Chapter 252

"Looks like I'll have to use the skill Soul Devouring more often in the future; the Spirit Power gained this way is far greater than that from cultivating the Spirit Nurturing Technique!"

Wang Ping'an snorted dissatisfiedly to himself, speaking insincerely.

Before this, he had actually never considered using the skill Soul Devouring.

Besides his kindness, the wicked already lost their lives at his hand; there was no need to destroy their souls, depriving them even of the chance to reincarnate.

Moreover.

Most of those who die at his hand are wicked, heavily sinful; wanting to reincarnate is no simple matter—at the very least they must pass through the Eighteen Levels of Hell.

He doesn't know about the Eighteen Levels of Hell; although he has died once, he has never been to the Underworld, so how would he know its conditions?

Yet from some rumors he still knows the difficulty of the Eighteen Levels of Hell.

The vast majority of wicked people, eight or nine out of ten, find it very hard to pass through the Eighteen Levels of Hell.

Without passing through the Eighteen Levels of Hell, how could there be any chance of reincarnation? Even if they do reincarnate, most end up in the animal realm.

Not to mention awakening the mystery of the womb… even having spiritual awareness is difficult.

He isn't worried at all that the wicked who die at his hand, after reincarnating, will come back to take revenge.

So there's no need to destroy their chance of reincarnation.

Not to mention that using the skill Soul Salvation can also earn Merit; although the first few times yielded little Merit, not long ago a single Soul Salvation granted him over ten thousand Merit—how could he not be tempted?

Although he knows that ten thousand Merit isn't common, having a first time means a second will follow.

Just now.

When he used the skill Soul Salvation and the Guimen Guan appeared, his heart surged with excitement; he guessed this time he would likely gain another ten thousand Merit.

He never expected that the Fan Hongwei he had Soul Salvaged would not only fail to bow in thanks for the Soul Salvation, but would even help summon the Hell's Gate—Guimen Guan—and then lunge at him with bared fangs and claws, seeking revenge.

Faced with such an ungrateful beast, how could Wang Ping'an not know that even if he sent him into Guimen Guan, that bastard wouldn't thank him.

In such a situation, not only ten thousand Merit, possibly not even ten Merit would be earned.

With the hope of ten thousand Merit dashed, how could he not be angry?

Instinctively he used it—aside from when he first obtained it and had used it once, he hadn't employed the skill Soul Devouring for a long time.

From his body erupted a puff of black qi, forming a ferocious black tiger that gulped down Fan Hongwei's soul in one bite, venting his foul anger.

And he instantly gained thirty-six Spirit Power!

However.

In the future, if the chance arises, he should still not casually use the skill Soul Devouring; although devouring others' souls yields abundant Spirit Power, cultivating the Spirit Nurturing Technique likewise grants Merit.

As his Spirit Power grows stronger, the Spirit Power gained from cultivating the Spirit Nurturing Technique may become less noticeable, but it still increases.

At most it just takes a bit longer to cultivate!

Compared to that, Merit is what truly matters; once he again gains ten thousand Merit, he can upgrade the Spirit Nurturing Technique to the next proficiency level.

Perhaps—no, certainly—when he cultivates the Spirit Nurturing Technique again, he will quickly gain a large amount of Spirit Power.

"Is it really that fragile?"

After a long while, Wang Ping'an snapped out of his myriad thoughts; out of the corner of his eye he saw the Ni Qiu collapsed on the ground like a dead dog, his brows slightly furrowed as he murmured thoughtfully:

"If I hadn't sent him on his way and then Soul Salvaged him, I might have gained ten thousand Merit?"

He thought that, but he actually had little hope that Soul Salvaging this dog again would manifest the Hell's Gate—Guimen Guan—and besides, it was uncertain whether the creature would be grateful for being sent to reincarnate.

It's very likely he'd end up like Fan Hongwei, resenting him even in death, and even if he became a vicious ghost he'd still seek revenge; anyone could see he's not a cultivator, so he wouldn't earn Merit from Soul Salvation anyway.

Using the skill Soul Devouring to consume his soul might not necessarily yield a large amount of Spirit Power.

Bad deeds… perhaps he has done some, but that kind of heaven‑ and man‑resenting evil—surely not; it's not that he didn't do it, but that he lacks the ability to do so.

Even if he were slain, at most he'd gain only a few Merit.

It would be better to follow his original plan, using this dog as bait to lure other Evil Cultivators; he might then earn several, or even a dozen, thousand‑point Merit rewards.

"Still not awake?"

A thunder‑like voice exploded in his mind, jolting the Ni Qiu's consciousness from endless darkness; he instinctively opened his eyes, and before he could see clearly, he couldn't help muttering, "This must be the Yincao Difu…"

Before he finished speaking, the Ni Qiu's peripheral vision caught the Paper Person beside him; his whole body trembled, realizing he wasn't dead yet, he scrambled up from the ground and knelt again before Wang Ping'an.

Just as he was about to plead desperately, Wang Ping'an granted him a dog's life!

"Do you want to die or to live?"

Another voice, gender‑indistinct, rang in his mind; the Ni Qiu stared, then reacted, his face bursting with undisguised joy, he exclaimed excitedly, "I want to live, I want to live, sir, I want to live!"

"Do one thing for me, and I'll spare your dog's life!"

You have reached this novel.

As soon as the voice in his mind sounded, the Ni Qiu eagerly said, "Sir, you say, whether it's climbing blades or plunging into flames, you command; regardless of whether I can do it, I'll risk my life to do it!"

"Rest assured, you needn't climb blades or descend into flames; you merely need to return to your old trade……"

Wang Ping'an unhurriedly conveyed what he wanted done to the Ni Qiu.

After a long while.

After hearing Wang Ping'an's explanation, the Ni Qiu's face instantly turned extremely strange.

He never imagined that what Wang Ping'an wanted him to do was to do something similar—luring cultivators like Fan Hongwei, who have committed every conceivable evil, to come capture Wang Ping'an.

The Ni Qiu couldn't help asking, "Sir, may I ask why you want me to do this?"

"Hmph!"

A cold snort echoed in his mind; the Ni Qiu panicked, about to apologize, when Wang Ping'an's voice sounded again in his mind.

"Don't you see that I'm carrying out Heaven's will, eliminating the wicked of this world?"

"Carrying out Heaven's will?"

The Ni Qiu lowered his head, daring not to meet Wang Ping'an's gaze, nor let him see the twitch at the corner of his mouth; he very much wanted to retort, but what kind of "Heaven's will" is this that Wang Ping'an is doing?

"It's simply that evil meets its match!"

Moreover.

From Wang Ping'an's actions, one cannot see at all that he is like a chivalrous knight who enforces Heaven's will.

"How come, you're not willing?"

Wang Ping'an snorted coldly.

"No, no, no... I'm willing, I'm willing!"

Ni Qiu hastily spoke up.

Although.

He couldn't understand why Wang Ping'an would do this, but he knew it was an opportunity, a chance to save his life—how could he dare refuse?

(End of chapter)