"Chariot?" He Yiming blinked in surprise then his eyes lit up with joy.
From the outside, it looked only five or six meters wide, like an ordinary armored vehicle. But as soon as he stepped inside, his eyes widened. The interior space was massive easily a hundred meters wide. It had everything: storage rooms, sleeping quarters, a fully equipped kitchen, even a proper restaurant.
And then there was the resurrection room. Small, but enough to revive three players every ten minutes. Any more than that, and they'd have to queue up.
Perfect for the Northern Expedition. They could battle fiercely, retreat to the chariot to rest, eat, even sleep. If someone died, they wouldn't have to run all the way back to the sect. They could just respawn here.
The only issue: the formation powering it burned through ten spirit stones per hour.
"Good thing Nangong Li gave me five hundred spirit stones…" He Yiming exhaled, patting his chest. "Otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford this thing."
The chariot was already bound to him. He waved his sleeve, sending it into his system space, and walked out of the hall.
"Disciples," he called out lightly.
"It's starting!"
"I'm logged in for ten hours straight today!"
"I ate early and peed twice, I'm ready!"
The players were already hyped. They had their weapons, armors, bags full of dried meat, and their absurd enthusiasm.
"Today, we head north—to the Hundred Thousand Mountains. You'll face beasts, danger, and bloody battle. You'll also find opportunities. Luck, fortune, and strength all are yours to seize." He Yiming kept it short. He didn't need to say much. They were already fired up.
They reached the base of the mountain range and then saw the chariot.
"Hold the grass… is this real?"
"It's huge inside! Space folding technology?"
"There's a resurrection room!"
"Guys! Help me move the hotpot base inside!"
"Where's the meat? I've got broth boiling!"
They scrambled aboard, yelling over each other in joy. The chariot rumbled forward, wheels crushing dirt as it raced toward the north.
He Yiming didn't worry about the Yan Huang Sect being empty. There was nothing valuable there. The spirit grass had barely sprouted, the Library couldn't be opened by anyone below Foundation Establishment, and anyone above that level wouldn't bother robbing some third-rate sect.
He rode at the front, guiding the chariot with a thought. Within hours, they arrived at the edge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Inside the cab, all was silent good soundproofing. He Yiming raised an eyebrow. "They'll be nervous, probably... First life-and-death battle for many. I should give a speech to calm them."
He stepped inside the carriage and froze.
"The world of cultivation is my domain!"
"The king of the deep sea is so flavourful"
"Five more Deep Sea King skewers!"
"Let's get fucking hiiiiigh!"
It was chaos. Literal chaos. Hotpot bubbling, meat sizzling, players shirtless and dancing. Some stood on tables. Some sang. Some drummed on bowls.
"Where's this music coming from?" He Yiming turned slowly.
In the corner, a young man with the name Music Games sat with a guitar made of Deep Sea King tendons and drums crafted from its belly skin. His fingers moved with skill despite the crude materials. The music wasn't exactly on-key but it had soul.
He Yiming blinked. "The Deep Sea King's… musical remains?"
"The shit pill is what you missed!" Farm Master popped up nearby, grinning ear to ear. "Its dung was ten times stronger than the War Hunchback Beast's. You could've refined another pill, Brother Ming!"
He Yiming paled slightly. "You used its…"
He didn't finish.
"Brother Ming's here!" someone shouted.
He straightened and took a deep breath.
"We're here. The edge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains."
"Let's go!"
"My big sword is itchy!"
"Let's get paid, boys!"
He Yiming raised a hand, silencing the crowd. "Even in the outer edges, there are many spirit beasts. Some beasts move in packs. Some might be in the late stage of the Spirit Vein Realm."
He took out a bundle of thin wooden sticks. "These are distress signal sticks. One for each of you. If you're in serious danger, snap it. I'll see it and come immediately."
Inside each twig, he had embedded a trace of the Azure Emperor Immortal Body's power and a sliver of thunder. Break it, and a bolt of thunder would shoot skyward, releasing a brilliant cyan glow. He could spot it instantly from above.
"Nice, we got flare sticks!"
"I won't need mine!"
"Brother Ming is too kind. I'm crying!"
Despite the bravado, all the players obediently took the sticks and tied them to their belts.
"Let's go!"
"Form teams!"
"This wave is gonna pay in spirit stones!"
Excitement reached a boiling point. Groups dashed into the forest, weapons raised, laughter echoing.
He Yiming rose into the air, standing atop Mingyue, his flying sword, and watched them spread out.
Thirty meters above ground, his sharp eyes swept the trees, ready to respond the instant a signal flared into the sky.