"One-tenth is enough."
Lin Zhao smiled, "Danxia Mountain is already content."
"Alright!"
Sun Qinghe said, "It's a deal. Medicine King Valley will keep clear accounts for every transaction and will never let Danxia Mountain suffer even half a loss."
"Hmm, I do trust the old man on this point."
Lin Zhao smiled faintly. "Chu Yu, come sit beside me. There's something I need you to handle."
"Yes, Mountain Master!"
Chu Yu rose. Despite being a female warrior, she sat beside Lin Zhao with remarkable composure and asked with a smile, "What is it?"
"Rebuilding the Danxia Sect."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and said, "After cooperating with Medicine King Valley, Danxia Mountain will soon have no shortage of funds. Let's first take out one hundred Gold Whiskers Coins from the inventory of the Mountain Peak Villa. You'll send people to recruit craftsmen in the town tomorrow, purchase all sorts of materials, and use the Flood Dragon Boat for transportation. We aim to rebuild the Danxia Sect as quickly as possible."
"Yes!"
Chu Yu asked, "What scale do we need? Approximately how many people will Xu Ming'an's sect eventually have?"
"Let's start with provisions for one hundred people. We can expand later if it's insufficient."
"Yes!"
Chu Yu nodded, then returned to Nv Zhi's side, continuing to listen to the two Great Sword Immortals, Huang Tingyu and Tang Guangjun, recount their rambling martial world stories.
...
Not long after, everyone had had their fill of food and drink.
Sun Qinghe and Lin Zhao were strolling in the courtyard, with Sun Xingchun and Sun Yunnuan following behind. Suddenly, Sun Qinghe stepped into a small spatial realm and said, "Lin Zhao, after much thought, I still feel Medicine King Valley owes your Snow Region Heavenly Pool too much. Since that's the case, I'll give you another great gift. Consider it a personal treasure from me, Sun Qinghe, a true supreme treasure."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao was startled. "Old man, it's not necessary. I'm not lacking in treasures..."
"Don't be so quick to refuse. Take a look first."
The old man removed the storage pouch from his waist, circulated his spiritual energy, and retrieved a golden soft armor from it. It looked like an undergarment, very thin, but the chaotic spiritual energy swirling around it was incredibly potent. Lin Zhao knew at a glance that this treasure must be extraordinary. The old man smiled and said, "This treasure is the true sacred artifact of Medicine King Valley, a hidden secret. Its grade far surpasses that of the Fire Spirit Jade. However, the treasure is too precious. Its appearance in the world might incite bloody feuds, so I've kept it hidden all these years, not letting this secret treasure see the light of day."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao frowned. "When Lord Sun Baigui was still alive, why didn't you give it to him?"
"Baigui didn't want it..."
The old man chuckled. "He had his heavenly and earthly enfeoffments and didn't want to rely on external objects. That child, Wan Qiu, felt the same way. Their intention was to wait until Xingchun could cultivate to the twelfth realm and then entrust this secret treasure to her to forge as her innate item. But that would take too long. Now, Medicine King Valley owes such a great favor to Snow Region Heavenly Pool, and I, this old man, find you agreeable. Moreover, I feel you are worthy of this treasure, so I impulsively decided to bestow it upon you. Don't refuse, for opportunities like this don't come twice."
Lin Zhao was speechless.
The old man looked at Sun Xingchun and smiled, "Xingchun, this treasure originally belonged to you. Are you willing to give it to Lin Zhao?"
"..."
Sun Xingchun's pretty face flushed slightly. "Grandfather, I've already given him the marriage contract. I can give myself to him, let alone a mere treasure? No matter how good a treasure is, it's still an external possession."
Sun Qinghe burst into hearty laughter. "Did you hear that? The descendants of my Medicine King Valley are this straightforward."
Saying this, he shook the incredibly defensive soft armor and said with utmost seriousness, "This item is called the Golden Armored Immortal Robe. It is an heirloom from an immortal dwelling in the mountains. Once refined, it can protect its owner from all sorts of sorcery and divine abilities, and even from the punches of martial cultivators. In short, as long as the Golden Armored Immortal Robe contains spiritual essence, it can protect its owner from all manner of injuries. It is said that when cultivated to the extreme, it can withstand multiple attacks from the thirteenth realm. Its defensive power is truly terrifying."
Lin Zhao's resolve wavered for a moment. As a Sword Cultivator player, his offensive capabilities were undoubtedly formidable. With three innate flying swords, five immortal swords, and twelve Great Wilderness Ancient Swords, Lin Zhao's damage output was surely at the pinnacle for players at this stage. The second-ranked player would likely be several tiers below him, after all, he was the only Nascent Soul stage player in the national server. Therefore, what Lin Zhao lacked was not offense, but survivability. This treasure, named the Golden Armored Immortal Robe, clearly addressed a significant gap. Once worn, he would truly be able to attack with impunity and defend with security.
"How about it?"
Sun Qinghe smiled. "Are you willing to accept this treasured gift from this old man?"
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and clasped his fists. "Lin Zhao doesn't speak falsehoods. I truly like this Golden Armored Immortal Robe, and I indeed need it. However... I can't help but feel somewhat uneasy accepting such a heavy treasure from you, old man. It feels as though I've gained Medicine King Valley's finest treasure without doing anything."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
The old man puffed out his beard and glared. "Lin Zhao, if it weren't for you leading the people of Mountain Peak Villa here, my Medicine King Valley would have been doomed. If it weren't for you uncovering the truth behind Sun Tingxuan's theft of the Danxia Sect's pill recipes, our Medicine King Valley would have been stained with such infamy. You are the rebirth person for my Medicine King Valley. Does my vast Medicine King Valley amount to less than this Golden Armored Immortal Robe?"
"Since that's the case, Lin Zhao will not be coy!"
He clasped his fists gently. "Thank you, old man, for bestowing this treasure!"
The next moment, the Golden Armored Immortal Robe landed in Lin Zhao's hands. He held it with immense reverence, his heart overflowing with excitement. As his gaze fell upon it, the detailed information of the supreme treasure appeared before his eyes.
【Golden Armored Immortal Robe】 (Immortal Grade High)
Strength: +1000
Vitality: +1000
Agility: +1000
Spiritual Power: +1000
Special Effect: When attacked, can greatly absorb immense damage for the owner.
Belongs to: White Robe
...
"Buzz—"
In an instant, Lin Zhao's mind went blank. The words "Immortal Grade High" were too striking. According to the current treasure grading mechanism in "Tian Xia," above Mortal Grade, there were Human Grade, Earth Grade, Heaven Grade, and Immortal Grade. Immortal Grade was further divided into High, Mid, and Low tiers. An Immortal Grade High treasure was clearly the "pinnacle" of treasures. Of course, this wasn't absolute. For example, Lin Zhao's flying sword Mingyue was Immortal Grade High. However, his flying sword Hao Ran, being the tip of the Sage Han Niu Sword, surpassed the Immortal Grade, being simply listed as an Immortal Sword. His flying sword Xin Huo was the same, the tip of a Great Sword Immortal of the fourteenth realm, fused with the fire luck of the Barbarian Abyss, and was also only an Immortal Sword, but clearly far superior to any Immortal Grade flying sword.
Hao Ran and Man Yuan belonged to a category of forbidden treasures, surpassing all other treasures. As for this Golden Armored Immortal Robe, it was the highest grade below forbidden. Although its special effect was simply "can greatly absorb immense damage for the owner," its true effect might be quite terrifying, sometimes even enough to turn the tide of battle!
Lin Zhao was overjoyed. He glanced at the details of his spiritual sea. His Nascent Soul Sword Cultivator spiritual sea was nearing full capacity, allowing him to refine only five flying swords. This was a limitation in Sword Cultivation. However, besides this, he could refine three more magical items, which were not limited. Without a doubt, this Golden Armored Immortal Robe, along with Lin Zhao's future orange gourd, were prime candidates for refinement. Mid-refinement could significantly enhance the abilities of magical items, and these two treasures were undeniably worthy.
He took a deep breath and clasped his fists at Sun Qinghe again, smiling, "Thank you, old man. This Golden Armored Immortal Robe... I absolutely love it."
"It's good that you like it."
Sun Qinghe smiled. "Mountain Peak Villa has been kind to us Medicine King Valley. We will remember this kindness. The bond between Medicine King Valley and Mountain Peak Villa will be passed down through generations, and we will never forget it."
"The old man speaks wisely!"
Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow and said, "I personally believe that as long as the old man presides over Medicine King Valley, it will remain upright and honorable. Xingchun's temperament is also like the old man's - fiery and righteous, hating evil. I believe that if Xingchun takes charge of Medicine King Valley in the future, it will also remain upright and honorable. And when Medicine King Valley is upright and honorable, it will be a blessing to the human world's mountains."
"Mm."
Sun Qinghe nodded with a smile. "Xingchun, you and Yunnuan don't need to do anything else during this period. Just focus on cultivating and re-forging your Golden Core to recover your cultivation. You can use any high-grade elixirs from the valley freely. Additionally, the soon-to-be-released Zhen Yuan Pill will be perfect for breaking through your bottleneck. Return to the Nascent Soul stage in the shortest possible time. Xingchun, when you return to the Nascent Soul stage, you will officially take over as the Valley Master. Don't worry about familiarizing yourself with all the major affairs; your grandfather is still here and will oversee everything for you."
"Okay!"
Sun Xingchun nodded with a smile.
Late at night, Lin Zhao, accompanied by Nv Zhi, Huang Tingyu, and others, bid farewell and returned to the Snow Region Heavenly Pool on their sword lights. Afterwards, he went into seclusion, watered the gourd vine, and then hid in his study, diligently refining the Golden Armored Immortal Robe. Such a treasure needed to be used in actual combat as soon as possible.
...
Late at night, the Demon Ancestral Mountain.
In a cave dwelling sat an old demon clad in black robes. This old demon had a very renowned nickname: "Black Mountain Old Demon." His true form was a black mountain range in the demon realm, transformed. He had cultivated for thousands of years but remained at the peak of the twelfth realm, unable to break through. If he couldn't break through now, he would likely face the end of his lifespan and dissolve into nothingness.
He looked at the four pills placed in the jade cup before him: Zhen Yuan Pills.
These were purchased at great expense from Medicine King Valley in the human realm. He frowned. Rather than suffer the humiliation of dissolving into nothingness, why not take one last gamble? What if he truly broke through and became a thirteenth realm Great Demon? Wouldn't his name, Black Mountain Old Demon, echo in the Ancestral Mountain, allowing him to stand alongside demon saints like Yu Zhi, Fu Sheng, and Ning Yuan Sheng?
As he thought of this, he hesitated no longer. He grabbed the four pills and threw them into his mouth, swallowing them all with a gulp. He then sat down cross-legged and began to circulate his demonic energy, refining the pills and attempting to break through the bottleneck.
"Hmm?!"
In an instant, a wisp of flame rose around his demon core, igniting a raging fire within!
In that moment, the twelfth realm Great Demon's eyes turned blood red, and his entire body felt as though it were about to explode.
"How could this be? How could this be?!"
He cried out in agony.
...
"Boom!"
Late at night, with a thunderous roar, the Black Mountain Old Demon's cave dwelling exploded. It even affected the surrounding area, flattening an entire section of cave dwellings on the mountainside. Countless lesser demons were killed, and a scene of carnage littered the ground.
"..."
In the wind, the Great Demon Yu Zhi, clad in a red dress, looked at the tragic scene on the mountainside of the Ancestral Mountain. Her pretty face was deathly pale, and she was on the verge of exploding with anger. How could this have happened?
Could it be… another trick by Lin Baiyi?