txolops Chapter 103 Murder and looting is indeed a highly profitable endeavor!
Chapter 103 Murder and looting is indeed a highly profitable endeavor!
The popular Xianxia (fantasy/martial arts) novel rankings are updated weekly. Click to see the ranking changes.
Inside the stone house, Lin Chuan sat cross-legged in meditation, his mind churning with thoughts.
"Perhaps I could try cultivating the Undying Golden Body first! I also need to hurry up with the Great Evolution Technique; this technique can also help me break through the Core Formation bottleneck..."
He suddenly changed his mind.
The original plan was to temporarily refrain from using body-refining techniques and prioritize the formation of the Golden Core. However, now that they were in the Golden Drum Plains camp, the situation had changed.
The primary issue is cultivation level.
He is currently at the peak of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment, just one step away from the late stage.
If one cultivates the Azure Origin Sword Technique step by step, it may take half a year to a year to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
But he can't.
From the time he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage until now, it has been less than ten years.
Within ten years, can one leap from the early stage of Foundation Establishment to the late stage?
This speed is absolutely astonishing.
He amassed a vast collection of high-grade spiritual herbs through daily divination, and refined countless pills to enhance his magical power. However, once this level of progress was exposed, it would inevitably attract countless suspicions.
Why are you able to cultivate so quickly?
Why do you have so many resources?
At that time, not only outsiders, but even people within the sect will covet his secrets.
The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it.
Especially in the Jingu Plain camp, where all sorts of people are mixed together and various forces are entrenched, he needs to keep a low profile.
Therefore, the Qingyuan Sword Technique cannot be cultivated any further. Before leaving Tiannan, his cultivation level must be suppressed to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage and cannot advance any further.
What to do with that extra energy?
The Great Evolution Decision must be grasped quickly.
This spiritual cultivation technique is extremely helpful in breaking through the bottleneck of Core Formation. The stronger the spiritual sense, the higher the success rate of sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and condensing the golden core during Core Formation.
Moreover, his powerful spiritual sense gives him a huge advantage when facing enemies; the power of his Jingzhe Divine Sword depends entirely on his spiritual sense.
As for the indestructible golden body...
Lin Chuan's eyes flickered.
On the battlefield, they fought to the death with demonic cultivators every day, and danger was everywhere.
If one can also cultivate the body and increase its physical strength, one might be able to have an extra life in a critical moment.
Moreover, body tempering is not as easily detected as cultivation.
"It's settled then."
Lin Chuan made a decision.
Next, focus on the Great Evolution Technique and the Undying Golden Body, and temporarily put the Azure Origin Sword Technique aside. Ideally, maintain your cultivation at the peak of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.
……
The next day, all was well.
Lin Chuan spent a day in quiet meditation in the stone house, comprehending the essential details of the second level of the Great Evolution Technique.
On the morning of the third day.
Lin Chuan opened his eyes right on time, and golden light appeared before him.
Today's divination result: Minor misfortune.
[The divination reads: Today, you are assigned to hunt down demonic cultivators outside the main camp. As you pass a small lake, you are ambushed by two demonic cultivators hiding at the bottom of the lake. These two had already laid a water-based trapping array nearby, intending to trap and kill you within it.]
"Oh?"
A slight smile appeared on Lin Chuan's lips.
Little evil?
With his current combat strength, ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators would be easy prey.
The level four Blood Jade Spider alone could take on three to five Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Moreover, he also possesses a host of top-tier magical artifacts, including the Golden Mantis Twin Blades, the Blood Fiend Blade Talisman, the Yellow Silk Umbrella, the Azure Condensation Mirror, and the Heaven-Covering Bell, as well as the Awakening Insect Divine Sword, a divine sense killing move.
And a fifth-tier Bloodline Flood Dragon!
It's just a minor misfortune, nothing to worry about.
Not only were they not afraid, but they were also somewhat looking forward to it. This was clearly a "trophy" delivered right to their doorstep.
Sure enough, a short while later, a deacon at the late Foundation Establishment stage arrived outside Lin Chuan's stone house.
Lin Chuan pushed open the door and went out.
"Junior Brother Lin, it's your turn to go out and hunt down demonic cultivators today. Remember the rules—you must return to the camp before nightfall, do not venture too far into enemy territory, and do not engage in direct conflict with Core Formation cultivators. Slay demonic cultivators, keep the spoils, and return to the camp with the token to claim your reward," the steward instructed in a businesslike manner.
"Yes, sir." Lin Chuan clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.
He did not choose to team up with his fellow disciples.
Firstly, he has too many secrets—the Blood Jade Spider, the Spirit-Controlling Seal, the Awakening Insect Divine Sword, and even the Golden Mantis Twin Blades and the Blood Fiend Blade Talisman Treasure—none of which should be exposed in front of others.
Secondly, although teaming up provides mutual support, the spoils must be shared, which is not as enjoyable as going solo.
After leaving the camp, Lin Chuan summoned his Gray-Winged Boat and flew eastward.
Instead of patrolling the usual route, he deliberately deviated from it and moved closer to the area indicated by the divination.
After flying for about two or three hundred miles, a low-lying basin appeared ahead.
In the center of the basin is a small lake, about a hundred feet in diameter, with clear water and gentle ripples, surrounded by weeds.
It looks perfectly normal.
However, Lin Chuan's spiritual sense had already far surpassed that of others of the same level.
He had already noticed the unusual underwater situation when he was still several miles away from the lake.
Two faint, almost imperceptible auras of mid-Foundation Establishment were gathering and lurking deep within the lake.
Moreover, faint spiritual energy fluctuations were hidden around the lake, clearly indicating that some kind of formation had not yet been fully activated.
"That's cautious enough."
Lin Chuan sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm.
He landed at the edge of the lake, opened his spirit beast pouch, and released the Blood Jade Spider.
Then, pretending not to notice anything, he slowly walked towards the lake.
Just as he was less than ten feet from the lake—
The skull's eye sockets burned with eerie green flames. It opened its mouth wide, letting out a mournful wail, and lunged at Lin Chuan!
At the same time, a light blue light curtain suddenly rose around the lake, enveloping the entire area—a water-based trap, isolating the inside from the outside and preventing the prey from escaping!
"Well done!"
Lin Chuan was already on guard. With a thought, the yellow umbrella instantly flew out of his storage bag, expanded in the wind, and transformed into a size of about ten feet in diameter, hanging down a solid yellow light shield to firmly protect him.
"when!"
The skull slammed into the yellow light shield with a dull thud, causing the shield to tremble violently, yet it steadily blocked the impact.
But that's not all!
"call out!"
Another whooshing sound came from the side and behind! It was a black spear magic weapon, its entire body jet black, its tip gleaming with an eerie light, carrying a sharp killing intent, aimed straight at Lin Chuan's back!
The two worked together seamlessly, one launching a feint attack from the front while the other ambushed from the side, clearly seasoned veterans of ambushes.
Without turning his head, Lin Chuan flipped his left hand, and a small bronze mirror with an ancient shape and a hazy mirror surface flew out—the Azure Condensation Mirror!
The mirror was aimed at the black spear, and a soft blue light burst forth, instantly enveloping the spear.
The menacing black spear, illuminated by the azure light, seemed to sink into an invisible quagmire, abruptly halting in mid-air. The spear trembled violently, yet it could not advance an inch further, nor break free!
"What?!"
Two figures suddenly burst out of the lake, staring at the scene in shock.
They were two middle-aged men dressed in demonic attire, one tall and one short, both at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. The taller one was manipulating a skull-shaped magical artifact, while the shorter one was desperately trying to summon back the black spear by channeling his magic, but the spear was frozen in place by the Azure Condensation Mirror and remained completely still.
"I've heard of that magical artifact! That mirror can only hold one artifact at most! Now's the time to activate the formation!"
The tall demonic cultivator shouted sternly.
Upon hearing this, the short demonic cultivator immediately abandoned the attempt to recall his spear, formed hand seals, and prepared to activate the water-based trapping array that had already been set up around him.
"court death!"
A cold glint flashed in Lin Chuan's eyes.
Within the Divine Court's sea of consciousness, nine pale golden divine consciousness spikes, which had been poised to strike, shot out silently!
The Divine Sword of Awakening of Insects unleashes nine thrusts simultaneously!
"Ugh—!!!"
The short mage was about to activate the formation when he suddenly felt as if nine red-hot steel needles had pierced through his brow at the same time!
The excruciating pain, accompanied by a momentary blankness of consciousness, caused him to let out a piercing scream, clutch his head, and plummet from mid-air!
It's now!
Lin Chuan flicked his sleeve, and two crimson streaks of light shot out—the Bloodflame Twin Blades he had obtained from Han Tianya!
A beam of red light shot straight at the fallen, short demonic cultivator!
The other transformed into a blood-red streak, slashing fiercely at the tall demonic cultivator!
The tall demonic cultivator's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly manipulated the skull-shaped magic weapon to return to the rescue, while simultaneously summoning a small black shield to block in front of him.
"Boom! Boom boom!"
The skull clashed fiercely with the Bloodflame Blade, the magical artifacts roaring and sparks flying. The tall demonic cultivator was quite powerful; he exchanged blows with Lin Chuan from a distance for several rounds and did not fall behind for the time being.
However, just as he was fully focused on his magical duel with Lin Chuan—
"Pfft!"
A sickeningly sharp sound of a weapon piercing flesh suddenly rang out from behind him!
The tall demonic cultivator's body stiffened abruptly. Looking down, he saw a spider's foreleg, as clear as jade and as sharp as a spear, piercing through his back and exiting through his chest!
Blood Jade Spider!
Unbeknownst to him, the level four demonic beast had quietly circled behind him and launched a fatal attack when he was completely unprepared!
"you……"
The tall demonic cultivator's eyes widened, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face filled with disbelief.
He turned his head with all his might, only to see a huge, pure white creature with eight spear-like legs staring coldly at him with its scarlet compound eyes.
"Sizzle—"
With a flick of its forelimbs, the Blood Jade Spider flung his corpse away like a rag doll, sending it crashing to the ground without a sound.
On the other side, the short demonic cultivator was caught up by the Bloodflame Blade. His protective aura shattered instantly, and with a flash of the blade, his head fell to the ground.
The two mid-Foundation Establishment stage demonic cultivators died in just a few dozen breaths, from the start of the ambush to their demise.
Lin Chuan sheathed the Bloodflame Twin Blades, recalled the Azure Condensation Mirror and the Yellow Silk Umbrella, walked to the two corpses, deftly took the storage bags from their waists, and also collected the scattered magical artifacts (skulls, black spears, and the small black shield).
"The possessions of two mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators should not disappoint me too much."
Lin Chuan smiled.
This is the real way to "get rich".
Within the Yue Kingdom, where would one find the opportunity to openly kill and rob treasure? Fratricide is a grave taboo, and private robbery and murder are even more of a violation of the sect's rules; once exposed, it means certain death.
But on the battlefield, killing enemy cultivators and taking all the spoils is yours! After returning, you can claim another reward by presenting the token!
This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.