Houtu Boots

Prizes for the Transcendent stage that exceeded expectations? As someone in the Transcendent stage himself, Zhang Yuanqing felt a jolt of excitement and immediately clicked into the post. The content was remarkably concise—simply a list of rewards for first through tenth place. First place: Houtu Boots, Grade C merit. Second place: Illusion Cloak, Grade D merit. Third place: Cute Hairpin, Grade D merit. Fourth place: 700,000 in cash, Grade E merit. From fourth place onward, the remaining prizes were all cash awards that decreased with each rank, while the merit remained unchanged at Grade E. Grade C merit was the absolute limit an ordinary Spirit Realm walker could obtain, and more importantly, it was a stepping stone toward becoming a Deacon. In other words, whoever took first place in the Transcendent stage was essentially an intern Deacon. All they would need to do was clear a slaughter trial and become a Saint, and they could immediately step into power as a full Deacon. "Still, if that were all, it wouldn't warrant being called 'exceeding expectations.' The real prize must be the Houtu Boots," Zhang Yuanqing mused. He scrolled down through the comments, and sure enough, he found one describing the boots: [Cephalosporin with Wine the More You Drink the More You Have: It's the Houtu Boots! This item is unbelievable. Its quality reaches the Saint stage, which is already an immense temptation for Transcendent-stage walkers. But its true power doesn't come from its basic attributes—it has a unique property.] [Please Call Me Queen: What property? Is it really that strong? How strong?] Of course she's here... Zhang Yuanqing mentally facepalmed as he spotted the familiar handle. It seemed as though she had nothing better to do all day than surf the web, messing around here, trolling around there. Back in Yinyang Town, all her capabilities had clearly been at squad-captain caliber, showing she had immense talent. If she poured all that energy into her cultivation, she could certainly go even further. Then again, Queen did have an exceptional figure—curvaceous and voluptuous, every bit as lush as a ripe peach. Zhang Yuanqing hurriedly cut that line of thought short and continued reading the comments. Cephalosporin's comment drew enthusiastic replies from a swarm of official walkers, and countless others were just as curious as Queen. [Betel Nut with Cigarette Grants Boundless Power: Whoa, did I just spot a matching couple's handle? Wait, no, that's a bro handle. Hey brother, keeping us in suspense isn't cool! Spill the beans—what's the deal with these Houtu Boots?] [Nan Aiding: What's the story with the Houtu Boots? Besides, couple handles are super common. I have one too. @Bei Getan] After much clamoring from the crowd, Cephalosporin finally posted a reply: [All right, no more teasing. Let me tell you: these Houtu Boots are part of a set. Well, some of you might not be familiar with sets. Right now, the organization classifies items into three major categories based on their nature: cost-based, rule-based, and miscellaneous. [There isn't an official guide on sets yet. But the concept is very simple. Anyone who's played video games knows that certain items, for various reasons, can be combined or enhance one another to create an effect where one plus one is greater than two. That's a set. [The Houtu Boots are a Saint-grade item. Once you gather the full set, its quality might rival a Dominator-grade item. Now tell me, are the Houtu Boots precious or what? The organization is really bleeding out blood and treasure this time around.] [Please Call Me Queen: So that's how it is! This is the first time I've heard of the set concept. Wow, I want it so bad.] [Affectionate Jenny: Suddenly burning with fighting spirit! Too bad I'm only Level 2, so this item has nothing to do with me (tears).] [Lairifangzhang: If a Saint-grade set is completed, it really might contend with Dominator-grade items. That's insane. But Bro Cephalosporin, how do you know all this?] [Cephalosporin with Wine the More You Drink the More You Have: This item used to belong to my superior. Supposedly, he got it from an Earth Monster exclusive trial, and it stayed with him for many years. At first, in order to complete the set, he asked around everywhere and ran himself ragged, but he could never find the other pieces. Years flew by, his level gradually rose, and eventually he traded this item along with his merits to the organization for higher-tier equipment.] [Lairifangzhang: Ah, your words just poured cold water on me. Sounds like completing the set is practically impossible.] [Please Call Me Queen: The harder it is, the more terrifying its attributes will be once completed! My mind's made up: I'm going to fight for first place in the Transcendent stage this year!] Fight your ass. With your level of strength, what are you going to fight with—your 36D chest? Zhang Yuanqing muttered under his breath. "Houtu Boots... one piece of a set..." Zhang Yuanqing instinctively thought of his Yinyang Robe. "I remember the set for the Yinyang Robe has three other pieces: boots, a belt, and a crown. The robe possesses water and fire attributes, so the other three pieces should correspond to the metal, wood, and earth professions. Could the Houtu Boots be part of the Yinyang Robe set?" The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. If sets were common, the odds of the Houtu Boots being part of the Yinyang Robe set would be slim, and Zhang Yuanqing wouldn't have jumped to that conclusion. In reality, however, item sets were as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns. Even among trained official walkers, many had never even heard of the concept. I need to ask someone... Zhang Yuanqing opened his messaging app and sent Fu Qingyang a text: "Centurion, could I take a look at the attribute details for the Houtu Boots?" He was confident that Fu Qingyang had the pull to get hold of them. A dozen seconds later, Fu Qingyang sent back a reply: "For Spirit Realm walkers, items are a vital component of combat strength, so the attributes of the Houtu Boots are strictly confidential. Even I cannot access them. If you merely wish to gain a basic understanding, I can have someone look up the fundamental information on the Houtu Boots, excluding functions and costs." That's plenty. I just need to verify whether it's part of the Yinyang Robe set... Zhang Yuanqing replied: "Thank you, Centurion." Fu Qingyang was remarkably efficient. After waiting a few minutes, Zhang Yuanqing received his reply: [Name: Houtu Boots] [Type: Footwear] [Description: Crafted from silk spun upon the Sacred Mountain, light as a feather and resistant to blades. Thereafter buried in the Sacred Mountain for thirty-three years to absorb the earth energy of dragon veins and refine the essence of the eight directions before reaching completion. Known as: Houtu Boots.] [Note 1: One of the components of the Heaven-Worship Attire. The remaining three components are: Crown, Robe, and Belt. It is said that gathering all four pieces of the set allows one to unravel the secret of longevity.] There were no functions and no costs listed—only the most basic information. To anyone else, this information was meaningless, offering at best a rudimentary grasp of the item. But to Zhang Yuanqing, it was monumental. "It really is one of the four pieces of the Heaven-Worship Attire..." Zhang Yuanqing rolled across his bed in sheer delight. He never could have dreamed that less than a month after obtaining the Yinyang Robe, he would cross paths with another component. "To ordinary Transcendent walkers, completing the set is just wishful thinking. But to me, this means everything! I already have the Yinyang Robe. If I get the Houtu Boots, I'll have half the set! Besides, who knows if equipping two pieces grants a partial set bonus..." Zhang Yuanqing's heart flared with heat. As his level climbed higher, the utility of the items currently in his possession was steadily dwindling. His primary offensive gear—the Ruffian Boxing Gloves, the Burst Pistol, and the Bloodthirsty Blade—was gradually falling behind his pace. Even a rule-based item like the Red Dancing Shoes felt lackluster when up against a Saint. This disparity would only become more pronounced once he advanced to the Saint stage. He was thus facing an awkward dilemma: he had plenty of items, yet they were mismatched with his tier. The Heaven-Worship Attire was different. It possessed Saint-grade quality in its own right, and once completed, it could likely rival Dominator-grade gear. It was scalable, capable of serving him all the way through to the Dominator Realm. The gap between a Spirit Realm walker armed with proper items and one without was simply too vast. Ding! Amid his wandering thoughts, Fu Qingyang sent another message: "Are you interested in this item?" Yuanshi Tianzun: "Yes, I want it." Fu Qingyang: "It will be quite difficult. The Taiyi Sect is participating in this year's tournament as well. Work hard." Oh, right, the Taiyi Sect is participating too... Zhang Yuanqing recalled the other pinned post—the announcement that the Taiyi Sect would be joining this year's arena tournament. He reopened the official forum and tapped on the post to read: "Just yesterday, the Taiyi Sect's official forum abruptly published an announcement stating that they will co-host this year's arena tournament alongside the Five Elements Alliance. As is widely known, the Night Wanderer is an apex profession whose average combat prowess outstrips the other seven orthodox professions. One cannot help but wonder whether the heavy hitters of the Five Elements Alliance feel the immense pressure upon hearing this news. "Naturally, in recent years, the Five Elements Alliance has seen talent emerge in droves. In the Transcendent stage, we have the newly risen prodigy Yuanshi Tianzun; in the Saint stage, we have the peerless Fu Qingyang, alongside numerous other seasoned experts. We trust that this year's arena tournament will be exceedingly magnificent!" Seeing the official post describe him as a "newly risen prodigy" gave Zhang Yuanqing a quiet swell of satisfaction. But when he scrolled down to the comments, his optimistic mood instantly evaporated. [Please Call Me Queen: Ah crap, the Taiyi Sect is joining too? What's the point of playing then? Goodbye, Houtu Boots! (sobbing)] Queen, seriously, you're everywhere. [Lairifangzhang: Lord Tianzun won't cut it. As for Fu Qingyang, there's reason to be hopeful.] What do you mean I won't cut it? You bastard, back during the Li Xianzong incident, you were bad-mouthing me too. You're just jealous, aren't you? Zhang Yuanqing spat inwardly. [Please Call Me Queen: Yuanshi Tianzun still has a shot at the top three! The guy above me is just jealous.] [Lairifangzhang: I'm not jealous, Queen. I'm not a Tianzun hater—I'm just giving an objective analysis. First off, Yuanshi Tianzun is a rookie. He leveled up fast, but that doesn't change the fact that he's brand new. Mental fortitude, combat experience, martial arts—these qualities take time to build, and they're his weak points.] [Lairifangzhang: Second, he only just reached Level 3. If I recall correctly, he leveled up in the Yinyang Town trial; you said so yourself. That means his current experience is probably under ten percent. Meanwhile, the Taiyi Sect has no shortage of veteran Level 3 walkers, some with their experience already sitting above ninety percent. Those people don't lack powerful items, either. Facing those seasoned veterans, Lord Tianzun has no advantage whatsoever.] [Lairifangzhang: Lastly, those veteran Level 3 walkers in the Taiyi Sect all have spirit servants and yin corpses. I don't know much about Yuanshi Tianzun's situation, but if he has spirit servants and a yin corpse, he might narrow the gap a little. If he doesn't...] [Lairifangzhang: Yuanshi Tianzun's biggest factor is his massive fame. He's practically become the poster boy for the Five Elements Alliance's Transcendent stage, which gives many people the illusion that he's invincible. Back when Li Xianzong went hunting for Yuanshi Tianzun, he did it specifically for that fame.] [Wangfei: The guy above claims he isn't jealous, yet every word out of his mouth belittles Yuanshi Tianzun. You make fair points, but even among veteran Level 3 walkers, Yuanshi Tianzun is no pushover. At most, you could say his odds of taking the championship are slim. I believe he definitely has a shot at the top five, or even the top three.] [Cephalosporin with Wine the More You Drink the More You Have: I just hope the Houtu Boots don't get snatched away by the Taiyi Sect bastards. I recall our Five Elements Alliance has quite a few powerhouses among the Level 3 ranks; they just keep a low profile. Anyone want to make a list?] [Wang Tai: Regarding the list, the Scholars across our branch offices set up a group chat. We're currently compiling data on all Level 3 walkers from both the Five Elements Alliance and the Taiyi Sect. Factoring in items, martial arts, past battle records, and more, we developed an intelligent algorithm. By tomorrow afternoon at the latest, we'll have a list generated via big data.] So that's why you were pulling an all-nighter at the office? Seeing this, Zhang Yuanqing stopped browsing the comments. The user named "Lairifangzhang" had actually spoken quite objectively. Zhang Yuanqing was well aware of his own true situation. Early Level 3, rudimentary hand-to-hand combat skills. Stripping away all his items, that level of strength wasn't bad, but to say he could dominate the entire Transcendent stage was out of the question. Take Li Xianzong, for instance. Right now, without relying on the Yinyang Robe, Zhang Yuanqing could only claim he had the ability to contend with him; he had no guarantee of victory. At best, it was a fifty-fifty split, perhaps even forty-sixty in Li Xianzong's favor. "Raising my experience further is out of the question. My solo Spirit Realm trial hasn't dropped yet, meaning it won't arrive until late May, by which time the arena tournament will already be over. The only way to supplement my combat strength right now is a yin corpse. "I hope Xiao Yuan keeps her word and hunts down that Bewitching Demon soon." Just as he was pondering this, a thread caught his eye: #Format of Previous Tournaments: Predicting This Year's Arena Rules# The tournament had different modes? Piqued, Zhang Yuanqing was about to tap the link when his bedroom door was violently shoved open. He had heard the footsteps approaching earlier, so he wasn't startled and calmly looked over. Yet the moment he saw his grandmother clutching a broom, Zhang Yuanqing's expression tightened. He hurriedly lowered his phone and instinctively straightened his back: "G-Grandma?" Grandmother rested the handle of the broom against her grandson's neck and demanded with chilling detachment: "I hear you're being kept by a sugar mommy? "Out of all the things you could learn from your uncle, you had to learn how to be a kept boy?!" Zhang Yuanqing's first thought was: My cousin sold me out! On second thought, his cousin was mature and steady; he would never stoop to committing such a wicked betrayal against his own younger cousin. Cautiously testing the waters, he asked: "Wh-who did you hear that from?" Grandmother sneered. "In a couple of hours, the whole neighborhood will be talking about it! Didn't you come home yesterday riding in some rich woman's sports car?" So that's what this is about... Zhang Yuanqing protested, "That doesn't prove I'm being kept!" Grandmother eyed him sideways. "Do the gossips care about proof? Besides, with your personality, is it so impossible for you to be kept? Even if you married into someone's family as a live-in son-in-law later, I wouldn't put it past you!" Grandmother pressed down on the broom handle, snapping in fury: "Out with it! Are you being kept or not?!" Grandmother was a traditional woman through and through. She would never accept her grandson acting as some pretty-boy kept pet. Zhang Yuanqing promptly reiterated the exact cover story he had used to convince his cousin. After hearing it, Grandmother's expression softened slightly. She lifted the broom from her grandson's neck and asked: "Really?" "Yes, absolutely!" Zhang Yuanqing nodded vigorously. "That's more like it!" Grandmother's tone took a sharp turn. "Invite her over to the house for dinner, and then I'll believe you." "Huh?" Zhang Yuanqing was instantly dumbfounded. Grandmother sneered, "If I just took your word for it, wouldn't all these decades I've been married to your grandfather have been in vain?" "..." "Then it's settled!" Grandmother left no room for argument. "You pick the day—anytime this week works!" With that, she turned with her broom and bustled out the door. She had to go set the record straight with the neighborhood busybodies: her grandson wasn't being kept; he had simply started dating a wealthy girlfriend. Old Chen had been a police officer his entire life and still carried considerable prestige in the neighborhood. The Chen family's reputation could not be dragged through the mud by this little menace. Even though... even though the family scoundrel's reputation for living off a woman had already spread far and wide long ago.