You Think I'm Weak?

It looked like blood, yet not quite blood. As it writhed, it completely neutralized the suppressive force of the long staff.

"What demonic art is this?"

The old man wielding the Upper-Tier Dharma Artifact was somewhat dumbfounded.

This was the first time in his life he had seen such a scene.

Back when the master of the Demon Sect had been suppressed and killed, he had been present as well. Though he had only been responsible for waving flags and shouting from the rear, he had still witnessed the profundity of that Demon Sect master's techniques.

At the time, that Demon Sect master had scattered into shadows filling the sky, like ten thousand ghosts unleashed from their cage. Amid the shrill clamor, they severed people's souls. Every shadow could die in place of a life, and even when his lifespan was exhausted, he could forcefully prolong his life through those shadows. So long as the shadows remained unbroken, the Devil Master would not die.

To the old man, that had already been the most unbelievable technique in the world!

For a long time after that Demon Sect master was suppressed and killed, he had mourned bitterly over the loss of the Black Shadow Demonic Art.

Who could have imagined that today, he would encounter an even more unbelievable demonic art?

It could actually transform its user into bloody water and use the physical body to withstand a full-powered strike from an Upper-Tier Dharma Artifact!

This was already comparable to the special spirit bodies bestowed by Spirit-Communing Treasures.

"This demonic art's mysteries are likely no less than Sword Disciple Mountain's Sword Canon of Severing Immortals. In that case, I must first get my hands on this demonic art..." the old man pondered inwardly. He had no use for it himself—unless it could greatly extend his lifespan, he had no time to convert his cultivation—but he had descendants in his Lineage!

Thus, the old man prepared to put away his staff. He feared that another blow might kill this demonic cultivator called Tan Shuchang. Not only would that offend Sword Disciple Mountain, but he would also lose an unbelievable demonic art.

In any case, after obtaining the demonic art, he would still kill Tan Shuchang to silence him. Killing him sooner or later made no difference, so there was no need to rush.

As a cultivator, one had to keep one's composure and guard against arrogance and impatience.

"Let it be the lonely soul after autumn—slaughter all the living vigor of the mortal world."

Yet just as the old man began entertaining other ideas, a blood-red lotus abruptly bloomed beneath the clouded sky, as though it had rooted itself between heaven and earth.

This was the strongest killing move of Tan Shuchang's twelve years of Blood-Refined Lotus Art.

The old man's eyes widened. Strangely, he did not move at all. Then, all of a sudden, a figure drifted out from his body and flew uncontrollably toward the lotus!

As that figure was carried away by the blood-red lotus, the old man's body crumbled into powder.

Bang!

The blood-red lotus dispersed. At the same time, Tan Shuchang, who had returned to human form, fell to the ground with a pale face.

He shakily crawled to his feet, like a decrepit old man—and the kind whose breath was weak and whose days were numbered. It was as though one foot had already stepped into the coffin, and only the final step remained before he could rest in peace beneath the earth.

Still, Tan Shuchang's aura gradually recovered.

It was only a superficial recovery, however. He had injured his very foundation and would need a long period of recuperation before he could fully recover.

"I really can't reveal my true form unless it's absolutely necessary..."

Tan Shuchang was making fun of himself.

Pushing his own peculiar traits to their limit could grant him power almost akin to an undying body, but the toll on himself was immense.

If he maintained it for too long, it could even leave irreversible injuries.

"Come to think of it, I've improved quite a bit. The last time I transformed into a blood body, I couldn't move at all. This time, I could still strike back."

Tan Shuchang's thoughts raced. This was undoubtedly related to his cultivation.

As for the previous time, he had not encountered a powerful enemy. He had merely wanted to probe his limits, but he had nearly killed himself because of it.

If he hadn't been locked onto by that long staff and unable to escape earlier, Tan Shuchang certainly would not have "revealed his true form."

Then Tan Shuchang's attention was drawn to the long staff that had fallen to the ground almost at the same time as he had. With a grasping motion, he immediately pulled the Dharma Artifact into his hand.

The moment the Dharma Artifact entered his hand, a hint of delight appeared on Tan Shuchang's face.

Because this was a Martial Gate Dharma Artifact.

This Martial Gate referred to a great family in the Jia Five Realm renowned for artifact refinement. Every three years, this family held a Martial Arts Conference, and at each conference, they sold some of the Dharma Artifacts they had crafted.

The Dharma Artifacts that came from the Wu Family were all quite powerful, but they also had one rather troublesome feature: every Dharma Artifact had several identical copies, and they did not need to be nurtured with spirituality. One could use them immediately after picking them up.

In other words, Tan Shuchang could openly carry this long staff around and go bonk, bonk, bonk.

After all, who knew how many identical copies a Martial Gate Dharma Artifact had? There might be one or two, or perhaps three to five. But there might also be dozens, even hundreds.

This was not an exaggeration. Once the Wu Family discovered that a certain type of Dharma Artifact was currently the most popular, they would continue selling that same kind at subsequent Martial Arts Conferences.

In the words of the Wu Family's disciples, those who went against money never came to a good end.

"As expected of an Upper-Tier Dharma Artifact."

With the Dharma Artifact in hand, Tan Shuchang also learned the long staff's exact abilities.

Locking the enemy, suppressing and killing!

They were very standard abilities for an artifact meant to smash people. The first restricted the enemy's movements and prevented escape; the second killed with a single blow.

However, the long staff could not guarantee a hit every time.

Those who cultivated special techniques or possessed Dharma Artifacts that protected them could evade it.

As for why the old man had missed Tan Shuchang with the first strike, it was entirely because that old bastard had underestimated him. For the first strike, he had used only the suppressive killing ability of the Upper-Tier Dharma Artifact.

After all, judging by age alone, Tan Shuchang still belonged to the younger generation.

When a cultivator who had cultivated for around a full sixty-year cycle encountered a young man who had not yet undergone his coming-of-age ceremony, even Blackheart Elder would not strike with full force the first time.

It was like stepping on an ant. One would not stomp down hard, but step on it first, then grind it a few times.

Having gained a treasure, Tan Shuchang then prepared to recuperate.

From today onward, he was someone who carried a Dharma Artifact!

Yet after taking only two steps, Tan Shuchang heard that familiar cold, emotionless voice beside his ear. "It has been detected that player Tan Shuchang has repeatedly stolen assets from game instances. The following punishment is hereby issued to player Tan Shuchang."

"First, future game instances may not be stayed in for more than one shichen. Otherwise, it will be deemed a game failure."

"Second, player Tan Shuchang must compensate the Weird Game for its property losses. Considering that the player's current level is only Ding Six, player Tan Shuchang is ordered to compensate the Weird Game with four ghosts within one month."

"Third, due to incorrect data, player Tan Shuchang has continuously been unable to establish a normal connection with the Weird Game. Originally, compensation was to be provided to player Tan Shuchang. All originally planned compensation is now canceled, and only one Impermanence Token will be granted."

When the voice faded, Tan Shuchang discovered that something had appeared in his hand out of thin air.

It was a bone-chillingly cold token.

This token could allow Tan Shuchang to become a ghost constable after entering the Weird Game. If he chose to become a ghost constable, then every future entry into the Weird Game would require him to complete additional tasks.

However, compared to that, what Tan Shuchang cared about more was the compensation...

"Four ghosts?"

Trade fierce ghosts for ghosts? Tan Shuchang's eyes instantly lit up.