"Dragon-Tiger Arhat Strength" and "Jiang Li Human Emperor Strength"

"Senior Zhang, how about we just let this go?" Yuan Wu Xing asked, shrinking his neck in a tentative tone.

"Are you afraid?"

"Who's afraid of those beasts from the Jiang Family? Every time I think of those bones, rage fills my chest." Yuan Wu Xing stiffened his neck, veins bulging on his forehead, but then he wilted again. "But if we really affect the faith in the Human Emperor, and in turn the fight against the Heavenly Demons, then we'd be sinners for all eternity."

The deaths of several hundred infants were certainly a major matter, but the Human Emperor guarding the Nine Provinces was a matter even greater than that. If Yuan Wu Xing had to choose, he would likely pick the latter.

Jiang Li chuckled lightly: "Overthinking it. My Sect Leader once told me that the current Human Emperor's talent far surpasses all previous ones. The power boost from Faith Power—having it is fine, not having it doesn't affect anything either."

Yuan Wu Xing then relaxed.

What Jiang Li didn't say was that he grew stronger every time he crossed Thunder Tribulation. After his fourth crossing, Faith Power had become useless to him. One hundred and sixty years ago, he refined a Bronze Cauldron and placed it in the Human Emperor Palace. All faith directed at him from the Nine Provinces no longer fell on him but entered the Bronze Cauldron, reserved for the next Human Emperor.

"System."

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

[Congratulations, Host, for undergoing arduous cultivation and fierce combat, defeating Jiang Yixing. Do you wish to settle the rewards?]

Jiang Li's mouth twitched. He really wanted to ask the system when this so-called "arduous cultivation and fierce combat" had ever happened.

Suppressing the urge to complain, Jiang Li said: "Settle the rewards."

A stream of pure power descended from the Void and poured into Jiang Li's body.

"This power..."

Jiang Li showed a surprised expression: "...It's not even as much as what I produce in one breath. Oh, this is for the Qi Refining Stage—never mind then."

By Jiang Li's estimate, if he had been able to use this power back then, he would have reached a "perfect" state when establishing his Foundation Establishment Realm. That was a treatment reserved only for core disciples of major sects, giving a much deeper foundation than ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators and raising combat power by several tiers.

"Good stuff." Jiang Li praised it once, then expelled the power from his body.

As if anyone would refine power of unknown origin.

Next, a bamboo scroll bound with thin red string fell from the Void, titled "Dragon-Tiger Arhat Strength," a body-tempering technique.

According to the technique's introduction, as cultivation deepened, it would gradually alter the practitioner's blood. When emotions ran high, it would unleash unparalleled strength. Cultivation levels were divided by animal power, such as one-ox power, one-tiger power, one-elephant power, one-flood-dragon power, one-dragon power, and so on. Minor success required one-tiger power, medium success one-dragon power, and great success meant fully integrating dragon and tiger strength. At great success, in a state of extreme rage, one could wrestle with a true dragon—extremely overbearing.

After two minutes reading the introduction and three minutes of brief deduction, Jiang Li's conclusion was: wasted five minutes of his time.

This body-tempering technique was very strong. Even a Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator would treasure it like a gem.

But it was utterly useless to Jiang Li.

Nowadays, the Four Seas Dragon clans all practiced a technique called "Jiang Li Human Emperor Strength," said to be personally compiled by the Four Seas Dragon Kings. Cultivated to great success, it allowed one to wrestle with one hand of the Human Emperor Jiang Li.

Judging by the results, Jiang Li had yet to see any dragon who could beat even one of his hands.

As for other things like pills with Pill Clouds and Pill Fragrance, or mid-grade spirit swords, Jiang Li couldn't muster any interest.

He had set aside a special area in his Storage Ring for the system, piling these pills, swords, and body-tempering techniques together, with a label that read:

"Useless Stuff from the Counterattack-in-Loneliness System, No. 2"

The previous Newbie Gift Pack was naturally No. 1.

[New mission issued: After you join the Cloud Transformation Sect, Yun Bo, the grandson of the Cloud Transformation Faction's Great Elder, believes your Five Elements Spiritual Root drags down the sect's average spiritual root level and harasses you at every turn. Please defeat him with overwhelming force.]

[This mission can be declined.]

[This mission reward: one chance at direct enlightenment, one mysterious map fragment, one High-Grade Spirit Tool of any design (upgradable).]

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

The Cloud Transformation Faction was a small sect near Green City, with a Late Stage Golden Core Sect Leader and five Golden Core elders. Back then, Jiang Li's Heavenly Spiritual Root was hidden, showing only the worst Five Elements Spiritual Root. No sect wanted to take him in. By observing the Cloud Transformation Faction disciples' shopping lists when they went down the mountain, Jiang Li deduced the faction was strapped for cash. He then found an opportunity to speak with the Sect Leader, analyzed the local economic situation for him, and taught him ways to make money. The Sect Leader was astounded, overruled all objections to put Jiang Li in charge of finances, with the Sect Leader overseeing.

Jiang Li lived up to expectations, reversed the Cloud Transformation Faction's losses, even acquired a few small sects, and eventually obtained the faction's core techniques and guidance from the Grand Elder. Then he set out to travel Great Zhou again.

During this time, Yun Bo formed cliques to bully newcomers. Jiang Li discussed it with the Great Elder, who pretended to die. Those who had followed Yun Bo scattered like birds and beasts. Only after witnessing the coldness of the world did Yun Bo finally understand that cultivation was paramount, and he mended his ways to train diligently.

"When I returned to the Cloud Transformation Faction three hundred years ago, Yun Bo had already reached the Nascent Soul Realm. With a few Longevity Pills I gave him, living until now shouldn't be a problem."

Jiang Li decided not to abandon this mission for now.

That mysterious map fragment had caught his interest.

[New function unlocked: Shop]

Jiang Li was pleased. Finally, an interesting feature. He summoned the shop, and a screen like a computer monitor appeared in his mind, with goods neatly arranged in large numbers.

When his consciousness focused on any item, the screen would show its description.

But Jiang Li was soon disappointed. The goods displayed were all things that existed in their world—no phones, computers, nuclear bombs, or satellites from his past life, nor any specialties from the Immortal Realm.

It wasn't that he cared about phones; he mainly wanted to see what it felt like to tank a nuclear bomb with his physical body.

"System, aren't there any goods from other worlds?"

[Please have the Host travel to other worlds first.]

Jiang Li curled his lip. Another useless function. If he could go elsewhere, what would he need this system for? "System, sort the goods by required Source Points from largest to smallest."

The number of goods on the screen quickly changed. At the top were the techniques of the Human Emperor Palace, followed by the Dao Sect's treasured Yin-Yang Heaven Seal, then the bottom-of-the-barrel treasures of other sects and royal cities—Tribulation Stage puppets, Immortal Handwritten Notes, and such.

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

For instance, when fighting Extraterrestrial Demons, the Dao Sect lent him the Taiji Heaven Seal. Jiang Li struck a few times with it, then found his own weapon more comfortable and returned the seal. As for Tribulation Stage puppets, Jiang Li had even less use for them—he was a dignified Great Ascension Stage cultivator; what would he do with a Tribulation Stage puppet? And the Immortal Handwritten Notes—he had traded cultivation experience for a look at them.

Moreover, Jiang Li suspected these items didn't appear out of thin air but were stolen from the sects.