Chapter 488: Chapter 488

With a single thought, Jiang Yuan replaced his default Mountain God title with the new one.

He felt a warm sensation throughout his body and looked down. Oh my! This new title was indeed extraordinary—once equipped, his whole body shone with a golden aura; it was quite amusing.

"Isn’t this a bit too flashy?" He hadn’t expected the self-lighting effect and hurriedly looked up to see the reactions of other demon cultivators; surely if someone nearby started glowing, people would take a few more glances.

However, the demon cultivators queuing to register information beside him displayed no sign of noticing anything unusual, evidently unable to perceive the system-enhanced effects applied just to him.

"Will wearing this make me look kind-hearted and merciful? Right now, there’s no mirror to check for any changes." Jiang Yuan wondered if he would seem like a compassionate person due to this aura, only to hear an elderly demon cultivator gratefully say, "Fellow Daoist, one can tell you’re compassionate just by looking at you. Your cooperation in acquiring toxins from Miss Chan Yu in the swamp is such a great act, allowing so many demon cultivators to earn money!"

"Indeed! Who would’ve noticed before? This young fellow, with high cultivation, good looks, and compassion, must be a good person accumulated with great virtues and merits," another demon cultivator chimed in.

Hearing a group of demon cultivators singing praises of him, Jiang Yuan felt a sense of satisfaction lingering in his heart, especially as many showed increased goodwill towards him.

It turned out that wearing the title really projected an aura of kindness and mercy, and the system showed that the title’s Power of Merit could counteract curses and similar damage, making it quite useful.

After a busy night, he had finally helped Miss Chan Yu’s toxin extraction business get on track, and he even gathered all the toxins needed to refine the Thirteen-Flavor Antitoxic Pill.

Returning to his small courtyard before dawn, he immediately set the Elixir refining process in the Alchemy Room. The Floating Market finally delivered the long-awaited notification—[You have a new order, please check it!]

[Charitable Order: Sixty portions of beef; one hundred portions of rice; three hundred portions of well water. Order is valid for one hour, charitable orders involve no gold coin or spirit stone transactions, but you are guaranteed rare material drops]

"Great!" Eagerly, Jiang Yuan clicked on the platform, dragging the required items into the pop-up selling box and pulled the handle.

The cheerful sound of gold coins bouncing echoed.

[Order completed, rewards obtained: Three Pristine Ones Grass +2; Faith Value +1000]

[Main quest: Build a Level Six home. Reward: A courtyard communicator]

[Task 4: Complete at least thirty charitable orders (30/30) completed. Reward: Life Origin +50 issued]

[Current Life Origin balance: 100 points]

[Task 5: Upgrade all structures to Level Six. Reward: Acceleration Cards +5; Skill Upgrade Card +1]

"As expected, the higher the level, the harder it is to complete the main quests." Jiang Yuan looked at the thumbnail where none of the structures had met the level requirement and sighed, "Take it slow, don’t rush."

Currently, there were quite a few Level Five buildings; with a little more effort, they would meet the task requirements.

He opened the Storage Box, using the Day’s Good Deed reward—a self-selected material package, which he obtained by saving Cheng Hao with the Foreknowledge Technique in the real world—to finally gather enough materials to upgrade the Juice Workshop by one level.

The Tea Workshop was also lagging.

These two "poor companions," built on the same day, had the lowest levels, thankfully upgrading materials weren’t too hard to gather, sparing more time collecting spirit stones, I could pay with in-game purchases if necessary!

Anyway, every night Miss Hu Jiu exchanges immortal jade at the Wo Hu Temple Market, earning a good amount of spirit stones, so spending is fine; doing the main quest is more important.

The Wilderness was about to ascend, and the fruits and vegetables in the courtyard’s farm had yet to mature. Jiang Yuan relaxed on a bamboo chair under the cherry tree by the river, happily pouring himself a cup of spirit tea to restore his health and mana bar.

"Sniff sniff! What a lovely aroma! The scent of spirit tea is so wonderful!" Ling Di sniffed through its perky ears, retreating from its cultivation state, following the tea scent trail to find its new owner indulging in a drink, wagging its fluffy tail with a chuckle, "Such delightful spirit tea, could I trouble the gentleman for a cup to moisten my throat?"

It thought to itself, now that it’s just us two no need to pretend, you’ve already helped me secretly yet act like you haven’t recognized my true form? Not sharing good tea is really dull.

"I’ll get you a teacup." Jiang Yuan, of course, wouldn’t treat this elder pet like an ordinary demon beast, found an unused cup from the Storage Bag, and poured it a cup.

Ling Di curled its mouth, thinking this was more like it! I’ve willingly become your pet, so there’s no need to keep a facade when others aren’t around.

Jiang Yuan watched the little dog expertly hold the teacup, sipping it with a slightly squinted eye and wagging tail, exuding an air of contentment.

He thought, since it’s an ancestor level elite from the Cloud Concealment Sect, it should see more clearly than Xie Chenyuan, maybe let it predict my life chart?

"Ling Di, could you take a close look at my life chart, is there anything unusual?" He carefully chose his wording, feeling it a bit too lowbrow to directly say "predict fate" to such realm elites like Ling Di.

"Woof?" The little doggy had just finished drinking tea, hearing its new master speak this way, only taking it as receiving another guidance, moreover, allowing to see his life chart directly implies knowing its identity long ago, otherwise such simple-to-the-point words couldn’t be spoken.

It drew upon its spiritual power, intending to unlock cultivation puzzles, focused its eyes seriously to see through its new master.

Consciousness turned blank, as if the sound of ancient bells resonated through heaven and earth, Ling Di’s originally bright eyes instantly blurred, its whole dog mind buzzing for quite some time, nearly fainting on the spot.

Moments later, with a slight whimper, it regained its senses, weakly said, "Trouble the gentleman for another cup of spirit tea."

Jiang Yuan, unaware of what happened, refilled its cup.

Little doggy tremblingly raised it with paws to drink it all before breathing a sigh of relief, "To me, the gentleman is akin to a mayfly glimpsing the heavens, let alone observing your life chart, even a serious look... thankfully I’ve always been diligent in cultivation and didn’t dabble in false practices, otherwise might almost have perished myself!

Sir, please... do not joke with juniors in the future, you could truly scare someone to death."

Impossible right? Lived in the countryside all his life, his mom had consulted for his fate, never heard anything this bizarre.

Could it be due to the system?

Or was his mom’s fortune-teller not skillful?

Ling Di was baffled too, suspecting the new master maybe an ancient being reborn, intend to let him unveil his true face; or aspire to cultivate more diligently, unexpectedly took just a look, overwhelming itself.

It even doubted if the other party had already attained full cultivation.

Logically at its realm, even Tribulation Crossing Realm peak spirit can be readily seen, what more with a rebirth, how could one be impervious to gaze?

Yet reality stood firm before it, Ling Di grew ever more puzzled about the other party’s depths.

"I merely glanced at the gentleman..." After another cup of tea, trying to recall, "a complete blank. Could see no form, No past life nor future, even... seemingly non-existent within heaven and earth, except the ineffable sound of ancient bells echoing through the consciousness, seemed like..."

It dared not continue; the more it recalled that dizzy faint feeling mix extraordinary insights, increasingly sensed it touched upon the path!

Unfortunately, lacking cultivation, unable to withstand the heavenly sound’s baptism, otherwise might stand a chance to suddenly comprehend something.

The latter description too elusive, Jiang Yuan couldn’t grasp it, hence focused on the former half—seemingly non-existent within heaven and earth.

He nodded thoughtfully, musing that he’s indeed not of this world’s being, apparently even Cloud Concealment Sect elites couldn’t fathom it, postpone this until opportunity arises later.

Glanced at the 1:40 exchange rate, Jiang Yuan felt quite cheerful, by nightfall, his health bar increased by forty points, how enjoyable!