Chapter 12: Merit Lottery, Substitute Death Yin Puppet

"Colorful Merit Fish, a billion-point grand prize."

Since the relevant news had already spread like wildfire and everyone was discussing it, Lu Yang figured out the whole story without much effort.

It turned out that the Initial Saint Sect had a standing special task named "Accumulating Merit."

The location was a precious land called "Merit Pool" deep within the sea of clouds below the Holy Fire Cliff, where a strange spiritual beast named "Merit Fish" lived in the pool.

The fish came in five colors: white, blue, purple, gold, and colorful.

The closer to colorful, the more abundant the essence and qi of the Merit Fish; after consumption, it could not only improve the quality of True Qi but even break through bottlenecks.

The so-called "Accumulating Merit" task arose from this.

This task could be claimed once per person per month: first blindly select a number, then pay 10 Contribution Points to retrieve the Merit Fish corresponding to that number.

However, the 10 Contribution Points paid by the cultivators were not reclaimed by the Saint Sect but were instead recorded in the Merit Pool's account; a high-ranking member of the Saint Sect had specifically explained this: if anyone could select the one and only colorful Merit Fish in the pool, they would receive all the Contribution Points within the Merit Pool!

Since this task was first issued, nearly a hundred years had passed.

Yet in a hundred years, no one had selected the colorful Merit Fish, resulting in the Contribution Points in the pool accumulating more and more, becoming an astronomical number.

"Ten billion! Ten billion!"

On the rocking chair, the old man kept muttering in a low voice, his tone full of envy, jealousy, and hatred.

Just yesterday, the super grand prize of this "Merit Lottery" finally had a result, and the disciple who won it had entered the sect less than ten days ago.

A hundred-year prize pool was taken by a newcomer who had entered less than ten days ago!

No wonder the old man of the Library Pavilion felt psychologically unbalanced; after all, this ten-billion-point grand prize included his own share from participating in the Merit Pool task over so many years.

Not to mention that when Xiao Shuye obtained the ten-billion-point grand prize in the Merit Pool, he also obtained the most precious colorful Merit Fish; after consuming it, he broke through from Qi Refining Level 1 to Qi Refining Perfection overnight, and was now taken as a disciple by a True Person of the sect, secluding himself to prepare for breaking through to Foundation Establishment.

Such a situation made even Lu Yang unable to help but show a look of envy.

However, his expression soon changed, because that lucky winner, Xiao Shuye, had not concealed the number he chose when he selected the colorful Merit Fish.

"2025113"

Looking at this number, Lu Yang couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

Just as Lu Yang firmly memorized this string of numbers in his heart, preparing to apply them in his next life, a graceful figure suddenly walked into the Library Pavilion.

"Junior Brother Lu?"

Lu Yang responded and looked up, immediately recognizing the other party; it was none other than Fairy Qingchen. She also seemed very surprised, her pretty face bearing a bit of joy at the chance encounter.

"Oh, it's Qingchen. Is the time up?"

The old man of the Library Pavilion also saw Fairy Qingchen; his originally bored expression instantly turned serious, and he stood up, saying, "Then let us set off immediately."

"Senior Brother, are you also going to explore the cave dwelling?" Lu Yang asked curiously.

"What else?" the old man of the Library Pavilion said irritably, "I just lost a huge sum of money; if I don't find some extra income, I'll be drinking northwest wind!"

"Lost a huge sum of money?"

"Alas, it was my momentary carelessness," the old man of the Library Pavilion sighed, "Some time ago, the Saint Sect fought a great battle with the Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange of Jiangnan."

"The Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange came prepared and forcibly snatched a Ten-Thousand-Person Pit belonging to the Saint Sect in the south."

"The 'Substitute Death Yin Skeletons' produced in that Ten-Thousand-Person Pit are very precious rare treasures; with the pit seized, its price within the Saint Sect immediately skyrocketed."

"At first, everyone was hoarding goods; out of caution, I first observed for a while."

"Later, I found that the price was indeed rising and never falling, feeling that the opportunity would vanish in an instant, so I acted and bought a batch of goods from others at a high price."

Speaking to this point, the old man of the Library Pavilion was heartbroken and regretful, slapping his thigh repeatedly in remorse: "Who would have thought that just after I finished hoarding, news came that the Saint Sect launched a counterattack and the Ten-Thousand-Person Pit had been retaken; as a result, the price that had just soared instantly plummeted, even lower than the original price!"

Lu Yang: "..."

"But fortunately, there is Qingchen." After sighing for a while, the old man of the Library Pavilion perked up again and exclaimed, "Qingchen is truly a good person."

Fairy Qingchen smiled shyly, "Senior Brother overpraises me."

"These are truly heartfelt words," the old man of the Library Pavilion said sincerely, "If you had not recommended Senior Brother Zhao to me, I fear I would not have recovered even my principal."

"It was just a small favor," Fairy Qingchen said modestly, "Senior Brother Zhao happened to need a batch of Substitute Death Yin Skeletons, and Senior Brother you had hoarded a batch of goods in your hands; Qingchen merely happened to be there at the right time. I only hope that when we go to explore the cave dwelling later, if Qingchen sees something she likes, Senior Brother can help Qingchen a little."

Senior Brother Zhao... Zhao Xuhe? A slight movement stirred in Lu Yang's heart.

"By the way, Junior Brother Lu."

Only at this moment did Fairy Qingchen seem to remember Lu Yang, turning her head to look at him, "For this exploration of the cave dwelling, does Junior Brother really not intend to accompany us?"

"... Let Senior Sister laugh at me."

Lu Yang shook his head, "Junior Brother has only recently entered the sect, is weak in power and influence, and only wishes to focus on cultivation; exploring cave dwellings is too dangerous, and I truly have the will but not the strength."

"Kid, I don't like hearing you say that."

The old man of the Library Pavilion shook his head, "Focus on cultivation? For ordinary disciples like us who have no money and no power, only knowing how to cultivate with our heads down means there is no path to immortality."

"Cultivating immortality is inherently going against heaven; without taking risks, how can one's cultivation advance by leaps and bounds?"

"When everyone feels fear and wants to retreat, you should be even more brave to try and to strive; only then can you seize the opportunity!"

When others are fearful, you are greedy; no wonder you went bankrupt.

No matter how eloquently the old man of the Library Pavilion spoke, Lu Yang politely refused, angering the man so much that he left a remark of "rotten wood cannot be carved" and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Fairy Qingchen did not speak further; she only looked deeply at Lu Yang, then also turned to leave. She and the old man of the Library Pavilion arrived together at a hidden cave dwelling on Mending Heaven Peak, where she let the old man wait in the outer courtyard first, then entered the inner courtyard and came before a silent chamber.

A short while later, the great door of the silent chamber opened, and Zhao Xuhe strode out.

"Failed again? He still didn't agree?"

Listening to Fairy Qingchen's account, Zhao Xuhe's brows gradually furrowed, "He truly has a firm Dao heart. Very well, the absence of this person makes no difference."

"Senior Brother, I think this person has a problem."

Fairy Qingchen bit her silver teeth lightly, "The life lamps of my three lovers have gone out. Last night I sent them to kill that fellow; it seems they failed."

"Senior Brother knows that my three lovers were all at Qi Refining Level 3. If Lu Yang could kill them... could he already be at mid-stage cultivation?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Zhao Xuhe shook his head without hesitation, "Breaking through a bottleneck is no easy matter; in such a short time, he could at most break through to Qi Refining Level 3; it is impossible to break through to mid-stage."

"You need not be suspicious; I have checked his purchase records."

"He bought so many Great Pills of Primordial Qi that reaching the third layer of Qi Condensation without sparing any cost is hardly surprising. As for your three lovers..."

"He used a Technique Loan to purchase a Divine Art: the True Art of the Celestial Thunder Sword Control from the Jade Pivot Yushu Jiange." Zhao Xuhe analyzed point by point, speaking seriously: "If he possesses extraordinary talent and insight into the Sword Dao, able to master the sword art quickly, then killing your three lovers would not be so strange."

"This senior brother speaks correctly."

Qingchen Fairy pondered for a moment and felt Zhao Xuhe's analysis was more reasonable; after all, she had deeply experienced how difficult the mid-stage bottleneck truly was.

It took her nearly ten years to barely break through.

Now to speak of a disciple who just entered the sect breaking through in less than a month—unless he is a True Person reincarnated to cultivate again, it is simply a tale from the sky.

"Enough, let us discuss this matter later."

Zhao Xuhe waved his hand, his eyes flashing with cold light: "First, handle the matter of the 'Cave Abode'. Have all the people been gathered?"

"They are all here." Qingchen Fairy nodded and said: "Especially Wang Bairong from the Scripture Pavilion. Senior brother bought his Substitute Death Yin Skeleton, so he now trusts us greatly."

"That is good."

Zhao Xuhe gave a cold smile: "Our Holy Sect has always produced talents. Whether we can make a great profit on this occasion depends entirely on my fellow disciples."

(End of this chapter)