"You have a plan?"
A strange look flashed through Yan Jin’s eyes as she subconsciously glanced at his lapels again.
She shook her head slightly, pushing down her silent criticisms.
The young man’s response was somewhat unexpected.
Not only did he have no intention of asking for help, she could even sense a hint of resentment toward outside interference in his words.
"Forget it. With your level of Cultivation, staying in Cunning Fox Hall is... inappropriate."
Yan Jin had a standoffish personality to begin with, so she cut straight to the point. "What grade of Inner Technique did you comprehend from the Immortal Aura?"
"Eighth-grade... What’s the difference?"
Lin Shu didn’t try to hide it.
He was very interested in this world’s Cultivation and wanted to learn more from people like her.
Besides, there seemed to be little reason to hide an Inner Technique that was practically at the bottom of the barrel.
"Only Magic Skills of the Upper Three Grades offer a chance at Foundation Establishment. Even if your Cultivation is lacking, you could have entered White Tiger Hall, become a ’young tiger,’ and enjoyed the gang’s full support without the burden of any duties."
Yan Jin slowly rose. "Don’t be too disappointed. You might have opportunities to encounter other Immortal Relics in the future."
"As for now, you will join Fierce Wolf Hall. Start as a ’young wolf.’"
"In a few days, I’ll send someone to get you. You’ll get acquainted with the other hall members in West City. Just wait patiently."
She walked to the door, about to leave, then turned back. "Any other questions?"
"Yes."
Lin Shu stretched his arms.
He was finally done associating with foxes, which improved his mood considerably.
He walked to the table and picked up the Small Jade Bottle. "This stuff... it wasn’t made from Attendants too, was it?"
"You’re overthinking it."
Yan Jin shot him an indifferent glance.
’So decisive when taking a life, yet he cares about this?’
The woman looked away. "Elixirs refined using a Child as a catalyst never even make it into a Jade Bottle. They’re consumed by the White Tiger Hall’s inner circle immediately."
"Something like a Qi Replenishing Pill... as long as you have the silver, you can get as many as you want."
"Are they cheap?"
Lin Shu casually tossed the Jade Bottle, watching the woman’s figure disappear through the doorway.
’I’m more or less a Master Wolf now.’
’Just from the Magpie’s Nest Brothel alone, even if I don’t skim off the top like that damn fatty and only take my proper cut...’
’I should get at least twenty silver taels a month.’
’If these things aren’t too expensive, I can definitely stock up.’
’That way, I won’t have to worry about my Spiritual Power running out during Magical Combat and ending up dead from losing my mind.’
"One hundred silver taels apiece."
The woman’s fading voice drifted in from outside the door.
Lin Shu’s eyelid twitched. He instinctively snatched the Jade Bottle out of the air.
’Good lord. Five months of standing watch just for a sliver of Spiritual Power?’
’That’s highway robbery!’
Just as Lin Shu was seething with resentment for the rich...
Yan Jin had already left Cyan Willow Lane. She walked with purpose down the long street.
After some time, she stopped in front of a tavern.
On the second floor, at a table overlooking the street.
The table was piled high with a lavish spread of food and wine. To the left sat a veritable mountain of flesh; to the right, a hale, middle-aged man.
The two were trading toasts, deep in spirited conversation.
"Brother Yin, I owe you for this one." Tian Jingyuan sipped his fine wine, an unconcealable look of delight on his face.
’The one he really wanted to thank, of course, was that fox.’
’If that guy hadn’t been such a troublemaker, how could I have used his worthless life to get my hands on such a handsome sum of silver taels?’
"From what you said, he’s just someone whose Immortal Fate has run dry. He’s worthless now. It’s no big deal."
Yin Ling smiled casually; he had clearly profited handsomely as well.
’He didn’t have to do a thing—just happen to be away from the street he was supposed to be garrisoning.’
"Wants to make a name for himself? Ha." Tian Jingyuan scoffed and set down his cup, his drunken eyes glinting with smug satisfaction. "He can only rise if Master Tian allows it. If he displeases me, he’ll just have to behave..."
The fat man’s sneer died in his throat.
The woman in the cyan robe had silently approached their table and sat down between them.
Yan Jin reached for the wine jug and filled a cup.
She tilted her head back and downed it in one gulp.
CLACK.
The cup was set back down on the table with deliberate force.
The expressions on both Yin Ling’s and Tian Jingyuan’s faces changed.
Even though the woman wasn’t looking at them, they both felt the chilling warning in her actions.
Tian Jingyuan, in particular, this newly-promoted Fierce Wolf, already had fine beads of sweat forming on his thick, fleshy neck.
"Scram."
Yan Jin lightly wiped the corner of her mouth, never once lifting her gaze.
As fellow Fierce Wolves, the two men were clearly losing face.
But after a moment of silence, Tian Jingyuan stood up and, with a dark expression, followed Yin Ling out of the tavern.
「West City, the Old Woodshed.」
For the first time in a long while, Lin Shu got off work early.
After his last experience, he was now genuinely wary of the Sin Coin’s side effects.
Fortunately, the Cyan Bird Qi-Introducing Formulas seemed capable of suppressing that agitation.
And this Old Woodshed provided a significant boost to Inner Techniques.
To avoid any mishaps, Lin Shu suppressed his anticipation and hurried back to his side room.
He first took out two Merit Coins and fed them into the Feather representing the Cyan Bird Qi-Introducing Formulas.
Excluding the ten Merit Coins he’d used to achieve his epiphany, the Inner Technique had now consumed a total of twelve "jade coins" before breaking through to the Minor Success Realm.
But Lin Shu had already felt he was on the verge of breaking through the bottleneck, so he couldn’t have been far off.
’It’s a bit on the small side, but it’ll have to do.’
He watched as the coins transformed into white light and surged into it. The feeling of being perfectly in tune with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power returned.
While not as intense as during the breakthrough, it was still far more efficient than cultivating on his own.
[Qi Cultivation Eighth-grade. Cyan Bird Qi-Introducing Formulas: Great Success]
The Spiritual Power in his body surged, gathering together before suddenly smashing through the barrier!
’My Qi Absorption can reach fifteen strands!’
When Lin Shu had engaged in Magical Combat with the Grand Martial Artist before, it had looked easy, but it had actually consumed three whole strands of Spiritual Power.
Now, as his limit increased, the lingering power of the Merit Coins continued to draw in the surrounding white mist for him.
Unfortunately, the effect was too brief.
Lin Shu had just replenished his eighth strand of Spiritual Power when he was abruptly ejected from that profound state of harmony with the world.
’So stingy.’
He reluctantly took out the Sin Coins.
’I was tempted to take the Qi Replenishing Pill, but when I thought of the hundred-tael price tag... I’d better save something like this for Magical Combat.’
"Wake up, time to eat!"
Lin Shu irritably pulled open his robe and gave the small wolf on his chest a smack.
Ever since it had spat out two Immortal Techniques, whenever a Sin Coin was brought near, a manifestation of the techniques—similar to the Cyan Bird Feather—would appear on its body.
They were two Wolf Fangs.
The smaller of the two represented the Qi Cultivation Seventh-grade Moonlight Pupil Technique.
Lin Shu hesitated.
In the end, he chose to feed the Sin Coin to the Gloomy Moon Bone Splitting Hand.
’If I want to kill that Fatty Tian... what I need most right now isn’t more fancy tricks, but a trump card that can let me go head-to-head with Mid-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivators.’
A dark light seeped into the Wolf Fang.
Even though the Sin Coins were far more "generous" than the Merit Coins, this was a Middle Third Grade Immortal Technique at the Perfection Realm, after all.
Only after the thirteenth Sin Coin was completely devoured did the silent prompt finally change.
[Qi Cultivation Fifth Grade. Gloomy Moon Bone Splitting Hand: Perfection]
The moment he saw the prompt appear, Lin Shu’s first reaction wasn’t joy. He squeezed his eyes shut and immediately began circulating the Cyan Bird Qi-Introducing Formulas.
What was once mere agitation had now become a tangible, surging killing intent in his heart!
Thankfully, the clear cry of the bird helped Lin Shu stabilize his mind.
An unknown amount of time passed, and he was drenched in sweat.
’I should rest for a bit.’
Lin Shu looked at the seven Sin Coins remaining in his hand, steadying his breathing with a sense of lingering fear.
Just then, the young widow’s voice called out from the courtyard.
"Lord Lin, that Lord Official is looking for you."
Lin Shu got up with a sigh.
’It’s probably about the hall master’s body again.’
’This Blackhead has way too much time on his hands.’
He pushed open the door and said, exasperated, "What are you doing just standing there? If you have something to say, come in and say it."
"Ahem."
Chang Yi glanced first at Miss Yun, a peculiar look flashing in his eyes.
He cleared his throat twice, standing awkwardly outside the courtyard. He put on a nonchalant act. "It’s a bit stuffy in the courtyard. Let’s talk out here."

Comments

Loading...