Picking a Fight!

After handing out the money.

Guan Yutian led everyone to the cafeteria.

Even though it was not mealtime yet.

Tea was available.

A group of them gathered there, shooting the breeze.

As for patrols...

I fucking just killed four Specters.

Even if the squad captain saw us slacking off here, he would have nothing to say!

Among them, Zhang Qing listened more and spoke less.

Then, from their scattered conversation, he learned much more.

For example, Razor Hall's Military Merit system.

This was a benefit reserved for official Razor Hall members.

Only killing Specters earned Military Merit.

And Military Merit could be exchanged for spiritual pills!

Spiritual pills were high-end items in the Dark Realm.

They were immensely useful, whether to natives or logged-in players like Zhang Qing.

In his previous life, players had barely even touched the threshold of such things.

They circulated only within great families and Razor Hall.

Even when they appeared on the black market, they came with astronomical prices.

The starting price was gold.

Besides spiritual pills.

There were weapons.

Weapons in the Dark Realm were broadly divided into three types.

Ordinary weapons were the kind Zhang Qing and Guan Yutian held.

Forged from steel, they were tough as hell.

Above those.

Were Adamantine Weapons!

As the name implied.

Adamantine Weapons were forged by blending gold with other materials.

Never mind the craftsmanship.

The materials alone were enough to make one's scalp tingle.

The gold required alone started at no less than one hundred gold!

Not to mention the even more expensive supplementary materials and crafting costs.

A squad captain like Guan Yutian...

He should not even think about it.

Even within great families, Adamantine Weapons could not be widespread.

Because they were truly expensive!

As for the final type...

They were Secret Treasures!

Their rarity... a whole city might not even be able to produce one.

If Adamantine Weapons were high-end items, then Secret Treasure Weapons were top-tier items, the kind that corresponded to golden legends.

Besides spiritual pills and weapons.

Zhang Qing also heard some rumors.

The Tie Family and the Chuan Family were at odds, something practically everyone in Zi City knew.

Perhaps Zi City would soon fall into turmoil.

When this came up.

Guan Yutian gave Zhang Qing a meaningful look.

He seemed to be subtly reminding Zhang Qing to draw closer to Razor Hall. Perhaps then he might get a chance to stay out of it.

Zhang Qing nodded.

That counted as a response.

Indeed.

In a struggle between great families, he could not stir up any waves for now.

Developing himself properly was the right answer.

They bragged for several hours.

Only after Guan Yutian treated everyone to a meal did it finally end.

Congratulations, you consumed Spirit Medicine. Attribute Point +1!

Zhang Qing still had a Spirit Medicine meal.

He had earned another Attribute Point.

Right.

The Attribute Points he had gotten today.

Should all be invested in Constitution.

His Cultivation Technique had already reached the requirement.

If he kept adding points to it, its power might increase.

But his Constitution would struggle to support it.

The strongest strike of the proficient-level Sky-Opening Slash consumed one-quarter of his stamina.

If he raised it to the fourth level, consummate mastery, its strongest strike would likely consume half his stamina.

(Cultivation Technique levels: beginner, proficient, mastery, consummate mastery, transcendent perfection!)

Half his stamina.

After using that move, the massive stamina drain would practically leave him rigid.

Wouldn't that be courting death?

Therefore.

Adding points to Constitution was inevitable.

Then.

He added them directly.

All five Attribute Points were used up.

Zhang Qing's Constitution rose to 16 points.

With that, he was only four Attribute Points away from the second stage of the Glimmering Realm.

Zhang Qing; 780/780!

His health had risen by 50 points.

Huff...

He let out a breath.

The effect of adding points to Constitution was obvious.

Zhang Qing could clearly feel his stamina, endurance, strength, and more increase by a notch.

In terms of overall strength.

He might still be a little behind Guan Yutian.

But beating Pusan would absolutely not be a problem.

Although Pusan was at the second stage of the Glimmering Realm.

His Cultivation Technique level and Blood Volume could absolutely close that gap.

After all.

If a native could cultivate a technique to mastery at the second stage of the Glimmering Realm, they would already count as a minor genius.

They would have long since been taken away for training.

How could they still be muddling about here?

After the meal.

The team had to continue patrolling. There was no such thing as a lunch break in the Dark Realm.

So Zhang Qing could not log out.

On the road.

Guan Yutian was bored out of his mind.

After fighting that morning, he had no interest in catching some random scapegoat.

But Zhang Qing was anxious.

If they did not catch a scapegoat, he would have no blood pack.

If they did not find a Specter, he would have no Attribute Points.

However.

He could not leave Razor and act alone.

If he went around killing people after losing his Razor identity.

Razor would easily mistake him for a Specter and slaughter him.

Should I go into the wilderness?

No, no, no...

Zhang Qing immediately shook his head inwardly.

The wilderness was a terrifying place.

Even Razor only dared to travel along trade routes.

And those trade routes had only become stable after cities maintained them for years, even decades.

He might be able to trade blows with a Thousand Blood Ghoul.

But in the wilderness, Great Ghouls with three or four thousand Blood Volume could appear out of nowhere at any time.

With his Glimmering Realm strength, survival was simply impossible.

Therefore.

The wilderness was out of consideration for now!

He swept his gaze around.

Quite a few Specters were lurking in Zi City;

Zhi Gu; 13/13!

Gu He; 21/21!

Gou Qi; 18/18!

Gao Ta; 2560/2560!

Just look.

A Great Ghoul with over two thousand Blood Volume.

That Blood Volume...

Rounding up, that should be worth 3 Attribute Points, right?

Should I make a move?

Zhang Qing was preparing to stir things up.

He did not want to let 3 Attribute Points go.

Bang...

Zhang Qing deliberately bumped into him.

It immediately drew the team's attention.

Guan Yutian directly kicked him flying.

-11!

Gao Ta; 2549/2560!

"You fucking blind or something?" Guan Yutian cursed.

When he turned back.

He found Zhang Qing staring at that person.

"What is it?"

Guan Yutian asked curiously.

"Look at that person." Zhang Qing pointed at him.

When Gao Ta saw Zhang Qing pointing at him.

He immediately put on an act of having been injured and knocked to the ground.

But...

It was far too exaggerated.

Pusan and Feng Ze had already narrowed their eyes.

Yuan Qi gripped the hilt of his blade.

A Specter that wanted to hide needed more than just brains—it needed acting skills.

Brother, your acting was way too bad!

Guan Yutian noticed it too.

He gripped his blade and slowly approached.

The others also readied themselves for battle.

A Specter with unconvincing acting

was a Specter easily exposed.

In an unexpected situation, even an ordinary person could spot that something was wrong with it!

Terror filled Gao Ta's eyes.

He knew

he had revealed a flaw.

Then, gritting his teeth, he transformed outright.

Bang...

Blood splattered everywhere as he tore open his Human Skin and roared at the crowd.

The pedestrians fled at the sight.

Only Guan Yutian's team remained to face this Specter;

Armored Ghoul; 2549/2560!

It stood over three meters tall, roughly humanoid, with a thick keratinous layer on its back. Its entire body was gray, and its huge mouth occupied more than half its head, packed with densely layered teeth.

Moreover, it had two antennae on its head, each tipped with a small ball... No... those were eyes.

This thing had four eyes!