Chapter 182: Performance Gold Apricot, Primordial One Qi

Under cover of night, Chu Danqing returned to LinYuan City.

Thanks to the Pu Lao Scroll: Coastal Realm, Chu Danqing's mana recovered rapidly after disengaging from combat.

This allowed him to re-summon all summoned entities he had been forced to cancel due to insufficient mana within a short time.

After entering the city, Chu Danqing headed straight for the Liu residence.

Since it was already the dead of night, the gatekeeper was asleep, so Chu Danqing climbed over the wall.

He went directly toward Chen Jiunan's bedroom.

Concealed by the Ghost Maternal and Ghost Infant, he stood silently beside Chen Jiunan's bed.

He placed Lianyun's head aside, then gently shook the sleeping Chen Jiunan.

"Chief Chen, I've left the traitor's head of the Zhao Ming Society here." Chu Danqing said.

Chen Jiunan jolted awake, sighed in relief upon seeing Chu Danqing, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and said: "Young Master Chu, couldn't you have waited until tomorrow?"

He was truly at a loss for words about Chu Danqing.

He'd killed the man and destroyed the faction—any time would've done. Why come in the middle of the night and nearly scare him to death?

"I'd have to come back tomorrow anyway. Since I'm already out, it's more convenient." Chu Danqing was eager to turn in the quest—why else would he come here?

Besides, he didn't need sleep.

Chen Jiunan's gaze fell on Lianyun's head, his expression complex.

At the same time, Chu Danqing's side quest was completed.

【Quest Completed: You gain: Paradise Points ×10000, Attribute Points +4】

The quest specifically required Chu Danqing to deliver Lianyun's head to Chen Jiunan; otherwise, if merely killing him had sufficed, he wouldn't have rushed here so urgently.

"Dead is good. Dead is good." Chen Jiunan finally said.

The deed was done, the man was dead—his words could change nothing.

Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly.

"I'll keep the head here—I plan to use it as a warning to others."

"But I must warn you, Young Master Chu: Lianyun did something that earned him Hong Chengyue's high regard."

"You killed him—you'll need to be careful." Chen Jiunan said.

Chu Danqing, hearing this, was speechless: "You're not just using me as a blade—you're diverting the calamity eastward."

Chen Jiunan couldn't help but smile: "I have my own schemes, but I understand your rules, Young Master Chu."

Saying this, Chen Jiunan rose and fetched a box.

"Please accept this." He opened the box and handed it to Chu Danqing.

【Performance Gold Apricot Pill】

【Type: Consumable】

【Quality: Fine】

【Effect: When consumed, raises Fine-level Martial Arts inheritance skills by 1 level (including main outline and skills)】

(Note: Second consumption is ineffective)

(Note: Raises Excellent-level Martial Arts inheritance skills by 5 levels, Common-level by 10 levels)

(Note: Ineffective if Martial Arts inheritance skill is already at LV. AX)

Chu Danqing saw the item and accepted it without hesitation.

The effect was singular, but its utility was undeniable.

Martial Arts disciples were not a niche faction in the Paradise.

Fine-level inheritance skills, without a supply of pills like Chu Danqing's, required grueling cultivation to improve.

His Five Elemental Beast Scripture had evolved into Fine-level postnatally, and after reaching max level, could no longer be upgraded—it was LV. AX at only level 10.

Other Fine-level inheritance skills weren't capped at level 10, and their cultivation difficulty was far higher.

Using this pill at the final level would save immense time and Paradise Points.

Chu Danqing planned to trade it.

This item could only be sold to Martial Arts disciples—they had no use for Summoning-type items.

As long as Chu Danqing didn't demand Paradise Points, it was a win-win.

"Good item," Chu Danqing said, satisfied: "Give me another one. I'll go pick up Hong Chengyue's head for you."

"None left," Chen Jiunan said immediately. "Besides, Ma Xiang said Hong Chengyue must not be killed—killing him would be rebellion."

He feared Chu Danqing would kill first and report later, arriving at dawn with Hong Chengyue's head in hand demanding more items, so he simply claimed there were none left.

Chen Jiunan's words were truthful—the Performance Gold Apricot Pills were indeed gone.

He'd brought these precious items along when delivering the whetstone and Trace Performance Stone to Chu Danqing earlier.

Emperor Shuo had staked everything to preserve his throne; these items, however precious, were merely byproducts of power.

"Aren't you Zhao Ming Society rebels? Why fear rebellion?" Chu Danqing retorted.

"That's true, but now it's an investigation—whether by the Empress Dowager or the Ironclad Guards, evidence is paramount."

"But if we were to suppress a rebellion, with armies descending upon us, we'd be powerless to resist," Chen Jiunan explained.

When one's own iron isn't hard enough, compromise and circumvention are the only options.

"Have you contacted the Black Flag Army? What did they say?" Chu Danqing asked.

"Unclear—Ma Xiang handled it. Our identities can't be exposed, so we've been busy with the school," Chen Jiunan replied, then added: "But there is good news."

"Liu Bai intercepted and killed all the Ironclad Guards sent to deliver the message to Qi Qianshan—no need to worry about Qi Qianshan's troubles for now."

"Good. I thought you'd mess up again," Chu Danqing replied, glancing at the time: "Alright, I'm off. You sleep well."

He planned to rest.

Chu Danqing didn't need sleep, but he still got tired.

Tomorrow morning, he'd have to go to Ma Yunfeng for his wages.

"Let me see you out—don't climb the wall again," Chen Jiunan said. He hadn't seen how Chu Danqing entered, but the gatekeeper was asleep.

Arriving at his bedroom without alerting the Liu residence guards likely meant he'd climbed the wall.

"Too much trouble—going through the front gate takes longer. I'll climb the wall—it's faster." Chu Danqing waved him off and left with Da Bao.

Going through the front gate meant detouring; climbing the wall was direct—definitely faster.

Seeing this, Chen Jiunan didn't press further and let Chu Danqing go; he took Lianyun's head to deal with it.

It needed pickling—otherwise, it would rot quickly.

The next morning, after completing his daily quests, Chu Danqing strode boldly to Ma Yunfeng's quarters.

When he arrived, Ma Yunfeng was eating breakfast. He offered a polite greeting; Da Bao sat down without ceremony and joined him.

Da Bao had already eaten, but he could eat more.

He was a five-year-old child, and Ma Yunfeng was an acquaintance—no need for formality.

"Here," Chu Danqing placed a bloodstained strip of cloth on the table.

Ma Yunfeng took a sip of porridge and immediately recognized the cloth as coming from Jia Simou's clothing.

He'd picked it up after killing Jia Simou; otherwise, Chu Danqing showing up empty-handed to demand wages would've been enough for Ma Yunfeng to pay out of trust.

But since Chu Danqing took payment to eliminate threats, he had to do it perfectly.

"Have you considered reorganizing the Green Robe Guards?" Ma Yunfeng asked.

With this efficiency and capability, he needed to bind Chu Danqing more tightly to their faction.

If successful, the Ironclad Guards would surely be purged.

But Emperor Shuo couldn't afford to be without a similar organization.

Chu Danqing, a former Thousand-House Commander of the Green Robe Guards, was perfect for the role.

"No," Chu Danqing answered firmly. Starting from nothing and taking over an existing force were entirely different levels of difficulty.

"Pity," Ma Yunfeng replied, then ordered a servant to fetch something.

About three minutes later, a servant arrived with the item.

Clearly, it had been prepared in advance, waiting for Chu Danqing's arrival.

Chu Danqing looked—and saw a Chuancheng skill.

【Skill Book: One Qi Primordial Art】

【Type: Inheritance Skill】

【Quality: Fine】

【Effect: Upon use, gains the One Qi Primordial Art inheritance. Energy value is replaced with True Qi value. True Qi possesses Primordial effect and amplifies inheritance skills based on their number】

(Note: This is the strongest inheritance skill in this trial world)

(Note: True Qi value of this type cannot be increased by most equipment)

Chu Danqing glanced at it and accepted it immediately—the words "strongest" alone made it worth a fortune.

The True Qi in this trial world was not the martial arts True Qi of wuxia—it was the actual breath in one's chest.

With this single breath, one could resist negative states and amplify attributes, skills, and more.

And it wasn't just True Qi—external cultivation could also enhance attributes.

That was the so-called "external cultivation of sinews, bones, and skin; internal cultivation of one breath"—emphasizing strength and flexibility without yielding.

Thus, the quantity of True Qi mattered little—its quality mattered most, which is why most equipment couldn't increase True Qi value.

"Good item. Next time you have something like this, remember to call me," Chu Danqing said—he could bundle the One Qi Primordial Art with the Performance Gold Apricot Pills for sale.

He was also pondering something: this trial world for the assessment couldn't possibly be Tier 1—how could so many Fine-quality items appear?

Even the last trial world used as a bonus for the sprint class didn't have elite-grade items appear so frequently.

Reserve-grade Apostles might not fetch an exchange price, but a Rank 1 Apostle certainly would.

It's barter, after all—not every transaction needs Paradise Points.

The Paradise is vast; someone will always be able to afford it.

"Of course," Ma Yunfeng said with a smile. "I'll need Young Master Chu's support."

"Perfect. Young Master Chu previously eliminated the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird clans. Why not take care of the Black Tortoise as well?"

Chu Danqing had already intended to do so, and asked: "Shall we strike directly?"

"Of course not. We always act with proper justification," Ma Yunfeng knew that nowadays, one needed a legitimate pretext—or else, if caught out, trouble would follow.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a servant arrived to report.

"My lord, Li Yutang has submitted a visiting card," the servant said, placing the card respectfully on the table.

Ma Yunfeng wiped his hands, opened it, and said to Chu Danqing: "Look, here's your justification."

Chu Danqing glanced at the card's contents and said: "You planned this all along."

"How could that be planning? It's merely perfect timing," Ma Yunfeng naturally denied it, then added: "Show Li the merchant in."

Chu Danqing had no objection to manipulation—it was mutual benefit, after all.

(End of Chapter)