My Cultivation Techniques Upgrade Automatically

Chapter 99: Chapter 98: One Day...

After hearing He Bai explain the whole situation, Wu Chen nodded. He finally understood that Stone Ox was the one unwilling to go, not that the various factions didn’t want him.

But there was only one person with the Overlord Body, after all. It wasn’t worth everyone fighting to the death just to claim someone with a mere remnant of the Overlord Bloodline.

It was better if no one had him. Leaving him at the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall was fair to everyone.

”Of course I don’t want to go.”

A booming, resonant voice came from behind them. It was Stone Ox.

He had overheard He Bai and Wu Chen discussing him and spurred his horse to catch up, saying indignantly,

”I was practically starving to death in Mountain Mist City, and not a single person offered me a bite to eat. But now that they know I have some Overlord Bloodline, they’re suddenly trampling each other to get to me.”

”And another thing—what if I go with them, and they find out this Overlord Bloodline isn’t nearly as amazing as they imagined? Will they just toss me aside again?”

”...”

Wu Chen looked at Stone Ox. It seemed being abandoned as a child had left him with some deep-seated trauma.

But he had to admit, Stone Ox had a point.

Perhaps Stone Ox was a top performer at the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall.

But in Mountain Mist City, he could only be considered one of the best.

If he went to a major sect, relying on just a sliver of a remnant bloodline, he probably wouldn’t measure up for long.

’But... what if Stone Ox went to Black Stone City?’

’Wouldn’t he be practically invincible there?’

Wu Chen couldn’t help but take another look at Stone Ox.

Even if Stone Ox only had a sliver of the Overlord Bloodline, in a place like Black Stone City, his current strength at the newly-attained Jade Bone Realm would absolutely place him at the pinnacle of power.

And Wu Chen happened to be in need of exactly this kind of talent. If Stone Ox could go to Black Stone City, he could help Jiang Fang build the Jiang Clan Commerce Association into a powerful force.

He could also start selling rubbings of Martial Arts manuals that contained ’Momentum,’ creating a stable source of income.

After all, the devils weren’t going to just keep showing up on his doorstep like they did last night, letting him harvest them for profit.

Wu Chen felt the urge to recruit him but quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.

He knew He Bai had not only saved Stone Ox’s life but had also raised him like his own son.

Stone Ox would never leave the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall.

Trying to recruit him would likely only create resentment.

’I’ve only met two reasonably talented people on this whole trip.’

’One was Xue Hongling, and the other is Stone Ox.’

’Unfortunately, one is trapped and can’t even fend for herself, while the other is bound by a debt of gratitude and will definitely never go to Black Stone City.’

Wu Chen rubbed his weary eyes. It looked like, for now, he’d have to stick to the old way of making money.

Kill!

Two more days and nights passed in a flash, and Mountain Mist City was now visible in the distance.

Perhaps because He Bai’s trip had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, their rivals in the city hadn’t yet received confirmed news of their movements.

Aside from the one attack by the Blood Evil devils, the caravan hadn’t been troubled by any more bandits over the past two days.

This left Wu Chen rather disappointed.

After all, people who made a living through robbery were likely on the wanted list. Even if the government took a large cut and the bounties were small, as the saying goes, every little bit adds up. If a whole swarm of them attacked, he could probably make eight hundred or a thousand silver. Wu Chen wasn’t picky.

”Hall Master He, Mountain Mist City is just ahead. I won’t be entering the city just yet. I’m going to head into the mountains first to turn in these devil heads.”

A bulging burlap sack, filled with devil heads, was slung over the back of the horse beside Wu Chen.

Blood seeped from the sack, matting the horse’s coat into a sticky, gory mess. Its mane was coagulated with dried blood. Aside from the pungent stench, the sight was exceptionally gruesome.

Entering the city in this state would surely cause a huge commotion, so Wu Chen planned to first visit the nearest sect outside Mountain Mist City.

”Very well! I’ll have a meal prepared at the hall and await Young Master Wu’s return!” He Bai nodded.

Gazing at the ever-nearing Mountain Mist City, he too breathed a sigh of relief, his aged face filled with delight.

This trip had not only secured half a year’s supply of medicinal herbs for the hall, but it had also seen Stone Ox advance to the Jade Bone Realm.

It was truly a double blessing.

In addition to returning the one thousand silver banknotes to Wu Chen, he planned to give him an extra two thousand silver to express his gratitude.

However, as they drew closer to the city gate, Stone Ox, who was part of the hall’s procession, looked like he wanted to say something but held back.

He kept glancing at the distant figure about to disappear from view, wanting to follow but afraid of being reprimanded by He Bai.

”Want to go into the mountains with Young Master Wu?” He Bai could easily see what was on Stone Ox’s mind.

It wasn’t hard; Stone Ox wore all his thoughts right on his face.

Stone Ox didn’t try to hide it, looking at the old man with hopeful eyes, waiting for a nod.

”Then go on!” He Bai shrugged indifferently.

”Really?”

Stone Ox thought he had misheard, a look of disbelief on his face. After all, He Bai never allowed him to leave the city, mainly out of concern that he would run into danger.

”How many times have you snuck out on your own? You’ve been to that Refining Valley quite a few times, haven’t you?”

He Bai shot Stone Ox a sidelong glance. If these herb transport missions hadn’t been so crucial to the hall’s future, he never would have let Stone Ox tag along on such a dangerous affair.

Stone Ox scratched his head and gave an embarrassed smile. He had thought his movements were secret, never imagining that He Bai had been watching him all along.

But Stone Ox felt he had no choice but to go to Refining Valley.

He was full of brute strength with no outlet to vent it. He Bai wouldn’t let him wield weapons until he reached Perfection in the Four Passes, so all he could do at the hall was lift iron chains.

That was fine for a while, but it grew incredibly tedious over time.

Left with no other option, he would sneak out when no one was looking, slip out of Mountain Mist City, and head to the nearby Refining Valley to work as a blacksmith.

This way, he could not only vent his abundant Qi Power but also earn a little extra money on the side.

”Grandfather, I’m off then!” Having received permission, Stone Ox couldn’t wait to crack his whip and urge his horse forward.

Though he’d been utterly crushed by Wu Chen and had been sulking for two days, Stone Ox wasn’t discouraged. On the contrary, he was in awe of Wu Chen’s astonishing abilities.

He figured that if he stayed by the side of such a master, he could ask for pointers on Martial Arts. Combined with the advantage of possessing a sliver of the Overlord Bloodline, as long as he trained diligently, he could definitely surpass him within a year!

And if not in one year, then two! Or five!

As long as he remained determined and forged ahead, he would one day surpass Wu Chen and defeat him!

”...”

Watching Stone Ox gallop toward the rapidly disappearing figure, a Guard sidled up to He Bai and asked cautiously,

”Old Hall Master, Stone Ox just barely advanced to the Jade Bone Realm and became a great asset to our hall. Are you really just going to let him wander outside the city? Aren’t you afraid he’ll be targeted by the Blood Evil devils?”

”You worry too much. Are things now the same as they were before?”

He Bai glanced at the Guard and said flatly, ”Why don’t you ask if the Blood Evil devils are afraid of being targeted by Young Master Wu?”

”Ah, that’s true...” The Guard drew his head back, recalling the scene from the other night with a sheepish laugh.

He Bai watched the two figures in the distance and thought of Wu Chen’s strength. He had a premonition and murmured softly,

”Never mind whether the Blood Evil devils will find Stone Ox. The way I see it, with Stone Ox following this Young Master Wu, things might...”

He trailed off.

”Might what?”

His words had thoroughly piqued the guard’s curiosity. ”Tell us, Hall Master!”

”It’s nothing, really. It’s just that we all know the Blood Slaughter Sect covets the Overlord Body.”

He Bai stroked his graying beard. ”But Young Master Wu is clearly even more eager to find Blood Evil devils. We’ve seen that with our own eyes.”

”Now that Stone Ox is with him, I have a feeling Young Master Wu might just deliberately spread the news that the Overlord Body is wandering around outside the city.”

”Spread the news about the Overlord Body? But why?!” the Guard asked, perplexed.

”Why? If I told you Young Master Wu wants to invite the Blood Evil devils over for dinner, would you believe me?”

He Bai was almost speechless. He couldn’t tell if his guards were playing dumb or just genuinely not using their brains.

How could they not see something so obvious?

”Hehehe!”

Embarrassed by He Bai’s words, the guards scratched their heads and finally started to picture what would happen next.

News would spread that Stone Ox was wandering outside the city. The Blood Slaughter Sect’s devils, hearing about the Overlord Body, would surely swarm to the location.

Countless devils would converge outside the city, searching for Stone Ox to seize the Overlord Body.

And then, Wu Chen, waiting on the sidelines...

At this thought, the guards’ eyes went wide. Their breathing grew rapid, the smiles froze on their faces, and they blurted out,

”If those devils dare to come, Young Master Wu will slaughter every last one of them!”