167: Chapter 167 triggers a side quest! The secret of Qinglong Mountain?

Su Yun's eyes lit up.

800 points!

That was a massive sum.

Adding in the remaining merit points from before, his assets were now plentiful again.

"Open panel."

A translucent light screen unfolded before Su Yun's eyes.

[Host: Su Yun]

[Strength: 12.5 (Normal human peak: 10)]

[Spirit: 15.8 (Normal human peak: 10)]

[Constitution: 13.2 (Normal human peak: 10)]

[Charm: 10.5 (Normal human peak: 10)]

[Cultivation: Qi Refining Level 1]

[Technique: Tai Xuan Qi Induction Mantra (Introductory Chapter)]

[Skills: Tianji Divine Calculation, Golden Light Spell · Introductory, Ghost Valley Medical Arts · Complete Version, Low-level Talisman Making Method]

[Current merit points: 1600 points]

Ever since his cultivation reached Qi Refining Level 1, Su Yun's various attributes had improved significantly.

Now, his merit points had reached 1600.

Su Yun looked at this number and began to calculate in his mind.

The items in the system mall were too expensive; he couldn't afford them.

The lottery was the best way to turn a bicycle into a motorcycle.

A normal lottery cost 100 points per draw, while a ten-draw lottery cost 1000 points and guaranteed a premium item.

Su Yun rubbed his chin.

"Let's go straight for a ten-draw."

[Ding! 1000 merit points deducted.]

[Ten-draw lottery has been activated.]

A golden light flashed before his eyes.

A huge virtual roulette appeared in front of Su Yun.

The roulette was divided into a dozen or so grids.

There were blue technique manuals, purple top-grade pills, and even red ancient artifact fragments.

Of course, there were also a few gray, dull grids labeled "Thanks for your patronage."

Su Yun swallowed his saliva.

"Spin!"

Su Yun shouted.

The huge roulette began to spin wildly.

The colors on it merged into a halo, making it impossible to see where the pointer was landing.

Ten seconds later.

[Thanks for your patronage!]

[Thanks for your patronage!]

[Thanks for your patronage!]

[Funds: 5 million!]

[Constitution + 0.1]

[...]

[...]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a damaged artifact: bagua compass.]

Su Yun was stunned for a moment.

A damaged artifact?

The name didn't sound very auspicious.

"Extract."

Su Yun's palm felt heavy.

An object the size of a palm appeared in his hand.

The thing was pitch black, and it felt like some kind of metal, yet also like wood.

It felt cold to the touch.

The surface of the compass was covered with dense runes and the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.

But what made one's head ache was that this thing was covered in spiderweb-like cracks.

The needle in the very center was even broken in half.

It was practically a piece of junk just picked up from a garbage heap.

Su Yun looked it over twice, flipping it back and forth.

"System, are you kidding me? 1000 merit points, and you give me this piece of junk?"

If you took this thing to an antique market, you probably couldn't even sell it for fifty yuan.

The system ignored Su Yun's grumbling.

A line of golden text appeared above the compass.

[Item Name: bagua compass (Damaged)]

[Grade: Profound Grade Low-tier (Damaged state)]

[Effect 1: Dragon Seeking and Point Locating; can detect spiritual energy fluctuations and yin evil energy within a ten-mile radius.]

[Effect 2: Feng Shui Grand Array; when combined with spiritual energy, it can set up simple defensive or enemy-trapping formations.]

[Effect 3: Heavenly Secret Concealment; when carried on one's person, it can shield against deductions and prying from metaphysical cultivators of the same rank or lower.]

[Note: One of the heirloom artifacts of the ancient Tianji Sect. Severely damaged in a great battle, its grade has fallen. The host can consume merit points to repair it. Once fully repaired, it will display its true power.]

After reading the description, Su Yun's eyes lit up.

Although this thing was broken, its functions were truly powerful.

Not to mention Dragon Seeking and Point Locating, which was essential for finding spiritual energy to cultivate.

The Feng Shui Grand Array function was simply a life-saving divine skill.

What Su Yun valued most was the Heavenly Secret Concealment function.

His fame was growing, and it was hard to guarantee he wouldn't be targeted by other people in the metaphysical world.

With this compass, it was equivalent to adding a firewall against prying eyes.

"Good stuff, this one thousand points were well spent."

Su Yun sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the bagua compass that looked like it had been picked up from a garbage heap.

He took a deep breath and began to mobilize the pitifully small amount of spiritual energy in his body.

Since breaking through to Qi Refining Level 1, there was finally a thread-like stream of energy in his meridians.

Although it wasn't much, it was at least stepping into the threshold of immortality cultivation.

As the spiritual energy slowly injected into the compass through his fingers.

Hum!

The originally lifeless compass suddenly vibrated.

Immediately after, the spiderweb-like cracks on the surface of the compass actually began to emit a faint glow.

Although the light was very weak, like a flashlight running out of battery, in Su Yun's eyes, it was even more dazzling than a diamond.

"It's working!"

Su Yun's spirit lifted, and he increased the output of his spiritual energy.

Click, click.

A sound of gears turning came from inside the compass, sounding very dry, like an old machine that hadn't been oiled for hundreds of years.

The needle that had been broken in half lifted tremblingly.

It first spun wildly like a headless fly, making Su Yun dizzy.

A full half minute passed.

The needle stopped abruptly.

The broken tip pointed rigidly to the east.

And it kept trembling, emitting a humming, low sound, as if it had discovered something incredible.

Su Yun looked in the direction of the needle.

That side was the window.

Outside the window was the night scene of Jiangcheng, with neon lights flickering.

And further away, there was a stretch of rolling black mountain shadows.

"East of Jiangcheng..."

Su Yun narrowed his eyes, and a map of Jiangcheng quickly appeared in his mind.

There was only one landmark location over there.

The Qinglong Mountains.

That was where the dragon vein of Jiangcheng was located, and it was also the place with the best Feng Shui in the entire city.

It was said that if you bought a toilet there, it would cost millions to start.

"Dragon Seeking and Point Locating, the needle trembling means there are extremely strong energy field fluctuations over there."

Su Yun rubbed his chin.

"Either there is a treasure born, or there is some great evil thing causing trouble."

Just at this moment.

That familiar electronic sound rang in his mind again.

[Ding! Side quest triggered!]

[Quest Name: The Secret of Qinglong Mountain.]

[Quest Description: The host has detected abnormal energy field fluctuations within the Qinglong Mountains via the bagua compass. This fluctuation is extremely unstable and may involve some kind of evil spirit awakening or the appearance of a treasure.]

[Quest Requirements: Go to the core area of the Qinglong Mountains to investigate and resolve the potential crisis.]

[Quest Rewards: merit points will be settled based on the completion of the quest.]

Su Yun raised an eyebrow.

Sure enough, work had arrived.

He knew the system's nature too well; it never shot without a target.

Since the system had issued a quest, it meant there was definitely something fishy going on in Qinglong Mountain.

"However, it's quite late now."

"Better to get some sleep, recharge my energy, and deal with it tomorrow!"

The next morning.

Sunlight shone on Su Yun's face through the gaps in the curtains.

He stretched, feeling refreshed all over.

After washing up, Su Yun pushed open the door, ready to go downstairs for breakfast.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw a middle-aged man in a crisp suit standing in the hallway.

This person was holding two beautifully packaged gift boxes in his hands, with a fawning smile on his face.

It was the property manager, Zhao Dahai.

If this were in the past, when Zhao Dahai saw Su Yun, his nostrils would be pointed to the sky, and he would have wanted to sweep him out with a broom.

After all, the old Su Yun was a pauper who couldn't even pay the rent.

But now it was different.

The current Su Yun was a huge internet celebrity with tens of millions of fans across the entire web, and even the captain of the Municipal Bureau criminal investigation team had to give him some face.

Zhao Dahai was also a shrewd person, and this wind direction changed faster than anyone else's.

"Oh my, Master Su! You're awake?"

As soon as Zhao Dahai saw Su Yun, he immediately bent his waist at ninety degrees, and that old face was smiling like a chrysanthemum.

"I figured you should be getting up at this time, so I specifically waited here for you."