Greed

If those few men had still been able to maintain their earlier momentum, they might have caused Lu Bai considerable trouble.

Although he could use the Vitality Module to replenish himself, Lu Bai's exhaustion was very real.

Unfortunately, not everyone was as battle-crazed as Lu Bai.

Combat required taking many factors into account, and one's mental state was also extremely important.

No one could remain in a state of intense concentration, nerves drawn taut like a bowstring, forever.

Lu Bai had managed to hold on longer than most, but only a little longer.

The moment their momentum faltered, their minds grew unsettled, and all kinds of distracting thoughts crept in.

Thoughts of fleeing, fear of death, and worries about the punishment they might face if they failed their mission, among others.

Their attention was no longer entirely on the fight, and their strength dropped sharply.

The victory was all but certain now.

Watching it all unfold, Young Master Luo felt as if his own blood were surging with excitement.

It was an indisputable, exhilarating victory!

Yet Lu Bai seemed somewhat dissatisfied. He watched the two men ride away and sighed inwardly.

He still had a long way to go.

He hadn't managed to wipe out all the enemies. In the end, he had let two of them escape.

He put away the other Vitality Module in his hand, deciding not to use it.

Given his constitution, using the Blood Burning Technique twice in such a short time was already pushing it, even with the [Vitality] Module as his primary fuel.

Using it a third time might cause some irreversible damage.

It wasn't worth it just to chase down two men who were already scared out of their wits.

Lu Bai extracted the Modules from the corpses, then examined the various Modules he had obtained.

He had to admit, this group had greatly diversified his collection.

For example, he had obtained two [Spear] Modules, though they belonged to different categories: one Elemental Module and one Release Module. He had also obtained [Blade] and [Sword] Release Modules.

The Elemental Modules included [Silence], while the Control Modules included [Mind Movement], and so on.

The rest were basic Modules such as [Internal Force], [Meridian], and [Acupoint].

"I still lost a few." Lu Bai stood beside a corpse, but even after waiting for a long time, no Module condensed.

Clearly, this man hadn't been killed directly by Lu Bai. He had died of his wounds.

If Lu Bai had been nearby at the time, perhaps a Module would have condensed right away.

But Lu Bai had been busy fighting, and the chance to condense one had passed.

By contrast, he had managed to extract a Module from the man he had killed earlier with a direct blow from his spear.

"Is Module extraction determined by a causal connection? Are there other hidden conditions, like timing?"

"And then there's this." A golden Module appeared in Lu Bai's hand.

It was the Elemental Module condensed by Uncle Zhong.

Energy Elemental Module [Resentment], resentment. Description: Birth, aging, sickness, death; resentment and hatred; parting from loved ones; being unable to obtain what one desires; the suffering of the five skandhas; resentment toward the madman blocking the road; resentment toward the young master for causing trouble; resentment toward the Luo Family for turning against him; resentment at his own powerlessness; resentment toward Hundred Flower Grave for treating him like a joke; resentment toward Lianwu Mountain for killing his entire family.

As Lu Bai held the Module, the resentment within it conjured visions before his eyes.

In the vision, the young man's entire family was slaughtered, and he alone narrowly escaped with his life. He tried to join Hundred Flower Grave, but they rejected him, calling him a stray dog.

With nowhere else to turn, he sold himself to the Luo Family and became one of their servants. Through sheer determination, he eventually rose to become the Luo Family's steward.

It was on that day that he was given a new name.

"Your past no longer matters. You must let go of the resentment in your heart. From now on, the Luo Family is everything to you. I name you Zhong!"

"But I can't let it go!"

"Resentment only grows stronger with time, until it sinks deep into your bones."

At that point, the vision disappeared.

Lu Bai put away the [Resentment] Module, considering it an unexpected windfall.

"An Energy Elemental Module? Is this a new category?"

From what he could tell, this cube had the Energy Module's inherent property of being energy, while also being able to imbue other things with a corresponding quality.

Even if the resentment within it ran out, it could be replenished through other means.

Unlike a regular Energy Module, it wouldn't simply vanish once its energy was used up.

"And Uncle Zhong killed himself. I never laid a hand on him. Can this kind of special Module only be condensed through a willing act like that, or is there some other trick to it that I don't know about?"

Lu Bai pondered the question. The [Resentment] Module was very useful, but he couldn't use it.

Resentment as a form of energy might only be usable by those who practiced ghost-related systems or some other strange energy-based path.

Lu Bai's foundations were almost entirely rooted in the Martial Path.

Unless there was a form of Martial Arts compatible with resentment, it would be difficult to make use of this thing.

"Still, it's a valuable asset. Perhaps I can trade it for something I need later."

"Mr. Lu Bai!" Just then, Young Master Luo knelt before him once more, his eyes brimming with fervor.

"Oh, you haven't left yet? You're safe now." Lu Bai didn't pay much attention to Young Master Luo.

"I wish to become your disciple, Mr. Lu Bai." Young Master Luo paid no mind to Lu Bai's tone. He was in a state of intense excitement.

It was only natural for one's personality to change drastically in such a state.

"My deal with that man was only to keep you safe this once." Lu Bai studied him, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Uncle Zhong had clearly not been wholly loyal. And when he killed himself to apply pressure, his goal had not simply been to make Young Master Luo back down. He had a deeper purpose.

"So this is a different deal." Young Master Luo spoke up. "It concerns secrets involving Lianwu Mountain, the Luo Family, the Holy Land, and Hundred Flower Grave."

"You must be very interested in those, sir."

Lu Bai raised an eyebrow. This kid was involved in some pretty major secrets.

"You probably wouldn't be able to learn the path I follow." Lu Bai's own methods weren't suited to others.

"A master doesn't necessarily have to teach Martial Arts." The youth was like a different person from before.

"Fine. I'll teach you a few things that can help you grow stronger faster." Lu Bai nodded. He didn't care much about the master-and-disciple relationship.

It was only a deal. A change in status wouldn't stir up any feelings between them.

A Greedy One was someone with exceptionally strong desires of their own. The key was that the desires were their own, all meant to satisfy themselves.

And emotions were just another kind of desire.

Lu Bai would no longer waste his emotions on anyone else.

Second update. Good night, everyone! Remember to cast your free recommendation votes today.