Chapter 12

C12 – Black Qi

“As expected from a disciple of the Dao Artifact Hall, your monthly stipend is significantly higher than that of us Jiaang family disciples!”

Having plundered the savings of Tang Bei and the other Dao Artifact Hall disciples, Jiaang Lin counted the loot, totaling nearly two thousand taels of silver.

On the ground, Tang Bei watched as Jiaang Lin greedily counted the money he had taken from him, muttering incessantly.

Overcome with rage, Tang Bei couldn’t catch his breath and passed out.

The cultivators around them continued to stare at Jiaang Lin, their faces still etched with astonishment.

From this day forward, Jiaang Lin’s reputation was sure to spread across Clear Water Town.

Once considered a hopeless case with blocked meridians unable to practice martial arts, he had suddenly risen to prominence. With a single punch, he had taken down Tang Bei, a Body Refining Level Four practitioner, as well as numerous disciples of the Dao Artifact Hall at Body Refining Levels One and Two.

The news was bound to send shockwaves throughout the community!

Anyone hearing this would surely be left speechless.

“Shaang Duoge.”

Paying no mind to the astonished looks from the other cultivators, Jiaang Lin approached Shaang Duoge and helped him to his feet.

“Are your injuries severe?”

Jiaang Lin looked at Shaang Duoge’s somewhat pale complexion with concern.

“I’m alright. I just need a bit of rest. But you, I haven’t seen you in a while, and I must say, you’ve really impressed me!” Shaang Duoge said with a smile.

​”Hehe! Your brother isn’t the same person he used to be. From now on, no one can bully me, and no one will dare to bully you either!” Jiaang Lin responded, grinning.

Hearing this, Shaang Duoge felt a warm sense of brotherhood. No matter how much he had changed from the once-incomparable genius to his current state, his brother had always been there, caring for him.

“Enough about that. What made you think of visiting my Dao Artifact Hall all of a sudden?” Shaang Duoge inquired.

​”Oh! I came to your hall to purchase a pill furnace to start refining pills,” Jiaang Lin answered honestly.

​”Buying a pill furnace? Refining pills? Do you know how to do that?”

Shaang Duoge gazed at Jiaang Lin with astonishment. He remembered Jiaang Lin as someone whose meridians were blocked, rendering him incapable of cultivating and ignorant of both martial arts and Pill Dao.

Yet, Jiaang Lin’s recent ascent to power, demonstrating the strength to knock out Tang Bei with a single punch, had already left Shaang Duoge reeling in shock.

And now, learning that Jiaang Lin could refine pills, how could he not be amazed?

“Uh-huh!”

Jiaang Lin, while steadying Shaang Duoge, nodded with a grin.

“Is this for real?”

It took a while for Shaang Duoge to come to his senses, and he couldn’t help but question the claim.

“What? You doubt your brother’s abilities?”

​He needed the rest of his silver to purchase the various spiritual herbs required for the Body Tempering Pills.

For Jiaang Lin at this point, one pill furnace was sufficient. Spending more would simply be a waste, as his mastery of the Pill Refining Arts meant he didn’t have to worry about the Pill Formation Rate or the quality.

​”Come to my room, let’s have a good drink. It’s been too long since we brothers last caught up,” Shaang Duoge said warmly, leading Jiaang Lin to his room after the purchase.

​”I heard you’re set to duel Qiao Junhan on the Central Battle Platform in a month. Is it true?” Shaang Duoge inquired, locking eyes with Jiaang Lin after taking a swig of his wine.

​He had only learned of this today.

​”Yes!” Jiaang Lin replied with a smile, downing his own drink in one go.

“Just remember, you’re not allowed to lose! If you do, don’t even think of calling me your big brother,” Shaang Duoge said with a laugh.

​He couldn’t offer Jiaang Lin any help at the moment, other than his moral support.

Despite Jiaang Lin’s current strength and cultivation not matching up to Qiao Junhan’s, Shaang Duoge had unwavering faith that his brother was no weakling.

“Then, you’ll have to be my brother for life!”

Jiaang Lin responded with a laugh.

At that, Shaang Duoge let out a hearty laugh and finished his strong drink in one gulp.

“Say, Duoge, go ahead and circulate your Cultivation Method.”

Jiaang Lin suddenly spoke with a grave tone.

He was aware that Shaang Duoge was an unparalleled talent of the Dragon Abyss Empire. Yet, for some unknown reason, his cultivation had been declining instead of improving, leaving him at Body Refining Level Three.

In his past life, Jiaang Lin was unable to assist Shaang Duoge, and could only watch as his sworn brother succumbed to the pressure and took his own life.

But in this life, Jiaang Lin was determined to thoroughly investigate and find the cause of Shaang Duoge’s regressing cultivation.

“For what?”

Shaang Duoge inquired, intrigued.

“I want to take a look at your physical condition,” Jiaang Lin answered.

​”Jiaang Lin, I’m touched by your concern, but I’m the only one who truly understands my condition. It’s not something others can discern,” Shaang Duoge said with a wry smile, gently declining the offer.

​”Come on, no more excuses. Let’s get on with it,” Jiaang Lin pressed.

​With no other choice, Shaang Duoge sat down cross-legged and began to quietly engage his Cultivation Method.

Simultaneously, Jiaang Lin activated his Blood Eye Battle Soul, his eyes swiftly turning a chilling shade of blood red.

He glanced around and saw streams of dense Heaven Earth Spiritual Energy flowing into Shaang Duoge’s body, coursing through his meridians and into his dantian.

But as the immense Heaven Earth Spiritual Energy surged into Shaang Duoge’s dantian, a mass of black Qi suddenly emerged, voraciously absorbing all the spiritual energy that Shaang Duoge had attracted.

“This black Qi...”

Upon noticing the black Qi, Jiaang Lin’s brow furrowed. He felt an intensely evil and chilling presence within it, which made him uneasy.