Volume One: Miscellaneous Duties in Changshui County Chapter 105: A Generous Reward

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Opening the small vial, a rich aura of spiritual energy spilled forth. This little vial of Dao Liquid contained more spiritual energy than Lu Jiuzhang had ever encountered in his life. Even the spiritual stones did not hold as much spiritual energy as this. If used for cultivation, this must be a rare treasure of the highest order.

Lu Jiuzhang sat cross-legged in the arena, beginning to absorb the spiritual energy. He was like a vast ocean, with the spiritual energy flowing into him like rivers feeding the sea. As the Dao Liquid entered his body, Lu Jiuzhang felt he was on the verge of breaking through to the eighth grade of martial Dao, yet he was still just short by a fraction.

It made no sense! The spiritual power contained in this Dao Liquid was equivalent to months of his painstaking cultivation. He practiced all the martial arts in his mind again, but at the ninth grade of martial Dao, it seemed he had reached the limit. What was going on? Could it be that he was destined never to step into the eighth grade of martial Dao?

After an unknown amount of time, the spiritual energy in the Dao Liquid was completely absorbed by Lu Jiuzhang. The Dao Liquid also had healing properties, not only restoring his vitality but gradually healing the deep slashes on his body. This was far better than the saliva of the big black dog; if sold outside, it would fetch a sky-high price. But at this point, he had to focus on himself first. No matter how good the treasure was, it was useless if he couldn’t escape.

...

The surroundings shifted, and Lu Jiuzhang stepped into the eleventh level. It was still the arena, with a sign towering across that read “Eleven.” Facing him appeared a masked puppet warrior of the eighth grade of martial Dao!

Lu Jiuzhang felt a twinge of worry. If by the twentieth level there were ten eighth-grade martial Dao cultivators, could he still handle it? Although his current strength was formidable, and his realm was the ninth grade of martial Dao, his cultivation level had long been at the eighth grade, and he was not a weakling within that grade.

He easily dealt with this eighth-grade masked puppet. Then came the twelfth level... thirteenth... By the fourteenth level, the difficulty increased. Using the Swift Wind Step and the Demon-Slaying Sword Technique, Lu Jiuzhang barely passed.

At the fifteenth level, the difficulty rose again. Five eighth-grade puppet warriors appeared. Lu Jiuzhang groaned inwardly — these were puppets with the cultivation level of eighth-grade martial Dao cultivators. Even the weaker ones within that grade were almost insurmountable for him.

This battle took about an hour. He was covered in wounds, with not a spot left unscathed.

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Panting and lying on the arena floor, Lu Jiuzhang felt utterly drained of strength. Under such conditions, if he stepped into the sixteenth level, he believed there was a great chance he would perish.

“Ding...” A mechanical voice sounded mysteriously through the vast space.

“Congratulations on passing the fifteenth level. Reward: two portions of Dao Liquid and a copy of the ordinary martial art ‘Flame Technique.’”

Another reward? Lu Jiuzhang perked up. The Dao Liquid was an extraordinary item; the reward was not trivial. As for the so-called Flame Technique, being an ordinary martial art, it probably wouldn’t be very useful.

Supporting himself with his sword, Lu Jiuzhang mustered all his strength to stand and shakily approached the reward, pocketing the two bottles of Dao Liquid. Then he opened the Flame Technique manual, which was filled with thousands of neatly written characters.

Upon closer reading, Lu Jiuzhang realized he had misjudged it. This martial art was far more complex than any he had practiced before. The spiritual energy flow paths contained within were unfamiliar, some completely unheard of.

That made sense. The Ruins Sect had been one of the leading great sects thirty thousand years ago. Their so-called ordinary martial arts would be treasures in the outside world.

Lu Jiuzhang sat cross-legged and began cultivating the Flame Technique, taking the Dao Liquid alongside.

...

Outside the Ancient Tower. Feng Wanqing did not enter but stood outside.

“Tap, tap, tap...” Footsteps approached. Feng Wanqing tried to hide but realized a slender man in strange clothing was already standing beside her. On his chest was embroidered a golden character meaning “Slash.”

Such exquisite clothing did not exist in the Ruins World; only people from the outside world wore such attire. Feng Wanqing had seen Lu Jiuzhang wear something similar.

Could they be from the same faction—the Demon-Slaying Division?

“Who are you?” Feng Wanqing hurriedly asked.

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“Are you from the Northern Blade Sect or the Departed Sword Villa?” Bian Yuan did not answer but questioned her instead.

When he arrived near the Ancient Tower, still some distance away, Bian Yuan sensed someone nearby. Concerned the person might escape, the others approached from the front while he suddenly appeared on the side, ready to capture this stranger at any moment.

“I’m from the Departed Sword Villa,” Feng Wanqing quickly replied, sensing his faint pressure.

“Oh? Someone from Departed Sword Villa,” Bian Yuan nodded, then looked toward a middle-aged man in the distance. “What shall we do?”

Feng Wanqing recognized the middle-aged man as Zhao Chuan, an outer elder of the Flame Gate, with an eighth-grade martial Dao cultivation. He was ruthless and had often targeted Departed Sword Villa disciples. Some disciples caught outside were either killed on the spot or imprisoned in the Flame Gate.

Departed Sword Villa had long harbored bitter hatred for Zhao Chuan but dared not seek revenge due to Flame Gate’s strength.

Along with the outer elder came others, mostly eighth-grade martial Dao cultivators, while the slender man beside him was a seventh-grade. Feng Wanqing felt panic; her cultivation was the lowest present—ninth grade! Anyone could easily subdue her.

“No need to answer,” Zhao Chuan said. “You are the deputy sect leader; you decide.”

“You’re quite beautiful. If you can’t leave, you could serve as my concubine,” Bian Yuan said coldly.

“You...” Feng Wanqing felt humiliated, trembling with rage.

“Don’t just be angry. Do you know who I am? I am the Deputy Director of the Demon-Slaying Division of Anxi Prefecture. Many women in Anxi Prefecture want to be my concubines. Even daughters of nobles and wealthy merchants line up for the chance,” Bian Yuan said slowly. “I only take an interest in you because women are scarce in the Ruins.”

“Your beauty is acceptable here, but in the outside world, it’s not enough,” he added, believing he was speaking the truth.

From Feng Wanqing’s perspective, this slender man was nothing but a lecher, rude and repeatedly insulting her. Unfortunately, his cultivation was too high, so she dared not act rashly and could only suffer in silence.

The situation was beyond her control. To act now could mean death.