C14 So You Were the One Who Used the Psicrystal to Buy a Hen?(2)

It seemed that the rewards for meeting the overall quota were significantly better than those for meeting individual categories. This was a far cry from the last time when the "Lord of the Story" turned out to be a joke.

Was I destined to spend my life telling stories to a little girl?

Zhong Wen felt stifled at the thought and quickly composed himself, whispering "Draw a reward."

"Congratulations, you have received the reward: Bloom and Renewal!"

Glancing at the bookshelf, he noticed a new, thick volume in the general knowledge section—the Beast Language Collection. In the diamond-grade arcane technique section, there was also a copy of Phantom Thief.

To his great delight, the last Star Skill, Bloom and Renewal, had been classified as Star Spirit!

Without hesitation, Zhong Wen spent a few seconds skimming through the two arcane techniques, then looked up to the heavens and heaved a deep sigh, filled with emotion.

His skill tree was becoming increasingly unconventional!

It turned out that Phantom Thief was an exceptionally clever skill of thievery, originating from Yun Kongkong, the premier Master Thief of ancient times. His thieving skills were unmatched, having successfully stolen from every major sect in the world without a single failure. Eventually growing bored of life, he audaciously stole the undergarments of a female Sage within the Divine Protector realm. Enraged, the female Sage pursued him to the ends of the earth and dismembered him.

Bloom and Renewal, on the other hand, was the treasured lost knowledge of the Flower Replacement Palace, a top-level sect from ancient times. It allowed one to freely transfer spiritual power and, once fully mastered, to even redirect an enemy's assault back at them.

Call me Zhong Xiaoyao!

Call me Murong Wen!

Although unsure of the full extent of the Star Spirit's power, given that it was the prized lost knowledge of a top-level sect, it couldn't be anything less than extraordinary. Zhong Wen felt like he had struck gold and was brimming with joy.

Having not slept a wink all night, Zhong Wen knew better than to pull another all-nighter. Estimating that it was around midnight, he decided to call it a day. Arriving at the saline lake, he retrieved a furnace from his ring and began to collect the lake water.

Despite possessing the knowledge of a Grand Alchemist, Zhong Wen had yet to use his top-level furnace for its intended purpose; it had not even come into contact with any medicinal ingredients and served merely as a vessel for holding water.

Describing Zhong Wen's extravagance as using a cleaver to kill a chicken would be an understatement; it was more akin to using an Italian cannon to swat a mosquito.

Oblivious to his own excess, Zhong Wen filled the furnace and, still unsatisfied, took out the jar he had purchased earlier that day to continue filling it with water. As he merrily went about his task, he suddenly noticed the spiritual power within him accelerating, his dantian swelling, and a slight warmth spreading through his body.

Having been through this before, Zhong Wen quickly set the jar aside, sat down cross-legged, and began to concentrate on practicing the Art of Eternal Breath. Before long, the sensation of swelling subsided, and a semicircular ring materialized within his dantian.

He realized he had successfully opened the second Root Chakra. Leveling up was surprisingly straightforward!

Pleased with himself, Zhong Wen picked up the jar once more, filled it with lake water, tossed it into the space within his ring, and strode away. That night, he slept profoundly and peacefully.

A shadowy figure emerged above a row of buildings on the north side of Krokridge. Cloaked by darkness, the figure in black was nearly invisible to the naked eye. The figure swiftly approached the most opulent mansion in the row, where the plaque above the door barely revealed the words "Elysian Gang" in the moonlight.

"The day has finally come. Duan Changhong, you will pay for your deeds in blood," the figure in black whispered, leaping onto the mansion's tall wall and gliding into the courtyard without a sound.

"Good morning!" Zhong Wen cheerfully greeted Liu Qiqi, who was practicing her morning exercises before dawn.

Liu Qiqi nodded, her gaze drifting, too shy to meet his eyes directly.

"Miss Liu, how can I get to Krokridge? I'm looking to visit the city's trading company to purchase some items," Zhong Wen inquired.

He had pored over the "rune" books he'd collected overnight and had fully grasped the technique of crafting the elixir's pyre. With this knowledge, he contemplated buying some materials to attempt creating his own elixir's pyre.

Upon hearing the phrase "trading company," Liu Qiqi's hand shook, nearly causing her to drop her longsword.

Had he discovered something?

Liu Qiqi was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she momentarily forgot to respond.

"Miss Liu?" Zhong Wen noticed her distraction and prompted her again.

"Oh... At the base of the mountain, there's a Zhao Gen who keeps One-horned Horses. You can rent his One-horned Horse carriage. It should take about an hour to get there," Liu Qiqi finally snapped out of her reverie.

"Thank you!"

Zhong Wen had changed into a blue robe selected by Wang Quanxin. While the fabric wasn't particularly high-end, the style suited him well, showcasing Wang Quanxin's delicate taste. The only sore spot was the dirty cloth bag slung over his back.

"Is there anything I can bring back for you?"

Liu Qiqi shook her head: "You're leaving now?"

"Yes, I'll try to return before lunch," Zhong Wen said with a casual wave, heading out with the cloth bag in tow.

Watching Zhong Wen depart, a look of concern crossed Liu Qiqi's fair complexion...

Having advanced to the second level of the Root Chakra, Zhong Wen's use of "Zephyr Walk" made him even faster, and he reached the village entrance in just half an hour.

Zhao Gen's house was easily identifiable at the village's edge, with no immediate neighbors. As Zhong Wen neared the gate, he could faintly hear the sound of horses from within.

A middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, was cleaning a black carriage. In the stable beside him, five One-horned Horses were feeding, one of which was particularly lively, constantly looking around after each bite.

This was Zhong Wen's first encounter with One-horned Horses. They were very similar to the horses he remembered from his past life, except for the horn on their heads, which didn't seem to add any significant Holy Spirit Qi. In fact, it looked somewhat out of place, leaving Zhong Wen, who had hoped to see the mythical unicorn, rather disappointed.

"Uncle Zhao?"

"Hey there, you're a new face around here, aren't you?" Uncle Zhao was hearty and had a way of making himself at home with others.

"Yeah, I've only arrived a couple of days ago." Zhong Wen inquired, "I'd like to catch a ride on your carriage to Krokridge. What's the fare?"

"It's one silver for a one-way trip, and two for a round trip," Uncle Zhao replied, "But taking just you isn't worth it. I usually wait until I have a full load of four passengers before departing."

Silver again!

Here I am with a fistful of red bills, and everyone wants coins from me!

"Uncle Zhao, do you have a hundred silvers?" Zhong Wen pulled out a Psicrystal and boasted, "Can you break it down into smaller change for me?"

"You're the one who bought a hen with a Psicrystal!" Uncle Zhao's eyes sparkled at the sight of the crystal, nearly salivating.

Zhong Wen: "..."

He was sorely tempted to deliver a Solar Flare Touch to Uncle Zhao.

"A hundred silvers, will you make the exchange?" Zhong Wen demanded, his expression stern.

"Sure, sure! Just wait here, I'll go get the money." Uncle Zhao dashed off, worried that Zhong Wen might change his mind.

The common belief was that a Psicrystal was worth a hundred silvers, but nobody in their right mind would actually trade a Psicrystal for silver coins. Their values were on completely different planes, and Uncle Zhao felt a smug sense of superiority, as if he were taking advantage of someone less savvy.

"What's this?" Zhong Wen asked, examining the stack of paper Uncle Zhao handed him.

"Don't you know what a banknote is?" Uncle Zhao scrutinized Zhong Wen, more convinced than ever of the young man's lack of wits.

Zhong Wen could feel his pride taking a hit under Uncle Zhao's gaze.

"I've never seen such worthless currency," Zhong Wen retorted with an air of superiority.

Uncle Zhao: "..."

They exchanged barbs while scrutinizing the banknotes in their hands.

After much deliberation, Zhong Wen had to face the harsh truth: he was not only illiterate but also numerically challenged.

Fortunately, this didn't interfere with his ability to count. He had ten in total, and he handed one back to Uncle Zhao.

"Ten silver coins, and I'll hire your cart. No need to wait for anyone else."

"Sounds good!"

Uncle Zhao was not only pleased to receive the Psicrystal but also delighted by the extra silver coins. He was in high spirits, humming a tune as he occasionally struck up a conversation with Zhong Wen.

The cart jostled gently. Zhong Wen responded absentmindedly while mentally browsing through his collection of books. As the sun climbed higher, the temperature rose, but it wasn't unbearably hot. Now and then, a cool breeze would pass by, making the ride feel like a leisurely summer drive.

An hour later, the imposing city gates of Krokridge came into view.