Endure for a Moment, and the Wind and Waves Will Be Calm

A person's strength, aside from their own power, came down to authority and wealth.

There was no need to elaborate on authority.

Why could Changjun City's lord, Zhao Huayu, stand above the fray and watch the Cold Moon Demon Sect, Purgatory Demon Sect, Yellow Heaven Sect, and Orthodox One Sect battle without end?

Because he commanded six thousand elite troops.

With those six thousand elites, if he wished, wherever his iron hooves pointed, he could crush the sect strongholds of any of the four factions.

Even four Spirit Refining cultivators joining forces would struggle to escape alive if trapped in the encirclement and slaughter of those six thousand elites.

Six thousand elites were not merely a six-thousand-man military formation.

Beyond the most basic Body Tempering elites, there were many Organ Refining warriors, Blood Changing centurions, and even commanders and generals at the Qi Refining, Gang Condensing, and Core Forming realms.

On a battlefield, they could break an army of thirty thousand.

Compared to Core Forming, Spirit Refining did not greatly increase one's total true qi. Its strength lay only in nurturing divine sense, attaining minute control over oneself, and wielding true qi with exquisite precision. One unit of force could achieve the effect of two or three, giving them an absolute advantage in single combat.

Beyond that, the Spirit Transformation realm merely possessed stronger divine sense, forming a Yin Spirit that could disrupt others' wills, weaken enemies, and secure victory.

But a formation of ten thousand troops was different from a one-on-one duel. It did not care for exquisite sword techniques or nimble maneuvering.

No matter how exquisite one's swordsmanship was, killing ordinary soldiers still took only one strike. If one did not weaken the opponent, it was still an instant kill. They could trap and wear you down with their numerical advantage.

Human strength would eventually run dry.

Thus, even Spirit Refining and Spirit Transformation cultivators would find it hard to escape disaster once they fell into an army of ten thousand.

Only by reaching the Primordial Spirit True Lord realm, like the Supreme Elders of the various sects, flying upon swords and roaming the azure heavens, invincible by nature, could one regard a thousand troops and ten thousand horses as nothing.

Beyond authority came wealth.

If a craftsman wished to do good work, he must first sharpen his tools.

The standard for elites was to wear iron armor, while warriors even bore fifty kilograms of heavy armor. All of that required money.

Among Core Forming cultivators, divine weapons and sharp artifacts were equally valued.

When Gu Jinlai fought Zhang Buyi, if the treasured sword in his hand had been replaced with a top-grade treasured sword, a few clashes would have severed Zhang Buyi's sword and slain him beneath the blade.

If he had been protected by top-grade treasured armor, he could also have traded injury for life and swiftly secured victory.

Gang qi was said to be able to pierce anything, yet it still found it difficult to tear apart top-grade treasured armor.

And above treasured artifacts, there were Spirit Artifacts.

Those were Spirit Treasures forged by Celestial Masters who refined Demonic Spirits and extracted their spirituality. They were linked to their owners' hearts and minds, capable of endless transformations, mysterious and extraordinary.

However, even a Spirit Transformation True Person often had to exhaust their entire fortune to obtain a Spirit Artifact flying sword. Gu Jinlai at his peak had not dared dream of such a treasure, much less now.

Beyond Spirit Artifacts, there were also Spirit Beasts and Divine Beasts.

When Demonic Spirits merged with vicious beasts, they became Demonic Beasts. But if a Celestial Master refined a Demonic Spirit and infused its spirituality into a vicious beast, it could be tamed into a mountain-guarding Spirit Beast.

Spirit Beasts were connected to cultivators in heart and mind, their true qi linked, often achieving an effect where one plus one was greater than two.

Gu Jinlai's idea in joining the Demon Refining Hall was to kill some Demonic Beasts, preferably in exchange for a Spirit Refining cultivation method.

At the very least, he could exchange for a set of treasured armor. Even low-grade treasured armor would grant him a little more chance of survival in a crisis.

Within a secluded little courtyard.

Gu Jinlai studied a map and selected hunting targets, while also setting aside part of his mind to ponder a question.

"Ma Zheng's Karma was as bloody as blood itself. When I killed him, I obtained a streak of clear light."

If he could exchange it for a Spirit Refining method, he could rely on that streak of clear light to enter Spirit Refining very quickly.

Or he could master the Eight-Level Soaring Dragon Body technique, reaching minor accomplishment and moving freely whether advancing or retreating.

It was only...

"Sharpening the knife does not delay the chopping of firewood!"

Resources were only good resources once they had been used.

He recalled the danger and intensity of his battle with Zhang Buyi, focusing the consciousness within him upon the Green Lotus.

The next moment, clear light flickered.

His mind began operating at an unimaginable speed. In ten seconds, like galloping horses viewing flowers, he seemed to review every piece of knowledge he had learned in high school and university.

Formless Sword Qi: Beginner → Minor Accomplishment.

At the minor accomplishment stage, the Formless Sword Qi could be activated more quickly.

The key was that he could trigger a stealthy killing move right from the opening.

Metallic reflections combined with the formlessness of Sword Qi.

"So I should exchange for a sword, one that can better bring out the characteristics of Formless Sword Qi."

Gu Jinlai looked at the sword at his waist.

After several fierce battles, his treasured artifact-grade sword had already suffered some damage and needed maintenance.

The maintenance costs were not low. It would be better to simply replace the sword.

As an Elder, Gu Jinlai received an annual stipend of sixty thousand taels from the sect, and could skim another forty or fifty thousand in Changjun City, for an annual income of one hundred thousand taels.

But while his income was high, his expenses were no less considerable.

Cultivating, practicing martial arts, and recruiting subordinates all cost money.

An ordinary treasured sword cost twenty to thirty thousand taels of silver, only thirty percent of his income, yet he could not actually come up with that sum at the moment.

"I can only wait for now."

Gu Jinlai turned his gaze back to the map.

His decision to attach himself to the Demon Refining Hall involved several considerations.

Cultivators who committed evil deeds would become Red Names, but what about Demonic Beasts?

Demonic Beasts fed on souls, and humans were known as the spirit of all things. Those great Demonic Beasts likely carried the souls of countless dead humans.

If Demonic Beasts were all major Red Names...

Wouldn't he soar to great heights in the future?

"Master."

At that moment, Su Nanxing entered carrying a book and a box. "Master has always been somewhat solitary by nature. This disciple had been thinking that even if Lin Xiao failed to recruit Master and became dissatisfied with you, he should not have become so openly hostile. But not long ago, this disciple realized it might be related to an object."

He opened the box. Inside lay a Blood-Patterned Jade Pendant.

"What is this?"

"Half a year ago, when this disciple was stationed at the Fallen Dragon Mountain Mine, a corpse was excavated from within. This jade pendant was on the corpse. This disciple could not identify its origins, so I presented it to Master."

Su Nanxing said.

"..."

Gu Jinlai did not know about this.

"This disciple recalled that several people had asked about the corpse in the Fallen Dragon Mountain Mine. Half a month ago, this disciple looked through some records."

Su Nanxing opened the book and pointed to a passage. "This object may be a Jade Slip."

"A Jade Slip?"

Gu Jinlai had naturally heard of such a strange artifact as though thunder had rung in his ears.

Jade Slips were used to carry information, but their crafting methods involved the use of the Primordial Spirit.

In other words, this Jade Slip was highly likely to have been left behind by a Primordial Spirit True Lord.

A True Lord!

That was already one of the most supreme existences!

Supreme Elder Lu Zhanxian, one of the ten greatest experts of the demonic path, was a Primordial Spirit True Lord.

If Lin Xiao was targeting him for a Jade Slip that recorded information left behind by a Primordial Spirit True Lord, then it made sense.

"A Jade Slip."

Gu Jinlai held the Blood-Patterned Jade Pendant. "Unfortunately, my divine sense has dissipated, and I cannot examine the information within. Otherwise, I could find out what it records."

A moment later, he seemed to think of something. "It has been several days since I reported my merit for killing the two Core Forming cultivators of the Yellow Heaven Sect. The Spirit Nourishing Pill should have arrived. With its aid, there is a great chance I can restore my cultivation. Then I can examine the Jade Slip and obtain the inheritance of a Primordial Spirit True Lord. Double happiness will arrive at my door."

He immediately rose to his feet. "Go to the Purgatory Sect stronghold!"

Gu Jinlai soon arrived at the stronghold.

But after staying for less than half an hour, he emerged with a grim expression.

His Spirit Nourishing Pill was gone.

His hope of restoring his Spirit Refining cultivation had been shattered.

"Lin Xiao..."

Lin Xiao only had grievances with the original Gu Jinlai. Forced step by step into this situation, Gu Jinlai had only just arrived and had barely managed to deal with matters passively, so he had not yet felt much pressure.

But the matter of the Spirit Nourishing Pill truly disgusted him.

"Isn't this Elder Gu?"

At that moment, a voice came from the entrance.

Fang Cai led several disciples and seemed to be heading out. "Elder Gu, you accepted the transfer order but refuse to take up your post in Huayin County, instead wandering around Changjun City. Are you planning to defy orders?"

Gu Jinlai glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "Fang Cai, since when did you dare speak to me like this?"

"What is wrong with what I said? Since Elder Gu has already packed his belongings, please set out as soon as possible. The Elder Hall is still waiting to verify Elder Gu's identity."

Fang Cai said indifferently.

Gu Jinlai looked at the Protector, who had still obeyed his orders a month ago. "What are you after?"

"I do not understand Elder Gu's words..."

"Now that you have become someone's dog, are you so eager to perform well before your master?"

Gu Jinlai said.

Those blunt words made Fang Cai's expression change.

But immediately afterward, he instead laughed. "It cannot be helped. I am only a mere Core Forming cultivator. In life, one must always have one's own value. Those without value will be like stray dogs, driven into hiding everywhere. Perhaps one day, they will be beaten to death in some unknown corner."

"Master, he wants to force you to attack."

Su Nanxing moved to Gu Jinlai's side and said.

Gu Jinlai understood that as well.

If he truly lost control and attacked, Zhou Yunyi would not even need to act. Three Core Forming cultivators and dozens of disciples joining forces would be enough to take him down.

Within the Purgatory Demon Sect, fellow disciples killing one another was a grave taboo.

He said nothing, only gave Fang Cai a deep look.

Endure for a moment, and the wind and waves would be calm.

It was not yet time to flip the table.

"Let's go."

Gu Jinlai said, then quickly left with Su Nanxing.

Along the way, Gu Jinlai did not speak.

Neither did Su Nanxing, but the chill radiating from him grew increasingly intense.

"Enough. The worse the situation is for us, the more we must remain calm. Do not think about going to assassinate him tonight. That would only mean plunging headfirst into the enemy's trap."

Gu Jinlai said to Su Nanxing.

Su Nanxing lowered his head without speaking.

"Endure for a moment, and the wind and waves will be calm. Take a step back, and the sea and sky will stretch boundlessly before you. Your master had already decided half a month ago to abandon evil and turn toward good, staying far away from the grudges and conflicts of the Purgatory Demon Sect."

Gu Jinlai said.

Su Nanxing still did not speak.

"Once a transfer order comes down, there is generally a one-month deadline to assume the post. In other words, we are still safe for this month. To be honest, I have not properly explored Changjun City for all this time. This month, we will eat, drink, and enjoy ourselves properly."

Gu Jinlai had already begun talking to himself.

Su Nanxing followed half a step behind him with his head lowered.

"Changjun City, ancient and full of charm—tsk, tsk. This experience is far better than those imitation ancient buildings. Let me think about how to arrange this coming month, how to have fun... We have to visit Jade House at least once, right?"

Gu Jinlai calculated to himself.

As he calculated, he stopped. Looking at the night sky gradually darkening, he suddenly asked, "Do you think Demonic Beasts might be hiding in the Purgatory Demon Sect stronghold?"