Chapter 139: Your Ironclad Department Will Answer to Me!

"You want to be a constable? Go to the Yamen and apply to the Chief Constable. An Arhat Temple disciple willing to join as a constable—the Ironclad Department will gladly welcome you."

Qin Mo said, "But once you become a constable, the Ironclad Department must come first. You'll be sidelined in your sect, and their rewards to you will shrink."

"Oh, I see..."

Li Shou's face showed hesitation immediately.

Lin Caiyi and the others had been tempted too, but now they had to think it over carefully.

The foundations of a first-rate sect were no small matter. Being truly sidelined would mean devastating losses!

"Brother Yang, we're setting out tomorrow. I've heard the Water Qilin Cave is dangerous every time."

"Even though the Water Qilin is sleeping, there seem to be quite a few strange beasts living in there."

"And some danger will come from everyone fighting over those resources."

"All kinds of exotic flowers, rare herbs—they're all top-tier resources!"

Zhang Shendao's expression turned serious:

"Hardly any players are going in this time. Compared to the local natives, we're lacking in level foundation. That means their base attributes should be significantly higher than ours."

"You've observed quite carefully."

Yang Ling nodded slightly.

The other party didn't have the ability to check others' attribute panels, yet they could judge that the natives' attributes were higher—that showed sharp observational skills.

"You really don't need to fight for it."

Yang Ling spoke again.

Lin Caiyi and the others perked up.

Qin Mo was curious too, but he still had no intention of going to that place.

"You have first-rate sects backing you. If they gain benefits this time, could they possibly shortchange you?"

"The more they gain, the more you gain."

Yang Ling smiled. "Take this competition, for example—the prizes each sect offered are among the best in the world."

"Opportunities like this are only open to us. Disciples from other sects don't even qualify to compete."

"I understand!"

Lin Caiyi's eyes lit up. "So this time, we just need to protect ourselves and coordinate well with the senior brothers and sisters?"

"Exactly."

Yang Ling said, "That's enough. Don't fall behind, and don't get caught in a one-on-one fight."

"If you don't give others a chance to target you, who would dare to make a move on a first-rate sect disciple?"

"Brother Yang, when you were gold farming in other games before, was team play more effective? More profitable?"

Zhang Shendao asked curiously.

Yang Ling nodded slightly. "Without team planning, forget about making money—it'd be good just not to lose any."

After this chat with Yang Ling, the group felt much more confident about the upcoming Water Qilin Cave trip. They knew exactly what to do.

"Oh, right, there's experience points too."

Jiang Tian'ai said, "We're planning to go in this time and see if there's a chance to hunt monsters and level up. Those strange beasts inside are probably all boss-level."

"Hunting monsters to level up—it's a bit dangerous, but it's a path, though..."

Yang Ling thought for a moment, then said, "But honestly, the returns are just average."

"Based on my assessment, 'Divine Realm' gives experience points according to the combined strength of both sides."

"If you can crush a boss with your strength, you might not get any experience points at all."

"Conversely, the bigger the gap in strength, the more experience points you get."

"Brother Yang, you've farmed a boss?!"

Li Shou's eyes lit up. "What was it like? Did it drop any gear?"

"I did, and it dropped some good stuff. But the experience isn't reliable—mining is still the safest, no danger."

Yang Ling smiled.

A hint of anticipation appeared in everyone's eyes.

Qin Mo, however, secretly felt smug.

He had also farmed a boss, even if he'd been swallowed at first—not the most dignified way to do it.

But the benefits he got were real!

An hour passed.

Li Shou let out a burp.

Seeing this, the others agreed to meet again tomorrow and went their separate ways.

...

Yang Ling returned to his room and closed the door tightly. Then he took out two wooden boxes.

He didn't touch the Foundation Consolidation Pills—he had no time to refine their medicinal power right now.

"Should I keep a portion to use when I can train Heaven's Will Divine Blade?"

Yang Ling's mind stirred.

As long as he went to a frozen wasteland with a suitable training environment, two Spirit Nurturing Pills would let Heaven's Will Divine Blade advance to Comprehensive Mastery and unlock the exclusive skill Ice Blade.

Then, going to the Extreme Flame Cave, twenty Spirit Nurturing Pills would let Heaven's Will Divine Blade advance to Flawless Proficiency and unlock the exclusive skill Fire Blade.

"I'll keep 22, and give the rest to Ethereal Steps."

Yang Ling began taking the Spirit Nurturing Pills.

Ethereal Steps' experience points kept rising.

1 pill equaled 500 Proficiency points.

He ate 78 pills at once.

Ethereal Steps' Proficiency skyrocketed by 39,000 points.

Proficiency reached: 54,706/100,000

"Proficiency's past halfway. Skilled level isn't far off."

Yang Ling was very satisfied with his training speed.

He'd only been in 'Divine Realm' for a few months, yet the results were already so remarkable—comparable to those prodigies who had trained in major sects since childhood.

He spent the remaining time training the Vajra Bright King Technique and the Divine Ape Contemplation Diagram.

By the time dawn barely broke, the Divine Ape Contemplation Diagram had just finished its cycle.

Yang Ling was full of energy and began inspecting all the tools he was bringing on this trip.

"Hundred-Refined Pickaxe, Eighth-Rank Official Saber, Jiaogu Saber, a hundred ordinary throwing knives—that's enough combat gear."

"I have plenty of Golden Sore Medicine too. I should keep the Foundation Consolidation Pills on me—it's safer."

"The Eighth-Rank Ironclad Armor has a tear, but that's fine."

"My Vajra Indestructible Body, along with my 1,610 HP, is enough to handle harsh environments."

"Most importantly, this item."

Yang Ling took out the Invisibility Talisman, examined it carefully, then cautiously stored it in the waterproof leather pouch he'd brought.

Before long, under Lu Yunchen's leadership, a formidable procession of Ironclad Constables marched toward the port of Yunwen Provincial Capital.

There were over two hundred of them.

Yang Ling inquired with Yun Ruo and learned that although only some martial artists could go into the Water Qilin Cave this time,

the rest would have to wait on the water, ready to deal with unknown dangers.

That's why at least two hundred Ironclad Constables from Yunwen Provincial Capital had to go.

At the port, over a dozen enormous ships had been waiting for quite some time.

Each ship—the smallest had three decks, the largest five—loomed like behemoths, lying in ambush.

The martial artists from the four major sects had all arrived now too.

They had brought a considerable number of people this time—besides the thirty slots, over a hundred more had come to broaden their horizons.

Added to that, the martial artists from second-rate and some third-rate forces,

the vast dock was starting to feel rather crowded.

Just then, a middle-aged man who had been chatting with Jie Hai and the others turned his head to look at Lu Yunchen, let out a loud laugh, and strode over:

"Director Lu has arrived."

"This is an Elder of the Water Transport Guild, also a Sixth-Rank expert. At least a third of the water transport here in Yunwen Provincial Capital falls under his jurisdiction."

Yun Ruo casually explained when she noticed Yang Ling's curiosity.

She paused, then looked at the giant ships at the port:

"These ships all belong to the Water Transport Guild too."

"The Water Transport Guild is seriously wealthy. Each of these ships must cost at least over a hundred thousand taels, right?"

Yang Ling remarked with some emotion.

Suddenly, a cold laugh rang out:

"Lu Yunchen, my disciple was hacked to death by your Ironclad Department yesterday."

"Your Ironclad Department will answer to me!"

The Water Transport Guild Elder froze for a moment, then stopped in his tracks.

All the Ironclad Constables present turned to look at the speaker.

He was a middle-aged scholar.

A few dozen young men and women in scholar's robes stood beside him.