Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Life-Taking Incantation
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The next day, Lu Yang waited in his cave abode for the entire day.
No one came.
It was as if the three black-robed men weren't disciples of the Primal Saint Sect at all. Their disappearance caused no ripples; not a single person came to check on the situation.
Lu Yang sighed once more. He didn't doubt for a second that the sect, which possessed the Life Lamps of all its disciples, was unaware of their deaths. In hindsight, it was likely that "disciples killing each other" was an unspoken rule. As long as it wasn't made a huge, public affair, no one would investigate too closely.
After all, the Demon Sect was treacherous and unpredictable.
Someone died. Perhaps they were silenced, perhaps it was for money, or perhaps they knew something they shouldn't have. What if an investigation actually uncovered something?
So, it was better not to investigate.
"As expected of the Primal Saint Sect."
After his sigh, Lu Yang set his mind at ease and began to collect his spoils of war.
First were the Disciple Tokens. To Lu Yang's shock, the three black-robed men's tokens contained a total of 400 Contribution Points—an unusually high amount.
"So they were repeat offenders."
Lu Yang's brow furrowed. He searched through their belongings again, but aside from miscellaneous items, only a secret manual called the *Qi Concealment Art* truly caught his eye.
From Lu Yang's perspective, the three black-robed men had been exceptionally skilled at concealing their true qi. If not for his own breakthrough in cultivation, which had brought a qualitative leap to his true qi and spiritual sense, he likely wouldn't have even noticed their infiltration. This spoke volumes about the power of the *Qi Concealment Art*; it was clearly a trump card.
"More importantly, this has nothing to do with the Primal Saint Sect!"
Sect techniques were only recorded on Disciple Tokens, yet the *Qi Concealment Art* was a physical manual. This meant it was likely a personal opportunity the three black-robed men had stumbled upon.
Therefore, he didn't have to worry about the sect having a way to counter it.
"Just what I needed. They really died at the perfect time!"
At this thought, Lu Yang genuinely gathered their bodies, dug a pit, and buried them, giving them a proper burial.
Then, a thought suddenly struck him:
"This *Qi Concealment Art* is so exquisite, and it wasn't passed down by the sect. Where did they get it? Could there be an even greater opportunity behind it?"
Instantly, Lu Yang's mind began to race with possibilities.
But he quickly reined in his greed, his eyes regaining their calm. "No rush, no rush. Perhaps I can befriend these three in their next life."
There would always be a chance!
After laying the three to rest, Lu Yang took out his Disciple Token and began to look up the materials needed to forge a Sword Pellet, which Yun Miaoqing had told him about before.
"To forge a Sword Pellet, one must gather three taels of Gold Essence, three taels of Jade Marrow, two taels of Cinnabar, and two taels of Sword Qi, for a total of ten taels. Then, using True Fire and Divine Water to smelt and cool it, impurities are removed. Finally, it must be slowly refined with a secret sword art, allowing it to merge with the forger's essence, qi, and spirit. Only then can it be truly completed."
Lu Yang recalled the method for forging the Sword Pellet while browsing the item catalog.
The more he looked, the uglier his expression became.
"Gold Essence, Jade Marrow, Cinnabar, and Sword Qi, all priced at 100 Contribution Points per tael. Divine Water, 500 Contribution Points a gourd. True Fire, 500 Contribution Points a strand..."
"2000 Contribution Points!?"
Lu Yang gritted his teeth. He had heard from Yun Miaoqing that disciples of the Jade Pivot Sword Pavilion all received a Sword Pellet from their elders after breaking through to the Qi Refining Realm.
But here in the Primal Saint Sect, it actually cost 2000 Contribution Points?
An ordinary disciple would have to toil like an ox for the sect for twenty years, without spending a single point, to possibly gather that much!
Damn this Demon Sect!
Such an exorbitant price instantly extinguished the smugness Lu Yang felt from his small windfall, making him once again realize the reality that he was dirt poor.
"At this rate, 400 Contribution Points is a bit awkward."
According to Lu Yang's plan, he would choose cultivation after restarting in his next life, so he couldn't take any items from this life with him.
Therefore, no matter what good things he bought with these 400 Contribution Points, it would be meaningless to him.
As for cultivation, the middle stage of Qi Refining was completely different from the initial stage. Even if he spent all 400 points, it wouldn't be enough for him to break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining.
"Looks like I can only exchange them for techniques." After all, unlike treasures, knowledge of techniques and divine abilities could be carried into the next life. With this in mind, Lu Yang immediately left his cave abode and headed for the Scripture Repository Pavilion.
"Well, if it isn't you, kid?"
The old man at the entrance of the Scripture Repository Pavilion actually remembered Lu Yang, a look of surprise on his face. "Here to exchange for another technique? Looks like you've struck it rich."
"I'll take that as a good omen, Senior Brother."
Lu Yang cupped his hands and then walked into the pavilion. This time, his goal was clear: he wanted to find a powerful divine ability specifically for life-or-death struggles.
Soon, Lu Yang locked onto his target.
"*Life-Taking Incantation*: 300 Contribution Points."
This divine ability was very peculiar, much like the Buddhist vow of silence. It required the cultivator to nurture a breath of killing intent in their chest, refining it day and night with true qi, intertwining it with their very life force.
When not in use, one could speak normally. But when the time came to use it, they would open their mouth and utter a single word, "Kill!" The entire chestful of killing intent would erupt in an instant, carrying their life force with it, shattering souls and spirits, utterly unstoppable. However, once that breath of killing intent was spent, the user would also die. It was truly a technique of mutual destruction.
"Excellent. It can kill others and myself. It's perfect for me!"
Possessing the Book of a Hundred Lives, what Lu Yang feared most wasn't death, but being unable to die. The book couldn't be activated manually; it would only work after he died.
Thus, he desperately needed a suicide technique.
After exchanging for the technique at the Scripture Repository Pavilion, Lu Yang immediately sat cross-legged and began to comprehend its principles.
"The Life-Taking Incantation stores qi in the chest. The most crucial element is this breath of killing intent. The higher its quality, the greater the power of the incantation when it erupts."
"It is said that when heaven emanates killing intent, the stars shift their positions. When the earth emanates killing intent, dragons and snakes rise from the land. When man emanates killing intent, heaven and earth are overturned. Therefore, killing intent is divided into three types: heavenly, earthly, and human. Heavenly and earthly killing intent are encountered once in a century, while human killing intent is found everywhere, with the qi from weapons of war being the most superior..."
Inside the Scripture Repository Pavilion, Lu Yang began the process of refining the killing intent.
"Thankfully, I have the materials on hand..."
Human killing intent was mostly drawn from weapons that had been used by people with murderous intent. Coincidentally, he had kept the weapons from the three black-robed men.
Lu Yang directly extracted the killing intent from them, refining it into his body bit by bit.
In an instant, Lu Yang felt as if a thousand knives were scraping the flesh from his bones inside his chest. The pain was unbearable, but he kept his lips sealed, not daring to open his mouth.
This was the critical moment of refinement. If he opened his mouth and let the qi escape, he would die instantly!
After a long time, Lu Yang finally felt the killing intent in his chest gradually stabilize, connecting completely with his own true qi. It would erupt with a single thought.
"I wonder how powerful it is."
At this thought, a hint of anticipation appeared on Lu Yang's face. He decided he had to use the Life-Taking Incantation once before he died in this life to see its power.
Returning to the entrance of the Scripture Repository Pavilion, Lu Yang was surprised to find the old man cursing up a storm.
"Son of a bitch, that lucky bastard..."
The old man held his Disciple Token, his wrinkled hands trembling uncontrollably. His old face was twisted with an emotion that was hard to decipher.
Lu Yang walked over and asked curiously, "Senior Brother? What happened?"
"What happened?" The old man's eyes widened in fury upon hearing him. He slammed the Disciple Token onto the ground and sneered, "It's all over the place. See for yourself."
Before he finished speaking, the old man lay back down in his rocking chair, looking like he was sulking.
Lu Yang was completely bewildered, until he too opened his Disciple Token and saw the latest news. Only then did he understand what had happened.
"The Grand Prize of the Merit Pool Finally Has a Winner!"
"The Rainbow Merit Fish was caught by the newly-entered disciple, Xiao Shiye! A Perfected Being publicly awarded him the grand prize of one billion! After receiving the prize, Xiao Shiye went into seclusion, his whereabouts unknown!"