Chapter 524: If Fang Shisan Was a Steamed Bun

Chapter 524: If Fang Shisan Was a Steamed Bun

"A mere High Mage Battle Master, nothing more."

After a hundred breaths, Qi Yuan returned.

His blue robe was unstained by blood, but several Storage Artifacts hung at his waist.

Upon seeing this, Tu Sihai took a deep breath.

Although they had witnessed Qi Yuan's instant kill of Mo Sankaong, there was still doubt in their minds. What if that bizarre ability was a one-time thing?

Facing over a dozen High Mage Battle Masters, they had constantly mocked Qi Yuan, but the pressure was immense.

However, now that Qi Yuan had returned, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

"Brother Qi, your strength is worthy of the title... Hegemonic Son-in-Law!" Tu Sihai couldn't help but exclaim.

The others chimed in.

"Ning Kingdom's number one son-in-law, none other than Brother Qi!"

"Twelve High Mage Battle Masters..." The charming young woman's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Witnessing Qi Yuan's strength, she wanted to offer herself, but unfortunately, he wasn't interested.

Just then, the blind old man spoke up, "Senior Qi, these High Mage Battle Masters... should be from the Raksha Kingdom, and the leader is named Wu Wei, likely a member of the royal family."

The blind old man paused, showing a hint of apprehension.

The Raksha Kingdom was once the foremost empire in the Qingshan Realm.

A century ago, the Raksha Kingdom encountered a calamity, and although its power waned, it remained one of the top three nations in the Qingshan Realm.

There were several Divine Rank Armament Generals.

If a High Mage Battle Master transcended the mortal realm, then a Divine Rank Armament General would be a true deity.

The blind old man had the fortune of meeting a Divine Rank Armament General, who held up a mountain and stood upon the vast ocean, commanding the waters.

All living beings would kneel before such power.

The High Mage Battle Masters were powerful, but still within the blind old man's comprehension.

The Divine Rank... exceeded imagination.

They were not mere humans but gods!

"The Raksha Kingdom has a Divine Rank Armament General. If the royal family learns of the events here, they might..." The blind old man's fear was palpable.

He wanted to suggest to Qi Yuan that they clean up the area to prevent the Raksha Kingdom from discovering what had transpired.

"You've got the right idea," Qi Yuan said, nodding in satisfaction as he looked at the blind old man.

That was exactly what he wanted.

The others exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"Sigh, I know there are many people in this world who speak the truth through jest.

You don't need to be so considerate towards me. If the Raksha Kingdom doesn't come looking for trouble, I'll go and find them instead." Qi Yuan's gaze remained calm.

After playing the role of a son-in-law, he would embark on a journey to the Raksha Kingdom.

Firstly, the Divine Wood Abyss and the Raksha Kingdom were close, and secondly, as the embodiment of divine judgment, how could he not return to the Raksha Kingdom, the land where it all began?

"Young Master, you are a heavenly deity descended, and the Raksha Kingdom is not worth mentioning!" Chen Kangbao took the opportunity to speak.

Beside him, a Confucian scholar in a Confucian robe looked at Qi Yuan, his expression perplexed and filled with bewilderment.

This Qi Yuan was truly enigmatic.

"Let's go, let's delve deeper and see what this Heavenly Origin is all about." Qi Yuan spoke up.

Since they were already there, they might as well continue forward and see what this Heavenly Origin was.

The Confucian scholar's spirit suddenly tensed.

He, too, wanted to see what the Heavenly Origin, forged from the blood and bones of 300,000 artisans, truly was.

Even if it didn't receive the blessing of the divine, it was still the culmination of the efforts of the eldest brother and the others.

Tu Sihai and the others didn't object.

Their objections were futile.

Although they were anxious and afraid of encountering danger, they thought that if someone as influential as Qi Yuan dared to go, what was there to fear?

Qi Yuan led the way, stepping on the stairs, descending deeper into the underground palace.

Along the way, broken bones were scattered everywhere.

The further they ventured, the more crystalline and snowy the bones became.

The group also saw the remains of two Divine Rank artisans.

"My name is Xuan Feng. I leave behind a forging technique engraved on this stele."

These were the words left by a Divine Rank artisan.

This Divine Rank artisan didn't leave much of a message, merely engraving his self-created forging technique here to ensure its preservation.

Upon seeing this, everyone present memorized the technique.

The value of this technique surpassed that of a High Rank Magical Artifact!

Qi Yuan didn't stop them, and he also memorized the technique above.

To play the role of a blind artisan, he needed to master more forging techniques.

During the time at the Heaven and Earth Pavilion, he had already learned numerous techniques, but it wasn't enough.

"Perhaps, I can create my own artifact refinement technique," Qi Yuan thought to himself.

The blind artisan had grand ambitions, and even the Divine Rank artisan might not be his ultimate goal.

To become a truly powerful artisan, one must not only stand on the shoulders of giants but also forge one's own path.

"Alright, now that we've memorized it, let's continue forward, but be cautious," Qi Yuan reminded them.

The ground was clean, with only bones remaining, but Qi Yuan's eyes still detected signs of recent life passing through.

"Okay, Brother Qi."

The group responded and continued their journey.

As they ventured deeper, various refining furnaces were scattered about, and fragments of precious metals and stones were strewn everywhere.

However, these once-precious materials had lost their spiritual essence, resembling mere rubbish.

"This Heavenly Origin... has devoured the spiritual essence of so many treasures and the flesh and blood of 300,000 artisans. What kind of terrifying object is it?"

The further they went, the more shocked those present became, and the more they realized the true horror of the Heavenly Origin.

Even so, the Heavenly Origin had failed, and the fragments of the Light Treasure... were they that difficult to obtain?

"Almost all the artisans in the Qingshan Realm gathered here, and yet it still ended in failure.

Can someone truly refine the fragments of the Light Treasure?" Tu Sihai sighed.

And these were just fragments.

What kind of terrifying existence would the complete Light Treasure be?

The group felt more and more shocked as they ventured deeper.

Along the way, they encountered countless fragments of precious materials.

Only half of them were familiar to them, while the others were unheard of.

These materials, in their complete state, were worth thousands of gold.

They were more than sufficient for refining divine artifacts.

Just then, Qi Yuan's attention suddenly shifted to the Divine Wood Token.

"Brother Cai Dao, I heard that a Mystic Region has appeared in Ning Kingdom. Since you're currently in Ning Kingdom, could you do me a favor there?

If you help me, I'll urge the people of Thorn Blood to cultivate diligently. After they arrive at the Divine Wood Abyss, I'll have a small gift for you."

"The one who sent the message was, as expected, the staff member of Thorn Blood."

"You should work hard on your cultivation too, and not just let them cultivate while you slack off." Qi Yuan advised, "What are you busy with?"

"I took on a small task to record some things.

Yes, I need some detailed information about what's happening in the Mystic Region." The Thorn Blood staff member quickly sent another message.

In the Virtual Paradise, he had accepted numerous tasks.

Collecting information and materials from the Mystic Region was also one of those tasks.

The one who posted that task was also a life form from this embryonic universe.

It seemed like he was traveling through various realms, recording history, and writing a book.

"This?" Qi Yuan thought for a moment, not hiding anything.

Since the Mystic Region had been exposed, it wouldn't be long before the information here spread throughout the world.

There was no point in hiding it.

"In the Mystic Region, there are many remains, and some words left behind by Divine Rank Artisans are recorded on stone tablets. They ventured into the Mystic Region, hiding their identities for decades, invited by the Radiance Society. They..."

Qi Yuan shared the information he had learned from the Mystic Region with the Thorn Blood staff member.

As for the information about the live-in son-in-law, the Raksha Kingdom, and others, he naturally did not mention it.

"Failed?" The Thorn Blood staff member's tone carried a hint of lament, "This Mystic Region, with the power of a small realm, might only be able to create one, but some larger realms can have quite a few, even up to ten. However, out of ten, only two or three might succeed... that's not bad."

"Other realms too?" Qi Yuan noticed the crucial information.

"The Light Treasure, how can a single realm create it? Even its fragments are beyond the reach of mere Divine Rank Artisans." The Thorn Blood staff member spoke of the Light Treasure, and his eyes held deep reverence.

"Ning Kingdom's Ten Thousand Mountain Abyss... such a thing happened there?" Ji Wuyun sent a message, feeling inexplicably saddened by the news.

Thorn Blood, spying on the Divine Wood Abyss, sought to transform the Divine Wood into Demonic Spirits.

Outside the Qingshan Realm, things were not peaceful either. Three hundred thousand Hidden Scholars had hidden their identities and ventured to their deaths, hoping to bring a ray of light to the Qingshan Realm.

To the masses, the Qingshan Realm only seemed to have more Demonic Spirits recently, but in reality, there were no significant changes.

But Ji Wuyun knew that the Qingshan Realm was already on the verge of collapse, like a hot air balloon with a leaking hole.

"This place is too dangerous, even if you reach the Divine Rank, you might only be qualified to know a little bit of the inside story. Kitchen Knife, I advise you not to get too involved, or else I fear you might not make it to the Divine Wood Abyss.

The grand gift I had prepared for you might not be able to reach you." The Thorn Blood staff member said.

"What's the relationship between the Radiance Society and Thorn Blood?" Qi Yuan asked, struck by a thought.

"They should be considered enemies. Both sides believe they are saving the world." The Thorn Blood staff member laughed.

As cultivators, everyone had their own ideas and understandings, and it was difficult to convince each other.

Just like Thorn Blood, their doctrine was to transform into Demonic Spirits, a form of alternative continuation.

But who among the ordinary would willingly become a Demonic Spirit without reason or sanity?

"Within the Mystic Region, there should be a Heavenly Origin. Since they failed, this Heavenly Origin... might only have some value as a collection. If you can bring the Heavenly Origin to me, I can help you leave the Qingshan Realm... or even this shattered Chaotic Starfield." The Thorn Blood staff member urged.

In his eyes, the fate of the Qingshan Realm was sealed. The Divine Wood would eventually transform into a powerful Demonic Spirit, and this world would collapse in the silent night.

No one would notice that the opening of the Divine Wood Abyss was the unlocking of the gate of demons.

"Never mind, I'm just playing a game and don't want to log out."

Qi Yuan withdrew from the Divine Wood Token, his thoughts calming down.

The background of this game was becoming increasingly complex.

Thorn Blood wanted to transform life forms into Demonic Spirits, clearly portraying them as the villains.

The Radiance Society's goal of refining the Light Treasure seemed extreme, and for now, they could be considered radical heroes, but this was yet to be determined.

Regardless of their alignment, to Qi Yuan, they were all NPCs. If they were old, unkempt, and didn't bathe often, they might even be promoted to his White Moonlight.

The group slowly explored deeper into the underground palace.

As they moved forward, their hearts grew heavier, and they felt immense pressure. No one dared to speak.

Suddenly, Qi Yuan stopped in his tracks.

In front of them, underground, there was a corpse and a figure.

This was the one and only correct version!

The few people present halted, their expressions turning solemn.

The corpse lying on the ground appeared to be of the Divine Rank.

The standing figure had the air of a servant, and his aura was strange.

At that moment, the figure also turned his head sharply, and when his gaze fell upon Qi Yuan, a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"Qi Yuan!"

"Fang Shisan?" Qi Yuan's expression was calm.

The figure before him was identical to Fang Shisan of the Radiance Society.

But the information his eyes conveyed about this person... also matched that of Fang Shisan.

However, wasn't Fang Shisan... dead by suicide?

In the dungeon, Fang Shisan had committed suicide in front of Qi Yuan.

"I didn't expect... that you would make it this far. Could it be... that this world also favors you?" Surprise flashed across Fang Shisan's face.

"Are you an NPC that respawns?" Qi Yuan asked with interest.

He had been playing games for so long, and such NPCs were rarely seen. There were many on Blue Star, but he hadn't encountered any since coming to the Vast Wave Realm.

Fang Shisan's face showed confusion, not understanding Qi Yuan's words, but he seemed to grasp the meaning and said proudly, "Are you curious that I'm still alive? Do you want to know why?"

In this world, what all life forms sought was nothing more than power, wealth, and immortality.

Of course, the desires of some "lower sons" were even more varied.

Resurrection was enough to shock and captivate all life forms; otherwise, why would so many emperors on Blue Star seek immortality?

"It's not that curious. Isn't it easy to understand? Either you have a respawn point, or..." Qi Yuan said calmly, "you're a clone."

Qi Yuan had seen it all; he was no stranger to the various methods of murder in escape rooms, having played countless games and watched numerous animated films.

Fang Shisan stood there, stunned.

Such composure?

In the past, within the Qingshan Realm, whenever he died in front of certain individuals and reappeared, those who saw him would have amusing expressions of shock and terror, as if they had seen a ghost.

But Qi Yuan remained calm, causing Fang Shisan to wonder if he had mistaken his identity.

"You don't crave these abilities...?" Fang Shisan asked, perplexed.

Resurrection was a power that could drive anyone mad.

"Yes, but... I want to rely on myself," Qi Yuan said calmly.

Fang Shisan's resurrection was undoubtedly not achieved by his own means.

In game terms, it was like a programmer writing a script and constantly refreshing it.

Qi Yuan wanted to be the boss of the programmers, not the code itself.

Fang Shisan fell silent, then scoffed, "What arrogance!"

The Earth Rank Armament Generals around them heard their conversation and were left bewildered, some seeming to catch a few words, their expressions horrified.

He added, "Your father's humility is something you haven't inherited at all."

As Fang Shisan spoke, a hidden sense of disappointment showed on his face.

He had been acquainted with Qi Yuan's father, who had come to the Mystic Region through his introduction.

"You came here just to spout this nonsense?"

Qi Yuan really wanted to find someone to argue on his behalf.

Although he and the Holy Light Clan member had been arguing daily in the Tiankun Realm, he was just not good with words.

He couldn't express the sharp remarks that online forum veterans would make, like, "You intentionally say controversial things and then put your phone on vibrate in your butt crack."

Even if he plagiarized, his social anxiety made it difficult for him to say such things.

"I just came to confirm the failure and see where the flaws are..." Fang Shisan's eyes dimmed as he finished speaking.

He was dead.

With the failure, the Heavenly Origin here had lost its value.

If it had value, it might only be as a collectible.

Few people would care about a failed Heavenly Origin.

Fang Shisan's body lay on the ground next to another corpse.

The two bodies seemed to have been drained of their spiritual essence.

Tu Sihai, the Confucian Scholar, and the others witnessed this bizarre scene, and a sense of fear arose within them.

Qi Yuan, however, had a thoughtful expression, "If his resurrection doesn't consume energy and resources, wouldn't I have discovered an infinite resource?"

Killing Fang Shisan once would yield one corpse.

The others were perplexed.

Chen Kangbao's eyes widened, and his breathing quickened. Suddenly, he thought of something and exclaimed in frustration, "Why isn't Fang Shisan a bun!"

If he were a bun, Chen Kangbao could have an endless supply of buns.

Qi Yuan's eyes lit up, "As expected of my strategist, waking me from my slumber. Why isn't Fang Shisan my white moonlight!"

With such a white moonlight, Qi Yuan would never tire of his daily battles.

Upon hearing their conversation, the fear that had arisen in the hearts of those present dissipated instantly.

"They must have died because of the Heavenly Origin," Tu Sihai said gravely. "Where is it?"

He looked around but couldn't find any trace of the Heavenly Origin.

By now, they had reached the deepest part of the underground palace.

Aside from the two corpses, there was nothing else there.

Just then, another message came through the Divine Wood Token.

"The Heavenly Origin is formless and shapeless, and only the Divine Wood Token can contain it."

The message was from the staff member of Thorn Blood.

"Is that so?"

At that moment, Qi Yuan felt a sense of death, decay, and decline.

He looked up and saw a withered leaf falling, resembling a ginkgo leaf, its color yellow.

The leaf gently landed in Qi Yuan's palm, leaving a faint trace before eventually disappearing.

【The Heavenly Origin, carrying the Heavenly Mandate, failed to transform into the Divine Awakening Light... There are several flaws... According to... it can be repaired... and reversed... into the Human Awakening Light.】

A flood of information rushed into Qi Yuan's mind.

For a moment, his body felt weak, as if it couldn't handle the influx of so much information.

"Can this Heavenly Origin be fixed?" Qi Yuan asked, feeling optimistic.

A failed Heavenly Origin only had collectible value and wasn't even worth a regular Celestial Artifact.

However, if it could be repaired and even refined into a fragment of the Light Treasure, that would be extraordinary.

In the Tiankun Realm, Qi Yuan had heard of the Light Treasure.

This treasure seemed more powerful and terrifying than offensive Creation Treasures.

In the Sixth Layer of the Immortal Realm, he had struggled for a long time to create the Emperor Flag.

With the Emperor Flag, the Supreme Truth, and his hard work, he could sweep through the Sixth Layer of the Immortal Realm.

If he obtained a Light Treasure, how much would his combat power increase? He might even have a chance against the mysterious Sole Palace.

Qi Yuan looked at the Heavenly Origin with delight.

The withered yellow leaf left an imprint on his palm, then disappeared without a trace.

The Armament Generals around him, including Chen Kangbao, didn't see the withered leaf.

"Alright, the treasure hunt is over, and it's time for us to leave," Qi Yuan declared.

The others felt a sense of loss upon hearing this, as they hadn't witnessed the legendary Heavenly Origin.

However, since Qi Yuan was leaving, they dared not stay longer, fearing they might encounter a Celestial Rank Armament General and die there.

"Let's go."

The group arrived and departed swiftly.

As their figures disappeared from the Mystic Region, the underground palace, which had appeared less than a century ago, collapsed into dust, as if it had never existed.

The Confucian Scholar's expression turned lonely, and he eventually let out a long sigh.

Three hundred thousand artisans, the eldest brother, and the Heavenly Origin were buried in the corners of history.

Would anyone still know of this Mystic Region a thousand years later?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end