"Since this item can help someone achieve their goal, it is certainly a fine thing."
Wu Yu smiled faintly and set down the identity token.
"As for me, I have all sorts of interests. Why not show me what you have, Village Chief?"
"You have quite an appetite, young friend!"
The village chief laughed heartily and sat down in a chair.
"Please, take a seat!"
"After you!"
Wu Yu's heart stirred. He realized the man was about to bring out his most prized possessions.
Thanks to the hidden quest's reward, the village chief's items would probably all be upgraded to gold quality. Whatever he chose, he would come out well ahead!
The next moment, he saw the village chief hesitate, then pat the pouch at his waist.
A streak of light flew out and landed on the table.
The light faded, revealing several items.
[Earth-Escape Talisman Treasure] Type: Talisman. Quality: Gold. Tier: Transcendent. Description: Consume Spirit Power/vital energy to travel swiftly underground!
[Green Snake Demon Sword] Type: Weapon. Quality: Gold. Description: A keen sword containing demon god blood, imbued with a trace of a demon god's might.
[Heaven's Return] Type: Curio. Quality: Gold. Tier: None (can grow) Description: Restore your strength without fail. Once bound with a drop of blood, it can slowly restore mental energy, vital energy, and Spirit Power.
"Mysterious Heaven Immortal Scripture" Type: Cultivation method. Quality: Gold. Description: A secret art of the Tang Sect. It can open the transcendent gate and forge a mysterious heaven immortal root.
Looking at the items on the table,
the village chief stroked his beard, pointed at the talisman treasure, and explained, "The Earth-Escape Talisman can be used three times when intact! You can travel freely within a hundred li!"
Then he pointed at the weapon and said, "The Green Snake Sword is a magical artifact. Not only can it cut through anything, it also possesses magical power."
Next, he pointed at the Curio. "I obtained this by chance. It should be some kind of magical artifact as well. Holding it restores Spirit Power!"
"As for this cultivation method, it is the Tang Sect's closely guarded secret, the 'Mysterious Heaven Scripture.' If you choose it, young friend, you must be prepared for the consequences! Should anyone discover it..."
Unlike last time at the Training Ground, these items' panels showed properties far more powerful than what the village chief described.
Is this the hidden quest's reward?
This is incredible!
Amazed, Wu Yu did not rush to choose. Instead, he asked, "Village Chief, could I look at the others?"
"The other things would hardly catch your eye, young friend."
The village chief smiled and patiently displayed his remaining items,
most of which were white quality, with a few of green or blue quality. Not one was transcendent tier.
Cultivation methods, weapons, spirit herbs, and more!
Wu Yu nodded and turned his attention to the four items.
"Village Chief, could I buy them with silver? We can negotiate the price..." He said earnestly, "I'm willing to pay above their value!"
"No!"
The village chief hurriedly shook his head and said solemnly, "My life depends on these items. Were the [True Essence Sect] disciple's identity token not so important, I would never have brought them out."
The old man's tone was firm, and his expression seemed genuine.
Wu Yu felt a little helpless. His dream of taking them all had been dashed.
So, which should he choose?
They were all gold quality. Of them, the [Earth-Escape Talisman Treasure] and [Heaven's Return] were undoubtedly the most precious. One was a cultivator's treasure familiar to Wu Yu, worth an immense amount!
The other was a mysterious Curio capable of growth.
A talisman treasure is certainly precious, but in the real world, where cultivation is so advanced, money can buy one!
But I've never even heard of a Curio that can grow.
After a little thought, Wu Yu made his decision.
He extended a finger and pointed at [Heaven's Return].
It was a small bronze tripod covered in weathered battle scars. It resembled an exquisitely crafted work of art, yet carried an air of mystery.
Yu Tiezhu and the others had long since left the Aged Wine inn.
Yet the inn's ground floor was far from deserted. The recently rescued caravan members had chosen to stay there.
Several caravan members were talking to the innkeeper when one of them suddenly turned and spotted a figure. His eyes lit up.
"It's our benefactor!"
"Benefactor!"
He hurried to the inn's entrance and bowed to Wu Yu as he approached.
Wu Yu looked at the man while toying with the little tripod in his hand.
"Thank you for saving our lives, sir!"
"You've come to the inn too, benefactor! If you need anything, just say the word!"
"I'm ashamed to say that all our goods and money were looted. We have nothing with which to repay you!"
"Ah! If you visit the Golden Chariot Trading Association, we will certainly hold a feast in your honor and repay your kindness many times over!"
The merchants were extremely enthusiastic,
but after exchanging a few pleasantries, Wu Yu turned to the innkeeper.
"Innkeeper, do you know when my traveling companions left?"
"Huh? Those odd... ahem, your companions, great hero?"
The innkeeper swallowed.
He had also learned what had happened from the merchants, leaving him somewhat awestruck.
"They left a little over a double-hour ago."
"Three hours..."
Wu Yu looked thoughtful, then nodded. "Thank you!"
"Not at all, not at all!"
The innkeeper gave an awkward smile.
Wu Yu went upstairs to his room and closed the door.
He let out a long breath, placed a few small pebbles by the doorway, and only then sat down beside the bed.
Dealing with the natives is such a hassle...
At least the rewards were amazing!
He rested for a while, then moved his hand. A cultivation manual appeared in his palm.
It was none other than "Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers"!
First "Heaven-and-Earth Toss," then "Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers," and just now I saw the Tang Sect Mental Method!
Could this village chief be a Tang Sect martial artist?
Wu Yu's expression turned odd. He shook his head, not bothering to dwell on it.
With a thought, the purple-quality manual in his hand dissolved into light. Countless motes rushed into his body.
In a daze,
he seemed to find himself in a sect, diligently practicing a secret hidden-weapon art.
This was a Martial Dao secret art, a closely guarded killing move! It contained only one spirit refinement method, [Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers], which gave vital energy physical form. Like flowers bursting into bloom, countless hidden weapons shot out in a rain!
Profound beyond measure, marvelous beyond words!
Ten years passed in an instant.
When Wu Yu came back to himself, the memories in his mind had already blurred, leaving only the skill he had gained from ten years of painstaking practice.
"What?"
His expression changed in shock, and he sprang to his feet. He felt as though his entire body had become twice as strong,
his vital energy surged like a torrent, and an inexplicable force rose around his body.
This power... if I keep this up, won't I open the transcendent gate and become a martial artist first?
Wu Yu's expression turned peculiar.
He had worked for half his life to finally afford the [External Heavenly Spiritual Root], only to become a Transcendent Martial Artist before he had even begun Qi Refining?
That would be the ultimate joke!
That works too! I have peerless talent, after all!
Wu Yu did not overthink it. He happily savored the sensation for a moment.
Unlike "Heaven-and-Earth Toss" and "Tiger Roar Eight-Slash Saber," "Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers" contained only a single secret move, but its destructive power was astonishing!
It consumed a great deal of vital energy, so it could not be used lightly.
I'll keep it as a trump card!
He calmed down and looked at the little tripod.
This mysterious gold-quality Curio needed only a drop of blood to bind it to its owner before it could take effect!
Before you continue