He Came

Knowing death was certain.

Yet being powerless to do anything.

Zhao Hong had never experienced that feeling and could not truly empathize with it.

But he could imagine it to some extent.

How despairing must it be?

More tormenting than fighting for one's life, being tortured, and then beaten to death.

"The Judge's Office has such treasures."

"But one must at least possess the strength of a circuit inspector and accumulate a terrifying amount of merit."

Even Zhou Baishan might not know how much merit was needed.

After all, with his strength, he would not bother looking into treasures of that level.

There was no need to think about it—it had to be an astronomical figure.

The Judge's Office classified contributions into minor merits, major merits, and distinguished merits.

One major merit equaled ten minor merits, while one distinguished merit equaled ten major merits.

This time, Zhou Baishan had brought back three bells left behind by fallen colleagues, killed several mountain bandits, and captured and returned this Evil Skin Cult demon. By his estimate, he could earn two major merits.

If that Evil Skin Cult demon had an unusual identity and yielded valuable intelligence, he could earn three or four major merits.

Exchanging for a precious medicine capable of breaking through to the Mysterious Embryo Realm would cost roughly three major merits.

To reconstruct a Mysterious Embryo, however, would require at least distinguished merits.

Within a year.

Ten, or even dozens of distinguished merits?

It was a number too terrifying to contemplate.

Zhao Hong did not think he could accomplish it.

He turned to look back, his gaze crossing the vast mountain wilderness toward Clear Creek Village, his expression bitter.

More than a month passed.

Zhao Hong's cultivation had reached the late Inner Force stage.

He was still some distance from completion.

The Stele-Splitting Hand, Mighty Vajra Finger, Six Harmonies Saber Art, and Cloud-Breaking Flash had all reached minor mastery.

When fighting beasts and monsters, a sudden opportunity or flash of insight often brought sudden enlightenment.

That was something relentless secluded cultivation could never provide.

His progress was terrifying.

"Unfortunately, I didn't reach Inner Force completion."

Zhao Hong sighed softly.

"Almost time."

Zhou Baishan walked over and tossed several beast carcasses beside the Evil Skin, then turned his gaze toward Zhao Hong.

"Brother Zhou, what can I help with?" Zhao Hong's expression sharpened.

Zhou Baishan did not refuse. In a deep voice, he said, "There is a large tree by the slope over there. I hollowed it out, and it can hide one person."

"Take this and hide inside."

He took a miniature cylinder from the bell, no thicker than an infant's forearm.

"There are ten silver needles inside, all coated in poison. They can threaten someone at Blood Astral completion. Pour in your blood and qi, and you'll sense the mechanism within."

"If..."

Zhou Baishan paused, then said word by word, "If there is an opportunity, I will do my best to create one for you. At the critical moment, these ten silver needles can pose a considerable threat to him."

"But if things cannot be done, I will hold him back. You only need to leave."

Zhao Hong sensed a trace of resolute determination in Zhou Baishan's tone.

He accepted the cylinder and slowly nodded.

Then Zhou Baishan swept his sleeve, and the Evil Skin landed atop the beast carcasses, greedily absorbing them.

As strange patterns emerged one after another, the aura of the Evil Skin rose visibly.

At the very end.

Whoosh!

The Evil Skin shuddered and rose upright on its own. Its edges curled inward and slowly adhered together.

From the outside, it looked exactly like a naked living person standing there.

Except its five facial openings were all hollow, making it incomparably eerie.

The terrifying aura it emitted made Zhao Hong feel as if he were suffocating.

He involuntarily retreated several steps and stood behind Zhou Baishan.

"Mysterious Embryo."

A single piece of skin made Zhao Hong feel as though he were facing a living person.

These crooked and evil methods never did anything good.

"The aura of a Mysterious Embryo has formed. Once that man senses it, he should come."

"Prepare yourself."

Zhou Baishan's gaze was icy.

Two days passed.

The ancient well of this place remained utterly still.

Zhou Baishan sat upright on a stone, unmoving as a mountain.

Beside him hung the lifelike Evil Skin, as though it were a living person.

Meanwhile, Zhao Hong was curled up inside the hollow trunk of a thick tree at the edge of the slope, twenty zhang away.

The trunk was enormous. It had been cut open from one side and hollowed out, barely leaving enough space for him to hide within.

He was even more nervous than Zhou Baishan.

The other party's continued absence made his thoughts run wild.

I hope everything goes smoothly!

With a silent sigh, Zhao Hong narrowed his eyes and observed the Tigers and Dragons within himself, gradually emptying his mind.

Crack!

A faint sound, like someone stepping on a dry branch, drifted over.

It was exceptionally clear in this silent area.

Zhao Hong jolted and opened his eyes wide, but all he could see was the thin layer of bark.

He was here.

His entire body tensed, but he immediately recalled Zhou Baishan's warning. He relaxed his muscles, resumed observing the Tigers and Dragons within himself, held his breath, and concealed himself to the utmost.

On the stone, Zhou Baishan abruptly rose to his feet and stared sharply toward the source of the sound.

A gray-robed figure slowly approached, strolling leisurely with a light and graceful bearing.

He was a middle-aged man of around thirty or forty, thin and short, barely over five feet tall.

With a single glance, the gray-robed man spotted the Evil Skin he had once bestowed.

Sensing its aura, satisfaction immediately appeared on his face.

"Not bad."

"I remember you somewhat. You followed behind Wang Kui. Why are you the only one here?" The gray-robed man's gaze was sharp.

Zhou Baishan's expression remained unchanged as he respectfully bowed. "My lord, the others volunteered to nourish the Jade Hide."

"Volunteered? Heh."

The gray-robed man smiled without smiling, his expression amused.

Then his tone shifted.

"You are quite fortunate."

"Are you willing to join my cult?"

"I could not ask for more. Thank you, my lord."

Zhou Baishan's face flushed with excitement.

Whoosh!

The gray-robed man suddenly swept his sleeve.

"The methods for entering my cult: skinning, engraving patterns, the Heaven-Seizing Art, and one Mysterious Embryo beast hide."

Three beast-hide scrolls and a lifelike bear hide landed before Zhou Baishan.

Zhou Baishan froze. After hesitating briefly, he cautiously asked, "My lord, can I exchange it for another?"

The gray-robed man abruptly laughed at his words, then his face turned cold. "You dare pick and choose? Do you think just anyone is qualified to wear superior Jade Hide?"

"Hmph."

"Once you join my cult, so long as you serve wholeheartedly, you will have opportunities to exchange for superior Jade Hide in the future."

Zhou Baishan gave an embarrassed smile and hurriedly reined himself in.

"Your next task is to hunt the Judge's Office lackeys."

"Clawfang Mountain is ours for the taking. Act according to the situation, and you will soon have the chance to wipe out all the Judge's Office lackeys stationed on the outskirts."

Zhou Baishan's heart shook upon hearing this.

This uncertain piece of information alone was worth one major merit.

"Yes, my lord."

He was utterly respectful as he carefully peeled off the Jade Hide and walked toward the gray-robed man with it held in both hands.

"My lord, please keep it safe."

"Mm."

The gray-robed man reached out to take it.

At that moment.

A biting chill filled Zhou Baishan's eyes. Thunderous cracks of bone exploded from his bent body, carrying the force of surging rivers.

Whoosh!

The Jade Hide shot into the sky.

His hand flashed like lightning, thick with astral qi, clawing viciously toward the gray-robed man's chest with blinding speed.

"Courting death!"

The gray-robed man's face filled with fury, mixed with a flicker of surprise.

He actually dared attack him?

Did he not know who he was?

The Evil Skin Cult never lacked Evil Skin.

The gray-robed man reacted with incredible speed, raising a palm and pressing down.

Boom!

Astral qi collided. The gray-robed man gave a muffled groan and staggered back in embarrassment.

Blocking that claw in such haste was already his limit. He simply could not muster much strength.

Joy flashed through Zhou Baishan's eyes before vanishing, and another devastating strike followed immediately.

The gray-robed man's face twisted savagely. A faint ghostly light flickered as the flesh across his body bulged.

A strange and sinister layer of skin burst forth from his flesh, covering his original body.

"Heh heh~~"

His body convulsed as he endured indescribable agony, eerie and terrifying sounds spilling from his mouth.

Black light spread as his body grew taller and his limbs thickened. Covered by that Evil Skin, he seemed to have become an entirely different person, terrifying beyond measure.

Boom!

The might of a Mysterious Embryo erupted violently.

"You ignorant fool! I'll skin you alive."