Chapter 169 - 137: Advancement
Chapter 169: Chapter 137: Advancement
The next moment, as the system opened, a message popped up.
[Third-Grade Array: Shaking Mountain Copper Gate Formation (63,018/50,000 to Enter the Stance). Use 10,000 Skill Level to advance? Additional Effects: Super Defense, Shaking Mountains and Earth.]
Lu Yuan didn’t hesitate, of course, and immediately chose to advance.
A flood of information about the Array then appeared in his mind.
It was so much that he instantly broke through the mental shackles that had been holding him back.
Issues he hadn’t quite understood or been able to figure out in the past suddenly became crystal clear.
Then, the system’s data reappeared in his mind.
[Fourth-Grade Array: Shocking God Slaughter Array (3,018/10,000 to Great Success). Additional Effects: Defense doubled, speed doubled. During large-scale warfare, it can produce a shock effect, causing a massive drop in enemy morale.]
Looking at the numbers, Lu Yuan’s lips curled into a smile. ’This is an Array used for a large-scale cavalry charge.’
’It’s actually quite suitable for the current situation.’
’With this Array, there shouldn’t be much of a problem dealing with this battle.’
As far as he knew, the Shengman revered strength and were not proficient with Military Arrays. They lived in the even more distant Icefield, a place with year-round low temperatures and an abundance of wild beasts.
However, its natural resources were incredibly rich, boasting rare woods, precious Refining Ore, and even a considerable number of Spirit Stone Ore deposits.
As a result, their group warfare tactics were crude, but their individual combatants were very powerful.
The Ancient Barbarians, however, were their opposite. The Ancient Barbarian Tribe had a very ancient profession known as the Sacrificial Priest, who were somewhat different from Martial Artists.
They could unleash many unexpected and Divine Abilities.
Their power was astonishing.
Moreover, they also liked to use Arrays in battle.
These Arrays were ancient and mysterious, more like some kind of ritual. It was said that the Ancient Barbarians’ lineage stretched back for ages; their heritage far older than others.
The Shengman couldn’t even begin to compare.
Individually, both of these factions were weaker than the Northern Barbarians, limited as they were by their territory and population.
The bitterly cold lands forged their formidable strength, but they were ill-suited for human habitation, resulting in an extremely low child survival rate.
However, whenever either of the two tribes was on the verge of collapse, they would unite to fight the Northern Barbarians. When that happened...
...they would even gain a slight edge over the Northern Barbarians.
This led to the re-emergence of a three-way standoff.
In the hearts of the successive emperors of the Northern Barbarians, there had always been one wish: to unify the Three Barbarians and rebuild the Great Qin. But for many years, no one had succeeded.
Now, the Northern Barbarians were weak. The Shengman alone were enough to keep them overwhelmed, so any talk of conquest was out of the question. It was simply impossible.
However, after listening to Xiao Hua’s words today, an idea began to form in Lu Yuan’s mind.
An ambition was quietly taking root.
’After the continent is unified, can I really ascend?’
The thought lingered in his mind, refusing to fade.
Just then, a maid’s voice came from outside the door. "Your Highness, the Crown Princess is here."
CREAK!
The sound had barely faded when Xiao Hua walked in, holding up her skirt. Seeing Lu Yuan sitting on the bed, she blinked. "Were you cultivating?"
"I just finished. What’s up?" Lu Yuan said, looking up.
"Can’t I come see you just because?" Xiao Hua pouted, feigning grievance.
She had become much more vivacious than before.
"Alright, of course you can," Lu Yuan said with a smile.
"I do have something to ask you, actually. I heard you want to buy land in South City?" Xiao Hua inquired.
"I do. How did you find out so quickly?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
"What are you thinking? I’m not having you watched! The steward of your estate took some men to the South City Government Office and said you wanted to purchase land."
"And a considerable amount, at that. The officials know my mother thinks highly of you, so they reported it up the chain to ask if they should sell it to you," Xiao Hua quickly explained.
Lu Yuan nodded. "That’s right. I’m planning to buy four thousand mu of land to build some houses to sell. But for something like this, they still have to ask your mother whether to sell to me? The Government Office is being ridiculous."
"What are you talking about? They know my mother values you, so they’re afraid you’ll lose money and be upset, which would cause trouble for them later. If it were anyone else, they would have sold the land in a heartbeat, without the slightest hesitation! *This* is your brilliant idea for making money? You might as well just be throwing it all away. We’re talking about a full forty million taels of silver! Can you even come up with that much?" Xiao Hua sounded agitated.
"Not at the moment," Lu Yuan admitted honestly. "But I seized some Spirit Stones back in Dayong. I’m planning to have a friend sell them over there. That should be almost enough."
Although he didn’t want to sell the Spirit Stones, he had no better option right now. Selling some would at least alleviate the financial pressure.
Besides, he wouldn’t be selling them among the Northern Barbarians anyway. He’d have Wu Han sell them in the buffer zone, so it wouldn’t be his reputation on the line.
Xiao Hua rubbed her fair brow. "I think you’re being a spendthrift. Selling Spirit Stones... honestly, how could you even think of it? The imperial court never has enough, and yet you’re planning to sell them."
"Do you really have to do this?"
"Yes," Lu Yuan replied, nodding without hesitation.
"Fine, I’ll help you pull some money together. I still have some silver, and I can borrow a bit from my mother. But you only get to be this reckless once. If you lose the money, you’re forbidden from doing this ever again."
"Or else I’ll get angry," Xiao Hua said, putting her hands on her hips like a little taskmaster.
She pouted as if Lu Yuan had already squandered every last tael.