Chapter 357

"Taiyuan, simulate the auxiliary technique of the Red Sun Great Art, with the direction aimed at reducing the difficulty of breaking through the cultivation bottleneck." After Wang Yu input the final character of the Vermilion Bird Scripture, he gave a firm order to the massive screen without hesitation.

The next moment, a golden mechanical funnel pattern suddenly appeared on the screen before him, and countless cultivation incantation characters surged wildly into it.

Then the golden funnel flipped over, and a 77% symbol emerged at its center.

At the same time, a mechanical, lifeless voice echoed through the silver hall:

"Simulation reserve data exceeds 50%. Simulation of the auxiliary technique of the Red Sun Great Art is permitted. Direction: reduce difficulty of breaking through cultivation bottleneck. Perfect simulation probability: 77%. Simulation failure probability: 8%. Substandard simulation probability: 15%."

Seventy-seven percent perfect simulation probability!

Upon hearing the system's voice, Wang Yu's eyes instantly brightened.

This probability was sufficient for him to risk using his final simulation authorization—after all, it was impossible to obtain another fire-affinity technique of the same tier in the near future.

"Taiyuan, begin formal simulation," Wang Yu said in a low voice.

"Simulation authorization check in progress… Citizen Ding Yu of Blue Star China, Special Reserve of the Blue Star Alliance, Interstellar Tactical Mech Squad member, ID GLX, Special Authorization Level: None, Temporary Simulation Authorization: 1 use remaining, simulation conditions met. Formal simulation initiated. Estimated duration: thirty-one days, twenty-eight minutes, sixteen seconds…" The mechanical, lifeless voice reverberated through the hall.

It would take a whole month?

Upon hearing this, Wang Yu's face flickered with surprise, but after a moment's thought, he understood—after all, the Red Sun Great Art was profoundly mysterious.

He rose and, as was his habit, stepped into the white light barrier on one side of the hall. The black mist within parted, revealing the white bone altar where the White Bone Yin Demon Flag stood planted.

He formed a single hand seal, and thick strands of yin energy rose from the surrounding piles of bones, rushing toward the flag.

…

Three days later.

A white jade boat flew out from Mount Tianzhu and shot toward the horizon.

On the boat, Senior Brother Xuan stood at the front, arms crossed behind his back, his soles emitting a faint yellow glow as he slowly infused spiritual energy into the spirit vessel.

Yun Caishang sat in the center, idly playing with a yellow jade slip.

Wang Yu stood at the rear, observing with interest the flickering blue spiritual runes along the boat's sides.

There were over a dozen of these blue spiritual rune shadows; each flash made the jade boat's speed increase slightly—it was a second-rank inferior flying artifact.

Wang Yu could craft many second-rank artifacts, yet none were true flying artifacts, making him deeply intrigued by this jade boat.

Among second-rank artifacts, flying ones were far rarer than attack or defense artifacts, for the primary materials required were even scarcer, and the second-rank inscriptions usable for flight were exceedingly uncommon.

The material used in this jade boat was likely second-rank "Light Spirit Jade," a uniquely tough yet weightless jade, and the inscriptions were the most common wind-affinity spiritual runes for flying artifacts—apparently a fusion of two first-rank wind-affinity spell runes, forming a second-rank hybrid inscription.

As Wang Yu silently studied it, the senior brother at the front, without turning, asked:

"Senior Sister Yun, we've left the sect gate. Can you now reveal the rendezvous point on the map?"

"Lan Yue Mountain."

Yun Caishang replied calmly, and the object in her hand vanished in a flash.

"Lan Yue Mountain? That one in Fengyuanzhou?" Senior Brother Xuan turned around in surprise.

"Correct. That is the Lan Yue Mountain in Fengyuanzhou," Yun Caishang confirmed.

Behind them, Wang Yu also looked up at the woman in red, his face showing a trace of surprise.

"Could this mission be connected to Tianhe Prefecture? Otherwise, why travel so far?" Senior Brother Xuan hesitated.

"I don't know. I'm simply following the location recorded in the jade slip," Yun Caishang replied with a smile.

"I recall the Lan Yue Mountain range is a famous mountain system in Fengyuanzhou. Though it lacks spiritual veins, it spans a thousand li. Does the map specify exactly where within Lan Yue Mountain?" Wang Yu asked slowly, recalling the geographical texts he had studied.

"The map does contain the precise location. I'll inform you both once we reach the Lan Yue Mountain range. By the way, according to the jade slip, we must arrive within half a month," Yun Caishang said lightly.

"Understood."

This time, Senior Brother Xuan replied with only a single word, then lightly tapped the sole of his foot against the artifact beneath him.

Instantly, the jade boat turned and flew off in another direction, its speed increasing by a third.

Seeing this, Wang Yu's expression turned thoughtful.

…

More than ten days later, above a mist-shrouded valley at the heart of the Lan Yue Mountain range.

Suddenly, a streak of green light shot across the horizon, within which a massive green mechanical bird could be faintly seen, its back bearing three figures: two men and one woman.

After several flashes, the green light appeared above the valley and faded, revealing the three individuals' faces.

Both men wore green martial attire. One appeared around fifty, his hair streaked with gray, carrying a green long case half his height on his back. The other looked only twenty-seven or twenty-eight, handsome, with two sheathed long blades crossed behind his back.

The woman appeared to be in her early twenties, slender with refined features, but her face was icy. A golden silk sash was tucked at her waist, and she wore two bracelets—one green, one yellow—on her wrists. Two bulging pouches hung at her hips.

The man around fifty glanced down at the valley below, then pulled a glowing white jade slip from his sleeve, nodded, and said to the other two:

"This must be it. Senior Brother Feng, Senior Sister Tian, let's descend."

He formed a hand seal, and the giant mechanical bird beneath them flapped its wings, carrying all three directly down into the mist.

Half a day later.

The sound of breaking air echoed again from afar—a streak of golden light arrived.

Within the golden light, a golden serpent, enormous and gleaming, carried three monks in black robes, diving straight into the valley below.

Two days later.

Another white jade boat appeared on the distant horizon, flashed several times, and arrived above the valley, descending into it as well.

…

Wang Yu stood at the rear of the jade boat, eyes half-lidded.

The white jade boat was wrapped in green light; ahead, the red-dressed woman held a glowing yellow jade slip, and the mist parted wherever the boat passed.

In an instant, the jade boat carried the three into the valley's depths.

But barely a hundred zhang into the valley, a thunderous tiger roar erupted ahead, followed by the rumbling clash of battle from deep within.

Yun Caishang and Senior Brother Xuan exchanged glances, their expressions turning wary.

Wang Yu frowned slightly, then released a tendril of spiritual sense, sweeping it forward.