The next day!
As the rising sun climbed into the sky, it cast its light over the Demon Suppression Division garrison. Morning rays streamed through the window into Lin Baichuan's room, falling upon Lin Baichuan, who sat cross-legged on his bed.
Just then, Lin Baichuan, whose eyes had remained tightly shut, abruptly opened them. Two dazzling divine gleams immediately flashed from his eyes, brilliant as the blazing sun.
"Phew..."
He exhaled a breath of stale air. With a thought from Lin Baichuan, the system Attribute Panel opened within his sea of consciousness.
Name: Lin Baichuan Identity: Demon Suppression Division Junior Demon Slayer Cultivation: Ninth Rank Cultivation Method: Golden Bell Shield (Fourth Layer, 12%) Martial Skill: Seven Kill Saber Art (Mastery, 32%) Merit: 0 ...
The fourth layer of the Golden Bell Shield—this was what Lin Baichuan had gained from the 30 points of merit he had received last night after killing the demon that had possessed Miaoyin, Tianyin Workshop's courtesan.
"The system truly is powerful. The Golden Bell Shield originally only has three layers. Reaching perfection in the third layer would only grant me five thousand jin of strength. Yet with the system, I directly used merit to deduce the fourth layer. Although my cultivation realm remains the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm, my physical strength has risen to eight thousand jin. Compared with the perfected third layer, that is a full increase of three thousand jin of strength..."
Lin Baichuan's gaze swept over the system panel, and the gleam in his eyes grew ever brighter.
After last night's attempt, he now felt the profound mysteries of merit more keenly than ever. It could actually deduce the Golden Bell Shield to an even higher level. It was only a pity that he did not have enough merit on hand. Otherwise, let alone the fourth layer, even the fifth or sixth layer would be entirely within reach.
"It is said that the gifted descendants of certain top Aristocratic Clans cultivate supreme body-refining methods while in the Body Refinement Ninth Stage, allowing their physical strength to reach the Ten Thousand Jin Limit."
Lin Baichuan murmured, "In the past, I naturally would have had no hope of that. But now things are different. I have the system. As long as I have enough merit, I can continuously deduce the Golden Bell Shield and raise my physical strength.
Given enough time, not only reaching the physical limit—even breaking through the ten-thousand-jin limit of physical strength—is not impossible."
In martial cultivation, the Body Refinement Ninth Stage was fundamentally a realm for laying one's foundations. The first three stages—Skin Refinement, Bone Tempering, and Organ Forging—were the foundations of all foundations. As the saying went, a ten-thousand-foot tower rose from level ground; only a firmer foundation could bear greater weight.
Likewise, the more solid one's martial foundation, the farther one could walk in the future.
That was why the gap between true geniuses, prodigies, and ordinary martial artists only grew wider and wider. Their foundations differed. True prodigies only broke through the Ninth Rank and entered the Eighth Rank Bone Tempering Realm after their physical strength had reached the Ten Thousand Jin Limit.
Ordinary martial artists, however, only possessed two or three thousand jin of physical strength in the Skin Refinement Realm. Some talented geniuses might reach five or six thousand jin.
They then broke through the Ninth Rank Skin Refinement Realm and entered Eighth Rank Bone Tempering in such a state.
Naturally, that was where the gap revealed itself.
"With the system, I too can raise my physical strength to ten thousand jin, or even break the Ten Thousand Jin Limit."
Lin Baichuan murmured. Bracing his right hand against the bedboard, he sprang up at once, then drifted lightly to the ground like a fallen leaf.
"Merit... everything comes down to merit. I must find a way to kill more demons and acquire more merit."
Lin Baichuan thought to himself.
Thirty points of merit had increased his physical strength by nearly five thousand jin in a single night. It was practically a myth. Having tasted the benefits brought by merit, Lin Baichuan found it impossible to stop, and his heart grew increasingly eager for more merit.
"Baichuan..."
Suddenly, just as countless thoughts flashed through Lin Baichuan's mind, Yang Zhan's voice came from outside the courtyard. That fellow had actually come to find him on his own. Lin Baichuan raised his brows and walked out of the room.
"What is it?"
After casually pulling open the courtyard gate and letting Yang Zhan in, he asked in a deep voice, "Looking at you, did something happen?"
"Lu Changkong was taken away."
Yang Zhan nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "This morning, an order suddenly came down from above. Lu Changkong was released without charge, and the Lu Family will no longer be held accountable either..."
"Released without charge!"
Lin Baichuan's eyes narrowed as he said in a deep voice, "Does the Lu Family have that much influence?"
After they had joined forces to kill that demon at Tianyin Workshop yesterday, they captured Lu Changkong. The man had been scared out of his wits and lost all fighting spirit. Otherwise, with his Eighth Rank Bone Tempering Peak cultivation and the aid of a Spirit Artifact Short Sword, Lin Baichuan and the others might not have been able to stop him if he truly wanted to leave.
Yet because Lu Changkong had lost all fighting spirit, he did not resist at all and was captured by Lin Baichuan and the others.
They then brought him directly to the Demon Suppression Division Prison.
Afterward, Yang Zhan reported the matter to the higher-ups. Originally, those above had intended to use the opportunity to move against the Lu Family. Unfortunately, things had not gone as planned. No order to act against the Lu Family had been issued, and Lin Baichuan had already felt that something was wrong at the time.
Sure enough, early this morning, Yang Zhan brought him this news. Lu Changkong had actually been released without charge.
"The Lu Family naturally does not possess such means."
Yang Zhan sneered. "But the people behind the Lu Family do. Still, that is not the point. The level involved is too high; it is not something we can lay our hands on. The problem now is that we have offended the Lu Family to the bitter end. I am fine—the Lu Family does not dare do anything to me.
"But you are different. When Lu Changkong left the Demon Suppression Division Prison, he made it clear that he would make you pay..."
"Make me pay? Hmph... then let him come!"
Lin Baichuan snorted coldly, smiling dismissively. "He is a piece of trash. Let us see what kind of storm he can stir up."
"Do not let your guard down. Though the Lu Family is nothing before the Demon Suppression Division, it is still a great Aristocratic Clan of Cangwu County. Its strength is not the slightest bit inferior to my Yang Family."
Seeing this, Yang Zhan immediately said in a deep voice, "Moreover, Lu Changkong has some ability. Last night, he was purely bewildered and was intimidated by us while we had the momentum. Now that he has come to his senses, it will still be troublesome if he is determined to take revenge on you.
"But you are now an official Demon Suppression Division Demon Slayer Guard.
"He does not dare do anything to you openly. I am only worried that he will resort to underhanded tricks. As far as I know, the Lu Family also has people within the Demon Suppression Division..."
"You mean the newcomer mission?"
Lin Baichuan was quick-witted and immediately understood Yang Zhan's meaning.
"That is right!"
Yang Zhan nodded. "The Lu Family does not dare attack you in the open, because they cannot bear the Demon Suppression Division's wrath. Murdering a Demon Suppression Division Demon Slayer Guard is a provocation against the Demon Suppression Division. Even the people behind the Lu Family would not be able to protect them.
"So they can only play dirty. The newcomer mission is their best opportunity. If you die during that newcomer mission, no one will have anything to say..."
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