Chapter 56: System Mall Shows Its Power Again!

Black Feather Boat like a fallen raven feather, silently slashed through the heavy night sky.

In the cabin, the air seemed frozen, more than thirty hearts hanging in their throats, even breathing carried a cautious tremor.

In a corner, a few young clan members huddled in their mothers' arms, pale faces, earnestly trying to practice the newly learned Basic Concealing Breath Art by sitting cross‑legged like the adults.

But this thing was, for them, harder than soaring to the heavens; Spiritual Power raged wildly inside, let alone gathering breath, they were grateful just not to gasp.

Even some slightly less cultivated adult clan members furrowed brows, sweat beading at their temples, clearly the effect was minimal.

Wang Shan stood at the bow, taking it all in, the lines on his face deepening further.

This Concealing Breath Art performed even worse than he expected.

He settled his mind, his consciousness sinking again into the system interface in his mind.

On the virtual Light Screen, the status diagram of the Black Feather Boat kept flashing warnings.

The damaged area of the Energy Core was even more severe than his earlier inspection; the hastily affixed Spirit Glue Wood and Stable Flow Silk were like a few band‑aids on a critical patient, barely keeping it running, a mere stopgap.

The flying boat's speed was as slow as an old ox pulling a broken cart; let alone the lightning pace a Second Order Magic Artifact should have, just staying intact was a win.

Worse still, the Upper Grade Spirit Stone powering the core consumed energy at a startling rate, literally burning money! No, burning life!

"Beep—" the system's cold prompt sounded in his mind:

【Warning: Detected that Zhuren and surrounding units are using Basic Concealing Breath Art of too low a level, resulting in extremely poor Spiritual Sense detection for Foundation Establishment cultivators, with detection probability exceeding 95%. It is recommended to immediately upgrade the Concealing Breath Art or purchase higher‑grade Concealing Items.】

Wang Shan's eyelids twitched wildly.

As expected!

This broken Concealing Breath Art was utterly unreliable! He hurriedly opened the System Mall, his eyes scanning rapidly.

【Advanced Concealing Breath Art (passive skill, significantly reduces the chance of one's Spiritual Energy Fluctuation being detected, offers some effect for early Foundation Establishment): 2000 Spirit Plant Points】

【One-time Concealing Talisman (high‑efficacy Concealing Talisman, after activation creates a concealment field that greatly reduces the chance of being locked by Spiritual Sense, lasts for the burn time of an incense stick, effective for Foundation Establishment Middle Stage and below): 1500 Spirit Plant Points】

Looking at the two options, Wang Shan could only feel a toothache.

The Advanced Concealing Breath Art is good, a one‑time fix, but it costs 2000 points; he currently has, after rough calculation, only 【Spirit Plant Points: 2128】.

Buying the Concealing Breath Art would leave him completely broke, with no emergency Spirit Plant Points left.

The One-time Concealing Talisman is cheaper, only 1500 points, strong effect, but only lasts a single incense stick; once used it's gone, a pure consumable.

That really… makes one go bald.

With his current meager funds, he was only able to regain some points by previously Batch Ripening Spirit Plants; otherwise it would be worse. Now he must choose a long‑term insurance, though it might block him now; or a temporary lifeline, gambling that he can earn more points later?

Damn it, I'm betting!

In this situation, surviving the present is the priority! Any long‑term plan requires a life first!

"Redeem! 【One-time Concealing Talisman】!" Wang Shan snarled in his mind, clenching his back molars.

【Spirit Plant Points -1500】

Seeing only 628 Spirit Plant Points left, Wang Shan's heart twitched. This thing is truly pricey! He hopes it's worth it. He will keep the Talisman in his hand, ready to use it when something feels off or if he truly gets locked, to buy time.

But relying on a single Talisman is still too passive. Damn it, this Spirit Plant Point consumption is too rapid; he must find a way to replenish!

"Zhize!" Wang Shan turned around.

Wang Zhize stepped forward immediately: "Father, your command."

"Take out from Wan Hong's old dog's storage bag all those spirit medicines— the younger ones, easy to cultivate— and bring them to me!"

"Yes!" Wang Zhize, not daring to delay, hurriedly rummaged his own storage bag, soon presenting a heap of spirit medicines still smelling of earth and some seed‑like items.

Wang Shan took them, his mind shifting, and re‑entered the system space with the items. He deftly located the Batch Planting function, sowing all the spirit medicines and seeds at once. Then, staring at the remaining 628 Spirit Plant Points, he gritted his teeth.

"【Batch Ripening】! Choose the fastest‑maturing ones, like Respiratory Grass, Coagulating Blood Flower and the like! Use up all the points!"

【Spirit Plant Points -500】

Light flashed, and several Spirit Plants in the herb patches grew, flowered, bore fruit, and ripened at a visible speed. Wang Shan hurriedly harvested them all.

【Ding! Harvested First Order Lower Grade Respiratory Grass ×50, gaining Spirit Plant Points +250】

【Ding! Harvested First Order Lower Grade Coagulating Blood Flower ×40, gaining Spirit Plant Points +200】

【Ding! Harvested First Order Middle Grade Pure Spirit Grass ×15, gaining Spirit Plant Points +300】

【Ding! Harvest…】

After the round of operations, he managed to recover roughly 800+ Spirit Plant Points.

【Spirit Plant Points: 958】

Seeing his points approach a thousand again, Wang Shan breathed a little easier. Though not much, at least he wasn't utterly penniless; he had some surplus, and his mind steadied a bit.

He didn't exit the system space immediately, but reopened the System Mall, intending to examine carefully if anything else could be useful.

Talisman pills and such are indeed important, but what he lacks now is early‑warning capability. He doesn't want to wait until a Foundation Establishment monster's Spiritual Sense sweeps his face before realizing the enemy is near.

His gaze swept the dazzling product list, and suddenly, an option he hadn't paid much attention to jumped into view.

【Environmental Scan and Early Warning (Basic Version): active‑trigger function, consumes a small amount of Spirit Plant Points to continuously scan the surrounding environment (radius ten li), providing advance warning of energy fluctuations or Spiritual Sense probes that exceed the user's level by more than two major realms. Redemption required: 1000 Spirit Plant Points.】

Scan and warn? Ten‑li radius? Advance warning?

Wang Shan's heart leapt suddenly!

This is good! This is so useful! Isn't this just a simple radar? Though the range is small, only ten li, and it's the basic version, probably enough to irritate those in late Foundation Establishment or higher, but it's still better than being blind!

But this thing costs 1000 points! He now has only 958, still short.

Damn! Just that little! Wang Shan wished he could yank the system out and beat it.

He exited the system space, looked at the pitch‑black night sky outside, then at the tense and bewildered faces of the clan members in the cabin.

No, he must get this function! Relying on that one‑time Concealing Talisman to gamble on luck is too unreliable! Fate must be in his own hands!

He re‑entered the system space, his eyes fixed on the 958 Spirit Plant Points. What else could be exchanged for points? Ah, the leftover scraps from the materials used to repair the flying boat remained.

"System, recycle these remaining materials!"

【Ding! Recycled First Order Spirit Glue Wood scraps ×3, gaining Spirit Plant Points +15】

Ding! Recycled First Order Stable Flow Silk fragments ×5, gaining Spirit Plant Points +10

Spirit Plant Points: 983

Still not enough!

Wang Shan spun frantically in the system space. Suddenly, he remembered the tattered Beast Law beast‑skin scroll he had found in Wan Hong's storage bag! Though the item is odd, will the system accept it?

He hurriedly took out the beast‑skin scroll that emitted a faint scent of blood.

"System, recycle this!"

Ding! Detected item containing special energy data 'Beast Law (tattered scroll)', analyzing… analysis complete. The item involves hidden quest clues, recycle value: 20 Spirit Plant Points. Confirm recycle?

Only 20 points? Wang Shan almost spat out a mouthful of old blood. This is something he got from a Body Refining Ninth Layer Peak master, and it's only worth 20 points? System, you're too ruthless! Still, it's better than nothing.

"Recycle!"

Spirit Plant Points: 1003

Enough!

"Exchange! 【Environmental Scan and Early Warning (Basic Version)】!" Wang Shan did not hesitate.

Spirit Plant Points -1000

Ding! 【Environmental Scan and Early Warning (Basic Version)】 function activated; each active scan lasts one incense stick duration, consuming 1 Spirit Plant Point.

Instantly, Wang Shan felt a new module appear in the system interface in his mind, like a crude circular radar scan, with a green dot at the center representing Black Feather Boat and darkness surrounding it.

Looking at the remaining 3 Spirit Plant Points, Wang Shan felt conflicted. His assets were completely stripped, truly impoverished to the point of only having his underwear left. Yet he felt an unprecedented peace. At least, he was no longer blind and deaf.

"Activate scan!" he immediately commanded.

Spirit Plant Points -1

On the radar interface, a green light wave spread from the center, scanning a ten‑li radius.

At first, aside from his own green dot, the interface was empty.

But just as the scan was about to complete a circle, suddenly, at the edge representing Luo Bay County's direction, a faint, almost imperceptible red light dot flashed sharply!

That red dot, though faint, moved at a startling speed, rushing straight toward Black Feather Boat!

Wang Shan's pupils suddenly contracted, a chill shooting from the soles of his feet straight to his celestial spirit crown!

"Not good!" he snapped his head around, low‑roaring into the cabin, "Stop all cultivation! Hold on tight! The pursuers are coming! Faster than I expected!"