CHAPTER 376: CHAPTER 376 MVP SETTLEMENT (1)

"I have a fairly decent small courtyard," Jiang Yuan offered. "If you feel tired from wandering the world, you can come to my place and take a rest."

Stone Tiger asked without hesitation, "Can I also seek refuge? If someone tries to capture me to use me as a mount or slave again, can I go to benefactor’s place for refuge?"

"Of course, as long as you don’t commit evil or intentionally provoke those you cannot defeat."

"That would be wonderful!" Stone Tiger stood up, puffing his chest proudly. "I am the spirit of heaven and earth; how could I act recklessly? Benefactor, rest assured. If I indeed cause trouble outside, I won’t drag you down easily. By the way, benefactor, may I know your esteemed name?"

After noting down the name and address, he lowered his giant head and left a tiger-shaped mark on Jiang Yuan’s palm. "Whenever you need, benefactor, you can use this mark to summon me.

Now that it’s getting late, I’m eager to breathe fresh air and leave the damn cage created by Xuanyuan Yangguang to see the outside world!"

Jiang Yuan only then realized that he was in a relatively small separate space, which seemed a bit like... a dwelling cave!

"What is this place?" He stood up, first collecting the pile of treasures left by Demon Monk Guang Hui, then curiously looked around at the stone table and bed not far away and asked, "How did we get in?"

Stone Tiger, with a straightforward and bold personality, replied bluntly, "Um, this is the cave Xuanyuan Yangguang prepared for himself during the period he created the secret realm and sealed me. After the suppression was completed, it was abandoned and useless. Left behind these stone things; if benefactor likes them, just take them!"

Seeing Stone Tiger’s impatient look, Jiang Yuan thought he could use the Demon Seal Escape to return to the general store anyway, so he let him leave first so he could "explore" the small space and go over the spoils he collected today.

Stone Tiger thanked him again and jumped out, letting out a joyful tiger roar before leaving for carefree adventures after the ruins of Wo Hu Mountain.

[Stone Table Covered in Dust: Crafted by Xuanyuan Yangguang, used during his brief stay in the cave]

The system’s popup details confirmed Stone Tiger’s claim. Jiang Yuan stepped forward, wiping off the fine dust from the stone table with cloud patterns on the sides, revealing the polished smooth surface.

It was probably made from locally sourced materials, and the stone wasn’t of any special value.

However, from the simple layout, it can be seen that Xuanyuan Yangguang was relatively pragmatic, not pursuing a luxurious and high-status material life like other cultivators.

The bed was also made of very ordinary wood and the simplest, regular style, and the system didn’t detect any clues.

[Improved Clear Heart Pill Formula: Xuanyuan Yangguang developed an improved version of the Clear Heart Pill using fewer and finer spirit medicines, ensuring that the pill’s medicinal properties are purer and of better quality. Can be used in the Alchemy Room]

[Clear Heart Pill: Essential medicine for cultivators of Intermediate level and above to enter cultivation state. When taken, it clears distracting thoughts and reduces the likelihood of heart demons arising. Additionally, those troubled by heart demons or restless thoughts can also take Clear Heart Pill for relief]

"Pill Formula?!" As Jiang Yuan shifted his gaze towards the bookshelf behind the bed, the system identified the faded paper in the corner covered in dust.

He hurried forward and picked up those inconspicuous papers; the first sheet was the improved pill formula, which he carefully stored;

The following pages contained the process of improving the pill, which was flamboyant but useless;

The last sheet was a concept map depicting the construction of the secret realm in Wo Hu Mountain, showing that considerable thought was put into creating beautiful landscapes and abundant spiritual energy. If a fated person finds the entrance, they might not only harvest Immortal Peaches but also reside in this auspicious place for cultivation.

But the concept map clearly stated—the entrance door is elusive, and only the fated can encounter it. Upon entering, one can cultivate using the abundant spiritual energy for up to three months before being forcibly transported out.

To find the secret realm again requires seeing if fate guides them.

"The rules seem quite fair, but Xuanyuan Yangguang probably never dreamed that while other cultivators obediently follow the rules, those who get benefits then leave will need to search for the entrance again to enter. Only Demon Monk Guang Hui was greedy, destroying the layer upon layer of arrays within the secret realm to claim it as his own!"

On second thought, Jiang Yuan felt that the demon monk’s success might be related to Xuanyuan Yangguang never returning to maintain the array.

The ancient relic, neglected for years, was easily destroyed by him. The demon monk intended to make the secret realm inaccessible to others, but the plan backfired—the gate, without the support of arrays and spiritual power, became fixed in place, laying a solid foundation for success and downfall due to the Immortal Peach several thousand years later.

[One-third of the ’Space Secret Technique’—Would you like to learn it?]

After reading the concept map, Jiang Yuan casually flipped the paper to see if anything was missed, and indeed, a bunch of brush-written characters unfamiliar to him was on the back. Fortunately, the system recognized them and would directly read them out.

Of course, choose "Yes"!

After several seconds of a progress bar, the page of incomplete skills showed a new entry for "Space Secret Technique," in addition to the least progressed "Ghost Immortal Scripture" and the slow data transmission from a disciple for "Supreme Divine Technique."

[Space Secret Technique: A mystical magic for creating and controlling space, handed down by unknown divine beings. Upon obtaining the complete text, one can initially create narrow spaces and perform short-term spatial folds and flashes.]

After storing the paper, Jiang Yuan scanned once more, confirming no other valuable items were left, then sat down to check the final tally.

The heap of golden shining items in the storage bag was poured out again, as no one could possibly intrude here—just right for a detailed inventory of the incredibly abundant spoils this time.

Firstly, twenty-three plump and water-drenched peach fruits were picked, each able to extend lifespan by a hundred years.

However, since these peaches are ill-gotten and wicked fruits conceived when the demon monk deceived cultivators and had the peach tree roots devour them, consuming them leads to receiving the evil consequences despite enjoying increased lifespan.

He naturally wouldn’t eat them, disgusted by the thought of so many deceased whose remains were not spared.

The Yin Mountain female corpse urgently needs increased lifespan; when they meet, Jiang Yuan will inform her of the reason, letting her decide whether she wants them or not.

Secondly, within the pile of gleaming treasures of Demon Monk Guang Hui, was a small wooden box containing thirty-nine peach pits, which could later be used to upgrade farmlands to Level Three to plant a peach orchard;

A Heavenly Level cultivation technique fragment of the "Unmoving Bright King Spell," the source of the demon monk’s false golden body, though this fragment was unmodified, and the system verified it could be learned and studied.

For now, my skills are enough; since this is only a fragment, I’ll prioritize teaching it to members of the small courtyard;

A total of more than three thousand two hundred pieces of Immortal Jade, various spirit medicines for alchemy, a trove of materials for artifact refining and blade forging, categorized and sorted—the easiest raw materials to manage—he then opened the remaining boxes one by one.

[Mandarin Duck Swords: A pair of dual swords harmonized with Yin and Yang, the swords carried by disciples within Qingfeng Hall. Supreme Spirit Swords nurturing a First Grade Sword Spirit, with the master deceased, the swords have automatically sealed themselves]

[Trigger side quest: Twin Pride of a Generation]

[In Qingfeng Hall, a thousand two hundred years ago, the new generation was filled with talents; the senior brother Wei Zhi and the senior sister Ai Qing Bamboo were the pride and outstanding figures among them. Their swords have been lost here for a millennium, please help the automatically sealed sword spirits find a master again and receive rich special rewards]

[Quest 1: Take the Mandarin Duck Swords to Qingfeng Hall, to let them perceive the aura of old acquaintances. Reward: Design blueprint for supreme Mandarin Duck Swords]