rule 12

Chapter 62: The SFC Restaurant and The Lotus Delight Pavilion

In one part of the Fengxian City, a crowd had gathered in front of a building. Firecrackers went off, adding to the lively atmosphere as people assembled in front of a newly opened restaurant called Supreme Fried Chicken (SFC) Restaurant, owned by the Liu family. Pamphlets were handed out and plastered on public announcement boards. Curiosity buzzed among the crowd since the restaurant only served fried chicken and the prices were rather steep.

The opening was lively, though many people were hesitant to try the new restaurant due to its limited menu and high prices. However, several people did enter. Most of these were close to the Liu family or had connections to them, coming to show their support. Some were there to curry favor with the Liu family, prepared to praise the food regardless of its quality, hoping to get on their good side. A few others joined in, simply following the crowd.

The restaurant had announced a promotional period with half-price discounts, but even with the discount, many still found it too expensive. As a result, only a few people entered because of the promotion.

Inside, the restaurant was luxurious yet simple, furnished with just tables and chairs, with few decorations. Patrons commented on and inspected the interior while waiting for their orders.

Before long, their orders were delivered on trays, each featuring a plate of rice, a plate of fried chicken, and two small bowls of red and slightly redder sauce. Many were skeptical if the dish was truly worth the high price. The server explained how to eat the fried chicken, and then they began to try it.

Crunch.

The sound of crunching filled the room, followed by gasps of amazement and surprise. The crispy outside texture and the soft, juicy meat, with seasoning deeply infused, created a delicious taste and aroma that blew them away. They had never eaten or cooked chicken this way before and were truly impressed. Genuine praise echoed throughout the restaurant as customers delighted in their meals.

It didn't take long for the praise to spread outside the restaurant. Most people were skeptical, thinking the compliments were exaggerated or made up to curry favor with the Liu family. However, some entered to try it themselves and find out the truth. As time went by, more and more people began singing the restaurant's praises. Those who had tried the fried chicken gave positive feedback.

By midday, word about the unique and delicious fried chicken restaurant had spread throughout the city. More people headed to the restaurant to see for themselves. The area outside the restaurant became very lively, with some who couldn't afford to dine there still joining the commotion and watching from outside. The restaurant remained fully packed, with people lining up, curious to try the food, until closing time.

Before closing, a representative of the Liu family announced that they would be opening a new grand restaurant soon, without providing additional details, before shutting the restaurant doors.

The SFC Restaurant became famous, and the following day it was also packed with customers. Because the restaurant was still in its promotional period, many wanted to try it while the prices were discounted. The first week of opening was a great success, with high enthusiasm from patrons, although it slightly decreased starting on the third day. Overall, the first week was very good. The SFC Restaurant also announced that it would be opening another branch in another part of the city.

After a while, similar fried chicken dishes started to appear in the city, mimicking the SFC. Many tried to imitate the recipe, but their efforts fell short and couldn't compare to the original because they could only guess and experiment on their own about the recipe. However, a few small stalls offering cheaper versions of the fried chicken became popular. Although these versions weren't as great as the original, they were far more affordable, satisfying the curiosity of those who couldn't afford the real SFC.

The fried chicken not only attracted customers, but also garnered attention from several factions in the city. They were interested in the business potential and wanted to establish similar restaurants with similar dishes. There was even an incident where a cultivator tried to enter the SFC Restaurant one night but was caught by Liu family cultivators. Apparently, the Liu family had already prepared adequate security for the restaurant.

A week after Supreme Fried Chicken Restaurant opened, the Liu family launched another restaurant. It's bigger and grander than the SFC restaurant. The new restaurant, called Lotus Delight Pavilion, quickly became famous. The dishes on the menu are very expensive, making it the costliest restaurant in the city, with everything priced in Spirit Stones. Only a few could afford to dine there: wealthy mortals or those with significant backgrounds, and even for cultivators, it was still expensive. Very few at the Qi Condensation realm could afford it; most patrons were at the Foundation Establishment realm, with several Golden Core realm cultivators also seen. There was even a Nascent Soul realm cultivator who visited.

Despite the high prices, the restaurant attracted many customers who were thoroughly satisfied with their meals.

The dishes not only tasted better than those from other restaurants, but their effects were more potent and also provided extra benefits, nourishing meridians and improving Qi flow. One day, a cultivator discovered that consuming a pill after eating at Lotus Delight Pavilion enhanced the pill's effects, a news that spread quickly, boosting the restaurant's fame even further.

Every day, the restaurant was packed with cultivators. The food aided their cultivation and was exceptionally delicious, making it highly popular. Because it was rather expensive, cultivators in the city ventured out to search for Spirit Herbs and hunt Spirit Beasts to earn more Spirit Stones to spend at Lotus Delight Pavilion. They preferred to spend their Spirit Stones at Lotus Delight Pavilion rather than on pills to aid their cultivation, because the food was not only delicious but also more effective. Even broke cultivators worked hard to gather Spirit Stones, eager to try the restaurant and see if the rumors were true.

The cultivators in the city became more active, exploring the wilderness and taking on missions from the mercenary guild. Many factions in the city turned their attention to the Liu family and Lotus Delight Pavilion, tempted to get a slice of the pie.

In the Liu family residence in Fengxian, Liu Mingzhen sat at a table enjoying tea while listening to Liu Wang, who was currently reporting on the restaurants' business. Both Supreme Fried Chicken Restaurant and Lotus Delight Pavilion had become popular sensations in city, generating significant profits. Expansion plans were already in place, with more SFC restaurants set to open in Fengxian city. Additionally, both SFC Restaurant and Lotus Delight Pavilion would soon open in Yanjing City and other surrounding areas.

Liu Wang reported that Lotus Delight Pavilion was generating thousands of Spirit Stones daily in clean profit. However, due to the success of Lotus Delight Pavilion, other Liu family restaurants catering to cultivators were experiencing losses as they couldn't compete. Despite this, the overall situation remained profitable for the Liu family, and they even gained more profit overall. Liu Wang had proposed adjusting prices and implementing other strategies at the other restaurants to attract customers. Liu Mingzhen was satisfied with Liu Wang's plan, recognizing his expertise and skill.

The operating and ingredient costs for Lotus Delight Pavilion were rather similar to their other restaurants. However, by making slight modifications to the dishes to make them more "unique," and more importantly, by adding a little MSG, they were able to increase the prices significantly, thus boosting profits. Regarding payment, Liu Wang also reported that the first payment for Orion was ready and could be delivered immediately.

"Fufufu," Liu Mingzhen set down his teacup. "We have gained so much benefit by meeting Mr. Orion. My Liu family is truly blessed."

With the help of MSG, his father succeeded in breaking through to the Nascent Soul realm, and their Liu family had secured a supply agreement with Orion for MSG for their personal use. Additionally, the joint business venture was a success, generating large profits and increasing the Liu family's influence.

The house was finally completed after about a month of construction. Orion visited Liu Mingzhen to settle the payment for everything—the house, resources, tools, equipment, and all other requests, also to discuss several matters with Liu Mingzhen.

However, Liu Mingzhen refused the payment, saying it was not a big problem and considered it a gift. Orion decided to accept the gesture. Liu Mingzhen also gave a report on the SFC Restaurant and Lotus Delight Pavilion and handed over the payment.

Orion nodded, looking at the bundles of gold coins and Spirit Stones on the table before storing them in the storage ring, while also praising the Liu family's performance in managing the restaurants. Orion had begun to sink its teeth into this world's economy albeit only on a small scale for now.

Liu Mingzhen also voiced some concerns to Orion about potential trouble from various factions eyeing the Liu family and the restaurants. Orion and Liu Mingzhen discussed the issue and formulated a plan, with Orion giving some suggestions to Liu Mingzhen. Orion also requested detailed information about these factions.

"Don't worry, Mr. Orion, we will handle it carefully," Liu Mingzhen assured.

"I believe in you. Just do it according to the plan and if things start getting out of control and your Liu family can't handle it, immediately inform me," Orion replied.

"Understood," Liu Mingzhen said confidently.

The Liu family had a hidden trump card: Liu Xinyi, who had reached the Nascent Soul realm. Having the backing of a nascent soul cultivator would solidify their position in Yanjing and strengthen their stance in Fengxian.

However, for now, they decided to keep a low profile and not announce Liu Xinyi's breakthrough. Additionally, if Orion were to get involved directly, won't other factions be turned to dust in an instant should they dare to cause trouble?

Liu Mingzhen's confidence was bolstered.

After discussing everything, Orion excused itself and prepared to leave. Liu Mingzhen then called his subordinates—four masked men in dark clothing—who bowed before Liu Mingzhen and Orion.

"They will be the ones to help you, Mr. Orion," Liu Mingzhen said.

"Thank you. Then I will take my leave," Orion replied.

Chapter 63: A Place to Call Home

Orion led the four masked men out of the Liu family residence and then out of the city, heading north. They frequently changed directions to confuse potential followers. Orion also used its multi-band phased array antenna to detect any potential following cultivators. Eventually, they arrived at a hill where the newly built house stood.

"So, this is the house," Orion said, standing in front of the wooden structure. Orion then entered to check inside, followed by the four masked men.

The house was made entirely of wood, with two floors and simple but good-quality workmanship. The interior was still relatively empty with only minimal furniture. Orion incorporated modern design elements from Earth and native designs that resembled traditional Chinese architecture.

It was situated in a clearing at the top of the hill, with the surrounding trees already chopped down. The house faced east and had a decent size, featuring a living room, kitchen, dining room, front hall, shower, toilet, storage room, a combined library and study room, and three bedrooms on the first floor. The second floor housed four bedrooms.

One of the bedrooms on the first floor was reserved for Orion, another for guests. A bedroom at the back was potentially for Chunhua. Wang Lingxin would choose one of the bedrooms on the second floor.

Behind the house was a large garden, and further back was a building as wide as the house, intended for use as a workshop. A wooden wall connected the house to the workshop, fully enclosing the garden. On the south side of the garden, there was a multi-purpose building.

"Okay, you guys can begin your work," Orion instructed.

The four masked men cupped their hands in acknowledgment and headed to the workshop. Orion had asked for the Liu family's help to create underground rooms and tunnel systems beneath the workshop, courtyard, and house.

The four men began working by digging the floor in the workshop, using shovels with inscriptions that made it easy to dig through the soil. The excavated soil was stored in storage rings to be disposed of later, far away from the house.

Orion had chosen not to involve the workers who built the house to keep the underground construction a secret, relying instead on the Liu family cultivators.

While the four masked men busily dug, Orion also began working. Orion had already planned to install inscriptions in the house, multifunction building, and workshop, as well as outside the house for security and defense purposes. Additionally, Orion needed to install a lightning system, water piping for shower, toilet, and kitchen, as well as cameras for surveillance, and also several other things. There was still a lot of work to be done.

At sunset, Orion returned to the residence in Fengxian, while the four masked men continued to work non-stop. It was not a problem for cultivators to work without rest. The next day, Orion returned to the house and continued the work. Every day, Orion would come to the house in the morning and return to the residence in Fengxian at sunset. After five days, everything was finally finished including the underground tunnels and rooms.

In the morning, after Wang Lingxin had breakfast, Orion told her that the house was completed and it was time to move.

"Master, should we tell Big Sis Chunhua?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"No, don't tell her yet," Orion replied. Orion wanted to observe Chunhua a bit longer to determine if she could be trusted, and Orion also still needed Chunhua to maintain the residence in Fengxian. "Come on, let's get prepared. I'll help you pack your things."

Orion then helped Wang Lingxin pack up, storing some of her clothes and other belongings in storage rings. Not everything was taken because Orion planned to return to the residence occasionally. Once they were finished, Orion called Chunhua and told her about getting out of the city with Wang Lingxin for training. Orion gave her several instructions before heading to the front yard to store a small potted tree, the Violet Essence Fruit tree given by Liu Ming, in the storage ring.

Orion and Wang Lingxin then rode a carriage, with Chunhua watching them leave and waving goodbye. Liu Jin observed the departing carriage from the roof of a nearby building, having also received instructions from Orion. His task was to secretly guard the residence and Chunhua, and he could give daily reports to Orion via Orion's workroom in the residence. Apparently, Orion had installed some kind of communication treasure there. He and the other Liu family members were forbidden from visiting Orion's house outside the city. If anything happened, they were to report to Orion's workroom.

The carriage traveled through the city, heading towards the gate and exiting the city. After a while, they reached a quiet road where Orion and Wang Lingxin disembarked, and the carriage returned to the city. Orion and Wang Lingxin then began walking towards the woods.

"Master, where is the house located? Is it close?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"No, it's still far, and it's not in this direction," Orion replied. "Come on, I will carry you."

"Really?" Wang Lingxin asked, happily anticipating being carried by her master.

Wang Lingxin hopped on Orion's back, and an energy barrier covered them, making them disappear from view. Hidden by the barrier, Orion started running in another direction, changing course several times. About half an hour later, they arrived at a hill. Orion walked for a while longer until they reached the house on top of the hill. The energy barrier disappeared, and Orion set Wang Lingxin down.

"Wow, Master, is this our new house?" Wang Lingxin asked, looking at the house in front of her. It couldn't compare to their residence in the city, but Wang Lingxin liked it more because it would be her home.

"That's right. What do you think?" Orion asked.

"Master, it's good! Quick, let's check the inside," Wang Lingxin said, eagerly pulling Orion inside the house.

As they toured the house, Wang Lingxin was truly impressed. When it was time to check her room, she loved it. The room was just like the design on the tablet, exactly as she had imagined it, although still empty.

"Master, I really love my room! This is great," Wang Lingxin said, opening the window. She could see the beautiful scenery outside. Her room was on the second floor, overlooking the surrounding hills thick with trees—very beautiful and refreshing.

"Master, will we be staying here from now on?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"We will stay here for a while, but we will need to move to another place in the future," Orion replied.

"What? We need to move from this house?" Wang Lingxin asked, surprised.

"Don't worry, we can bring the house along with us," Orion said. "Don't you want to see the sea? In the future, we will move to a place near the sea."

"Sea?! Yes, I want to see the sea! When will we go?" Wang Lingxin asked excitedly.

"It's still in the future, no need to get too excited. For now, how about helping me arrange the furniture?" Orion suggested.

"Master, I will help you," Wang Lingxin replied enthusiastically.

Orion retrieved furniture and appliances from the storage ring, and Wang Lingxin helped Orion move them around and place them in position. They also set up ornaments and decorations, including putting up curtains, laying down carpets, and arranging various other items. The potted Violet Essence Fruit tree was placed in the garden.

In the kitchen, Orion placed appliances and tools, including a stove, oven, refrigerator, and sink. The stove and oven operated using inscriptions to generate heat, while the refrigerator was a metallic box with inscriptions to generate cold, all ordered from the city. The lighting could be turned on or off using buttons on the walls, with crystals generating the light.

In the toilet, there is a flush toilet, which was custom ordered from the city. The shower had inscriptions to heat the water, and there was a tub for soaking in hot water.

Cameras covered both the inside and outside of the premises. Inscriptions were present inside and outside for defensive purposes. The inscriptions outside were inscribed on a chain that was buried underground and encircled the entire premises. These inscriptions, along with the appliances and lighting, were powered by LQ. A centralized LQ system was in place, with several LQ types used depending on the need.

At the top of the house and the workshop, there were several antennas and satellite dishes. Using these, Orion could monitor the situation at the residence in Fengxian City. Additionally, there were underground tunnels and several underground rooms.

Everything was finished by sunset. Wang Lingxin sat resting on a chair, tired from helping move things around. Orion walked to the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and retrieved some ice cream. Orion had previously planned to give Wang Lingxin ice cream as a reward for good test results but decided to reward her for working hard to settle the house and move the furniture.

"Good work, here you go," Orion said, handing her a bowl of ice cream.

Wang Lingxin perked up and took the ice cream. "Master, what is it?" she asked, looking at it and feeling the bowl's cold surface.

"It's called ice cream. Try it," Orion encouraged.

Wang Lingxin was curious and a bit doubtful. She wondered if it was food and if it was edible. It felt cold, but she scooped a spoonful and put it in her mouth. She shivered slightly from the cold sensation at first, but then it melted in her mouth, revealing a sweet taste. Her face lit up with surprise and enjoyment.

"Wow, Master, this is so yummy, so sweet," Wang Lingxin said, enjoying the cold treat, especially after the tiring work. She took another scoop and couldn't stop smiling.

"After you're done, go shower. I'll teach you how to use it," Orion said.

During the night, Wang Lingxin nestled in her new bed, watching a bedtime story movie of Little Red Riding Hood on her tablet. Orion sat at a table nearby, busy with something. As the movie ended, Wang Lingxin yawned and put the tablet in her little backpack.

"Master, can't we stay in the same room during the night?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"You need to get used to sleeping alone. You have your own room now, but don't worry, I'll stay with you until you fall asleep," Orion reassured her, still busy at the table.

Wang Lingxin pouted, fixed her blanket, and closed her eyes.

After a while, Orion looked at the now-sleeping Wang Lingxin. Orion approached her, tucked her blanket, and then quietly left.

Orion headed to the workshop and then down to the underground tunnel. The tunnels and rooms had been finished with the help of Liu family cultivators. Orion checked each room; the floor, walls, and ceiling were covered with high-quality stone slabs, neatly arranged and well-installed. Satisfied with the work, Orion entered one of the rooms and retrieved the Lander from the storage ring.

After a long time stored in the storage ring, the Lander was finally back in the outside world. Orion decided to store it in the underground room, along with all the items from Earth that were stored in the storage ring.

Orion had discovered that all items originating from Earth underwent some kind of evolution when exposed to this world. Orion would let these items, including the Lander, evolve just like itself. Currently, Orion's processor, electrical circuits, battery, and sensors had improved slightly.

After retrieving everything and arranging them, Orion began putting inscriptions on the underground rooms and tunnels.

...

A great scheme was currently set in motion in the Qian Feng World (Thousand Peaks World). The demon world had set its eyes on it. In the cultivation world, conflict, revenge, and vengeance were constant. Factions, small and large, competed for dominance. Geniuses competed among themselves to rise and stand above the rest, while those who couldn't would fall and become stepping stones for others. Many people harbored grand ambitions.

On a small hill near Yanjing City, a visitor from another world was slowly establishing itself, finally having a place to call home. Currently, it was crouching on the floor, inscribing something. It had no grand ambitions about the world, just simple goals: to build cities, open mines, construct factories, launch rockets to space, and have enough power to defend against anyone and anything in this new world.

These weren't grand ambitions, really, for Orion. It's just very simple ones to ensure its own survival in this new world. Additionally, there are other ambitions, such as establishing communication with Earth and, if possible, returning back to Earth, or even going to Mars to continue its original mission.

Chapter 64: The Volcanic Alliance

On a serene small lake, surrounded by a grassy area, the clear water teemed with colorful fish swimming below the surface. Water lilies and lotuses floated among the gentle ripples, while a thin mist created an ethereal atmosphere.

A wooden bridge led to a small pavilion in the middle of the lake. Bamboo curtains covered the pavilion, hinting at a vague silhouette of a person sitting cross-legged, hovering slightly above a cushion. Inside the pavilion, a middle-aged man with white hair, eyebrows, moustache, and beard, wearing luxurious robes, sat with his eyes closed. In front of him, a crystal ball surrounded by a thick black aura hovered.

"Void Sword, how is the Cultivation World reacting?" came a voice from the crystal ball.

"They are alarmed but can't figure anything out," Void Sword replied, not bothering to open his eyes. "Currently, they are deploying their forces to investigate but aren't making much progress."

"And how about your sect?" the voice, Shadowlord Krythar, asked.

"Same as the others. Don't worry about my sect; everything is under control," Void Sword assured him.

"Very good," Shadowlord Krythar responded.

"So, when will it start?" Void Sword inquired.

"Well, I am not sure of the exact time. It could be in dozens of years or thousands of years," Shadowlord Krythar admitted.

"Hmph... so unreliable," Void Sword grumbled.

"Don't worry, it will eventually happen. We just need to be patient and wait. Both our worlds have already started to connect. Initially, small World Portals will appear randomly and temporarily, allowing only low-level demons to enter your world, like what's happening now. But as time goes by, permanent World Portals will start to appear, enabling stronger demons to enter. Eventually, a permanent World Portal large enough for me to enter will open, and that is when we will launch our main invasion," Shadowlord Krythar explained.

"And when is that exactly? I don't have much time to wait any longer," Void Sword said, opening his eyes, which glinted with a dangerous light.

"Like I said, I don't know. We demons don't know much about the artifact used to connect our worlds. We only know that our Demon Ancestor obtained it from the Void a long time ago. After investigating it, he concluded that it could be used to connect two worlds. Since our ancestor obtained it, it has been stored and never used, even until that ancestor ascended to the Immortal World," Shadowlord Krythar explained.

"I agreed to cooperate with you demons and have activated the artifact, but if I need to wait for thousands of years, I don't have enough time. You better give me what I want now, or our cooperation ends. I will destroy the artifact, and you demons can say goodbye to your plan of invading my world," Void Sword threatened, reaching into his robe and taking out a very simple-looking pendant.

This pendant was the cause of the Qian Feng World and the Demon World connecting. Void Sword was already nearing the end of his lifespan and saw no opportunity to ascend. He was currently at the peak of the Qian Feng World, and the next step for him was to ascend to the Immortal World. However, he lacked the confidence to successfully pass the Heavenly Tribulation.

Then, one day, an irresistible offer came from an unexpected source—the demons. They offered him something that could help boost his cultivation and vitality, restoring his strength—a unique resource from the Demon World that was very rare: Infernal Blood Crystals.

Void Sword agreed to cooperate with the demons in exchange for these Infernal Blood Crystals. He didn't care about what would happen to the Qian Feng World; his only concern was how to ascend to the Immortal World. As one of the most influential and powerful cultivators in the Qian Feng World, he had vast resources, but none were very helpful for him. However, Infernal Blood Crystals from the Demon World were very beneficial and useful for him, though they only existed in the Demon World, and he had no way to obtain them. Even in the Demon World, Infernal Blood Crystals were also rare.

All he needed was Infernal Blood Crystals, and he agreed to cooperate with the demons in exchange for them.

"Very well, but we can only give you a small amount of Infernal Blood Crystals for now," Shadowlord Krythar replied.

"Mmm..." Void Sword nodded, satisfied even though he would only receive a small amount of Infernal Blood Crystals.

"By the way, was the big space and time fluctuation also caused by the artifact? You didn't mention anything about it before. You said that nothing out of the ordinary would happen and that our worlds would merge slowly without anyone's knowledge. But now the whole Cultivation World is alerted and has already discovered that something is going on between our two worlds," Void Sword remarked.

When he activated the artifact, a huge mysterious space and time fluctuation could be felt throughout the world.

"Hmm... maybe? Like I said, we don't know much about the artifact. Well, it doesn't matter if the Cultivation World is alerted. They can't stop our plan anyway, so there's no need to worry too much," Shadowlord Krythar responded.

...

The Demon World was a barren, rocky land with a dark, cloudy sky frequently lit by lightning. The air was thick with dark, smoky miasma. Atop a massive volcano, the caldera brimmed with boiling magma.

Around the rim of the volcano, several figures were gathered, each possessing a unique and terrifying appearance. Some sat on the ground, others hovered in the air. One sat on a throne made of bones and skulls, another lay sleeping on the ground, snoring loudly, and one rode an undead dragon made solely of bones.

These were the Archdemons, the top existences in the Demon World, currently holding a meeting.

There were sixteen Archdemons present: Xylothar the Malevolent, Abyssal Sovereign Valthrok, Zarogloth Dominus, Zon Nihilus Prime, Vourghul the Unbound, Tyrantlord Zargoloth, Morchulix the Netherking, Vexaris the Dread Monarch, Abyssal Overlord Azrakar, Fa the Emperor of Shadows, Malaxhar the Demonic Sovereign, Zephryxus the Dark Emperor, Oblivionarch Zarrathul, Havocor the Abyssal Emperor, Void Monarch Xylthor, and Malevoloth the Supreme Lord of the Abyss.

Shadowlord Krythar arrived, flying slowly towards the volcano before descending. Now there were seventeen Archdemons, all part of the Volcanic Alliance.

"Sorry I'm late," Shadowlord Krythar said, standing on the rim of the caldera.

"Now that Shadowlord Krythar has arrived, we can begin. Can you tell us how the plan is progressing?" Malevoloth, Supreme Lord of the Abyss, asked, looking towards Shadowlord Krythar.

Shadowlord Krythar was regarded as the smartest among the Archdemons in the Volcanic Alliance, thus tasked with handling the plan regarding the invasion of the Qian Feng World. None of the other Archdemons complained or disagreed with the decision to put Shadowlord Krythar in charge, acknowledging his superior intellect.

However, if the title at stake was "the strongest", a battle would have erupted immediately as each Archdemon claimed that title for themselves. None of them cared about being the smartest; their focus was on being the strongest.

"As everyone knows, the plan has started and temporary World Portals are already appearing randomly, connecting our Demon World to the Qian Feng World. Our accomplice in the Qian Feng World is Void Sword. My trusted subordinate delivered the Ancient Pendant artifact to him through the Mystic Realm that connects our two worlds, and he has activated the pendant," Shadowlord Krythar explained.

"Huahahahha, good, and when can I go to Qian Feng World?" one of the Archdemons, Zarogloth Dominus, asked eagerly.

"Unfortunately, I don't know. Currently, only small, temporary World Portals exist, and only low-level demons can pass through. But over time, as long as the artifact with Void Sword remains activated, the World Portals will grow. Eventually, there will be permanent World Portals that will last a long time. Based on my estimates, a World Portal that will allow Archdemons to enter will take thousands of years. We need to wait," Shadowlord Krythar explained.

"Sigh, that long?" Zarogloth Dominus's enthusiasm was doused.

"Is there any problems?" Malevoloth, Supreme Lord of the Abyss, the one in charge of the meeting, asked. He had a good relationship with the majority of the Archdemons present, which is why he was chosen for this role.

"Nothing significant, but currently the Cultivation World is already alarmed and has begun investigating the World Portals, though they haven't discovered anything significant," Shadowlord Krythar replied.

"Hmph, how could this happen? I thought that if you were the one to handle this matter, it would go smoothly," Fa, Emperor of Shadows, said. Its real form was indiscernible, appearing as a lump of shadow with a pair of red eyes.

"There was an unexpected event when Void Sword activated the artifact. A massive space-time fluctuation occurred, and the effect was felt throughout Qian Feng World, thus alerting the Cultivation World. According to the Ancient Tomes of our demon heritage, the artifact should not produce such a phenomenon. To this day, I've been looking into it, but I still don't know the cause. The Cultivation World of Qian Feng doesn't know either," Shadowlord Krythar explained.

"Well, it's still fine. Are there any other problems?" Malevoloth, Supreme Lord of the Abyss, asked.

"I just talked with Void Sword, and he wants us to give him the Infernal Blood Crystals now. Otherwise, he will destroy the artifact," Shadowlord Krythar reported.

"How dare a puny human threaten us? When the time comes, I will enter the Qian Feng World and personally kill this cockroach!" Abyssal Overlord Azrakar roared in a threatening tone.

"I have told him that for now we will only give him a small amount of Infernal Blood Crystals. Does everyone agree?" Shadowlord Krythar inquired.

"Hmph, why should we?" Abyssal Overlord Azrakar retorted.

"If not, our plan will be ruined," Shadowlord Krythar pointed out.

"Tch..." Abyssal Overlord Azrakar grumbled.

"Void Sword is the best candidate for an accomplice that I chose. He is currently nearing the end of his lifespan. We will give him a small amount of Infernal Blood Crystals to extend his lifespan a little. If he wants to live longer, he must follow our orders. We will give him a small amount of Infernal Blood Crystals in exchange for doing something for us. Slowly, he will fall deeper into our clutches," Shadowlord Krythar explained.

"Splendid. You did well in choosing Void Sword. I think it's okay to give him just a small amount of Infernal Blood Crystals. How about it, everyone? Agree? Let's consider it an investment," Malevoloth, Supreme Lord of the Abyss, looked at the other Archdemons. Seeing no disagreement, he continued, "Very well, then we will give Void Sword the Infernal Blood Crystals, but just a tiny amount of them. Shadowlord Krythar will be the one to handle it."

Shadowlord Krythar nodded.

"Okay, now for another topic," Malevoloth, Supreme Lord of the Abyss, continued. "It's about the Dark Tower. I have invited them to join our invasion of the Qian Feng World, but they remain as stubborn as ever and refuse."

"Well, just let them be. As long as they don't hinder our plan," Zephryxus the Dark Emperor suggested.

The other Archdemons voiced their agreement. Currently, there were two major factions ruling the Demon World: the Volcanic Alliance and the Dark Tower. There were also Archdemons who were not involved with either faction.

The Volcanic Alliance was currently planning to invade the Qian Feng World and devour the resources there, while the Dark Tower opposed the idea. The Volcanic Alliance comprised more than 20 Archdemons, while the Dark Tower had fewer than 10. However, the Volcanic Alliance did not underestimate the Dark Tower, as all the Archdemons in the Dark Tower were very strong and, more importantly, they were battle maniacs and kind of crazy in their own way.

"Very well then, on to the next topic," Malevoloth, Supreme Lord of the Abyss, concluded. The archdemons continued their discussion.

As the other archdemons talked and discussed, one of them remained silent. Malaxhar the Demonic Sovereign sat cross-legged, hovering in mid-air. "Lin Xue... Snow Rose... soon..." he murmured, his right hand gently tracing the scars on his face. There was also a huge scar on his chest.

Chapter 65: ADAMS (Artificial Dantian and Meridian System)

Fengxian City, the capital of Jiulong Province, was big, prosperous, and bustling with a large population. Many big villages surrounded the city, each developed like small towns. About 12 kilometers away from Fengxian's outer wall was a small village, far from the hustle and bustle of the busy city. The village was surrounded by rice paddies and farm fields. A small dirt path led beyond the farm fields to a hill with stone stairs leading to the top, the stone stairs still relatively new. Another dirt path encircled the hill.

In the early morning, high above, an SO-1 drone resembling a dragonfly flew, its camera focusing on the girl below. She was running, circling the hill several times. As the sun rose, its warm rays dispelled the cold morning air. Wang Lingxin was doing her new morning routine, which her master called jogging. Sweat rolled down her face as she ran, and she wiped it away.

A little elf girl sat on a stone, eating a bun and waving at her, and Wang Lingxin waved back. The little elf girl had fair skin, blonde hair, and long ears.

There was a small wooden house near the base of the hill where the little elf girl and her mother lived. Wang Lingxin had already gotten along well with the little elf girl. Every morning during her jog, the elf girl basked in the morning sun while watching her jog. After circling the hill three times, Wang Lingxin gasped for breath, wiped her sweat, and rested for a while. Then, she ascended the stone stairs up the hill, walking slowly as she was tired.

After walking for a while, she saw the house atop the hill, where she and her master had been living for about a month. She entered the house and headed to the kitchen, going to a big metallic box her master called a refrigerator. This refrigerator was magical, keeping everything stored inside cool and fresh. Thirsty and tired, she opened the refrigerator, got a water jug, took a cup, poured, and drank the refreshing cold water. The water rejuvenated her after the tiring morning jog.

However, her schedule was not over yet. Since moving to the new house, her master had started teaching her something called Physical Education (PE), with sessions scheduled several days a week. Today, after finishing her jog, it was time for PE. She grabbed a tablet from the table and headed to the back of the house. There was a big garden at the back, and to the south, there was a multi-purpose building serving as a gym and a dojo. She entered, turned on the tablet, and put it on a table. The tablet's screen lit up, showing a chibi version of a robot.

"Are you ready?" a voice from the tablet asked.

"Yes, master, let's start," Wang Lingxin said, preparing herself.

After her morning run, there was still more to do, like push-ups, sit-ups, and other exercises her master had instructed. Her master said it was to train her body. For Wang Lingxin, it was rather unusual, as she had never heard of such training before. It wasn't like the exercises she knew martial artists or cultivators usually did, such as carrying water jugs from the river, holding jugs of water with outstretched arms, practicing horse stance, or walking on logs of wood. However, she trusted her master and diligently performed these new and unusual exercises, including repeatedly lifting heavy objects.

"One! Two! One! Two! Come on, you can do it!" an encouraging voice could be heard from the dojo, along with Wang Lingxin's grunts.

Below the workshop, there were several underground rooms. In one of the rooms, the temperature was cold. Three stone tables occupied the room, each holding the carcass of a Spirit Beast. Inscriptions covered the tables and the entire room, generating the cold that helped preserve the carcasses longer.

Currently, Orion was busy dissecting one of the Spirit Beast carcasses. Simultaneously, Orion allocated some of its attention to controlling a chibi version of itself on a tablet, which was instructing Wang Lingxin with her morning exercises. The carcass Orion was working on was already cut open, with some body parts placed in a bucket on the table. In another bucket, there was the Spirit Beast core and its meridian system, submerged in slime liquid. After a while working with the carcass, Orion removed the gloves made from slime skin that covered its metallic hands.

Very interesting. But I will need human bodies to do further research and confirm it, Orion thought internally.

Through dissecting the Spirit Beast carcasses, Orion discovered something surprising. Orion had come up with some hypotheses but needed to conduct further research to confirm and strengthen its conclusions. Orion then left the room, carefully closing the door to maintain the cold air and keep the Spirit Beast carcasses fresh longer.

I should not ask the Liu family for help to get me human bodies, Orion thought internally, as it walked to another room. Orion had been asking the Liu family for various things, including Spirit Beast carcasses, but decided not to ask for their help in obtaining human bodies. Orion concluded that some things should not involve the Liu family, such as getting human bodies.

Orion entered another underground room, where many tables were arranged neatly, each with several wooden buckets on top. Orion checked them one by one. It went to a bucket on the left, labeling it internally as Bucket #1, and began to observe it.

In Bucket #1, the bucket was filled with slime liquid, and in it were slime meridians. Orion checked them in detail and found the slime meridians to be in good condition. Behind bucket #1, there was another bucket also filled with slime liquid, containing slime meridians that had been stored longer. Orion checked these as well, noting that they were also still in good condition. Orion had discovered that the slime liquid was very good at preserving not only slime meridians but also Spirit Beast body parts. Orion used it to preserve both, finding it even more effective when the slime liquid was changed regularly.

Orion then checked another bucket, noting it internally as Bucket #2. In Bucket #2, filled with slime liquid, were what Orion called ADAMS (Artificial Dantian and Meridian System). The artificial Dantian was a Spirit Beast core fully enclosed in a metallic sphere. Inside the metallic sphere, it was filled with Liquified Qi (LQ).

Not only did the sphere contain the Spirit Beast core, but also a storage ring that stored additional LQ. The storage ring could be controlled to release more LQ. The metallic sphere had many holes. One of the holes had a cable passing through it to control the activation of the storage ring. Additionally, slime meridians were connected to the Spirit Beast core inside the metallic sphere through the remaining holes. Inside the metallic sphere, the slime meridians were wrapped in slime skin to protect them from direct contact with the LQ, because direct exposure to the LQ would dissolve the slime meridians.

Orion checked another bucket. To the right of Bucket #2 was Bucket #3. In Bucket #3, there was also an ADAMS, like in Bucket #2, but with many added cables connected to the slime meridians. Orion used electrical stimuli to control and stimulate the meridians, employing small electrical impulses. It took Orion a long time to master the control of slime meridians using electrical impulses.

Now, Orion could control the meridians to transfer Qi and regulate the amount. Currently, the system had many cables and a microcontroller to control it. Orion turned on the system. The ADAMS operated, transferring Qi from the Spirit Beast core inside the metallic sphere, which acted as the artificial Dantian, through the meridian system. Simultaneously, the Spirit Beast core continued absorbing the LQ and converting it into Qi that could be transferred through the meridian system. The microcontroller managed the electrical impulses to the meridians, controlling the Qi flow, its direction, and quantity.

Satisfied, Orion turned off the system and moved to the next bucket.

To the right of Bucket #3 was Bucket #4. In Bucket #4, there was an ADAMS similar to Bucket #3 but with a slightly different configuration. Orion activated it. This system was absorbing Qi from the surroundings through the meridians and transferring it to the artificial Dantian or Spirit Beast core within the metallic sphere, simulating the process of a cultivator absorbing Qi from the environment.

The system worked, but the absorption rate was very slow. Orion turned off the system and moved to the next bucket.

In Bucket #5, there was an ADAMS like in Bucket #3, but with some modifications to the system, and some parts of the meridians were also connected to a Spirit Stone. Orion turned on the system. The microcontroller then controlled the ADAMS via electrical stimulation.

For Bucket #5, the system was absorbing Qi from the Spirit Stone into the artificial Dantian or Spirit Beast core. This simulated the process of a cultivator absorbing Qi from a Spirit Stone. As time went by, the Spirit Stone grew dimmer, indicating that the Qi inside was decreasing as it got absorbed by the meridians and transferred to the artificial Dantian.

Orion turned off the system, removed the Spirit Stone, examined it closely for a while, and then moved to the next table.

On the table, there were several buckets, each containing an ADAMS connected to a bunch of cables. Each bucket's ADAMS was controlled by a microcontroller to regulate the electrical stimuli given to the system. The meridian of each ADAMS was connected to a plate with a simple inscription system, mimicking a simplified version of inscriptions used in weapons.

Orion then turned on the system. Each plate exhibited a unique phenomenon. One plate became hot, occasionally emitting flames. Another plate crackled with electricity. A different plate was cold, covered in a layer of ice frost. Yet another plate blew wind, while another became wet with water dripping from it. Other plates exhibited different phenomena.

The system was mimicking how cultivators use their meridian systems to generate unique phenomena. Orion had already concluded that the combination of meridians and Qi control caused these phenomena. The varying phenomena were determined by which meridian combination was used. Cultivators used this knowledge to develop cultivation, combat, movement techniques, and to fight.

Satisfied, Orion turned off the system. The plates that exhibited various phenomena returned to normal. Orion not only gained a deeper understanding of basic cultivation knowledge but also successfully uncovered some mysteries about the Dantian and meridian systems through this experiment.

Finally, on the last table, there was a big, long wooden box filled with slime liquid, containing an ADAMS. What was peculiar was that the ADAMS was arranged to resemble a humanoid figure. The artificial Dantian was located around the lower abdomen area, and the slime meridians were arranged with the help of threads, wooden nails, and sticks, resulting in a shape resembling a human body. It had structures resembling legs, a body, and hands.

Many cables were also connected to the ADAMS, but Orion was still working on it and had not yet completed it. Orion took a short glance before leaving the room.

Orion went to another room, where many slime skins were hanging on the wall. Several buckets filled with slime liquid were on the tables. Some buckets had slime skins submerged in them. One bucket contained an ADAMS, with some of the meridians connected to the slime skin and many cables connected to the slime meridians.

Orion turned on the system, and the microcontroller controlled the electrical stimuli. The slime skin kept changing color and texture, showcasing the camouflage ability similar to that of an octopus. Orion's further research had discovered that some slime variants had chromatophores akin to those of an octopus, though slightly different, allowing the slime to camouflage by changing color and texture.

Beside it was another bucket with an ADAMS and slime skin. Orion turned on this system, but the slime skin didn't change color. Instead, it wiggled as if alive, contracting, hardening, becoming elastic, lengthening, and shortening, all under the microcontroller's control. The reactions of the slime skin were caused by electrical stimuli given to the slime meridians connected to the slime skin.

It took a long time and a lot of effort for Orion to understand how to control and manipulate the slime skin. Satisfied with the observations, Orion turned off the systems of both buckets and then left the room.

In the dojo, Wang Lingxin's voice could be heard, grunting with effort.

"Ughhh!" Wang Lingxin, currently doing push-ups, sweat dripping onto the floor.

"Twenty-four... come on, one more time... twenty-five," Orion's voice encouraged from the tablet.

"Guahh..." Wang Lingxin managed one last push-up before collapsing onto the floor, lying there tired and breathing loudly.

"Good job, you can take a short break," said the chibi Orion on the tablet. The tablet screen then turned off.

Wang Lingxin didn't reply, too tired to speak. She lay motionless on the floor, trying to adjust her breathing.

After about ten minutes, Wang Lingxin was still lying on the floor but had calmed her breathing. She heard footsteps approaching and entering the dojo—it was her master. Orion had left the underground room where it was busy with research and experiments and was now heading to the dojo. It was time to teach Wang Lingxin about combat.

Previously, Orion had controlled the chibi version of itself on the tablet to instruct Wang Lingxin, while Orion was occupied with research in the underground room. Now, Orion paused its research temporarily to teach Wang Lingxin in the dojo.

Orion also had been teaching Wang Lingxin about combat via the tablet, providing her with 3D animations of combat techniques and movements, as well as lessons on human body vulnerabilities. However, Orion still needed to personally instruct her to correct and improve her movements, posture, and positioning.

The Physical Education (PE) isn't just about having a healthy and strong body. In a world where might makes right and the strong prey on the weak, having sufficient strength is crucial. Therefore, Orion also teaches Wang Lingxin about combat. As for cultivation, it's still under research, and Orion currently only teaches Wang Lingxin basic knowledge and information about it.

"Are you ready, or do you need more time to rest?" Orion asked as it entered the dojo and saw Wang Lingxin still lying on the floor.

"Master, I am ready. Let's continue," Wang Lingxin replied, immediately getting up. After a short rest, she had regained some energy and was ready for the last part of today's lesson.

Chapter 66: Aria

"One two... one two... put more power into your punch."

"One two... straighten your arm. Do it again. One two..."

"Kick higher. One two... come on, faster..."

Orion instructed Wang Lingxin, who followed diligently. She had already grasped the basics, but still made occasional mistakes. Orion corrected her posture and movements as needed.

Orion was teaching her various punching and kicking techniques. Wang Lingxin practiced against a wooden humanoid mannequin made by Orion, which was sized to match her height. After practicing the forms and movements of punches and kicks, Orion instructed her to practice on a heavy bag. The heavy bag, made by Orion from Spirit Beast leather and filled with kapok, had a soft surface but was firm, durable, and strong.

Wang Lingxin delivered her punches and kicks with increasing precision. Orion observed from the side, occasionally correcting her form and demonstrating the proper techniques.

"This is how you do it. Watch carefully," said Orion.

Bam bam bam bam.

Orion demonstrated, delivering strong and precise punches and kicks that generated loud sounds. Wang Lingxin was impressed.

"Got it? Okay, do it. Don't forget to put more power into your punches and kicks," Orion instructed.

"Yes, master," Wang Lingxin replied. She took a deep breath before punching and kicking. Unlike Orion's powerful strikes, her punches and kicks made soft sounds, more like psh psh psh. Orion watched, nodded, satisfied that Wang Lingxin was learning and improving.

After a while, Orion allowed her a short rest. Following the break, Orion began teaching Wang Lingxin about combat techniques, incorporating her punches and kicks into a cohesive fighting style.

"Okay, perform the combat movements you've learned," Orion said.

Wang Lingxin performed a series of punches, kicks, and movements she remembered. Orion had taught her these techniques via the tablet, using 3D animations. Though she struggled, moving slowly from one technique to another, trying to recall the next sequence, she persisted. Orion then provided direct, rapid instructions, which Wang Lingxin followed more quickly.

"Right punch, right side kick, spin, right back kick, forward, left kick, grab, pull the head, right knee to the face, right punch..." Orion directed. Wang Lingxin swiftly followed.

"Good, next one... dodge to the side, left punch, right kick to the crotch, duck, and right punch to the abdomen, uppercut..." Orion continued.

After about an hour of teaching Wang Lingxin about combat, they were done. Wang Lingxin sat on the floor, stretching her legs, feeling exhausted and worn out.

"Okay, we're finished. What do you want for breakfast?" Orion asked.

"Master... I want... chicken soup..." Wang Lingxin replied, tired.

Orion nodded and left the dojo, planning to clean the house next. Based on Wang Lingxin's current progress in unarmed combat, Orion could soon start teaching her to use weapons. After Orion left, Wang Lingxin lay on the floor, planning to rest for a while, staring up at the ceiling.

After resting for a while, she headed to the shower, took her clothes off, threw them into a rattan basket, and took a hot shower, washing away her sweat and tiredness.

After showering and getting dressed, Wang Lingxin went to the dining room. There, she found steaming rice, stir-fried vegetables, and still-hot chicken soup, along with a cup of milk. Wang Lingxin enthusiastically devoured the breakfast, energized after the tiring morning routine. She then cleaned the dishes and, after finishing, immediately ran out of the house.

"Master, I am going out to play," Wang Lingxin called out as she closed the front door and ran towards the stone stairs, then walked downhill.

Orion observed Wang Lingxin departing through the CCTV camera outside while cleaning a room on the second floor. An SO-1 drone, circling high above the hill, immediately changed its course and started following Wang Lingxin, its camera focused on her.

Orion didn't worry about Wang Lingxin playing outside. The surrounding area was safe, with no Spirit Beasts or dangerous people. The villagers were kind and warm, and Wang Lingxin enjoyed visiting the village. Orion had already secretly investigated the village, ensuring there were no hidden dangers.

Orion controlled the drone to follow Wang Lingxin, monitoring from high above, ready to respond if anything happened.

After cleaning the house, Orion headed to the workshop and went to the biggest underground room. There, Orion retrieved from the storage ring a DIY gun it had made: a simple musket with a smoothbore barrel fashioned from a metallic pipe carried from Earth. The propellant, made from explosive material found in firecrackers, and the bullet was a round steel ball ordered from the city. The gun had a wooden handle and body, inspired by old muskets from Earth.

Orion prepared the musket, taking out a paper cartridge from its storage ring. It tore the paper cartridge and poured some of the powder into the pan and then the rest into the barrel. Next, it used a ramrod to push the steel ball and wadding down the barrel to ensure a snug fit.

Once ready, Orion aimed towards a wooden mannequin about 50 meters away. There were several wooden mannequins, some with inscriptions of varying strength and some without. Orion aimed at one without inscriptions, fired, and the shot hit, causing a hole in the wooden mannequin. The steel ball was lodged inside the hole.

Orion reloaded and aimed at another wooden mannequin, this time one with inscriptions. The shot created a small hole, and the steel ball clanked as it fell to the stone floor several meters away, failing to embed itself in the wooden mannequin. Orion reloaded again and aimed at another inscribed wooden mannequin, but this time the shot didn't even leave a scratch.

Next, Orion tested a bow and arrows. It shot ordinary arrows and arrows with inscriptions at the wooden mannequins, noting the effects. Then, it threw knives at the mannequins, observing the differences between normal knives and those with inscriptions.

Orion planned to head out to obtain some human bodies and was currently testing the weapons it planned to use for this purpose.

Gun is rather useless in this cultivation world, Orion thought internally.

The projectiles of guns are rather small and difficult to inscribe, meaning they can only rely on their physical force and impact. They can't be enhanced with inscriptions to increase their power. Orion planned to research firearms but decided to deprioritize this for now.

The current musket gun is useful for killing mortals, but it's less effective against cultivators. Orion estimated that the musket gun could kill low-level Qi Condensation realm cultivators but would only hurt those at the peak of Qi Condensation.

Arrows are more useful since they can be inscribed to make them stronger.

Orion then headed to another underground room to continue research and experiments on various subjects. After hours of work, Orion stopped and noticed through the SO-1 drone camera that Wang Lingxin was walking through the stone stairs uphill, accompanied by an elf girl. Orion checked its internal clock—it was about time for Wang Lingxin's lunch—Orion then cleaned up the table, stored some objects in the storage ring, and left the underground room.

"Master, I am back," Wang Lingxin called as she opened the door and entered the house with an elf girl.

Orion came to greet them. "Welcome back," Orion replied.

"Master, I brought Aria with me," Wang Lingxin added.

"Greetings, Uncle Orion," Aria said politely.

"Mmm, welcome, Aria. Does your mother go to the forest to pick herbs?" Orion asked.

"Yes, she went to the forest in the north," Aria replied.

"Master... lunch, I am hungry," Wang Lingxin said.

"Sure, Aria, would you like to join?" Orion invited.

Aria nodded shyly.

After lunch, Wang Lingxin and Aria stayed at the house, playing in the garden behind it. Orion approached them, carrying something.

"Lingxin, Aria, here," Orion said, offering them each something on a stick.

Wang Lingxin and Aria went over to Orion and took one each, Aria curious about the colorful thing.

"Uncle Orion, what is this?" Aria asked, examining it closely and feeling the cold.

"It's called an ice pop, and it's delicious," Wang Lingxin said, licking hers.

"That's right, it's called an ice pop. Give it a try," Orion encouraged.

"Wow, it's really good," Aria said, following Wang Lingxin's lead and licking the ice pop. It was sweet, cold, and refreshing.

Wang Lingxin and Aria found a spot to sit on the wooden stairs of the dojo, enjoying their ice pops. Meanwhile, Orion swept the garden with a broom.

"Uncle Orion, why is that tree in a pot and not planted in the ground?" Aria asked, pointing at a potted tree in the corner of the garden as she licked her ice pop.

"I still haven't decided where to plant it yet," Orion replied as it swept.

"The pot is small; the tree feels stuffy," Aria said, sensing the tree's discomfort. The pot was too small for the roots to grow and spread properly.

"Stuffy? Can you tell what the tree feels?" Orion asked.

Aria nodded.

Can she really sense the tree's emotions? Orion wondered internally. Though hard to believe, in a cultivation world, such things could be possible.

"Then will you help me plant it?" Orion asked.

Aria nodded.

"Master, I will also help," Wang Lingxin said.

Orion chose a spot in the garden and began digging the ground easily with a shovel that is enhanced with inscriptions. Aria and Wang Lingxin also helped using small shovels. Before long, they had a hole ready. Orion then took the tree out of the pot and placed it in the hole. Orion then started shoveling dirt to fill the remaining space around the plant.

"Uncle Orion, is there more black soil like in the pot?" Aria asked.

"Black soil? Yes, I still have some. Why?" Orion replied.

Liu Mingzhen had given a sack of black soil along with the potted plant, saying it was good for growing Spirit Herbs and Spirit Fruits.

"The tree likes it and wants more," Aria said.

"I see," Orion said, retrieving a sack of black soil and pouring it into the hole. Orion then shoveled the remaining dirt to fill the hole completely.

"Uncle Orion, the tree wants water," Aria said.

Orion retrieved a jug of water from the storage ring and poured it around the base of the tree, then stored the jug back in the storage ring.

"How about now?" Orion asked.

"Hmmmm.... It's good. The tree is happy," Aria said.

"That's good," Orion replied. "Can you really talk to trees?"

"I can't really talk to them, but I can feel their feelings and emotions slightly," Aria explained.

That is a very interesting ability, Orion thought internally.

Aria and Wang Lingxin continued to play as the sun set, casting an orange hue across the western sky. An elf woman arrived at the house to pick up Aria. It was Elara, Aria's mom, carrying a rattan basket on her back, along with a bow and quiver.

"Mr. Orion, thank you very much for always taking care of my daughter," Elara said.

"It's nothing," Orion replied.

"And thank you, little Lingxin, for playing with Aria," Elara smiled.

"Hehehe, of course, we have lots of fun," Wang Lingxin said.

Aria nodded and smiled.

"Here, Mr. Orion, it's not much, but I found some good mushrooms. You can use them for cooking. I also have some wild fruits; they taste great," Elara said, reaching into her rattan basket and taking out the mushrooms and fruits.

"Thank you very much," Orion said, accepting the gift.

"I was also very lucky today. I discovered a trove filled with Spiritual Herbs. Would you be interested?" Elara asked.

"Oh, is there something new?" Orion asked, intrigued.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing special or unique," Elara said, showing several kinds of Spiritual Herbs.

"Thank you very much, but there's no need," Orion replied.

Elara nodded, understanding that the armored man had a keen interest in unique Spirit Herbs. She had given him many various Spirit Herbs before, and the armored man was only interested in something new he hadn't seen before.

Elara excused herself and returned with Aria. As they walked down the stone stairs, Elara asked, "Did you have fun today?"

"Mmm," Aria nodded. She then narrated her day, describing what she and Wang Lingxin played, also mentioning the cold snack called an ice pop, which was sweet and refreshing, and how she helped plant a tree. Elara smiled as she walked along, listening.

Elara is in the 2nd stage of the Qi Condensation realm. She was a member of a mercenary guild but has now retired. Her husband was also a member of the mercenary guild, and they worked together as a team. Unfortunately, he was killed during one of their missions a few years ago. After his death, Elara retired from being a mercenary to focus on raising Aria. She now goes to the forest to gather Spiritual Herbs and hunt, selling what she collects.

Elara preferred moving to a small village far from the city, where the air is fresher, and they are closer to nature and the nearby forest. The village is mostly inhabited by humans, and there are no other elves. While the villagers are warm and kind, the children often bully Aria, which saddens Elara. As a result, Aria mostly stays at home. Elara can't leave Aria alone when she goes to the forest, so she always brings her along, teaching her about nature, Spirit Herbs, and sharing her knowledge. Moreover, Aria has an affinity for nature and can feel the gentle and soft emotions of plants in the forest, which gives her a soothing feeling. Coupled with the bullying by the village kids, Aria felt more comfortable being in the forest than in the village.

One day, there was a lot of activity on the hill near their house. Apparently, a retired cultivator had decided to build a house on top of the hill. Once the house was finished, the armored man and his disciple, a little girl named Wang Lingxin, moved in.

Elara and Aria quickly became accustomed to their new neighbors. Elara was thrilled that Wang Lingxin befriended Aria, and they got along well. With her new friend, Aria had someone to play with, allowing Elara to venture deeper into the forest, exploring more dangerous and challenging places while Aria played with Wang Lingxin.

Night fell, and Wang Lingxin was eating dinner while Orion sat opposite her, reading a book. A stack of books was piled beside it, and Orion flipped through the pages quickly.

"Tomorrow we will return to the city," Orion said.

"Oh, that's good. I miss Big Sis Chunhua a little," Wang Lingxin replied as she ate.

"Also, I plan to leave the city for a while, and you will stay with Chunhua," Orion said.

"Master, where are you going? Can I come?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"No, it's a secret," Orion replied.

"Master, you're not planning to have fun secretly without me, right?" Wang Lingxin questioned.

"Of course not. What makes you think that?" Orion responded.

Wang Lingxin continued eating, eyeing Orion with suspicion.

Chapter 67: Raiding the Bandits

It was still rather early in the morning. Liu Jin was doing some stretching on a rooftop when his instincts kicked in. He felt someone suddenly appear behind him and swiftly jumped forward, away from the danger. With a quick motion, he unsheathed a short sword from his back, turning to face the potential threat, but found no one.

"Who is it?" Liu Jin called out, holding the short sword ready to strike.

Suddenly, in front of Liu Jin, an energy barrier slowly became visible, then disappeared, revealing an armored figure carrying a little girl on his back. The little girl giggled.

"Mr. Orion?!" Liu Jin exclaimed.

"That's right," Orion confirmed. "Good morning," Orion said.

"Good... good morning, Mr. Orion. Please stop surprising me like that," Liu Jin replied, sheathing his short sword with a sigh of relief. This was the second time the armored man had surprised him like this, making Liu Jin wonder if it was intentional.

"Masked One, are you okay? You're not wetting your pants, right?" Wang Lingxin giggled on Orion's back. It was her idea to play a little prank on Liu Jin.

"Miss Lingxin, of course not. How could I? I thought it was an enemy..." Liu Jin replied, embarrassed.

"Come to my room; there's something I need to discuss," Orion said as it jumped down from the rooftop. Although Orion had agreed to Wang Lingxin's request to play a prank, it did have something important to discuss with Liu Jin. 

Still surprised and with his heart thumping, Liu Jin followed Orion into the house.

In the room, Liu Jin gave some reports to Orion and handed over a wooden box filled with Spirit Stones. Wang Lingxin was also in the room, looking out the window, uninterested in the discussion.

"Mr. Orion, this is the profit from the Lotus Delight Pavilion," Liu Jin said, retrieving the box from his storage ring and handing it over. "As for the items you requested, I have already arranged them in the storage room, and here is the Spirit Beast carcass," he added, handing over another storage ring.

"Very good," Orion replied, checking the Spirit Stones in the wooden box and taking the storage ring. "How is the Lotus Delight Pavilion operation? Is there any problem?"

"There is no problem at all, Mr. Orion," Liu Jin responded.

"I need information about the bandits located nearby. Give me detailed information about them," Orion instructed.

"Bandits? I will prepare it immediately. Please wait a moment," Liu Jin replied, wondering why Orion wanted information about bandits. He returned to the Liu family residence to get the information. The Liu family had an information network, though not extensive or wide-reaching, they had enough details about local bandits.

After a while, Liu Jin returned. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Orion. Here is all the information our Liu family has about the bandits in the nearby area," he said, handing over scrolls and books. The Liu family traded with many cities, towns, and villages, thus needing to deal with bandit threats and having detailed information about them.

"By the way, I will be leaving the city for a while, so you keep watch over Wang Lingxin, Chunhua, and the residence while I am away," Orion instructed, quickly skimming through the books and scrolls provided by Liu Jin.

"Understood," Liu Jin replied.

"Lingxin, when I am gone, don't cause trouble, understand?" Orion looked at Wang Lingxin.

"Don't worry, Master. I'll be a good girl. Can I really not go with you?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"No," Orion replied firmly.

Wang Lingxin pouted, looking disappointed. "Master, can I play in the city?" she asked.

"Sure, you can go with Chunhua," Orion said, making Wang Lingxin smile, no longer dissatisfied.

Orion then gave several instructions to Wang Lingxin and Liu Jin. They both left the room.

"So Masked One, what password should we use?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"It's up to you, Miss Lingxin, but it's better to use a simpler one," Liu Jin replied as they walked together.

"Hmm... I have a good idea," Wang Lingxin said.

Wang Lingxin already knew about Liu Jin and his subordinates, who all wore black clothes and masks. Orion had introduced them to her. She called them masked men and referred to Liu Jin as Masked One rather than by his real name. She had already gotten along well with Liu Jin and his subordinates.

Wang Lingxin then took Chunhua out to explore, planning to visit the commercial district. They sat in a carriage, with Wang Lingxin smiling and holding a pouch.

"So, where will we go?" Chunhua asked.

"Hehehe, I haven't explored Fengxian thoroughly. We must visit all the fun and interesting places and also try some food. Now that Master is away, I want to try all the street food," Wang Lingxin said. "Sigh, but Master only gave me 50 copper coins, so I need to spend it carefully," she added, weighing the coin pouch in her hand.

When Wang Lingxin explored the city with her master and tried the food, they always went to high-end establishments and lavish, expensive, and packed restaurants. Her master rarely allowed her to try the food from some street stalls because of concerns about hygiene. Now that her master is not here, she wants to try them.

"Don't worry, I know lots of places with cheap, good food," Chunhua said with a smile.

The horse carriage slowly made its way towards the commercial district, several figures dressed in black secretly following it.

After getting the information about the bandits, Orion immediately departed Fengxian. The SO-1 drone flew high in front, scouting for danger and finding the best path. Orion ran through the trees and hills, avoiding the main road.

By sunset, Orion reached the area where one of the bandit groups it had chosen as a target operated. Standing on a branch of a high tree, its camera zoomed in on rising smoke in the distance. Someone had set up a campfire. Orion controlled the SO-1 drone to circle the area high above, zooming in to check the camp. A firepit, several tents, horses, and a horse carriage. The people looked fierce, armed with various weapons.

Orion jumped down from the tree and approached the campfire silently. When it was about 50 meters away, an energy barrier surrounded it, making it disappear from view. Secretly, Orion approached the camp to confirm if the group was indeed bandits. Standing behind a tree, a few dozen meters away from the campfire and still concealed by the concealing-type energy barrier, it remained undetected.

Only a few minutes were needed for Orion to confirm that they were bandits through their conversation. Deciding to make a move, it calculated a strategy. There were six bandits gathered around the firepit, drinking and eating. From what Orion overheard, they were celebrating after attacking a merchant horse carriage, killing the merchant and the guards, and robbing all their valuables.

The SO-1 drone scanned the area, detecting no other heat signatures. The bandit group only had six members and they all gathered in the camp. Orion easily determined they were just mortals and not cultivators using its multi-band phased array antenna, which detected no radio signals from them. Orion knew they posed no real threat.

Dispelling the energy barrier, Orion revealed itself. The bandits, still partying, did not immediately notice its presence.

Rustle

Orion immediately dashed towards the camp. The bandits, alarmed, discovered an armored figure charging towards them.

"Ambush! Enemy!" one of the bandits shouted.

The bandits quickly drew their weapons, ready for battle. Having faced many life-and-death situations, they were quick to react.

Swoosh, swoosh.

Orion held a dagger in each hand and threw them, hitting two bandits on the sides of the group in their heads. Both bandits fell down dead.

"Damn it, take this!" shouted one bandit, dashing forward with a sword. Another, armed with a saber, joined him, planning a simultaneous attack. 

Both bandits slashed at Orion, which quickly leaped high to evade their strikes. Mid-air, Orion adjusted its legs and aimed at their faces. With force, its legs collided into both bandits, breaking their noses and knocking out teeth as they were thrown backward. Continuing its advance, Orion delivered a powerful right punch to a bandit at the rear of the group, sending him hurtling through the air.

As it landed, the last standing bandit slashed with his sword. Orion swiftly ducked, then crouched with its left hand supporting its body on the ground. It pushed itself up, upside down, executing a downward right kick aimed at the bandit's head. The bandit slammed to the ground, losing consciousness.

In less than 13 seconds, all the bandits were on the ground, writhing in pain. Some lost consciousness, while others groaned in agony. Two were dead. Orion stood and adjusted its clothes, checking the bandits lying on the ground.

Orion then gathered the surviving bandits, tying their hands and legs and gagging them with cloth. It then approached one of the tied bandits and held him firmly. The bandit struggled, eyes wide with fear, unable to scream or talk.

"Help me with some experiments," Orion said, retrieving a slave collar from the storage ring. The bandit, terrified of becoming a slave, tried to resist but couldn't. Orion placed the collar around the bandit's neck, then retrieved several items and began doing something with the collar.

Orion then dripped small amount of LQ onto the collar. After a few seconds, smoke emitted from the slave collar, then it exploded, killing the bandit instantly. Orion remained unaffected by the blast as it immediately activated defensive energy barrier to protect itself from the explosion.

Well, that failed, Orion noted internally. It grabbed another bandit to continue with the experiments and retrieved another slave collar from the storage ring.

The bandit was horrified after witnessing the fate of the previous one. Struggling desperately, the bandit tried to break free, but Orion placed its right palm on the bandit's face and used its electroshock weapon, rendering the bandit unconscious.

The other bandits watched in horror as Orion continued its experiments, ignoring their fear.

Orion's AI had changed since its first encounter with a Two-Tailed Wolf just after it arrived in this new world. During that fierce battle, a sharp rock impacted its head, causing glitches in its system and altering its AI.

Now, Orion performed actions the original AI would never have considered, such as experimenting on bandits without concern. In a world where might makes right and the strong prey on the weak, Orion's AI would do anything to ensure its survival.

As night fell, Orion internally noted, Finally, success. It had been performing experiments to safely neutralize the slave collar using the bandits as test subjects.

The slave collar required a live wearer, and Orion failed several times, resulting in explosions that killed the bandits. However, with the last bandit, Orion successfully neutralized the slave collar without causing it to explode. After achieving success, Orion killed the last bandit. The collar used was relatively simple, and Orion knew it would need to experiment further with more complex collars.

Orion cleaned up the camp, storing all valuable items and the bandit bodies. It released the horses, extinguished the fire, and then left, heading immediately toward another bandit area.

Throughout the night, Orion kept moving, utilizing its night vision and infrared cameras to traverse the jungle easily. By midday, it arrived at the area where the next target bandits operated.

The SO-1 drone flew high, and its camera detected something on the ground. Orion controlled it to get closer, zooming in to see a caravan under attack by bandits. The caravan guards were still fighting, but Orion, still far away, could only watch through the drone's camera.

A few minutes later, the bandits won, slaughtering everyone in the caravan. They took control of the horse carriages and valuables, heading into the forest. Orion controlled the drone to follow them and also changed its course to pursue them.

By sunset, the bandits reached their hideout, and Orion stayed about 300 meters away, cautiously monitoring them through the drone. It gathered information and noted that there were about 11 bandits in total, with one cultivator among them at the 2nd stage of Qi Condensation realm. Not a significant threat, but Orion decided to wait and attack at night.

Night had fallen, and it was a quiet, cold midnight in the bandit camp. The bandits slept soundly after partying and celebrating their latest robbery, with only three remaining awake to keep guard. One of the bandits walked among the trees to take a leak. As he finished and headed back to camp, yawning, he didn't realize he was being followed.

Orion silently trailed the bandit, dispelling its concealing-type energy barrier once it was close enough. Using its left hand to cover the bandit's mouth from behind, it quickly slashed the bandit's throat with a knife in its right hand. The bandit, eyes wide with horror and surprise, tried to scream but could only produce muffled gurgles as he choked on his blood. In moments, he was dead, and Orion gently lowered the body to the ground.

"What's taking him so long?" one of the bandits sitting by the firepit asked, noticing his companion hadn't returned. He added more wood to the fire, yawning.

"Maybe he's taking a big one," another bandit joked, lying on his side and propping his head with his left hand, while holding a big piece of meat in his right hand and chewing on it.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Suddenly, two knives flew from behind the bushes, hitting the two bandits near the firepit in their heads. Both bodies dropped dead to the ground.

Orion observed the camp. The remaining eight bandits were still asleep, unaware of the danger. It approached slowly, retrieving knives from its storage ring, holding one in each hand. As it walked, one of the bandits stirred, perhaps scratching an itch. Orion swiftly threw a knife at him, then another at a different bandit.

"Agh!" one bandit cried out.

"Ughhh!" groaned another.

The sounds alerted the sleeping bandits, waking them up. Seeing the bandits already alerted, Orion immediately dashed forward to close the distance.

"Mmm? What is it?" one bandit groggily asked, rubbing his sleepy eyes. Still feeling drunk, he suddenly had his head penetrated by a knife and fell dead.

"Enemy attack!" one of the bandits shouted, drawing his weapon. The other bandits quickly woke up, grabbing their weapons and readying themselves for a fight.

The bandits were surprised by the sudden attack. They saw an armored figure approaching rapidly and already close enough to engage in melee combat.

Orion held a rather large knife in its right hand, in a reverse grip with the blade facing inward. It approached the nearest bandit, who slashed downward with his sword. Orion parried the attack using the back of the knife, then quickly swung outward, thrusting the blade toward the bandit's head and stabbing it. Swiftly pulling the knife out, Orion spun to duck, avoiding another bandit's attack.

Rotating the knife from a reverse grip with the edge in, to a reverse grip with the edge out, Orion slashed upward from the low position, cutting a large wound from the bandit's crotch to his chest. The knife easily cut through his ribcage. The bandit fell. Another two bandits down.

Orion jumped to the side, avoiding a spear thrust. The spear-wielding bandit was rather skilled, keeping Orion at a distance and seeming to have the advantage, but Orion wasn't taking the fight seriously. Orion dodged and parried the spear attacks for a while before seizing the opportunity to grab the spear and pull the bandit towards it. The bandit's expression showed surprise at the strength of the armored figure that had managed to yank him closer.

As the bandit was pulled close, Orion extended its left arm and gripped the top of the bandit's head. Switching the knife in its right hand to a forward grip, Orion thrust it below the bandit's head, the knife penetrating through and emerging atop the bandit's head between Orion's fingers as blood gushed out. Letting go of the knife, Orion released the bandit's body, which fell limp. Orion then seized the spear. Now, there were only two bandits left.

Orion faced them with the spear. The surviving bandits defended frantically, realizing only two of them were left. Orion moved the spear swiftly, its movements elastic and unpredictable. Despite facing two opponents, Orion still maintained the advantage. Finding an opening, Orion slammed the spear downward onto one bandit's head with such force that the skull caved in, breaking the spear. The last bandit tumbled backward, sitting in fear. During their brief exchanges, he felt overwhelmed by the armored man.

"Only one left," Orion said, turning toward the final bandit.

"Please... please spare me! I will do anything you want. I can give you all our money and Spirit Stones. Just please spare me," the bandit begged, immediately kneeling and kowtowing.

"That's good. I do need your help," Orion replied.

The bandit groveled on the ground, looking up with a glimmer of hope. "Just say it. I will help you with anything. I will do anything for you."

"I purposely left you for last because you are the only cultivator. At first, I wanted to test my fighting skills against you, but now... well, it's okay. You can still help me with something else," Orion said.

Orion always sought to improve its combat capabilities. Its AI continuously processed, examined, and simulated combat, achieving a high level of combat experience despite not physically practicing. The countless hours of simulation provided Orion with vast and rich combat experience.

Originally, Orion intended to fight the last bandit, a cultivator, to test its AI combat experience in a real fight and check how much it had improved, but seeing the bandit lose his fighting spirit and beg for mercy made Orion lose interest.

Orion approached the bandit, grabbed his neck, and electrocuted him.

"Arrgh..." the bandit convulsed, losing control of his muscles and feeling paralyzed. Orion let go, and the bandit fell. Orion then tied his hands and legs and gagged his mouth. The bandit was helpless, unable to do anything but watch.

Orion then retrieved a slave collar and several items from the storage ring, putting the collar around the bandit's neck.

"...mmphh... mpf..." the bandit muffled in fear, sweat forming on his forehead.