"Who made a promise with you? Maybe in the next life!"
"With the Book of a Hundred Lives, the worst that can happen is I take the 'Myriad Chariots Dragon-Riding Ascension Precious Scroll' this life, and get the 'Nine Transformations Dragon Transformation Art' in the next. They'll both be mine anyway!"
From the very beginning, Lu Yang had never trusted Zhao Xuhe. Sharing the Dao Scripture was nothing but a temporary measure. Lu Yang was certain that as soon as Zhao Xuhe escaped with his life, he would definitely find a way to kill him.
The problem was, Zhao Xuhe was stronger. Lu Yang had no absolute confidence he could kill him and eliminate the problem for good. If they truly fought to the death, he might even be the one to die.
On top of that, his loan was about to be due, and there was no way he could repay it. His time in this life was running out. So, the moment he got his hands on the Dao Scripture, Lu Yang decisively self-detonated.
[You brazenly self-detonated and died.]
[Current remaining Book of a Hundred Lives Pages: 97] [Restarting a new life, you can choose one of the following rewards from your previous life: One: Treasures. Two: Cultivation level. Three: Lifespan. Four: Forfeit all rewards and awaken a random talent based on your previous life's experiences.]
"Those whose names are called, come before me."
His consciousness cleared. Liu Xin's familiar, detestable voice rang out from the stage. Lu Yang turned a deaf ear to it and said in his heart, "I choose cultivation level."
Boom!
The next second, Lu Yang felt a surge of True Qi erupt from his Dantian. It then rapidly flowed through his limbs and bones, beginning to frantically transform his essence, qi, and spirit. He clenched his steel teeth and circulated the Breath-Concealing Art he had obtained from the three black-robed Daoists, containing all the commotion beneath his skin.
A moment later, Lu Yang deeply exhaled a breath of turbid qi.
"I'm back again!"
Fourth level of Qi Refining, mid-stage! Raising his head to look at Liu Xin on the stage, Lu Yang no longer felt the fear he had upon their first meeting. At this point in time, Liu Xin was merely at the sixth level of Qi Refining!
Only after he selected a nominal disciple and refined them into Innate Primordial Qi would he be able to break through his bottleneck to the late stage of Qi Refining. Only then would he have a chance of seeing through Lu Yang's Breath-Concealing Art.
Before that, even if Lu Yang stood right in front of him, he would only see him as an ordinary person.
"But there's also an unexpected surprise."
Lu Yang looked inside his Dantian and saw a strand of misty white Qi floating within. It was the Innate Primordial Qi from his previous life—it was actually still here in this life!
"I get it now. The Book of a Hundred Lives doesn't rewind to the initial anchor point, but to my previous life!"
This was undoubtedly a good thing. It meant that the Treasures, cultivation level, and even lifespan he chose in each life could be carried over to the next. He wouldn't have to start from scratch every time.
Lu Yang's next actions were the same as always. Go on stage, be assigned, Joyful Union Hall. Finish off Yu Suzhen.
Silently lay low, break through after three months, and become a Formal Disciple without attracting any attention.
"According to my plan for this life, besides the remaining scroll of the 'Nine Transformations Dragon Transformation Art', there are two other major things worth trying."
The first was naturally the "Merit Pool Lottery". Lu Yang stayed in his cave residence for a few days, then headed to the Merit Hall to accept the "Accumulating Merit" mission. Immediately after, he rushed straight to the Merit Pool.
"2025113!"
Standing in the crowd around the Merit Pool, Lu Yang slicked back his hair handsomely and began to imagine how he would spend the Merit Pool's Grand Prize after winning it. A billion, a billion, enough to last a lifetime!
Goodbye, poverty.
I will miss you. The next second, a clamor erupted from the crowd. Countless people looked at Lu Yang in surprise, and at the Merit Fish that had been drawn by the number he chose.
"Brother, your luck's not bad."
Someone sidled up to Lu Yang, his tone envious, "A Purple Merit Fish. Although it's only a little better than white and blue, it's still a rare catch."
"... What?"
Lu Yang tilted his head, a line of question marks appearing above it. Purple Merit Fish? Not the rainbow one?
Lu Yang quickly looked at the Merit Fish he had drawn. It was clearly shining with a blue light. He checked the number he had chosen; it was 2025113, that wasn't wrong either.
Why didn't I win?! Could it be that the lucky guy from the previous life, Xiao Shiye, was lying? But it's impossible for him to know someone could restart their life, so there's no reason for him to lie.
In that case...
"It's rigged!"
Lu Yang's hands were trembling with anger, his face flushed red. He finally understood: what lucky guy? That Xiao Shiye was clearly a plant designated to win from the start!
"Forget it, it's still a Merit Fish at least," Lu Yang could only console himself this way.
Purple was considered rare, second only to gold and rainbow. Although he missed out on the billion-point Grand Prize, eating the Purple Merit Fish would probably allow his cultivation level to quickly reach the fifth level of Qi Refining. Thinking this, Lu Yang felt much better.
Afterwards, just in case, he didn't take the Merit Fish back to his cave residence. Instead, he ate it on the spot in front of everyone, then began to regulate his breath and circulate his energy to refine it. After doing all this, Lu Yang clearly felt several gazes that had been fixed on him dissipate.
The result was as he expected. The essence of the Purple Merit Fish allowed him to smoothly break through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, and even let him touch the threshold of the sixth level.
"And this is just purple. If it were the rainbow one..."
Lu Yang's mind drifted in fascination. After all, in his previous life, after that Xiao Shiye ate the Rainbow Merit Fish, he went straight from the first level of Qi Refining to Perfection overnight.
"Forget it, I won't force it."
Lu Yang quickly calmed down. The first matter was a bust, but there was still a chance for the second one: the "Death-Substituting Yin Puppet price bubble incident."
The old man from the Scripture Pavilion, Wang Borong, had lost nearly his entire fortune because of this, and as a result was deceived by Zhao Xuhe and became cannon fodder on Coiling Dragon Island. But in the end, it was because Wang Borong had entered the market too late.
He was different; he knew exactly when this price bubble would fluctuate.
"In fact, the price is already trending upwards."
Lu Yang opened his disciple token and checked the price of the Death-Substituting Yin Puppet. As expected, he found that it had fluctuated slightly. Clearly, some insiders were manipulating things behind the scenes.
"To get in on this, I'm still short a sizeable amount of principal."
Lu Yang thought for a moment, then turned and headed for the Merit Hall. As expected, a newly entered disciple like him was just a fat lamb waiting to be slaughtered in the eyes of the older disciples. Before long, Zhao Xuhe took the initiative and walked over.
"Junior Brother, you don't look so well. Have you run into some trouble?"
Hearing this, Lu Yang looked up and gave a bitter smile, "What trouble could there be? It's just a lack of money. I wonder if Senior Brother knows of any missions that can earn contribution points?"
"So it's a money problem. That makes sense. As your senior brother, I've been through it all. When I was your age, I was also worrying about contribution points, stressed out every day. My Dao companion even looked down on me and broke up with me... Ai, endless missions every day, it felt like there was no hope for the future."
Zhao Xuhe's tone was full of sorrow, as if he and Lu Yang were kindred spirits in misery. After speaking, he patted Lu Yang's shoulder and said, "I, your senior brother, have wasted half my life, and only at the end did I figure out a universal truth."
"And that is, money is static."
"So you have to make money generate more money, use contribution points to earn more contribution points. Only then can you avoid becoming a slave to the Saint Sect and escape this fate of being a beast of burden!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yang's face immediately showed admiration, "A single conversation with you is more enlightening than ten years of study!" But soon, Lu Yang lowered his head in disappointment, "But Senior Brother, I don't even have any contribution points right now. What can I use to earn more?"
"Too small! Your perspective is too small!"
Zhao Xuhe's expression became even more amiable as he broke into a grin, "You may not have money now, but you can borrow it! Just pay it back after you've earned more, right?"
"But..."
Lu Yang still looked hesitant. Seeing a potential commission, Zhao Xuhe wasn't about to let it go. He quickly said, "How about this, I feel a sense of fate with you, Junior Brother.
I'll lend you a sum myself!" Lu Yang's eyes lit up instantly, "Really?" Seeing his covetous and eager expression, Zhao Xuhe was immediately certain—the fish had taken the bait!
"Of course it's true!"
Zhao Xuhe thumped his chest in assurance while bringing out the so-called signboard of the Three Rivers Society, then finally asked Lu Yang, "Junior Brother, how much do you plan to loan?" Lu Yang was silent for a moment, then held up two fingers.
"Two hundred?"
"Two thousand!"
Lu Yang had a resolute expression, "To be honest with you, I haven't used my cultivation technique loan yet. The cultivation technique loan is equivalent to 1000 contribution points. Then there are my newcomer benefits: the White Bone Flying Sword, Qi and Blood Pills, the Human-Faced Owl...
I'll use all these as collateral. Senior Brother Zhao, can you loan me 2000 contribution points?" Zhao Xuhe was stunned.
Are all young people these days so reckless? I've only just started my pitch, and you're already going all-in? Before Zhao Xuhe could even react, Lu Yang said something that shocked him even more, "Senior Brother Zhao, I plan to invest everything in Death-Substituting Yin Puppets."
"What!?"
Zhao Xuhe was first shocked, then, as if he'd thought of something, he quickly lowered his voice, "Junior Brother... don't tell me you know some inside information?"
"Senior Brother is discerning."
Lu Yang also whispered, "Earlier, when I was choosing a cultivation technique in the Scripture Pavilion, I overheard Senior Brother Wang Borong talking at the entrance. It seems the war situation in the south is unfavorable, and the mass grave that produces the Death-Substituting Yin Puppets has fallen. It's just that the Saint Sect has secretly suppressed the related news."
"Hiss!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhao Xuhe sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. Immediately after, a thick greed appeared in his eyes. He had clearly smelled a business opportunity.
Looking at the uncontrollably excited Zhao Xuhe, Lu Yang sneered in his heart. The fish has taken the bait! It feels like I'm just playing a single-player game.
Is anyone out there?
(End of this chapter)