Bewitching Woman, Red Pill Secret Technique

Although the secret techniques of the Witch Sect were marvelous, Lu Chen knew clearly that they were not something he could easily touch.

Over fifty people, including the round-faced shaman and his peers, had practiced this secret technique.

In the end, only a handful had actually succeeded.

Knowing his own aptitude was mediocre, he realized that if he wanted to get ahead in this world, he had to rely on the safer and more reliable method of spending money to draw cards.

He truly dared not gamble on such a perilous path.

Since he couldn't trigger a quest card pool here, there was no need to waste time.

He did not give a definitive refusal, merely stating that he needed to deliberate further, before taking his leave.

On the way down the mountain.

It was the dead of winter, and the mountain wind bit like a blade.

On the stone steps, a young girl was walking upward alone.

The mountain path was cold and desolate, yet she wore only a thin black dress. With a small, pointed chin, red lips, and fair skin, she was exceptionally striking. The dress was short, barely covering her thighs, and the legs beneath were slender and straight, tightly wrapped in a layer of sheer, black-silk-like stockings. They were so thin they showed skin, shimmering with a slick, greasy luster.

She wore no shoes, her small, silk-clad feet stepping directly onto the coarse, icy bluestone stairs, yet the tips and soles of the stockings remained free of dust, as clean as if they had just been put on.

This sight left the rough-hewn villagers and hunters passing by stunned on the spot, their lower abdomens heating up and their gazes burning.

A crude hunter could no longer restrain himself; he stepped forward to block the girl, grinning with yellow teeth: "Little sister, it's cold out. How about big brother warms your feet for you?"

The girl looked up at him and actually smiled sweetly: "Alright."

The hunter was overjoyed and hurriedly bent down to grab those jade-like feet.

No one saw how she moved.

In an instant, the hunter's head was severed, rolling down the stone steps with a rhythmic thud.

The headless body swayed twice before collapsing to the ground, warm blood gushing out and spreading across the bluestone.

Only then did the crowd snap out of their stupor, several shrill screams erupting: "Murder! Run!"

The girl, however, seemed to have found amusement. As her figure moved again, several more people collapsed with muffled thuds. She licked a drop of blood that had splashed onto her lips, a morbid flush rising to her cheeks as she revealed an expression of intoxication.

Lu Chen frowned. Such a fast blade; even with his keen eyesight, he had only caught a glimpse of a blurred shadow.

This girl was definitely a martial artist who had entered the External Strength realm.

As he was secretly pondering, the girl suddenly turned her head and looked at him, her eyes deep and dark, as if she were appraising him, or perhaps playing with him.

A chill ran down Lu Chen's spine. He hurriedly lowered his head and walked toward the foot of the mountain, his steps quick and urgent.

Behind him, the girl watched his fleeing back and let out a peal of giggles.

Lu Chen ran all the way down the mountain, his heart still racing. He had no idea what the girl's background was—to kill so wantonly while looking so satisfied—or what she intended to do at the Witch Sect temple.

He secretly rejoiced at having escaped so quickly, then looked up at the sky; the hour was still early.

Since he couldn't trigger a quest at the Witch Sect, he might as well try his luck at the Red Pill Sect.

The Red Pill Sect's temple was located in the North City.

It was the most prosperous area in Wen'an County, lined with brothels, taverns, and gambling dens—a place for entertainment, dining, and pleasure.

It was a place where, as long as one had silver, one would never struggle to find a way to pass the time.

The temple had just been completed, a brand-new building with vermilion-painted pillars and upturned eaves, built more lavishly than its neighbors. Looking at its scale and style, it even bore a slight resemblance to a Taoist temple.

However, the entrance was desolate, with only two or three pilgrims coming and going.

As Lu Chen was observing from the outside, a man in red clothes greeted him from within, smiling: "Little brother, what are you looking at outside? Come in and take a look. Our Red Pill Sect is very efficacious; we can cure illnesses, ward off disasters, and nourish the body to prolong life—living to a hundred is no problem at all!"

Lu Chen sneered inwardly. These sects were no different from the pyramid schemes of his past life; one promised wealth, the other touted miracle cures. He had never believed in such things, but he merely nodded and stepped inside.

The hall was bright with incense and candles. The moment he stepped in, a few lines of small text suddenly floated before his eyes:

[Quest: Become a believer of the Red Pill Sect's North City branch.]

[Reward: Unlock the "Red Pill Secret Technique" card pool.]

It... triggered just like that? Lu Chen muttered to himself.

He had struggled for half a day at the Witch Sect with no result, yet it was so simple here.

He couldn't be bothered to overthink it; he would just get the matter at hand done first.

Lu Chen turned and asked the man in red: "Brother, if I want to join the sect, what do I need to do?"

The man grinned: "Simple! Just donate some incense money to show your sincerity. The minimum is one hundred wen."

Lu Chen didn't say much; he fished out a string of coins and slapped it into the man's hand.

The man collected it deftly and reached into his robe, pulling out a small yellow paper packet to hand over: "This is the blessed medicine of Laojun, offered for forty-nine days. If anyone in your home falls ill or suffers from bad luck, dissolve it in water and drink it; it has miraculous effects."

Lu Chen took the paper packet, and suddenly, a line of golden text floated before his eyes:

[Quest completed]

[Unlocked exclusive card pool: Red Pill Secret Technique]

With the task complete, Lu Chen greased his heels and slipped out of the temple, ducking into a deserted dead-end alley. Rubbing his hands together, he felt an itch in his heart and hurriedly began to ponder that newly unlocked gacha pool.

Chronicles of Jianghu Heroes

Basic Pool: Entering the Jianghu

Single draw: 150 wen; Ten-pull: 1350 wen.

Martial Arts Pool: Proud Snow Cold Plum

Single draw: 150 wen; Ten-pull: 1350 wen.

Exclusive Martial Arts Pool: Red Pill Secret Technique

Single draw: 1 tael of silver; Ten-pull: 9 taels of silver.

Seeing these draw prices, Lu Chen froze.

Good grief, a single draw costs a whole tael of silver—this is damn expensive!

But on second thought, there must be a reason for the high price; such an expensive pool might truly hide superior martial arts.

With a pool this pricey, perhaps it contains some top-tier martial arts.

Lu Chen steeled his heart, stopped overthinking, and chose to perform a single draw.

A new draw animation flashed by.

Once it finished, a green card emerged:

Martial Arts Fusion

Effect: Can merge two different martial arts into one, creating a new technique.

"Huh?"

Lu Chen's gaze landed on the card description. This card was somewhat similar to the entry fusion card he had drawn last time.

"Sigh, I thought I'd drawn a new martial art."

The flicker of anticipation that had just risen in his heart instantly cooled by half.

Currently, the martial arts he had mastered were Plum Blossom Fist and a movement technique called Treading Snow Seeking Plum.

"I wonder what new technique will emerge if these two are fused. Oh well, I'll know once I try."

With a thought, he activated "Fusion" on the two martial arts.

As the light faded, a new martial art appeared:

[Plum Blossom Quick Fist]

New Special Effect: Double Strike.

Effect: When activated, adds one swift strike, forming two rapid, consecutive punches.

This special effect was actually quite practical.

Lu Chen's heart stirred, as if he could already see his fists raining down on someone like raindrops.

That one-tael silver draw didn't seem like such a loss after all.

With over five taels of silver left on him, Lu Chen decided not to draw any more cards, intending instead to find Jin Ming and collect his payment for the grain transport from the other day.

He first ran to the martial arts hall but came up empty, then found Jin Ming's house, only for the old gatekeeper to say the young master had gone out to play.

After asking around, Lu Chen finally tracked him down at a brothel in the North City.

Jin Ming was still fuming over the failed grain transport and the subsequent scolding from his father; seeing Lu Chen, he didn't offer a pleasant look, asking coldly, "What is it?"

Lu Chen stated his purpose.

Jin Ming curled his lip in disdain.

He had been drinking alone in the brothel from dawn until now and was already seven or eight parts drunk. Seeing Lu Chen come to ask for money at such a time, he couldn't even be bothered to keep up the facade of being brothers.

A mud-legged peasant scraping by in the South City, he really had no sense of timing. Couldn't he see that the master was annoyed? He really was damn ignorant of the situation.

His tone was arrogant: "The grain was robbed by bandits and the job was botched, yet you're still thinking about getting paid?"