My Crazy Upgrade System

’If I could summon a Black Dragon as a pet, wouldn’t I be able to fly on it?’ Yi Tianyun’s eyes lit up. To be able to fly, one’s cultivation had to reach at least the Core Formation Stage, which was a rather long process.

Only by reaching the Core Formation Stage could one fly. Therefore, having a flying Demon Beast would undoubtedly be a wonderful thing, making escapes and travel far more convenient.

’But where can I get a Black Dragon Soul?’ Yi Tianyun frowned. He recalled that when he’d inspected Black Soul Ancestor’s status, he’d seen that the Black Dragon Soul was a possible drop. Who would have thought that even after activating his Luck Aura, it still didn’t drop? It was a real shame.

’If my luck stat was high enough, or if my Luck Aura was one level higher, it definitely would’ve dropped... But how is it supposed to drop now? Black Soul Ancestor is dead.’

Yi Tianyun shook his head, feeling deeply disappointed. He had missed this chance for the Black Dragon Soul. ’How can I get one now? Who else could even drop it?’

He stopped overthinking it and looted all of Black Soul Ancestor’s belongings, storing them in his inventory. They were all valuable items. Even if he couldn’t fuse them to increase a Skill Level, he could at least sell them for a good price.

"Black Soul Ancestor is dead... Black Soul Ancestor is dead!! That’s great! Black Soul Ancestor is dead!!"

Someone’s shout drew Yi Tianyun’s attention. He looked over and saw a few bandits nearby, staring at the scene in stunned disbelief. Some had even collapsed weakly to the ground, a myriad of expressions on their faces.

’Looks like a few fish slipped through the net. Can’t leave the job half-done...’

Yi Tianyun narrowed his eyes and charged, swinging his fists. A frosty aura instantly enveloped the area. With a single punch from him, they would be blown to pieces!

THUD!

Just then, they all dropped to their knees, kowtowing and begging for their lives.

"Hero, thank you for killing Black Soul Ancestor and saving us!"

"Hero, please spare us! We were forced to join Treasure Dragon Stronghold! If we hadn’t, our families would have been killed!"

"We were just following orders! We’ve been working inside this whole time and never went out to hurt anyone... The ones who did that were in the outer fortress. Those of us inside are just responsible for logistics; we aren’t allowed to leave..."

They kowtowed to Yi Tianyun relentlessly, smashing their foreheads against the ground until they bled. They would do anything to live.

Yi Tianyun stopped and watched them with narrowed eyes. This sort of thing wasn’t uncommon. A stronghold with so many people couldn’t possibly consist entirely of core members; some were bound to have been recruited from outside. Things like cooking and cleaning certainly weren’t tasks for the main force. They had to recruit outsiders, who were often dragged in by force.

"Whether or not you’ve done anything wrong will be judged in due time. Make one wrong move, and don’t blame me for being ruthless. We’ll see what’s faster—your legs or my fists."

Yi Tianyun gestured for them to gather up. He rounded up all the remaining bandits and led them outside, where Liu Menglian had already rescued all the prisoners. They were gathered in one spot, and their expressions changed the moment they saw Yi Tianyun approaching with his group.

"Young Master, this is..." Liu Menglian looked at the group behind him, confused.

"I don’t know how many of them were brought here by force. I believe some had no choice in the matter, so I want you to take a look. Tell me who can be forgiven, and who is unforgivable," Yi Tianyun said to the rescued villagers.

"He’s from our village! He only joined to protect us..."

"He was forced to come here. He’s my husband..."

"They dragged him here by force. He’s been cooking our meals..."

"He’s one of the bad guys!"

Just then, someone was recognized as one of the culprits trying to blend in. The man’s face went pale, and he whirled around to grab a hostage, but Yi Tianyun was faster. A single kick sent the man flying into a distant house, from which no further sound was heard.

"Continue," Yi Tianyun said calmly. "You can also point out each other, and we’ll see who has done what."

"He’s innocent..."

"He was captured and brought here..."

The villagers began pointing them out. A few who had tried to blend in were identified. Some turned and fled, while others dropped to their knees and begged for mercy, but Yi Tianyun spared none of them. According to the villagers’ accusations, their crimes were numerous—not just one or two offenses, but many.

After the cleanup, Treasure Dragon Stronghold was well and truly finished. All the bandits had been dealt with. Even if a few happened to be away at the time, they no longer posed any real threat. With the three Village Chiefs and Black Soul Ancestor dead, Treasure Dragon Stronghold had lost all its power.

"Ding! Quest ’Eradicate Treasure Dragon Stronghold’ completed. Reward: 150,000 Experience, 10,000 Madness Value, 100 Luck Value!"

The quest notification proved that he had perfectly completed the mission.

With everything settled, it was time to head back. Liu Menglian said to him, "Young Master, let’s go back."

"Mhm. You all head back first. I need to look for something here." Yi Tianyun wasn’t in a hurry to leave and gestured for them to go on ahead.

Liu Menglian didn’t ask any questions. She just nodded and said, "Then I will wait for you at Yunluo Village. Please be careful, Young Master."

After they had all left, Yi Tianyun’s gaze returned to Treasure Dragon Stronghold. The reason he wasn’t in a hurry to leave was, of course, to investigate the Black Dragon Spiritual Vein located underground. He wanted to see for himself what kind of Spiritual Vein it was.

He headed to the center of Treasure Dragon Stronghold, where a luxurious residence stood. This was undoubtedly where Black Soul Ancestor and the others had lived. When he went inside, he found it had already been picked clean; nothing of value remained.

This was per Yi Tianyun’s own orders; he had allowed the villagers to take anything valuable. While they were doing so, he had sensed an unknown power emanating from deep beneath this spot. He had also noticed a passage in the residence leading underground, but since he was busy with other things, he had ignored it for the time being.

Once they had all departed, Yi Tianyun returned to the residence and followed a staircase leading underground. The deeper he went, the more he felt an oppressive power surging toward him. It was a familiar power—the Black Dragon Power, bubbling up from beneath the earth.

Soon, he reached the bottom of the stairs, where a massive stone door blocked his path. He pulled a nearby lever, and the door began to open slowly. As it did, a surge of Black Dragon Power washed over him, enveloping his body. It was a sinister, alluring force that felt as if it were trying to pull him inside.

’So this is the Black Dragon Spiritual Vein. I wonder if there’s a Black Dragon Soul inside?’ The Black Dragon Soul was what Yi Tianyun was anticipating the most.