Chapter 68

Xu Yuan saw the system broadcast and quickly opened his backpack. 

To his surprise, he saw a strange new item—an object that resembled a crafting table, but with a sleek, boxy design. 

**[Universal Crafting Table: A crafting table with its own built-in crafting list.]** 

The brief description was simple, but Xu Yuan's eyes lit up at the significance of this item. 

**"A crafting with a built-in synthesis list… this must be a system reward for a reason,"** he mused. 

He immediately confirmed that this was likely a precursor to future game updates—additional mods, new features, or content that would be added later. 

**"If that's the case,"** Xu Yuan thought, **"this universal crafting table puts me one step ahead of everyone else. With this, I can prepare for upcoming mods—like the Endless Greed mod, or any other modules that will expand the game's possibilities."** 

Though the crafting list seemed trivial now, Xu Yuan knew its true power would unfold as new mods appeared. It meant he wouldn't need to relearn or rebuild from scratch; he could simply craft with his existing setup. 

**"This reward was clearly a wake-up call from the system,"** he reflected. **"The developers are hinting that bigger things are coming—perhaps aircraft, magic, or even more advanced technology. I need to stay prepared."** 

He carefully stored the universal workbench in his inventory, understanding its potential but not rushing to use it immediately. Instead, he turned his focus to breeding villagers—an essential step for acquiring rare resources like diamond sets of armor through trade. 

In the meantime, Xu Yuan also worked on constructing a slime farm in the underground swamp area Ken had discovered. Slime balls were crucial for many advanced techs and crafting. 

Once the slime farm was operational, he shifted his attention to automating the pigling trading process. The current exchange was painfully slow—requiring manual inspection and multiple steps. 

Xu Yuan devised an automated piglin trading machine: a redstone-powered system that used the piglin's properties—like rushing to interact with chests—to speed up the transaction process. 

He set up a system where piglins, upon picking up gold ingots, would automatically identify and exchange goods with minimal manual intervention. After hours of tinkering, the machine finally worked smoothly. 

He tested it, confirming that the efficiency of the piglin trade had skyrocketed. Now, every day, Xu Yuan could reliably generate over 300 gold coins, which he used to upgrade land deeds, expand territories, and develop his base. 

With the increased land area, Yue'er and the others eagerly built new structures, including a grand Chinese-style palace that echoed ancient Chang'an. The entire area became a bustling hub, attracting top-tier players and guilds. 

Ken's guild, in particular, grew rapidly. Due to Xu Yuan's resource influx, many lands and buildings had been upgraded to levels 3 and 4, making the guild a landmark in the server. 

Other guilds looked on with envy and confusion. They questioned where Xu Yuan's wealth was coming from—some speculated about hidden alliances or large investments, but none could match the speed and scale of his development. 

Meanwhile, the group of Neon Country players, sent to explore Huaxia, had made incredible progress. After days of cautious travel—fending off creepers and navigating treacherous terrain—they finally reached the outskirts of a sprawling ancient city. 

**"This… this is even more magnificent than Xiao Ai described!"** one player exclaimed, gazing at the intricate architecture, ponds, bamboo groves, and lush farmland. 

They were stunned. The scenery alone was breathtaking—so much so that some wondered if this was real life rather than a game. 

As they marveled, a local player approached and asked, **"Are you here to join the guild?"** 

One of the Neon players, fluent in Chinese, replied with a smile, **"We're not here to join any guild. We're friends of Miss Junko, and we're just here to visit."** 

Suddenly, the local player contacted Ken via the guild channel. 

**"Ken, these players from Neon Country are here. They want to see the place."** 

Ken quickly responded. 

**"Bring them over, but don't take them inside just yet. Take them to the small hut nearby—there's something I want to show them."** 

The group followed the guide to a modest hut close to the main buildings. Puzzled, they wondered why they weren't being led inside the grand structures. 

**"Why are we here? Isn't this place supposed to be amazing?"** one asked. 

The guide opened the door, revealing a hidden passage leading underground. 

**"This is the real secret,"** he said softly, closing the door behind them. 

He handed them a carrot fishing rod. 

**"Take this—here's your steering wheel,"** he said cryptically. 

The players looked at each other in confusion, wondering what this strange device meant. They prepared to descend further into the underground passage, eager to uncover the mysteries hidden beneath Huaxia's splendid surface.