Ghost Moon Bone-Splitting

Magpie Nest, second floor.

Even though Sister Hua had specially sent someone to clean the room again, a faint stench still lingered in the air.

Lin Shu lowered his eyes slightly and casually examined the short blade in his hand.

These young kids were far too green. Whatever they were thinking showed plainly in their eyes. Give them the slightest opening and they took the bait.

There was nothing to be proud of in bullying a complete novice.

He was only recalling the sword's cry from earlier.

If that kid had really managed to unleash a sword technique, Lin Shu would probably have had no choice but to use an Immortal Method.

Mist was a rare thing that dwindled with every use.

Lin Shu had only just arrived and had yet to witness the methods of other cultivators. Even what the young master of a martial hall had revealed was enough to leave him intrigued.

Zhang Ci calling that fat man Uncle Tian meant the martial hall behind him was no pushover.

At the very least, it had something worth cultivating ties with in the eyes of a Mid-Stage Qi Condensation Cultivator.

And Lin Shu would soon face retribution from that martial hall.

"..."

Lin Shu licked his cracked lip. The injuries from yesterday's beating had yet to heal.

The metallic tang of blood stirred him, and his gaze burned with heat.

The reason he had earlier provoked Zhang Ci into making the first move was to give himself an excuse.

If the Blackwater Gang's newly recruited Fox started trouble on his own, the gang might not be too keen to get involved.

But if they wouldn't even let their own men defend themselves, then a gang as big as theirs might as well pack up and leave the city.

As long as the Good Fortune Martial Hall didn't dare retaliate openly, any sneaky little moves they pulled would be the perfect chance for Lin Shu to make a pile of Evil Coins!

Of course, before that, it would be best to get more ways to protect himself.

"Phew."

Lin Shu tossed the short blade onto the table.

It was so useless it could barely chop through a neck. It was hard to imagine it serving any purpose again.

He washed the grime from his hands in the basin.

The reddish water faintly reflected a haggard face.

"Looks like a man with a short life."

Lin Shu muttered to himself, shook the water from his hands, then turned and sat on the bed.

He didn't believe in physiognomy, but perhaps because his heart was gone, this body radiated a weakness from head to toe that he couldn't stand.

It made him feel as if a death knell were tolling in his ears every moment.

Since he didn't yet know how to restore his heart, he needed at least to find a way to replenish his mist.

"Get up and eat."

Lin Shu tugged open his collar, revealing the hideous wound on his chest. The scar coiled across it like an earthworm.

Two Evil Coins turned into black light and poured into the White Wolf's phantom.

A prompt appeared. The Immortal Method's name, which had been blurred when its transformation failed to complete last time, now gradually came into focus.

[Consumed two Evil Coins. The Evil Immortal remains incomplete; the technique has changed.]

[Qi Condensation Sixth Stage. Ghost Moon Bone-Splitting Hand: Minor Achievement]

"Hiss—"

Neither its rank nor proficiency had changed, yet Lin Shu suddenly clutched his forehead.

The information in his mind about the Bright Moon Claw Technique began to twist.

It was as if the words had been taken apart and rearranged, until they became something entirely new.

The mist stirred on its own. Lin Shu slowly lowered his hand and spread his fingers.

The Immortal Method's once-clear glow had become wisps of black vapor, curling around his fingertips and exuding a bone-chilling cold.

Lin Shu frowned and waved it away.

It was still Qi Condensation Sixth Stage, but the technique's killing intent had grown far more intense!

Like a blunt blade newly sharpened, eager to bathe in blood!

Even his eyes held a hint more restlessness.

Lin Shu had never practiced cultivation before, but he could still tell this change was a good thing.

The original Bright Moon Claw Technique had become completely rounded once it reached the Sixth Rank, as if it had hit its limit.

But this newly transformed Ghost Moon Bone-Splitting Hand clearly had plenty of room to grow.

Two Evil Coins had brought such an improvement. By all rights, he should have been satisfied.

"But what use is a technique if I can only use it a few times?"

Lin Shu flicked the White Wolf's phantom on the head with his fingertip.

This pup was stingy as hell. It lived in his body without paying rent, taking its share of the money and giving back only a scrap of benefit.

The Immortal Method had changed, but it wasn't the Inner Method he needed most.

"I'll have to find another way."

Perhaps once the White Wolf had eaten its fill, it would cough up some other cultivation method.

But Lin Shu had never been one to put all his eggs in one basket.

He rubbed the two remaining jade coins in his hand.

He also needed to find a way to spend these Virtue Coins.

Knock, knock.

Just then, someone knocked at the door.

Lin Shu put away the jade coins and straightened his clothes before looking up. "Come in."

The door creaked open cautiously.

Sister Hua entered with Old Yang.

"Master Lin, that jade pendant of yours..."

Sister Hua's mouth twitched as she spoke. She had seen with her own eyes how he'd pulled the jade pendant from Zhang Ci's waist.

"Exchanged it?"

Lin Shu looked at the madam.

Virtue Coins and Evil Coins could wait. If he wanted to eat well and dress well, he still needed good old silver.

What was the point of having empty pockets?

"That jade pendant should be worth at least ten taels of silver, but our establishment only turns over two hundred taels a month. And Master Tian just left, so the cash box has only these seven taels and three qian left."

Sister Hua kept her head lowered, afraid of angering this Lord Fox who killed without batting an eye.

Zhang Ci's body was still lying in Green Willow Alley. Who would dare take his jade pendant out to exchange for money?

"That's all. You can go."

Lin Shu understood how things worked. He took the broken silver and tossed it in his hand.

Old Yang glanced at the silver, unable to hide his amazement. He finally understood why the Blackwater Gang's people were so flush with money.

In South Suburb, even a strong laborer earned no more than thirty-odd copper coins a day. Lin Shu had made half a year's wages in a single night.

But the Cripple wasn't envious.

To earn that money, you first had to be strong enough to butcher Young Master Zhang. And even after the silver was in hand, the trouble was far from over.

After Sister Hua left,

Old Yang carefully closed the door, then limped over to Lin Shu.

He didn't waste time. He poured out everything he knew in one breath:

"The Good Fortune Martial Hall is in West City and has many disciples. Quite a few of them are stronger than Liu the Third."

"Their Master Zhang is a Great Martial Master who can project his inner force beyond his body. They say he can even trade blows with the Immortal Masters, so you must never let your guard down..."

To make a name for yourself in Blackwater City, you needed one of three things: money, power, or people.

As it happened, the Good Fortune Martial Hall had a bit of all three.

Lin Shu's performance over the past two days had left Old Yang completely dumbfounded.

Even so, he still didn't think a newly recruited Fox of the Blackwater Gang could be compared to that hall master.

The Cripple valued his life, but unlike the women of Magpie Nest, he worried about more than just himself. He genuinely worried for Lin Shu, too.

"I know what I'm doing."

Lin Shu gave a slight nod, a little surprised.

He had brought Old Yang along only because the other man had been the sole person willing to step up earlier and drag him back to the woodshed.

Since they'd weathered hardship together, Lin Shu didn't mind sharing the good times with him, too.

He hadn't expected the Cripple to know so much.

With that in mind, Lin Shu tried asking, "Do you know how the Immortal Masters in the city became Immortal Masters?"

He'd only asked offhand.

To his surprise, the Cripple paused, a strange look surfacing on his face. "Everyone knows that."

"..."

This time, it was Lin Shu's turn to freeze.

Was cultivation here not quite what he'd imagined? Was it not some lofty, high-and-mighty affair?