Chapter 92: Bodhi Golden Body

Zhen Mo Si, Outer Affairs Hall.

Many captains crowded at the door; upon hearing the inner hall girl mention the Golden Jin Gang Sect, they frowned slightly, then suddenly remembered something.

Several disciples clad in Golden Eagle robes walked straight in and said in low voices: "Captain Shen saved our lives—don't try to fool him with that junk!"

The girl pouted, turning back to Shen Yi: "My lord, don't listen to them—they're talking nonsense. I don't have a habit of saving state property; I just mentioned it offhand. But it's true: that top-grade Jade Liquid Realm Bodhi Jin Gang Precious Body was voluntarily offered by the Golden Jin Gang Sect, and no one has touched it since."

At this, Shen Yi paused slightly.

Since his transmigration, his deepest understanding of martial sects had been their profound fear of Zhen Mo Si.

"As for why," the inner hall girl explained softly, "Captain Shen should know that body tempering arts are slow, grinding practices—anyone who trains them gets roughly the same results."

"The Golden Jin Gang Sect was once a great sect, possessing the Golden Bodhi Tree. With its fruit as aid, one could fully master this top-grade martial art in just 180 years, forging a body so formidable it was astonishing—hardly any non-Nascent Core cultivator could harm it at all."

One hundred and eighty years was a threshold.

A normal person in early Jade Liquid Realm could live about 220 years.

That meant Golden Jin Gang disciples, if they broke through to the early Jade Liquid Realm, could perfectly complete the Bodhi Golden Body, gaining a physique that crushed all others in the Jade Liquid Realm.

"Unfortunately, later that Bodhi Tree withered…"

"Without the fruit's enhancement, no matter how many body tempering pills they used, they could never regain their former results. No matter how hard their disciples tried, they could at best reach minor mastery—and the Golden Jin Gang Sect quickly sank to a third-rate power."

The girl blinked and continued: "Luckily for them, they somehow found half a Nascent Core body tempering art—and actually made progress. To avoid drawing attention from other factions, they simply offered the original Golden Body to Zhen Mo Si, seeking peace of mind."

No one offers kindness without ulterior motives.

But in the Golden Jin Gang Sect's case, seeking a patron to revive their sect was perfectly normal.

"A top-grade Jade Liquid Realm martial art—even the Regional Commander personally reviewed it, leaving word that unless the Golden Bodhi Tree revives, it has zero value. Better to spend that time tempering your body and break through your realm…"

"It's the only top-grade martial art stored by the Outer Affairs Hall. I don't know if the treasury holds others—but to open the treasury, you need the Regional Commander's personal decree."

After hearing her explanation, Shen Yi recalled Hong Lei's earlier warning.

He paused thoughtfully, a hint of conflict in his expression; after a long while, he tapped his finger lightly on the counter, feigning ignorance: "There's such a thing in the world? A martial art dependent on a single sacred plant? I'll take it."

Hearing this, the girl raised an eyebrow at the Golden Eagle captains—she'd made her meaning perfectly clear; if they were dissatisfied, that was none of her concern.

The captains silently stepped back, clearly aware that such figures' pride couldn't be reasoned with in a few words.

"Shall I exchange all the treasure herbs for body tempering ones?"

"Mm." Shen Yi withdrew his gaze, expression unchanged.

He'd figured it out: in Outside Qingzhou, anything related to the Nascent Core Realm inevitably passed through the Regional Commander.

This also meant that reaching the Nascent Core Realm granted the power to stir up storms in Qingzhou—and such a presence must be strictly controlled.

A top-grade body tempering art requiring no talent or insight was the most precious thing he could currently obtain.

"…"

Though the Heavenly Demon Yama External Pill anchored his dantian, Shen Yi knew its drawbacks well.

He possessed the cultivation of a three-thousand-year dragon lord, yet lacked corresponding techniques and the dragon's armored hide—he could only bully martial cultivators far weaker than a dragon.

Against equals, he'd be at a constant disadvantage, barely possessing the strength to fight back—not as helpless as before, but barely so.

Most importantly:

The demonic energy within the external pill was non-renewable. If he fought to the death and drained it dry, he'd have only one chance.

If he couldn't acquire another same-rank internal pill to replenish it, this external pill—having consumed nearly two thousand years of demon lifespan—would become utterly useless trash.

Therefore, no improvement could be overlooked.

"Already recorded. I've picked the best light-footed step technique for you too. Once inventory is complete, I'll send someone to deliver it immediately. If this body tempering art doesn't suit you… hehe… feel free to come back and swap it for something else. I'm here every seventh to nineteenth of the month—and treasure herbs can still be exchanged."

The girl smiled with sweet dimples, but several captains nearby frowned—so this was her trap all along?

"By the way, when you go to Linjiang County, they'll assign you three deputy generals and 120 captains. If you want to bring a few from here, as long as it's not too many—three or five is fine."

She shrugged: "We're short-handed too. Can't have everyone go off to enjoy luxury with you."

"We'll see."

Shen Yi turned—and was instantly surrounded by a dozen burning gazes.

He took a step forward; the captains holding the treasure robes glared coldly, causing the outer hall crowd to slightly recoil.

…

At the outer edge of the crowd, dozens of zhang away:

A figure with extremely broad shoulders stood still, dressed in coarse cotton tunic, face around forty or fifty, stubbled, weaponless—looking like a simple farmer tilling the soil.

On his shoulder sat a petite girl, braided in two small buns, skin pale and smooth, lips red, teeth white.

Dressed in a green-and-blue little dress, her bare white feet swung idly.

She watched the young man in black robes curiously: "You say Chen Qiankun gave him a personal attendant post and recommended him to us—what's his real intention?"

The middle-aged man's gaze was calm; he spoke slowly: "Old men grow indecisive. They want someone close by, yet feel it's a waste—they can't decide, so they hand the choice to the other, losing the decisiveness of youth. From this, it seems Chen Qiankun won't hold Linjiang County much longer."

The girl grabbed his ear: "I hear you're hinting at something."

"I'm not implying anything about you, Grandma."

The middle-aged man smiled helplessly and continued: "He wants to cover up the Dragon-Slaying incident, fear the Yangchun River waterfolk's revenge, yet also loudly intimidate the Zhao family. Look at this foolishness—is this still the old Chen Qiankun? Does he think the person he favors is a baby, unable to endure even a whisper of storm?"

"Offering a young man comfort, yet expecting him to refuse—it's ridiculous."

With that, he turned slowly.

"The Regional Commander has already gone to the imperial court for reinforcements for the third time. Great chaos is coming to Qingzhou—we, the demon hunters, will die first. We have no time to babysit General Chen's ward."

"Hah!" The girl kicked her feet happily: "Speaking of babies, I actually like that Lin girl. She started learning demon-tracking from the very first realm—and nearly died in some backwater like Bai Yun County. So funny! Since the Regional Commander can't bring back aid, this time we'll fight hard for her to join the Martial Temple purification—perfect chance to wash off that baby smell."

"When she returns from Nascent Core and sees this boy become someone else's personal attendant, she'll be furious."

"The man who bragged to us in letters—just swallowed two bites of raw meat, tasted blood, and already Old Chen lured him off to Linjiang County's governor's house with a bone. Oh dear…" She wiped away tears of laughter.

Not mockery—just that even the fiercest beast, if long kept as a guard dog, living off easy meals, will eventually dull its fangs and claws.

Every past Regional Commander rose from the ranks of demon hunters.

They are wolves—ferocious wolves who dare to step out of Outside Qingzhou's twelve prefectures on their own initiative, to set foot in the Demon King's territory, and to lick blood from the blade's edge amid danger on every side!

(End of chapter)