Chapter 3

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Senior Brother, I want to receive a sect mission.” Zhang Chen respectfully handed over his identity token.

The internal affairs disciple took the identity token without expression and began to look for a mission.

Zhang Chen did not rush him. He waited quietly to avoid annoying the other party and getting a difficult mission for himself.

After a while, the internal affairs disciple said, “Go to the beast garden to collect blood, for a period of one month.”

The beast garden was where the Blood God Sect raised demon beasts, and the demon blood distributed to disciples all came from the garden.

This mission had a certain degree of danger. If one was unlucky and assigned to a violent demon beast, it could go berserk and harm people, and even cause death as had happened before.

However, Zhang Chen was overjoyed because many inner sect disciples would keep the demon beasts they captured and raise them in the beast garden.

He needed a lot of demon blood for cultivation, and constantly exchanging with people would easily arouse suspicion and attention.

If he could get involved with these inner sect disciples and become a demon blood spokesperson like Chen Kongming, he could directly obtain demon blood from the hands of the inner sect disciples.

Not only could he avoid middlemen making profits, but it would also not raise too much suspicion.

Whether there was a sale, to whom it was sold, how much was sold, it was all up to him. As long as the amount of blood essence was correct, inner sect disciples would not inquire further.

“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Zhang Chen took back his identity token and queued up next to collect his share of demon blood for the day.

“Junior Brother Zhang, are you here to collect demon blood too?”

Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded from behind.

Zhang Chen turned around and saw that it was Chen Kongming. He quickly bowed. “Senior Brother Chen, are you also here to collect demon blood?”

Chen Kongming looked Zhang Chen up and down in surprise. “You’ve broken through to the fifth level of Qi cultivation?”

“Thanks to senior brother, I just broke through yesterday.” Zhang Chen didn’t hide anything. He couldn’t hide it from someone with a higher level of cultivation than himself.

“Junior Brother Zhang’s breakthrough in the last half month was fortunate. But I’m afraid it will be difficult for you to pass the next assessment.” Chen Kongming looked like he wanted to say something more but hesitated.

Zhang Chen played along and frowned. “Yes, I was lucky this time. I may not be so lucky next time.”

Chen Kongming gritted his teeth and seemed to have made up his mind. “Junior Brother Zhang, it’s not convenient to talk here. Let’s go somewhere else. I have a huge opportunity to give to you.”

Zhang Chen did not believe the other party would be so kind, but he did not know what the other party wanted to do. He stood on the spot in silence.

Chen Kongming continued, “Junior Brother Zhang, are you afraid that I will harm you within the sect? And we won’t go far. We’ll be near the Internal Affairs Hall.”

Hearing this, Zhang Chen quickly explained, “Why would Senior Brother Chen harm me? I was just surprised and didn’t know how to answer.”

Chen Kongming did not disclose anything and remained enthusiastic. “Follow me, Junior Brother.”

They stopped about 300 meters away from the Internal Affairs Hall.

For immortal cultivators, this distance was indeed not far.

After looking around to confirm that no one was nearby, Chen Kongming spoke up.

“Recently, I obtained a secret technique that can enhance one’s aptitude and speed up cultivation. With this technique, Junior Brother will surely be able to pass the assessment.”

“Is it true that you have a secret technique to enhance aptitude, Senior Brother?” Zhang Chen didn’t show any surprise but wore a skeptical expression.

It was hard to believe that such a valuable technique would be given away so easily.

“Of course it’s true.” Chen Kongming took out a book from his sleeve and handed it to Zhang Chen. “Junior Brother, please take a look.”

Zhang Chen took the book with some skepticism and carefully examined it.

Chen Kongming was telling the truth. The secret technique was called Lifespan Burning Technique, which could enhance one’s aptitude at the cost of consuming one’s lifespan.

To upgrade an inferior spiritual root to a low-grade one, it would consume 60 years of lifespan.

To upgrade a low-grade spiritual root to a medium-grade one, it would consume 120 years of lifespan.

To upgrade a medium-grade spiritual root to a high-grade one, it would consume 240 years of lifespan.

Upgrading a high-grade spiritual root to a top-grade one required consuming 500 years of lifespan.

The average lifespan was 150 years for a Qi cultivator, 300 years for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, 500 years for a Golden Core cultivator, and 1,000 years for a Nascent Soul cultivator…

Using the Lifespan Burning Technique to change one’s aptitude meant that one did not have many years left to live. It was completely useless, which was why Chen Kongming brought out the secret technique.

Only demonic sects like the Blood God Sect, which would turn those who couldn’t break through within the stipulated time into blood slaves, would have people who chose to take such a gamble to survive.

It might be useless to others, but to Zhang Chen, who had the modifier, it was a divine technique.

He had to obtain it!

Although he was eager to get it, Zhang Chen remained calm.

“Senior Brother is right. This is indeed a secret technique that can enhance one’s aptitude, but the price is too high.”

Zhang Chen shook his head. “I have an inferior spiritual root. I’m 22 years old this year. After using the technique, I’ll only have a few years to live. What’s the point?”

Chen Kongming quickly replied, “Junior Brother, you were lucky enough to break through this time. You won’t be so lucky next time. Compared to being turned into a blood slave, you can still live a few more years.”

Zhang Chen seemed to have been persuaded but was a little hesitant.

Chen Kongming saw a glimmer of hope and struck while the iron was hot. “Just 10 bowls of blood essence, and I’ll give you the secret technique.”

At first, Zhang Chen wanted to bargain, but since he had just broken through and lost too much blood essence, his cultivation level would plummet, so he decided to negotiate another condition.

“I’ve just made a breakthrough and my cultivation level is unstable. The sect is about to assess us, so I can’t provide so much blood essence. Senior Brother, can you let me owe you for now?”

“Sure, you can give it to me after the sect assessment.” Chen Kongming agreed readily.

After all, the Lifespan Burning Technique was rather useless. There were not many people who wanted it. Moreover, he was not the only person selling it. Others might also take it out to exchange. It was better to sell it now.

Zhang Chen quietly put the secret technique in his pocket and said, “Then I’ll write a note for Senior Brother.”

“No need. I trust you, Junior Brother.” Chen Kongming wasn’t afraid that Zhang Chen would go back on his word, as he was a disciple of the inner sect.

Zhang Chen was touched and said, “Thank you for your trust, Senior Brother.”

“I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t bother you.” Chen Kongming didn’t want to waste any more time and turned around to walk towards the Internal Affairs Hall.

Zhang Chen resisted the urge to read the Lifespan Burning Technique carefully. He pretended that nothing had happened and walked towards the Internal Affairs Hall.

As soon as he entered the Internal Affairs Hall, he saw Chen Kongming and a fourth-level Qi cultivation disciple whispering to each other. He was most likely trying to sell the secret technique.

Zhang Chen ignored them and continued to line up to collect demon blood.

…

Back in his cave, Zhang Chen carefully read the ‘Lifespan Burning Technique’. When he finished reading it, the voice of the modifier rang out.

[Detected secret technique, Lifespan Burning Technique, can improve cultivation aptitude.]

[Side effects: Overdraft body potential, burn lifespan, lifespan greatly reduced.]

[Please wait a moment, system modification is in progress…]

[Ding! Modification complete. Side effects canceled.]

“Great!”

Although Zhang Chen had already guessed it, he could not help but cheer when he saw the modified results.

With this, he could elevate his spiritual root to the highest level, and his cultivation speed would increase several times over, making it almost certain that he could reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

Thinking of this, Zhang Chen could not help but be fascinated.

Using the Lifespan Burning Technique required seclusion, but now that he had an assigned sect mission, Zhang Chen planned to complete the mission first before using the technique.