Immortality by Merit and Sin Coins

Chapter 174: Chapter 107: No Demon Came to Congratulate

During the interrogation, whenever the subject came up, the other new recruits were green with envy. They all thought the kid had just gotten ridiculously lucky.

But he had just endured such treatment, and it was his first time encountering a Demon attack. To remain calm through all that and remember the lessons his seniors had taught him—that couldn’t be attributed to simple luck.

”But the boy is still too young. He actually held up the gourd and excitedly shouted to everyone that he was going to be promoted to Captain.”

Zheng Qiao gave a helpless smile.

Whether there would be a reward, whether he would be promoted—that was for the Vice General to decide.

How could he shout it out like that ahead of time? It would inevitably make his superior feel like he was leveraging his accomplishments to demand a reward.

”...”

Xu Zhonglin stared at the Demon Qi swirling inside the gourd, a cruel sneer slowly spreading across his lips.

He recalled the provocative message from the letter he had just read.

His fingers slowly curled into a fist, as if to crush the arrogant head he pictured in his mind.

”And why not? Is my tolerance so limited that I can’t even stomach a few naive words from a junior?”

The Vice General’s eyes narrowed. He took the opportunity to distance himself from what Gong Yue had done. ”The boy performed a great service by finding the Demon. Not only will I promote him to Captain, but I will also award him ten bottles of Foundation Establishment Spirit Pills and a Low Grade Magical Artifact.”

”There’s no need to be secretive about it. Pass the order down directly. Let all the new recruits see it. Use this to motivate them!”

With that, Xu Zhonglin reached out and took the Qi-Introducing Gourd.

He felt its cold surface in his palm, a mocking glint in his eyes.

’Vile beast, you’re finally showing your true colors!’

...

「The vast mountain range, Qingming Left Peak.」

There were no extravagant manors here, only a dozen or so thatched huts.

Lin Shu sat exhausted, leaning against a ten-foot-tall boulder. He basked in the mountain breeze, his gaze sweeping across the landscape.

With 230 Sin Coins in hand, he had not only replenished the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord’s expenditure but also made its Magical Power more robust, allowing it to climb steadily toward the Mid-stage Core Formation Realm.

As the great wolf devoured the black light, Lin Shu found himself back in that desperate land where the Red Moon and black flames intertwined.

[Eighth Grade Core Formation. Taiyin Blood Illumination: Perfection]

The proficiency of this Immortal Technique had shot up from entry-level to Perfection.

Its grade also began to show signs of a breakthrough.

It broke through from the Eighth Grade to the Seventh, and the next step was to assault the major threshold of the Middle Third Grade.

’Even within the Lower Three Grades, it takes a hundred Sin Coins to break through a single grade?’

’Then I probably don’t have enough.’

[Core Formation Seventh Grade. Taiyin Blood Illumination: Perfection]

Lin Shu processed the information in his mind and stopped pouring more power into it.

In addition to this Immortal Technique, thanks to the rapid improvement of Yu Sheng’s foundation, his Body Tempering Technique was also being nourished in turn. It had already advanced from its original state of Ninth Grade Great Success into a new Realm.

[Eighth Grade Core Formation. Fierce Lion Burning Blood Technique: Perfection]

Lin Shu looked at the eighty-odd Sin Coins he had left and simply summoned the wisp of serpentine black qi again.

’Even if it’s not enough to improve its grade, I can still raise its proficiency.’

[Eighth Grade Core Formation. Nether Cold Miasma Thunder: Entry-level]

He spent another forty Sin Coins, and the prompt changed.

[Eighth Grade Core Formation. Nether Cold Miasma Thunder: Perfection]

These three Immortal Techniques covered an extremely wide range, involving the Divine Soul, Daoist Techniques, and Body Tempering, respectively.

Furthermore, they were all extremely powerful abilities for someone in the Early-stage Core Formation Realm.

’Coupled with the ability to borrow the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord’s Magical Power and the terrifying speed granted by my Wind-Riding Mountain Patrol, I should have a decent chance of winning against a proper Mid-stage Core Formation Cultivator, as long as they don’t have too many tricks up their sleeve.’

’Still, it’s not a sure thing.’

He withdrew his gaze. Looking at his remaining forty Sin Coins, he suddenly remembered something.

’Now that I’m on the Demon Mountain, there’s no need to hide certain things anymore.’

In an instant, two streaks of light appeared before him.

A dark Sword Bracelet and an ancient Turtle Shell.

These two Top Grade Magical Artifacts were the most valuable items he possessed.

Lin Shu’s gaze fell upon the former.

Back when he left Black Water City, he had sensed this item faintly developing a Spiritual nature, showing signs of advancing into a Magical Treasure.

It had absorbed the baleful energy of Black Water City for ten years and was just one final push away from making the leap.

But he had been short on funds at the time, and his own Cultivation was too low to truly master the item.

’Now, with the support of the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord’s Magical Power and some Sin Coins to spare, I can finally give it a try.’

”Come!”

Lin Shu extended his palm and grasped it.

This way, the Breath Concealment effect of his Tribulation Spiritual Root could also be shared with it.

As a dense black light was infused into it, the Sword Bracelet suddenly began to hum violently.

It was a violent object to begin with, which suited the nature of the Sin Coins perfectly. The two complemented each other.

ROAR!

Amidst the low cry of a flood dragon, two jet-black gems on the bracelet, like eyes, began to glow.

It seemed to come alive. Though clearly an artifact, it was gradually gaining a Spiritual nature.

At the same time, a dense and unique aura began to emanate outwards.

’When a Treasure appears, it naturally attracts covetous eyes!’

Fortunately, the Sword Bracelet was held firmly in Lin Shu’s palm. Though some of its aura still leaked out, it was only a minuscule amount.

”...”

「At the foot of Qingming Right Peak.」

Beside a scorching furnace, numerous Laborers were enthusiastically hammering away at refined iron.

It was still hard manual labor, but they were clearly far more motivated now.

Being treated as expendable resources to be traded for Blood Spirit Stones was one thing; personally taking part in the creation of a Mid Grade Magical Artifact was something else entirely.

If this Magical Artifact was successfully created, they could even, by a stretch, be called Artifact Casting Masters.

”Lord Qingming, another piece is finished!”

”Good work. Go rest for now. There’s a banquet on the mountain today, so you can take the chance to get some nourishment.”

The beautiful woman didn’t turn around. With her sleeves rolled up, she focused on her work, earnestly hammering a piece of cold iron.

Her slender waist paired with the heavy sledgehammer created a stark contrast, which was, in its own way, strangely beautiful.

The reason the Little Demons of Qingming Mountain were so well-equipped with Magical Artifacts was all thanks to her personal craftsmanship.