Chapter 108 - 104: Yongling Order
That evening, Lü Zhong took stock of the Spirit Stones he had on hand.
While he had earned a considerable number of Spirit Stones from Talisman Making over the years, he had spent almost all of them on his cultivation.
Whether buying Pills to increase his cultivation or paying an Alchemist to refine the Spiritual Universe Secret Pill, the costs were enormous.
After counting everything, he found he only had two hundred and thirty-nine Spirit Stones left.
This sum might seem substantial, equivalent to what many Loose Cultivators earned in ten or even twenty years.
For him, however, it was just a drop in the bucket.
’Sigh, there are never enough Spirit Stones.’
Lü Zhong began to plan how he would earn Spirit Stones once he reached Yongling.
’I certainly can’t abandon my old trade, Talisman Making.’
’I’m currently at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer. Once I reach the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, I’ll be able to craft Golden Light Talismans. That’s an evergreen money tree, providing me the capital to secure my place in the world.’
’Perhaps I could also open a shop. Having a shop would save me the hardship of running a stall and free up a significant amount of time. I couldn’t waste that time, either. Using it for cultivation, practicing Magic Skills, or even going out for some Wilderness Spirit Seeking would all be excellent options.’
But as for opening a shop, that was something he could only dream about for now.
’After all, renting a shop isn’t just a matter of having enough Spirit Stones. I’d also need a stable customer base to ensure the Talismans would sell. Otherwise, the monthly rent alone could bleed me dry.’
’I’ll have to figure out the specifics once I get to Yongling City.’
Shaking his head, Lü Zhong sat cross-legged on the bed and began to meditate, refining his qi.
The Spiritual Qi concentration in Silver Treasure Village was low—even lower than in the wilderness surrounding Qingliu Square and Yanling Mountain Market. Trying to cultivate by absorbing nature’s spiritual energy here was a waste of effort.
Fortunately, Lü Zhong still had quite a few Origin-Nurturing Pills on him.
He swallowed one, and Pure Spiritual Qi immediately suffused his abdomen.
However, because he had taken this Pill so many times, and with his cultivation now at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, the effects of the Origin-Nurturing Pill were significantly diminished. A single Pill no longer filled his meridians to the brim as it once had.
’These Origin-Nurturing Pills are becoming so ineffective. It’s time to switch to a different kind of Pill,’ Lü Zhong thought as he circulated his energy to refine the Spiritual Qi.
One Minor Circulation after another...
As the pill released its Spiritual Qi, the Origin-Nurturing Pill gradually shrank.
Before he knew it, it was the dead of night.
The streets outside were silent, the only sound the faint, rhythmic CLACK of the night watchman’s bamboo clapper.
"AH!"
A bloodcurdling scream pierced the night sky, startling Lü Zhong from his cultivation.
He immediately stopped his cultivation and rose to his feet. His gaze shifted to the guest room next door—the scream had come from there. It sounded like the voluptuous woman.
A flash of Spiritual Light flickered in his eyes as Lü Zhong activated his Qi Observation Skill, trying to see what was happening next door.
But what he saw left him dumbfounded.
’Huh? The walls here can actually block my Qi Observation Skill?’
He looked in other directions. It wasn’t just the walls—the doors blocked it too.
’This inn is more than it seems...’ Lü Zhong thought to himself.
However, now was not the time to dwell on such things.
He pushed open his door and stepped out to find a crowd gathered in front of the next room. There were cultivators among them, as well as several maids in disheveled clothing.
"What happened?" a gray-haired, ink-faced old man asked.
"I don’t know either," the scholar-robed cultivator said, then turned to Lü Zhong. "And you, sir?"
Seeing both men look at him, Lü Zhong shook his head. "I only heard a scream. By the time I came out, you were all here. I don’t know the details."
"Then... shall we go in and take a look together?" the scholar-robed cultivator suggested.
The ink-faced old man shook his head, preferring to wait for the Law Enforcement Team.
"And you, sir?" The scholar-robed cultivator looked at Lü Zhong again, clearly hoping he would go in with him.
With the situation unclear, Lü Zhong wasn’t about to risk his own skin. He also said he would wait for the Law Enforcement Team.
"Hmph. I suppose I overestimated you both," the scholar-robed cultivator sneered, drawing a Magic Sword that glowed dimly. "Since you’re too scared, I’ll go in and see what’s really going on!"
With that, he pushed open the door and strode inside.
A moment later, another scream echoed from inside, followed by the sound of chewing.
At this point, it was clear that something dangerous was lurking inside.
At the same time, a pinkish mist began to seep out of the room.
The color drained from Lü Zhong’s face as he saw the mist; his Qi Observation Skill was still active.
"This is bad! It’s Demonic Qi!"
The words had barely left his mouth when a Blood Shadow shot out of the room.
Its body was covered in cracks that gushed with bloody light. From its shattered face, it was clearly the voluptuous woman, transformed. It was impossible to know what had happened to her to turn her into such a ghastly creature.
The moment the Blood Shadow appeared, it charged forward madly.
CLANG! The sound of metal striking metal rang out.
Lü Zhong was prepared, parrying its pounce with his sword.
He followed up with a powerful roundhouse kick.
The Blood Shadow shrieked, spat blood, and flew backward, embedding itself in the wall. A web of cracks spread out around it.
A satisfied smile touched Lü Zhong’s lips as he saw the power of his kick. ’It seems all that training on the Spiritual Universe Dharma Body wasn’t for nothing.’
Having learned its lesson, the Blood Shadow no longer dared to confront Lü Zhong.
Instead, it turned its attention to other prey.
It pounced, landing in front of a maid who was frozen in terror. With a vicious swipe of its claws, it sliced the woman into pieces, sending a spray of blood in all directions.
Lü Zhong glanced at the ink-faced old man. The man clearly had a chance to intervene but had simply watched, unmoving.
’Hmph. So this is the Cultivation Realm?’
After a moment of chewing, the Blood Shadow’s aura strengthened considerably.
Then, it turned its attention back to Lü Zhong.
’Courting death!’
Lü Zhong had seen the Demonic Qi in the inn growing stronger and had planned to retreat just in case. But since this thing was asking for death, he might as well oblige.
The Blood Shadow leaped through the air, but an instant later, an azure streak of sword light flashed past it.
With several quick SLICES, it too was cut to pieces.
Having dealt with it, Lü Zhong didn’t hesitate. In a few quick movements, he was outside the inn.
Just then, a team of cultivators in blue robes rushed to the scene.
One of them, a slim youth, quickly performed an incantation and shouted, "Everyone, be careful! It’s Demonic Qi!"
"What, Demonic Qi?"
The captain leading the group looked startled. ’How could there be Demonic Qi here?’ he thought.
’If that’s true, this is going to be trouble!’
’Demonic Qi means a Demon Cultivator has been here.’
Thanks to their various Demonic Secret Techniques, Demon Cultivators are usually quite powerful—far beyond what he could handle.
Then he saw Lü Zhong and sensed an aura far surpassing his own. An idea struck him, and he yelled, "Sir, could you lend us a hand? I’m willing to offer a Yongling Order as thanks!"
’A Yongling Order?’
Hearing this, Lü Zhong’s interest was piqued.