Full Skin Membrane, Immaculate Body

Back home, Bai Yu couldn't wait to open the incomplete copy of Swallow's Three Water Skims.

After repeatedly studying and practicing it, two new lines appeared on the panel:

[Swallow's Three Water Skims, Yellow Rank, Middle Grade Light Body Skill, incomplete.]

[Compatibility with Lingxu Step: 86%. Can be fused for 200 Life Experience.]

It seemed the lower the compatibility, the more Life Experience it would cost.

Bai Yu was intrigued and spent 200 Life Experience.

Instantly, he felt the knowledge in his mind constantly merging and reorganizing.

[Fusion successful. Acquired new skill: Flying Swallow Lingxu Step]

Although Flying Swallow Lingxu Step was still Yellow Rank, Middle Grade, it was more agile, like a swallow skimming the water.

Bai Yu nodded in satisfaction and went to sleep soundly.

In the following days, Bai Yu used all the silver he earned to buy medicinal materials like ginseng and huangjing.

He prepared several batches of Essence Nourishing Powder, and then began to take it while practicing his skills.

With a large supply of Essence Nourishing Powder, Bai Yu had an ample supply of Blood Essence.

The Iron Shirt Skill improved rapidly. His entire body's skin was tempered to be as strong as steel, yet it emitted a lustrous, jade-like glow.

One day, Bai Yu was training under a waterfall.

The powerful current of water crashed against him, making snapping sounds.

He grabbed a steel saber from the side and slashed it against his chest.

Only a white mark remained on the skin of his chest.

[Iron Shirt Skill (Profound Mastery)!]

Bai Yu's Iron Shirt Skill had finally advanced further, reaching the level of Profound Mastery.

His skin was like steel, impervious to blades.

Ordinary cuts and chops were completely ineffective against him.

Moreover, his entire body had now been tempered without any blind spots.

His skin was like jade, and his whole body was free of impurities.

"Next, I should use Blood Essence to open up the meridians and transform it into internal force."

"Then I can step into the Fourth Rank Vein Opening Realm."

In other words, he had encountered the first bottleneck in his martial arts cultivation.

To open up the meridians and condense internal force, he still needed a certain trigger.

He couldn't rush it for the time being.

Next, he turned his attention to the Zhu You Yin Fu Jing.

The last trip to the Black Market made Bai Yu feel that something was not quite right. There were too many people afflicted by malevolent energy.

Mastering the Yin Fu Jing would allow him to draw talismans to earn money, and he would also have some confidence when facing malevolent energy.

This time, Bai Yu learned a Soul-Soothing Song from the Yin Fu Jing.

This was an ancient funeral song passed down from ancient times, clear and simple, with a miraculous effect of soothing souls.

Bai Yu still picked it up quickly.

He continued his efforts, setting his sights on the Blood Talisman recorded in the Yin Fu Jing.

Ordinary talismans were drawn with cinnabar, rooster blood, etc., and their power was not great.

They basically used the principle of mutual generation and restraint to transform and resolve malevolent energy.

Blood Talismans, on the other hand, were drawn with human blood essence and could deal with some Yin ghosts, desiccated corpses, and other things.

Bai Yu set up the table and spread out the specially made talisman paper.

Old Mo, standing on a chair, helped Bai Yu hold down the talisman paper, watching Bai Yu draw the talisman with rapt attention.

Bai Yu pierced his middle finger, forced out blood essence, and began to draw the talisman.

His mind was incredibly focused, his hands moving non-stop, drawing mysterious runes.

However, when he was halfway through drawing, he felt a great resistance. His whole body trembled, and he could no longer continue.

Drawing talismans required doing it in one go. Interrupting it in the middle meant failure.

Bai Yu took a deep breath, sorted out his thoughts, and started drawing the talisman again.

After failing several times in a row, he finally drew a Gathering Affliction Talisman.

This Gathering Affliction Talisman could gather malevolent energy. If it were used on a person, it could immediately cause them to be entangled by malevolent energy.

Bai Yu solemnly put away the Gathering Affliction Talisman and sighed:

"These Blood Talismans are too difficult. Drawing any more will deplete my Blood Essence."

It's only because he has a large amount of Blood Essence to expend.

Anyone else wouldn't dare to draw Blood Talismans like this, managing at most one or two a day.

Bai Yu couldn't help but secretly speculate that perhaps these Blood Talismans were the root cause of body refiners' weakness.

Other cultivators can use cinnabar and external objects, along with spiritual energy, to draw talismans.

But body refiners need to consume their own Blood Essence.

Over time, how could ordinary body refiners endure it?

Their cultivation progress naturally couldn't compare to that of Qi refiners.

In the following days, Bai Yu didn't dare to draw Blood Talismans anymore.

Instead, he bought cinnabar, black dog blood, and other items, and began to draw ordinary Evil Suppression Talismans, Evil Dissipation Talismans, and so on.

Only when the Blood Essence rewards from burials were generous would he start drawing Blood Talismans.

Half a month passed, and he had only drawn three Blood Talismans.

One Gathering Affliction Talisman, one Kindling Fire Talisman, and one Corpse Control Talisman.

On the other hand, he had accumulated quite a few ordinary talismans.

This day, it was the fifteenth again, the day to receive wages.

Bai Yu and the others had just received one hundred Wen when Wolfie of the Black Wolf Gang came to the door again.

"Listen up, you people at the Mortuary, from now on, the monthly protection fee is doubled."

Zhu Tong and Old Zhang and the others' expressions changed, but they still sighed and handed over one hundred Wen.

Wolfie looked at Bai Yu and another errand boy, Little Wang, with ill intent.

Bai Yu remained calm and handed over one hundred Wen.

Little Wang, who had only received fifty Wen, was at a loss, as he suddenly had to pay one hundred Wen.

Bai Yu quietly patted him and slipped a string of copper coins into his waist.

Little Wang was relieved and also paid his protection fee.

Wolfie was quite surprised that both newcomers were able to pay the money.

He had been waiting for Bai Yu to run out of money and ask him for a high-interest loan.

Today, he had planned to pull someone out to establish his authority, but seeing Bai Yu and the other so obedient, he couldn't find an excuse to attack.

"Hmph, consider yourselves sensible."

He turned and left with his men, heading towards Willow Street across the way.

Before long, screams and wails came from outside.

When Bai Yu rushed over, a crowd had already gathered.

Looking through the gaps in the crowd, an old man with white hair was lying on the ground, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

An old woman was next to him, crying while holding the broken stove.

Second Master Zuo was smashing things everywhere with a few of his men, looking fierce and menacing.

It turned out to be Old Zhou and his wife, who sold wontons.

Old Zhou was a very kind person; regular customers who ate at his stall would always get an extra wonton.

The surrounding neighbors were discussing the situation.

"Old Zhou is really unlucky. He spent a lot of money to treat his wife's illness some time ago, and now the Black Wolf Gang has doubled the protection fee. He's emptied his savings and can't pay up."

"It's a sin. Old Zhou's stall has been smashed; it's even harder for him now."

"I heard that Second Master Zuo has taken a fancy to their small courtyard and is trying to force them to sell the house."

"Shhh, be careful, don't let him hear you."

At this moment, Second Master Zuo had finished smashing things and shouted:

"Everyone, take a good look! This is the consequence of not paying protection fees! We'll smash your stall!"

"Not only will we smash it, but you still have to pay the protection fee!"

"If you don't have money, that's easy. Borrow from me!"

With a wave of his hand, one of his men took out an IOU from his pocket and forcibly pressed Old Zhou's handprint on it.

Second Master Zuo took out five Wen from his pocket and threw it on the ground.

"Take it. This is the five hundred Wen you borrowed. Adding in this time's protection fee, you owe me a total of five hundred and sixty Wen."

He put away the IOU and led his men towards the next stall.

Bai Yu was secretly furious.

This time, Second Master Zuo was aiming to kill someone to establish his authority.

If Bai Yu hadn't been able to pay the money just now, he would have suffered the same fate.

This Zuo Er and the Black Wolf Gang have already earned their deaths.