Sequence 9-Blood Wing

Jin Tianzong's wooden cabin had two rooms, a master bedroom and a workshop. Lin Shan entered the workshop through a small door on one side.

There was a small bed just wide enough for one person, with a green silk quilt on top.

"At last, I don't have to sleep on the ground anymore."

Lin Shan took out Parchment and wrote on it:

Lin Shan: [What is the Cat Clan's purpose?]

Parchment: [Payment of one month of lifespan required.]

Parchment: [Blocked by Clan Fortune. Unable to determine.]

Lin Shan frowned at the black writing. The Clan Fortune mentioned here presumably belonged to the Cat Clan, but he had never expected it to be capable of blocking Parchment's supernatural power.

Since he couldn't get an answer, he could only leave the matter alone for now. At least at this stage, the Cat Clan had brought them nothing but benefits.

He continued writing:

Lin Shan: [Requirements for advancing to Sequence 8.]

Parchment: [Payment of one month of lifespan required.]

Lin Shan: [Pay.]

Parchment: [Fully digest the Sequence 9 potion.]

Lin Shan: [How do I digest the potion?]

Parchment: [Time.]

Lin Shan: [How much time?]

Parchment: [Unknown. Varies by individual.]

The black writing on Parchment disappeared. Before Lin Shan could write another question, a large block of black text emerged.

Parchment had offered a hint on its own initiative!

Parchment: [The abundant spirituality within your body has led you astray. You are eager to pursue the power of Sequence 8, but you know nothing of its might and terror. Hunting a Sequence 8 with the abilities of a Sequence 9 is no different from marching to your death. Moreover... you seem to have forgotten that you can bear a dual sequence...]

Lin Shan read the passage over and over. Parchment's meaning was clear: searching for Sequence 8 Materials now would be tantamount to marching to his death. To advance further, he first had to bear the abilities of another sequence.

How did people without dual sequences advance? The question couldn't help flashing through his mind.

He shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. Since Sequence 8 was out of the question, he would work on the other sequence first.

Lin Shan: [Obtain the formula for a Sequence 9 specter physique potion.]

Going out to find the Sequence Stele wasn't particularly realistic. He could only trade his lifespan to Parchment for it.

Parchment: [Payment of 40 years of lifespan required.]

Lin Shan: [Pay.]

Parchment: [Searching within a radius of one thousand kilometers. None...]

Parchment: [Searching within a radius of ten thousand kilometers. None...]

Parchment: [Searching within a radius of one hundred thousand kilometers. None...]

Parchment: [Theft successful.]

Lin Shan looked at the writing on Parchment with a strange expression. Theft successful? Don't tell me it stole this...

Parchment: [Sequence 9-Blood Wing. Blood Wing-supernatural entity-primary ingredient; mercury grass-plant-whole plant; Sikatini-fallen-extract its core.]

Lin Shan: [Obtain locations.]

Parchment: [Payment of 40 years of lifespan required.]

Lin Shan: [Pay.]

The writing on Parchment disappeared, replaced by four dots and some small annotations.

The nearest was "Fallen-Sikatini," 436 kilometers away. The farthest, "Supernatural entity-Blood Wing," was a full 2,467 kilometers away.

Not only that, obtaining the locations of specter physique sequence ingredients cost twice as much lifespan as it did for the life physique sequence. Nearly half of his two hundred years of lifespan had been consumed. He didn't know whether that was because of the greater distance or something else. Although the cost pained him, remembering that advancement would reset his lifespan made him feel much better.

He didn't know whether it was his imagination, but Parchment seemed to have become colder and more sinister. His hand had also gone stiff from holding the Quill for so long, and his joints made clicking sounds when he moved them.

He put Parchment away, only to find that the bedboard beneath it had been corroded pitch-black. Nothing like this had happened during their previous transactions.

Lin Shan's heart lurched. Could Parchment be growing after every transaction too... could it go out of control?

Was he supposed to stop using Parchment just because he was afraid? Parchment was a spectral object, inherently an omen of ill fortune. If he wanted its convenience, he had to accept the possibility of its power turning against him. Giving up out of fear wasn't his style.

It needs my lifespan, and I need its knowledge. This was a transaction to begin with... as long as I'm strong enough, I'll have a way to counter it.

Lin Shan lay on the bed, imagining countless possibilities, and drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

Early the next morning.

He went to the river for a quick wash. For toiletries, Jin Tianzong had given him only a piece of green silk cloth and a wooden toothbrush, with a blob of sticky gray paste on it serving as toothpaste.

"..."

Lin Shan stared speechlessly at the silk cloth in his hand. This truly embodied "making the most of everything." Since they had plenty of silk, every household item was made from it.

"Lin Shan." Zhao Xiao An walked up beside him and called out, "Are you free? Want to come gather medicinal herbs with us?"

"Gather herbs?" Lin Shan asked, puzzled.

"Yes. I've been studying the medicinal properties of this world's plants. I haven't achieved much yet, but I've collected quite a few herbs that can be used as medicine. Speaking of which, this world really is rich in resources. Medicines that are precious on Earth are everywhere here, and they're all enhanced versions," Zhao Xiao An said.

"You studied medicine too?" Lin Shan asked in surprise.

"Yes." Zhao Xiao An nodded. "I'm from the Peking University School of Pharmacy. You too, Brother Lin?"

"Impressive." Lin Shan gave her a thumbs-up. "I studied clinical medicine. Just an ordinary undergraduate degree."

"Don't be so modest. We can exchange ideas sometime," Zhao Xiao An said, unconvinced.

"Really, my professional knowledge is pretty average," Lin Shan said earnestly.

"..." Seeing his earnest expression, Zhao Xiao An was left at a loss for words, but she continued, "So are you coming or not?"

"On foot?"

"On horseback!"

"I want a horse to myself."

"Okay."

After their exchange, Lin Shan decided to go out with her. He had nothing else to do anyway, though his main reason was that he wanted to experience galloping on horseback.

He followed Zhao Xiao An and Xia Xuan to the stable. To its left lay a large stretch of farmland, where Si Zhennan was driving an ox to plow the fields. Another plot beside it was already covered in green plants, though Lin Shan didn't know what had been planted. Spotting him, Si Zhennan called out a greeting from afar.

Lin Shan waved back.

Then he turned to Zhao Xiao An and asked, "Where did that ox come from? And these horses?" He pointed at the five horses in the stable.

Zhao Xiao An pursed her lips. "Where else? The Cat Clan gave them to us. But we caught the ox ourselves."

The supplies provided by the Cat Clan were useful, but whenever they remembered who had given them, it always felt strange.

The ox and horses here were all pseudo-transcendent creatures, their bodies covered in a thin veil of spirituality. But why did they look so much like creatures on Earth? And the chickens and silkworms too... although they were larger, their essential nature hadn't changed. What connection did this place have to Earth...?

"Lin Shan!" Zhao Xiao An interrupted his thoughts. "What are you thinking about? Wondering why these creatures look so much like the ones on Earth?"

"Yes." Lin Shan nodded.

"Stop thinking about it. You won't figure it out," Zhao Xiao An said. "According to the Cat Clan, their world had oxen and horses too..."

"Were there humans in their world?" Lin Shan asked.

Zhao Xiao An shook her head. "No. They said the Cat Clan was the only primate species in their world."

Xia Xuan led a black horse out. "You can ride this one. Let it get familiar with you first. You don't need any riding skills or anything; just make sure you don't get thrown off."

"These horses are very smart. They can even understand simple language."

Lin Shan studied the black horse. Faint glimmers of spirituality occasionally flickered across its back, and the muscles in its legs were strong and powerful. Its bright, alert eyes looked at Lin Shan, as though it were sizing him up too.