dust Pure Land all bore the appearance of women in their most beautiful years.

Take Yuan Wu Xing: his cultivation was mediocre, he had suffered setbacks in the martial world, and his actions shifted from impulsive to steady, so he looked middle-aged.

Another case was the deceased Jiang Yixing, who had clung desperately to life, thus appearing extremely old.

Using the excuse of visiting an old friend and offering guidance on cultivation, Jiang Li sparred with Yun Bo and completed the task with ease.

[Congratulations, host, for overcoming Yun Bo with wisdom and effort. Would you like to settle the reward?]

[Task reward this time: one chance for epiphany infusion, one High-Grade Spirit Tool of any design (upgradable), one Mysterious Map Fragment]

[As the host defeated Yun Bo (Foundation Establishment Early Stage) while at Qi Refining Ninth Layer, the achievement "Qi Refining Defeats Foundation Establishment" has been unlocked]

Jiang Li couldn't be bothered to complain about the system's nonsensical task settlement phrasing. If there were a fast-forward button, he'd skip the settlement entirely.

"Settle the reward."

Another surge of pure power descended from the Void, pouring into Jiang Li's body.

This power was terrifying enough to elevate a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator straight to the Foundation Establishment Realm.

A leaf drifted down. Jiang Li blew on it, stripping that power away once more.

[Please select the design for the High-Grade Spirit Tool]

"Swiss Army Knife."

[...No match found for "Swiss Army Knife." Please select again.]

"AK47."

[...No match found for "AK47." Please select again.]

"Tiger Tank."

[...No match found for "Tiger Tank." Please select again.]

"Kitchen Knife."

[...No match found for... Match found for High-Grade Spirit Tool "Bloodstained Bone Chopping Knife."]

The system instinctively replied "No match found," but halfway through realized this time it could actually match the corresponding spirit tool.

A kitchen knife glinting with faint cold light appeared in Jiang Li's hand.

["Bloodstained Bone Chopping Knife," High-Grade Spirit Tool. Bathed in copious blood, it draws vitality from blood and can be upgraded to a Mid-Grade Magic Tool.]

[Spirit Tool recognition method: blood drop recognition.]

This batch of rewards from the system was generous enough. For a cultivator just stepping onto the path, a High-Grade Spirit Tool was an extremely rare weapon, usable all the way to Late Stage Golden Core. A Mid-Grade Magic Tool was even more remarkable—some Spirit Transformation cultivators still used them.

For Jiang Li, who had just been infused with energy by the system and become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, this was an unparalleled weapon!

Oh, I'm at the Great Ascension Stage. Never mind, then.

Jiang Li stared at the system's display—"draws vitality from blood, can be upgraded to a Mid-Grade Magic Tool" and "blood drop recognition"—and fell into deep thought.

"Are you sure it can be recognized by blood drop?"

[Please do not doubt this system's professionalism]

Jiang Li understood. He bit his finger, and a drop of blood fell onto the Kitchen Knife's surface.

The Kitchen Knife trembled incessantly, emitting a visible radiance as its aura continuously climbed: High-Grade Spirit Tool... Top-Grade Spirit Tool... Low-Grade Magic Tool... Mid-Grade Magic Tool... Top-Grade explosion—

With a bang, the Kitchen Knife couldn't withstand the vitality contained in that single drop of Jiang Li's blood and directly exploded.

"Professionalism."

"...I told you blood-bonding wouldn't work, but you didn't believe me. If I call you a trash system, no objections, right?"

The system pretended not to hear Jiang Li's complaints.

[Please host, receive the map fragment]

A map fragment glowing with golden light appeared in Jiang Li's hand. The golden light slowly faded, gradually revealing the fragment's form.

Jiang Li grew impatient waiting. He blew away the golden light and saw the fragment's appearance directly.

The fragment was palm-sized, made of sheepskin, depicting a map with very few markings.

[Qian Yuan Secret Realm Map (1/3). Complete subsequent tasks to obtain the remaining fragments.]

Jiang Li scratched his chin, took a jade slip from his Storage Ring, and infused it with spiritual power. The entire Nine Provinces Map appeared before him—mountains, rivers, cities, down to the smallest detail.

He scanned the Nine Provinces Map with his Divine Sense and compared it to the Qian Yuan Secret Realm map fragment. Soon, he located the Qian Yuan Secret Realm's position, situated on a certain mountain within the Great Wei Empire.

[Congratulations, host, on accidentally finding the Qian Yuan Secret Realm. Subsequent task rewards have been changed.]

Whether it was an illusion or not, Jiang Li detected a strong sense of defeat in the system's notification tone.

[System tip: The Qian Yuan Secret Realm is too dangerous for the host. Please explore only after reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.]

Jiang Li immediately lost interest in this Qian Yuan Secret Realm.

Danger and reward go hand in hand. A secret realm explorable at the Nascent Soul Realm—could it possibly contain treasures that would tempt a Tribulation Stage or Great Ascension Stage cultivator?