Ever since the system acquired Shock Value, it had upgraded its own monitoring functions.
Previously, it could only monitor the area around the Divine Lady Temple, but now its range had expanded to cover the entire valley.
It was a massive upgrade.
Consequently, the moment Shen Jue appeared in the valley, the system locked onto him through the monitoring screen.
It couldn't help but remark, “Host, you really are as wise as a god. The male lead actually came.”
“Should we go out and show our face?”
“Tongzi, I am currently playing the role of a Divine Lady. If I just show up whenever I want, how can I maintain the mystery?”
The system found this reasonable but felt conflicted. “Then what should we do?”
“No rush. Once Shen Jue witnesses me using those set skills with his own eyes, he will surely do everything in his power to seek an audience with me.”
Yun Shu glanced indifferently at Shen Jue among the crowd of refugees. Her gaze didn't linger as she turned her attention to another monitor.
On the screen, several refugees led by Cui Erlang were gathered around a few lush, green sweet potato seedlings.
“Although the Goddess of Harvest Set can make crops mature early, it can't make these sweet potato seedlings grow overnight.”
She frowned slightly. “At this rate, it will take at least four months for the sweet potatoes to ripen. That's too slow.”
The three-month deadline was approaching; she couldn't afford to wait that long.
“Host, you can strengthen the sets,” the system said while fiddling with its panel. “I checked, and you only need to spend ten thousand Shock Value to unlock the set strengthening function. Once strengthened, the effects of the set skills will double.”
Yun Shu’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Tongzi, you’re the best!”
Since she had already completed the Goddess of Harvest Set and wasn't interested in the set with the Granting Children skill, she had been saving up the Shock Value she earned lately.
It had accumulated to 43,500 Shock Value.
A mere 10,000 Shock Value was an expense she could easily afford!
With that thought, she opened the permanent prize pool and immediately performed a thirty-pull, spending Shock Value like water.
【Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Floating Dream Set · Mount Component (6/6): Floating Dream Celestial Litter.】
【Component Description: Ignores terrain obstacles, treads on mist over water, passes through forests over mountains, and can travel a thousand miles in a day.】
【Set Skill: Collect all components to unlock the Medical Encyclopedia and Dream-Entering skills.】
【...】
“???” Yun Shu couldn't quite keep her composure. “A thirty-pull and I only get one high-grade set component?”
“Host,” the system asked cautiously, “do you want to keep pulling?”
It had truly never seen a host better at earning Shock Value than Yun Shu, nor had it seen one with worse luck.
“Pull.”
Yun Shu gritted her teeth and clicked for a ten-pull.
【Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Heavenly Balance Set · Robe Component (3/8): Brilliant Heaven-Bearer Robe.】
【Component Description: When wearing this mysterious robe, it is as if one carries the laws of heaven. Can activate the Domain of Retribution (Cooldown: 120 hours).】
【Set Skill: Collect all components to unlock the Crime and Punishment skill, punishing all evil in the world.】
【...】
【Current Shock Value: 31,500】
Previously, it took a thirty-pull to get one component, but this time it only took a ten-pull. More importantly, the skill of the Brilliant Heaven-Bearer Robe was very practical; it could pull sinners into a domain and force them to experience the pain of their victims.
Yun Shu felt a bit of comfort.
Just then, a golden light flashed on the system panel as the set strengthening function appeared.
She clicked it, and a curse immediately escaped her lips.
“Damn it, what kind of trash function is this? Strengthening a set once costs 30,000 Shock Value? Why don't you just rob me?”
The system looked miserable. “Host, I didn't expect strengthening to cost so much either.”
Its previous hosts could barely scrape together enough for a single pull, let alone spend enough to unlock new functions. Therefore, it truly didn't know that strengthening was so expensive.
“The ugly, money-grubbing face of a capitalist!” Yun Shu grumbled as she spent 30,000 Shock Value to upgrade the Goddess of Harvest Set.
In the blink of an eye, her Shock Value hit rock bottom, plummeting from tens of thousands to a pitiful 1,500.
However...
The upgraded Goddess of Harvest Set skills were several times stronger than before, capable of shortening the growth cycle of crops by four months.
Not only that, but its appearance had also become even more magnificent.
“It seems this Shock Value was well spent,” she thought to herself.
...
On the other side.
Shen Jue navigated through the winding mud paths and finally found Shen Yu on a slope on the eastern side of the valley.
By then, the sun was sinking in the west.
The afterglow painted the entire slope in a warm gold.
Shen Yu was squatting by the edge of a field ridge, surrounded by three or five refugees, pointing and discussing the seedlings in the ground.
Cui Erlang said with wild joy, “The seedlings shot up another bit last night! It seems we've successfully planted these Divine Seeds!”
“Indeed. I've been farming my whole life, and this is the first time I've seen seedlings look so vigorous.”
Shen Yu’s eyes were filled with delight as he looked at the few seedlings.
“The sweet potatoes haven't matured yet, so we cannot let our guard down. we must take good care of these young plants...”
“Fuyan.”
A cold voice interrupted him.
Shen Yu turned around, his gaze passing over the shoulders of the refugees to land on the tall figure at the bottom of the slope.
“Brother?” His eyes suddenly brightened.
Immediately following that, he practically rushed down the slope in three or two steps, standing before Shen Jue while breathing slightly fast.
“It is wonderful that you are safe.”
“By the way, Brother, let me take you to see the sweet potatoes we planted. They are Divine Seeds that can yield two thousand jin per mu. Once they grow, there may never be another person starving to death in this world.”
“Sweet potatoes?”
Shen Jue repeated the unfamiliar term.
Then, he looked at his usually intelligent brother. “Currently, grain yields are at most two hundred jin per mu. This person claims two thousand jin, and you actually believe such nonsense?”
Shen Yu hurriedly explained, “Brother, these Divine Seed sweet potatoes were brought from the celestial palace to the mortal realm by the Divine Lady at the behest of the God of Farming. Naturally, ordinary things cannot be compared to them.”
Hearing Shen Yu mention 'Divine Lady' and 'Divine Seeds' one after another, the veins on Shen Jue’s forehead throbbed slightly, his face clouding with anger.
“I thought Shen Er might have been exaggerating, but it seems you truly have been bewitched!”
Shen Yu felt somewhat helpless. “I know you hate sorcerers for bringing ruin to the country, Brother, but the Divine Lady is no soul-corrupting sorcerer. She is a true deity who cares for all living beings.”
Shen Jue’s brow furrowed tightly as he said sternly, “I cannot let you stay here. Come with me!”
Shen Yu, however, took a step back.
The two brothers stood in a standoff, separated by two paces.
“I want to stay here,” Shen Yu said. “I have already found the path I want to take in the future.”
A trace of disappointment flashed in Shen Jue’s eyes. “Fuyan, you once swore to establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, to secure a path for the living, to continue the lost teachings of the past sages, and to open the way for eternal peace.”
“Have you cast all of that to the back of your mind?”
Shen Yu shook his head gently at Shen Jue. “I have never abandoned my former ambitions.”
“Brother, you need not try to persuade me further. My mind is made up. I am willing to dedicate this life to the Divine Lady and follow in her footsteps forever.”
He paused, glancing toward the Divine Lady Temple before slowly uttering the final words, “Until my dying breath.”
Shen Jue stared at him, remaining silent for a long time.
The feeling of powerlessness from being unable to move him despite his best efforts left his chest feeling tight.
“Young Master Shen, this is bad! The soldiers are here!” An urgent voice interrupted their conversation.
In the next moment, the chaotic sound of galloping hooves echoed from outside the valley.
Harsh shouts tore through the valley's tranquility like ripping silk.
“Nobody move!”
“By order of the Governor of Xindu, these refugees have illegally reclaimed land, violating the Laws of Great Yong!”
“Men, uproot all these seedlings for me!”
A troop of soldiers filed in, about thirty or forty of them, each holding a spear with a saber at their waist.
The leader was clad in iron armor, his face full of coarse flesh.
Sitting atop a black-maned horse, he waved his arm, directing his subordinates to drive away the refugees surrounding the sweet potato field.
Rate on N.U.
