Chapter 172

After setting a goal, Chen Shicheng's vigor in killing the creatures grew stronger and stronger.

The only named entity here is Chen Shicheng; the lingling is just a creature type, not a proper name.

He still had a repeatable quest: killing each lingling earned 10 points, and those points could be exchanged for treasures in the Huoyao Bu's treasury.

Named entity: Huoyao Bu (from glossary). The quest is generic, not a proper name, so only Huoyao Bu is a named entity.

The Huoyao Bu has possessed the Fusang grove for either eight hundred or a thousand years, yet he still doubts there are any Fusang leaves stored there.

Named entity: Huoyao Bu again. The Fusang grove is a type of tree, not a proper name, so it is not included.

Even if there really were none, he still wouldn't believe it, taking hundreds of lingling heads over, yet still unable to exchange them for a leaf that held more symbolic than practical value for them. Chen Shicheng thus frantically farmed with full vigor for two days.

Named entity: Chen Shicheng again.

On the afternoon of the third day, the other side of the Tree Hole had shown no sign of lingling for several hours; it was unclear whether the lingling had become suspicious or he had slain every hungry one.

Named entity: Tree Hole (from glossary). The lingling is not a proper name.

Looking at the 98 lingling skulls in his storage slot, Chen Shicheng returned to the Huoyao Bu with apprehension, and after the notification entered the chief's stilted house.

Named entity: Huoyao Bu; the chief refers to the Fire Crow Clan Chief.

Also, the notification is perhaps generic.

After entering, he said nothing, simply taking out all the lingling skulls and setting them up before the Fire Crow Clan Chief as a monument about a meter high.

Named entity: Fire Crow Clan Chief again.

"Are all these yours that you killed?" the Fire Crow Clan Chief said, stunned.

Named entity: Fire Crow Clan Chief.

"That's right, too bad I didn't collect a hundred." Chen Shicheng sat back down, saying, "These skulls are worth 980 points; I don't know what I can exchange them for in the Huoyao Bu's treasury."

Named entities: Chen Shicheng and Huoyao Bu.

What can be exchanged for? According to value, you can freely choose any item, as long as it's in the treasury. Just thinking that the tribe's most precious treasure would be taken by Chen Shicheng, an outsider, made the Fire Crow Clan Chief's face twitch a few times, a flicker of regret crossing his eyes.

Named entities: Fire Crow Clan Chief and Chen Shicheng.

Who would have thought that the elusive lingling, in Chen Shicheng's hands, would be as helpless as a child unable to resist, and in just two days he'd slain nearly a hundred of them? If he'd known earlier, he might have said, "What's wrong? Perhaps these aren't enough; give me two more days and I'll get you a hundred skulls." Chen Shicheng deliberately stood up, making as if to leave.

Named entity: Chen Shicheng. The lingling is not a proper name.

No, come with me; the tribe's treasury is at the mountain's summit.

The tribe's treasury likely refers to the Fire Crow Tribe's treasury, but since the exact term does not appear, we do not treat it as a separate named entity.

The Fire Crow Clan Chief turned bitterly, leading Chen Shicheng toward the tribe's treasury; as they drew nearer, the pressure around him dropped, and upon reaching the treasury's entrance, his face grew so grim it seemed water could drip from it.

Named entities: Fire Crow Clan Chief and Chen Shicheng.

But the words had already been spoken; he could not risk the Fire Crow Tribe's millennia-old reputation by breaking the pact, so he could only close his eyes and let Chen Shicheng enter.

Named entities: Fire Crow Tribe and Chen Shicheng.

Chief.

Named entity: Fire Crow Clan Chief.

Just as the Fire Crow Clan Chief had finished preparing to cut the meat, he suddenly heard Chen Shicheng's voice; upon opening his eyes, he saw Chen Shicheng looking up at a nearby Fusang grove, and his heart stirred.

Named entities: Fire Crow Clan Chief and Chen Shicheng.

Indeed, this young man seems to be a returnee, calling himself a player; compared to some gear, they seem to prefer spiritual items that can refine the body! "On the way here I thought about it, and I don't seem to need any gear or your tribe's treasures; rather,"

Named entity: Returnees (from glossary). The term "players" is generic, not a proper name; "tribe's" refers to the Fire Crow tribe but is not explicit, so only Returnees is a named entity.

"Do you want Fusang leaves that can increase attributes?" the Fire Crow Clan Chief asked before Chen Shicheng could finish speaking.

Named entities: Chen Shicheng and Fire Crow Clan Chief.

Hmm, indeed.

No named.

Seeing the Fire Crow Clan Chief

Fire Crow Clan Chief, Chen Shicheng.

【45】

I, the Fire Crow Clan Chief, am speaking.

【47】

Fire Crow Clan Chief, Chen Shicheng.

【49】

Fire Crow Clan Chief, Chen Shicheng.

【52】

No named.

Over the past thousand years, their tribe has amassed nearly a thousand leaves, always awarding them to those who have made great contributions to the tribe.

No explicit named.

【56】

No named.

He frowned in puzzlement—was Chen Shicheng's request really that simple? At the same time he was considering how many leaves should correspond to the 980 points. After a moment of thought, the clan chief tentatively asked, "How many do you want?"

【58】

Chen Shicheng blinked and raised a finger.

【60】

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. Those Fusang tree leaves are an essential resource for us; a hundred leaves is out of the question—we can give you at most ten!" the clan chief shook his head wildly.

【62】

Uh! Chen Shicheng was taken aback—he only wanted a single leaf, yet the Fire Crow Clan Chief handed him ten! To avoid any trouble, Chen Shicheng quickly feigned reluctance and nodded, "Ten leaves it is; I'll take the loss."

【64】

As Chen Shicheng agreed, the Fire Crow Clan Chief, wary of any mishap, hurried into the vault and handed him ten Fusang tree leaves, each the size of a large palm fan.

【66】

And so, with both sides eager, they secured a transaction that left everyone extremely satisfied.

No named.

【69】

Chen Shicheng, La Tiao (spicy snack), Tree Hole, Storage Bag.

【72】

No named.

However, when the leaf was placed on the turtle shell, it appeared to activate an age‑old cosmic rule: true solar fire spread across the entire shell and, as if combined with a kind of accelerant, burned fiercely.

No named.

【76】

No named.

"That's enough!" Chen Shicheng waited patiently until the true solar fire was spent and the Fusang leaf dulled and turned yellow, then quickly began to scrape the turtle shell's surface with his sword.

【78】

As the "scrape-scrape" sound rang through the storage area, pieces of black ash drifted to the side under the effect of the true essence.

【80】

After Chen Shicheng scraped away all the charred residue, a small heap accumulated on the floor, weighing dozens of pounds; if processed into Zǒuyīn incense, it could produce at least a thousand finished sticks.

【82】

"Next up is the yin‑type spirit wood!"

【84】

Chen Shicheng stared at the pile of black ash and muttered to himself.

Check missing numbers: 【1】, 【14】, 【33? we have 【33】, 【41】, 【45】, 【46】, 【47】, 【48】, 【49】, 【50】, 【51?】, 【52】, 【53?】, 【54】, 【55?】, 【56】, 【57】, 【58】, 【59】, 【60】, 【61】, 【62】, 【63】, 【64】, 【65】, 【66】, 【67?】, 【68】, 【69】, 【70】, 【71?】, 【72】, 【73?】, 【74】, 【75?】, 【76】, 【77】, 【78】, 【79】, 【80】, 【81】, 【82】, 【83】, 【84】, 【85】.

(End of Chapter)