Online Shopping

The faint morning light pierced the deathly silence of the old dormitory building, illuminating the scorched zombie remains scattered on the ground and the sword marks on the walls with stark clarity.

The air was thick with the pungent stench of burning and decay, like a battlefield that had just concluded.

Fang Gang emerged from the building, carrying the Bronze Battle Halberd. His bald head, slick with a dark gold sheen, reflected the cold light of the dawn.

His combat uniform, torn to shreds by the Nine Yang True Fire and the zombies' claws, hung on him like rags, revealing skin beneath that flowed with faint dark gold and crimson light, completely unharmed.

Beyond the police cordon, Chen Fatty, leading a team of fully armed, pale-faced members, was peeking cautiously.

Seeing Fang Gang appear, Chen Tao acted as if he'd seen a savior, scrambling and tumbling across the police line.

"Brother Fang! Uncle Fang! You... you're truly divine!"

Chen Tao was so excited he could barely form coherent sentences. He looked at the ghost-like building behind Fang Gang, which seemed to have been ravaged by a hurricane, his voice trembling. "You leveled the entire zombie horde by yourself! Vanquished the Fierce Ghost! You are our Linjiang's anchor! No! You are our anchor's shining bald head!"

Fang Gang glanced at him, not bothering to acknowledge the exaggerated flattery. "Clean it up."

"Yes, yes, yes! Immediately! I guarantee not a single hair will be left!"

Chen Tao bowed and scraped, rubbing his hands together with a fawning smile. "Well... Brother Fang, you see, with such a great contribution this time... the Bureau wants to do a special interview with you, to set you up as an example..."

"No time," Fang Gang interrupted, his voice flat. Set up as an example? Like a monkey for people to gawk at? He had no interest.

"Uh... then the bonus..." Chen Tao was persistent.

"Deposit it into my account," Fang Gang said succinctly, shouldering his halberd and preparing to leave.

He needed to find a place to digest these 210-plus evolution points and push his True Nine Yang Divine Skill further! Once he achieved Great Accomplishment, it would be Perfection! The power to burn mountains and boil seas!

Just then, a clear, cold voice came from the side:

"Your bonus, the Special Affairs Bureau will not deduct a single cent."

Fang Gang paused, following the sound with his gaze.

Beneath a dead locust tree not far away stood a tall figure.

Her black trench coat was crisp, and her dark hair was tied back with a simple wooden hairpin, revealing a smooth forehead and a pair of eyes as clear and cold as a deep, still pond.

It was Ling Shuang, whom he had met once before in the crematorium's underground.

She held a palm-sized, specially made tablet, its screen facing Fang Gang. It was playing a clipped video segment – it was Fang Gang in the fourth-floor corridor of the old dormitory building, confronting three sabers, his palm incinerating the Green Zombie leader, and his body bathed in Nine Yang True Fire as he swept through the zombie horde!

The angles were tricky, clearly captured by some kind of special surveillance or magical imprint.

"Civilian Investigation Team, Ling Shuang."

She put away the tablet, her gaze sweeping over Fang Gang's skin, which glowed with a dark gold luster beneath his "beggar's rags." Her tone remained calm. "Good skills, and thick skin too."

Upon seeing Ling Shuang, Chen Tao instinctively flinched, appearing quite wary of her.

"Something wrong?" Fang Gang raised an eyebrow slightly. This woman was always appearing and disappearing mysteriously, and each time she showed up, she brought something with her.

Ling Shuang didn't answer. Instead, she took out a tightly wrapped package from her inner coat pocket and casually tossed it to Fang Gang.

Fang Gang caught it with one hand.

It felt heavy. Beneath the oilcloth wrapping was the familiar texture of cheap paper, emitting a scent of dust mixed with inexpensive cinnabar.

"Payment," Ling Shuang stated concisely. "For what you cleared out underground at the crematorium. It's worth this."

Fang Gang tore open a corner of the oilcloth. Indeed, it was another pirated copy! The cover was made of cheap glossy paper, with several crooked, hot-stamped golden characters:

Vajra Indestructible Divine Art (Collector's Edition)

Below it, a line of smaller text read: After mastery, your head will be as hard as steel, impervious to blades and bullets! (Includes a QR code for the Golden Bell Shield tutorial video)

An aura of being swindled by a charlatan, even stronger than the previous Vajra Indestructible book, washed over him.

Fang Gang's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. This stuff again? But... if the system could convert it, it was still good stuff!

"Thanks," he said, his expression unchanged, tucking the oilcloth-wrapped package into his still-intact pants pocket.

"You're welcome."

Ling Shuang nodded slightly, but her gaze swept meaningfully over the Bronze Battle Halberd Fang Gang was carrying, and the faint, dark black brand on his arm, visible through the tear in his collar. "The Nightmare Holy Cult has its eyes on you. The Blood Sacrifice Priest lineage never forgets a slight. You ruined their plans at the old dormitory building and killed their people; they won't let it go."

Fang Gang's eyes turned cold. "I welcome it."

"Spirited."

A faint, fleeting curve seemed to grace Ling Shuang's lips. "Just a reminder, be careful of their 'Blood Grudge Curse Kill.' It's a remote-killing technique, impossible to guard against. No matter how thick your skin is, if your spirit can't withstand it, it's all for naught."

Spirit!

These two words struck Fang Gang like a heavy hammer! This was precisely his greatest weakness!

The Grudge Pupil brand on his left arm, and that bizarre flute sound, the mental impact – they all made him wary!

"Do you have a solution?" Fang Gang looked sharply at Ling Shuang. This woman was so mysterious; perhaps she really did have something.

Ling Shuang didn't answer directly. Instead, she changed the subject. "Mental defense methods are rare and precious. The few in the Special Affairs Bureau's inventory are either incomplete or come at a huge cost, not suitable for your current path."

She paused, then seeing Fang Gang's slightly furrowed brow, she slowly added, "However... I do know of a way. On the Mou Xixi Online Shopping Platform, the shop owner of 'Metaphysical Sundries Shop,' ID 'Tong You San Ren.' He occasionally gets his hands on some strange 'ancient secret texts.' The price... is very approachable. A few days ago, I saw he listed a new item, Introduction to Mental Meditation (with Brain Domain Development Tutorial). Sales are zero, no reviews yet. Dare to take a gamble?"

Mou Xixi online shopping? Introduction to Mental Meditation?

Fang Gang froze for a moment, then his eyes shot out with a brilliant light! Pirated stuff from online shopping again?! This method... he was familiar with it! The system loved this kind of thing!

"ID?" Fang Gang pressed.

"Tong You San Ren."

Ling Shuang gave the name and turned towards the shadows, "Good luck to you. I'll notify you if I get any news on the Blood Sacrifice Priests." Her figure flickered a few times and disappeared into the dawn.

Chen Tao, who had been listening from the side, was utterly bewildered. "Mou Xixi? Mental Meditation? Brother Fang, is… is this reliable? It's not some kind of scam, is it…"

Fang Gang ignored him. He directly took out his phone, unlocked it with his fingerprint, and tapped the familiar orange app icon with a practiced ease that was almost heartbreaking.

He typed "Tong You San Ren" into the search bar.

Cannot find by book title, you can try searching for the author! Maybe they just changed their name!

A shop page popped up. The layout was crude, with only a few items listed. At the top was a gaudy-covered booklet:

Introduction to Mental Meditation (Full Color Illustrations)

Next to it was a picture of a cartoon old man meditating with smoke rising from his head.

Price: 9.9, free shipping!

Sales: 0.

Reviews: None yet.

Description: Ancient Eastern secret art! Develop your brain domain! Enhance mental power! Resist external evils! A blessing for insomniacs and those who dream excessively! (Comes with a super value brain domain development video tutorial, scan the code to watch!)

A wave of "intellectual tax" more potent than that of the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art washed over him!

Fang Gang's lips twitched, but his eyes were exceptionally firm. Without hesitation, he clicked to buy and paid with his fingerprint! 9.9 was deducted instantly!

[Order successful! Seller has shipped! Estimated delivery tomorrow!]

Done! Fang Gang put away his phone, his heart settled. The key to mental defense was in hand! Although it was still pirated, with the system, fake could become real!

"Let's go," he said to the still-stunned Chen Tao, slinging his halberd over his shoulder. He strode away from the chaotic battlefield.

He needed to return and use his remaining evolution points to push the True Nine Yang Divine Skill to the peak of Great Accomplishment! Then, he would wait for this "Mental Meditation" book to arrive so he could convert it!

Just as he arrived downstairs at his rented old apartment building, the gatekeeper, Old Zhao, poked his head out. He held a crumpled express bag, his expression odd. "Little Fang! You've got a package! Just arrived! It looks… like a book?"

Fang Gang took it and tore open the seal. The familiar smell of cheap paper.

A thin booklet slid out. The cover was a deep blue, with a few large, calligraphic characters printed on it:

Nine Yang Divine Skill (Complete Mastered Edition)

Below it, a line of small print read: Nine Yang united, burning all directions! (Comes with the Essence of Heaven and Earth Great Shift)

It was the Complete Edition of the Nine Yang Divine Skill he had ordered earlier!

Golden flames flashed in Fang Gang's eyes! Perfect timing! With Great Accomplishment Nine Yang plus this complete edition, reaching Perfection was within reach! He shoved this newly arrived pirated copy together with the Vajra Indestructible book Ling Shuang had given him and carried his halberd upstairs.

Back in his room, he locked the door. He leaned the Bronze Battle Halberd against the wall and eagerly sat down cross-legged.

"System!"

A light screen unfurled:

[Host: Fang Gang] [Realm: Tendon Transformation Realm (Mid-stage)] [Strength: 10000 (Mighty Elephant Upholding Heaven)] [Physique: 1200 (Indestructible Golden Body)] [Agility: 650 (Chasing Stars and Pulling Moons)] [Skills: True Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill (Perfection), True Vajra Indestructible Body (Perfection), True Nine Yang Divine Skill (Great Accomplishment 246/500)] [Available Evolution Points: 214!]

"Add points! True Nine Yang Divine Skill!" Fang Gang's will was like iron!

BOOM—!!!

The 214 evolution points burned out instantly! A torrent of heat, far more powerful and domineering than when he had broken through to Great Accomplishment, erupted in the depths of his dantian!

The golden-red Nine Yang Inner Breath, as if injected into the core of a star, swelled, compressed, and transformed madly!

The scorching torrent roared through the broad meridians of the Tendon Transformation Realm mid-stage, its temperature soaring to terrifying heights!

The pores all over Fang Gang's body spewed out tangible golden-red flames. The temperature in the room rose sharply, and the paint on the walls emitted a scorched smell!

[True Nine Yang Divine Skill: Great Accomplishment (246/500) → Perfection (460/500)!]

Nine Yang Perfection! Burning mountains and boiling seas was no longer just a saying!

Fang Gang slowly opened his eyes, two miniature suns seeming to burn in the depths of his pupils!

He slowly exhaled, his breath so hot it distorted the air, leaving a shallow scorch mark on the floor!

He clenched his fist, golden-red lava flowing beneath his skin. He felt as if he could now pulverize the previous Blood Fiend Corpse Puppet into its most basic particles with a single punch!

"Blood Sacrifice Priests… just you wait." Fang Gang's voice was low, imbued with a killing intent that could incinerate everything.

He picked up his phone. The screen lit up, and a pickup notification from the rookie station popped up:

"Your package, 'Introduction to Mental Meditation (Full Color Illustrations),' has arrived. Please pick it up with your collection code XXXX."

The key to mental defense has arrived!

Fang Gang's eyes shot out with brilliant light as he suddenly stood up! His dark-gold bald head cut a searing streak of light through the room.

He grabbed the Bronze Battle Halberd leaning against the wall. It felt scorching hot to the touch, and the halberd's body seemed to resonate with the Nine Yang True Fire within him, emitting a low hum.

This time, he would shore up his mental weakness! The Nightmare Holy Cult? The Grudge Pupil brand? Let's see what tricks they have up their sleeves!

He pulled open the door, about to head downstairs to get his package.

Suddenly!

The deep black Grudge Pupil brand on his left arm, which had been relatively quiet until now, began to vibrate violently without any warning!

The slit of the dark-gold vertical pupil at the end suddenly expanded to its limit!

A cold, greedy, yet intensely repelled and disgusted complex thought surged out like a bursting dam! Its target… the direction of the downstairs novice station!

It was as if something down there was something it desperately craved, yet also profoundly feared!

Fang Gang's steps abruptly halted! His gaze instantly sharpened like a knife!

"Introduction to Mental Meditation... the book?"

He looked down at the intensely writhing brand on his arm, then towards the direction downstairs, his eyes flashing with cold light. "It seems... this thing is more interesting than I imagined?"

Can't find it by searching the book title, maybe try searching the author, perhaps the name has just changed!