Eternal Life: I Have the Favor System

Of course, Chu Lingguang hadn’t forgotten about Chen Liang.

The man was at the seventh level of Qi Refining, with what was likely a level-three Spirit Root. Chu Lingguang was certain he only had a single-element Spiritual Root, as anyone with a Dual Spiritual Root would have received special treatment upon joining the sect.

And yet, Chu Lingguang hadn’t seen Chen Liang receive any treatment that was significantly different from the others.

While he was clearly one of the favored disciples, he wasn’t a top-tier Outer Disciple.

In any case, Chu Lingguang knew he had to find a time to deal with Jiang Ruhong and Chen Liang. If he let it drag on, he feared it would only lead to more problems.

He had a feeling that Jiang Ruhong and Chen Liang wouldn’t give up so easily.

Likewise, Chu Lingguang would not forget that Chen Liang had severely injured Guo Wei. He would settle that score.

He left the Spirit Valley and returned to their courtyard, where he told Guo Wei about encountering Jiang Ruhong. Guo Wei urged him to focus on his cultivation and not to act rashly. They had only just joined the Profound Celestial Sect, and as cultivators from Great Yuan, they had no backing in the Great Qin Territory. Guo Wei didn’t want to stir up trouble.

He was even willing to let bygones be bygones regarding the severe injuries Chen Liang had inflicted upon him.

Unfortunately...

The tree may crave stillness, but the wind will not cease.

Chen Liang clearly sensed Chu Lingguang’s aura growing steadily stronger. Fearing that Chu Lingguang would eventually come looking for trouble, he finally made a move against Guo Wei one month later.

On that day, Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei went to the Spirit Valley to ask Old Liu for their allotment of Spirit Herbs and Medicines.

All disciples of the Profound Celestial Sect, whether from the Inner Sect or the Outer Sect, could receive a monthly share of Spirit Herbs and Medicines from the Spirit Valley to improve their cultivation base and Spiritual Power.

After the master and disciple received their Spirit Herbs and Medicines, they followed the Pharmacist’s instructions and began to decoct them in their courtyard, intending to absorb the power from the herbs into their bodies.

However, just as Guo Wei was about to drink the concoction...

"Wait!"

Chu Lingguang’s powerful Sea of Consciousness detected an abnormal aura.

Guo Wei’s bowl of herbal soup was laced with an invisible strand of black energy. If not for his powerful Sea of Consciousness and keen Spiritual Sense, Chu Lingguang wouldn’t have noticed it either.

Chu Lingguang placed his hand over the bowl.

His Gold Spiritual Power surged forth, forming a vortex that drew out the black energy from the bowl.

He watched as the black energy, which seemed to contain a bizarre aura, tried to integrate into his body.

Chu Lingguang watched it burrow into his skin, about to penetrate his flesh, but he quickly blasted it away and, with a Wind Blade, sliced it into countless pieces.

A black spot appeared on his palm.

The spot expanded rapidly.

Moments later, his entire palm had turned a sickly purple-black, filled with what looked like Death Qi.

"Lin Guang, your hand..."

Guo Wei was aghast.

"Master, if you had drunk that soup, your whole body would look just like my hand now,"

Chu Lingguang said grimly.

As Guo Wei watched, Chu Lingguang used his Gold Spiritual Power to gradually restore life to his hand, but the black color only faded to gray.

It would take some time to completely eliminate the Death Qi.

This was only possible because his Qi Refining power was far stronger than Guo Wei’s and he had a level-three Spirit Root. If Guo Wei had ingested it, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

"They’ve gone too far."

Guo Wei clenched his fists, his thoughts immediately turning to Jiang Ruhong and Chen Liang.

"Not just anyone can tamper with the Spirit Herbs and Medicines from the Spirit Valley. Let’s go ask Old Liu first and hear what he has to say."

Chu Lingguang didn’t jump to conclusions.

Some things required evidence.

And so, the master and disciple went to the Spirit Valley.

"Mr. Liu."

Chu Lingguang held out his palm for Old Liu to examine.

Old Liu turned to look. Upon seeing Chu Lingguang’s grayish-white hand and the Death Qi emanating from his palm, he couldn’t help but stand up.

"Necromancy Power... it’s been a long time since this has appeared in the Profound Celestial Sect."

Old Liu said, surprised.

"What’s Necromancy Power?"

Both Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei were very curious.

"It’s a power that transcends the Five Elements. It only grows in extremely cold, yin-heavy places and usually attaches itself to herbs with cold, yin properties."

"The person who gave you the herbs is the problem."

Old Liu said.

Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei both thought of a Spirit Child in the Spirit Valley.

The Spirit Child looked to be six or seven years old. He had been the one to portion out the herbs for the master and disciple.

When the two found him, the Spirit Child was drying herbs in the sun.

"What is this?"

Chu Lingguang held out his hand for the boy to see.

The Spirit Child looked up with a vacant, almost simple-minded expression. After glancing at the hand, he returned to tidying the herbs, spreading them evenly on a winnowing basket.

His completely detached demeanor left Chu Lingguang and Guo Wei feeling helpless.

Since joining the Profound Celestial Sect, they had learned the origins of the Spirit Children and other young attendants in the Spirit Valley. They were all unfortunate souls, orphans taken in by the sect.

Besides being given three meals a day, they had no opportunity to cultivate, nor would the Profound Celestial Sect ever grant them that ability.

In fact, under the Profound Celestial Sect’s "care," they were raised from childhood to be nothing more than tools.

Once they turned fifteen, they were sent down the mountain to fend for themselves.

"Ugh!"

Suddenly,

the Spirit Child sank to the ground, black blood spilling from his mouth.

His life force dissipated in an instant.

"Dead from poison."

"What a vicious method. They didn’t even spare a child."

The master and disciple were filled with righteous indignation.

"Take him to the Hall of Criminal Law."

Guo Wei proposed.

A short while later, the master and disciple arrived at the Hall of Criminal Law, carrying the body of the Spirit Child.

They explained what had happened to a staff member of the Profound Celestial Sect’s Hall of Criminal Law. The one who received them was a middle-aged man, who sat with his eyes closed, seemingly resting.

He didn’t so much as glance at Chu Lingguang’s hand or the Spirit Child’s corpse.

Instead, he uttered a profound statement: "Cultivation is a struggle—against the heavens, against the earth, against other people, and against yourself. Succeed, and you become an immortal. Fail, and you become a ghost."