Huh? Isn't this an adventure kingdom building game?!-Chapter 76: New Side Quest

Jiang Yuan put away the parchment and looked toward the upper right corner of the system map.

Heading north to find the base of the towering tree, he could mine Profound Iron Ore. He remembered clearly that the vines hanging down from the cliff behind the house blocking the entrance of the Teleportation Array required the Profound Iron Scythe to clear.

Next, he had to keep mining heading due north, and as for encountering wandering ghosts, of course, he would leave it to the paper figures and horses to handle.

"It seems the main storyline of the wilderness ’game’ is constantly farming, infrastructure upgrading, and leveling up the home level. Only the rewards from side quests have multiple uses, having the chance to interact more with the original residents of the Otherworld allows me to trigger side missions for more and better rewards!" Jiang Yuan was full of confidence, continuing to mine with two paper figures.

[Mining skill upgraded to Level 1, Physical Strength +5]

After busying himself for most of the day, when the Storage Bag was nearly filled with Iron Ore and materials like herbs, spices, and timber obtained from the Treasure Chest opened by mining ghosts, his mining skill finally reached Level One, Jiang Yuan opened his personal interface and frowned.

Look at that, the system just doesn’t tell how long one can live, and he doesn’t have an Immortal Cultivation Level for reference, who dares to be always immersed in this world?

Returning with paper figures, he collected the trees cut down by his apprentice for half a day and the mushrooms picked into the Storage Bag. Just as he was preparing to go home to smelt iron ingots, he saw a glowing point on the map moving closer.

"Master, it’s the old lady from the Tian Family!" Wan Mingchuan, sharp-eyed, noticed a figure moving in the woodland, upon close inspection, turned out to be an old lady resembling a lifeless paper figure, he whispered, "Came just in time, a bit later and we would have ridden the golden eagle home."

Jiang Yuan also felt it was timely but thought that the spirit they worship had a spectral nature capable of divine power; it’s not surprising they calculated correctly to come here to find someone.

Sure enough, the old lady stumbled closer and said, "Young sir, our Xiang’Er says there’s something urgent and would like to ask for your help."

She remained pale with purple lips, but today her clothes were bright in color, and her voice was not as low, hoarse, and mysteriously sinister as before.

Last time Jiang Yuan heard from Tian Changgui during casual chat that the Tian Family worshipped spirits passed from mother to daughter, not to sons, the old lady was a previous caretaker, now old and free, she could come and go; Ji Xiuxiang, the current caretaker, couldn’t leave the array set by the spirits unless it was a matter of life and death.

Thinking that Tian Changgui is now in a paper figure state unable to move freely in broad daylight, hence let the old lady search for him near the old dragon cave.

He casually agreed and followed Wan Mingchuan along with the Tian old lady to the stone house.

"Mr. Jiang indeed came; I knew you are a kind person and would definitely help!" Just as they entered the courtyard of the stone house, Jiang Yuan saw a more refined paper figure sitting under the shade of a tree, barefoot, using a pestle and mortar with medicinal incense powder inside, presumably to make incense.

Tian Changgui moved slightly stiffly as he invited them inside, "The materials needed for incense making require the strength I possess to make; otherwise, with widows and orphans, they wouldn’t know how to get them."

Jiang Yuan realized, no wonder the corpse was discovered with calluses so thick on the feet, probably from constantly using the mortar pedal for incense making, indeed a labor-intensive task.

"Greetings, sir." Ji Xiuxiang emerged gracefully from the inner room and invited him to sit, "Neither my husband nor I could go out; we had to ask the old mother to find you. Luckily, divining by burning incense worked promptly, so it didn’t delay the important affair."

"I heard from the old lady there’s an urgent matter needing help, what is it?" Although the acquaintance forming was slightly dramatic and thrilling, Jiang Yuan had a fair impression of this couple; he was now relying on rewards from their side quests for his greatest advantage.

If he could trigger side missions again for useful rewards, it would be great.

But words couldn’t be taken lightly; the Otherworld posed many dangers, caution and prudence were necessary for longevity.

"It’s still about my situation." Paper figure Tian Changgui sighed, "You’ve seen it, without my labor, gathering incense-making materials is tough, how could incense be made to worship the spirits? But my misfortune was dying in the wilderness, now relying on the Soul Revival Technique to barely hide in this paper figure, escaping capture by the Yin Messenger with the spirits’ cover isn’t long-term."

[Triggered Side Quest: Yin Messenger]

[Find a way to help Tian Changgui avoid soul capture by the Yin Messenger for long-term stay in the Mortal World. Reward: Level One Soul Refining Banner +1]

Jiang Yuan’s mind moved as he began investigating the details of the Soul Refining Banner.

[Level One Soul Refining Banner: A growing Magical Artifact, capable of absorbing resentful souls and fierce ghosts, refining their vicious energy to upgrade its level. After absorbing the vicious energy of the resentful souls and fierce ghosts, they are released to reincarnation. The power of the Soul Refining Banner comes from the upgrade level by absorbing vicious energy, and the quantity and quality of fierce ghosts. Note: Absorbing too many normal ghosts without vicious energy cannot provide combat power]

This is really something good!

His eyes shone with excitement, remembering the diary page noting the old dragon cave harboring solitary souls and specters the deeper one goes, if he could complete the mission and obtain the Soul Refining Banner, wouldn’t that be perfect?

"The spirits mean..." Ji Xiuxiang’s face, as white as snow, showed some expectancy, explaining: "They can possess me to negotiate with the Yin Messenger coming to capture my husband’s soul, but due to the heavy Yin Energy of the Yin Messenger, the spirits would only have one Divine Split possess me, fearing it won’t suppress them, order me to find a man with abundant Yang Energy to oversee and negotiate terms together."

Her first thought was of the youth beside Mr. Jiang, when she first entered the courtyard; the other’s fiery aura made her feel normal discomfort.

But even that youth as hot as the morning sun was ultimately just an apprentice.

If he could cultivate with fiery blood, as his master, Mr. Jiang who had helped return her husband’s corpse is naturally stronger. If she couldn’t sense the blazing agitation, maybe he had mastered complete aura concealment, unlike the apprentice’s noticeable fiery aura outside intensely eye-catching.

Given the matter concerning her husband’s soul’s destination and the spirits’ impersonating presence, she undoubtedly should invite Mr. Jiang to handle the situation for more reliability.

"Since it’s your worshipped spirits negotiating with the Yin Messenger, what help can I be in the scene?" Jiang Yuan hesitated slightly; despite the tempting reward, dealing with mythical Yin Messenger likely won’t be a pleasant deal; otherwise, why provide a direct Magical Artifact?

Thus, he sought to learn more before deciding whether to take the task.

Ji Xiuxiang and Tian Changgui rose and bowed to him, "To be frank, since I’m only human unable to endure excessive spirits’ power possession, while the Yin Messenger responsible for capturing my husband’s soul isn’t easy to provoke. The spirits’ idea is to find a man with abundant Yang Energy to oversee, if the negotiation fails, sir could use your Yang Energy to fend off the Yin Messenger!"

He had to confront the Yin Messenger head-on?

No wonder it’s a one-off mission, completing it the system generously rewards with a Magical Artifact.

Seeing his uncertain expression, Ji Xiuxiang hurriedly explained: "There’s no need for too much concern, sir; if the negotiation truly fails, just wield your Yang Energy to repel the Yin Messenger; the spirits assure no harm would befall you. Moreover, that Yin Messenger isn’t a formal envoy from the Fengdu Underworld, merely showing Fengdu face hesitating to directly act; we’ve prepared generous gifts, and we think we could negotiate successfully."