Chapter 86: Chapter 86: Energy Stone Pact
[Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion's leader Dennis entered Blackwood and felt a warm, instant connection with the members there.]
[He had a detailed conversation with Nathan and his wife, expressing his willingness to form an alliance with Blackwood, considering each other as allies in life and death. He generously offered to pay 100,000 Energy Stones annually to the Black Shell Gate on behalf of Blackwood.]
[Congratulations! Your family has successfully resolved the crisis from Jubilee County, earning +1000 Spiritual Tribute!]
"Was Dennis actually telling the truth?"
Watching Dennis's flying vessel speed away, Ethan finally released the mouse button he had been holding over the icon of the Purple Thunder Solar Python.
Even a D-level master has some skills.
He thought Dennis was just playing along with Blackwood to fend off the threats from the Celestial Star Seekers and the Boar Monarch Pete, but he didn't expect a pop-up on the game interface indicating that the crisis troubling Blackwood from Jubilee County had indeed been resolved!
Pondering the reasons.
Ethan paused, a notification appeared in the event column.
[Your descendant Marcus has secretly sent a medium-grade psychic device—the Eight Directions Array Plate!]
[Eight Directions Array Plate: Can be activated by mana and Energy Stones, harnessing the Earth's power to protect a region.]
"Hmm? Was this the trump card Marcus was planning to bring back to the family?"
A flicker of joy passed through Ethan's eyes.
Blackwood had plenty of psychic equipment, and Julian could even make medium-grade psychic equipment himself. But there were only two psychic devices, and those were the lowest grade: the 'Thousand Jun Seal' used in rotation within the family and the 'Psychic God Xin Life Robe' protecting Olivia.
At that time, Monk Jacob also had two psychic devices, but they could only be activated by Buddhist power.
Julian had been trying to melt those two devices for who knows how many years.
But with the strength of the people in Blackwood, they couldn't melt it with alchemical fire. Boar Monarch Pete had tried, but its demonic fire was repelled as soon as it touched the Buddhist psychic devices.
A medium-grade psychic device could now become the treasure of Blackwood!
"Very good, very good!"
Nathan, holding the array plate, was overjoyed, "Our grandson Marcus has learned to bring gifts to his elders, the child has truly grown up."
He and Luna were both smiling broadly; they didn't care whether the device Marcus sent was a medium-grade psychic device or not. Even the lowest grade of psychic equipment could delight these two elders, who were over seventy years old.
The others felt the same, filling the room with warmth.
...
In the days that followed.
With the backing of Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion and the presence of the Silver Iron Forest, Jubilee County's attacks hardly damaged Blackwood, and Gratitude Village became the most stable place in the entire Tranquil County.
As for the Sky Sect, that was even less of a problem. Marcus was a true disciple of the Sky Sect, and even if he couldn't bring the news back to Blackwood.
Ethan could still get updates through Marcus's images.
[In the 54th year of Blackwood, Julian's seven kids, while cultivating the psychic powers of the 'Lifeblood Drawing Technique', made some progress. The seven began to travel around Tranquil County under the Blackwood Commerce Hall 'Heaven's Principle Hall', often performing acts of chivalry, earning the honorable title 'The Seven kids of Blackwood'!]
[Trait gained: United Effort]
[When fighting together, strength increases by 10%]
[Your descendants have gained some fame, earning +100 Spiritual Tribute]
"These seven little guys have achieved something as well."
Ethan was relieved for them; although the youngest of the seven was only eight years old, all had inherited the chivalrous spirit of Julian and Mary.
[That same year, Nathan ventured alone into the second layer of the Death Coffin, dying nearly ten thousand times, gained insight, and secluded himself to break through the peak of Emerging Ability!]
[Daniel, nearing the peak of Foundational Energy, began his seclusion to break through to Emerging Ability!]
[Blackwood Year 55.]
[Your descendant Lucas, after years of fighting alongside the family, obtained over a hundred enemy swords and mastered more than ten sword techniques. His swordsmanship matured in the Death Coffin, and he began his seclusion, vowing not to leave unless a major event occurs, aiming for the Transcendent Seed stage!]
...
After securing the friendship of the Cloudrise Oceanview Pavilion, the masters gradually went into seclusion. Mary, who had been producing for many years, also recovered her health and was ready to break through at any moment. The only one still struggling in the early stages of Emerging Ability was Julian!
Just clicked on Julian's avatar. Inside the forging pavilion, fireworks were blazing, and Julian, despite being scorched red by the hot air, continued to forge tirelessly.
[After years of forging, Julian gradually realized a certain hammering technique, but he also faced constraints that prevented him from forging ironware as sturdy as the Forebearer's 'War AI Bionic Robot', nor could he forge a left arm that satisfied him.]
[The trait 'Never Admit Defeat' keeps him from giving up until he hits the south wall!]
"Just a little more, and I can become an eighth-grade psychic equipment master. Superior psychic equipment, top-grade psychic equipment, I could make them with ease!"
Julian looked like a madman, and although he was usually carefree, he took the crafting of psychic equipment very seriously.
"Keep it up, Julian."
Ethan knew that people obsessed with a profession were usually like this; their love for their profession was as fervent as that of a believer, and they were true craftsmen.
Now, at Blackwood, it wasn't Olivia but Thomas who was in charge of the family business.
Don't think Julian's children are all brutes; brutes aren't stupid, especially with Luna watching over them, Blackwood's development was also thriving for the time being.
As for Olivia...
At 40, Olivia was even more charming, her hair up in a bun, dressed in a white gown, sitting in a wheelchair like a falling white lotus, pushed by Blackwood's maidservant.
Ever since Blackwood was out of trouble, Olivia had already started traveling and had not returned home for two years.
The maidservants following her, all in their thirties or forties, each carried weapons.
Occasionally, when in the woods, there were masters moving through the shadows to protect them.
"Miss Four, if we go out again, we'll be out of Tranquil County," a maidservant reminded.
Olivia smiled, "What? Is Tranquil County our prison?"
The maidservant shook her head repeatedly, "It's just that once we leave Tranquil County, we'll be out of our family's territory."
"You still say it's not a prison?" Olivia's smile deepened, "You think it's not a prison, but you're unwilling to step out of Tranquil, in reality, you're already staying inside a prison. In fact, the world is vast, there's nowhere you can't go, nothing you can't do. Only if you're not afraid, can you break out."
"Miss Four is divine, I don't understand," the maidservant still shook her head.
Olivia didn't say much more, leading Blackwood's maidservant out of Tranquil County.
Only Ethan, in front of the screen, widened his eyes.
"Holy smokes!"
With a shout, Ethan almost knocked over the milk tea next to him, "Is it really happening???"