Chapter 161: This is Truly an Irony of Fate

Chapter 161: Chapter 161: This is Truly an Irony of Fate

"In a few days, I’ll refine Spirit Ghosts for you. Once you form a Spirit Contract with them, your cultivation speed will increase significantly. But always remember, your true power comes from combining your cultivation Realm with your mastery of Magic."

After dinner, Liu Chen looked at his two junior sisters and spoke slowly. Refining a Spirit Ghost at the Meridian Passage Peak was still somewhat risky at the moment.

’To be safe, I should wait until I advance to the Meridian Passage Late Stage. Then, with the help of Magic, even if something goes wrong, I won’t be left completely defenseless.’

’Anyway, that’s just a matter of two days. If the Spirit Ghost really works as intended, it might not even take that long.’

"Senior Brother, what is a Spirit Ghost?"

Ji Suyao couldn’t help but ask. She knew what a Soul Slave was, but this was the first time she had heard of a Spirit Ghost.

Ye Linglong also looked over, her thoughts turning to the unfortunate Nangong Mu. She wondered what her Senior Brother had ultimately done with him.

"You can think of it as a treasure that helps a Cultivator absorb Spiritual Qi at any time. According to our master, it can eventually even be transformed into a part of the cultivator themselves."

Liu Chen didn’t know much about Spirit Ghosts either. He only knew how to refine them; as for their specific uses, he had only just begun his research.

"Isn’t that too precious?"

Ye Linglong quickly chimed in. If that was the case, then their senior brother, who had to participate in the trial, obviously needed the Spirit Ghost more than they did.

"It’s not that precious, at least not to me."

Liu Chen shook his head. It was only because he was unwilling; otherwise, he could just grab any resentful Loose Cultivator and refine them directly into a Spirit Ghost.

"Then thank you, Senior Brother."

Ji Suyao replied slowly, reaching out to pat a somewhat stunned Ye Linglong. ’I think I’ve discovered my friend’s secret,’ she thought. ’She really does have other ideas about Senior Brother. I wonder if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.’

"Then I’ll have to trouble you, Senior Brother."

Ye Linglong accepted the matter and nodded slowly. She didn’t know why it wasn’t precious to her senior brother, but since he had already made the offer, refusing seemed impossible.

After some idle chat, Liu Chen returned to his bamboo hut and immediately began to circulate his Cultivation Technique.

His Cultivation Technique, which he could originally only cycle once per hour, now cycled twice thanks to the Spirit Ghost’s influence. As the technique operated, Liu Chen could clearly feel the Spirit Ghost carrying Spiritual Power through his already-opened Spirit Veins.

’My Spirit Veins seem to have widened a bit. This must be another hidden benefit of forming a Spirit Contract with the Spirit Ghost.’

[Purple Bamboo Scripture Meridian Passage Chapter Proficiency +100]

’The Spirit Ghost can pre-refine Spiritual Qi into Spiritual Power. My cultivation time stays the same, but my Proficiency gain doubles. From now on, the time it takes to practice my Cultivation Technique will be cut in half.’

Liu Chen nodded in satisfaction and resumed practicing the Bright Eyes Technique. Unfortunately, the Spirit Ghost didn’t improve its practice efficiency, though it did significantly reduce the Spiritual Power consumption.

The night grew deep, and Liu Chen fell into a sound sleep.

October 3rd arrived. Liu Chen woke in his room, and the first thing he did was circulate the Purple Bamboo Scripture Meridian Passage Chapter.

[Purple Bamboo Scripture Meridian Passage Chapter Proficiency +100]

After gaining the Proficiency, Liu Chen washed up and ambled toward the kitchen.

His leisurely daily routine began. Breakfast, teaching, and cultivation—these three things occupied Liu Chen’s entire morning.

Around noon, Senior Brother Yang paid a visit, bringing a pile of Jade Tokens and a large quantity of Spirit Stones.

"Junior Brother, take a look. These are the Spirit Stones repaid by the other senior brothers. Their names are inside the respective Storage Rings."

Yang Haichen placed over a dozen Storage Rings on the table, along with some Jade Tokens. The rings contained the Spirit Stones repaid by the other senior brothers for their Spiritual Cuisine, while the tokens were the Spirit Contract Jade Tokens that the Hundred Affairs Hall needed to modify.

"Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother."

Liu Chen nodded and began sorting through the Spirit Stones. After counting one person’s payment, he would take out the corresponding Spirit Contract Jade Token and release the Spirit Contract.

When he finished his accounting, only three Jade Tokens remained in Liu Chen’s hand: those belonging to Senior Brother Ren Xunchun, Senior Brother Xie Xichen, and the Xiao Family.

"The Xiao Family actually agreed? This is twenty thousand more Spirit Stones than we estimated."

Liu Chen put away the three new Jade Tokens and had Senior Brother Yang return the now-useless tokens and Storage Rings.

’The Jade Tokens aren’t worth much, but they’re still property of the Hundred Affairs Hall. It’s better to return them now that they’re no longer needed. As for the Storage Rings, I’m not about to take advantage of the other senior brothers.’

’Each one is worth at least three hundred Spirit Stones, after all.’

"The Xiao Family caused some trouble in the Marketplace recently. Their Young Master—the one with the severed arm—tried to kill a mother and son right inside the Marketplace. A disciple from the Law Enforcement Hall intervened and severely injured him.

The Xiao Family Patriarch, who had been hiding in the shadows, was forced to come out and appease Purple Cloud Valley’s anger. Under circumstances like that, the Xiao Family obviously couldn’t afford to haggle over the Snowflake Sword."

Yang Haichen shook his head. Jackal witnessed the whole thing. Jackal’s men haven’t arrived at the Marketplace yet, and according to his guess, they’ll be lucky if two or three of them make it back at all.

Without his underlings, Jackal had to handle things personally. As it happened, he was there to witness the Xiao Family’s Young Master draw his sword in a fit of rage. To draw your weapon in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace... you have to admire the guy’s guts, I suppose.

In a situation like this, the cost of buying the Snowflake Sword was the least of the Xiao Family’s worries. They’d have to use most of their resources just to appease Purple Cloud Valley’s wrath.

"What an ironic twist of fate."

Liu Chen shook his head. ’If I remember correctly, that mother and son must be the wife and child of that Death Warrior from before. When you think about it, Xiao Shaojie’s anger is understandable. The only problem is, this is the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace.’

’It doesn’t matter what your reasons are. If you start a fight here, you face the wrath of Purple Cloud Valley. If everyone started fights in the Purple Cloud Valley Marketplace whenever they felt like it, how could the Marketplace even stay in business?’

"Forget the Xiao Family. Junior Brother, do you plan on continuing to sell Spiritual Cuisine?"

Yang Haichen shook his head. He felt sorry for what happened to the Xiao Family, but it was just sympathy. He was more concerned with the Spiritual Cuisine trade. Jackal had already started sourcing ingredients; all he needed was the green light from Liu Chen.

"Of course I do."

Liu Chen nodded. In fact, ever since he’d heard about the Mo Family’s trial, he’d been planning to leave Purple Cloud Valley. He knew it was just a trial, but once his master, his master’s wife, and his two junior sisters were gone, the situation on Purple Bamboo Peak would inevitably change.

The truth was, the exposure of his identity as a Second Grade Spirit Chef wasn’t what Liu Chen had wanted. But since his master had already brought him the Inner Sect Disciple Token, he couldn’t very well refuse.

’Once Master and the others leave, Purple Bamboo Peak will surely get a new Peak Master. The back mountain won’t be the same then. Even if I can still live here, people will be visiting constantly. If that’s the case, I’d be better off finding a quieter place to cultivate in peace.’

’Since I’m going to leave, I’ll need as many universal resources like Spirit Stones as I can get. If possible, I’d also like to buy a large number of Magic Skills to expand my repertoire.’

’However, I can buy Magic Skills as a Loose Cultivator after leaving Purple Cloud Valley, so there’s no rush for that.’