Chapter 177: Houtu Boots

Chapter 177: Houtu Boots

The Transcendent-tier rewards were unexpected?

As a Transcendent himself, Zhang Yuanqing’s spirits lifted instantly, and he clicked open the post.

The post content was exceptionally concise—simply a list of reward items for ranks 1 through 10.

【1: Houtu Boots, C-Grade Merit.】

【2: Illusion Cloak, D-Grade Merit.】

【3: Cute Hairpin, D-Grade Merit.】

【4: 700,000 Cash, E-Grade Merit.】

From fourth place onward, the rewards were all cash, decreasing with each rank, though the merit remained unchanged, all E-Grade.

C-Grade Merit was the limit an ordinary Spirit Realm Walker could attain; it was also the stepping stone to becoming a Deacon. In other words, securing first place in the Transcendent bracket essentially made one a reserve Deacon.

One need only clear the Slaughter Instance and become a Saint to immediately ascend as a Deacon wielding great authority.

"But if that were all, it hardly warrants 'unexpected'; the true prize is the Houtu Boots." Zhang Yuanqing speculated silently.

He scrolled down, browsing the comments, and sure enough, found one introducing the Houtu Boots:

【CephalosporinWithAlcoholGetsYouHigher: It’s the Houtu Boots alright, this item is terrifying. Its quality has reached the Saint stage, which is a massive temptation for Transcendent Walkers in itself. But the truly formidable aspect of these Houtu Boots isn't their attributes, but a specific trait.】

【CallMeQueen: What trait? Is it strong? How strong?】

There she was again... Zhang Yuanqing recognized the familiar ID and silently roasted her.

She seemed to have nothing better to do all day than surf the net; if not loafing here, she was loafing there.

Back in Yin-Yang Town, her every quality screamed Team Captain material; clearly she had immense talent. If she focused all her energy on cultivation, she would surely advance further.

That said, Queen’s figure was truly something—voluptuous and fleshy, a ripe peach through and through.

Zhang Yuanqing hastily reined in his thoughts and continued reading the comments.

"Cephalosporin's" remark drew enthusiastic replies from a horde of Official Walkers; those curious like Queen were legion.

【BetelNutPlusTobaccoMagicBoundless: Huh, I actually saw a couple ID, ah wait, it's a bro ID. Hey bro, keeping us in suspense isn't cool, spill it, what's the deal with the Houtu Boots.】

【SouthAdin: What's the situation with the Houtu Boots? Also, couple names aren't that rare, I have one too. @NorthGotham】

After much anticipation, "Cephalosporin" replied:

【No more suspense, I'll tell you. These Houtu Boots are part of a certain Set. Hmm, you might not know what a Set is. Officially, items are currently categorized into three types by attribute: Cost-type, Rule-type, and XX-type.】

【But there's no popular science on Sets. Actually, the concept is simple; gamers know it well. Some items, for certain reasons, can fuse and synergize, creating a 1+1>2 effect. That is a Set.】

【The Houtu Boots are Saint-quality items. Once the Set is complete, the Set's quality might rival a Ruler. You tell me, are the Houtu Boots precious? The Organization really splurged this time.】

【CallMeQueen: I see. First time hearing the concept of a Set. Wow, I want it so bad.】

【SentimentalJenny: Suddenly fired up, shame I'm only Level 2; this item has nothing to do with me (tears).】

【TimeAhead: A complete Saint-quality Set might truly contend with Ruler-quality items. That's badass. But Bro Cephalosporin, how do you know all this?】

【Cephalosporin-and-Alcohol-Gets-You-Higher: This item belongs to my superior; rumor has it he acquired it in a dungeon exclusive to Earth Monsters. It has accompanied him for many years. At first, to complete the set, he inquired far and wide, ran himself ragged, yet simply couldn't find the remaining pieces. In the blink of an eye, years passed; as his level gradually rose, he exchanged this item and his merits with the organization for a higher-tier artifact.】

【Days-Ahead-Are-Long: Oh, your words have chilled my heart; it seems completing a set is extraordinarily difficult.】

【Call-Me-Queen: The greater the difficulty, the more terrifying the attributes of the completed set must be. I've decided—I'm going to vie for the number one spot on the Transcendent Leaderboard this year.】

"Vie for shit. With that little strength of yours, what are you going to vie with? Your 36D tits?" Zhang Yuanqing grumbled.

"The Houtu Boots, a component of a set..."

Zhang Yuanqing instinctively thought of his own Yin-Yang Robe. "I recall the Yin-Yang Robe's set has three other pieces: boots, belt, and crown. The robe possesses Water and Fire attributes; the other three should correspond to the 'Metal, Wood, Earth' three classes. The Houtu Boots—could they be one of the Yin-Yang Robe's set pieces?"

The more he thought, the more plausible it seemed.

If set items were numerous, the probability of the Houtu Boots happening to be a component of the Yin-Yang Robe would be low, and Zhang Yuanqing wouldn't have entertained the thought.

But the reality was, set items were rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns among artifacts; even officially trained Walkers, many were unaware of the concept of sets.

He needed to find someone to ask... Zhang Yuanqing immediately opened the chat app and sent a message to Fu Qingyang:

"Centurion, may I see the attribute description for the Houtu Boots?"

He believed Fu Qingyang could get his hands on the Houtu Boots' attributes.

A dozen seconds later, Fu Qingyang replied with a message:

"For Spirit Realm Walkers, artifacts are a vital component of combat power; therefore, the Houtu Boots' attributes are strictly classified. Even I cannot look them up. If you merely want an understanding, I can have someone query the basic information on the Houtu Boots, excluding functions and costs."

That's enough. I just need to confirm if it's a component of the Yin-Yang Robe... Zhang Yuanqing replied:

"Many thanks, Centurion."

Fu Qingyang was remarkably efficient. After a few minutes' wait, Zhang Yuanqing received his reply:

【Name: Houtu Boots】

【Type: Footwear】

【Description: These shoes are woven from Holy Mountain silkworm silk, light as feathers, impervious to blades. Later buried in the Holy Mountain for thirty-three years, they swallowed the qi of dragon veins, refined the essence of the eight directions, and thus were formed. Named: Houtu Boots.】

【Note 1: It is a component of the Heaven-Worshipping Ceremonial Robes. The remaining three pieces are: Crown, Robe, Belt. It is said that assembling the four-piece set can fathom the secret of immortality.】

No functions, no costs—just the most basic information.

To others, this information held no meaning; at best, it gave a basic concept of the Houtu Boots. But to Zhang Yuanqing, it was of paramount importance.

"Truly one of the Heaven-Worshipping Four-Piece Set..."

Zhang Yuanqing rolled on the bed in delighted surprise; he never expected that less than a month after acquiring the Yin-Yang Robe, he would encounter another component.

"To ordinary Transcendents, a set is but a pipe dream, but to me, the significance is extraordinary. I already have the Yin-Yang Robe; once I get the Houtu Boots, the set will be half complete. Besides, with two pieces assembled, who knows if there might be a set effect..."

Zhang Yuanqing's heart burned hot.

As his level climbed higher and higher, the artifacts in his possession grew increasingly inadequate.

His mainstays—the "Thug's Gauntlets," "Burst Pistol," "Bloodthirsty Blade"—these three artifacts were gradually falling behind the pace.

Even the "Red Dancing Shoes," a Rule-type artifact, appeared feeble when facing a Saint.

This disparity will become even more pronounced once he ascends to the Saint stage.

Hence, he found himself in a rather awkward predicament—he possessed many artifacts, yet they did not match his level.

The Heavenly Sacrifice Set, however, was different; it inherently possessed Saint-grade quality. Assembling the full set would likely yield an artifact rivaling those of the Dominator Realm—a growing artifact, one that could serve him all the way to the Dominator stage.

The gulf between a Spirit Realm Walker with artifacts and one without was simply too vast.

“Ding!”

Amidst his wandering thoughts, Fu Qingyang sent another message:

“Are you interested in this artifact?”

Yuanshi Tianzun: “Yes, I want it.”

Fu Qingyang: “The difficulty is a bit high. The Taiyi Gate is also participating in the Arena Tournament this year. Work hard.”

Oh right, the Taiyi Gate is participating too... Only then did Zhang Yuanqing recall another pinned post—the Taiyi Gate announcing its participation in this year's Arena Tournament.

He reopened the official forum and clicked into the post to read:

[“Just yesterday, the Taiyi Gate’s official forum suddenly released an announcement stating that this year they would host the Arena Tournament together with the Wuxing Alliance. As everyone knows, the Night Wanderer is a pinnacle class; its average combat strength surpasses the other seven Lawful classes. One wonders if the Wuxing Alliance’s experts are feeling the pressure upon hearing this news? ]

[“Of course, in recent years, the Wuxing Alliance has produced a succession of powerhouses. At the Transcendent stage, there is the newly risen genius Yuanshi Tianzun; at the Saint stage, there is Fu Qingyang, reputed to be invincible; and other veteran powerhouses. This year's Arena Tournament is sure to be spectacular.” ]

Seeing the officials hail him as a “newly risen genius,” Zhang Yuanqing felt a secret surge of pleasure, but scrolling down to the comments, his optimistic mood vanished instantly.

[Call Me Queen: Ah, this... Taiyi Gate is participating too? Then what’s the point of playing? The Houtu Boots are out of my reach. Sobbing...]

Queen, truly, you are everywhere.

[Days Last Forever: Tianzun, he’s no good. Fu Qingyang, though, is worth looking forward to.]

How am I no good, you guy. Last time during the Li Xianzong incident, you badmouthed me too. Are you jealous of me... Zhang Yuanqing spat inwardly.

[Call Me Queen: Yuanshi Tianzun still has a shot at the top three. The poster above is just jealous.]

[Days Last Forever: Not jealous, Queen. I’m not a Tianzun hater. I’m just being objective. First, Yuanshi Tianzun is a rookie. He levels fast, but that doesn't change the fact he's a rookie. Mental fortitude, combat experience, physique—these qualities accumulated over time are his weak points.]

[Days Last Forever: Second, he only just reached Level 3. I remember it was in the Yin-Yang Town Dungeon that he hit Level 3. You said so yourself. His current EXP should be less than 10%. But in the Taiyi Gate, there are plenty of veteran Level 3 Walkers. Some have over 90% EXP, and those people aren't lacking in powerful artifacts. So, facing those veteran powerhouses, Tianzun has no advantage.]

[Days Last Forever: Lastly, those veteran Level 3s in the Taiyi Gate all have Spirit Servants and Yin Corpses. I don't know Yuanshi Tianzun's situation. If he has a Spirit Servant or Yin Corpse, he can close the gap a little. If not...]

[Days Last Forever: Yuanshi Tianzun's fame is just too loud. He's become the banner of the Wuxing Alliance's Transcendent stage, giving many the illusion of invincibility. Back then, Li Xianzong hunted Yuanshi Tianzun precisely for his reputation.]

[Queen Consort: The guy above claims he's not jealous, yet every word belittles Yuanshi Tianzun. What you say makes sense, but even among veteran Level 3s, Yuanshi Tianzun is no weakling. One can only say his chances of winning the championship are slim. I think he has a solid shot at top five or even top three.]

[Cephalosporin With Wine: I just hope the Houtu Boots aren't snatched away by the Taiyi Gate guys. I recall our Wuxing Alliance has quite a few Level 3 powerhouses; they're just low-key. Someone list them?]

[Wang Tai: Regarding the list, the Scholars from our various branches have a private group. They're currently compiling data on all Level 3 Walkers from both the Wuxing Alliance and Taiyi Gate. Using artifacts, physique, past records, etc., they've developed an intelligent algorithm. By tomorrow afternoon at the latest, big data will churn out a ranking.]

So that's why you've been burning the midnight oil at the office... Zhang Yuanqing thought, reading this. He didn't continue scrolling through the comments.

That “Days Last Forever” was actually quite objective. Zhang Yuanqing knew his own true condition.

Early Level 3, entry-level combat technique. Setting aside all artifacts, such strength wasn't bad, but to say he could dominate the Transcendent stage? Absolutely impossible.

Take Li Xianzong, for instance. The current him, even without relying on the Yin-Yang Robe, would only dare claim he could contend with him—he had no guarantee of a sure victory.

At best, a fifty-fifty split, perhaps even forty-sixty.

"Gaining experience is out of the question; my solo Secret Realm hasn't arrived yet, and that means late May. By then, the Arena Tournament will be long over. The only way to patch up my combat strength now is the Yin Corpse."

"Hope Xiao Yuan keeps her word and hurries up hunting the Bewitching Demon."

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly spotted a post:

#Gameplay of Past Arena Tournaments — Predicting This Year's Mode#

The Arena Tournament has modes?

Zhang Yuanqing's heart stirred; he moved to click the post, when the bedroom door was suddenly flung open with brute force.

He had heard the footsteps long ago and was not the least bit surprised, glancing over with perfect composure.

But when he saw his grandmother clutching a broom, Zhang Yuanqing's face tightened at once; he hurriedly set down his phone and, out of habit, straightened his spine:

"Gra... Grandma?"

Grandmother hooked the broom handle around her grandson's neck, her voice cold and utterly merciless:

"Heard you're being kept?

"What bad habit of your uncle's did you have to pick up, learning to live off a woman?"

Zhang Yuanqing's first reaction: My cousin sold me out!

But then he felt his cousin was mature and steady, absolutely incapable of such a vile act of betraying his own cousin, so he probed cautiously:

"Yo... who did you hear it from?"

Grandmother let out a cold laugh: "In a few hours, the whole compound will know. Didn't you come back yesterday in some rich woman's sports car?"

So that was it... Zhang Yuanqing argued: "That doesn't prove I'm being kept."

Grandmother gave him a sidelong glance: "Do gossips care about proof? Besides, with your personality, what's so impossible about being kept? I wouldn't be surprised if you end up a live-in son-in-law."

Grandmother pressed the broom down hard and snapped:

"Spit it out! Are you being kept or not?"

Grandmother was a traditional woman at heart; she would never accept her grandson becoming a pretty-faced gigolo.

So Zhang Yuanqing repeated the very rhetoric he had used to convince his cousin.

Grandmother listened, her expression easing slightly; she lifted the broom from her grandson's neck and said:

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded frantically.

"Then that's more like it!" Grandmother's tone shifted on a dime: "Invite her home for dinner. If she comes, I'll believe you."

"Ah?" Zhang Yuanqing went instantly dumbstruck.

Grandmother sneered: "On your word alone? If I believed that easily, I'd have wasted decades married to your grandfather."

"..."

"That's settled, then!" Grandma brooked no refusal. "You pick the time—any day this week works!"

With that, she grabbed her broom and bustled out the door.

She had to go explain to the neighborhood aunties that her grandson wasn't being kept; he'd landed a wealthy girlfriend.

Old Chen had been a cop his whole life; he still commanded considerable respect around here.

The Chen family reputation could not be ruined by this little bastard.

Even if—even if—the scandal of the family degenerate living off a woman had already spread far and wide.