Status Rises with the Tide

Luo Bin descended the stairs, deep in thought. The methods for obtaining Modification Points and Spirit Charms were now crystal clear.

In this chaotic era where martial arts and demonic aberrations ran rampant, guns and gunpowder were effective when humans fought humans. But when it came to dealing with demons and specters, these firearms were nearly useless.

This was the rule he had summarized after his first real fight with a ghostly entity today.

A specter roughly corresponding to a late-stage Golden Skin Pass Martial Master was already this troublesome, and it even had its own innate ability. This stirred a strong sense of crisis in Luo Bin's heart.

Still not strong enough!

Otherwise, why would he have been entangled with that female ghost for so long?

And then there was Zhang Huai's mention of the Pengze Lake flood dragon, the demonic aberrations outside the city... He needed to find a chance to kill more demons and specters...

First, stockpile the Modification Points. As for Spirit Charms... it depended on how much the Chen Family was willing to bet on him to obtain that former dynasty's "Eight Great Miraculous Arts."

Luo Bin was now brimming with ambition... cultivation all depended on painstaking management.

"Maybe in the future, I can cooperate with Hall Master Luo to hunt demons and specters together and earn Modification Points..."

Luo Bin didn't plan to use the 7 Modification Points he had earned from killing the red qipao female ghost. Moreover, behind Primordial Stance and White Ape Through-Arm Fist, the plus sign for Modification Points hadn't appeared.

It was likely that the amount wasn't enough. But for now, these two techniques were still sufficient... White Ape Through-Arm Fist could no longer be called a technique, really...

It should be considered a fierce and brutal martial art.

Luo Bin snapped back to reality and looked down the stairs. Golden-haired, blue-eyed foreigners, opera geishas, merchants, politicians, and even Chen Jing and his men were all staring at him.

The light from the crystal chandelier fell on Luo Bin, sharply outlining every inch of his taut, muscular frame.

A woman in a woolen coat and silk felt hat whispered, "What a strong body, what a handsome figure, my goodness!"

"Is this the young man the Chen Family brought in? Just entering Golden Skin Pass and already able to spar with a specter nearing Jade Bone Pass?"

The crowd, composed of celebrities, wealthy elites, and foreign merchants, all had some understanding of martial arts within their circles. Seeing Luo Bin, they all marveled at his youth.

Chen Jing immediately stepped forward. Because of Luo Bin's astonishing performance and the fact that he was a bit older, Chen Jing changed his address: "Brother Luo, are you hurt? Is it handled upstairs?"

Luo Bin smiled faintly, a little surprised by Chen Jing's change in attitude. "It's nothing. That thing is gone..."

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.

Ever since the collapse of the former Great Li dynasty and the Westerners' grip on the nation's gates, demonic aberrations and ghosts had taken advantage of the chaos, emerging from deep mountains, old forests, rivers, and lakes to plague the world.

The Great New News reported almost every month on which city or county had been hit by a specter, slaughtering entire villages or towns, or which warlord's arsenal had been overturned by a mountain demon...

Ordinary people were terrified of demons and specters to the bone. Even aristocratic families had to spend heavily to retain Martial Masters just to protect their homes.

But this youth, only sixteen or seventeen, could single-handedly fight a specter approaching Jade Bone Pass...

Luo Bin showed no arrogance. After chatting with Chen Jing for a bit, he was alerted by the crowd to the bloody scene outside—a dozen people lying in pools of blood.

In the distance, Chen Tianren, whom Luo Bin had never met before, slowly walked toward the entrance of Moon Veil Nightclub, followed by Luo Wendi. As soon as they stepped through the door, smiles spread across their faces.

"Everyone, today my Chen Family acted improperly. We should have closed for the night, yet this big incident occurred. Chen Jing, take your men and escort these guests safely off Bincha Street..."

Chen Tianren apologized to the crowd in the hall. Chen Jing hurriedly got up and organized his men to evacuate the crowd. The flow of people inside Moon Veil Nightclub quickly spilled out.

This hellish place was no place for people. Watching the excitement was one thing, but getting caught up in the conflict would turn any grin into a grimace.

Hu Junzhi leaned in and whispered the full situation into Chen Tianren's ear before stepping aside.

Chen Tianren then walked over to Luo Bin, took off his coat, and draped it over the youth's shoulders. "Good lad, well done. Breaking into Golden Skin Pass in one night and killing a specter nearing Jade Bone Pass... You're far more promising than that boy Chen Jing."

In the corner, Old Zhou, a reporter from Ping City Evening News, scribbled furiously in his notebook, his pen tip nearly tearing through the paper.

His eyes gleamed as he muttered to himself, "Headline! Absolute headline! 'Young Hero Shatters Specter with Bare Hands, Chen Family Treats Him as Half a Son'!

No, it needs to be even more explosive! 'Breaks Golden Skin Overnight, Fist Shakes Moon Veil Pavilion, Ping City's New Martial Champion Luo Bin Bursts onto the Scene!'"

As the current head of the Chen Family, Chen Tianren's every move was naturally based on the family's survival. Luo Bin was the irreplaceable candidate to inherit the miraculous art "Yellow Court Inner Landscape," making his importance to the Chen Family self-evident.

Luo Bin turned slightly, showing neither flustered gratitude nor arrogant pride. He simply nodded slightly:

"Patriarch, you flatter me. The Second Young Master trusted me, so I protected him. That was simply my duty."

Hearing this, Luo Wendi's eyes showed even more admiration.

A few days ago at the dock, this youth had turned the tables at the last moment and stabbed Meng Jiu to death—that was ruthlessness and decisiveness.

Today, facing a specter, he had struck out boldly and fought it alone—that was courage and responsibility.

And now, facing the lavish praise of the Chen Family Patriarch, he remained neither arrogant nor impatient, instead crediting Chen Jing. What kind of temperament was this for a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old lowly guard?

No wonder Elder Jiang said this boy had Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone, and even his temperament was one in ten thousand.

Chen Tianren laughed heartily and reached out to pat Luo Bin on the shoulder, his palm heavy and steady:

"Well said—simply my duty! Chen Jing befriending you and bringing you into the Chen Family is his fortune.

From today onward, the Qinghui Courtyard beside Qufang Garden in the mansion is yours. The estate's herbs, armory, and silver—anything you need for your cultivation, just ask."

These words struck like thunder, drawing sharp gasps from the celebrities and merchants who hadn't yet left.

What kind of family was the Chen Family?

The top aristocratic family in Ping City. Even with Old Master Chen Shuo gone, a lean camel was still bigger than a horse. In Ping City, they were still not to be trifled with.

And now he was giving a newly hired bodyguard the same treatment as his own legitimate children?

In the corner, Su Yunong and Hong Ling exchanged a glance. Having clawed their way through Ping City for years, they knew how to read a room—Chen Tianren's words weren't about taking on a subordinate.

He was clearly treating this youth like an adopted son...

After being intimidated by the heavy machine gun outside, Sun Jingyao's original plan to catch a turtle in a jar had failed. Now he hurried over to make amends, a respectful smile plastered on his face as he strode up to Chen Tianren and bowed deeply:

"Uncle Chen, today's affair was entirely my fault for being deceived by that villain Ran Shaohua. In a moment of foolishness, I did such a stupid thing. I beg your forgiveness."

He knew full well that Chen Tianren had brought a heavy machine gun into the street to slaughter the turncoats of White Moon Hall—it was a warning to all.

Luo Wendi wasn't dead, Ran Shaohua's scheme had fallen apart, and if the Sun Family kept pushing back, the next one riddled with bullets would be him.

Chen Tianren gave him a cold glance, his face expressionless:

"Nephew Sun, go back and tell your father that even if the old man of the Chen Family is gone, we're not some mangy dog anyone can take a bite out of."

"Yes, yes, yes, I'll remember. Thank you for your generosity, Uncle!"

Sun Jingyao, as if granted a pardon, didn't dare lift his head and scurried away with his men.

Watching Sun Jingyao's fleeing back, Chen Tianren turned to Luo Wendi and said, "Wendi, leave the rest of the cleanup to you. Reorganize the Moon Mantle—clear out the ones who need to go. Also, starting tomorrow, Black Sheath Hall will break away from the Green Bamboo Gang."