Borrowing Money to Repay Life, All Sacrificed

Even with Chu Ge intentionally holding back, Fu Wei, who was in the Bone Training Realm, was still severely wounded, almost to the point of death.

His two subordinates, merely in the Skin Refining and Muscle Refining Realms, posed no threat to Chu Ge.

Numerous Shadow Puppets flickered and darted through the room, initially just a slight obstruction.

Unexpectedly, both of them were startled and didn't dare to break through the encirclement. In a flash, Chu Ge easily subdued them.

The few of them looked terrified as the Shadow Puppets rapidly shriveled and then, like kites pulled by invisible strings, flew back to the walls. They had never witnessed such devilish and illusory techniques, and they all felt fear towards the indifferent Chu Ge.

What terrifying monster had they provoked this time?

Why did someone with the powerful strength of the Blood Change Realm remain so low-key, lying dormant in Linyuan City?

Soon, all three were thrown into a corner, and Chu Ge began his interrogation.

If you don't cut the grass at the roots, it will grow back with the spring breeze.

These people seemed organized and premeditated, having targeted him long ago. He wondered if there were other accomplices observing outside.

Chu Ge didn't like the idea of killing a few people only for more to show up a couple of days later, disturbing his peaceful and leisurely life as a craftsman.

"Who are you people? There aren't any like you in Linyuan City. Do you have any accomplices?"

"...You can't kill me. You'll bring a lot of trouble. Otherwise, even your eldest sister from the Hidden Water Sect... cough cough... might not be able to protect you."

Fu Wei spoke with difficulty. His internal organs were shattered, and his lungs were pierced by his own bones. Every breath he took now caused more pain and suffocation. His eyes were bloodshot, and he was only sustained by a strong will to survive.

"Oh? You actually know about my eldest sister."

Chu Ge's expression was surprised. He had only intended to injure them to the point of near death to question them, out of caution.

He hadn't expected to actually get something out of it. Could these people be enemies his eldest sister had made?

He immediately smiled faintly, "Tell me, who exactly are you, and what's your background?"

"Heaven and... cough... Heaven and Earth Incense Cult."

Fu Wei's forehead was covered in sweat as he said with difficulty, "I am an outer disciple of the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult and the boss of the Thirteen Golden Spear Bandits. Ever since we were recruited by the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult, we've had to regularly pay tribute money to the sect each month.

Moreover, our sect already has a mission to plunder wealthy merchants. I... I was actually forced. The higher-ups ordered me to choose a target to plunder.

If... if the outer envoy at that stronghold doesn't see my tribute money this month, they will definitely come looking for me. You won't be able to escape either, because I've already submitted the list of targets for this operation."

"Heaven and Earth Incense Cult..."

Chu Ge pondered. He had vaguely heard of this heretical sect. They seemed to enjoy plundering wealthy merchants and even developing their followers to openly oppose the Great Zhou, intending to rebel.

He stared intently at Fu Wei, trying to gauge the truthfulness of his words.

However, it was difficult to discern anything from the expression of this old hand.

He smiled coldly, "Where is the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult's stronghold?"

Fu Wei was stunned. He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and sneered, "Even if I tell you the stronghold's location, would you dare to go? Our Dharma Protector is also in the Blood Change Realm and has learned the sect's Mysterious Power Secret Method. If you dare to go, I'll admire you as a true man."

"Blood Change Realm... Mysterious Power Secret Method?" Chu Ge frowned.

It sounded like it was indeed very powerful, which was troublesome.

Given his temperament, he would only act when he had absolute certainty and wouldn't easily put himself in danger.

However, if he sacrificed the people in front of him to the Dragon Bell, combined with the accumulated mysterious power within the Dragon Bell now, it should be enough for him to use his Left Path Skill to create some paper talismans with powerful effects, thereby increasing his combat strength.

"You don't need to provoke me. I'll ask again, is what you said true?"

Chu Ge lowered his eyelids slightly, flipped his palm, and a small knife as thin as a cicada's wing appeared in his hand. He then took a ruler from his back belt.

"You... what do you want to do..."

Fu Wei's eyelids twitched. "Everything I said is true. If you kill me, you'll be in a lot of trouble."

"You've already submitted the target list. You'll find me sooner or later anyway, so why are you afraid of trouble?"

"You just praised my craftsmanship. This time, I'll let you witness another of my skills: making Shadow Puppets. You have thick skin and flesh, which will make for good material..."

A flash of blade light.

"Ah--"

No matter how tough a man Fu Wei was, he was terrified by Chu Ge's words. Now, feeling the intense pain, he let out a scream.

The two subordinates beside him were also seasoned fighters who lived by the sword, but the strangeness and terror they witnessed today far surpassed anything they had experienced before. They also screamed, scared out of their wits, regretting that they had entered the Chu family residence with their left foot tonight.

More than ten breaths later.

Chu Ge, holding a blood-stained knife, looked at the two terrified and urinated bandits and said with a smile, "He's already confessed almost everything. It's your turn. Say thank you."

"Uh... ah?"

Both bandits were already mentally disoriented from fear, their faces contorted.

"Say thank you, and I'll give you a quick end!"

A moment later, three corpses lay on the ground.

Chu Ge certainly wouldn't show mercy to such thugs who committed murder and robbery at night.

After some intimidation and interrogation, he managed to get the information he wanted.

Fu Wei had indeed reported the merchant roster to the stronghold and revealed its location and the number of experts there. He even spilled the beans about his brothers outside the city.

The other two subordinates, however, knew nothing.

With no other choice, the kind-hearted Chu Ge put them out of their misery quickly, sparing them further torture.

"The Heaven and Earth Incense Cult, this is troublesome. I didn't expect them to be more than ordinary bandits. The tree may desire stillness, but the wind will not cease…

I just want to quietly hone my skills and be a wealthy young master, why is it so difficult? To be targeted by the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult as a rich man.

Fortunately, I'm not the only one on that roster."

Chu Ge pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from his hands and the knife. He stared at the four corpses on the ground and crouched down to loot them.

In the end, he found scattered among them two fifty-tael silver notes and dozens of taels in loose silver.

These men had come to rob him but instead gifted him nearly two hundred taels of silver.

"Rest in peace!"

Chu Ge casually reached out, and the blue Dragon Bell tattoo on his right wrist flashed. Instantly, Fu Wei's corpse was sacrificed into the Dragon Bell.

A golden light flashed in the center of the bell, and a corpse was added.

"Fu Wei: Profile: (Bone Training Realm martial artist, registered disciple of the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult's outer circle, skilled in the Grandmaster level Thirteen Golden Spear style and the Minor Accomplishment Iron Wire Fist.)"

Soon, the other corpses were also successively sacrificed into the Dragon Bell.

"Liang Zhou: Profile: (Muscle Refining Realm martial artist, member of the Thirteen Golden Spear Bandits, skilled in the Minor Accomplishment Iron Cutting Palm.)"

"Wu Yong: Profile: (Skin Refining Realm martial artist, member of the Thirteen Golden Spear Bandits, skilled in the Beginner level Iron Crotch technique.)"

"Wu Sheng: Profile: (Skin Refining Realm martial artist, skilled in the Beginner level Iron Finger technique and the Minor Accomplishment Eavesdropping skill.)"

Seeing the information displayed in the center of the bell, Chu Ge shook his head inwardly. Apart from Fu Wei, the other three were useless.

The one who practiced the Iron Crotch technique had his eggs easily kicked open by him just now.

Judging by the Dragon Bell's ability to refine optimal traits, the greatest value these people might have was their martial arts, all of which would eventually be contributed.

However, these martial arts were not of much use to him. They would all be discarded in the end and refined into strange powers. He would take whatever he could get.

After perfectly disposing of the corpses, Chu Ge turned towards a table nearby and took out a large piece of cowhide.

After observing its thickness, he wrote down Fu Wei's measurements, marked them, and drew a human figure.

This was the Skin Painting Technique.

He had just measured Fu Wei's height, cut open the skin to check its thickness, and then roughly measured the cowhide to the correct size. This could be used to create a corresponding Shadow Puppet.

Since Fu Wei had indeed reported his objective, and the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult had targeted him as a wealthy individual, he had no choice but to prepare to face the Iron Badge outer envoy.

At that time, a Shadow Puppet version of Fu Wei would be very useful.

In the past, Chu Ge had made Shadow Puppets based on imagined characters or by referencing himself; he hadn't needed such precise measurements.

Since these ruthless criminals who plundered and raped had delivered themselves to his doorstep, he didn't mind taking samples during interrogation and then using his excellent Skin Painting Technique to create a lifelike Fu Wei.

Although it would only be an empty shell, combined with poison hidden within, it could achieve a miraculous effect.

Based on Fu Wei's confession, he had at least ten days to prepare.

Ten days later was the time for Fu Wei to submit the tribute money.

Only then, if Fu Wei failed to go to the stronghold to pay, would the Iron Badge outer envoy notice something was amiss.

"Ten days… enough time for me to stabilize my realm and create some talismans of strange power.

However, Fu Wei still has some brothers outside the city, which is a problem that needs to be dealt with."

Chu Ge's eyes flickered slightly. He casually activated a mechanism in the room, entered it, and immersed the drawn cowhide in a vat filled with liquid.