Chapter 123: Zoro’s New Developments

The development of the Apothecary Hall was nothing short of astonishing.

Once they secured the initial supply of herbs from the players, the Eastern clan members began to fully unleash their innate talent for herbalism. A diverse array of potions gradually emerged within Falling Cloud City. Simultaneously, all manner of rare herbs began to flow into the city. Having access to rare herbs allowed for the crafting of rare potions, and these, in turn, were traded for an even greater abundance of herbs. It was precisely this virtuous cycle that had made the Apothecary Hall an indispensable pillar of Falling Cloud City’s growth. The value it generated was simply immeasurable.

Even now, the value produced by the relatively common, diluted potions being sold was beginning to rival the value of the souls exchanged through the Mission Hall. How could Li Ren not be exceptionally pleased?

He was not yet privy to the progress in Yuxiao City. Furthermore, Landis had not appeared upon his return; having just arrived back in Falling Cloud City himself, he knew Landis was likely occupied with the construction of Yuxiao City. Compared to a leader like him, who delegated everything to his subordinates and ran off, Landis truly worked far too hard.

Thinking of this, Li Ren couldn't help but feel a twinge of shame. Yet, there was no helping it; he was simply not cut out for such meticulous work. Despite his calm and amiable exterior, he was, at his core, as volatile as a powder keg. If he were actually tasked with managing a city, the troublemakers among the players would surely run rampant. If two such personalities were to clash, Yuxiao City would likely be dismantled beyond recognition within a month.

Back in Falling Cloud City, the vampire legion established under Rania’s command had fully taken shape. Following the city’s upgrade, the monsters that could be summoned through the Dark Prayer Grounds had also grown significantly more powerful.

According to Fan Yunshan, these Dark Prayer Grounds were constructed using the remains of the Heavenly Evils. However, after players slaughtered them to extract their soul power, and following the system’s refinement, by the time these summoned subordinates were created, they had completely transformed from their original Heavenly Evil form into something else entirely. This new form was akin to the indigenous forces of the Underworld, which was why they could be utilized as subordinates. If they still retained their inner nature as Heavenly Evils, Li Ren would have been better off just grinding levels in the Dark Prayer Grounds—summoning a horde of monsters, wiping them out, consuming their essence, and reaping the surge of experience and stats. But such a windfall was merely a fantasy; it was never that easy.

Li Ren, who had expected to see only Fan Yunshan, Shadow, and the others, felt a twinge of confusion upon seeing Moran sitting to the side. In his view, Moran was a player—or rather, a resident of the Underworld whom the system defaulted to treating as a player. It seemed out of place for her to be lounging in Falling Cloud City instead of fulfilling her own responsibilities.

Before he could ask, Moran took the initiative to explain: "Recently, Zoro and his group have had new developments. Under the reconnaissance of Rania’s vampire legion, we’ve actually uncovered some rather interesting things."

Li Ren glanced at Rania with mild surprise. His knowledge of the Vampire Queen was indeed lacking, and he had no real concept of the current vampire legion. Hearing Moran offer praise for the legion was quite unexpected. He caught Rania’s eye and smiled; the queen’s bewitchingly beautiful face similarly broke into a triumphant grin. Within the gloomy atmosphere of the lord’s fortress, the vampire queen’s allure was pushed to its absolute limit. The mix of cold, sharp intensity and fiery, enchanting charm made Li Ren, still essentially a young man, feel a bit flustered. Fortunately, Landis’s charisma was even more potent, and after being tempered by the Queen and other beauties like Falling Moon and Soft Water, Li Ren had successfully learned to keep his emotions in check. He didn’t show anything on his face, though a bit of inner restlessness was understandable.

"What did you discover?" Setting aside his distractions, Li Ren turned to Moran with a serious, inquisitive expression.

Moran rested her chin on one hand while tapping her fingers rhythmically against the table with the other. "They are quite capable. They’ve actually started organizing efforts to control the new factions emerging among the players."

She straightened her posture as she spoke. "Even though these are relatively small factions and their private activities are very discreet, I must say, these guys are definitely planning something."

Li Ren nodded. He had too little intelligence on such matters to make any judgment, so he turned his gaze to Fan Yunshan. Fan Yunshan was also frowning; the events of late had left him feeling overwhelmed. The clandestine movements within the player world were inexplicably strange. It was nearly impossible to discern their true motives; just as a pattern seemed to emerge, it would be interrupted by another sudden, unrelated action. It was truly bizarre.

Fan Yunshan pondered for a moment, as if struggling with an internal dilemma. Li Ren watched quietly without interrupting. After a long silence, Fan Yunshan seemed to reach a decision. He finally spoke: "My Lord, may I ask what your current level of strength is?"

Li Ren was momentarily stunned by the title "My Lord." They had never discussed him "subduing" Fan Yunshan, and besides, Fan Yunshan was a centurion under Zhao Yun. Even with their connections, there was no reason to address him as such. However, under these circumstances, Li Ren didn't feel like pointing out the oddity. He thought for a moment and summarized his general stats and level.

When Fan Yunshan heard that Li Ren had broken through level 100 to reach 104, with total attributes reaching around 230,000, a look of joy crossed his face.

"In that case, my plan is essentially feasible," Fan Yunshan said with a relaxed smile.

Moran, sitting opposite, seemed to realize something. She let out a surprised gasp: "Could you mean that..."

"Exactly! That's the one!" Fan Yunshan laughed, though his smile carried a strange edge.