Improvement

Thud, thud, thud!

The seven coffins shuddered violently, as if shaken by an invisible force. They slammed against one another, making dull, eerie sounds.

Chen Bin's expression was grim. Black, foul-smelling liquid slowly dripped from the long blade in his hand.

The blade's bright red patterns shimmered.

He gave the blade a hard shake, flinging the thick liquid onto the ground.

Dragging his blade, Chen Bin approached the coffins with slow, steady steps.

Each step landed with a sticky, muffled squelch.

Just then, a translucent status panel slowly appeared before his eyes:

[Name]: Chen Bin

[Cultivation]: Body Tempering Realm (Blood Change: 0/100)

[Merit]: 871

[Martial Arts]:

Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique (Proficient: 0/50)

Demon Suppression Blade Technique (Proficient: 0/50)

Chen Bin's gaze flickered. In that case, let's spend some points!

"Max out Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique!"

[You have spent 50 Merit to deepen your understanding of Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique. Your physique has improved significantly.]

[Remaining Merit: 821]

[Your Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique has been thoroughly integrated into your own martial arts.]

[Martial Arts]: Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique (Perfection: 0/100)

In an instant, it seemed as if an invisible force had stilled the world.

Then countless wisps of yang energy, as if summoned, surged wildly toward Chen Bin's body.

They entered through his pores and skin, and through his nose and mouth.

At the same time, wisps of blood mist seeped from his pores, gradually staining his body and draping him in a thin veil of crimson.

Chen Bin felt the strength in his body growing, yet somehow, it still seemed far from enough!

After all, the five stages of Body Tempering were Bronze Skin, Iron Bones, Organ Tempering, Blood Refining, and Jade Marrow.

The coffins were all occupied by Ghost Servants, and they might be just as strong as he was.

Chen Bin didn't hesitate for a moment. He pressed on.

[Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique has reached Perfection.]

[You have spent 100 Merit to deepen your understanding of Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique. Your physique has improved significantly.]

[Remaining Merit: 721]

[Your Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique has reached Return to Simplicity and become part of your daily life.]

[Martial Arts]: Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique (Transcendent)

As soon as the message appeared, the blood mist seeping from his pores thickened, as if a cloud of blood had enveloped him.

The abundant yang energy between heaven and earth surged toward him like a raging tide.

The pool of black liquid on the ground quickly dried up beneath the onslaught of yang energy. The skin, which had been damp, shriveled at once, as if every last trace of life had been drained from it.

[You have spent 50 Merit to improve your understanding of Demon Suppression Blade Technique. Your blade technique has been deduced to Perfection.]

[Remaining Merit: 671]

[Your Demon Suppression Blade Technique has been thoroughly integrated into your own martial arts.]

[Martial Arts]: Demon Suppression Blade Technique (Perfection: 0/100)

As the message appeared before his eyes,

the Demon Suppression Blade moved like an extension of Chen Bin's arm. Held in his hand, it gave him the confidence of a man in complete control.

So this was what it felt like to perfect a blade technique and integrate it into his martial arts?

As his mastery of martial arts advanced, Chen Bin's physique had also improved tremendously.

His martial arts and physique had grown in tandem, but it still wasn't enough.

His gaze turned to the [Cultivation] line.

[You have spent 100 Merit to advance your cultivation. Blood Change Stage reached Perfection.]

As the message appeared, the blood mist around Chen Bin exploded outward, instantly spreading and completely engulfing him.

Chen Bin narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced over his new status panel:

[Name]: Chen Bin

[Cultivation]: Body Tempering Realm (Jade Marrow: 0/100)

[Merit]: 571

[Martial Arts]:

Golden Sun Body Tempering Technique (Transcendent)

Demon Suppression Blade Technique (Perfection: 0/100)

Just then, all seven coffins were flung into the air at once with a BANG, as if struck by a mighty force. They hurtled straight toward Chen Bin.

The corners of Chen Bin's mouth lifted in a confident smile. He calmly swept his perfected Demon Suppression Blade across them.

But to his surprise, the coffins didn't split in two as he'd expected.

A claw wreathed in black qi shot out of one coffin at terrifying speed, reaching straight for his face.

Chen Bin's brows drew together. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and without hesitation, he thrust the black blade into the claw.

With a piercing shriek, Chen Bin swiftly twisted his wrist and swept the blade sideways.

With a BANG, the coffin exploded. The Ghost Servant possessing the corpse inside was blown apart along with it.

Another Ghost Servant appeared from behind the shattered coffin.

Her eyes were crimson as blood, and her claws resembled charred chicken feet, withered and twisted.

Using the coffin's shadow for cover, she crept closer without making a sound.

Chen Bin had sensed the danger long before. The instant the Ghost Servant appeared, he had already raised his blade high.

The vicious Ghost Servant hesitated. It seemed she could feel the powerful pressure radiating from Chen Bin, and she abruptly tried to change direction and flee.

It wasn't a matter of thought. It was instinct.

Just as the Ghost Servants could already break free of their instinct to devour.

"Ah..."

The Demon Suppression Blade came down with fearsome force, swift as lightning. It sliced the Ghost Servant cleanly in two, as easily as cutting tofu.

After Chen Bin cut down two Ghost Servants, the remaining ones' ferocity was thoroughly roused.

The Ghost Servants had been hiding inside the coffins, using them as shelter from the sun. Now they abandoned their cover and sprang at Chen Bin like hungry wolves, claws bared.

With the black blade in hand, Chen Bin remained utterly composed amid the onrushing Ghost Servants.

Every swing sent out a fierce gust of blade wind, as if it could cleave the air itself.

[You have slain a Ghost Servant and gained 10 Merit. Remaining Merit: 641.]

With the last Ghost Servant down, the battle finally ended.

That was 70 Merit in the bag.

Chen Bin slowly lowered his blade and surveyed the wreckage strewn across the ground. His brows furrowed as he sank into deep thought.

"Chen Bin, how are things?" Chen Chong hurried over, looking at Chen Bin, whose hair had been dyed red by the blood mist. He seemed to have returned from hell.

It was the middle of the afternoon, when the heat should have been blazing.

Yet as Chen Chong walked across the ground stained with black liquid, an inexplicable chill washed over him. A coldness shot from the soles of his feet straight to his heart.

"Something's wrong," Chen Bin said gravely.

"What's wrong?"

Chen Chong asked in confusion. Chen Bin had fought to his heart's content, and the battle had ended perfectly. What could possibly be wrong?

"There are no children!" Chen Bin said in a low voice.

Chen Chong froze. No children?

He quickly scanned his surroundings, then closed his eyes and carefully recalled the battle.

Sure enough, there wasn't a single memory of a child.

How could a village not have even one child?

It made no sense at all.

"Go back to the county and tell the Demon Suppression Division to send someone important over," Chen Bin ordered solemnly. "There's a major case here."