Golden Bell Shield Reaches Hundred Years of Cultivation

Golden Bell Shield Reaches Hundred Years of Cultivation

The sun set and the moon rose.

Stars speckled the sky.

By the time Zhou Shan returned to Qingyang City, the city gates had already closed.

However, as a captain of the Black Armored Army, having the guards open the gates was merely a matter of a word.

Rumble—

The soldiers guarding the city opened the gates, and Zhou Shan entered the city.

Every captain of the Black Armored Army was assigned a separate residence.

Before long, Zhou Shan returned to his residence. However, after becoming a captain, he had immediately gone on a mission the very next day, so he had not yet had time to hire servants.

Several Black Armored Guards carried box after heavy box of silver and gold into the residence.

"Heyong, take two thousand taels each for the five of you, then take another twenty thousand taels to distribute among the brothers," Zhou Shan said gravely in the main hall.

If he was eating meat himself, he had to let those following him at least have a sip of soup.

Keeping it all for himself was a great taboo.

With twenty thousand taels of silver, each of the two hundred Black Armored Army soldiers could receive one hundred taels.

That was equivalent to two months' pay for an ordinary Black Armored Army soldier.

The five centurions would each receive as much as two thousand taels.

"Thank you, my lord!"

He Yong and the other four centurions were ecstatic, their faces blooming with smiles.

Two thousand taels apiece was equivalent to an entire year of their pay.

Lord Zhou was truly generous. They felt they had not followed the wrong man.

"Oh, right. Commander Wu should not have gone to sleep at this hour yet. Take another twenty thousand taels of silver and deliver it to Commander Wu's residence," Zhou Shan said. "While you're at it, report to Commander Wu that the Ye County mission has been completed."

"Yes, my lord!"

He Yong immediately clasped his fists.

"It seems our Lord Zhou Shan doesn't truly lack worldly wisdom after all."

After leaving the Zhou Residence, a centurion named Zhang Lei spoke.

"Lord Zhou possesses such strength at such a young age. He has undoubtedly reached the level of a Martial Dao genius, and has every hope of becoming a Martial Dao Grandmaster in the future. It is only natural that he is somewhat proud. He surely does not think much of ordinary forces, so that Captain Liu of Ye County really kicked an iron plate this time. Who would have thought Lord Zhou would not give him any face at all?"

Another centurion said.

"Although Lord Zhou offended Captain Liu of Ye County, the Liu Family behind Captain Liu is still far inferior to Commander Wu," He Yong said with a smile. "After all, our First Battalion is a direct branch of the Guiyuan Sect. Before Commander Wu came to the Black Armored Army as a commander, he was a deacon of the Guiyuan Sect and had no small number of connections within the sect."

The Black Armored Army in Qingyang City was divided into the First, Second, and Third Battalions.

Among them, the First Battalion was basically composed entirely of Guiyuan Sect disciples.

The Black Armored Army of the Second and Third Battalions, meanwhile, was made up of disciples from forces like the Liu Family that had submitted to the Guiyuan Sect.

"No matter what, following Lord Zhou is the right choice."

"Exactly. Lord Zhou has boundless prospects and is generous to his subordinates. We truly followed the right man."

"From now on, whatever Lord Zhou tells us to do, we'll do."

The five centurions under Zhou Shan had all reached the same conclusion.

After this mission, the five centurions were utterly convinced by Zhou Shan and had been completely won over.

The next day.

Zhou Shan went to the Guiyuan Sect's branch sect in Qingyang City to purchase pills.

He had a total of one hundred sixteen thousand five hundred and twenty taels of silver. Twenty thousand taels had been distributed among the two hundred Black Armored Army soldiers, ten thousand taels among the five centurions combined, and another twenty thousand taels had been given to Commander Wu. In total, fifty thousand taels had been given away, leaving him with sixty-six thousand five hundred and twenty taels.

If the Black Armored Army wanted to obtain pills, Martial Arts Manuals, divine weapons, and the like, they could exchange merit for them. Of course, they could also buy them with silver, but certain precious items could only be exchanged for merit.

For example, the Golden Bell Shield Cultivation Technique that Zhou Shan cultivated, a manual capable of leading directly to the Martial Dao Grandmaster realm, was considered a precious item. It could not be bought with silver and could only be exchanged for merit.

Zhou Shan purchased one Golden Jade Pill and one Lesser Origin Pill.

The Golden Jade Pill was the Vajra Sect's exclusive pill. Those who cultivated Vajra Sect techniques could gain fifteen years of cultivation from it, and it sold for fifteen thousand taels of silver. The Lesser Origin Pill, meanwhile, was the Guiyuan Sect's exclusive pill.

If one cultivated a Guiyuan Sect technique, a single Lesser Origin Pill could likewise increase cultivation by fifteen years. Otherwise, it could only increase cultivation by ten years. It sold for twenty-five thousand taels of silver.

In terms of pill grade, the Golden Jade Pill and the Lesser Origin Pill were on the same level.

The reason the Lesser Origin Pill was more expensive than the Golden Jade Pill by a full ten thousand taels of silver was that the Guiyuan Sect had many disciples, and Lesser Origin Pills were extremely sought after within the Guiyuan Sect.

Besides the Lesser Origin Pill, the Guiyuan Sect also had the Greater Origin Pill.

For those cultivating Guiyuan Sect techniques, a single Greater Origin Pill could increase cultivation by forty years. Even those cultivating other techniques could gain thirty years of cultivation from it. Its price exceeded ten thousand gold.

Ten thousand gold meant one hundred thousand taels of silver.

Even within the Guiyuan Sect, Greater Origin Pills were available only in name, not in reality, much less sold externally. That was simply impossible. Even the lesser Lesser Origin Pills were sold in limited quantities each year, with no more than ten sold in an entire commandery.

After purchasing a Golden Jade Pill and a Lesser Origin Pill, Zhou Shan bought two more Martial Arts Manuals.

These two Martial Arts Manuals were respectively the Great Strength Vajra Palm and the Great Strength Vajra Leg.

Zhou Shan had cultivated the Golden Bell Shield, and these two martial arts came from the same source as the Golden Bell Shield. Therefore, he did not need to cultivate Internal Force anew for them. He could use the Golden Bell Shield's Internal Force to activate them, needing only to familiarize himself with the moves and circulation routes of the two martial arts.

After returning to his residence.

Zhou Shan took out the Golden Jade Pill and swallowed it in one gulp.

Before long, a tyrannical force surged from his lower abdomen into his limbs and bones.

Zhou Shan immediately circulated the Golden Bell Shield, rapidly refining and absorbing this energy as his cultivation swiftly rose.

Several hours later, Zhou Shan had completely refined and absorbed the Golden Jade Pill.

With a thought, he opened the panel to inspect it.

Name: Zhou Shan

Talent: Nine Breaths Assimilation

Cultivation Technique: Golden Bell Shield (Ninety Years of Cultivation) Traits: Poison Resistance, Rebounding Force, Internal Force Body Protection; Eagle Claw Iron Shirt (Sixty Years of Cultivation/Perfected) Traits: Bronze Skin Iron Bones, Pierce Stone Through Metal

"The Golden Bell Shield has reached ninety years of cultivation!"

Closing the panel, Zhou Shan took out the other cultivation-enhancing pill, the Lesser Origin Pill, and swallowed it. He then circulated the Golden Bell Shield Cultivation Technique to refine the Lesser Origin Pill, rapidly absorbing its medicinal power.

Several hours later, Zhou Shan slowly opened his eyes, then opened the panel.

Name: Zhou Shan

Talent: Nine Breaths Assimilation

Cultivation Technique: Golden Bell Shield (One Hundred Years of Cultivation) Traits: Poison Resistance, Rebounding Force, Internal Force Body Protection, Rigid and Soft Harmony; Eagle Claw Iron Shirt (Sixty Years of Cultivation/Perfected) Traits: Bronze Skin Iron Bones, Pierce Stone Through Metal

"It has reached one hundred years of cultivation!"

Zhou Shan looked at the panel. The Golden Bell Shield displayed there had already reached a hundred years of cultivation. Beyond the three major traits of Poison Resistance, Rebounding Force, and Internal Force Body Protection, it had gained another trait: Rigid and Soft Harmony.

With the Rigid and Soft Harmony trait, when the muscles throughout his body hardened, they were as unyielding as steel; when they softened, they were as supple as cotton fluff. Blades and spears could not penetrate him, water and fire could not harm him. His strikes carried the force of wind and thunder, his movement art was light as a swan's feather, and he could race across waves without sinking.

(End of Chapter)