The Programmer Cultivator

The Water Dragon suddenly stopped. Controlled by Zhang Deming, it ignored the Powerful Ant Demon’s attack and charged forward, enduring the blow.

After taking an attack head-on, the Water Dragon got close and wrapped itself around the Powerful Ant Demon.

However, since it hadn’t broken through the Shield, it failed to restrain the creature’s movements.

On the contrary, with the Water Dragon coiled around its Shield, the Powerful Ant Demon could easily attack the Water Dragon.

It was a creature created by a Shaping Technique, its body a flowing current of water. But damage to its form would still have a considerable impact.

But the Water Dragon didn’t relax at all, tightly coiling around the Shield.

”I have a tea called ’Amplify.’ I invite you to take a sip!”

As Zhang Deming’s amplifying power flowed, the Water Dragon broke through the final Spirit Realm point, attaining the strength of Duality.

The sky suddenly filled with dark clouds. Compared to last time, the clouds formed much faster, as if they remembered the Water Dragon’s aura.

The Water Dragon paid it no mind. Using the power of Duality, the Spiritual Light on the single horn atop its head flared, and it spat out a Dragon Bead from its mouth.

Like a meteor, the Dragon Bead struck the Shield, instantly shattering it.

The moment the Water Dragon finished wrapping around the Powerful Ant Demon, the first bolt of lightning from the sky had already struck down.

The instant the lightning struck, the Water Dragon shifted its body slightly, using the entangled Powerful Ant Demon to block the brunt of the attack.

But the remaining lightning still invaded the Water Dragon in an instant, causing its form to dissipate.

Hm?!

Zhang Deming grunted, his expression changing slightly. There was actually a faint aura of destruction in it.

The Thunder Tribulation of this Cyan Wood Secret Realm wasn’t made of pure Thunder Lightning Techniques or something similar.

Within the lightning, there was a faint aura of a Celestial Tribulation.

It was highly likely that some Great Cultivator had fused the power of a Celestial Tribulation into it.

At this moment, the second bolt of lightning was already striking down. Zhang Deming unhesitatingly dispelled the Water Dragon, and the lightning struck the Powerful Ant Demon directly.

It was instantly blasted into a sky full of Spiritual Light, not even lasting for a moment.

It seemed lightning was particularly effective against it.

The dark clouds in the sky didn’t dissipate immediately like last time.

Instead, they roiled for a while, as if unwilling to give up. But unlike a true Celestial Tribulation, it couldn’t trace back to the source and lock onto Zhang Deming.

Eventually, the roiling dark clouds vanished.

Zhang Deming used the Thunder Tribulation to quickly eliminate the Powerful Ant Demon and breathed a small sigh of relief.

It was a bit risky, but unsure if a second one would appear, this was the only method Zhang Deming could think of to eliminate it quickly.

At that moment, a Light Curtain appeared before Zhang Deming.

”Congratulations on completing the second stage of the assessment.

First, congratulations on becoming a Core Disciple of Cyan Wood Heaven. Of course, there is still a third stage to the assessment.

This is a bonus stage. Regardless of the outcome, you are already a Core Disciple of the Five Elements Blessed Land.

First, please choose one of the following options as your reward for this stage: Wealth, Companion, Magic, Land.”

Zhang Deming looked at the prompt with a strange expression, his gaze lingering on the word ”Companion” for a long time.

’So the benefits for a Core Disciple of the Blessed Land have reached the point of assigning a Dao Companion wife?’

’This ’Companion’ option should mean Dao Companion, right? It doesn’t mean some special kind of fellow cultivator, or the kind of ’companion’ from the Celestial Spirit Sect’s ’Stallion’ culture, does it?’

While thinking this, on some strange impulse, Zhang Deming reached out and tapped the option.

The Light Screen flickered and displayed a new message.

”Marriage module cannot be detected. Connection failed. An unknown error has occurred. Please choose again.”

Zhang Deming: ”...”

’What the hell? If I can’t pick it, why did you even show it? You made me all anxious for nothing.’

’Crappy assessment!’

Looking at the three remaining options, Zhang Deming tapped on the word ”Magic”.

”Geng Metal, Turtle Water, Cyan Wood, Fire Separation, and Wu Earth Scripture Pavilions all non-responsive. Connection failed. Please choose again.”

PFFT...

’This doesn’t work either? Then what the hell did you list it for?!’

’Wait, the Turtle Water Scripture Pavilion?’

’Isn’t that where Lake Heart Island was before?’

’So that ruined Secret Realm from before was really a fragment of the Five Elements Blessed Land’s Turtle Water Secret Realm? And a fragment that included the Scripture Pavilion?’

’Hm, and it probably also included half a fragment of the Inner Sect Trial.’

Zhang Deming’s thoughts flickered for a moment, and he looked at the last two options.

He hesitated between the two options before finally tapping on ”Wealth”.

Because the word ”Land” most likely referred to a residential Cave Mansion.

If he were truly becoming a Core Disciple of a functioning Blessed Land, choosing this would be fine.

But now that the Blessed Land had fallen and the Secret Realm was in ruins, no matter what ”Land” referred to, it wouldn’t have much value.

’What if I pick it and it just assigns me a Cave Mansion in the Cyan Wood Secret Realm? Wouldn’t that be a total loss?’

Therefore, after some thought, Zhang Deming chose ”Wealth”.

”Resource bank connection complete. Based on the disciple’s performance, rating: Three. Awarding three points of wealth.

Would you like to exchange for money, or receive three points of Blessed Fortune?”

Zhang Deming looked at the option. ’If I’m not mistaken, Blessed Fortune should be similar to the Celestial Spirit Sect’s Contribution Points system, right?’

’The Blessed Land doesn’t even exist anymore. What am I going to do with its Contribution Points?’

Zhang Deming hesitated for only a moment before choosing money.

The Light Curtain in front of him surged, and an Array materialized on the ground.

In the blink of an eye, the Array finished forming. Then, three diamond-shaped crystals, each the size of a ping-pong ball, appeared on the ground.

Zhang Deming looked at the three crystals, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

’This is?’

’Spirit Crystals?!!!’

In the Hongmeng Realm, besides Spirit Stones, there was another type of high-grade Crystal Stone, also rich in Spiritual Power, called a Spirit Crystal.

If Spirit Stones were special minerals that were rich in Spiritual Qi...

...then Spirit Crystals were the product of Spiritual Qi that had been completely crystallized.

Therefore, the Spiritual Qi contained within a Spirit Crystal was extremely pure, and there was a great deal of it.

Because of this, Spirit Crystals were also used as a high-grade currency. Their exchange rate with Spirit Stones was one to ten thousand.

In other words, one Spirit Crystal was worth ten thousand Spirit Stones. However, it was also a precious material in itself, and few people outside of the highest echelons would use it as currency.

As a result, there was a certain premium when exchanging for Spirit Crystals.

The reason Zhang Deming was so happy was that the amount of Spiritual Qi in one Spirit Crystal was ten thousand times that of a Spirit Stone!

One Spirit Stone was worth ten Experience Points, which meant one Spirit Crystal was worth one hundred thousand Experience Points.

Three Spirit Crystals meant three hundred thousand! He wouldn’t have to wait years for his Tai Chi to reach the Duality stage.

He was less than eighty thousand Experience Points away. He only needed one Spirit Crystal. After he returned, he could go into seclusion for a while and complete it. This Secret Realm assessment was worth it!

Beaming with joy, he picked up the three Spirit Crystals and put them in his storage pouch.

After the reward was dispensed, the Light Screen displayed another message.

”Third Stage: Blessed Fortune!

In a Cultivator’s life, in order to achieve success, luck is an extremely important factor in addition to one’s Heart and strength.

Please proceed to the core of the Blessed Land, visit the Blessed Land’s Earth Spirit Ancestor, and complete the final review. What kind of gift you receive will depend entirely on your luck.

Good luck!”

As the prompt finished, a Command Token slowly materialized in front of Zhang Deming.

Its appearance was somewhat similar to the Command Token from the Turtle Water Secret Realm.

But this one was more exquisite and beautiful. It was no longer colorless but jade-green, looking like a piece of fine Jade Stone.

Zhang Deming reached out and took the Command Token. The moment he touched it, he once again fell into a daze.

...

When Zhang Deming came to his senses, he had already left the so-called Land of Trial and was now in a Baiyuu Pavilion.

”Senior Brother Zhang, you’re finally out.”

Zhang Deming had just gotten his bearings when he heard Li Shifan’s voice.

Zhang Deming turned his head and saw that the pavilion seemed to be a waiting hall. It had a style that blended ancient and modern elements, leaning slightly toward an ancient Camellia Hall.

But there were also many Array Light Curtains that looked like display screens.

Li Shifan was currently standing before a massive Array Light Curtain. Seeing Zhang Deming suddenly appear in a corner of the hall, he spoke with a hint of delight.

Zhang Deming took a few steps forward, leaving the Array Platform, and walked over to Li Shifan. ”How long have you been out?” he asked. ”Did you pass the trial?”