Chenger gazed at the ring in her hands. This treasure's value would make even those at the Martial Origin Stage drool to get their hands upon it.
And even the Martial Providence Stage powerhouses would wish to obtain it to present to their disciples or the younger generation of their Clan.
After all, it was a Silver Ranked Artifact. The items in the Gaider Realm were called Artifacts and graded as Gold, Silver, and Bronze, sub-divided into the lower, middle, and upper grades.
And, the ring was an Upper-Grade Silver Ranked Artifact. If auctioned, it would go for a fortune.
It was also tremendously useful as if would save lives. When worn, it would absorb the cultivator's Origin Essence and store it within itself. And when activated, this stored Origin Essence would be expended to unleash a barrier that would protect the user against attacks from those at the Martial Origin Stage.
And best of all, it could be worn even by cultivators at the Origin Refinement Stage. And, all Chenger had to spend to obtain this ring was to sell some alcohol to the customer.
This was the primary reason she had established such a method. And having been running this pub for a year now, she had obtained considerable treasures, allowing her wealth and strength to skyrocket.
The pubs under her control were just a front to amass treasures. She ran an underground auction network to sell the treasures that she had no use for, obtaining a lot of capital.
She then used that capital to purchase resources that she used to train her subordinates, rapidly raising their strength using pills and the like.
A significant portion of her subordinates had Human Martial Spirits.
In truth, there existed an underground network in Dlon City where the expert was actually in the Martial Providence Stage. But, once Chenger investigated his background, she infiltrated them, using her cunning and insane experience to become the second in command despite her strength only being at the Origin Refinement Stage.
And slowly, she poisoned this expert and everyone else loyal to him, killing them one day and seizing power. Moreover, she also garnered the loyalty of the remainder, becoming the boss as she used her innovative ideas to bring in more riches and also worked in strengthening her subordinates.
Thanks to that, she had their wholehearted support. After all, the previous head only focused on personal growth, feeding the remaining scraps to the people under him. For those at the bottom of the chain, they had nothing.
But, even if she had such innovative means, rebels would still exist that wished to take control of the underground network and make her submit to them.
Despite that, Chenger was in power. There was just one reason for this: Her Heaven Martial Spirit.
When those with power in the underground network had arrived for a secret discussion, Chenger unleashed her suppression that a higher-tiered Martial Spirit exerted on lower-tiered Martial Spirits, stupefying them all.
When they noticed that Chenger had a Heaven Martial Spirit, they prostrated, pledging their allegiance.
After all, what they were looking at was potential, the potential of a Heaven Martial Spirit cultivator. It meant that once Chenger reached the Martial Providence Stage, they would become a ruling power in the Gaider Realm.
Just this reason was enough for them to wholeheartedly follow her orders. Moreover, she proved smarter and more capable than them all, so they had zero intentions to rebel against her, not when they were growing stronger under her advice.
This underground network was another reason she could run her pub network despite facing pressure from various forces to obtain her liquor recipes.
This was how Chenger gradually came to exercise considerable power in Dlon City. But, despite the chances, she refused to enter the Martial Origin Stage.
Based on what she had found out, cultivation in the Gaider Realm varied in the number of years concerning cultivators. The higher tiered the Martial Spirit, the faster the cultivation progress.
But in general, Human Martial Spirit cultivators took about 3-7 years to reach the peak of the Origin Refinement Stage.
And from the First Layer of the Martial Origin Stage to the Ninth Layer, it took them about 10-18 years.
Finally, from the First Layer of the Martial Providence Stage to the Ninth Layer, it took them about 20-50 years.
This isn't including the cultivators who would become stuck at a certain cultivation, unable to progress due to a variety of reasons.
Earth Martial Spirit cultivators were faster in comparison. And with possessing a Heaven Martial Spirit, her cultivation speed was damn fast, having reached the peak of the Origin Refinement Stage within a year.
But, it had already been three years since Chenger landed in the Gaider Realm. The reason she had been postponing her cultivation was to prepare for the Secret Realm that would be opening shortly.
She had obtained information regarding that from cultivators that had probed through the location where the entrance would be appearing. There were signs for the past few years, so they could make an estimate.
As it was a Secret Realm that opens once every century, there existed some records about it. And best of all was the fact that those attempting to break through to the Martial Origin Stage within the Secret Realm would become stronger than regular Martial Origin Stage cultivators.
That's why she was waiting for this opportunity. After all, just an increase in cultivation wasn't enough to defeat Compass Carburettor. She had to be an expert even among Heaven Martial Spirit cultivators.
Hence, she had been preparing for that all along, also training some competent companions that could accompany her to face the upcoming danger.
After all, based on historical records, only those at the Origin Refinement Stage could enter this Secret Realm.
"I know for a fact that you'll be entering this Secret Realm, Compass Carburettor." Chenger muttered, clenching her hand into a fist, "And this is where your grave would be. You can enjoy your final days of peace."
…
"Alright, how does your body feel now?" Compass Carburettor smiled, patting the head of a kid that jumped around giddily.
"Uncle, I don't feel scared anymore!" The kid smiled.
