Chapter 258: Ascension To The Upper Realm
On the day of fleeing, Yuan Zhu regretted being unable to contact Miss Zhou Chu who was far away. He could only handwrite a letter and entrust a professional team to deliver it.
However, he smoothly contacted Meng Xiyue, who was in the Surface World, participating in civil engineering, guiding a group of Earth Rank Qi Refiners in high-altitude operations, climbing to the top of the Immortal Realm Tree Remnant to perform ash-removal work.
At this moment, both parties were at the positive and negative poles of the same Immortal Realm Tree Remnant.
Meng Xiyue led the professional team provided by the captain, climbing to the peak of the thousands-of-meters-high remnant, using numerous Skull Servers to lay out a matrix. With special items provided by Mao Mao King, they constructed a device capable of absorbing Moonlight Pollution and remotely transmitting and receiving signals.
With this masterpiece, both parties could communicate in very clear synchronization.
Since Meng Xi shouldered heavy responsibilities and had no energy to study the third layer of the Domain, “Cockroach Village,” Yuan Zhu could only leave administrator permissions, waiting for her to optimize and perfect the details of the “Cockroach Matrix” when she had free time.
When Meng Xiyue learned that Yuan Zhu had frantically profited into massive debt, could hardly survive in Animal Husbandry Village, was even rejected by the Domain he himself had opened, and decided to take a large amount of wealth and run away, she immediately got so angry that she cursed loudly.
What about brothers sticking together, you enjoy the benefits while I do the ash-removal work, you’re enjoying life in the Underground World while I’m being chased by the Undead Knights in the Surface…
Finally, amid the other’s constant questioning of “How much profit share of this wealth can I take?”, Yuan Zhu impatiently hung up the communication.
“Although this ‘cross-plane smuggling transaction’ had some of her hard work, the costs of the supplies were all borne by me alone, and I also paid the shipping fees. Why would she have a share?”
Snake Snake hurriedly agreed: “Yes, yes! She’s just the one who comes up with bad ideas, only moving her lips. At most, pay her a consultation fee separately afterwards.”
Yuan Zhu continued: “But I’m still waiting for her to share the Skull Server Nightmare Matrix technology with me. What if I don’t get the benefits and she suddenly turns hostile?”
Snake Snake argued convincingly: “Are you seeking the Nightmare Matrix for yourself? Isn’t it to better optimize Cockroach Village and open a Nightmare smuggling channel as soon as possible? Once successful, the revenue will be for everyone! At worst, let her invest technology and use future Nightmare smuggling profit sharing to keep him hooked!”
Yuan Zhu agreed: “Right, am I seeking to perfect Cockroach Village for myself? Isn’t it for everyone’s sake, to bypass the Space of Gods channel monopoly and not let middlemen earn the price difference. The profits from plane trade are all intercepted by shipping fees.”
Not long after the call ended, the brother and sister packed their luggage and entered the Inner World with uneasy faces to rendezvous with Yuan Zhu.
…
About to leave the Underground World where they had lived their whole lives (8 years/12 years), leaving home to ascend to (Immortal) Realm. This departure might be farewell forever, never to return in this lifetime.
This filled the brother and sister’s hearts with fear and anxiety about unknown fates, anticipation and longing for life in the Immortal Realm, and reluctance and attachment to the good days in Animal Husbandry Village.
The brother and sister, who had suffered for half their lives, had lived happy days in the past six months that they wouldn’t have dared to dream of.
Now, they were heading to a place without pollution, without miasma, without iron poison… everywhere clean air and water sources, fertile soil, abundant food, even a sky to look up at, the legendary Immortal Realm full of light (daytime).
This “dreamlike life” from legendary stories suddenly falling on their heads made the two feel incredulous. Even after signing the Anti-Law, selling themselves to Yuan Zhu, their hearts were filled with unease, fearing it was all a dream.
Especially the little girl, who deeply hated that the Anti-Law Contract her own brother had set up was too loose, unable to immediately form a Soul Contract, requiring tiered payments to fully hand over their souls to the other party.
This made her feel too insecure! Fearing her own utilization value and loyalty were insufficient, and she would be abandoned by the other party.
The little girl glanced at the piles of various supplies behind Yuan Zhu, forming a small mountain, then sweetly spoke without being taught: “Brother, we’re ready.”
With that, she kicked the bodyguard-like younger brother standing motionless beside her.
Younger Brother then nodded firmly: “Mm!”
Since Yuan Zhu had notified in advance that during cross-boundary (Bubble World) ascension, not to carry ragged clothes, bedding, and other junk, at most bring a few small items of special commemorative significance as luggage.
Thus, the little girl brought nothing, only followed by a giant Golden Cicada Alchemy Furnace about the size of a large suitcase, shaped like an immature cicada nymph (Cicada Nymph).
Though called Golden Cicada, there was no part of its body reflecting golden light. However, the shell surface showed a metallic sheen, with extremely high Bug Gold content.
Yuan Zhu approached, and this Golden Cicada immediately became agitated, showing irritable and aggressive tendencies, but was suppressed by the little girl.
He lightly tapped it twice with his knuckles, indeed producing a crisp metallic ringing sound. This Golden Cicada, though also a type of Demonic Giant Insect, was completely different from ordinary giant worms.
This was a cauldron vessel embryo specially cultivated by the Technician Alliance. The better it was raised, the larger its size, the thicker its shell, the higher the gold content… the higher the quality of the Bug Cauldron it would become.
The little girl’s Alchemy was still in the Enlightenment Stage, her natal Alchemy Cauldron was growing, and it had to be brought along. Otherwise, if she went to Running alone, Yuan Zhu wouldn’t even have a second Alchemy Furnace vessel embryo to find.
The Shadow Giant Insects he carried in his Universe Within The Belly were fundamentally unqualified to become cauldrons.
As for Younger Brother, he carried a small bag on his back. Inside were filled with small commemorative items from the brother and sister’s childhood to now, as well as a few unfinished cultivation technique secret manuals.
“All prepared? …Then place your hands on my palm, and—return!”
The familiar dizziness passed in an instant. When Yuan Zhu looked around again, he was already back in the luxurious hall of Happy Home. Two gasps of cold air, long and short, sounded in his ears.
The little girl and little brother were immediately stunned by this brightly lit, empty and clean hall with no plant root tendrils, no polluted air, no soil underfoot.
Humans cannot imagine things beyond their cognition. For the brother and sister, they had never seen such brilliant and gorgeous crystal chandeliers, low-key luxurious marble floors, intricately patterned walls, long tables, chairs, various decorations… and mechanical maids that looked exactly like humans!
Number Three smiled happily and saluted him, then said excitedly: “Welcome back, Young Master Yuan. Your luggage has been stored in your private bedroom.”
Then, she curiously looked at the brother and sister, asking: “Are these two children your servants?”
Yuan Zhu frowned and shook his head: “Not servants, they are my adopted younger brother and younger sister.”
“Oh? Will you bring them along on missions in the future?” Number Three pointed at the little girl. “She looks very weak.”
Yuan Zhu asked puzzledly: “Can you bring people along on missions?”
Number Three pointed to the bedroom belonging to Yuan Zhu: “Your room can temporarily house creatures brought from the Bubble World. If you want to lead them on new missions, you must register servant identities in the Space of Gods for them.”
“How much?”
Number Three shook her head: “Not sure, you can check at the stone pillar.”
Yuan Zhu looked at the two siblings standing stiffly in place, tense and not daring to move, and comforted: “You two stay here and don’t move, I’ll be right back. Number Three, please prepare food suited to human tastes for them, comprehensive vegetables, fruits, meats, and sweet beverages. Open the eyes of my little sister!”
“Got it!”
Number Three was very satisfied with Yuan Zhu’s instructions, finally able to showcase her maid skills!
Thus, she looked at the uneasy brother and sister: “You two, please follow me.”
Younger Brother clenched his fists, extremely vigilant toward this iron monster that had no ‘living person aura’ yet emitted an indescribable ‘dangerous energy reaction’. Stories passed down through generations had never mentioned such a strange thing!
So he looked to Yuan Zhu for help, wanting guidance.
“Don’t be afraid, she’s the maid here, the kind and enthusiastic Number Three. Just follow her instructions.”
“Hello, sister!” The little girl quickly adapted to the new environment, sweetly approaching to flatter Number Three, while constantly surveying the interior decorations of Happy Home.
Even without prior exposure to such luxury, she could sense the ‘high-end’ of the current environment. It was the mental shock of suddenly coming from a remote backward mountain village to a big city. Even without explanation, she could instantly recognize the gap.
This bright environment, with every detail crystal clear, was ten thousand times better than the dim, stuffy, damp Underground World. It was even better and more comfortable than Animal Husbandry Village.
It was just that the air had no miasma, her circulating True Qi quickly entered dormancy, her abilities greatly suppressed, making her feel very insecure. Her Golden Cicada Alchemy Furnace was even more restless and uneasy, not daring to move lightly, extremely afraid of that talking ‘iron person’.
Yuan Zhu no longer minded the newly arrived siblings and quickly walked to the stone pillar, searching the Exchange List for ‘vassal’ information. He soon learned that team expansion, besides the captain pulling people from the Real World, also allowed members during missions to select helpers, partners, servants, bring them back to the team space, purchase ‘identities’ for them, and act together in the future.
After a simple query, he gave up the idea of buying identities for the two siblings. No other reason, too expensive, too low cost-performance.
Next, he conveniently bought a batch of cheap ‘inferior little pumpkins’ from the Exchange List to replenish refinement materials for the Holy Cup.
After buying two sets of basic uniforms from the Mao Mao King discount area, Yuan Zhu began deeply exploring the Mao Mao King area exchange contents.
As he successfully advanced to Seed grade by condensing Soul Crystals, not only were a large number of transaction items in the Exchange List unlocked, but new exchange projects also appeared in the Mao Mao King area.
Among them was a non-for-sale Uniform Weaving Process, requiring equivalent items acknowledged by Mao Mao King for trade.
He focused his attention on the Uniform Process, soon realizing it was not a craft, but a skill similar to Holy Cough or Flask Power, or an innate divine ability.
Mao Mao King had extracted her ability to weave and make uniforms, turning it into something like Extraordinary Pollution Crystal/Soul Fragment/Skill Stone. Waiting for team members to rampage in the Bubble World, plunder equivalent and interesting things, then trade.
Yuan Zhu currently, even if he had trade goods that interested Mao Mao King, could not extract them.
Snake Snake: “Perhaps hunt real powerhouses, seal them into the flask for harsh purification, then throw into Universe Within The Belly for harsh refinement. The final ‘product’ might be exchangeable with Mao Mao King?”
Yuan Zhu: “I think she deliberately showed this to me. Teasing my appetite, forcing me to keep striving.”
Compared to his three teammates diligently engaging in business, doing missions, or pursuing personal futures in the Eclosion World, Yuan Zhu’s ‘Bubble Journey’ this time was all coasting, slacking off, enjoying, harvesting fruits, reaping benefits, thoroughly squeezing dry a fortune in the Shadow Domain, seriously delaying the village’s development progress, then speeding away with the funds.
Thus, his mission evaluation this time was extremely low, gaining no points, not even a single coin. Instead, the Mao Mao King area suddenly had prizes he was very interested in.
…
Leaving the exchange stone pillar, Yuan Zhu came to the restaurant area of Happy Home.
The brother and sister had already tasted the delicacies provided by Number Three. After a series of shocks and stimulations, the mentally numb and exhausted siblings quickly adapted to Happy Home’s food, eating unprecedented deliciousness.
Younger Brother was obsessed with fruits and vegetables. In the Underground World, the two had never seen ‘fruits’ such mysterious things, occasionally eating one or two pieces of low-pollution leaves, but staples were various mushrooms, moss, mildly poisonous bugs.
At this moment, Younger Brother was shocked by the endless ‘vegetables’ from Number Three, even eating the deadly poison flowers (oleander) used for garnish with relish. No Immortal Zombie Tendrils or poison miasma at all, Big Brother really didn’t lie, this is the Immortal Realm!
Truly too perfect, too pure food! Unfortunately, no spiritual energy at all, but still very tasty, giving a happy dizziness!
After eating several ‘beautiful and delicious flowers’, the little brother with super composite pollution quickly adapted to the stimulation from cardiotonic toxins.
Then he tasted juicy, sweet-tasting fruits, and completely fell.
On the contrary, the little girl, older and more steady, didn’t miss any vegetables like her brother, including the garnish mandrake and narcissus, all eaten without waste. She also greatly enjoyed the fruits.
However, what fascinated her more were the various strange meats she had never seen. Though she often ate meat in the Underground World, it was all bug meat. The texture completely different from pork, beef, or lamb, making her feel wondrous, eating joyfully. Her appetite far exceeded her size.
Seeing the brother and sister eating happily, not even drinking the beverages. Yuan Zhu called to Number Three still serving dishes nearby, asking: “Where’s the captain?”
“Not home, he went to care for the great Mao Mao King.”
Yuan Zhu: “Then I want to bring them back to the Real World.”
Number Three patted her hard chest: “Leave it to me!”
