Lin Shu turned, walked down the ridge, and arrived in front of everyone.
With a slight flick of his wrist, the sharp blade—its very hilt stained crimson with blood—flew up with a CLANG and slid securely into the scabbard at Chang Yi’s waist.
"Next time, either don’t draw it, or be more decisive when you swing." Lin Shu casually wiped the grime from his hands on his sleeve.
From what the Fierce Wolves had said earlier, it was clear someone knew about Blackhead’s background. That was why they were hesitant to make a move, intending only to drive him away.
But the prompt, worth eighty-two Merit Coins, had subtly revealed Chang Yi’s ultimate choice.
The two were neither friends nor family, so it wasn’t Lin Shu’s place to judge such an act.
At least in the eyes of the captured commoners, this young man must seem like an excellent Chief Constable.
"I was afraid they’d take advantage of me..." Chang Yi finally snapped out of his daze from the horrific scene.
"You’re a man, not a god. How can you possibly account for everything and get the best of both worlds?"
Lin Shu finished wiping his hands. As he spoke, a roguish glint entered his eyes. "If you know a situation is hopeless but your conscience won’t let you walk away, and you insist on getting yourself killed, then... killing one means you break even. Taking two with you is a bloody good profit."
’To put it bluntly, you’re going to die in the end anyway.’
’If I’m already giving up my life, I can’t be expected to take their crap on top of it, can I? What a terrible deal that would be.’
Hearing this, Chang Yi’s expression grew dazed.
He glanced down at his waist, his hand touching the sticky hilt.
The first lesson was knowing his priorities. The second was understanding how to be flexible.
Now, he had finally reached the third lesson, called...
Don’t hesitate!
’Since I’ve already prepared as much as I can, I should just go for it. Why hesitate and worry about the consequences?’
’Don’t question the outcome; just seek clarity of mind.’
Chang Yi’s fingers suddenly tightened, gripping the hilt firmly.
He looked up and said earnestly, "Thank you, Brother Lin, for your guidance these past few days. I have learned a great deal!"
"Hm?"
Lin Shu raised his eyelids, slightly puzzled.
’Several times? What does he mean?’
After a moment, he shook his head slightly.
’Forget it. I shouldn’t try to understand a melodramatic teenager. It’ll fry my brain.’
"There’s still some time before dawn. You can get these bodies back to the Government Office, right?"
Lin Shu collected his thoughts and glanced at the corpses on the ridge. He had originally come here intending to save the captives anonymously and earn a good chunk of Merit Coins.
But since Chang Yi happened to be here, it saved him a lot of trouble.
’Besides, I’ve despised those foxes for a long time. Might as well earn the Sin Coins, too.’
"N-no problem."
Chang Yi’s gaze returned to the ridge. He suddenly realized something, and his expression changed.
The Cunning Fox Hall seemed to have its tendrils all over the city; their shadow could be seen everywhere.
But in reality, most of their business was carried out by underlings.
For example, the opera troupe Brother Lin had stayed with was just one of the foxes’ more trivial money-making schemes.
In truth, there weren’t many core members, and almost all of them were here now.
In other words, the Cunning Fox Hall had been annihilated...
With a blade in hand, Brother Lin had single-handedly hacked one of the Black Water Gang’s four halls out of existence, leaving only three!
Recalling the Black Mist that had just covered the entire ridge, Chang Yi found it impossible to imagine that this was a technique a Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator could wield.
By comparison, he was also in the Mid-stage Qi Cultivation Realm, but his own strength was simply pathetic.
Chang Yi gulped.
But... things seemed to have gotten a little out of hand.
Just imagining the looks on his superiors’ and his aunt’s faces when the Government Office saw this pile of corpses made him start to panic.
"Lord Official, we can help."
The peasants from the South Suburbs, their hearts still pounding with fear, finally found a chance to step forward.
They looked at the two men with awe.
The Lord Official was a good Chief Constable, and this Master Wolf... well, he was a good Master Wolf, too—a ruthless one who killed without batting an eye.
People stuck in the mire understand better than anyone how difficult it is to simply survive.
In the eyes of figures like these, what value could the lives of a group of ruined peasants like themselves possibly have...? It was for this very reason that the two men’s act of rescue seemed all the more precious.
Now that they had the chance, they wanted to do something to help.
Of course... there was also the fear that the Black Water Gang would retaliate if they just left, driving them to instinctively cling to the Government Office as their lifeline.
"Brother Lin, I’ll get going then!"
Chang Yi gritted his teeth, suppressing his shock. He knew this matter could not be delayed.
With so many of its members dead, the Black Water Gang was bound to retaliate. The Government Office had to be prepared.
Furthermore, the commoners locked up on Ancient Pine Ridge needed to be released and properly resettled as soon as possible, lest they become victims for the gang to vent its fury upon.
"Go on."
Lin Shu had no intention of returning to the city for the time being.
He watched everyone get busy, then turned and left, finding a secluded spot.
’So many gang members died on Ancient Pine Ridge. The Black Water Gang doesn’t know Chang Yi came alone, so they’ll most likely assume this was an operation planned by the Government Office.’
’That should throw them off the trail for a little while.’
’However, it wasn’t a very subtle job. In a few days at most, they’re sure to realize something is off.’
’Besides that, Xia Mingtang’s birthday celebration is in less than twenty hours.’
’Come tomorrow, that tiger will get news that something has gone wrong with his Hundred Heart Birthday Gift.’
’With his Alchemy plans ruined, he’ll likely turn into the madman Gu Nanzhi described.’
’There isn’t much time.’
’The youths from Hongyun Martial Arts Hall I let go earlier were probably also intended as "materials" for this batch of Elixirs.’
’And there’s no way I’m just going to hand over the pregnant woman from the Zhao Family to that tiger.’
’If I did that, I would have earned all those Merit and Sin Coins for nothing.’
’But with all these things piling up, it’s obvious who that crazed tiger will vent his rage on.’
"If he doesn’t want a peaceful birthday banquet, then we’ll make it a funeral."
In his secluded spot, Lin Shu sat cross-legged, a cold glint in his eyes.
One after another, jade coins radiating a milky-white light rose into the air and began to circle around him.
He flicked a finger, and a Cyan Feather floated out from within him.
This Feather had already consumed nearly fifty Merit Coins, reaching the realm of Sixth Grade Perfection.
Compared to the little wolf phantom, its rate of improvement wasn’t fast.
But now, a hundred jade coins transformed into a long streak of light, surging madly into the Feather and shattering its barrier with unstoppable force.
Not only did its grade increase, but its proficiency also broke through layer after layer.
[Qi Cultivation Fifth Grade. Spiritual Sparrow Qi Eating Technique: Perfection]
Lin Shu closed his eyes, and the image of the soaring Cyan Sparrow once again appeared in his mind.
Its body swelled in the wind, transforming from a Cyan Sparrow smaller than his palm into a colossal creature with a thirty-foot wingspan.
Qi Absorption: two hundred wisps!
The Merit Coins continued to pour in. He threw in another hundred jade coins, making the Cyan Sparrow even more lifelike. A slight flap of its wings could now cause the Spirit Sea to churn.
[Qi Cultivation Fourth Grade. Spiritual Sparrow Qi Eating Technique: Perfection]
Qi Absorption: three hundred wisps!
After two consecutive infusions, only one hundred and fifty-five jade coins remained.
’It’s exactly as I calculated.’
’Not cheaper by a single coin.’
He sighed to himself.
The Sin Coins he had spent to upgrade to the Fourth Grade Immortal Technique and the Merit Coins he was spending now fit a perfect three-to-one ratio.
By that logic, completing the White Bone Burial Soul had relied on those seventy or eighty Sin Coins from Liu Zhen.
If he wanted to obtain the Formulas for Late-stage Qi Cultivation, he would need to double his remaining coins.
Still, there was nowhere else to use the Merit Coins.
Thinking he might as well try, he poured all his remaining jade coins into the Feather.
Just then, the ten wisps of cyan qi in his Spirit Sea began to tremble.
"Hm?"
’I went to the trouble of chopping up those foxes with a blade specifically to save Spiritual Power and avoid using this Immortal Spiritual Qi.’
’Most of the Black Mist covering the forest was just an illusion.’
’With my Cultivation at the Qi Cultivation Realm, how could I possibly control such a large area, even with an Upper Three Grade Immortal Technique?’
’In reality, the Black Mist only targeted those four Fierce Wolves, and even that consumed nearly half of my Spiritual Power.’
’Thankfully, I managed to save these ten wisps of cyan Immortal Spiritual Qi.’
’And now, it seems they’re having an unexpected effect.’
’I’ve already experienced what Late-stage Qi Cultivation is like, so I can save some Merit Coins?’
Lin Shu’s eyes lit up.
In an instant, his Spirit Sea churned. The wisps of white qi wavered and began to change, suffused with a hint of cyan from within.
"SCREECH!"
The Spiritual Sparrow soaring in his mind let out a piercing cry.
The Fog drifting between its feathers gradually settled, branding Dao Patterns onto its body.
[Qi Cultivation Third Grade. Spirit Sparrow Foundation Establishment Method: Minor Success]
A breakthrough!
An Upper Three Grade Magic Skill that took him straight to Late-stage Qi Cultivation! Once he reached Perfection in his proficiency, he would achieve Foundation Establishment!
Within his Spirit Sea, wisps of Spiritual Power now drifted about, all shimmering with a clear, verdant glow that was a delight to behold.
Lin Shu’s long fingers tightened into a fist.
An aura brimming with the essence of Immortal Spiritual Qi suddenly spread out from him!

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