Meeting Lao Guai Again
Lu Feng was unaware of the conversation taking place in the corner.
His mind was entirely focused on using him as bait to lure Hu Xiaotian to Canglan City.
There's nothing inherently wrong with this. So why specifically Canglan City?
The counter attendant then picked up the bronze token.
He looked down and his expression instantly changed.
This is Guan Shanhai's private token.
Within the Demon-Slaying Bureau, the tokens of the Si Zheng and Deputy Si Zheng can mobilize all resources.
When the steward looked up at Lu Feng again, his attitude had completely changed.
"I wonder what Commander Lu would like to change?"
The deacon clearly recognized him as well.
Lu Feng's name and deeds have become widely known in Shouyun City over the past two weeks.
The deacon had no doubt about the origin of the token.
"I need fifty types of fifth-tier essence blood. Can I choose them myself?"
"Sure."
The steward dared not utter a word of refusal and immediately brought out all the fifth-tier essence blood from the inventory, placing it on the counter for Lu Feng to choose from.
There were over two hundred bottles of semen and blood displayed in a row.
However, many of these are duplicate product categories.
It took Lu Feng nearly an incense stick's time to select fifty different kinds of essence blood from it and put them into his storage bag one by one.
"I wonder if Commander Lu would like anything else?"
The deacon retrieved the remaining essence blood, a smile plastered on his face.
"No need. Deputy Si Zheng asked me to exchange these essence blood, so it doesn't require merit points, right?"
"No need, no need," the deacon waved his hands repeatedly.
"In that case, I'll be going."
Take care.
The steward watched Lu Feng's figure disappear outside the door before slowly wiping the smile from his face and carefully putting the token back into his pocket.
Lu Feng returned to the tent he had previously shared with Lu Shuang.
The tent was spotless; not even the table was dusty.
It seems that after he and Lu Shuang left, Ji Qingqing had been arranging for someone to clean the place every day.
Lu Feng sat cross-legged on the cushion, not immediately beginning to cultivate the Hundred Beasts Body-Tempering Art.
Wu Qingfeng and the others instructed him to lure Hu Xiaotian to Canglan City.
He wouldn't have thought much of it if it were anywhere else. But it just so happens to be Canglan City.
The Bagua formation beneath Canglan City is far larger in scale than the one set up by Zhu Ren of the Fire Saber Sect.
That formation was clearly used to gather vital essence and blood to help people break through their limits.
The person who set up the formation clearly had something big planned.
Otherwise, Canglan City originally had tens of thousands of demonic beasts. If they were all killed, the person who set up the formation would have gained an unknown amount of cultivation.
Moreover, the person who set up the formation must have a high level of cultivation.
Having been in Yongzhou for so long, the only high-ranking official he hadn't met was Wu Qingfeng.
He had met all the other deputy directors Deputy Si Zheng, and none of them possessed the aura of Half-Demon.
But Wu Qingfeng couldn't possibly be Half-Demon.
His talent is undoubtedly exceptional, which is why he was able to become the Si Zheng of the Western Demon-Slaying Bureau.
Half-Demon have always held a fatal allure only for those who lack talent and have no hope of breaking through.
"Could there be other experts lurking in the shadows that I don't know about?"
Lu Feng frowned and thought for a while, then finally shook his head.
"Forget it. Anyway, I've already tampered with that formation. Whoever set it up will find out eventually."
Lu Feng stopped thinking about it and focused his consciousness into the system.
"System, upgrade the Hundred Beasts Body Tempering Art to level five."
[Ding! Upgrading the Hundred Beasts Body Tempering Art to the fifth level requires: 100 types of fifth-tier demon beast essence blood, 360 grains of Bone-Tempering Sand, and 10 million Demon Points. Insufficient Bone-Tempering Sand detected; upgrade unsuccessful.]
Lu Feng was taken aback. Not enough Bone-Tempering Sand?
He had already used up some of the Bone-Tempering Sand he bought from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion when he was on the fourth level.
There are 130 left. I didn't expect that the fifth layer would require so many as 360.
Left with no other choice, Lu Feng got up, left the tent, and headed back towards Guan Shanhai's residence.
Upon reaching the entrance, they were stopped by the gatekeeper.
"What? Deputy Si Zheng just left? He's not in Shouyun City?"
"Yes. The master had urgent business and just left." The attendant recognized him and was fairly polite.
Do you know where he went? When will he be back?
The attendant shook his head. "The master didn't say. We dare not ask."
Helpless, Lu Feng could only turn and leave.
Guan Shanhai isn't here, so where can he find the Bone-Tempering Sand?
The only place in Shouyun City where materials can be exchanged is the Merit Hall, and it's unclear whether the steward will still allow him to exchange them.
After thinking it over, Lu Feng decided to try his luck.
Before he even reached the entrance of the Merit Hall, he heard a quarrel coming from inside.
"Sir, please have mercy and give us a piece of fine stone. If we don't have enough silver, we'll find more."
"I've said it countless times. This is the Merit Hall, not a marketplace. Everything here requires merit points to exchange for. You should leave now."
As Lu Feng approached, he saw a dozen elderly men dressed in coarse linen clothes gathered at the entrance of the materials area.
They were all quite old; some leaned on canes, others were hunched over, clutching a few pieces of silver in their hands, looking helplessly at the steward behind the counter.
A number of disciples were watching nearby; some shook their heads, while others chuckled.
"These people are really something, using silver to buy things in the Merit Hall."
"They are all ordinary people and have no idea what the Merit Hall is. They usually see us coming here to exchange things and think it's like a market where you can just buy things with silver."
"It's quite pitiful. But that's just how the Merit Hall rules are, and there's nothing anyone can do about it."
Lu Feng suddenly paused. There was a familiar face in the crowd: Lao Guai.
He stood at the front of the line, leaning on a crooked wooden cane, and was speaking kindly to the deacon.
The deacon was also in a real bind. He wanted to just kick the person out, but he was afraid of giving others cause for gossip.
I've explained it to these people several times, but they just don't understand.
Just as the steward reluctantly raised his head, he saw Lu Feng.
The deacon's eyes lit up immediately, and he quickly came out from behind the counter, greeting the deacon with a beaming smile.
"Commander Lu, you've arrived. Is there anything else you need?"
"I'd like some more Bone-Tempering Sand."
Lu Feng said something, then glanced at the group of old men.
What's going on?
"Them? It's nothing, nothing at all." The deacon waved his hand.
"Commander Lu, please wait a moment, I'll go and fetch the Bone-Tempering Sand."
The steward turned and walked toward the counter, but Lu Feng did not follow immediately.
"My lord, it's you."
Lao Guai recognized him too, and his cloudy eyes lit up instantly.
"Long time no see, old man. What are you looking to exchange here?"
"I never expected to see you here, sir."
Lao Guai gripped his wooden cane, his voice tinged with excitement.
"Isn't this the story of a hero who single-handedly drove away those monsters and saved the entire Shouyun City?"
"We're all alive thanks to him."
"The group discussed it and decided to buy a fine piece of stone to carve a statue of that hero, which they would worship daily."
Hearing what Lao Guai said, Lu Feng decided to lend him a hand.
Sometimes, ordinary people are just that simple; they'll be good to whoever treats them well!
Have you met that hero?
Everyone shook their heads in unison.