Chapter 170: 170- BT [1]

"A Hollow Spirit Pill... really?" Fang Yuan’s voice trembled as the words left his lips, half-murmured, half-accusation.

His throat felt dry, his breath uneven, as if he dared not believe what he saw.

The golden screen then blinked out of existence and in its place, weightless yet unbearably heavy, a single pill appeared in his palm.

There was no jade bottle, no ornate seals nor even a grand ceremonial glow. It was just a single pill resting quietly in his hand.

And yet Fang Yuan’s breath hitched. His chest tightened. His hand trembled, his fingers quivered. His pulse hammered against his ribs.

Because he didn’t need embellishment to know. Deep down, even his very soul told him.

His very bones knew this single pill could be worth more than the entire Tharz Kingdom wealth combined!

A laugh almost escaped him, half-mad, half-rapturous but instead his lips only quivered.

He stared, eyes locked, as though the pill might vanish if he blinked.

Excitement surged through him, raw and violent, spilling into the air.

And in that split moment, losing control of himself, his aura cracked open, rippling through the room, unable to stay still.

His hands kept trembling as he reached for a jade bottle and carefully placed the Hollow Spirit Pill inside.

Only when the lid clicked shut did Fang Yuan finally let out a long breath. His shoulders eased, yet his eyes lifted toward the vast sky with an uncharacteristic solemnity.

"Oh, brother..." he murmured, voice caught somewhere between mockery and reverence. "For all the headaches you’ve dumped on me, I’ll forgive all of them. Because this gift... this one actually makes up for all of it."

He clasped his hands behind his back, tilting his head as though the Heavens themselves leaned close to listen.

A faint grin tugged at his lips, crooked and wry, yet his tone never wavered.

"I’m a gold digger, Heaven. That’s right, give me the right wealth, and I’ll wag my tail like the most loyal dog. I’ll even bark for you if that’s what it takes. I’m telling you this straight, Heaven: no lies, no pretenses."

After a moment of stillness, he secured the bottle once more and slipped it into his spatial ring.

He lowered his gaze to the stack of petitions on the desk.

A short while ago, they had weighed on him like endless burdens, tedious and boring.

But now, after securing the pill, his eyes softened. What once felt like a mountain of chores appeared orderly, almost inviting.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he pulled the first sheet closer.

With steady strokes, he began approving them one by one, not with impatience, but with a quiet ease, as though each petition was no longer a duty, but a task worth his attention.

After an hour passed, his hand stilled.

He unfolded the next letter and read silently:

"Greetings, Fang Clan Head. My name is Cheng Bo. You may not recall me, but we crossed paths briefly on the day of your clan’s internal strife.

I now wish to propose a trade to the Fang Clan, in exchange for your aid in taking revenge against the Wu family in Coldwind City. The offer includes a hoard of grade two weapons and one personally crafted grade three weapon.

If this interests you, please send your reply through the Merchant Association."

Fang Yuan’s brows arched ever so slightly. His eyes lingered on the page, a flicker of amusement breaking through the calm mask on his face.

"Interesting..." he murmured, leaning back. A thought surfaced, Coldwind City was already restless. Was it not said that a single mountain could not host two tigers? And yet, at present, four prowled in the same territory.

The corner of his mouth lifted. This was no mere petition, it was an opening.

Fang Yuan tapped the letter once against the desk, his gaze sharpening.

"Cheng Bo, hm? Revenge against the Wu clan, and weapons to sweeten the deal... Very well. I may not recall who you are but you have piqued my interest."

The decision was readily made, though he did not move immediately.

Instead, he folded the letter neatly and set it aside, stacking it atop the growing pile of matters that demanded his attention.

I’ll send the request through the Merchant Association once this mountain of work is cleared.

He dipped his brush again, the scratch of ink against parchment resuming its steady rhythm.

Line after line, he copied the mini-quests the system had provided, his hand flowing with patient precision.

Now and then, he would reach for another petition, skimming through it as a way to rest his wrist before returning to his meticulous writing.

The cycle continued for hours, the flickering lamplight crawling across the desk as day bled into evening.

At last, Fang Yuan set the brush down, rolling his shoulders as though he had been carrying not just paperwork, but the weight of the entire clan.

Finally, he allowed himself a long breath, his work, at least for now, done.

He then rose from his desk and stepped out, the cool evening air brushing against his face as he made his way toward the eastern ravine.

His stride was unhurried, yet each step carried quiet intent.

My breakthrough to hollow spirit comes first, the rest will follow naturally, he thought, his qi flaring faintly as he lifted off the ground.

With effortless grace, he soared across the clan’s territory, robes trailing like a streak of shadowed light.

It wasn’t long before the ravine came into view, alive with the sounds of industry.

Below, the site buzzed with motion.

Mortals strained at ropes and pulleys, while cultivators directed earth-moving techniques and reinforced stone with qi.

Each person moved with clear purpose, forming a living rhythm of construction.

At the center stood Elder Joshua and Elder Chen, their voices carrying authority as they coordinated the chaos into order.

Under their command, the earth was being hollowed into a colossal pit.

Watching from above, Fang Yuan’s lips curved faintly.