After killing the Black Iron Demonic Leopard, the Lin Family quietly began mining the vein. Every worker involved in the excavation had been strictly selected.
The Lin Family offered generous pay to those chosen and even allowed them to bring their families to live in Ironwood Manor. This both rewarded them and prevented them from leaking secrets.
Lin Changqiang obviously could not help much with such matters, but he did not return to Qingyang Town. Instead, using the excuse that he was about to break through to the Heavenly Origin Stage and wanted to cultivate somewhere rich in Yang Gang Qi, he stayed behind.
Over the past two months, Lin Changqiang either sparred with Lin Dong or fought demonic beasts to hone his combat skills. Whenever he grew tired, he would run to the Yang Yuan Stone Mine Vein and ask for a few Yang Yuan Stones to absorb.
Thus, after two months, he finally broke through to the Heavenly Origin Stage and obtained the "heating" he had long dreamed of!
Ding, congratulations to the host for breaking through to the Heavenly Origin Stage. Reward: Lottery Draw Opportunity ×3. Reward: Fashion—Daytime Prince (wearing it makes you more handsome, increases all experience gained by 10%, and can continuously condense Ninth-grade Yang Gang Qi).
"This system is really going to great lengths to help me condense the highest-quality Yuan Dan." Lin Changqiang smacked his lips, nearly moved to tears. "View personal information."
Host: Lin Changqiang Gender: Male Cultivation Level: Early Heavenly Origin Stage (1%) Martial Arts: Pure Yuan Finger (Fourth-grade), Mysterious Gate Seal (Fifth-grade), Fire Dance Whirlwind (Sixth-grade)... Cultivation Art: Azure Yuan Art Spiritual Power Level: None Secret Techniques: None Spiritual Power Arts: None Treasures: Dragon Gallbladder Bright Silver Spear (High-grade Spirit Treasure), Ghost Captain (Fashion)... Lottery Draw Count: 11
"Eleven? Use them all!"
At last, Lin Changqiang had finally waited for this day.
Ding, eleven lottery draw opportunities successfully used. Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Double Experience Card ×3, Double Gold Coin Card ×2, Intimacy Rose ×3, Panda Rongrong's Mask (after wearing it, you may freely alter your appearance, but can only transform into someone you have seen before, and may only transform three times per day) Rename Card (discard the past, change your identity, and start anew. After use, everyone's favorability toward the host will become fifty, and they will lose all memories related to the host) Mid-Autumn Mooncake (after use, the favorability of everyone related to the host by blood increases by five points).
"Other than the basic experience cards, gold coin cards, and Intimacy Roses, it seems only Panda Rongrong's Mask is particularly useful among the other three items?"
Lin Changqiang frowned, feeling rather upset. The Rename Card seemed absurdly powerful, but there was no way he would ever use it. The Mid-Autumn Mooncake could be used, but what was the point of five favorability points?
Fortunately, just as Lin Changqiang was feeling down, the system promptly restored some of his spirits.
Ding, congratulations to the host for reaching the Heavenly Origin Stage. The third equipment slot has been unlocked, and equipment worth 900 gold coins or less has been unlocked.
"Same as before. Put the Scholarship Gem in the first slot, the Boots of Swiftness in the second slot, and the third slot..."
Just as Lin Changqiang was about to choose one from the most expensive equipment, such as the Snow Mountain Round Shield, an item worth only a little over seven hundred gold coins made his eyes widen.
Evolution Crystal, Equipped Attribute: Increases current maximum Yuan Power and maximum Spiritual Power by 10%. Unique Passive—Valiant Reward: Whenever the host breaks through a minor realm, all Yuan Power, Spiritual Power, and injuries are instantly restored. Whenever the host breaks through a major realm, the corresponding maximum Yuan Power or maximum Spiritual Power permanently increases by 10%.
"This is way too overpowered!"
Lin Changqiang's breathing became somewhat rapid.
The first effect of Valiant Reward was decent, but for someone who possessed Holy Light Protection, it was merely icing on the cake.
But the second effect was incredible. A 10% increase might not seem like much, but it could activate so many times. Small gains accumulated into something terrifying!
If both his and Lin Dong's maximum Yuan Power upon first entering the Heavenly Origin Stage were counted as one, and each major realm breakthrough doubled it...
Then after the Yuan Dan Stage, the Three Realms of Creation, the Nirvana Stage, the Life Profound Stage, the Death Profound Stage, the Samsara Stage, the Reincarnation Stage, and the Ancestor Realm, Lin Dong's final Yuan Power would be 1024, while his would be 2656!
"Looks like what suits me best really is an artillery mage?" Lin Changqiang imagined himself casting the Great Desolation Prison Heaven Finger as casually as the Fireball Technique in the future while equipping the Evolution Crystal in the third slot.
"Changqiang, Changqiang?" Lin Changqiang opened his eyes with a silly grin, only to discover Lin Dong staring at him with a puzzled expression. "What are you grinning foolishly about?"
"Uh, I thought of something happy." Lin Changqiang felt a little awkward too. He had indeed looked rather stupid just now, so he could only strike first. "Forget that. Why are you suddenly interested in seeing me? At this time, shouldn't you be in the forest fighting little animals?"
"That's fighting demonic beasts!" Lin Dong raised his brows and shouted irritably, but then he sighed as though resigning himself to it.
"Grandfather plans to go to Flame City tomorrow to sell the Yang Yuan Stones mined recently and exchange them for Yang Yuan Pills, so we can increase the strength of our Lin Family. Didn't you always say you wanted to visit Flame City? How about it? Want to come along and take a look around?"
"Go? Of course I'm going! I've been waiting for this day forever."
Lin Changqiang narrowed his eyes. If he remembered correctly, Lin Dong would seemingly encounter someone during this trip to Flame City who wanted to use his stronger cultivation to bully him into a forced sale. If not for that famous rule in fantasy worlds—"fighting prohibited in such-and-such place"—and someone stopping that guy, Lin Dong would probably have been skinned alive even if he survived.
"Alright, then I'll head back first." Seeing Lin Changqiang so eager, Lin Dong smiled and prepared to leave.
"Wait!" At that moment, Lin Changqiang suddenly grabbed Lin Dong's arm and looked at him meaningfully. "Don't leave tonight. Let's sit together until dawn~"
"Sit until dawn???" Lin Dong looked at Lin Changqiang strangely, unable to figure out what this guy was trying to do.
"Hehehe, Lin Dong, let me show you my big treasure |ω)"
With the speed of lightning and the momentum of a thief stealing a bell, Lin Changqiang pulled out the Daytime Prince from his Four-Dimensional Shirt under Lin Dong's shocked gaze!
"Ta-da-da-da-da, da~ da~ da—Yang Gang Treasure Robe!" Doraemon's signature BGM rang out once again.
"To be honest, I found this Yang Gang Treasure Robe in an abandoned house in Ironwood Manor. I discovered that it can continuously condense Ninth-grade Yang Gang Qi to help people cultivate. Back when we had only just entered the Earthly Yuan Stage, I wasn't in a hurry to tell you."
Lin Changqiang swayed his head as he spouted nonsense. Once Lin Dong's favorability had exceeded seventy, he had become completely at ease.
"Now that I'm already at the Heavenly Origin Stage and you've reached the late Earthly Yuan Stage, I'll be merciful and allow you to cultivate with me, seeing as you're my little brother~"
"..." Lin Dong wore a dead-fish expression utterly unlike his usual style. "Don't you think this situation feels a little familiar?"
"Does it?" Lin Changqiang first feigned confusion, but before long, under Lin Dong's disgusted gaze, he became exasperated. "Damn it, just tell me whether you're using it or not!"
Unexpectedly, Lin Dong did not play hard to get as usual. He fell silent for several seconds, then took a deep breath. As though he had made some major decision, he looked sharply at Lin Changqiang.
"Changqiang!"
"??? What?" Lin Changqiang was stunned by Lin Dong's solemn expression.
"Let's become sworn brothers!"
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