Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Oh?” A low, hoa.r.s.e laugh could be heard from the other end of the call. “If Duan Tianhe has returned to Linzhou so suddenly, even before the incident at Mount Dadong was settled, he must have learned about the mole from our holy faith and our movement in Linzhou City.”

The middle-aged man appeared to be panicking as he quietly said, “Duan Tianhe's return is a problem. Lord heavenly general, I'm beginning to think he suspects me too…”

However, he was interrupted by the hoa.r.s.e voice before he could finish, “Don't worry. There will be a greater incident over at Mount Dadong in a week—Duan Tianhe will definitely head over to hold the line, and that is the moment he dies. You should be thinking about how you'll uncover any unknown elites in Linzhou, and make your move in a week as well.”

1

Late into the night.

Atop a chain of mountains, the propellers of a wind-powered generator were turning with loud humming rumbles.

And down on an inconspicuous mountain ditch, a figure stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His presence was as grand as the sea. True Qi swirled around him, causing temperatures to plummet and layering frost over nearby weeds.

Soon, more figures appeared from the distance to kneel behind him.

Withdrawing his True Qi, the figure turned. He was nearing his sixties, his frame appearing withered and his hair was a gray-white. Indeed, with the wrinkles on his face, he looked no different from an average old man.

“Send word. The operation will begin in the early hours of the sixth of September. I'll provide the specifics later. Just stay hidden for now and don't expose your whereabouts. I'm going for a trip to Mount Dadong, and will have a discussion with the demon king over there.”

Moving his feet, the old man left the the mountain ditch in several bounds, disappearing into the night.

Behind him, the other figures all called out in one voice, “Safe travels, heavenly general!”

[Qi Pellet]

1

[Effect: Rapidly restores a martial artist's inner strength, True Qi, and True Qi cultivation.]

Jiang He was staring at the weird small tree before him when the data of the qi pellet's effects appeared before his eyes.

But of course.

Was it nothing other than a tree that bears fruits in the form of qi pellets? Jiang He was used to it—what was weird about it anyway? In fact, he had a hunch that the day would come when a full-sized living person was grown on one of his trees.

5

He turned to his System.

[Name: Jiang He]

[Cultivation: Rank Four Intermediate]

[Ability: None]

1

[Martial Arts Cultivation: Indestructible Diamond (Initiate+), Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms (+), Strengthened Nine Yang Technique (First Tier+)]

[Owned Land: 888m²]

[Farm Level: 2 (EXP 223/500)]

[System Backpack: 6 boxes]

[System Shop: Unlocked]

[Farm Points: 73]

“My EXP used to be at 220, didn't it? That means one qi pellet gives me three EXP and 10 Farm Points… not bad, not bad.”

Jiang He did a count. There were 107 qi pellets on the tree. If the one in his hand was counted as well, the grand total would be equal to the gang of Mount Liang (1).

1

“A hundred and seven… and one pellet is three points, giving me a total of three hundred and twenty-one EXP. It's enough for me to level up!”

He plucked off every qi pellet and dumped them all into his System Backpack. The qi pellet tree before him immediately rapidly withered and crumbled into a pile of ashes.

Jiang He did not even have to call out to Dumbo. The dog arrived on its own, standing on its rear legs as it dragged a shovel along, which it then used to scoop up the black ashes. Beside them, the Three-Tailed Demon Cat's yellow eyes widened in surprise.

Even Jiang He was stunned by Dumbo's actions. After spreading out the ashes, Dumbo flung the shovel away and ran to Jiang He's feet, wagging its tail to ask for the good stuff.

“…Didn't I just give you an entire cuc.u.mber? Did you finish it already?”

Jiang He took out another cuc.u.mber and snapped it in two. He threw the bigger chunk to Dumbo and the smaller chunk to the Three-Tailed Demon Cat. Although cats don't eat cuc.u.mbers, the Three-Tailed Demon Cat was a Feral and different in that respect.

Jiang He had not been feeding it, and he also forbade it from hurting domesticated animals or humans. As such, it had taken up veganism after hunting down every last mouse in the village. Compared to gra.s.s, the cuc.u.mber was basically gourmet food.

Dumbo wolfed down his own chunk, finis.h.i.+ng the cuc.u.mber in a few bites. When it was done, it suddenly reared its head and howled. The wolfdog seemed to enjoy doing that, and its howling was very similar to a wolf's howl.

Jiang He wanted to kick it by reflex, but pulled back even though his foot was already out. He sensed an energy converging over Dumbo's body, and its aura was rapidly rising from rank-one to rank-two.

And yet, Dumbo's evolution did not stop after merely its ascension to rank-two. A searing presence cascaded over its body.

“Hmmm? Could it be… the awakening to a superpower?”

1

Jiang He's eyes sparkled, watching intently as Dumbo opened its maw again…

There was no howling this time, but a fiery breath instead.

A line of data appeared before Jiang He's eyes.

[Dumbo]

[Breed: Sichuan wolfdog]

[Rank: Two]

[Ability: Fire manipulation]

“Eh?” Jiang He gasped in surprise. “I didn't plant Dumbo, why would there be data? And hold on, isn't that data different from Trumbo's?”

With that, he turned to Trumbo.

[Three-tails Demon Cat]

1

[Rank: Three Pinnacle]

[Ability: Wind-riding]

Dumbo's data showed its name directly, along with its breed.

“What is with that ‘breed' thing? Sichuan wolfdog… Could Chief w.a.n.g have bought it from Sichuan?” Jiang He mused to himself for a moment before suddenly realizing that there was another question.

“We both ate cuc.u.mbers. So why did Dumbo awaken superpowers but not me? Is it harder for humans to awaken superpowers compared to animals? So, should I be eating more cuc.u.mbers?”

3

Having a theory in his head, Jiang He then turned towards his System panel again and did a double take.

[Farm Level: 2 (EXP 554/500)]

His farm had not improved to level 3 even though his EXP was enough. Instead, there was a notification on the System panel.

“Level-up materials? Fifty kilograms of rank-seven Feral flesh? Two portions of rank-six Feral flesh, each a hundred kilograms, along with ten liters of rank-six Feral blood?”

1

What?!!

Jiang He glowered. “Rank-seven Ferals are equal to a martial arts grandmaster. Where am I supposed to get their flesh? Moreover, I would be destroyed by a rank-six Feral, wouldn't I?”

It was pity that the System was rather rigid. If there was some loli system fairy like in the novels he read instead, he would have trampled all over her. Nonetheless, Jiang He calmed down after half a beat.

2

“Two portions of rank-six Feral flesh, which means two different species of Ferals… and I did sense that I could punch above my rank after that fight with Cordo. Although I do wonder if I could really kill a rank-six. I would need a rank-six martial artist to test my theory. As for rank-seven…”

Jiang He handily whipped out a qi pellet he grew, threw it into his mouth, and gulped it down while musing to himself, “Maybe I could ask the Bureau or the Superpower Research Department if I could buy some rank-seven Feral flesh from them… Eh?”

His eyes widened. “What is going on? Doesn't it take up to four days to fully absorb a qi pellet? How is it gone the moment I swallowed it? Did I just grow a fake qi pellet???”

Translator's Note:

(1) A a reference to the cla.s.sic novel Water Margin, where 108 outlaws gather at Mount Liang (or Liangshan Marsh) to form a sizable army.