I've already become an immortal lord, and only now is the spiritual energy reviving?

Five hundred sticks of incense evaporated in the blink of an eye.

On the right side of the screen, the dark roots of the magical tree grow downwards again, branching out. A new icon dispels the fog and reveals its true form.

[Jade Book and Golden Book].

The name sounds impressive, so it probably refers to some kind of higher-level supernatural power.

Qingyuan moved the mouse with anticipation.

The next second, the smile froze on his face.

[Unlock cost: 1000 incense sticks].

"Sorry to bother you."

I can't even be bothered to read the description.

A thousand incense sticks?

Even if you sold the entire Guanhuamen area, including the people, the land, and even the rats' nests, you wouldn't get a fraction of the proceeds.

I just used up almost all of my savings accumulated over the years in order to unlock the [Proxy] feature.

"Let's test whether the newly acquired 'proxy' works well first."

Qingyuan clicked the [Act on Behalf] icon.

The cursor transformed into a translucent palm gleaming with golden light.

Follow the instructions to select a contact, pay the "down payment," and establish a connection.

First, tentatively move it toward the forehead of the sect leader, Hua Yangzi.

[The target's destiny is mediocre, their spirit decayed, and they are unable to bear the great power of the ancestral master.]

"Hey, the old man's no good."

Then they moved toward the burly Chai Wu.

[The target's mind is clouded and their spiritual center is not open; forcibly substituting for them could lead to mental impairment.]

Let's try He Qin and Yang Dan together again.

The large red X's are shocking.

"So you're paying 500 yuan for a decoration that's only for show and can't be used?"

Qingyuan refused to believe it and waved his cursor around the screen until it finally settled.

Even in the thumbnail, the profile picture has a gold border effect – Shu Yan.

The target possesses the destiny of "Plain-faced Beauty Reflecting the River," with an innately clear and insightful soul, making them a perfect match for acting as a substitute.

[Establish proxy connection? Cost: 100 incense.]

A bolded warning pop-up appears.

My gaze swept to the incense offering count in the upper left corner, which was now down to just 12 points.

His lips twitched violently.

"That's too hardcore."

Qingyuan's urge to complain was high.

"We're either lacking resources, or we're rushing toward becoming lacking resources."

He was so frustrated with the lack of progress that he grabbed a pen and drew three more circles around the large "人" (person) character on the notebook.

The logical loop is very clear:

Without people, there are no offerings; without offerings, there's no way to cheat; without cheats, the sect's development is as slow as a snail's pace.

"The five-year plan is set; regardless of age or gender, we're going all out to increase population!"

After formulating this "outrageous" grand strategy.

I turned a new page in the notebook and started writing and drawing, referring to the map on the screen.

I hadn't looked closely before, but upon careful consideration, I was shocked to discover that the game map design is incredibly detailed.

The distribution of resource points is quite particular.

"The location of the Crimson Cloud Sect is rich in fire-attribute minerals, which are noted as the main material for refining Thunderfire Pearls. There are no blueprints at the moment, but it is a strategic reserve and must be noted down."

"The area around Yusi Pavilion is all muddy, but it produces 'Qingyun Grass,' which is used by those in the Fetal Breathing Realm to expand their meridians."

Even if it's Hidden Spring Valley...

As you look at them, use colored pens to categorize and summarize them.

Any low-level trash useful to the "Fetal Breathing Stage", or essential resources that the "Qi Refining Stage" must compete for, or even the forbidden areas marked in red in the corners that seem to be accessible only to the "Foundation Establishment Stage".

They are listed one by one.

In the past, playing Stellaris was all about who had the biggest fist; now, playing Ancestor Simulator is about battling against a system with insane resource mechanics.

"As the first to pioneer this area on the entire network, we must show the respect of the founding fathers."

Qingyuan's eyes gleamed as he gazed at the densely packed notes.

The desire to win was completely ignited.

"Come on, little ones, let me see what surprises you have in store for me in the next few years."

pat.

Press the "Continue" button.

The frozen scroll is now rippling with new waves.

The time in the upper right corner jumps rapidly, the sun rises and the moon sets, and the seasons change.

Freeze.

[In the summer of the ninth year of the new sect's calendar].

......

Qinglu Mountain, martial arts training ground.

The morning star had just set, and the mountain mists had not yet dissipated.

A crisp, chilling shout shattered the silence of the forest.

"kill!"

More than thirty disciples in short, gray-blue robes stood in formation, their clothes soaked with sweat.

Holding a specially made, thick-backed mountain-splitting knife.

Although his cultivation level is shallow, he is still in the early stages of embryonic breathing in many places.

However, his sword strikes were swift and decisive, lacking any ethereal grace, instead revealing a fierce, reckless ferocity.

At the front of the group, Chai Wu stood with his hands behind his back.

Time has worn away his former naivety, and he has become more robust and steady, as solid as a mountain.

His gaze swept over a disciple who was moving slowly.

"Haven't you eaten? Your movements are weak and listless!"

Chai Wu frowned, strode forward, and kicked the other man in the shin.

"Remember this! Guanhua Gate has no divine weapons, nor any life-saving talismans! When the day comes to draw blood, this knife in your hand will be your parents, your very lifeblood! The moment the knife is slow, the life will be shortened!"

"Yes, Elder!"

The disciples dared not utter a single complaint, and roared deafeningly as they intensified their efforts once more.

Dozens of iron blades pierced the wind, and the air itself seemed to grow cold.

The drill lasted for several hours.

As the sun rose high in the sky, the disciples, their hands and feet convulsing, collapsed onto the scorching hot stone ground, panting heavily.

"Please rest, everyone."

A gentle female voice, like a clear spring, soothes restlessness.

He Qin, dressed in a moon-white long dress, gracefully approached.

Compared to the timid girl she was nine years ago, she now possesses a more mature and elegant charm.

With a slight lift of her wrist, she made a hand seal, and a point of emerald green light rippled from her fingertip.

"Listening to the rain soothes the soul, rise."

Fireflies turned into rain, and misty fog gently enveloped the disciples.

Sore muscles are nourished, and fatigue subsides.

"Thank you, Third Elder!"

The disciples looked relieved and thanked him in unison.

He Qin smiled and shook her head. She walked to Chai Wu's side, who was covered in sweat and smelled terrible. She took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a mixture of disgust and heartache.

"It's ridiculous. These kids are so young, and they're being trained like crazy every time."

Chai Wu chuckled, letting his wife do as she pleased, his voice booming like a bell:

"Ah Qin, you know our situation. The more sweat we shed on the training ground, the less blood we'll shed when we encounter those wolves in the future."

On the high platform.

Yang Danhe stroked his sparse, graying beard, looked down at the vibrant life below, and his eyes welled up with tears.

"Senior brother, back then we fled for our lives in a panic, almost like stray dogs. Did we ever imagine we'd be where we are today?"

Beside him, Hua Yangzi tucked his hands into his sleeves.

Approaching eighty, his body has become increasingly robust, and his energy and spirit are vigorous.

"Of course I didn't want to. Back then, every little thing I did was suspicious of pursuers, and I couldn't even sleep soundly."

Hua Yangzi sighed, his gaze darkening as he looked towards the distant, rolling mountain range.

"However, this is far from a time to rest easy."

"Those spies from the Scout Hall have not been raised in vain. The intelligence they have gathered in the past two years often wakes me up in the middle of the night."

"In the north lies the Crimson Cloud Sect, whose actions are eccentric and mad, prone to playing with fire; in the south, the Rain Thought Pavilion, a den of sinister scoundrels who manipulate the mire; and in the east, the Hidden Spring Valley... Hmph, what respectable cultivator would wield a whip?"

Yang Danhe smiled wryly: "We're in a remote location, just lucky to be in a blind spot."

"This is a golden opportunity."

Hua Yangzi's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his tone became menacing.

"With tigers lurking beside our beds, we either become cowards for life, or... sharpen our teeth to be sharper than swords. While they regard us like dirt, let's uncover their secrets!"

Yang Danhe was about to agree.

Suddenly, I saw my senior brother's expression change drastically.

Hua Yangzi suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on a quiet room behind the main hall. His withered body trembled with excitement.

"This fluctuation..."

"Senior brother? What do you mean?"

Yang Danhe's cultivation level was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining. He looked bewildered and did not sense anything unusual.

Hua Yangzi's voice was tense, and an unbelievable joy burst forth in his eyes.

"It's Yan'er!"

Before he could finish speaking, and before he could explain, he was left speechless.

A burst of spiritual light flashed beneath his feet, and the old Taoist priest pushed his Wind Control Technique to its limit, leaping straight off the high platform like an eagle catching a rabbit, heading straight for the rear hall.

Yang Dan was dumbfounded.

Is this the same senior brother who usually strolls slowly?

Hua Yangzi rushed to the door of the quiet room in a great hurry, then stopped in his tracks.

A layer of glistening white frost condensed in the cracks of the stone gate.

Extreme cold intertwines with vitality, transforming into "dew".

Standing here in the height of summer feels like being in the early winter morning, refreshing and gentle.

"Squeak—"

Before anyone could knock, the heavy stone door slid open automatically.

Quiet room.

The young girl stood gracefully, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat.

She was surrounded by a lingering, shimmering white glow, which accentuated her exquisitely beautiful face, making her appear like a fairy from a cold palace, untouched by worldly affairs.

It is sacred and inviolable.

Hua Yangzi's lips trembled, just about to ask, "Is it successful?"

But then, the "Jade Fairy of the Cold Palace" slowly opened her eyes.

In her clear, cold eyes, a trace of ethereal beauty crumbled, transforming into an extremely down-to-earth longing and a hint of grievance.

The girl reached out and gently rubbed her flat stomach.

"Master, Yan'er is hungry. I want to eat chicken legs today."