My Crazy Upgrade System

Thanks to the Black Dragon’s incredible speed, Yi Tianyun reached the outskirts of Yunluo Village in the blink of an eye. He landed and promptly recalled the dragon. ’I absolutely can’t let anyone else see this Black Dragon. It would be a huge problem. Scaring them is a small matter, but if word gets out, I’ll be in serious trouble.’

A Black Dragon from the Dragon Race was a treasure from head to tail. Third-grade factions would immediately come coveting it. It wasn’t out of the question that they would try to seize it by force, so it was best for him to be cautious. Besides, keeping it hidden, just like the Snow Wolf, meant he had a trump card. Summoning it for a surprise attack would be a devastating finishing move!

After composing himself, Yi Tianyun walked into Yunluo Village. The village was now in a state of jubilation. But where there was joy, there was also sorrow. Some of those who had been taken away never returned; they were undoubtedly dead.

To the bandits, these lives weren’t lives at all. They could be slaughtered and abused at will, and once they were dead, their bodies were simply discarded. Their cruel methods were mostly a way to make an example of some to intimidate the rest, ensuring the other captives knew exactly who was in command.

"Young Hero Yi is back!"

The moment Yi Tianyun entered the village, he was spotted. Villagers rushed over, many weeping with gratitude. Some even dropped to their knees and kowtowed deeply to him. Yi Tianyun hurriedly gestured for them to rise, but they paid him no mind, continuing to kowtow with heavy thuds.

"Young Hero Yi, please don’t stop us. If it weren’t for you, we would’ve all died in Treasure Dragon Stronghold. We have nothing to reward you with, so please, allow us to offer you this bow. It’s the only way we can show our gratitude!"

"Yes! So please, you must accept our bow! If you don’t, it means you’re looking down on us!"

The entire village knelt, and even Liu Menglian joined them. This was her home. By saving the village, Yi Tianyun had saved her, so she knelt and bowed with the rest.

"Young Master, please accept our bow," Liu Menglian said. "We have nothing else to give. We can only offer this humble gesture to express the gratitude in our hearts."

Yi Tianyun felt helpless and could only accept their show of respect. Since they had put it that way, refusing would have indeed meant he was looking down on them.

After everyone had bowed, they rose to their feet, their hearts still overflowing with gratitude. They would never forget this kindness. Yi Tianyun had appeared to save them in their darkest hour; he was like a second father who had given them a new life.

Afterward, the entire village erupted in celebration. They had acquired many valuables from Treasure Dragon Stronghold, which improved their circumstances enough to afford a feast. They butchered all their remaining chickens and ducks and used up all their rice and flour to prepare a rich and lavish meal.

Yi Tianyun felt the joyous atmosphere and couldn’t help but smile, joining them in the celebration.

Happy times are always fleeting. After the festivities, it was time to leave. Yi Tianyun had healed Liu Menglian’s father’s leg injury, allowing him to get out of bed and walk immediately. With that, there was nothing else for him to do there.

It was unlikely the villagers would move. They had always been farmers, living off the land, so Yi Tianyun didn’t try to persuade them to leave. With Treasure Dragon Stronghold annihilated, the area was undoubtedly safe for the time being. Whether other bandits might appear in the future, however, was anyone’s guess.

He did, however, pass down some basic Human Level Martial Arts for the more talented youths to cultivate. How much they achieved in the future would be up to them.

"Lian... Young Hero Yi is a good man. He meets my standards for a son-in-law." Old Liu was very pleased with Yi Tianyun, but he also believed his daughter was just as outstanding and was worthy of him.

"Dad, don’t be ridiculous. How could I ever be worthy of the Young Master..." As Liu Menglian spoke, the light in her beautiful eyes dimmed, betraying a hint of disappointment.

"There’s no such thing as being worthy or not. Is my daughter not good enough for him?" Old Liu chuckled. "Lian, it’s already a great honor for our family that you could join Merak Palace. Cultivate diligently. There’s no one you’re not worthy of, only those who are not worthy of you!"

Liu Menglian’s eyes reddened. She knew her father was encouraging her to pursue what she wanted and telling her not to lose heart.

"Dad, I will!" Liu Menglian said, nodding firmly.

"Good. You’re more and more like your mother. If only she were still here... she could see how successful our daughter has become, able to stand on her own two feet..." Old Liu’s eyes also began to redden.

"Dad..."

After the father and daughter shared a heartfelt conversation, they reluctantly said their goodbyes.

"Young Master, shall we go?" Liu Menglian walked over, her face wreathed in a smile as beautiful as a blooming crabapple blossom.

"Lian, you seem to be in high spirits!" Yi Tianyun said with a smile.

"Of course I am. A weight has been lifted from my mind, so naturally, I’m happy," Liu Menglian laughed.

"Is that so..." Yi Tianyun rubbed his nose. ’It really was a huge weight on her mind.’ "Alright, let’s head to Celestial Wind City. We need to buy a batch of materials to bring back."

"Mhm!" Liu Menglian gazed at Yi Tianyun’s departing back, a new sparkle in her beautiful eyes.

...

After some time on the road, they arrived in Celestial Wind City. Yi Tianyun’s only goal here was to grind for Madness Value; he had no other plans. While he had a fair amount of Madness Value already, it was far from enough. He had too many Divine Skills that needed to be upgraded.

Even a hundred million Madness Value could be spent in an instant!

Returning to Celestial Rain Tower, the familiar sight brought back memories of his last visit. The Celestial Phoenix Tower across the street was gone, its entire building having been taken over by Celestial Rain Tower.

Everything had changed so fast. A once-rival faction was now gone. As he stepped into Celestial Rain Tower with his familiar face, some of the guards recognized him. They froze on the spot, unable to look away.

"Yi... Yi Tianyun!?"

It took them a moment to snap out of their stupor. One of them immediately rushed upstairs to get someone—undoubtedly, that someone was Zi Yuwei.

Zi Yuwei came rushing down from upstairs, a frantic look on her face. The moment she saw Yi Tianyun, her eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions. She thought back on everything that had happened between them; it had all changed so quickly. The main thing was that she had failed to protect him back then. Now, meeting him again, she couldn’t help but feel awkward and guilty.

"Purple Pavilion Master, long time no see." Yi Tianyun smiled, not looking the least bit awkward as he gave her a casual wave.

He understood the difficult position Zi Yuwei had been in. Back then, she didn’t have much power and couldn’t have possibly intervened in that matter. The fact that she had managed to warn him to escape was already the most she could do. It wasn’t as if she could have run away with him, right?

Therefore, he held no grudge against Zi Yuwei. But one thing was certain: his relationship with Celestial Rain Tower would never be a deep one. It would only ever be a partnership. Since they hadn’t stepped up to help him then, a partnership was all it could be.

Back then, he could already forge high-grade Spiritual Artifacts, a feat that had shocked the entire Celestial Rain Tower. Yet, they still hadn’t chosen to protect him. It proved that, in their eyes, he wasn’t worth risking everything for.

However, time had also proven that Celestial Rain Tower was kicking themselves with regret. When they learned of Yi Tianyun’s explosive rise in cultivation, it was already too late to try and get back on his good side. The matter had even stirred up a storm internally; many subordinates were severely reprimanded—all except for Zi Yuwei.