Artifacts and the Wild God

The lid of the Black Iron Desolate God Cauldron popped open with a click, and a stream of black force, thick as ink, curled upward—this was the Vagrant Alliance's secret "Soul Condensing Force," which used the inner force of living people as a catalyst. It circled and gathered in the hall, forming a shifting, twisted humanoid figure. It resembled the phantom cast by a martial artist driving his inner force to its limits, yet it exuded an indescribable eerie ferocity.

"What... what kind of heretical inner force is this?" Xiong Wei's eyes went wide. He swung his hundred-pound Mystic Iron Hammer with both hands, driving Bear Strength at full power. Pale golden inner force wrapped around the hammerhead as it smashed toward the Black Force Figure with a howl of splitting air.

Diao Kui stood to one side, his gaze beneath the Wolf-Head Helmet carrying a trace of smugness as he watched events unfold—this Soul Condensing Force was one of the Vagrant Alliance's greatest hidden cards, specially made to counter the hardened techniques of ordinary martial artists.

With a muffled pfft, the Mystic Iron Hammer passed straight through the Black Force Figure and crashed heavily into the bluestone floor. Stone fragments flew as a finger-wide crack split open across the ground. Xiong Wei felt his hammer strike nothing but air, and the backlash from his inner force left his arm numb. Shock and fury surged through him.

Seeing this, Lang Xiong drew the curved saber at his waist and unleashed the Wind Chasing Style of the Swift Wolf Saber. A flash of cold light swept through the Black Force Figure, with exactly the same result as Xiong Wei—the blade passed through the black force without leaving the slightest mark, and even its inner force was silently devoured by the figure.

His expression changed drastically as he roared, "Brother Xiong! This ghostly thing can swallow inner force! Blades and spears can't hurt it! Run! We must report this to the Assistant Regional Commander of the Yingtian Garrison!"

Before he could finish, the twisting black shadow suddenly flung out two strands of black force as fine as hairs. Like venomous snakes, they burrowed into Xiong Wei and Lang Xiong's nostrils—this was the killing move of Soul Condensing Force, made specifically to shatter martial artists' meridians.

The two men stiffened and froze where they stood, unable to move. Veins bulged along Xiong Wei's arms, covered in a layer of pale golden Bear Strength inner force as he desperately resisted the black force invading his body. Yet needle-like agony coursed through his meridians.

But in the next instant, a shrill howl, half human and half beast, erupted from within him, as though two currents of inner force were locked in a deadly battle through his flesh and meridians. Unfortunately, Xiong Wei's Mortal Grade Inner Force was ultimately no match for the Black Force Tempered with Souls. After resisting for only a moment, he fell silent.

The color rapidly drained from Xiong Wei's face. The pale golden inner force on his arms was gradually swallowed by the black force, and his eyes turned vacant. Lang Xiong was little better off. The inner force of his Swift Wolf Saber was suppressed the moment he activated it, leaving him as though every shred of strength had been drained from his body.

At last, both men fell to the floor with a thud, their eyes wide open and their faces frozen in absolute terror—they could clearly feel their inner force being devoured bit by bit, yet they had no power to resist.

The vitality in their bodies drained away at a visible speed. Threads of pale white inner force drifted from their seven apertures and entered the black force of the Black Iron Desolate God Cauldron, making the twisted figure increasingly solid. Faint fang-like patterns even began to emerge upon it.

As for the two men on the ground, their bodies appeared completely unharmed, without even the slightest wound. Yet their breathing had stopped, their meridians had all been severed, and all life had left them—this was the most sinister aspect of Soul Condensing Force: it did not harm flesh, but crippled meridians and devoured inner force.

"Burp—"

Seemingly full, the Black Force Figure let out a cold, sinister burp and slowly withdrew into the Black Iron Desolate God Cauldron. Only a drifting voice remained, echoing through the hall. "This offering of inner force has pleased me. By Vagrant Alliance rules, I grant you one opportunity for Black Force Protection. For our next cooperation, you must offer the inner force of three martial artists in exchange for a higher-tier Force Condensing Method."

So this Black Force Figure could actually transmit speech through the cauldron—it was a secret force controlled by a high-ranking member of the Vagrant Alliance!

Diao Kui hastily dropped to one knee and bowed toward the Black Iron Desolate God Cauldron, his tone reverent. "This subordinate obeys the decree of the Desolate God Emissary."

Only after finishing did he rise and turn toward Captain Hu, whose face had gone pale. His voice was cold as iron. "Proceed as agreed—say that the three of you were attacked by Exotic Inner Force at the flower-viewing banquet, that the two captains were tragically killed, and that you alone escaped because the Evil-Quelling Heart Mirror from the Celestial Masters' Manor you wore on your person happened to block the black force."

"B-but will the court and the Celestial Masters' Manor believe that? Murdering officers of the same rank is a crime that brings ruin upon one's entire clan!" Captain Hu's voice trembled, his fingers clutching the hem of his official robe. He might have loved money, but he also feared being burned by the fire he played with. The sight of that black force devouring inner force had already frightened him out of his wits.

"Relax. Whether they believe it or not, no one will investigate you." Diao Kui sneered and patted the Black Iron Desolate God Cauldron. "The Celestial Masters' Manor has been worrying over how to find an excuse to promote its Heart Mirrors. This incident will make their Evil-Quelling Heart Mirrors sell even better. As for the court... the Tatars in the north have yet to be pacified, Japanese Pirates are causing chaos in the south, and the treasury is empty. They already have more than enough trouble dealing with local captains hoarding troops. With these two dead, the court may even secretly rejoice. They can take the opportunity to reclaim their territories and send their own men to take over."

He paused, then continued, "Besides, it is a fact that these two died to Exotic Inner Force. You need only display the black force traces on the Heart Mirror, and no one will be able to find fault. They will never imagine that this Exotic Inner Force can be controlled by people—under heaven today, only our Vagrant Alliance possesses the secret method of Soul Condensing Force."

"A pleasure working with you. You handled things well, though it is a pity Zhao Tieying of Lin Family Fortress did not take the bait." As Diao Kui spoke, he pulled a heavy burlap sack from his robe and tossed it before Captain Hu. Silver ingots gleamed through a tear near the opening. "One thousand taels of silver. Enough for you to make fifty sets of iron-reinforced Cloth Armor and expand your Estate Guards. May our future cooperation proceed smoothly."

"Chaos is approaching. May the Wild God bless us both."

Leaving those words behind, Diao Kui turned and strode away. The clanging of his Black Iron Lamellar Armor gradually faded beyond the doorway, leaving only the lingering chill of sinister force throughout the hall.

Captain Hu stared at the two corpses on the ground, then at the sack of silver by his feet. His expression shifted constantly—one thousand taels of silver was nearly ten years' worth of Land Rent income for a tiny territory like Crescent Bay. Silver held tremendous purchasing power these days. This sum was enough to recruit a hundred Estate Guards, hire martial artists to train them, and completely overwhelm the surrounding forts.

In the end, he let out a heavy sigh and bent down to pick up the sack. His fingertips touched the cold silver ingots, and greed gradually smothered the fear in his heart. "For this money, even taking a little risk is worth it."

He recalled what had just happened and still felt lingering dread. "This Soul Condensing Force is too terrifying. Two martial artists were utterly unable to fight back before it... Still, when Xiong Wei drove Bear Strength, that black force seemed to stall for an instant. His inner force must not have been deep enough, or perhaps Mortal Grade inner arts simply cannot restrain such heretical force."

"The Vagrant Alliance has control of such vicious force. The Yingtian Garrison will have quite the headache in the days to come." Captain Hu pondered this in secret, feeling that a great upheaval was about to descend. All he could do was use this silver to build up his strength as much as possible before the storm arrived and defend Crescent Bay.

Several days later, Lin Zhao learned from traveling merchants passing through Lin Family Fortress that Captains Xiong Wei and Lang Xiong had been attacked by Exotic Inner Force at Crescent Bay's flower-viewing banquet and had died suddenly.

His heart tightened, and he secretly rejoiced. Good thing I didn't go! Whether this Exotic Inner Force is real or not, Hu Qian definitely had no good intentions when he invited me. He probably wanted to make me an offering of inner force for the Vagrant Alliance too!

Lin Zhao was only half convinced by the rumors surrounding Exotic Inner Force. In his early years, he had heard his father, Lin Yuanshan, mention that a handful of martial artists in the martial world cultivated heretical inner force that fed specifically on the inner force of others. But he had never expected the Vagrant Alliance to truly cultivate such vicious force.

Yet the two captains had died, while their host, Hu Qian, had emerged completely unharmed and even received the protection of a Celestial Masters' Manor Evil-Quelling Heart Mirror. Anyone with eyes could see that something was suspicious. Still, Lin Zhao had no interest in investigating further—this was trouble for the Yingtian Garrison and Hu Qian. Lin Family Fortress had yet to establish a firm foundation, so there was no need to wade into these muddy waters.

"Even martial artists cannot block this Exotic Inner Force. What exactly is it?" Lin Zhao frowned deeply. "It seems I must put finding a martial arts master who understands force restraint on the agenda as soon as possible. As the saying goes, use force to break force. Ordinary blades and spears cannot deal with this heretical force; only more exquisite inner arts or techniques can."

...Spring passed into summer, and in the blink of an eye, it was the blazing heat of June.

Over a month later, the Celestial Masters' Manor finally announced the results of its investigation into the deaths of the two captains—they had indeed been caused by an attack of Strange Evil Force. They even specially displayed the black force traces on Hu Qian's Heart Mirror.

The moment the news spread, people throughout North of the River were thrown into panic. Before this, "evil force" had been nothing more than a gimmick used by storytellers in the martial world, and no one had taken it seriously. But now, the most authoritative Celestial Masters' Manor in the realm had confirmed it. Even martial artists had died to evil force; ordinary commoners were naturally terrified for their own safety.

Soon afterward, the Celestial Master of the Celestial Masters' Manor issued a proclamation to officials, gentry, and commoners across the land, declaring that carrying an Evil-Quelling Heart Mirror supervised by the manor could resist part of the evil force. The mirror was forged from black iron mixed with cinnabar and could weaken inner force of a cold and yin nature. Captain Hu had escaped disaster precisely because he wore one.

For a time, Heart Mirrors that had originally been issued only during the Celestial Masters' Manor's centennial celebration and sold for one tael of silver were driven up to the astronomical price of one hundred taels each. From military officers of the Yingtian Garrison to wealthy merchants in town, no one felt safe leaving home without a Heart Mirror hanging at their waist. After all, evil force was a living, breathing threat. Even martial artists were fragile before it; ordinary people did not even have the qualifications to resist.

Naturally, all this uproar had nothing to do with Lin Family Fortress, which lay quietly beside Wulong Pond. Lin Zhao continued to train, inspect the fortress defenses, and live each day in peace and stability.

Within the territory of Lin Family Fortress, the waters of Wulong Pond wound through the valley. Black pines and white birches flourished along both banks, while the ridges of the valley fields spread with the lay of the land. The wheat had already grown half a foot tall, and everything brimmed with life.

The pond's waters originated in the upstream Qixia Mountain Range. For thousands of years, they had flowed in silence, witnessing the rise and fall of this land. This year's crops were especially promising—the meltwater from snowy mountains ran through the ditches to irrigate the fields, leaving no need to fear drought. Summer sunlight was abundant, and the wheat ears grew full and heavy. The only regret was North of the River's chilly climate, which allowed only one crop of spring wheat each year, leaving harvests nearly thirty percent lower than those of Jiangnan.

Everything in the fortress proceeded in orderly fashion, yet Lin Zhao often sighed to himself—he had been an ordinary man in his previous life, someone who could not even grow vegetables and knew nothing of farming or craftsmanship. He had heard only the names of agricultural tools that could improve people's lives, such as waterwheels and curved-shaft plows, but knew none of their details. Otherwise, like the "extraordinary people" in legends, he could have introduced some ingenious farming tools to Lin Family Fortress and spared the Tenant Farmers some hardship.

Unfortunately, he was neither skilled in administration nor knowledgeable about farming. The only thing he could do was bury himself in training the family's Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique and Three Talents Slash. Affairs large and small within the fortress were handled entirely by Zhao Tieying, the hired old accountant, and the agricultural official—the old accountant knew the abacus, while the agricultural official was a retired Military Agriculture Bureau clerk who understood something of cultivation.

For Lin Zhao, with that "panel" capable of displaying martial art proficiency, there had always been only one goal—to cultivate enough real skill to survive this chaotic age, protect Lin Family Fortress, and seek longevity and peace. His identity as lord and the authority he wielded in the fortress were merely stepping stones on his road of cultivation; wealth, power, and all worldly disturbances were fleeting clouds before his eyes.

Jiajing 22nd Year, the blazing heat of August.

The southern lands were sweltering at this time, but Lin Family Fortress lay on the western foothills of the Qixia Mountain Range, at a relatively high elevation. Its climate was cool and pleasant, and it was the height of the farming season. Zhao Tieying led the fortress Estate Guards in repairing three irrigation channels before the rainy season arrived, drawing water from Wulong Pond to irrigate the fields. As a result, this year's spring wheat grew especially sturdy, with ears nearly ten percent heavier than last year's.

In addition, Lin Zhao encouraged the farmers of the fortress to fish in Wulong Pond during the slack season. On the one hand, it could add some meat to everyone's meals and replenish their blood and vitality. On the other, it could save the fortress's cattle and sheep reserves. After all, practicing the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique consumed enormous amounts of meat, and the few dozen cattle and sheep they raised could not possibly keep up with the demand.

In truth, Lin Zhao's greatest wish in his previous life had been to avoid work altogether and spend an entire day sitting by a river with fishing gear in hand. But now, he did not dare approach the pond too casually—Crescent Bay's evil force incident had only just passed, and he feared encountering strange beasts that might lurk in the pond, or scouts from the Vagrant Alliance.

As his martial arts steadily improved, his appetite grew larger and larger. In one meal, he could eat five pounds of cooked beef, three steamed white-flour buns, and drink a bowl of Goat Milk. But Lin Family Fortress had limited numbers of cattle and sheep, so he set his sights on the fish in the pond. The cold-water fish of Wulong Pond had tender flesh. In particular, Black-Spined Salmon and Fine-Scaled Perch were rich in fat and no less effective than beef at replenishing blood and vitality.

Freshwater fish had many bones, but that was no issue for Lin Zhao. With the inner force cultivated through the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, he could easily chew up and swallow fish bones. He even taught the fortress cooks the fish recipes he remembered from his previous life, such as steaming, braising in red sauce, and charcoal grilling.

Unfortunately, the Ming Dynasty in this world was far less abundant in goods than his previous world, and spices were exceptionally scarce. Most available seasonings were local ones, such as Sichuan pepper and cinnamon bark. Occasionally, pepper and cardamom arrived from the Western Regions, but Nobles and Aristocrats of Yingtian Prefecture monopolized them. Even though Lin Zhao was a captain, he had to ask merchant caravans to buy them at a high price, and only rarely got to eat them.

Even so, fish prepared this way was far tastier than the plain boiled fish the farmers had made before. Besides, the waters of Wulong Pond were crystal clear, and the fish barely had any muddy taste, making them a genuine delicacy.

Zhao Tieying had not been used to it at first—in his view, the Young Master was of noble status and ought to eat "superior meats" like cattle, sheep, and pork. River fish were something only farmers ate. But when he saw Lin Zhao taking the lead in eating fish to save the fortress's expenses, and distributing the beef he saved to the Estate Guards for martial arts training, he could not help but sigh inwardly. The Young Master manages the household with such thrift and trains so diligently in martial arts. One day, he will surely restore the Lin family's prestige!

Days passed in peace, and before long it was September, when waves of wheat rolled across the fields. The spring wheat was a sea of gold, its heavy ears bending the stalks low. From afar, it looked like a golden ocean. When the wind passed through, the wheat waves surged, carrying the fragrance of harvest.

Lin Zhao stood atop the watchtower of Lin Family Fortress, watching the farmers swing their sickles through the crop. His face was full of joy at the sight of the harvest. "If we get a harvest like this every year, the fortress will have enough grain." Holding a cup of home-brewed Rice Wine, he smiled as he spoke.

Today was the fortress's designated day of rest. There was no troop training and no official business to handle, making it the perfect chance to properly enjoy the sight of harvest. He estimated that with favorable winds and rains this year, spring wheat production would be at least twenty percent higher than last year.

But when the autumn harvest ended in October and the old accountant submitted the accounts, Lin Zhao was stunned—this year's yield had increased by less than one percent over last year!

He immediately summoned Zhao Tieying and the old accountant, then brought out the harvest records from the past five years. After comparing them, he discovered a strange pattern: whether it was a good year of favorable weather or a bad year alternating between drought and flood, the fortress's spring wheat yield barely changed. It had consistently remained around two shi per mu.

After pondering it carefully, Lin Zhao finally found the source of the problem—it was not the weather. The problem lay in the fortress's Tenant Farmer system.

According to Ming Dynasty rules, most farmers in the fortress were tenants of the Lin family, while the land belonged to the lord. Of the grain grown by the Tenant Farmers, they could retain only enough for their families to barely survive—half a shi per mu as "rations"—while all the rest had to be handed over to Lin Family Fortress. This was known as rent grain.

Lin Family Fortress then exchanged the rent grain for silver. One portion was submitted to the Military Agriculture Bureau of the Yingtian Garrison—four dou per mu—while another portion was retained for fortress expenses, including the monthly allowances of the Estate Guards and the maintenance of military equipment.

Over time, the farmers lost all motivation—after all, the more they grew, the more they had to hand over, while growing less would not reduce the rations they kept. Why expend effort on intensive cultivation? As long as the rent grain was not too little, Lin Family Fortress would not press them too harshly. After all, Tenant Farmers in the surrounding forts lived in much the same way.

It seems the fortress's rent grain rules need changing. Lin Zhao remembered learning about "incentive mechanisms" in his previous life. Broadly speaking, they meant linking effort to reward.

He summoned Zhao Tieying and explained his idea. "Beginning next year, Tenant Farmers will need to hand over only one shi of rent grain per mu. Everything left over will belong to them. If yield exceeds three shi per mu, we will take only thirty percent of the excess."

Zhao Tieying was startled when he heard this. "Young Master! Since ancient times, Tenant Farmers have handed over sixty percent as rent grain! You are reducing it to fifty percent at a stroke, and even waiving rent on the extra yield. Will the fortress have enough for its expenses? If you think they are lazy, we can simply set a yield quota and reduce their rations if they fail to meet it. Why treat them so generously? You are still too kindhearted."

Lin Zhao shook his head and explained, "Punishment alone is useless if we want them to work properly. They must be able to eat their fill, save surplus grain, and even buy cloth and Farm Tools. Only then will they have the motivation to cultivate their fields well. Once their harvests improve, they will be willing when we raise the rent grain in the future. But if we keep them hungry, sooner or later some will flee to join other forts."

Zhao Tieying nodded thoughtfully—he did not understand any "mechanisms," but he knew Lin Zhao's plan was for Lin Family Fortress's long-term future. So he replied, "Since the Young Master says so, we will give it a try. If the fortress lacks funds, we can buy fewer weapons and prioritize grain first."

Thus, after the autumn harvest ended, a new rent grain system was implemented throughout Lin Family Fortress. The old accountant went door to door informing the farmers, bringing news that none of them dared believe. "The lord has spoken. Starting next year, each household need only hand over one shi of grain per mu. Everything else will belong to you! If you grow more than three shi, the lord will take only thirty percent of the excess!"

After hearing this, farmers poked their heads out from their low earthen houses, their faces filled with disbelief. An old farmer asked in a trembling voice, "Accountant... you... you did not say that wrong, did you? We really only hand over one shi? You are not asking us to hand over more?"

"You dare question the lord's words? Do you no longer wish to stay in Lin Family Fortress?" the old accountant said, pretending to be angry, though he was happy for the farmers as well.

"No, no, we wouldn't dare..." The farmers hurriedly lowered their heads, but they could not hide the excitement in their eyes. They exchanged glances, suppressing the urge to cheer.

In the end, to put everyone's doubts to rest, Lin Zhao personally went to the village where the farmers lived and announced the new system from atop an earthen slope. Seeing the lord's solemn expression and hearing his ironclad promise, the farmers finally believed it was true. They immediately erupted into cheers, one after another so moved that tears filled their eyes—they no longer had to worry about food, and could even save some tuition money for their children to learn a few characters at the private school in town.

Lin Zhao did not know whether this method would succeed. He only felt that protecting Lin Family Fortress required more than his own martial arts training. The people of the fortress also needed something to hope for, something that would make them willing to follow him and live good lives together.

Autumn in Lin Family Fortress was always brief. After several autumn rains, the north wind began to blow, and November's chill gradually enveloped the valley. On the training ground below the fortress, the snow had yet to fully melt. Lin Zhao held the Cold Moon sword, his figure flashing like lightning. His arm trembled in the force-generating rhythm of the Three Talents Slash, trailing streak after streak of silvery sword-light afterimages.

With a slash, sword light flashed. A Three Talents Slash sword mark wrapped in pale blue inner force appeared instantly on the ironwood post before him. The post was hard as iron and already covered in dense sword marks. Yet beneath this strike, it cracked apart with a crack into three pieces. The cut was flat and smooth, and even the wood shavings bore the fine texture of having been shattered by inner force.

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +1]

The familiar panel notification rang in Lin Zhao's mind. He let out a long breath of turbid air, and even the white vapor from his mouth carried the lingering warmth of inner force. A delighted smile appeared on his face, and he could not help tightening his grip on Cold Moon—the vibration of the blade was stronger than before, and the transmission of inner force had become smoother as well.

He lowered his gaze toward the panel in his mind, where the following was clearly displayed:

Lin Zhao—

-Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Second Tier (4509/5000)

-Three Talents Slash: Third Tier (1/10000), Special Effect: Advanced Shocking Force

-...

"Finally, I've broken through to the Third Tier! Advanced Shocking Force!" Lin Zhao could not help cheering under his breath—with this Advanced Shocking Force, combined with the inner force of the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, the next time he encountered a Gray-Maned Demonic Wolf, he could kill it with a single sword strike even without armor!