Exchange

Meng Qi felt deeply resistant, but reason forced him to admit that Jiang Zhiwei made a lot of sense. Lightness Skill, External Hardening Kung Fu, and saber techniques—once he exchanged for all three and spent some time honing them, he would be completely transformed. He wouldn't be left in a position like this time, where he could only get lucky and kill Cheng Yong, and even then barely escape with his life.

"Junior Sister Jiang is absolutely right." At some point, Zhang Yuanshan had walked over, with Qi Xia and Qi Zhengyan following behind him.

"Senior Brother Zhang, have you finished your exchange?" Jiang Zhiwei asked in some surprise. She hadn't seen him go to the light pillar in the center.

Zhang Yuanshan smiled faintly. "Not yet. I remembered that the Lord of Six Paths Samsara specifically used two different terms at the beginning: 'companions' and 'those on the same side.' I guessed that we might be together again on our next mission, so I took the liberty of inviting Junior Sister Qi and Junior Brother Zhengyan over. I hope we can discuss things together before making our exchanges, pooling our wisdom so that each companion can grow as strong as possible and improve our chances of completing the next mission. That way, we won't have another tragedy like Junior Brother Qing Jing and Chieftain Yan."

His voice turned somewhat bleak near the end.

Meng Qi nodded slightly. He had to admit Zhang Yuanshan truly had a knack for leading a small team. He considered every aspect of a situation carefully and knew how to look after other people's feelings.

Zhang Yuanshan looked at Meng Qi. "Lightness Skill and External Hardening Kung Fu are what Junior Brother Zhending needs most right now. The Iron Cloth Shirt is especially suitable: it's not only an External Hardening Kung Fu, but also contains a basic internal cultivation method that can help you begin to consolidate your Dantian. It will also lay a solid foundation for you to practice Shaolin's peerless arts in the future, like Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill and Golden Bell Shield."

"Mm. Thank you for the advice, Senior Brother Zhang and Miss Jiang. I'll do as you say." Meng Qi gritted his teeth as he answered. It would be stylish to defeat his opponents with flair, good looks, and easy grace, and he certainly longed for that, but for now, he had to put his life first.

Zhang Yuanshan nodded, then turned to Jiang Zhiwei. "Junior Sister Jiang, you're short twenty Merit Points? Are you planning to exchange for the Heavenly Wisdom Pill?"

At the words "Heavenly Wisdom Pill," Qi Xia wore an expression that said she had expected as much, while Qi Zhengyan looked excited, as if he had long yearned for the pill.

"Yes, the Heavenly Wisdom Pill, for one hundred and ten Merit Points." Jiang Zhiwei wasn't surprised that Zhang Yuanshan had guessed correctly. She knew he would choose it first, too. "I've finished tempering all nine acupoints connected to the Ear Aperture. I'm only half a step away from opening both ear apertures. Originally, I planned to hone myself until I opened them naturally, but time is pressing now, so I can only improve as quickly as possible. I hope there'll be a long interval between missions in the future, so I can make up for it."

Just then, the Lord of Six Paths Samsara's voice suddenly rang out. "The interval between missions may be as short as one month or as long as three to five years."

"What about our next mission?" Zhang Yuanshan called out.

"Five hundred Merit Points for this information." The Lord of Six Paths Samsara was as cold as ever.

Jiang Zhiwei let out a breath. Seeing Meng Qi's bewildered expression, she kindly explained, "When opening an aperture, you can use a special spirit pill to help, but each kind of pill only works once. The next time, you need a better pill. For example, if I use the Heavenly Wisdom Pill to open my ear apertures, I can't use it again to open my nose apertures. I'd need a pill of at least the same grade as the Heavenly Sight Earthly Hearing Pill, which costs at least two hundred and sixty Merit Points."

"Even Sword Washing Pavilion isn't well-stocked with pills like that. If I want one, I'll have to make a contribution or have my master give me one from her personal collection."

"Still, unless you're in a hurry, it's best not to rely on pills to break through. They'll leave problems behind to some degree, and you'll have to put in hard work to correct them. Otherwise, advancing to a higher realm later will be much more difficult. Of course, the lower your realm, the easier it is to fix the problems."

Qi Zhengyan suddenly sighed. "For someone with ordinary aptitude like me, the hope of opening an aperture may rest entirely on pills like these. If I hadn't entered this Reincarnation World, what chance would someone like me have had to get even one Heavenly Wisdom Pill..."

Of course, many martial artists like him still had a chance to open an aperture with enough time and experience. But by then, they might be in their thirties or forties, with little time left to advance further.

Hearing Qi Zhengyan's words, Meng Qi felt he'd found a kindred spirit. It seemed that, like himself, Qi Zhengyan was at the bottom of his sect, with no hope of rising. This Reincarnation World was dangerous, but it was also an opportunity!

"Heh, the Miscellaneous Items List clearly says that the Lord of Six Paths Samsara can directly increase your inner force, temper your acupoints, open your apertures, or help you break through a realm," Qi Xia said with a smile. "It just costs more than the corresponding pills. Do you need him to do everything for you?"

Jiang Zhiwei said solemnly, "What someone else gives you can always be taken away. Only what belongs to you can be relied on to the end."

Qi Zhengyan nodded, his expression unruffled. It was impossible to tell whether her words had sunk in.

Zhang Yuanshan considered for a moment. "Junior Sister Jiang, why don't I lend you twenty Merit Points so you can exchange for the Heavenly Wisdom Pill?"

He pressed down with his right hand to stop Jiang Zhiwei from speaking, then continued, "I still have two of the nine acupoints connected to my ear apertures that haven't been tempered. If I rely on pills or the Lord of Six Paths Samsara to improve one time after another, I may leave myself with problems that can't be corrected later. So I plan to take it slowly. Besides, you're stronger than I am. If you improve, it'll help us more than if I do. Heh, I never thought you'd learn Sword Comes Without Self. Uncle Su had opened four apertures before he could use it!"

"'Sword Comes Without Self' is one of the nine killing moves of the Supreme Sword Scripture. It's a peerless art at the Dharma Body level and my master's signature move. I've only grasped a little of its essence. Even my master wouldn't claim to have mastered it." Knowing Meng Qi had little experience, Jiang Zhiwei deliberately explained in greater detail.

Meng Qi's gaze dropped to the jade booklet. As she spoke, its pages turned, stopping at "Sword Comes Without Self":

"'Sword Comes Without Self,' one of the nine killing moves of the Supreme Sword Scripture. Exchange price: eighteen thousand seven hundred Merit Points."

Meng Qi gaped at the price. It was worth that much even without the general principles, just for the move itself! Disciples of great sects truly had an enviable advantage!

"Whatever the case, once you open your ear apertures, Junior Sister Jiang, you won't be completely exhausted after using one move." Zhang Yuanshan spoke frankly and generously.

Jiang Zhiwei frowned. "What about you, Senior Brother Zhang? What are you planning to exchange for?"

Seeing Zhang Yuanshan act this way, Meng Qi felt both admiration and a little relief. Good thing I didn't refuse the loan just now. Otherwise, everyone would see Zhang Yuanshan as a paragon and me as a stingy, penny-pinching monk...

Suddenly, Meng Qi heard Jiang Zhiwei's voice enter his ears, as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Disciples like us, who inherit our sects' traditions, don't lack for resources, so we can be so carefree with our Merit Points. It's like the difference between a rich friend with a thousand taels of silver giving one tael to someone in need, and a poor friend with one tael giving five coins. Their kindness is equally sincere, but the latter's character and friendship are obviously more worthy of my admiration."

Meng Qi was delighted. Without realizing it, he had somehow become a man of noble character!

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he suddenly stiffened. Why hadn't anyone else reacted to Jiang Zhiwei's words?

Jiang Zhiwei chuckled. "Sound Transmission. Even though I haven't opened my mouth aperture, I can force it through with inner force. But I was injured earlier, and my energy flow was obstructed, so I had to focus entirely on my sword."

Zhang Yuanshan naturally couldn't hear what Jiang Zhiwei had said to Meng Qi. He smiled as he replied, "As Junior Sister Jiang said earlier, my strength lies in the Great Ultimate's defensive stance, but I can't bring out its offensive potential. The True Martial Seven Sections Scripture is also profound and mysterious even at the entry level, and I can't master it in a short time. So I've chosen a sword technique with stronger offensive power. Of course, for now I can only exchange for one move and study it."

"Hmm, which school's sword technique?" Hearing mention of swordsmanship, Jiang Zhiwei's whole face seemed to glow, dazzlingly beautiful.

"The Hidden Sword Tower's 'Darkness of Heaven and Earth,' from the Heaven's Wound Earth's Defect One Hundred Eight Swords. Heh, when it comes to offense, the Sword Washing Pavilion's techniques are among the best. But with Junior Sister Jiang here, I couldn't bring myself to exchange for one and study it." Zhang Yuanshan smiled as he spoke.

The Hidden Sword Tower was a Northern Zhou sect, one of the Six Sword Schools. It had long been spoken of alongside the Sword Washing Pavilion.

Jiang Zhiwei's gaze shifted. "The Heaven's Wound Earth's Defect One Hundred Eight Swords was derived from the Hidden Sword Tower's foundational sword technique, the Lifeless Thirteen Swords. It's a sword technique meant for staking your life. If we get the chance, I'll have to ask Senior Brother Zhang for a demonstration. And thank you for the Merit Points."

Meng Qi quietly glanced at the jade booklet. He saw that the Heaven's Wound Earth's Defect One Hundred Eight Swords was an Exterior-level sword art worth six thousand Merit Points. But if it was divided into the general principles and individual moves, the general principles cost one thousand Merit Points, while the other moves cost between forty and sixty each. Zhang Yuanshan had chosen a move worth fifty Merit Points, using up exactly what he had.

"I'm honored that Junior Sister Jiang is willing to accept my Merit Points," Zhang Yuanshan said cheerfully. "So I certainly won't charge 'nine out of thirteen' interest. Just pay me back the same amount after the next mission."

Pfft. Jiang Zhiwei and Qi Xia both burst out laughing. Meng Qi awkwardly raised his head, his old face reddening as he looked at the white clouds drifting across the sky.

"What if I die on the next mission?" Jiang Zhiwei asked with a sweet smile.

Zhang Yuanshan shook his head and smiled. "Then I'll consider it a mistake in judging character."

Jiang Zhiwei said nothing more. She turned to Meng Qi and asked, "Little Monk, have you decided which martial arts you want to exchange for?"

Meng Qi had been making his choices as he listened. He nodded and pointed at the jade booklet. "Following Senior Brother Zhang and Miss Jiang's advice, I've decided to exchange for the Shaolin Iron Cloth Shirt manual, the Eight Steps of Divine Travel manual, and the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber manual. They cost thirty, twenty, and thirty Merit Points, respectively. Actually, I wanted to exchange for the first three stages of Golden Bell Shield, but they cost one hundred and twenty Merit Points altogether, so I'll have to wait until next time."

He meant Shaolin's peerless art, Golden Bell Shield. The first four stages belonged to the Qi Accumulation Realm and cost twenty, forty, sixty, and one hundred Merit Points, respectively. Other versions of Golden Bell Shield were cheaper, but each stage was less effective than this one. After all, once the twelve stages of this Golden Bell Shield were perfected, one could attain the Vajra Dharma Body, impervious to all forms of harm!

The Iron Cloth Shirt from the main world had been derived from Golden Bell Shield as a shortcut technique. Its effect was roughly equivalent to mastering the first three stages. Shaolin's martial arts had a deep foundation and advanced step by step; only after mastering the first three stages could one achieve the same result as reaching the minor success stage of this Iron Cloth Shirt, when ordinary weapons could no longer pierce the skin.

So, since Meng Qi needed to improve in a short time, he ultimately chose the Iron Cloth Shirt instead of exchanging for only the first stage of Golden Bell Shield. But the Iron Cloth Shirt could evolve into Golden Bell Shield, and Meng Qi planned to retrain in Golden Bell Shield in the future to make up for the shortcut's shortcomings.

After carefully selecting his exchanges, Meng Qi had used up exactly all his Merit Points. Actually, he had originally wanted to exchange for the Hundred Changes of Divine Travel that Wei Xiaobao had learned. But since it had allowed a man with little martial skill to escape danger time and again, it was clearly no ordinary Lightness Skill. Even though it came from an age when martial arts had declined, it was still ranked among the strongest skills of the Qi Accumulation Realm and cost one hundred Merit Points. He could only give up on it with regret.

Fortunately, Meng Qi had later discovered the Eight Steps of Divine Travel. According to the detailed description, it was a simplified version of the Hundred Changes of Divine Travel. If one had exceptional martial talent, it was even possible to directly comprehend the Hundred Changes of Divine Travel from it.

"Exchange for manuals? Will you have time to practice them?" Qi Xia suddenly asked.

Meng Qi frowned and shook his head. "If I had a year, it wouldn't be a problem. But if your comprehension is good, the Eight Steps of Divine Travel is easy to pick up. Maybe I could learn the basics in a month. I only need to reach the entry level in Basic Blade Art, so a month should be enough for that, too."

Wei Xiaobao was an example.

Jiang Zhiwei thought for a moment. "Then exchange directly for the Iron Cloth Shirt and practice it. Once you've mastered this Iron Body Skill, you'll count as a third-rate expert. As for the saber techniques, I'll look around when I return to the sect and see if any of my fellow disciples picked up an ordinary saber manual."

Picked up... Meng Qi was a little embarrassed.

Practicing the Iron Cloth Shirt directly cost twice as many Merit Points, leaving just enough for the Eight Steps of Divine Travel.

"Sister Zhiwei, once you return to the Sword Washing Pavilion, will you have a chance to go to Shaolin? Besides, going there and back would waste time," Qi Xia said with a smile. "As it happens, I love reading, and I have a good memory. The Great River Gang has also collected quite a few ordinary manuals and miscellaneous texts. Why don't I write out a saber manual for Junior Brother Zhending?"

At that, she gave a cheeky laugh. "I know Senior Brother Zhang and Sister Zhiwei focus single-mindedly on practicing their sect's martial arts. They've only learned a little about ordinary manuals and miscellaneous subjects, so they'd have a hard time reciting any."

"That's right. I've only heard my master explain other martial arts during sparring practice," Zhang Yuanshan said honestly with a nod.

"So this little sister, who remembers all sorts of useless manuals and miscellaneous subjects, has an advantage," she said with a smile to Zhang Yuanshan. "I just organized some manuals and miscellaneous subjects and exchanged them with the Lord of Six Paths Samsara. I got fifty extra Merit Points. Uh, I only need to focus and recall them, and the manuals will appear."

"Heh, fortunately, some manuals were left over, including the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber Technique. According to the Lord of Six Paths Samsara, martial arts exchanged with him can't be taught to others again. But if you teach a manual you haven't exchanged to him, the Merit Points you can get for it are halved each time you teach it to someone. That doesn't apply if someone else teaches it."

Jiang Zhiwei and Zhang Yuanshan nodded slightly but said nothing more. For now, they couldn't bring themselves to exchange their sect's martial arts with the Lord of Six Paths Samsara, even though the manuals were already listed here. Qi Zhengyan, however, looked thoughtfully at the long sword in his hand.

"With Sister Qi providing the saber manual, we can settle on Meng Qi's exchanges," Jiang Zhiwei said after a moment's thought. "Why don't we watch him make them first? We might learn something from it."

"Good." The others had no objections, and Meng Qi was a little excited.

At the center of the White Jade Plaza, a pillar of light descended from the sky, hazy and ethereal, brimming with immortal energy.

Meng Qi stepped inside. On the exchange catalog that appeared before him, he first selected "Practice Iron Cloth Shirt Directly."