A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 121 cleared, mission preview

This underground palace is full of traps and mechanisms, and the arrays set up also have a bewitching effect.

Not far from the foot of the stone bridge, Guan Luoyang and his companions discovered that the fork in the road they had taken had changed again. However, they had Lu Chunhua to guide them and the innate abilities of the treasure-hunting rats to help them.

With Lang Shiqi dead, Lu Chunhua seemed much more at ease when she fed the little squirrel medicine to wake it up.

As expected, the three armored figures did not pursue them too far. After reaching a relatively safe place, Guan Luoyang told the other two what he had noticed.

"Those three sets of black armor must have been Li Jing's work."

Lu Chunhua explained, "The Xuanjia Army of the Tang Dynasty was divided into two types. One type consisted of elite soldiers wearing black armor, who were the most elite troops in the Tang army. The other type was the Xuanjia machine under Li Jing."

"This second type of Xuanjia Army does not require soldiers to operate it. The Xuanjia armor has an extremely ingenious mechanical structure inside. It does not need to eat or sleep, and it is tireless and undeterred. With the help of magical flags, it can abandon its food and supplies. Three thousand Xuanjia soldiers can march north to the desert and defeat the Turks one after another."

When talking about the legendary stories of a thousand years, Lu Chunhua's tone softened a little, as if he was trying to convey some of the ancient charm of the hidden parts of history in the beginning and end of his conversation, so as not to waste the longing he had felt when he was studying.

"During the Zhenguan era, the four barbarian tribes were pacified, and the civil and military affairs flourished. Li Shimin once intended to invite Li Jing to come out of seclusion again and use Li Jing's unparalleled skills in weaponry and mechanical devices to create several national weapons that could support the clouds and mountains, guard rivers, and protect the Tang Dynasty."

"But Li Jing advised that even if it is a towering, human-shaped mechanism, it is still only a product of human wisdom. If the descendants are unworthy, even if the mechanism can stand for a thousand years, it may still fall into enemy hands. If the descendants are virtuous and have even a fraction of the merit of Emperor Taizong, then there is no need for this treasured mechanism."

"Later, Wei Zheng and others earnestly persuaded that the national treasury was not full and that the spectacle would harm the country, which led to the abandonment of the Tang Dynasty's national weapon."

Lu Chunhua stroked the squirrel's soft fur and chuckled, "When I first read that part about it lasting for a thousand years, I was still a bit skeptical. I never imagined that Li Jing's Xuanjia armor could really last for a thousand years without being damaged. I wonder how many people have entered the underground palace throughout history, and how many battles that Xuanjia armor has gone through..."

Bai Tong shook his head and said, "Those Xuan armors, although not destroyed, have definitely suffered some damage."

He seemed to be carefully recalling the scene at the time, and said, "Take that smaller piece of Xuan armor for example. There is a spiritual connection between it and the pearl lamps embedded in the rock wall. However, something inside the Xuan armor must have been damaged, causing this connection to be reduced to a mere lingering echo."

"Otherwise, those three sets of Xuan Armor should have even more variations in combination with the Pearl Lamp Array."

Guan Luoyang, though ignorant of spiritual power and magic, remarked, "The most imposing armor seems a bit sluggish in its lower body; I suspect there's a minor issue with its knee and ankle joints."

Lu Chunhua nodded silently, still searching her mind for any of the four formations of the Wind, Cloud, Dragon and Bird that could be related to what Guan Luoyang had said.

"The kind of life-giving filaments you described, the only one similar to... is the dragon coil."

She said to Guan Luoyang, "There is a variation in the Dragon Coil Formation that is used in dense forests. In terms of military strategy, it involves using poisonous wood to make arrows, sharpening bamboo and wood to make traps, and using the elasticity of vines to fight."

"When used in magic arrays, it can cause plants to split open and sprout poisonous vines, turning some plants that already have the habit of preying on insects into predators that can move quickly and freely."

"The situation you described is like a variant of this kind of formation. Behind the bronze door on the other side of the stone bridge, there might be an ancient plant with spiritual power."

Guan Luoyang seemed to be deep in thought, and gently massaged his right arm with the five fingers of his left hand, using a technique to promote blood circulation and unblock the meridians, from near his right shoulder down to below his wrist.

"Once my hand recovers a bit, I'll try again. If it really is just a plant inside, then our chances of success will be even greater."

It's not surprising to find a plant with four-star qualities.

The true light of one's own mind is something that cannot be comprehended without having a complete self or wisdom.

Although this thing is both mind and spirit, and sounds like it requires a lot of comprehension, in reality, you can find out about it by spending a few points in the Reincarnator Base.

Regarding the light of one's own mind, "understanding" is merely icing on the cake; concrete "actions" are the only way to gather the light of one's own mind.

If it is truly a thousand-year-old spiritual plant, having taken root and grown for a thousand years, spreading its fine tendrils and operating its array, the spiritual light condensed from this unwavering "practice" that has spanned countless years would probably surpass that of many newly entered four-star reincarnators.

Of course, if a real fight breaks out, the thousand-year-old spiritual plants that can only be confined to a corner are probably no different from punching bags in front of a four-star reincarnator.

A few hours later, Guan Luoyang felt he had rested enough, so he found the stone bridge in the mountainside.

He and Bai Tong had already discussed it beforehand: first, they would cut the thin wires, then concentrate their attack, trying to leave irreparable damage on one of the Xuanjia armors, one by one.

If they get tired of fighting or suffer additional injuries, Guan Luoyang and Bai Tong will temporarily retreat.

After repeating this process three times, Guan Luoyang finally found an opportunity to break into the bronze gate and glimpse the scene inside.

The stone chamber inside the bronze door was spacious and tall, with a gray-white stone platform in the center, about 1.5 meters in diameter. A bronze plate was inlaid on the platform, marked with several graduations in ancient characters, divided into three concentric circles, with the graduations becoming finer towards the outer edge.

At the very center of the stone chamber's dome, at the highest point, hangs a huge flower growing upside down.

The dozens of petals are dark blue-green, and the whole flower is about the size of a millstone, with a dull and hard texture, similar to the shell of a green coconut.

Those fine threads that can convey the light of one's true nature probably sprout from this flower.

Guan Luoyang had only glanced at it when the flower, as if startled and shy, visibly closed its petals one by one.

When the blue petals touched, they made a sound similar to jade striking each other, layer upon layer, finally huddling together like a ball.

The three armored figures stopped moving, while the white copper suit remained on guard, following the copper door to peer inside.

On the gray-white stone platform, the copper disc began to rotate on its own, the three rings ticking as they calibrated. A small hole sank into the center of the copper disc, and the light shooting out from it formed a three-dimensional projection above the stone platform.

"Hahaha, I wonder when this underground palace will be cracked."

"But as long as you can get here, even if you have passed all the checkpoints, all the treasures in this underground palace will be at your disposal, and the Immortal Ascension Longevity Fruit is inside this bronze plate."

The projection was a man in a brocade robe with a hazy face; only his red beard, curled and wavy, could be vaguely seen on the lower half of his face.

After reciting the classic "reward for completing the challenge" phrase, his tone suddenly changed.

"However, if Xu Fu's descendants come here, then let's see if you can turn the Feathered Void Longevity Fruit back to the way you originally wanted it."

"I have been a hero for thirty years and a king for thirty years. After my sixtieth birthday, I have come to love the secluded wonders of mountains and rivers. It just so happens that the Medicine Master and the Immortal have retired after achieving their goals and come across the sea."

"The more than 360 solitary fruits cultivated by Xu Fu, like a hidden thread, have spread over thousands of miles. They are one of the few things that I can repeatedly ponder and explore in the rest of my life."

"Let this change in the fruit be our first greeting to Xu Fu, who lived between the Qin and Han dynasties and on the misty coast."

The beam of light emanating from the copper plate gradually faded, and the projection disappeared.

A hidden compartment popped out from one side of the stone platform.

Guan Luoyang stepped forward and saw that what was stored in the hidden compartment was a fruit no bigger than a walnut.

The surface of this fruit has veins like white jade, gnarled and protruding, with a hard texture, like an outer shell, or like patterns deliberately carved into fine feathers.

Within the veins and gaps of the outer shell, one can see an interior as smooth as a precious pearl, with a thick, milky-white halo flowing within the colorless sphere.

Seeing that there seemed to be no more danger, Bai Tong brought Lu Chunhua over as well.

Lu Chunhua spotted the bronze plate on the stone platform at a glance and rushed over in three steps. Her fingertips trembled before she touched the bronze plate. She quickly took out a pair of white gloves from her backpack and touched the surface of the bronze plate with extreme care.

"The Star Chart of Destiny, is this the Star Chart of Destiny...?"

She turned on the lamp above her head, discerned the markings, and slowly read the tiny characters engraved on it. Then she took out a small string of copper coins from her pocket and placed them on the copper plate.

The copper coin, which seemed to have developed a patina from being handled so much, and even shone brightly under the lamplight, inexplicably emitted a dull and unpleasant screech as soon as it was placed on the copper plate.

Immediately afterwards, the red thread holding the coins together broke apart, and several coins scattered, quickly developing thick rust.

"This string of five-emperor coins, a feng shui artifact, can slightly alter one's fortune. It can absorb the spiritual energy of such artifacts; truly, it's a 'star-studded destiny chart'!"

Lu Chunhua was a little excited. Her breath created a white mist on the cold copper plate, which she quickly wiped off with her gloves and moved away.

Guan Luoyang asked, "How do I use this?"

"It needs to be taken back to my home, processed, and combined with sixteen ritual implements. I also need to call back my friends for help before it can be used."

Lu Chunhua observed the edge of the bronze plate, seemingly trying to figure out how to separate it from the stone platform. She turned her head and said, "I'll only use this once. You can have it after I'm done, but I don't want anything else."

She noticed the fruit in Guan Luoyang's hand. "Oh, by the way, the shell of the Longevity Fruit cannot be eaten. It is said that a special tool is needed to break the shell."

Bai Tong had already retrieved the Qin King's Sword and, at this opportune moment, said, "Would you like to try it out?"

Guan Luoyang shook his head: "The bearded man said he made some changes to the fruit. Let's wait until we get back and have it appraised before making any decisions."

In the Reincarnator Base, the appraisals conducted through the personal account interface are directly connected to the main god, making them far more reliable than guessing or finding any appraiser in this world.

The revenge for Bai Tong has been taken, and the Longevity Fruit of Gu Xu has been obtained. This trip to the underground palace has finally come to a relatively satisfactory conclusion.

Next came the process of dividing the spoils. As for those antiques, they all had a certain Sui and Tang Dynasty style. Lu Chunhua suggested that they could contact some museums in the Donghua Ancient Kingdom, and those people would not be stingy with their money.

Bai Tong transmitted his voice to Guan Luoyang, saying that some markets in this base world even sell four-star items, and that he could go and browse when he had time, so acquiring the currency of this world would also be useful.

Finally, it was agreed that after the deal was completed, Guan Luoyang and Bai Tong would each receive 40% of the funds, and Lu Chunhua would receive 20%.

The Feather Transformation Fruit was tacitly given to Guan Luoyang, and the three Xuan Armor sets that had ceased functioning were also taken by him, which he could then sell at the base.

As for the octagonal glass lamp and those pearl ritual implements, they were given to the white copper.

The only slight pity is that, according to Bai Tong's investigation, the spiritual flower with four-star qualities may have roots that are spread throughout the entire mountain, making it impossible to dig it up.

………………

A few days later, Guan Luoyang returned alone to the snow-covered mountains. Near the snow valley, he summoned his personal interface and examined the fruit.

【The Rebirth Pearl, a four-star item.】

The moon wanes after it is full, water overflows when it is full, one ascends to immortality through waning, and one lives long by knowing moderation.

Made from the Feathered Void Longevity Fruit. The Feathered Fruit should be rooted in the earth's veins and form a core. After consumption, it will permanently change one's genes, with a certain risk of causing genetic mutations, resulting in the growth of parasites. After breaking through the outer shell, the life force will become abnormal and spread outwards.

After being refined into a Rejuvenation Pearl, its life force is purified, and it loses its infectious and spreading properties. The outer shell must be preserved, and it should be soaked in water for gradual absorption.

"So, the Bearded Stranger transformed this thing from a high-risk raw material into a normal medicine. How could he think that Xu Fu's descendants wanted to turn it back?"

Guan Luoyang recalled the fantasy works he had read before. In any of the shows featuring Xu Fu, nine out of ten characters were villains.

Xu Fu of this world is probably not a good person either.

However, these matters are currently none of his concern.

Guan Luoyang bought a house in a town near the snow mountain airport and settled down.

In this frigid climate, some plants can actually grow in the backyard. The local cuisine is also quite unique. Of course, if you don't like the food, there are various cuisines available at the airport, and you can also order takeout.

"call--"

Guan Luoyang had just taken a sip of warm water and was exhaling a long, warm breath in the snow in the backyard.

He was brewing the Rejuvenation Pearl in his thermos. The taste was similar to green tea, so he simply used it as his daily beverage.

It truly lives up to its reputation as a four-star medicine. Even when taken by diluting it in water, each sip still brings a noticeable warming sensation. Through the transformation of the digestive system, it strengthens the body's vital energy and bones, while also nourishing the body's vitality.

No matter what concentration of liquid this bead is soaked in, the mass it loses each day is roughly the same.

Guan Luoyang weighed it and found that he could lose about 15 grams a day, enough for him to drink for a long time.

Even if he did nothing during this time, just waiting to absorb all the medicinal power of the bead, Guan Luoyang's strength would still increase significantly.

Moreover, he was not idle at all during this period. He only spent three or four hours a day watching various fantasy works to relax, and the rest of the time he studied the set of boxing techniques he got from Bai Tong.

The Bai Family Holy Fist only has four moves in total.

—The wind is formless, the celestial serpent drinks the light, the dragon opens the shore, and the Yinglong is slain by the kingdom.

It looks simple, with only twenty-seven movements and a little over two thousand words on the scroll, but the more you practice, the more you realize how profound it is.

Guan Luoyang's talent in sports has been praised since childhood. When he first met Tian Gongyu, he knew nothing about martial arts and boxing, but he could already see some of the secrets of stance training and footwork.

After mastering the Fourfold Training and cultivating the Mind-Intent Method, his understanding of martial arts has increased dramatically. Now, he can learn in a single day what he used to learn in half a year.

Even so, it took him a full twenty days to get a basic grasp of the first move.

This move is slightly better than his original Azure Sky God-Slaying Whip.

"No wonder Bai Tong was so confident that this set of boxing techniques was considered top-grade even among four-star techniques."

Guan Luoyang sighed slightly, then took out his phone and opened the chat interface with Bai Tong.

Luoyang: Your family's boxing style is really hard to learn.

Tongbai: It's already quite difficult for a three-star to learn a four-star technique. If you really feel it's not suitable, you can go back to the base, sell that scroll, and find something else. Anyway, converted to base time, you've only had less than four days of rest.

Luoyang: No need for that. Although it's difficult, I've already made progress.

Tongbai: I'm serious. After you memorize that fist technique, you can totally go to the base and sell it for some points. The base has restrictions on the number of times manuals can be sold, similar to a patent, but they don't care what we do in the mission world. I'm even planning to find an auction house in this base world and list that fist technique there.

Luoyang: You're really something, playing like this!

Tongbai: This is normal practice, right? A large portion of my wealth was accumulated through this kind of method.

Tongbai: There's something I'm not sure if I should say, but it's true, you're just too slow on the uptake in this regard.

Tongbai: Next time you have similar resources, you might as well let me handle them. (Hands on hips.JPG)

Luoyang: Tsk tsk, you're really energetic online. Well, if you come back from the next mission with something similar, I'll ask you to handle it.

Tongbai: What do you mean by "online"? I'm even more sharp-tongued in real life!

Tongbai: The museum's money has been transferred to your account. Lu Chunhua is almost successful these next few days. Do you want to come over for a get-together? Her friends are quite interesting; no wonder they know so many secrets despite having only average combat power.

Luoyang: Forget it, let's practice boxing instead of having a party. Let me know when she succeeds, and I'll send her a video to congratulate her.

Tongbai: Um, there's something else. Have you thought about forming a team?

Guan Luoyang paused, his finger hovering over the screen, and pondered for a moment.

[Luoyang: I heard that the Main God Space has a set of evaluation standards for missions assigned to formal reincarnators. Missions issued to solo reincarnators have a fixed level of danger. If a team is formed, the strength of the entire team will be comprehensively evaluated, and the level of danger will still be within that fixed range.]

Tongbai: That's what they say, but the actual situation is ever-changing, and many people still feel that having teammates is more reliable.

Tongbai: Moreover, our base seems to encourage team formation; apparently, quite a few people have been temporarily grouped up and thrown into mission worlds.

Luoyang: Is that even possible?

Tongbai: Of course. But I just wanted you to think about it. There's no rush. I only have one three-person team contract right now. Even if we both agree to team up, we can't meet the requirements right now.

That means you don't have a second trustworthy friend at the base.

Guan Luoyang originally intended to say that, but upon closer reflection, he realized that he himself was the same.

However, he is quite confident in his ability to make friends. The reason he has few friends among the reincarnators is simply because he is still a novice in this area.

Guan Luoyang was so certain of this.

He just didn't expect that the opportunity to make new friends among the reincarnators would come knocking on his head so quickly.

After more than sixty days in the base world, which is equivalent to the base's rest days, only three days remain.

Guan Luoyang suddenly received a message from the main god.

【Dear Reincarnator, your next mission world already has the officially recognized Reincarnator team "White Bones, Pure Heart, Honesty and Integrity" in existence, and they will be issuing hostile missions.】

Dear Reincarnator, you have been assigned a temporary team contract. The account numbers of your two teammates are as follows: XX……, XX…….

The temporary team contract has automatically taken effect. You can use the remaining rest time to contact your teammates by their ID number and get to know them.

(End of this chapter)