Isn't This a Game? Why Are You All Cultivating for Real!

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The Rat Race Continues

Song Jiulai did some quick math. "You mean there isn’t enough energy to support them using it like this?"

System: "Of course not. Some players log on and off eight hundred times a day."

Song Jiulai: "..."

System: "To give you the simplest analogy, a player on First Mountain currently needs to expend energy equivalent to ten points to return. If their cultivation increases by one Level, that cost becomes 100 points."

"It’s not just about recalling them; sending them back also consumes energy, and the farther the distance, the greater the cost. Demon beasts and Elixir Pills can be transported because they’re inanimate objects that don’t change, and their value exceeds the energy cost. The estimated cost for the distance from Shuitan to Liu Xian City is over five hundred points. You want to try paying that price?"

"As a system, my greatest mission is to ensure the players make the Sect stronger, not to facilitate this kind of unrestrained consumption. I don’t recommend you open this feature to all players; at most, it should be an emergency escape for a select few. If you need Shuitan to use it, make him earn the points himself. He pays half the points, you pay half the points."

Song Jiulai pondered for about three seconds.

Then, she made her decision, "No, open this feature to the players, but make them cover the cost themselves."

System: "You want to open it?"

Song Jiulai: "Right now, many people don’t venture out because they feel it’s too dangerous and there’s no safety net. But if there’s an emergency escape method, what they earn should be more than what they spend. For example, Han Tian and his group would probably choose to go to more distant places."

"They won’t use this feature often. It just needs to be there for emergencies."

’The players aren’t crazy, after all.’

’They definitely can’t afford to log on and off dozens of times a day.’

’But if they know the Sect can bail them out in a crisis, it indirectly guarantees their survival rate.’

’Even though they can’t be revived, there are many ways to save their own skin.’

’This way, those on First Mountain won’t need to come back, and they’ll venture even farther.’

"Shuitan has a mission to complete. Tell him I’ll give him one free teleport every two days." Song Jiulai felt like her heart was bleeding. "I hope he works hard. If he can just become an Inner Sect Disciple of the Sea View Sect, it’ll be a victory!"

’The Outer Sect and the Inner Sect are still very different.’

"Oh, right, there’s also the issue of the puppet." Song Jiulai scratched her cheek. "He shouldn’t be able to tell it’s a puppet, right?"

’Even though the players all have system-generated faces, their features gradually differentiate based on their own facial structures. It seems I can’t be lazy when making puppets in the future; I’ll have to randomly generate a new batch of faces.’

"He won’t be able to tell," the system said. "This is related to the Soul Cultivation Heart Method you all practiced at the very beginning. As for how it’s related... hmm, that involves my world, so I can’t explain it to you."

’That’s why the system was never worried about the puppets being found out while they were running around outside.’

Song Jiulai also knew that the system had connected with their souls from the very beginning.

"The Soul Cultivation Heart Method..."

Song Jiulai was practicing this mental method too.

Every player who joined had to practice it.

Although it was a basic mental method, it wasn’t divided into levels and had no cultivation requirements.

As long as a player kept cultivating, the Soul Cultivation Heart Method would continue to operate.

The things produced by the system were just as mysterious as a Spirit Root creating an inner core.

’Now that everything is sorted out, I’m more confident about sending players over in the future.’

With everything settled, Song Jiulai had the system transfer the bottle of wine to Shuitan, telling him to find the cultivator named Zhai Xiaotian.

Shuitan did as he was told.

He first inquired around Wang’an County and found Zhai Xiaotian’s address.

He lived in the most remote part of Wang’an County. Quite a few people knew of him, but they all thought he was an oddball.

He didn’t interact with any cultivators or mortals, only frequenting the local tavern to eat and drink.

He’d grown especially fond of it recently.

When Shuitan found the man, he saw a scruffy, bearded fellow dressed in plain cloth, sitting in his courtyard eating peanuts.

He looked just like an ordinary farmer.

Just as Shuitan was about to speak, Zhai Xiaotian looked up at him. "Want to go to Liu Xian City?"

Shuitan let out an awkward "Uh..."

’I haven’t even said anything yet.’

Zhai Xiaotian wasn’t surprised. "Everyone who comes looking for me wants the same thing."

He didn’t ask for a reason, just tilted his chin up. "What did you bring to impress me?"

Shuitan, unsure of the customs here, timidly presented the bottle of wine with both hands. "This junior has brought a bottle of wine. It’s a new variety called Hidden Fruit Wine."

"Oh?"

Just as expected, Zhai Xiaotian’s eyes lit up.

After taking it, he took a deep sniff and finally nodded. "Not bad! This is indeed a fine wine. When do you want to leave?"

’He really is a straightforward person, doesn’t ask for reasons or waste words.’

Shuitan: "There’s no rush, Senior. You can take your time and savor it."

"Hmph..." Zhai Xiaotian chuckled. "If I finish this bottle, you’ll be waiting a long time. Do you have anything you need to bring?"

Shuitan shook his head.

Then Zhai Xiaotian suddenly raised a hand. "Keep up!"

In an instant, the world spun around him.

He didn’t even see how he moved. By the time he came to his senses, he was already in a sea of clouds, the damp air and a biting wind brushing past his cheeks.

Shuitan opened his eyes to find himself sitting on a giant wine gourd.

Zhai Xiaotian was in front, and he was behind.

Shuitan was stunned. It was his first time experiencing the wonders of a Flying Magical Treasure. There was an initial tremor, which quickly subsided into a smooth ride.

He just clenched his fists tightly.

’Even though this is a game, the feeling is so real that I can’t quite detach myself from it.’

The wine gourd moved quickly. Shuitan mentally counted the passing time, not daring to log off during the journey.

Four hours later, Zhai Xiaotian said, "We’re here."

Shuitan saw the magnificent city ahead.

It was almost identical to the drawing Han Tian had posted on the website.

When they landed, Zhai Xiaotian tossed Shuitan a jade Token. "You need this to get in. Whether you can stay in Liu Xian City is up to you. A bottle of wine only gets you this far. Farewell."

’We’re already at the city gates; it would be rude to ask him to take me any further.’

Shuitan took a deep breath and performed a fist-and-palm salute. "Thank you, Senior."

Zhai Xiaotian laughed again.

He took off on his wine gourd and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Shuitan watched Zhai Xiaotian leave, then turned and walked toward Liu Xian City.

On his wine gourd, Zhai Xiaotian slapped its side and burst out laughing. "Interesting, so very interesting! The Yunzhou Continent hasn’t been this lively in years. I really picked a good spot back then. It’s about time things livened up. How long have we all been quiet?"

"Longevity Sect, Longevity Sect..."

"They’re all such interesting people, HAHAHAHAHAHA."

Back in the Sect, Song Jiulai sneezed again.

She rubbed her nose. "I’m about ready. It’s time to set out. This time, I’m going to train all the way to the border of Demon Cave Valley."

That area bordered several Major Sects and was a true Demon Beast Battlefield.

It wasn’t that she wanted to go, but if she didn’t, Han Tian and the others would soon be sprinting toward Late-stage Qi Refining.

’Why does everyone have to be so competitive and make things hard for each other?’

’Save some face for your Sect Master!!’