Chapter 70: Clairvoyance

After driving for more than an hour through the vast desert, he finally arrived near his destination. Ahead lay endless dunes, impassable by vehicle; at least the previous road had been flat sand. He parked, got out, and continued on foot, braving temperatures of forty or fifty degrees, stepping deeper into the dunes.

He wasn’t the only one searching for the roots of the Mysterious Spirit Tree, but he paid no mind to others. Walking alone for a long stretch, he selected a deserted hill, scanning his surroundings and observing the distribution of spiritual energy.

After a period of careful observation, he found a spot where the energy was most concentrated. He walked over and performed the Earth-Burrowing Technique. Soon, beneath the sand, he discovered several dried tree branches.

Grasping them, he emerged from the earth, first surveying the area for any signs of people. Only when he was certain no one was around did he climb out fully.

He examined the three branches in his hands—each as thick as an arm, heavy and dense, their bodies a dark gold, with flecks of gold shining on the cut surfaces. Yes, these were indeed the roots of the Mysterious Spirit Tree. Though mere dead branches, each was worth a hundred contribution points, which was quite good.

“A promising start!” he murmured in delight.

Contribution points were extremely useful—not only could they elevate a citizen’s rank, but they could be exchanged in the marketplace for various supplies, even cultivation techniques. Interestingly, raising one’s citizen rank did not require spending points; once the account reached the threshold, it upgraded automatically—all he had to do was get a new citizen card.

Onward, onward!

He stowed the branches in his gourd and moved to another location, again searching by sensing the energy flow. After several rounds, he managed to find over a dozen dead roots of the Mysterious Spirit Tree, and unexpectedly, one root that was not quite dead.

He wiped sweat from his brow; the sun was merciless, the temperature surely over sixty degrees. Even the hardiest man could not endure. He had no choice but to retreat, returning to Holy City.

The journey back was uneventful. After returning the off-road vehicle, he took a boat back to Holy City, headed to the Citizen Center, and exchanged all his tree roots for more than two thousand contribution points.

He opened the Holy City app to browse the marketplace. He cared little for other items and went straight to the cultivation techniques section. There were hundreds of techniques, but even the cheapest required over ten thousand points.

It was still early. After lunch at the hotel and a brief rest, he went to the commercial district to seek shops selling techniques. He did find one, but after a short look inside, he shook his head and left—the cheapest technique cost more than a billion.

He was still a third-class citizen; even with money, he couldn’t afford it, and in truth, he lacked the funds altogether. All he could do was sigh wistfully at the unattainable.

Back at the hotel, he lay on the soft bed, browsing techniques on his phone, and his heart stirred at a skill called “Clairvoyant Eye.” If he had such a power, wouldn’t he feast his eyes while walking the streets?

Ahem—of course, it wasn’t for admiring beautiful women.

His deeper motive was to spy upon the secret manuals in the technique shops.

With the Clairvoyant Eye, he thought, wouldn’t he be able to secretly learn the techniques there?

Looking again, he saw that purchasing the Clairvoyant Eye required just over ten thousand contribution points. His blood surged with excitement—he was ready to work tirelessly!

Once the sun set, he would return to search for more roots. Perhaps after three or five days, he could exchange for the Clairvoyant Eye manual.

He waited until nine at night; the sun still refused to set, stubbornly clinging to the horizon and casting its last glimmer. He set out once more—by boat, by rental car, on foot, traversing dune after dune until he reached his destination again.

It was already around eleven o’clock; the sun had finally gone down.

But for him, it mattered little.

His eyes, like those of a night cat, reflected a ghostly blue light. He didn’t know when he gained night vision, but now, even in pitch darkness, he could see well enough.

He proceeded as before: first sensing the energy, then burrowing.

Everything went according to plan.

By three in the morning, he had found over a dozen dead branches and two roots with a hint of vitality.

Satisfied, he lay atop a dune and rested his eyes.

Night in the desert was nothing like day—scorching heat gave way to a chill of just a few degrees. An ordinary person would need a blanket to sleep.

Before six, the diligent sun rose as usual.

He sat up, stretched, ate hastily, and resumed searching for roots.

By noon, he drove away in his off-road vehicle.

This time, he found more than fifty dead roots and seven nearly living ones.

Converted into contribution points, it totaled over ten thousand.

Combined with the previous day’s points, he could easily exchange for the Clairvoyant Eye manual.

Moreover, with over ten thousand contribution points, he could become a first-class citizen, enjoying greatly enhanced rights—not only eligible to buy property in Holy City, but also to start a business, with no limits on consumption.

He returned the vehicle and took a small boat back to Holy City.

Onboard, including the pilot, there were only five people—just three other passengers.

The three stood on deck, eyeing his bulging backpack and smiling, “Friend, quite the haul! If you’re a true friend, share a bit, won’t you?”

“Get lost,” he replied, exhausted and unwilling to indulge them.

“Friend, joy shared is joy multiplied! Come on, share a little!”

“If you want it, take it by your own ability!”

No sooner had he spoken than a fierce spatial distortion formed on the deck.

The entire boat shattered into fragments.

The boatman, skilled in swimming, clung to a plank and desperately paddled toward shore.

The others weren’t so lucky, caught at the heart of the storm. Though not torn to shreds, they lost consciousness and became food for the fish in the Great Lake. Despite its name, the lake was as vast as the sea, teeming with thousands upon thousands of pounds of fish.

He teleported repeatedly, returning easily to Holy City.

Upon arrival, he submitted his task, exchanged for the Clairvoyant Eye manual, and updated his citizen card.

Now, as a first-class citizen, his rights abounded—no limits on consumption, able to buy property and vehicles, and even start his own business!

Most importantly, the Clairvoyant Eye manual soon arrived at his hotel. He signed for it in person, shut his door, and began reading and cultivating it carefully.

The Clairvoyant Eye was not for ogling women on the street; combined with his teleportation and spatial distortion abilities, its power would be greatly enhanced.

Previously, he could only teleport to places he could see, or use Eye Technique within his line of sight.

If he mastered Clairvoyant Eye, his range would vastly expand.

He could, unseen and unheard, distort space through walls, eliminating foes without a trace.

Truly—kill one person every ten steps, travel a thousand miles without leaving a mark.

If he could combine Teleportation, Wall-Passing, and Clairvoyant Eye, the power would multiply—though that was easier said than done.

He was not frustrated; for now, this would suffice. He focused on cultivating the Clairvoyant Eye.