Extra Gains, the Dice Fell

The Frenzied Tiger Roaring Bone Technique was one of the most vicious mental arts within the Black Tiger Gang's exquisite martial art, the Black Tiger Shattering Gold Claw.

Though it had the drawback of rapidly consuming the user's qi and blood, it allowed gang members who mastered it to unleash explosive power far beyond their own realm for a short time! Although this bearded cultivator was at Layer Two Perfection, stimulated by the Bone Howling Technique, his speed was now no inferior to what a Third Layer Early Stage Martial Cultivator could unleash!

"Die, you old sly bastard!"

Amid his explosive roar, his tiger claws had already reached Lin Xuankong's eyes!

Yet, to his surprise, just as his tiger claws were only inches from the eyes of that old bastard retreating backward, something suddenly wrapped around his legs.

The bearded cultivator looked down and saw countless black vines tightly coiled around his legs, rapidly spreading toward his abdomen!

"Twin Vine Demonic Pearl!"

The bearded cultivator's expression changed. He frantically swung both claws, trying to sever all the black vines and free his legs!

His strength surpassed that of Zhang Wu, an Early Second Layer cultivator, by an unknown number of times. Combined with the enhancement of the Frenzied Tiger Roaring Bone Technique, his claw strikes were incomparably swift. In just a few breaths, he unleashed countless attacks!

Large numbers of black vines were chopped into segments, falling to the ground before vanishing.

The bearded cultivator had indeed stopped the black vines from winding toward his abdomen, but how could the demonic creature summoned by a priceless Demonic Pearl be something a Layer Two Perfection Martial Cultivator could completely break through?

No matter how fast his claws moved or how fierce his attacks were, he could only prevent the Demonic Vine from spreading. He could not free his legs at all!

As he frantically swung his claws, the bearded cultivator looked up at Lin Xuankong in astonishment and suspicion. "You're the Hat Guest?"

His answer was—

What came hurtling straight at him—

Was a Spirit Crane Finger covered in white scales!

Lin Xuankong knew very well how difficult it was to kill a Layer Two Perfection Martial Cultivator.

Even if the bearded cultivator was trapped now, if ten late first layer Martial Cultivators like Ma Rusong stood here and used swords to stab him for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the final result would only be that all ten of their swords broke, while the bearded cultivator lost at most a few hairs!

But Lin Xuankong possessed the terrifyingly powerful Dragon Wandering Amulet Hand.

What did it matter how tough the bearded cultivator's body was when he could not dodge? If Lin Xuankong jabbed his temple and crown several hundred times, he definitely would not be able to endure it!

The bearded cultivator truly failed to withstand it...

Under the Twin Vine Demonic Pearl's control, four breaths later, his temple and crown had been jabbed a full two hundred and fifty-one times.

Though his skull had not shattered, his entire body had been rammed into the earth. The head left exposed above ground bled from all seven orifices!

Yet until the very moment he died completely, his legs and body remained tightly bound by black Demonic Vines deep underground!

The power of a Demonic Pearl—

Could indeed make a Martial Cultivator invincible among those of the same rank, even allowing them to fight above their level!

The bearded cultivator, at Layer Two Perfection, had killed the late Layer Two Tao brothers without expending much effort.

Meanwhile, Lin Xuankong, at late Layer Two and possessing the Dragon Wandering Amulet Hand and a Demonic Pearl, killing the Layer Two Perfection curly-bearded man was not merely effortless—it was utterly easy and pleasant!

With some emotion, Lin Xuankong watched his former target of pursuit die completely, then walked toward the two large wooden chests.

A moment later, he finished taking inventory.

Two hundred and ten Essence Blood Beads, two hundred Forehead Scales, and a great deal of other supplies—nothing was missing. Especially those Forehead Scales shining with white light; Lin Xuankong could practically see a complete set of Amulet Battle Armor beckoning to him. That was many times fiercer than the Dragon Wandering Amulet Hand.

Besides that—

He had also gained an additional two hundred portions of ingredients for Nine Revolutions Qi Nourishing Soup!

To numb the Tao brothers and use the incense drug without a sound, that bearded cultivator had truly spent a fortune. Yet it had all benefited Lin Xuankong, who had sat on the mountain and watched the tigers fight!

Ingredients for Qi Nourishing Soup were nearly impossible to obtain in Great Marsh Prefecture these days, stirring up who knew how many bloody storms.

It was said that whenever someone occasionally sold a few portions in the Black Market, any Martial Cultivator who lacked sufficient strength to purchase them would be hunted down and besieged...

Even formal disciples of the Yin Talisman Sect could only receive one portion every two or three days. Even a dignified Full Manager could only receive two portions a day; it would take a full hundred days to receive two hundred portions!

Looking at the chest filled with medicinal ingredients, Lin Xuankong was deeply moved. As expected of his former target of pursuit—what a good man. Even in death, he could give Lin Xuankong such an enormous surprise!

Early the next morning—

The Cattle Horse Street Barracks.

Lin Xuankong sat in the manager's chair, waiting quietly.

He had naturally already prepared his explanation, thinking through how to tell his immediate superior, Ma Jiang, how he had captured the Flying Thieves. Most importantly, he absolutely could not reveal his Man Luo Demonic Pearl!

A common man was innocent, but possessing jade was a crime. Especially something like a Demonic Pearl—no matter how powerful a Martial Cultivator was, they could not resist its temptation!

A moment later—

A figure arrived like the wind. It was Ma Jiang, his face carrying a trace of fatigue.

"I've been so busy these past few days that my feet haven't touched the ground. I haven't even had time to play pai gow or dice.

What important matter was so urgent that you had Yang Shan run to my house early in the morning, not even letting me sleep properly?"

Lin Xuankong rose to greet him. "Boss, it really is important. Look over here!"

He pointed at the Tao brothers' heads and the wooden chest beside them.

Ma Jiang raised his brows slightly. "What is this?"

Lin Xuankong opened the chest. "The Flying Thieves' heads! Inside this wooden chest is stolen property—every Essence Blood Bead and Forehead Scale is accounted for!"

Ma Jiang's expression shifted as he carefully looked into the chest...

A moment later, after taking stock of the supplies, he could not help freezing in place. The White Jade Dice he had always cherished and kept rolling in his hand fell to the ground, producing a crisp series of "ding, ding, ding" sounds.

After the three dice rolled across the bluestone ground, the faces turned upward were, respectively, "six," "six," and "six."

"Are these really the Flying Thieves' heads?"

"There really are two hundred Forehead Scales and Essence Blood Beads in this chest?!"

Half the time it took to drink a cup of tea later—

After hearing Lin Xuankong's account, Ma Jiang stared at him with some doubt. "You identified the two Flying Thieves based on the origin of the darts, then found them?"

Lin Xuankong frowned slightly. "That is indeed the case!"

Ma Jiang fell silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed.

"Thousands of people could not find them, yet you found them so quickly. I know you must be concealing something from me.

But don't worry. I understand your concerns very well. What Martial Cultivator doesn't have a trump card of their own?

Take me, for example. If not for the great battle with the Liao People Tribe some time ago, not a single person in the sect would have known that I possessed the Dragon Wandering Amulet Hand!

I understand this. Great Steward Gao, the managers, Hall Masters, and the others close to me can understand it too. Back then, they also hid quite a few trump cards!"

Lin Xuankong's gaze shifted as he looked up at Ma Jiang.

Ma Jiang suddenly smiled again.

"I've discovered something: placing my bet on you definitely wasn't a mistake!"

"Come on. At this hour, it's time to report the situation to the Council Hall! Hahaha, I'm really looking forward to seeing Manager Jiang and those people's expressions when they learn about this!"

With that, he hurried outside.

Lin Xuankong said, "Boss, your dice fell!"

Not long after—

The two arrived at the Council Hall of the Mule Horse Street Branch.

As usual, numerous managers and stewards of high status within the Yin Talisman Sect, their Daoist robes neat and immaculate, had already gathered there. Everyone wore tired expressions, but their eyes held eager anticipation.

Over these past two days of searching, everyone had clearly been competing in secret. Even though they knew their chances of competing with Zhao Yufei for the Silver Jade Position were extremely slim, who could fail to covet that incomparably glorious and immensely profitable Silver Jade Position?