"What's wrong? If you think my offer is too low, I'll add another hundred thousand!"
Wen Ding Cang Sheng, who had just started to stand up, sat back down, assuming Jiang Yuan stopped him because he felt shortchanged. He looked at Jiang Yuan as he spoke.
"No, no, no, brother, you've misunderstood."
Seeing that Wen Ding Cang Sheng had gotten the wrong idea, Jiang Yuan quickly waved his hand and continued, "Since you've already named a price for the super-mythical weapon, given our relationship, why would I haggle? I wanted to ask if you could lend me the Immortal Crystal Beads for now. I'll return them all once you reach level 100."
Among the four of them, only Jiang Yuan had reached level 100. Wen Ding Cang Sheng was at level 91, Hamster Pudding at 89, and Ding Ye at 88. Aside from Wen Ding Cang Sheng, who also needed the Immortal Crystal Beads to exchange for Immortal Foundation, Hamster Pudding and Ding Ye didn't need them yet.
"Sure!"
"No problem!"
"Okay!"
The other three nodded in unison and almost simultaneously sent Jiang Yuan trade requests.
After trading over all the Immortal Crystal Beads that Wen Ding Cang Sheng, Hamster Pudding, and Ding Ye had found, Jiang Yuan glanced at the number—nearly sixty thousand!
Calculating at a rate of one Immortal Crystal Bead for 10 Immortal Foundation points, Jiang Yuan had now amassed over 600,000 Immortal Foundation points, enough to upgrade to a sixth-rank Loose Immortal!
"Alright, I'm all set here. What about you guys?"
Jiang Yuan looked at the other three, smiled, and asked.
"I don't have much to do either. I'll head to the auction house to sell off those mythical pieces, then return to the sect headquarters and log off to handle some business matters. It just so happens the game's updating today."
Wen Ding Cang Sheng stretched lazily and replied with a smile.
"Updating today? When?"
Jiang Yuan was taken aback by Wen Ding Cang Sheng's words and asked.
"Oh! You didn't know? The official website announced it ages ago! The servers will go down for maintenance at 5 PM today, lasting about five hours!"
Hamster Pudding looked at Jiang Yuan in surprise. The official website of *Myriad Realms* had posted the update notice days ago.
"Alright, I really had no idea."
Jiang Yuan had been holed up in his dorm playing games these past few days, aside from attending classes, completely unaware of any update.
"I'll head back to the sect to handle some applications from people wanting to join, then log off and go shopping with my bestie! Hehe!"
Hamster Pudding giggled. Girls naturally had a fiery passion for shopping.
"Yeah, I'll exchange the Immortal Crystal Beads and then log off to rest a bit."
Jiang Yuan nodded to the group, said his goodbyes, and stood up to leave the private room.
"Let's go together."
Wen Ding Cang Sheng, Hamster Pudding, and Ding Ye also rose and followed Jiang Yuan downstairs.
They parted ways outside the tavern, each off to handle their own affairs.
Jiang Yuan opened his mini-map, searched for the NPC that exchanged Immortal Foundation points, and headed straight for the marked spot.
"Honorable warrior, how may I assist you?"
The NPC in charge of exchanging Immortal Foundation was named "Fang Haiping." Seeing Jiang Yuan approach, he immediately asked with a smile.
"Hello, I'd like to exchange for Immortal Foundation points."
Jiang Yuan stated his purpose.
"Very well!"
As Fang Haiping spoke, Jiang Yuan received a system prompt.
"Ding! Do you wish to accept the quest 'Exchange Immortal Foundation'? Upon completion, all Immortal Crystal Beads in your inventory will be consumed!"
Jiang Yuan agreed, and the quest appeared in his log, followed by a countdown timer.
Ten seconds later, the over sixty thousand Immortal Crystal Beads in Jiang Yuan's inventory vanished, and a new attribute bar for Immortal Foundation points appeared on his quest panel, displaying /.
"Honorable warrior, your current Immortal Foundation points have reached the standard for promotion to a first-rank Loose Immortal. Would you like to proceed with the promotion?"
Fang Haiping noticed Jiang Yuan's overflowing Immortal Foundation points and asked.
"Please, help me with the promotion!"
Jiang Yuan nodded, feeling a bit impatient.
"Certainly! Please pay a fee of 50 gold coins to proceed."
Fang Haiping extended his hand to Jiang Yuan.
After paying promptly, Jiang Yuan crossed his arms and waited quietly for the promotion.
Fang Haiping raised his right hand, pointed a finger at Jiang Yuan's brow, and a flash of white light passed. Jiang Yuan felt a pleasant sensation coursing through his body, then heard Fang Haiping say, "Honorable warrior, the promotion is complete. Congratulations on breaking through to the Loose Immortal realm!"
[Character Name]: Jiang Yuan [Character Class]: Nine-Soul Summoner [Character Level]: 100 [Character Realm]: First-Rank Loose Immortal [Character Immortal Foundation]: / (Overflowing, realm can be upgraded at level 110) [Soul Level]: 0 [HP]: [MP]: [Immortal Power]: 1000 [Magic Attack]: 8600- [Physical Defense]: 6300 [Magic Defense]: 7100 [Strength]: 234 (Affects physical attack and physical defense) [Intelligence]: 375 (Affects magic attack and magic defense) [Constitution]: 321 (Affects HP and HP recovery speed) [Spirit]: 359 (Affects MP and MP recovery speed) [Agility]: 230 (Affects physical and magic crit rate) [Toughness]: 210 (Reduces physical and magic damage taken) [Attribute Enhancement]: Fire 60, Ice 70, Light 50, Dark 50 [Attribute Resistance]: Fire 45, Ice 45, Light 45, Dark 45 [Equipped Gear]: Sage's Wand, Sun-Eclipsing Radiance Pauldrons, Wind-Frost Snow-Shadow Robe, Shadow-Severing Sorrow Belt, Flame-Annihilating Trousers, Leisurely Cloud-Step Boots, Ancient Archmage Earrings, Super-Power Demon Stone Ring, Netherstone Necklace [Learned Skills]: Summon Beast Frenzy, Summon Boar, Arcane Mark, Summon Beast Follow, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Ice Arrow, Soul Sacrifice, Nine-Soul Summon Prairie Wolf, Nine-Soul Summon Mang Mountain Bear, Nine-Soul Summon Thunder Marsh Bull, Nine-Soul Summon Dragon Beard Tiger, Summon Beast Enhancement
Opening his character panel, Jiang Yuan noticed several new special attributes: Character Realm, Character Immortal Foundation, Soul, and Immortal Power.
The first two were easy to understand, but he had no idea what the latter two were for.
Checking the time, there were less than two hours until the server update. Jiang Yuan decided to visit the City Lord's Mansion to consult Song Shichang, who was also a first-rank Loose Immortal, and to pick up Meow Meow, whom he had left there.
"Haha! Brother Jiang Yuan, you've broken through to Loose Immortal so quickly? Truly a promising young man!"
In the back garden of the City Lord's Mansion, Ping'an City's lord, Song Shichang, looked Jiang Yuan up and down with surprise, then laughed heartily, patting his shoulder in praise.
"City Lord Song, I've just advanced and am still unfamiliar with the Loose Immortal realm. I've come specially to seek your guidance. Please forgive any intrusion."
Jiang Yuan bowed politely to Song Shichang.
"No trouble at all! Brother Jiang Yuan, feel free to ask anything. I'll share all I know! Come, have a seat!"
After they took their seats as host and guest, Jiang Yuan began inquiring about the uses of Soul and Immortal Power.
"City Lord Song, what exactly is the Soul?"
Jiang Yuan looked at Song Shichang with a face full of curiosity.
"Upon entering the Loose Immortal realm, the mana within begins to transform, gradually evolving into Immortal Power. The strength of the Soul determines the level of Immortal Power. For Loose Immortals, a first-rank has a Soul level of 1, second-rank 2, and so on. When you reach ninth-rank Loose Immortal, your Soul level hits 9, and then the Heavenly Tribulation arrives. Only by overcoming it can you break through and ascend to the Earth Immortal realm!"
Song Shichang finished speaking, smiled warmly at Jiang Yuan, then picked up the fragrant tea a maid had brought and took a sip.
"Wow! There's a Heavenly Tribulation too?"
Jiang Yuan was slightly startled, thinking to himself, *I'm just playing a game—why does it feel like I'm cultivating immortality?*
"Indeed! The tribulation for Loose Immortals is called the First-Nine Heavenly Tribulation. After that comes the Second-Nine for Earth Immortals, the Third-Nine for Spirit Immortals. The more tribulations you overcome, the stronger you become. If you can survive the Eighth-Nine Tribulation and achieve the Heavenly Sovereign realm, even in the mighty Immortal Realm, you'd be a Buddha or a patriarch!"
As Song Shichang spoke, his eyes gleamed with admiration, clearly showing his intense desire for advancement.
"By the way, City Lord Song. Last time I returned, I forgot to take Meow Meow with me. Where is she now?"
After finishing his questions and resolving his doubts, Jiang Yuan asked Song Shichang, then stood up and looked around, searching for the Persian cat he hadn't seen in a while.
"She just finished the dried fish the servants prepared and is probably curled up in some corner snoring away! Haha!"
Song Shichang laughed heartily. The Persian cat Jiang Yuan had left with him spent its days eating and sleeping, but the household staff adored it and often brought it dried fish.
"Alright, I'll go look for her. You go ahead with your work!"
Jiang Yuan clasped his hands to Song Shichang and began searching the back garden for Meow Meow's hiding spot.
"Meow Meow? Where are you? Meow Meow?"
Jiang Yuan called out as he bent down, searching the secluded corners of the garden.
Before long, he found the Persian cat curled up in a ball in the gap between some flowerpots, fast asleep and even snoring softly.
"Meow Meow! I've missed you so much! Haha!"
Jiang Yuan scooped up the sleeping cat and buried his face in her soft fur, rubbing vigorously.
"Meow! Meow!"
Startled awake, Meow Meow looked annoyed, kicking her hind legs in the air to protest Jiang Yuan's "invasion"!
After so long apart, Meow Meow had put on a bit of weight but was still as cute as ever. Perhaps thanks to the good food, her fur gleamed with a healthy sheen.
Just then, a system prompt suddenly rang out.
"Ding! The server will shut down in 100 seconds. All players, please prepare to log off!"