Surnamed Yu, Given Name Jin

"Sure enough, an Immortal Jujube."

Chen Jichuan's eyes brightened slightly.

All things under heaven—

once they gained spiritual qi, they became entirely different. These Yong Prince Jujubes had grown on the Spirit Jujube Tree and absorbed a measure of spiritual qi themselves. When ordinary people consumed them, they could strengthen their bodies and improve their health. Over time, they could become immune to all illnesses, perhaps even awaken Altered Abilities like Sheng Dayang and his son and become Altered Humans.

They were incomparably precious.

"I wonder if I can draw out the spiritual qi within them."

Chen Jichuan reached down and picked up a red jujube.

With a thought—

several threads of coolness actually flowed into him. He called up the Immortal Register and found that he had gained 7 points of Origin Force.

The amount was far inferior to the Spirit Stones in Black Prison.

But there were four or five jin here, roughly sixty-odd Spirit Jujubes. Together, they could provide around four hundred points of Origin Force.

"These Spirit Jujubes can help people awaken Altered Abilities. Using them like this is a waste instead."

Chen Jichuan put the red jujube, now drained of spiritual qi, back into the bag and tied it shut.

He did not hurry to inspect the other spoils.

He simply bundled everything up in cloth, then walked over to Zheng Biao, who had been the first to fall.

Crack!

He stomped down, crushing the man's chest inward. There was no longer any chance of survival.

Only then did he say to Sheng Dayang, "Take me to the Immortal Jujube Tree."

Yong Prince Jujubes had originally been ordinary.

Only after gaining spiritual qi and becoming a spirit tree that bore spirit fruit did they possess such marvelous effects. If he found this Spirit Jujube Tree, he might gain some unexpected harvest.

"Hero."

"All the Immortal Jujubes from the Immortal Jujube Tree are already here. We'll have to wait until next September for more to ripen."

Sheng Dayang hurriedly replied.

He was afraid that Chen Jichuan would see the Immortal Jujube Tree but find not a single Immortal Jujube on it, then take out his anger on father and son.

"Just lead the way."

Chen Jichuan lowered his voice, his tone utterly flat.

Holding a steel saber,

he hooked a ring of keys off Xu Lang's body and tossed them to Sheng Dayang. "Unlock yourselves."

"Thank you, Hero!"

Sheng Dayang was overjoyed. He hurriedly caught the keys and first removed the shackles and fetters from his son Sheng Xiaotian, then freed himself. The flesh around the father and son's ankles was a bloody mess, while bloodstains marked their necks and shoulders. They were truly bedraggled and miserable.

Now that their restraints were gone,

they immediately felt as light as though a great burden had been lifted.

"The bodies—"

Chen Jichuan looked at the six corpses on the ground, then had Sheng Dayang and his son gather up the dead branches and fallen leaves and clear an open patch.

He then piled the six bodies together. With a thought—

Whoosh!

Flames burst forth!

Two fireballs abruptly appeared in Chen Jichuan's palms and dropped onto the corpses. The fireballs burned at an extremely high temperature, igniting the bodies in an instant and setting them ablaze.

"Fire!"

"Immortal arts!"

When Sheng Xiaotian saw flames emerge from the masked man's hands, he jumped backward in fright.

Sheng Dayang was shocked as well. "This man actually knows 'immortal arts' too! He's far stronger than me!"

"Not bad."

Chen Jichuan looked at this technique of his and nodded inwardly.

But unlike what Sheng Dayang and Sheng Xiaotian believed, what he had used was not some immortal art. It was not even an Altered Ability.

It had been copied from Chen Shaohe's Flame Control Altered Ability and counted as a spell.

Back in Black Prison, Chen Shaohe had only just awakened Flame Control Technique when Chen Jichuan used Insight Art to try copying Chen Shaohe's talent.

One month in the cave.

One month on the road.

Then another month after arriving in Yangshuo County.

Over a hundred days in all. Chen Jichuan copied it whenever he had spare time, and only a few days ago had he finally managed to reproduce it completely.

Unfortunately,

Flame Control Technique was, after all, an Altered Ability born of innate talent.

Chen Jichuan had copied it through acquired means and could not maintain it for long. Each copy required enormous mental effort, and even once successfully constructed, it could only last for three days.

After three days,

it would disappear.

Then he would have to spend nearly a minute constructing it again.

Three days.

One minute.

They seemed insignificant, and in truth, they were indeed insignificant.

He merely needed to pay attention every three days, lest he forget to copy it. Otherwise, when trouble suddenly struck, he might find himself unable to use it in the rush of the moment.

Aside from that,

Chen Jichuan's pirated Flame Control Technique was not greatly different from Chen Shaohe's genuine version. Even their power was nearly the same.

The only difference was,

when Chen Shaohe used Flame Control Technique, as long as the talent characters within him flickered with flowing light, he could cast it at will. Even if he exhausted himself and could no longer produce a single flame, one night's sleep would restore him completely.

Chen Jichuan could not do that.

He had to consume Origin Force to activate Flame Control Technique.

It looked intimidating,

but Chen Jichuan was usually reluctant to use it.

Unless it was necessary, it was merely something to display and look at. This time, he had not used it simply to show off before others, but to close the distance between himself and Sheng Dayang's father and son—

they were all Altered Humans.

They all possessed Altered Abilities.

Naturally, that gave them a little more sense of kinship.

"Flame Control Technique is of limited use to me."

"But if I encounter other, better Altered Abilities and copy them with Insight Art, they could be of great use."

For instance—

Altered Ability: Blood-Burning!

Chen Jichuan's gaze shifted to Sheng Dayang and his son as thoughts flowed through his mind. "Burn the blood, raising its temperature until it combusts and kills the target. This is an art of murder. But if its degree is controlled, using only the difference in temperature to drive the blood and qi into rapid circulation could instead invigorate the blood, disperse stasis, and strengthen the body."

If this Altered Ability were combined with Chen Jichuan's many martial arts,

one plus one would surely become greater than two.

"It can be tried."

"If it works, then without Medicinal Herbs, Shao He may be able to attempt cultivating certain martial arts as well."

Chen Jichuan's thoughts stirred.

With his head and face covered,

Sheng Dayang and his son could not see the changes in his expression. They waited uneasily where they stood.

"He knows immortal arts too."

"Then he should—"

Thoughts churned in Sheng Dayang's mind. After seeing Chen Jichuan use Flame Control Technique, the tightly drawn string in his heart suddenly loosened a little.

The flames burned.

Tongues of fire danced.

The corpses could not be entirely reduced to ashes beneath the intense heat. Some bones would inevitably remain. But Chen Jichuan only wanted to burn away certain odors and superficial traces.

It did not matter if the bones, or even the skeletons, remained behind.

"Let's go."

Without waiting for the flames to die out,

Chen Jichuan called for Sheng Dayang and Sheng Xiaotian to lead the way to the Immortal Jujube Tree Sheng Dayang had mentioned.

Two quarters of an hour later.

"Hero."

"This is the jujube tree."

In the forest, on a gentle slope, many trees grew. Among them stood two trees: one was a jujube tree, and the other was also a jujube tree.

Sheng Dayang pointed to one of them for Chen Jichuan.

"Spirit Jujube Tree."

Chen Jichuan looked at the lush jujube tree before him, and numinous light flashed in his eyes—

[Yong Prince Spirit Jujube Tree: An ordinary jujube tree favored by heaven and earth. It can gather spiritual qi and bear Spirit Jujubes. Ordinary people who remain beside the tree for long periods may prolong their lives. Cultivators residing beside the tree will benefit their cultivation.]

"It truly has gained spiritual qi."

Chen Jichuan saw through it at a glance, and joy filled his heart even more.

This Spirit Jujube Tree was more precious than he had imagined. Not only could it bear Spirit Jujubes, it could even gather spiritual qi and benefit cultivation.

He looked the Spirit Jujube Tree up and down.

Sure enough, there was not a single jujube left on it. Zheng Biao and the others had picked them all clean.

He then looked at the tree's thickness. It was just enough for him to wrap his arms around. "Heaven's will."

A plan formed in his mind.

Chen Jichuan looked toward Sheng Dayang beside him and said, "Although the six men from the Li River Gang's Flying Eagle Hall were not killed by you, you surely know how overbearing the Li River Gang is. They certainly will not spare you and your son. What are your plans from here on?"

"Does Hero have any instructions?"

Sheng Dayang did not dare speak bluntly, and a respectful expression appeared on his face.

"What kind of hero am I?"

Chen Jichuan shook his head and said in a low, hoarse voice, "My surname is Yu, and my given name is Jin. I share a blood-deep enmity with the Li River Gang. If you wish to deal with the Li River Gang and avenge your mother, then ten days from now, wait for me at Rubble Stone Forest, eighteen li due south of this place."

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