Chapter 216: He Will Return Like Lightning!!!

Because of its smooth, translucent golden surface, Ji Ming subconsciously took it for a gold‑made imitation laurel crown.

But when he carefully extracted it, the feeling on his fingertips was extremely strange.

Hiss, could it be…

He quickly activated Saint's Judgment and found the accessory was indeed not simple.

【Name: Unnamed Laurel Crown】

【Description: A holy relic crafted from the tender branches of a holy tree, possessing various marvelous magical effects】

Oh, so it's woven from the branches and leaves of a special plant; I thought it was plastic sprayed with a layer of metallic paint…

Wait, a Holy Laurel Tree?

As the namesake of the Holy Tree Kingdom, every inch of it is like a relic, especially the tender branches on the main trunk.

Although renewable, its special structure makes it grow extremely slowly, making it one of the world's most precious materials.

This is also the fundamental reason that only the Lord of the Nine Surnames can manage to obtain a golden laurel crown.

—It's not that the elves are stingy; they truly can't afford it.

Nevertheless, no matter how little the output at this stage, with enough merit and a lifespan of a thousand or eight hundred years, one can eventually get one.

But after the kingdom's fall, the massive laurel tree at the center of the Great Zelkova Forest withered and died.

Thus, when the northern dukes of the Deep Forest Kingdom want to prove their "noble lineage," they can only use refined gold for imitation.

However splendid refined gold is, it can't compare to a true divine gift.

Even if master artisans carve it meticulously, it's merely superficial.

So…

Is the one I'm holding now the same model from back then, or an extra‑made wild laurel crown that ended up outside for other reasons?

Or perhaps…

Grandma, why are you still treating me as an outsider? You have the ability yet you don't tell me?

He mutters silently, and Ji Ming proceeds to the next line.

【Warning: Because it was once soaked with the heart‑blood of a soul‑stealing demon, it has been cleansed of all past, cannot be divined, cannot be calculated】

Huh???

He examined it closely, cutting it into a laser‑eye shape for a hardcore scrub, to see if the curse could be broken.

But considering that if it backfired, a violent old lady might hang him up to beat him, he ultimately gave up.

Next came three full lines of equipment effects, each more powerful than the last.

【Effect – Protection of the Holy Tree: Can raise a magical shield, and automatically activates when encountering magic beyond the user's level】

【Effect – Blessing of the Holy Tree: When performing magical modeling, the computational thought becomes clearer】

【Effect – Inheritance of the Holy Tree: When performing magical modeling, one may choose to expend an extra one‑third of mental power to duplicate spells】

Very good and powerful; it's the strongest treasure Ji Ming has encountered so far.

If he were a mage, he'd already have written the old lady into his family tree and chosen the most auspicious burial spot for his ancestors in advance.

Even if he isn't, this magical shield counts as a divine artifact for preventing assassinations and over‑level challenges, perfect for Ji Ming, the level‑grinding monster.

After reading the entire crown's description, Ji Ming still decided to ask in detail about the strangest part.

"Ms. Buluowa, where did you obtain this laurel crown, and why did I sense a strange aura?"

"Don't think about it, this is something I quietly collected after the kingdom's fall…"

The old lady instinctively began reciting the prepared excuse, but realized halfway through.

"... how did you notice?"

"I'm a Divine Chosen Saint, isn't it normal to have some means of discerning the strange?"

God of Holy Light: byd again treats me as a loan… uh, this time it's really me, so it's fine…

Buluowa fell silent for a moment; being old and tongue‑tied, she simply forced an explanation.

"Perhaps because when it was out in the world, one of its owners was a strange creature."

"I only obtained it recently; the previous owner was mysterious, so I don't know much else."

Seeing the old lady's "believe it or not, I might as well not give it to you" attitude, Ji Ming had to go along.

"Ah, right, right…"

He then asked again.

"But this is exclusive to the Sacred Nine Surnames; will I have any trouble using it?"

"If it were back then, it could indeed represent many things, but now…"

"Even the executioner could don it as a crown; what meaning does it still have?"

Saying that, Buluowa let out a horror‑movie‑level laugh.

"Moreover, back when the Absolute Cliff God was still alive, he was friendly with the Holy Light God; after the kingdom's fall, the Holy Light Church sheltered the most refugees."

"So, as a Holy Light Chosen, you will obtain and wear elf‑related treasures without issue."

"After all, elves live long; many who experienced those days are still alive, so related old items naturally surface."

Indeed, at its core it's just a decorative piece…

Besides, I've surfed the web and memorized so many curses and catchphrases; can't that make me a modern poet?

In short, wearing a laurel crown showcases one's poet identity or something.

Fit! Emotion! Reason!

With his mind settled, Ji Ming placed it on his head.

He stood up, walked to the corner, and checked himself in the dressing mirror, finding the crown a bit large but fairly fitting.

Unfortunately, whether it's the Clinic doctors, the Soul‑spirit Holy Seat, or the Holy Light Church, their uniforms are all primarily white and gold.

If they gave me a purple one, I wouldn't end up being reborn as a Roman Emperor right there.

……What's wrong? Even those barbarians can pretend to be Romans, so us old Qin people just can't?

No more talk, I'm Jun Shiyi, Feixin v me 50; wait for me to return like lightning, I'll reign over Istanbul, I'll immediately bestow you…

Bang!

Just then, his surroundings suddenly rippled with green light.

Looking back, he saw Lao Nv Shi shoot a vine from her fingertips.

But before it could reach his waist, the huge level gap caused the laurel crown's shield to automatically block it.

"Tsk, if I had known I wouldn't have given it to you…"

Retracting her magic, Buluowa gave a cold snort.

"Don't laugh like a little girl in a new dress, come back!"

"Isn't this the thing you gave me?"

As courtesy demands, having received such a precious gift, Ji Ming couldn't just show no reaction.

He rummaged through the storage room, then decided to stick to the old way of the real world and send some health supplements to the elderly to nourish their bodies.

So he rubbed his ring and took out a small wooden box that he had Grissen custom-make.

"This is a new potion I just developed, an upgraded version of the rejuvenation elixir, greatly beneficial to the body; please accept it."

"Yo, I didn't expect to get any benefit out of you, you miser."

Although she didn't spare him in words, Buluowa still looked quite happy to receive the return gift.

After taking off and storing the laurel crown, Ji Ming also intended to take his leave.

"Then I won't disturb your rest and healing; remember to take care of yourself."

Having said that, he turned and left, but before he could even step out of the shop door, he was called back.

"Wait a moment."

"Is there anything else you need? Would you like me to check your wound?"

"No."

Leaning on her cane, she stood up; Buluowa raised her head.

"These days you haven't been in Sunlight City; I feel you've become much more lax than before, just thinking about how to make money."

"Perfect, now that you've stepped down from your duties at the Clinic, the church won't need you for anything either, so you're not busy for the time being, right?"

"Then over the next few days, I'll put you through tactical special training; you need to prepare yourself to endure hardship."

Special training…

"And it's still several days?"

"With the intensity of your pure combat teaching, I'll definitely be beaten to death!"

Ji Ming quietly stepped back.

"But you're injured, isn't it too hard for the elderly?"

"It's fine, anyway you can't beat me; just consider it loosening up your muscles and bones."

"Wait a moment, I'm not ready; I suddenly remembered I still have something to do… ah!"

Happy times always pass quickly; the sun hidden behind the thick clouds slowly set, and Sunlight City welcomed another night.

"Grandma, goodbye; actually I don't really want to see you, but since I ought to, I will… sigh, forget it, let's just leave it at that."

Watching Ji Ming sway and limp back to the Clinic, Buluowa let out a faint sigh.

Actually, after getting to know him for a while, she found that Ji Ming wasn't as pure, kind, honest, and brave as she had imagined.

Beneath his facade of being a good person, he was actually cunning to the core, even deceitful.

If it were her from back then, she would immediately kick such a hypocritical gentleman out of the house and never associate with him again.

But after experiencing such a great upheaval and so many hardships, she also came to understand a lot.

"If one wants to do something big, some unorthodox wisdom is still necessary, even if it's petty."

"Perhaps this is why the Holy Light God of Orderly Good would choose him as its divine select; indeed, the virtuous need such a person to exist."

"No wonder the Holy Light God gave Ji Ming special treatment, granting him the right to teleport to the Abyssal Realm to grind monsters and level up."

Moreover, although Ji Ming has no talent for orthodox magic and martial arts, he is still quite diligent in practicing martial arts.

Just a few lessons, and he could go from a complete novice to a skilled spear practitioner able to spar with me.

Such rapid growth could also be called divine-speed progress among my many students.

It's not in vain that I've done so much for him; I even deliberately sought a way to remove the curse on the laurel crown.

But this damned soul-stealing demon is really…

Dragging her body, which still ached faintly to this day, she sat with some difficulty behind the counter.

Even if the information is wrong, her strength is far inferior to what it was back then, but it shouldn't be this hard to fight, right?

Feeling the strength still continuously draining from her limbs and bones, she let out a soft sigh.

"Time's running short; we still need to hurry!"

She had originally wanted to lie on the table to rest a bit, but her outstretched arm accidentally touched something.

Taking a closer look, she saw it was the potion Ji Ming had given her.

…

"It's always other people's gifts; not opening them to look is too impolite."

Opening the box lid, as a gift box specially made by Ji Ming, the interior design is naturally top‑notch.

So high‑end that Buluowa, who has only one arm, fumbled for ages, and even had to use magic to pull it out before finally succeeding in taking a bottle from the groove.

"Damn it, tomorrow I'll keep increasing the force; I must beat him until he can't get up!"

She cursed in her heart and twisted open the bottle cap.

But before she could even smell it, an extremely sweet fragrance surged into her nostrils.

Alright, this kid's talent for brewing potions is indeed strong.

He can already rival those Iris Clan alchemists who clearly are alchemists but always like to make potions taste like liquor.

With her mood naturally improving, she decided to first try a bottle cap.

But as soon as the potion entered her mouth, it slid straight down her throat.

「Huh？」

What's going on? I haven't even tasted anything, and I already drank it down.

In order to savor it properly, she immediately poured another bottle cap.

「No……」

Then another bottle cap.

「Wait a moment……」

But she tried several times in a row, all failed, and could only helplessly stop.

It's not that she didn't want to drink it, but the bottle was already empty.

Suppressing the urge to rinse the bottle with water, she touched her own uneven face, full of wounds and scars.

「This feeling…… this feeling is……」

「What an unpleasant feeling! 」

After finally getting a chance to rest, Lao Nv Shi directly assigned her a seven‑day intensive training session without a word.

Going to the church for one‑on‑one high‑intensity punishment is worse than staying in the Clinic to do an afternoon surgery.

Moreover, last time he only needed fifteen points of strength and agility to keep up in battle, but this time he had to raise it to twenty before he could barely keep pace.

To explain his rapid progress, he could only once again bring out the emblem of the Holy Light God.

Indicating that, for breaking the Evil God's plot and earning great merit, he gained the right to go to the Abyss for an upgrade once per day.

But at this rate, even his remaining thirty‑two free attribute points probably won't last long.

No way, it looks like he really has to find a way to level up!

Thinking this, Ji Ming hurried to the Mortuary.

「Grind hard, today I will advance to Official Alchemist! 」

Meanwhile, as he randomly picked lucky wild monsters and ruthlessly farmed experience.

At the Forge Workshop, a tall green figure was trying out the double‑bladed battle axe he had pre‑ordered.

This is naturally because he had already broken through to Apprentice Level and decided to spend a sum of money to upgrade from a bird gun to a cannon for the 【Slayer Goblin】.

Actually, with the Goblin Chieftain's talent advantage, he could have already achieved financial freedom.

But who made him now have a guild and a whole nest of goblins to feed?

On the second day of the server launch, after proposing the idea of building a goblin tribe based on the chieftain's identity, he immediately came to the Southern Stream.

Here the biological composition is extremely complex, and naturally there are also some scattered goblins present.

And upon seeing Sha Ge, who stood like an iron tower, driven by bloodline instinct, they immediately pledged their loyalty and obedience.

By the time he had walked all the way from the stream's source to the vicinity of the lake, dozens of little green skins were following behind him.

With this many members, in the Player Guild he would already be considered invincible under the Three Gods.

Unfortunately, because they are too weak and each fights on their own, they look increasingly frail.

Let alone developing goblin warriors or even warrior‑level beings, they can't even manage basic physical health.

No choice, Sha Ge had to personally step in and chop up several wild boar beasts for food.

And after eating their first full meal in life, this group of little green skins immediately pledged maximum loyalty, kowtowing until their foreheads hit the ground.

「Thank you, I don't eat raw meat, and I'll also try not to make you eat it. 」

After refusing the little goblin's share, Sha Ge suddenly recalled a hot topic on Zhihu.

「Does this count as being transmigrated to ancient times to corvée labor, with three daily meals of gruel and pickled vegetables enough? 」