Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 17 Yin Dan Forging the Heart, Official Funeral

Inside the cellar, the candlelight flickered, casting Gu Yan's shadow long and short.

The Yin Sha Yuan Dan floated in mid-air, guided by two thin silver threads as fine as hair from Gu Yan.

He was shirtless, his muscles taut, sweat dripping down his back, each drop evaporating instantly in the high temperature.

He was playing with fire, and he was risking his life.

Forcibly implanting a high-level, bizarre inner core into a paper puppet is unheard of in orthodox paper-making techniques.

If one is not careful, the Yin energy will erupt, and the shop, along with himself, will turn into an ice sculpture.

But he dared to gamble because he had Iron Palm.

Extreme coldness requires extreme masculinity to suppress it.

Gu Yan's hands glowed with a crimson light, and the blood and qi in his body surged like a rushing river, making his palms as hot as branding irons.

He didn't touch the core directly, but instead released heat from a distance, gradually softening its hard outer shell.

"melt!"

Gu Yan gave a low shout, and the originally jet-black Yuan Dan, after being baked at high temperature, finally turned into a viscous gel.

With lightning speed, he used his other hand to rip open the chest of the Iron-Boned Ferocious God.

Inside, a cavity had already been prepared, constructed with nine layers of oiled paper and cinnabar talismans.

Gu Yan forcefully shoved the lump of gel into the cavity, then his hands flew as he quickly sutured the chest, repeatedly ironing the seam with his burning palms until the iron filings and pulp were completely fused together.

"Buzz".

A deep hum echoed through the narrow cellar.

The once deathly still and fierce-looking Iron-boned God suddenly trembled.

A visible black aura spread from its heart to its entire body. The originally rough iron armor and paper skin became delicate and tight under the nourishment of this yin energy, presenting a metallic texture similar to bronze.

The vertical eye between its brows, which was originally just painted on, now seemed to have truly come to life, connecting it to the netherworld.

[Renovation successful.]

[Obtain a new puppet: Yin Iron Rakshasa (Beginner Magical Artifact)]

【Characteristic 1: Yin and Yang in Harmony (possessing both the physical defense of steel and the magical resistance of Yin energy, no longer afraid of ordinary fire and Taoist magic).】

【Characteristic 2: Fiendish Aura Shield (Can unleash the power of the Yuan Dan to form a protective black light capable of withstanding flying sword attacks).】

【Characteristic 3: Black Serpent Strangulation (Can release three materialized tentacles of yin energy for mid-range control and strangulation).】

"call……"

Gu Yan plopped down on the ground, panting heavily, his face filled with ecstasy.

With this Yin Iron Rakshasa, as long as he doesn't encounter a siege by top experts of the Demon Suppression Division, he can basically roam freely in Changning County.

He waved his hand and put the brand-new puppet into the shadows of the corner, letting it continue to be nurtured.

Afterwards, Gu Yan climbed out of the cellar, took a shower, changed into dry clothes, and reopened the shop.

Then it was broad daylight.

The outside world has changed dramatically.

Last night, the county government office was destroyed, Master Yin was executed, and the Black Dragon Gang was leaderless, leaving a power vacuum in the entire Changning County.

Gu Yan, however, acted as if nothing had happened, sitting at the door with a bowl of hot porridge, watching the hurried crowds on the street.

Before long, a familiar figure came into view.

The person who came was Zhao Feng.

The constable Zhao looked rather disheveled; his official robes were covered in dust, and he had dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

He walked with a brisk pace, and his expression didn't show much frustration, but rather a hint of excitement.

"Brother Gu, you still have the leisure to drink porridge?"

Zhao Feng walked up to the shop, took half a steamed bun from Gu Yan's hand without any hesitation, and stuffed it into his mouth to chew.

Gu Yan quickly stood up and said with a forced smile:

"Lord Zhao, what are you saying? The thunder was so fierce last night that I couldn't sleep a wink. I've only just recovered. I heard that the county government office... was struck by lightning?"

Zhao Feng swallowed the steamed bun and gave Gu Yan a half-smile:

"Lightning strikes? Heh, that's the officials from the Demon Suppression Division exorcising demons!"

He leaned closer to Gu Yan and lowered his voice:

"But it's quite a coincidence, actually. That demon was caught red-handed by the officials because he rode in a strange sedan chair that rushed straight into the county government hall. Don't you think the craftsman who made that sedan chair should be rewarded?"

Gu Yan's heart skipped a beat, but she pretended to be clueless:

"A sedan chair? What kind of sedan chair can run so fast? It must be Lu Ban himself appearing. I can only fool the dead; I can't make that kind of high-tech stuff."

Zhao Feng stared at Gu Yan for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter and patted Gu Yan's shoulder heavily.

"Alright, stop pretending. I don't have the time to check any sedan chairs."

He suppressed his smile and said seriously:

"Master Yin is dead, and the Black Dragon Gang has fallen. The magistrate of the Demon Suppression Division has ordered a thorough purge of this cancerous gang. Quite a few people died last night, not only from the gang, but also from several unlucky individuals in the county government."

Zhao Feng held up three fingers: "More than three hundred corpses are piled up in the mass grave outside the city, which could easily lead to plague. The adults' idea is to burn them and also perform rituals to pray for their souls and ward off bad luck."

"Old Xu used to do this job, but he's gone now. Gu Yan, do you dare take this job?"

Gu Yan's heart stirred.

More than three hundred corpses?

How many experience points? How much Yin energy would that require?

Moreover, this was an officially assigned mission, meaning he could openly and undisturbed access the corpses.

"Sir, this...this is a very big job."

Gu Yan rubbed his hands together, a shrewd greed on his face. "My shop is small, and I don't have enough staff. Besides, those corpses... they all have a bit of an evil aura about them. What if..."

"Fifty taels of silver, fixed price."

Zhao Feng interrupted him directly, "Moreover, from now on, all the funerals in this county government office, as well as the work of collecting the bodies of condemned prisoners, will be your responsibility. You will be the only official paper-making craftsman in Changning County. This status is worth more than silver."

Gu Yan pretended to hesitate for a moment, then, as if having made a tremendous decision, gritted his teeth and said:

"Alright! Since Lord Zhao thinks so highly of me, I'll do my best to handle this matter perfectly, even if it breaks my hands!"

"good!"

Zhao Feng nodded in satisfaction, took out a wooden waist token that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket, and tossed it to Gu Yan.

"Take this and go to the mass grave outside the city. The officials from the Demon Suppression Division are still watching over there. Be careful and don't say anything out of line."

After seeing Zhao Feng off, Gu Yan held the waist tag that was still warm from his body, with the word "bad" engraved on it.

Although he was just an unofficial staff member, in such chaotic times, this was like a talisman.

Moreover, there were three hundred corpses.

Among them are many warriors from the Black Dragon Gang, and possibly even the remains of demons killed by the Demon Suppression Division.

Gu Yan turned around and went back to the shop, putting on the heavy black oilcloth robe that he hadn't worn in a long time and that he used specifically for collecting corpses.

He shouldered his toolbox and took all the paper figures and talismans with him.

Closed today.

Go out to buy goods.