Summit Farmer
Chapter 1748 - 1746: Another Stele Appears

Chapter 1748: Chapter 1746: Another Stele Appears

Although he knew that soaking in the Integration Soup would make it troublesome to return to Earth, Peter Brown was also aware that without the soup, he simply couldn’t develop here. Thus, after much consideration, the only thing he could do was to proceed with the Integration Soup ritual.

After packing the herbs, he also received some utensils for preparing the Decoction from the shop owner, and Peter walked back to the County Office.

"Are you the newcomer from the Lower Realm?" Just as he entered the courtyard reserved for first-class Guest Ministers, Peter heard someone ask.

He looked up and saw several tall figures blocking his path.

From the looks of it, Peter, with his sharp vision, could tell that these men were looking to test him.

With a slight smile, Peter responded, "Indeed, if you all have any thoughts, the County Magistrate personally appointed me as a Second Class Guest Councilor. If you have any objections to the Magistrate’s decision, I suggest you take it up with him."

These men had initially intended just to give Peter a hard time, but he had directly invoked the County Magistrate’s personal appointment, leaving everyone frozen in place.

Peter chuckled and said, "If anyone wishes to spar, you should seek out Martial Artists for that. I’ve just arrived and need to take a bath, so if there’s nothing else, kindly step aside."

With those words, Peter walked past them.

The two men blocking Peter’s path unconsciously made way.

Watching Peter walk in, everyone’s faces revealed a mix of complex emotions. This situation was just meant to embarrass Peter a bit, of course; they couldn’t let the County Magistrate see it, for if the Magistrate were to dismiss them, even eating would become an issue. Having a secure job here was like having an iron rice bowl, something they truly dared not break.

"Disperse. The battle will soon be upon us, and when the time comes, our skills will be what matters. If we wish to fare well, earning merits is key," someone said before returning to his own quarters.

Soon, everyone had dispersed.

Peter was surprised at how easily they had left, not expecting them to be so amenable.

Unbeknownst to Peter, everything here had already reached the ears of the County Magistrate.

As he listened to the report from beneath, the County Magistrate’s face showed a peculiar expression as he looked at Kane Nelson and said, "Nelson, what do you think of this man?"

"My Lord, it seems he got more than just those items in Despair Forest; he also acquired a substantial number of crystal cores. I never thought he would manage to purchase the medicine as well."

"Haha, I was thinking of offering him a loan when he was most in need, thereby tying him to a long contract, but it turns out he is a man of means. Interesting," the Magistrate mused. He then looked at Nelson and asked, "Chaos has begun to unfold. Where do we go from here?"

"My Lord, with the increasing number of restless civilians and insurgent Armies everywhere, it’s difficult for us to remain untouched. You should consider Establishing Our Own Armed Forces," Nelson suggested.

Gazing toward the Azure Sky for a spell, the County Magistrate sighed and said, "The nation is no longer, and lords rise on all sides. Even if we Establish Our Own Armed Forces, what then? Let’s select those above the Warrior Level to form the County Guard Army, which you will personally oversee."

"My Lord, should we communicate with the Count Captain about this?"

At the mention of the Count Captain, a murderous intent flashed in the Magistrate’s eyes as he said, "Never mind him; we need our own Army!"

"And what of Peter Brown?"

"Recruit all the Guest Ministers into the Army, with Martial Artists serving as warriors and scholars handling logistics. Once he soaks in the Decoction, he should adapt to this realm. However, some time will pass before he is ready for combat. Let’s draft some preliminary plans and see how things go."

Peter, unaware that his duties had been arranged, returned to his quarters and began preparing the fire to boil the Decoction as instructed.

Soon, the Integration Soup was ready.

There was a large bathtub, and after filling it with water, Peter poured the prepared medicine into it, then started boiling more.

The Decoction could be used for one bath or divided into three batches, with the same effect either way. Peter, decisive as always, prepared all three batches and took the bath.

After adding all three batches to the large bathtub, Peter hesitated for a moment before finally jumping in.

As his entire body submerged, he felt a special sensation of something akin to a transformation deep within his soul—a unique presence of the Dao pervading his being.

Once Peter realized it posed no harm to him, he fully relaxed.

An hour later, he distinctly felt a change in his connection with this world, no longer the previous sense of rejection. Below his navel, it felt softer, as if the energy could be harnessed for his use.

Such a peculiar sensation!

Peter continued to feel out his body’s condition while also analyzing it.

Half an hour later, he understood that his Integration transition was complete.

After another rinse off, he found his body had become much more resilient.

Now, the test was whether he could freely travel to and from Earth.

At that moment, Peter’s heart jolted. Suddenly, a stele appeared in his Brain Domain. It bore no inscriptions, but there it stood, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.

What kind of stele is this?

Peter couldn’t figure it out after studying the stele for a while, but it was evident that it looked as if it could crumble at any moment.

A piece of information surfaced in his mind, and instantaneously, Peter understood the stele’s purpose.

The Monument of Saintly Progress!

A peculiar monument indeed. It was a way for everyone joining the Holy_Path struggle to know exactly where they stood. He wasn’t yet at the Warrior Level, merely a newcomer to this realm, hence the absence of points. Naturally, the stele was blank. This couldn’t persist for long; if he couldn’t reach the Warrior Level cultivation within half a year and ascend, the monument would crumble, symbolizing his death.

Emerging from the stele meant his life was on a countdown, without digits to see. He had to ascend to the Warrior Level quickly!

Peter was taken aback, not expecting such a circumstance. It seemed he really had to strive to advance. Even once he reached the Warrior Level, if surpassed by others, death remained a possibility. This was no laughing matter.

Though he’d never heard anyone mention having such a stele in their Brain Domain, Peter knew for sure that everyone was in the same boat. Within the Sanctuary, once the trial began, everyone lived on the edge of life and death.