Heaven's Will

Lu Li asked the owner of a noodle stall for directions to a clinic. He first went there to buy some medicine and treat his wounds.

The wound held together with medicinal paste had already developed a small infection. Its edges were swollen, and pus was oozing out from within.

It needed to be cut open and medicated. Originally, Lu Li was supposed to have it stitched up, but he chose to have a zipper installed on his chest instead. It cost him a total of twenty spirit stones.

Elder Duan had mentioned this kind of zipper to Lu Li before. It was called the [Flesh-and-Bone Link], a type of mundane mechanism. Low-level cultivators lacked the spiritual sense needed for inner vision, yet wanted to conveniently modify their organs later without repeatedly cutting open their chests and bellies, so they often chose this mechanism.

Once installed, the zipper would avoid blood vessels and meridians. With the aid of pills and medicinal baths, it would gradually grow together with the flesh. In the future, it could be opened at any time to inspect the body's internal condition.

Lu Li had this Flesh-and-Bone Link installed so he could conveniently observe the Qi-Combining Cauldron later and replicate it by following the gourd as it was painted.

The installation process was not complicated. Lu Li considered himself fairly handy, and he did not want the physician to see his Qi-Combining Cauldron, so he found an inn and installed it himself in his room.

As the saying went, do it yourself and have food and clothing in abundance. In this world, physicians and artificers were practically one family. Performing something like brain surgery on yourself was simply a basic skill.

After two hours, the Flesh-and-Bone Link was installed. Lu Li tugged the zipper downward.

Ziiip—

The zipper was pulled all the way down, and at a glance, he could see the two gently trembling halves of the vessel. His chest stung slightly as he pulled it open; that was because the Flesh-and-Bone Link had not yet completely fused with his flesh.

"Mechanisms and artifice techniques really are miraculous."

"Once you implant the Ice Flesh this old woman provides, why would you need to go through such trouble? You could cut open your chest and belly anytime, anywhere."

"Stop, stop, stop. Don't peddle that Southern Liang Arsenal of yours again. My ears are growing calluses."

Southern Liang Arsenal—this was the nickname Lu Li had given Elder Duan's artifices. He always felt that the artifices Elder Duan spoke of were not only sinister, but also rather girly.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing Lu Li's slanderous version, Elder Duan did not get angry. Instead, she gave a chuckle and said, "Hehehe, Southern Liang? It is not Southern Liang."

"If it isn't Southern Liang, then what is it? Let me tell you, I won't let you have your way with me."

Elder Duan smiled meaningfully. At this moment, it was just like that moment back then.

Meanwhile, Lu Li rose from the medicinal bath. He straightened his back, fiddled with the little zipper on his chest, then planted his hands on his hips and drew in great gulps of air, making the Qi-Combining Cauldron run at full power with a gurgle gurgle, like the legendary Emperor Engine.

At that moment, Lu Li felt full of vigor and virility, quite the real man.

Then he caught sight of the darkening sky outside the window. He decided to rest for the night and let his wound heal before going to the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion tomorrow to trade spirit materials.

That night, Lu Li dreamed again that he had become his younger sister.

Strange. Why had he been having dreams like this so often lately? Was it some kind of omen?

Lu Li was puzzled. He felt for the big zipper, and thankfully, it was still there. Then he went back to sleep in peace.

The next morning, Lu Li headed straight for the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in the city center.

The price of the Mountain Ape Strength Arm was about what Lu Li had expected. After some haggling, it was valued at seventy spirit stones.

The several dozen jin of spirit ore were divided into six types in total. Lu Li did not plan to sell the Void Stone, since he wanted to keep it for self-defense. The remaining five types were weighed by the jin and appraised for purity, ultimately selling for twelve spirit stones.

A first-revolution, Type Four Water Spirit Core was worth only three spirit stones each—equivalent to one of his kidneys. Nine Water Spirit Cores together were worth a total of twenty-seven spirit stones.

The reason was that these spirit cores were simply too old—older even than Lu Li himself.

Then, when Lu Li asked about the price of a first-revolution, Type Four Gold Spirit Core, he was startled again. This thing was now selling for fifty spirit stones apiece, a full two times his original estimate.

"Customer, you know how sharply prices have risen lately. Especially for first-revolution spirit cores above Type Three—their refining process requires a large amount of spirit tin.

"Recently, relations between the two sects have been tense. All the spirit tin is being put into the production of second- and third-revolution spirit cores. There simply aren't any spare resources to refine first-revolution spirit cores."

"So that's how it is."

Lu Li pretended to understand, but inwardly he was suspicious. Was this owner simply making excuses?

"Are these spirit cores of yours secondhand?"

"H-how could that be? Our Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion is, after all, an enterprise of White Moon Palace. How could we sell you secondhand goods? Every one has its own serial number."

"Mm, then I'll come back another day to patronize your business."

"Huh?"

The owner was thoroughly baffled. From the look of Lu Li, was he finding the spirit cores too expensive and planning to buy secondhand ones instead?

Lu Li turned and left. What he was looking for was the secondhand spirit core Lu Ling had used, not these brand-new firsthand spirit cores. Just as he reached the entrance, he seemed to think of something and abruptly halted.

"Boss, is there a latrine here?"

"Inside, then turn left."

"Thank you."

Lu Li successfully found the latrine. Seeing no one around, he undid his collar and opened the small zipper on his chest. Through the ghastly white ribs, he could see the beating Qi-Combining Cauldron.

The owner had said earlier that every spirit core had its production date and serial number. Perhaps the serial number could be used to determine exactly which Gold Spirit Core it was.

The owner said they were firsthand goods, but that did not necessarily mean they truly were. Lu Li wanted to buy secondhand goods.

Lifting open the left half of the metal casing, Lu Li saw a spirit core gleaming with golden light. Beneath it were two lines of small clerical-script characters.

[Gold Spirit Core · First Revolution, Type Four]

[Crafted by White Moon Palace Yushui Academy · Ninth Month of the Year Siyou · Geng 579]

This year was the year Renzi. By the timeline, this gold spirit core had been refined three years ago, exactly matching when Lu Ling had been sold.

"Is there any trick to these spirit cores? For instance, how do you tell whether one is first-hand or second-hand?"

"No harm in telling you. You can take it apart and inspect it. At the center of the array disc is a spirit-tin crystal chip. If its surface is bright as a mirror, it has never been used. If the surface is damaged or scratched, then it has been used. It's definitely second-hand."

"Mm, I've learned something."

Lu Li nodded, zipped himself up, straightened his clothes, and walked out of the latrine, returning to the main hall of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

"Shopkeeper, I've changed my mind. I'm still buying, but I'd like to inspect the goods first."

"Take a good look, customer. They're all here. Whichever one catches your eye, just tell me."

A full thirty spirit cores had been laid out across the counter. Lu Li checked them one by one against their serial numbers. He had not held out much hope to begin with; there were simply too many gold spirit cores. Judging by the numbers stamped on their shells, White Moon Palace produced at least several thousand, if not over ten thousand, first-rank gold spirit cores every month.

Trying to find one specific spirit core was like fishing a needle from the sea.

"Ninth month of the year Siyou... Geng 579. It's here? Could it be a fake?"

"Hahahaha, lad, there's no need to be surprised. Do you know what this is called? This is—fate!"