Zhang Ze feels very empty right now.
Even more so than after hearing the story of "Guanqi Buwu Mo Jingchun".
Although that story was bland, it was still a story.
But at this moment, Zhang Ze's feeling can be summed up by one book title.
"Reborn as a Top-tier Second-generation Heir, Starting from a Vendor in the '80s"
It's a kind of contradiction aesthetic of being too full yet empty.
The system didn't mess with him.
The three strangely shaped things are indeed three swords, and quite decent sword embryos at that.
They come with binding heart methods.
However, they are of no great use to Zhang Ze.
True Monarch of Demon Suppression is a series of achievements, with rewards for each stage.
This reward for completing the second stage and entering the third stage is actually three cultivation paths.
Three different growth routes.
The first sword.
[Mountain-worshiping Taisui]
[Taisui, the primordial object of heaven and earth, without spirit and intelligence.]
[Hidden in the earth vein of Quan Mountain, it can extinguish life and observe death if nurtured by Yin Qi.]
[Nurtured for a hundred years, its form resembles a longevity peach, opening one eye, named Mountain-worshiping.]
[Nurtured for a thousand years, its form resembles a human head, opening two eyes, named Earth Soul.]
[Nurtured for ten thousand years, something unheard of.]
[Consuming it results in the creation of a sword embryo inside, and after Golden Core Realm, the core can be transformed into a sword.]
[The sword is named Life-cutting.]
[The sword cuts flesh and blood, devours souls and essences, this is the Life-cutting Heart Method.]
Zhang Ze, after reading the information before him, glanced again at this... longevity peach.
Alright then, if the system says it's a longevity peach, then it's a longevity peach, if the system calls that thing Yimu, then it's Yimu.
But to eat this thing and then transform the Golden Core into a sword...
"Get lost, whoever wants to eat it can go ahead and eat it."
The second sword.
[Nether Void]
[In the north, there is an abyss named Returning Void.]
[In Returning Void, there is a fish named Xu, which does not die outside of water.]
[Xu eats moon shadows and swallows star souls.]
[Its flesh is white, without bones, only a single sword bone.]
[With the sword bone, forge a sword named Nether Void.]
[Eating its flesh can discern the positions of constellations and examine the earth vein of the five elements.]
[Examining the patterns of the Sea-Transcending Dragon Pattern on the bone can enlighten the Dragon-Seeking Heart Method.]
This fish is actually quite alright; it's specialized in treasure hunting.
Even though it has recently been to places it shouldn't have gone.
Yet if cleansed, it can still be used.
But Zhang Ze remembered that Grandpa Wang once told him jokingly.
"One should learn as few spells of observing the heavens and distinguishing the earth as possible, for learning them harms the Heavenly Dao and leaves you lacking something in your fate."
"Look at that group of Taoists on Dragon Tiger Mountain, most of them can't find a wife."
"Although their sect rules don't explicitly forbid marriage, pretty much all of them are old bachelors."
Recalling Grandpa Wang's earnest teachings, Zhang Ze tossed the fish aside.
"Forget it, I don't really like fish."
The third sword.
[Sword Gall]
[Ancient Dragon Wood, its branches form the Sword Gall]
[Nourish the sword with battle, refine the heart with gall.]
[Enter the Dao through martial prowess.]
[Wield the Sword Gall, fight to the death without retreating, can acquire the Dragon Gall Heart Method.]
It seems highly likely that the reinforced steel growing in this shape is just a coincidence.
Yet Zhang Ze still thinks this thing isn't suitable for him.
"Those who generally fight to the death often end up dead."
If Zhang Ze's identity after crossing over were that of a loose cultivator, he would definitely choose that Big-eyed Fish.
But the problem is, Zhang Ze is the disciple of the world's second-largest sect, the Sword Sect.
And a Sword Sect disciple with boundless prospects at that.
Therefore, these three sword embryos, each tied to a heart method, which can't fully express their power, are quite redundant at this time.
For him, they are merely three Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that can be exchanged for money.
Heart methods are different from cultivation techniques; even Zhang Ze has to cultivate cautiously and cannot switch them at will.
If one has to make an analogy.
Heart methods are akin to a computer's operating system, while cultivation techniques are like downloaded software.
Randomly switching heart methods can easily burn the motherboard.
The Sword Sect's heart method has been tested and proven through countless generations of Sword Sect experts.
It allows for gradual and safe cultivation.
When Zhang Ze eventually receives the Sect Leader's true teachings in the future, the power and safety of the Sword Sect's heart method can truly be considered the best in the world.
Although the Six Righteous Sects each claim their heart method is the best.
A tie for first place is still first place.
Zhang Ze wonders if anyone would pass up the genuine world's best heart method to cultivate these unverified and outdated secret manuals.
He certainly wouldn't, as there would be nowhere to seek justice if he succumbed to mental disorder.
Moreover, based on Zhang Ze's deduction, the True Monarch of Demon Suppression task line is likely a series task meant for the start of a loose cultivator or small sect.
Loose cultivators lack resources and need fortunes or accidents, or to prey on others.
A disciple of a reputable major sect wanting to kill enough to fulfill the quota of 160 people in a short time, and they all have to be from the Demon Path.
That's quite insane; even for Lin Feng, it'd be tough.
If one does this daily, life cycles would basically be: eat, sleep, cultivate a bit, find someone, kill them, eat...
With such killing, one's mindset would surely change.
Basically, there'd be three paths.
If addicted to slaughter, the system would give him Taisui, starting a black-market cultivation journey.
Eat, kill, all day long.
Those who enjoy cautious treasure searching, only reaching enough numbers at seventy or eighty, the system's reward is to eat Big-eyed Fish.
Thus embarking on a lone celestial path, killing for treasures, a celibate cultivation journey.
If of the hero or warrior type, it'd give him rebar.
The story shifts to cultivating immortality starting with slaying demons and banishing devils.
But the problem is, Zhang Ze secured this achievement through intelligence and a series of fortunate events.
If he wasn't cunning, he wouldn't have been able to infiltrate this Demon Helm's hideout.
If it weren't for that Spiritual Snake statue.
Spiritual Snake Taoist wouldn't pile up so many Spirit Stones there either.
Nor would he gather almost all his subordinates back, getting cooked in one pot.
If not for Zhang Ze being in the Sword Sect and having good relations with his master and Chen Qin.
He'd be long dead and digested by the Spiritual Snake Taoist.
So besides feeling brilliant and valiant, Zhang Ze had no enlightenment whatsoever.
[Reward two, a sword, choose one for yourself.]
This rather absurd system message is actually not absurd at all.
Because even the system doesn't know what to give him.
The system almost wants to openly tell him that reward two is useless to you, quickly take reward one, that's my compensation to you.
Unfortunately, Zhang Ze has a habit of opening boxes and can't control his hands.
"Alright then, unlocking all three swords with a bug still counts as profit."
"Just that there's no use until the Golden Core stage."
With the fish and longevity peach put away, Zhang Ze, holding a lantern in one hand and the rebar in the other, hummed a tune as he left the room.
Halfway through, however, Zhang Ze realized he was lost.
He felt some regret, regret for not letting the Pavilion Master take him out on the way, but instead, rushing to find a place to unbox.
Due to the explosion, many routes in the hideout's passageways were blocked.
Wang He's map had become completely useless.
As for Lin Feng, who was also trapped below...
Zhang Ze wasn't worried at all; he believed with Brother Feng's luck, even if crushed under Five Finger Mountain, he could crawl out upside down.
Just as Zhang Ze was pondering whether to go back for Lin Feng or use the jade pendant for help.
A beam of light appeared before him.
A stone beam blocking the tunnel was pried open by someone's hand.
Senior Sister Qiao Lezhi appeared in front of Zhang Ze with a Luminous Pearl over her head.
"Junior Brother, what a coincidence."
"Senior Sister, what a coincidence."
"I'm lost, can you take me out?" x2
Sent into the base to search for remnants of the Demon Cult but lost, Qiao Lezhi and the equally lost Zhang Ze stood facing each other.