Red Robe Daoist?

There were elders of the Dragon Clan, protectors of the Phoenix Clan, and several Ink Jade Qilins as large as mountains.

Judging by the lingering pressure emanating from them, every one of these mighty beings had been at the late Golden Immortal stage or even the early Taiyi Golden Immortal stage in life!

Clearly, this place had just witnessed a brutal battle to the death over the Spirit Spring.

"Such a fine place. A real treasure trove."

A flash of golden light gleamed in Lu Changsheng's eyes. He dispelled the Breath Concealment Talisman, then strode right in with the Mysterious Yellow Shield over his head.

"Fellow Daoists, the Tribulation of Measure shows no mercy. Your lives have ended, and your paths have vanished. I've come to deliver you and cleanse this land of its filth."

Lu Changsheng confidently made his way to the corpse of a late Golden Immortal Qilin.

The Qilin had been pierced through the heart by the Phoenix Clan's Southern Bright Separation Fire. Though it was dead, the karmic force and fire poison in its body continued to eat away at the surrounding earth.

Lu Changsheng sat cross-legged and forced a wisp of golden Great Dao Merit from his fingertip.

"Disperse!"

The golden light sank into the Qilin's corpse, and its rampaging karmic force melted away like snow under the sun. The immense body turned into pure earth-element spiritual energy, nourishing the ruined valley.

And the moment the corpse vanished,

"Whoosh."

A Storage Jade Ring dropped to the ground.

Without so much as blinking, Lu Changsheng swept his sleeve and drew the ring into his possession.

"One soul delivered, service fee settled. Next."

His movements were practiced, like a skilled worker on an assembly line.

He went to the Dragon Clan elder, delivered him, and took the Storage Dragon Pearl.

He went to the Phoenix Clan protector, delivered him, and took the Storage Feather Plume.

In less than half an hour, he had thoroughly cleared away the dozen or so corpses of mighty beings in the valley.

The dense baleful energy was purified, and the polluted Ethereal Wood Spirit Spring gradually regained a hint of clarity.

"Vmm!"

The Heavenly Dao responded. Another generous mass of Mysterious Yellow Merit descended and merged into Lu Changsheng's body.

"Refreshing."

Feeling the Dharma power within him grow ever fuller, Lu Changsheng grinned more brightly than a blooming chrysanthemum.

A life where he didn't have to risk his neck, and could rake in money and Merit with only a flick of his fingers, was the carefree immortal life he'd dreamed of.

Just as he was preparing to leave the valley and look for another place,

Cowardly Immortal Vine suddenly stirred faintly.

Lu Changsheng immediately stopped and turned to look deeper into the valley.

From a ruined bamboo grove behind the Spirit Spring came the faint sound of labored breathing, along with a pulse of Dharma power being forcibly suppressed.

"Hm? Anyone still alive?"

Lu Changsheng raised an eyebrow, alertness rising in his heart.

He didn't hurry closer. Instead, he drew the Mysterious Yellow Shield's light barrier in slightly,

so that it clung tightly to his skin. That way, he could maintain absolute defense without appearing too conspicuous.

He stepped on dead branches and made his way into the ruined bamboo grove, one step at a time.

Deep in the grove, behind a massive blue-gray boulder,

a Daoist in a red robe sat cross-legged. His face was somewhat aged, yet carried a hint of compassion.

The Daoist was in dire straits.

A horrific wound, deep enough to expose bone, gaped across his chest. Dense black Tribulation Sha Qi coiled around it, constantly devouring his life force.

His cultivation was unfathomable, and he even seemed to carry the faint pressure of an early Daluo Golden Immortal. But now the Tribulation Sha Qi had reduced him to gasping weakness.

Before the Daoist lay a spirit fruit about the size of a fist, glowing faintly red.

The fruit seemed to have been contaminated by some terrible poison. Black spots covered its surface.

The Daoist was trying to purify the poison on the fruit with his own Dharma power. But each time he circulated his power, the baleful energy in his chest worsened, forcing a pained groan from his lips.

Hearing footsteps draw near,

the Red Robe Daoist abruptly opened his eyes. Though badly wounded, a trace of a mighty being's authority still flashed in them.

"Who's there?!"

When he saw that the one who had entered was a Fire Crow cultivator with only peak True Immortal cultivation, some of the wariness in his eyes eased, though his brows remained furrowed.

"This place is a dangerous land where Tribulation Sha Qi gathers. Young one, your cultivation is shallow. Leave at once, before you become entangled in karma and lose your life."

Though the Red Robe Daoist's voice was weak, it carried a note of kindness.

Hearing this, Lu Changsheng stopped and looked at the old Daoist in surprise.

In the Primordial Land, where everyone was now fighting with bloodshot eyes, most cultivators' first instinct upon meeting someone was to kill them and seize their treasures.

This old Daoist was almost dead himself, yet he still had the time to warn a stranger at the True Immortal stage to run?

This old man's a decent fellow.

Lu Changsheng silently remarked to himself.

He didn't leave. Instead, he examined the mass of baleful energy in the Red Robe Daoist's chest with interest.

"Senior."

Lu Changsheng cupped his hands and spoke casually.

"The baleful energy in your chest is Tribulation Resentment Poison, condensed from the deaths of mighty beings from the Dragon and Phoenix Clans."

"The more you use your Dharma power to suppress it, the faster it devours you. If you don't root it out in time, your Daluo Golden Immortal foundation will be destroyed in less than a hundred years."

Hearing this, the Red Robe Daoist gave a bitter smile.

"How could I not know? I was traveling here, intending to save several Innate Spiritual Roots caught in the flames of war. But I was accidentally caught in the self-detonation of mighty beings from the two clans, and this poison entered my body."

"This Tribulation Resentment Poison is born from the calamity energy of Heaven and Earth. Nothing short of great Merit or a great fortune can dispel it. My Dharma power is exhausted, so all I can do is leave it to fate."

At that, the Red Robe Daoist glanced at the red spirit fruit on the ground, regret flickering in his eyes.

"What a pity this Fire Date Spiritual Root. I nearly died protecting this one fruit, yet I still couldn't purify it..."

Great Merit? A great fortune?

At the words, Lu Changsheng's eyes lit up.

This was right in his area of expertise!

To anyone else, this Tribulation Resentment Poison was a death sentence. But to him, a walking Merit ATM, it was practically a big job handed right to his door!

"If Senior trusts me..."

Lu Changsheng smiled faintly and took two steps forward.

"I have a few humble methods that might help you out of this predicament."

The Red Robe Daoist froze, then shook his head.

"Young one, don't be reckless. You're only at the True Immortal stage. If this poison touches you, it'll scatter your True Spirit in an instant..."

But before the Daoist could finish, his words caught in his throat.

Lu Changsheng had already come right up to him. Without making any attempt to defend himself, he simply reached out a finger and touched the densest patch of black baleful energy on the Daoist's chest.

"Are you insane?!"

The Red Robe Daoist was horrified. He tried to push Lu Changsheng away, but it was already too late.

He could only watch as the terrifying baleful energy, as if it had found an outlet, poured madly through Lu Changsheng's finger and into his body.

"It's over... I've taken a life..."

The old Daoist lamented inwardly.

But—

In the next instant, the Red Robe Daoist's well-traveled eyes filled with unconcealed shock and disbelief.

The Tribulation Resentment Poison, powerful enough to corrode the foundation of a Daluo Golden Immortal, had entered Lu Changsheng's body—but it didn't turn him into a puddle of pus as expected.

Instead...

"Chh!"