"The Minor Five Elements One-Origin Evasion Art Qing Chen cultivated back then, a high-grade Heaven Grade evasion technique of such tremendous power, cost only eighty points of major merit-and exhausted all the merit he earned from reclaiming Qiongzhou."
A sharp gleam flashed through Xiao Canglan's eyes. "Now he wants to exchange his merit for the complete Brahma Demon-Refining Art? He's still a long way off. That cultivation technique isn't much inferior even to Mount Sumeru's Great Five Elements Sumeru Evasion Art."
Understanding dawned on Yue Hanshan. "So you mean he'll have to achieve something in the Nine Netherworlds Ancient Bloodline before he can possibly accumulate enough merit, Spirit Venerable?"
"More than that." Xiao Canglan shook his head. "Rendering major service in the Nine Netherworlds Ancient Bloodline Forbidden Grounds is only the beginning. Only by then going to the Southwestern Circuit to fight the Demon Race will he have a chance of reaching that amount."
Yue Hanshan felt greatly reassured.
But then something else occurred to him. "But what if... what if he decides not to exchange his merit for this cultivation technique?"
"Heh."
Xiao Canglan smiled. "Hanshan, with Qing Chen's temperament, do you think he'll willingly remain trapped at the Nascent Soul middle stage for the rest of his life? He has no choice but to comply."
He paused, a touch of reflection entering his voice. "Besides, while the cultivation techniques he practices and the treasures he wields are powerful, they carry many hidden dangers. Unless he becomes a Spirit Venerable, he can never overturn the heavens, and he has almost no chance of becoming one. He'll be fortunate just to die a natural death-
"In that respect, you're far better off than he is. His roots lie in being an Outer Sect cultivator of a minor sect. That's his