Morning sun climbed higher the next day as the expedition continued deeper into Hutou Peak. Yun Kai's soldiers had grown more confident with each encounter, their movements now practiced and efficient.The corpses of demonic beasts piled up steadily. Wolf pelts, wild boar hides, and smaller predators that had been foolish enough to challenge armed men. Each kill added to the growing collection of resources strapped to pack animals.The physicians' medicine baskets overflowed with herbs. They'd long since filled their original containers and moved on to spare bags, then to wrapping bundles in cloth. The mountain was a treasure trove of medicinal plants that no one had harvested in years."This is incredible," one physician said for the third time that morning, carefully extracting a cluster of Blood Root from rocky soil. "Fourth-grade! We found a fourth-grade herb!"His companion rushed over to examine the plant. "Carefully, carefully! Don't damage the roots. Master Qin will need every

Yun Kai stood before the glowing treasure chest, his hands hovering over its surface. According to his knowledge of the system, these treasure chests appeared randomly throughout the world. Sometimes in caves, sometimes in ruins, or occasionally just sitting in the wilderness waiting to be discovered.The system classified them by color. Bronze gave basic rewards. Silver offered decent items. Gold chests like this one provided genuinely valuable treasures. Above gold were the legendary platinum and mythic tiers, but those were vanishingly rare."I hope my luck holds," Yun Kai muttered, rubbing his hands together.The odds weren't exactly favorable. Even gold chests could contain disappointments. But they could also produce god-tier items if fortune smiled. The randomness was part of their nature — thrilling and frustrating in equal measure.Yun Kai placed both hands firmly on the chest's lid. The moment contact was made, brilliant light erupted from every seam and edge. The glow inten

"Well, big brother, I'm here."Yun Kai turned at the voice behind him. Li Chengfeng stood there, looking notably different from their first meeting.The winemaker had cleaned up — his hair was combed, his robes were neat, and most importantly, his eyes held focus instead of the drunken haze from before."Master Li," Yun Kai greeted with a slight smile. "You're looking well.""Thanks to you, my lord." Li Chengfeng bowed respectfully. "I apologize for my absence these past few days. Family matters required attention."The villagers nearby watched with interest. Word had spread quickly about their new resident. A master-level winemaker living in Spiritrock Village? It was almost unbelievable.Master-level craftsmen were rare. The title meant someone who had perfected their art to the point of establishing their own style, their own techniques. Some masters even founded schools, training disciples in their methods and spreading their reputation across entire regions.For winemaking, a tru

The bandits brandished their weapons in front of the village walls, expecting fear and submission. Instead, they found calm, steady resistance. The villagers didn't panic. The soldiers didn't flee. Everyone simply watched and waited.This wasn't the reaction the bandits were used to."What's wrong with these people?" one bandit muttered to his companion. "They should be terrified.""Maybe they're stupid," the other replied uncertainly.Their leader — a scarred man named Zhao Hu, stepped forward. He wanted to make an impression, to establish dominance through intimidation. His long knife flashed in the morning light as he swung it at a nearby tree.The blade bit deep, cutting clean through a trunk as thick as a man's thigh. The tree toppled with a satisfying crash.Zhao Hu planted himself on a large boulder like a king on his throne. "Listen well! We know you're a new village. You probably don't understand how things work around here. So let me explain."His voice carried across the sp

A week had passed since the battle with Black Wind Stronghold. The village had settled into a comfortable rhythm with the repairs being completed, prisoners assigned to work details, and new recruits integrated into training rotations.Finally, Yun Kai felt he could breathe.He stood in his private study, scrolling through village management screens that only he could see. Numbers and statistics glowed in his mind's eye, painting a picture of steady growth.Population had exceeded 700, the number made him smile. Just three weeks ago, they'd barely had over three hundred. Now they were more than double that, with new refugees arriving almost daily.Word had spread fast that Spiritrock Village offered safety, fair treatment, and opportunity. In a world growing more chaotic by the day, those things were precious beyond measure.Military strength had also exceeded 70 trained soldiers.The standard ratio was one soldier for every ten residents. Yun Kai had maintained that proportion carefu