Breakthrough, Evolution

In a certain canyon between the Beast Mountains, water flowed murmuring.

What was originally a peaceful and serene atmosphere in a secluded mountain valley was interrupted by a hissing sound.

Opposite Lin Shuguang coiled a snake, five to six zhang long, flicking its scarlet tongue, glaring menacingly.

Lin Shuguang had killed his way here, encountering mostly Fierce Beasts of the Profound Connection Realm or Core Realm.

The Heavenly Dao's reward was mostly just strength, and occasionally some pills condensed from the power of heaven and earth.

Only the great snake before him was in the Spirit Transformation Realm.

"Boom!"

A patch of forest snapped in half as the great snake swept through it, flying outwards.

Countless branches and wood chips mingled with dust and sand, crashing down overwhelmingly.

With a whistling wind.

The snake's gaping maw moved to swallow Lin Shuguang whole in an instant, a foul stench washing over him, making him want to vomit.

The next moment, Saber Light flashed.

A chilling gleam erupted in the twilight, a visible white line cutting through the air, causing the surrounding temperature to suddenly rise.

The blade instantly slashed across the snake's body.

A sound like metal cutting followed, and a long spark erupted from the snake's abdomen.

The snake let out a piercing shriek.

In pain, its massive body writhed and thrashed, sending broken stones flying and stirring up a sandstorm.

If he hadn't dodged in time, he would have been torn to shreds.

Beneath the dust and sand.

Lin Shuguang seized the opportunity, his internal energy flowing, and ferociously chopped off the snake's head with one strike.

Although the snake's head was severed, its mouth remained open, its sharp fangs emitting a chilling aura in the twilight that could not be underestimated.

Lin Shuguang quickly took out a Heaven Sacrifice Talisman and merged the snake's blood and his own blood onto it.

The snake's soul flowed onto the surface of the Heaven Sacrifice Talisman, and then was pulled into an unfathomable space-time by a mysterious force...

The next moment, power surged again from the depths of time.

Lin Shuguang was prepared. He circulated his cultivation technique, finding stillness amidst chaos.

The snake's power far surpassed that of the fierce tigers and wolves he had encountered. Thus, when the power was fed back instantly, Lin Shuguang's physical body trembled violently, as if infused with boundless strength, and the ground sank slightly.

His veins bulged like giant earthworms, and his muscles stood out.

His entire body felt like it was burning with flames. Lin Shuguang felt that this power was simply too immense, as if his meridians were tearing apart and his internal organs were on the verge of exploding.

Just then, a line of small text appeared on the Pay-to-Win System's panel.

[Upgrade mode triggered. Pay 100,000 Gold Leaves to upgrade your Dantian, allowing it to contain a hundred rivers.]

"Pay!"

The decision was made, and the energy that had been raging wildly within Lin Shuguang instantly calmed down.

Lin Shuguang's Dantian now emanated multicolored auspicious light, like a vortex, drawing in all the surging energy.

Spirit Transformation Realm, Second Heaven!

After absorbing all the snake's energy, Lin Shuguang's cultivation advanced another level.

Feeling the power surging within his body, Lin Shuguang knew that if he continued to sacrifice, he would truly risk exploding.

Suppressing his now inflated ambition.

Lin Shuguang decisively withdrew his gaze and returned the way he came. Although life in the Black Prison had been monotonous, it had been a good thing for Lin Shuguang.

No one noticed this place, allowing him to cultivate in the Beast Mountains in his spare time.

Lin Shuguang still remembered the mysterious person who had appeared... "The few prophecies he made have not entirely come true yet."

For example, the Heaven Sacrifice Talisman... that powerful artifact, the mysterious person didn't know about it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Lin Shuguang for ways to improve his cultivation back then.

Because the Ancestor Chen of the Baojian Sect had temporarily produced the Heaven Sacrifice Talisman, Lin Shuguang did not encounter the "special mission" mentioned by the mysterious person.

The Heavenly Dao emphasizes cause and effect. Lin Shuguang's cause and that mysterious person's cause were different, so it was understandable that the results varied.

Lin Shuguang even wondered... could that mysterious person be a version of himself from another dimension?

That's why he knew so much about him.

"A 'rewind' game?" Lin Shuguang narrowed his eyes slightly.

First, there was a strange and bizarre dream, in which the man holding a saber said he wanted to destroy the heavens and become a demon.

Then the Demonic Saber appeared, possessing his divine soul.

After that, he encountered the Guardian Supreme of the Baojian Sect, and through this opportunity, he arrived at the Totem Continent. It was precisely under these circumstances that he met the mysterious man bound by the Chain of Karma.

"The Guardian Supreme of the Baojian Sect was determined to find the lost will of the Totem Continent and uphold the orthodox Heavenly Dao, while the mysterious person seemed to want to slaughter this old heaven... If my guess is correct..."

Lin Shuguang suddenly had this thought in his mind.

If his guess was correct, it meant he was caught between two factions.

One maintained the Heavenly Dao, the other wanted to destroy the heavens.

And his arrival in this world, Lin Shuguang, was an anomaly.

The Pay-to-Win System was something no one but him could have predicted... The mysterious person wanted him to become stronger, so they provided "story instances."

Ancestor Chen of the Baojian Sect also wanted him to grow stronger quickly, so he gambled the Heaven Sacrifice Talisman of the Taiyi Immortal Sect.

In other words...

Lin Shuguang stopped his steps. "Now, neither side knows the trump cards the other gave me... This is my chance. Besides, with the Pay-to-Win System in hand, what is there to fear?"

Just as he was about to leave Beast Mountain, he unexpectedly ran into Qiao Shanheng.

The young man who had once used his position as squad leader to try and establish his authority over Lin Shuguang seemed slightly stunned when he saw Lin Shuguang emerge from Beast Mountain alone. Then, a hypocritical smile spread across his face, and he strode over.

"Lin Shuguang, it's been a while. I've missed you."

The word "missed" was almost spat out from between Qiao Shanheng's clenched teeth, showing that he still harbored resentment from the embarrassment Lin Shuguang had caused him back then.

Lin Shuguang's path was blocked, his expression unchanged. His eyes seemed bottomless. "Is there something?"

"Is there something?" Qiao Shanheng repeated Lin Shuguang's words, the smile on his lips growing more unrestrained. His gaze flickered to the package behind Lin Shuguang. "I heard you ran into trouble in the Saber Prison. Seeing you like this, you don't seem to be injured, but as someone who's been through it, I can kindly remind you that the Black Prison isn't as simple as you think. The waters run deep here."

"How deep?" Lin Shuguang asked calmly.

Qiao Shanheng's condescending tone faltered. For a moment, he couldn't tell if Lin Shuguang was genuinely foolish or pretending. "If you don't want to die in the Black Prison, don't stand guard alone."

According to the Black Prison's system, Lin Shuguang and the others were on a rotation.

In three days, it would be Lin Shuguang's turn to stand guard.

But he didn't think Qiao Shanheng was saying this out of kindness.

Qiao Shanheng took a couple of steps away, then suddenly turned back and shouted, "Oh, right, Lin Shuguang, let me kindly remind you again. The prisoner you killed this morning was from the Demonic Moon Sect. They're a bunch of lunatics. If you kill one of them, given their vengeful nature, you'd best not leave the Black Prison. Otherwise, no one can predict the consequences."

He looked at Lin Shuguang, a smile on his face that anyone could tell was fake.

Lin Shuguang turned and left.

The smile on Qiao Shanheng's face vanished the moment Lin Shuguang turned his back.

"Senior Brother Qiao, what's that kid's background? His temper is so strange." His companion couldn't help but ask, looking resentfully in Lin Shuguang's direction.

Qiao Shanheng swept a glance at Lin Shuguang's retreating back. "He's from the Baojian Sect."

"Baojian Sect?"

Everyone was stunned, and then began to discuss. "The Baojian Sect hasn't sent disciples here for three hundred years. Why would they suddenly start sending people this year?"

Someone cautiously asked, "Could it be related to that matter?"

"It must be. The Emperor is personally assessing the Black Prison this year. This is a great honor. If they perform well, they might even receive rewards and rise through the ranks..."

"The Baojian Sect still has its ambitions..."

Immediately, someone asked, "Senior Brother Qiao, does the Baojian Sect still have designs on the Imperial Lineage? Does your Jade Void Palace have any thoughts on it?"

Qiao Shanheng narrowed his eyes and said faintly, "What kind of storm can a mere disciple of the Baojian Sect stir up? My Jade Void Palace has held the Imperial Lineage for generations; our foundation is already solid. For the Baojian Sect to think they can shake my Jade Void Palace's position with such a small disciple is wishful thinking.

"Moreover, the Emperor will never allow anyone to try and destabilize the dynasty's grand structure at this critical juncture."

"Then what is the Baojian Sect trying to achieve?"

"Who knows? That kid isn't even in the Spirit Transformation Realm. By the time it's his turn to stand guard, it's questionable whether he'll even survive. We don't need to worry about him." Qiao Shanheng's tone was filled with a desire to see Lin Shuguang make a fool of himself.

A group of people quickly entered the forest.

After an unknown amount of time, Qiao Shanheng and his group stumbled into the canyon where Lin Shuguang had killed the giant snake. The scene was in disarray. The terrifying corpse of the giant snake lay powerlessly in a pool of blood, a large hole in its abdomen, from which the sounds of Fierce Beasts gnawing could be heard.

Qiao Shanheng's group kept their distance, about ten meters away, to avoid being attacked by the Fierce Beasts, and lurked in the jungle.

Despite their caution, seeing the massive snake's body, they were all shaken.

"Isn't this the Blazing Flame Snake we were supposed to kill together?"

Several people looked at each other. Except for Qiao Shanheng, they all looked bewildered.

"The Blazing Flame Snake is a Fierce Beast of the Spirit Transformation Realm. Even if we joined forces, we wouldn't have absolute certainty... Who did this?"

Qiao Shanheng frowned slightly, then his brow relaxed. "No matter who killed it, they only wanted the snake gall. I'll go lure those Fierce Beasts away, and you guys can collect the snake gall... We should have enough time."

Although Qiao Shanheng was petty, he was decisive when it came to assigning tasks.

After he finished making arrangements, the others dared not object. Five people rose and began to set up.

It's unclear what methods Qiao Shanheng used, but in an instant, the Fierce Beasts gnawing on the snake's body roared and charged over, though they didn't stray too far.

Qiao Shanheng cursed inwardly and had no choice but to act as bait, provoking them repeatedly until their instincts were triggered.

After about half an incense stick's worth of time, Qiao Shanheng appeared at the entrance of Beast Mountain, panting and in tattered clothes. Seeing his companions, he immediately waved, "Let's go."

"Boss Qiao..." The others hesitated, standing still.

Qiao Shanheng was suddenly startled and frowned. "What happened?"

The few exchanged glances. "The snake gall was taken..."

Qiao Shanheng's face turned cold on the spot, "Who took it?"

"We don't know. We finally managed to get close to the Blazing Flame Snake, only to find that its valuable internal organs were gone... Someone must have killed the Blazing Flame Snake before us and then took the snake gall and other treasures."

Qiao Shanheng's expression was terrifyingly grim.

This mission wasn't just about making money; more importantly, he had heard that the Black Prison Envoy, Sima Tingwei, had been injured years ago. The Blazing Flame Snake's gall was an ingredient for a certain spiritual pill. If he could use this opportunity to present it to Sima Tingwei, perhaps the Black Prison Envoy would give him more consideration during the upcoming trial.

But now, someone had stolen what he wanted without anyone noticing!

"Boss Qiao, it's no use. Let's go look for another Blazing Flame Snake. Beast Mountain is so big, maybe we'll encounter another one..." someone tried to comfort him.

Qiao Shanheng interrupted coldly, "What do you know! When a Blazing Flame Snake wants to evolve, it will devour all its kin around it. This Blazing Flame Snake has already reached the Spirit Transformation Realm. There are no Fierce Beasts in the True Fate Realm in Beast Mountain, so it's clear this is the only Spirit Transformation Realm Blazing Flame Snake here. Damn it, who did this!"

"Perhaps... Boss Qiao, we could post a request on the black market?" his companion suggested again.

Qiao Shanheng pondered for a moment. He wanted to present the Blazing Flame Snake's gall to Sima Tingwei, so this matter couldn't be made public. If it alerted anyone with ulterior motives, it would be counterproductive.

"No. You guys investigate secretly. See if anyone has been selling Blazing Flame Snake gall recently. Once you find out, catch them immediately."

"How can we search such a large area..." The person was pulled away by his companion before he could finish.

Qiao Shanheng's face was ashen. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly thought of Lin Shuguang... "That guy's bag had a bloody smell... No, according to his file, he isn't even in the Spirit Transformation Realm. Even if he has cultivated to the Spirit Transformation Realm, how could he be a match for the Blazing Flame Snake... Damn it, who stole my things!"

Inside the guest room.

On the table in front of Lin Shuguang lay several Blazing Flame Snake scales, its tendons, and a black snake gall.

"The Heaven Sacrifice Talisman can sacrifice all things... As long as I arrange these materials properly, I can elevate them from ordinary items to treasures."

Lin Shuguang squeezed out his blood and smeared it on the scales, which were as hard as steel, offering them to the Heaven Sacrifice Talisman.

A force descended from a mysterious void. The blood Lin Shuguang had smeared on the scales ignited like flames.

The Blazing Flame Snake scales immediately changed... Flames were born from flames, making them indestructible.

A domineering and imposing aura emerged.

The moment the scales were transformed, information about these newly formed scales came to him...

"Red Dragon Scale Fragment, material for forging weapons..."

Lin Shuguang weighed them in his hand. They weren't heavy at all, which reminded him of the Demon God Armor he used to wear. Unfortunately, since arriving on the Totem Continent, the Demon God Armor's usefulness had become negligible.

"It's time to find a master blacksmith..."

He stroked his chin. "What if I forge it myself?"

Lin Shuguang was never afraid of learning.

If one attempt at paying to win didn't work, he'd pay ten thousand times. He'd eventually reach max level, right?

Then, Lin Shuguang sacrificed the snake gall again.

Forging the Blazing Dragon Armor was Lin Shuguang's most immediate goal. As for sacrificing and upgrading the snake gall, it was merely for enjoyment.

However, as the starlight flowed, Lin Shuguang's attention drifted.

--Dragon Gallbladder (Main ingredient for the Dragon Transformation Pill. After consuming this pill, it can strengthen internal organs and has a chance to achieve the perfect Golden Body Realm.)

"Dragon... If I kill a dragon and sacrifice it in the future, can I obtain a True Dragon?"

Lin Shuguang put the Dragon Gallbladder away. This material was no longer useful to him.

He had already cultivated the perfect Golden Body Realm, and alchemy wasn't his specialty anyway. It would be better to sell it for a good price.

The next day, at the hour of the snake.

Lin Shuguang's figure appeared punctually in the resting room of the Saber Prison.

The old jailer, following orders, came to collect Lin Shuguang's report on the events. After receiving the report, he didn't linger and was about to leave happily.

"Oh, right, Senior."

Lin Shuguang suddenly called out to the old jailer.

The old jailer stopped and turned around. Lin Shuguang asked casually, "How much is a Blazing Flame Snake worth?"

The old jailer paused and chuckled, "You even know about that thing? Haha, there's a Blazing Flame Snake in Beast Mountain that was left by the Black Prison Envoy years ago. I even saw the Black Prison Envoy go to Beast Mountain to feed it back then... Haven't seen it for many years. I heard it reached the Spirit Transformation Realm fifty years ago. Take my advice, don't get any ideas about it."

Lin Shuguang: "..."

What if he already had?

So, he pretended to ask casually:

"How strong is the Black Prison Envoy?"

If he could defeat him, then so be it.

If he couldn't...

"Nirvana Realm." The old jailer said with awe.

Lin Shuguang: "..."

Let me pay to win first.

(End of this chapter)