The Immortal Stele of Enlightenment could be resized, but its initial effects remained the same. It could be leveled up to expand its area of influence.
The Lv. 2 Immortal Stele of Enlightenment covered a radius of 200 meters. Leveling it up would expand that area.
After a moment's thought, Zhang Yang decided to let Ying Zheng designate a location, making it easier for the Qin Kingdom's officials to plan properly. With a sweep of his hand, an Immortal Edict slowly appeared before Ying Zheng.
A few days later, Zhang Yang could not be bothered to manifest himself. An enormous immortal stele descended from the sky and landed firmly inside a secret realm in Chang'an.
Ying Zheng and the others had planned this location in advance. Several tall mountains and bamboo groves surrounded it, making for an elegant setting with plenty of open space.
Anyone who broke through to a major realm such as Foundation Establishment or Golden Core could attempt enlightenment once for free.
Each realm offered only one chance at enlightenment. Coming back a few more times would not do any good.
The chance of gaining a skill through enlightenment was not 100%. The description beneath the treasure stated that there was a certain probability of obtaining a random type of skill.
Cross Planet had only three Foundation Establishment cultivators, and all three had gained skills through enlightenment.
Zhang Yang instantly appeared on the Starry Sky Virtual Platform. The Dwarf Race had performed well in the Star War, and their combat strength was decent. They deserved a reward.
He glanced at his balance: [2,022 points].
He spent 200 points to purchase four million dwarf women. This time, Blue Star's male dwarves would have something to celebrate.
Zhang Yang thought it over. He still had 1,800 energy points in his pocket. Should he spend them??
Zhang Yang had a bad habit: money in his pocket made him itch...
What should I buy? He mulled it over and over.
Got it!
Zhang Yang headed toward the trading area and browsed the stalls one by one. The bizarre variety of Divine Cards opened his eyes, but almost none were useful to Blue Star.
Two of them were somewhat useful:
F-Rank Skill Card - Mutation [Causes random genetic mutations in plant-type creatures under your command. The direction of evolution is unknown.]
It could allow Blue Star's plants to evolve once, but the word "mutation" made it sound rather underwhelming.
F-Rank Skill Card - Meteor Fall [During a Star War, summons meteors from outer space onto the battlefield, attacking random locations on the planet.]
This Divine Card was quite powerful and suited to attacking other planets. However, it said nothing about the number or size of the meteors, making it something of a gamble.
Moreover, it only struck the planet, and the impact locations were random.
It might not hit the enemy at all, but it should deal a hefty blow to their morale.
Zhang Yang asked casually, "Boss, how much for this Divine Card?"
"Boss? What kind of title is that? 650 points!" The seller was a little puzzled. What a strange form of address.
"Make it cheaper. Will you sell it for 600?"
"610 at the lowest. Small margins, high volume." The seller paused. A clueless rookie?
He doesn't even know how to haggle?
The seller secretly chuckled, though his expression remained solemn.
Zhang Yang said, "Will you sell it for 550?"
The seller froze. Damn it, what kind of move is that?
He hurriedly said, "Brother, I'm running a small business. You can have it for 600! Come support my shop again next time! I'm really not making anything here."
Zhang Yang said, "Will you sell it for 500?"
The seller grew anxious. "Hey, hey, hey! Brother, are you serious about buying this or not? Are you taking your old pal for a ride?"
Zhang Yang said, "I'm serious about buying. The question is whether you're serious about selling. Here's my price: 450 points! If you'll sell, I'll pay!"
The seller was so furious that he pointed a trembling finger at Zhang Yang. "Y-you... I've been doing business for years, and I've never seen anyone haggle like you! Not selling! I won't sell it at any price!"
Zhang Yang curled his lip, casually tossed the Divine Card onto the stall, and turned to leave.
No matter how the seller called after him, Zhang Yang did not look back.
"Hey, brother! 450! I'll sell it!!" The seller chased after him with the Divine Card.
Zhang Yang turned to look at him and calmly held up four fingers. "400 points. If you'll sell, I'll pay."
The seller's enormous bull head shook with anger, both horns swaying. A tear rolled down as he stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Yang's hand. "I'll sell! I'll sell, all right? Shut up! Pay!"
Zhang Yang curled his lip and transferred 400 energy points to him. He took the Divine Card, checked it repeatedly to confirm everything was correct, then casually put it into his storage space.
[Balance: 1,422]
Just as he was about to leave, the seller hurriedly said, "Brother, let's be friends. My name's Quark. You bought that Dwarf Civilization Guide from me last time. Whatever kind of Divine Card you want next time, I can help you get it. I'll take a smaller profit, and it'll save you some trouble!"
Zhang Yang was a little puzzled. His face blindness had struck; he had neither recognized nor remembered him.
He asked offhandedly, "Do you have any vision-related Divine Cards, something like D-rank War Fog?"
Zhang Yang had not expected him to have anything and had only asked to push back a little. Unexpectedly, Quark nodded outright. "That, I can offer."
Quark rummaged around in his storage space and took out a Divine Card. "This D-Rank Skill Card is a fairly common type of Divine Card. You can find it everywhere. Want it? I'll give you a discount-just 13,000!"
Zhang Yang took it and looked. His opinion of the bull-headed man before him immediately changed. The card in his hand was none other than:
D-Rank Skill Card - War Fog [The enemy Star Lord cannot use divine power to observe your army's deployment or obtain a War Sand Table. Starfolk can only obtain a view of the war through their civilization's technology.]
Zhang Yang immediately took him seriously. You could not judge a person by their appearance. This shopkeeper was quite capable and knew how to do business.
The last time he had asked around about this D-rank Divine Card, the lowest price had been 15,000 energy points. This man was worth befriending.
Zhang Yang shook hands with the seller, who had a bull's head and a human body. "My name's Zhang Yang. Let's be friends. Sorry, I was just asking casually earlier. My energy points are limited, so I'm looking for an E-rank or F-rank vision-related Divine Card, something like War Fog!"
Quark thought for a moment and scratched his enormous bull head before saying in a rumbling voice, "I really don't have one like that. I'll keep an eye out for you. These Divine Cards are common because they don't do much, though. They only interfere somewhat with the enemy's vision. Besides, Divine Cards support and counter one another. There are also Divine Cards that break through vision interference!"
Zhang Yang patted his shoulder. "Thanks, brother. I'll remember that. I'll come find you next time I need something."
The two chatted a while longer before Zhang Yang returned to Blue Star, first bringing the dwarf women back there.
He sent down a Divine Edict to Sevi, the Dwarf King, telling him to prepare to receive four million dwarf women and to give priority to the dwarves who had participated in the Star War.
Once Sevi, the Dwarf King, realized that the Divine Edict before him had come from Father God, he collapsed onto the ground in excitement and burst into loud sobs.
He was overwhelmed. This meant Father God had accepted the Dwarf Race and acknowledged their standing.
The Divine Edict stated that, for their meritorious service in war, the Dwarf Race's status as a Criminal Race was revoked. From then on, they would become Blue Star's First Affiliated Race, subject only to the Human Race's commands.
He struggled to his feet and hurriedly spread the good news. The entire Dwarf Race erupted in celebration, drinking strong liquor and singing songs in praise of the great Father God, Zhang Yang!
Zhang Yang smiled faintly. There were rewards and punishments; those who earned merit deserved rewards.
Cross Planet's three affiliated Elf Legions had left a deep impression on him. Those were supposed to be legions?
Nothing but a motley rabble.
They had not the slightest sense of belonging to their planet and surrendered the moment the wind turned against them.
Zhang Yang would give every affiliated race a chance, but only one.
Perhaps, as time passed, Blue Star would also develop affiliated races like that.
Disloyal once, never trusted again. Those who surrendered on the battlefield could get out of Blue Star and go wherever they pleased. Blue Star would not keep them.
A vortex appeared on the Firmament Continent, and vast numbers of dwarf women emerged from it.
The Dwarf Race celebrated for three days, singing and dancing. Their sense of belonging to Blue Star grew even stronger.
The Dwarf Race was willing to serve Father God unto death!
After handling the Dwarf Race's affairs, he also needed to upgrade the Elf Race's civilization technology. The rain and dew had to fall on everyone.
The Elf Race's civilization was somewhat unusual. It required strengthening their Trees of Life, which were the foundation of their race.
Raising the Trees of Life's level could increase the rate at which magical elements were generated on the planet, unlock associated buildings, and allow people to gain enlightenment in second-tier magic skills near the Trees of Life.
It could also accelerate the production of Water of Life and improve its effects.
Most importantly, human mages needed it too!
Humans who practiced magic also needed to cultivate near the Trees of Life to learn magic skills. The concentration of magical elements was highest there, making those areas sacred cultivation grounds for mages.
The surroundings of the Trees of Life were sacred grounds for the Elf Race, and elves were natural-born mages.
Thus, the Human Race had built nine mage towers around each Tree of Life for human mages to cultivate in.
Blue Star had three Trees of Life that needed upgrading, and each upgrade required 1,000 energy points.
They were absolute gold-devouring beasts. No wonder other Star Lords were unwilling to upgrade their affiliated races' civilization technology.
Those energy points could buy plenty of resources for a core race, or even two F-rank Divine Cards.
But everything complemented everything else. As the affiliated races' levels rose, their combat strength would also increase.
Blue Star was different from other planets. Now that it had developed the mage profession, its Trees of Life needed upgrading.
This would accelerate human mages' cultivation, allow them to gain enlightenment in second-tier magic skills, and improve the entire Elf Race's combat strength along the way.
Zhang Yang had only 1,422 energy points, enough to upgrade just one Tree of Life.
The three Trees of Life corresponded to water, wood, and wind magic. Zhang Yang was torn over which one to upgrade.
After much deliberation, he finally decided to leave the choice to the Human Race's great readers.
Type ① to support upgrading water magic.
Type ② to support upgrading wood magic.
Type ③ to support upgrading wind magic.
He scanned Blue Star with his will. At present, humans practicing as mages accounted for 24% of all cultivators. Most were learning first-tier magic, and even the most talented mage had only mastered two wind magic skills.
They were Wind Pillar and Wind Wall, two magic skills, one offensive and one defensive.
[Seeking ideas for magic skills of every element and tier!]
In that case, he would hold off on upgrading a Tree of Life, give the Human Race some time to consolidate, and prepare for the next Star War.
Zhang Yang could not help sighing. "Ah, Star Wars really are the fastest way to make money!"
In the blink of an eye, another five years passed.
Before you continue