Chapter 702: Dragon Wanders Shallow Shoals

Luo Lekang's face was filled with unmistakable terror; as the flute's sound assaulted him, he could muster no resistance, and his consciousness gradually blurred.

He knew he was doomed this time, ten to eight chances he'd have to give up his life here.

He wanted to resist, intending to use the Xuan Jie Medium-Grade Talisman—Thunder Fire Talisman—sneakily taken from his Storage Ring to counter the Paper Person controlled by Wang Ping'an, who was playing the Jade Flute.

To his disappointment, he didn't even have the strength to fling the talisman.

Let alone expending his meager internal mana to forcefully use the Thunder Fire Talisman against Wang Ping'an's Paper Person.

At that moment.

Luo Lekang's mind was not only panicked but also depressed; upon seeing a second Paper Person appear in the distance, he already sensed ill intent.

This time, ten to eight odds were unfavorable; even if the first Paper Person was gradually losing ground within his Celestial Wolf Formation, its destruction was only a matter of time.

But he could not even summon a speck of strength, unable to aid the core of the Celestial Wolf Formation—Moon-Worshiping Celestial Wolf and Mystic Bird—to swiftly destroy the Paper Person inside the formation and deal with the second Paper Person for him.

However.

He refused to resign himself to death; he quickly found a life-saving treasure and prepared to gamble his life.

As the second Paper Person controlled by Wang Ping'an drew near, ready to strike, he immediately used the Xuan Jie Medium-Grade Talisman—Thunder Fire Talisman—to destroy Wang Ping'an's Paper Person.

He didn't know whether Wang Ping'an had a third, fourth, or more talismans; at this point, he could only take one step at a time.

He never imagined.

He never expected that the mastermind behind the Paper Persons possessed not only Sword Cultivator skills but also Musician Path abilities.

As a wandering adventurer, he had encountered many unorthodox methods, including the legitimate profession of Musician Path; from the Paper Person controlled by Wang Ping'an playing the Jade Flute, to the flute's sound assaulting his Spirit Power, he already knew which piece Wang Ping'an was playing.

"Lullaby!"

It is the most basic melody, also the easiest for a musician to learn; he could never have imagined that Wang Ping'an's Paper Person would use this piece against him.

He didn't know whether Wang Ping'an simply lacked other pieces, or whether this simple melody alone was enough to counter him.

He thought.

Probably Wang Ping'an saw his current state and realized that even a mere "Lullaby" would suffice to handle him.

Otherwise, even if Wang Ping'an were not a primary Musician Path but a part‑time musician, he would have encountered more powerful pieces; only under special circumstances would he resort to this melody.

He was furious; Wang Ping'an looked down on him so, yet with his cultivation, not even a simple "Lullaby", let alone a more profound piece, could he not easily dispel.

Yet.

At this moment he was like a tiger fallen in the plains being bullied by dogs, a dragon wandering shallow shoals being teased by shrimp; no matter how angry he was, he could not change anything. He could not even resist a simple "Lullaby", let alone muster the strength to fling the Xuan Jie Medium-Grade Talisman—Thunder Fire Talisman; he could only submit to the Jade Flute's assault. "Think of me, Luo Lekang—discovered to have a cultivation talent since childhood, trained from a young age, praised by all as a cultivation prodigy; at merely fifty or sixty years old I already reached the Golden Core realm, ranking among the top of my peers, with a bright future and the possibility of becoming an immortal. How could I today collapse in such an inconspicuous place?"

Luo Lekang roared in frustration, but the flute's onslaught left him without the strength to speak; his words cut off midway as his consciousness blurred, darkness enveloped his vision, and with a "thump!" he collapsed to the ground. Yet even as his awareness sank into total darkness, he could faintly see Wang Ping'an's second Paper Person set down its Jade Flute and stride briskly toward his position.

Wang Ping'an's second Paper Person, like someone who fears death—no, rather cautious—sensed something amiss when Luo Lekang, who had been flying away in the sky, suddenly fell into the forest, suspecting that Luo Lekang might have set a trap there.

Perhaps to make him capsize in the ditch!

He couldn't restrain the Paper Person's pursuit, but when the Paper Person was about to fall into the forest together with Luo Lekang, he slipped a Paper Person he had stored in his bag and discarded it aside while Luo Lekang was distracted.

If this forest truly held traps Luo Lekang had set, then when he capsized in the ditch, that discarded Paper Person would unleash an unimaginable effect, capable of delivering a fatal blow to Luo Lekang.

Fortunately.

During this period his Spirit Power surged, devouring countless restless souls unwilling to pass through Guimen Guan to reincarnate and still seeking trouble with him, while he continuously practiced the Spirit Nurturing Technique; this allowed him multitasking, not only to remotely control Paper Persons but also to manipulate several simultaneously.

Otherwise.

He truly had no way to deal with this treacherous bastard.

Wang Ping'an was about to command a Paper Person to strike the dog‑like, collapsed Luo Lekang on the ground; a Flying Sword in his hand was coalescing, ready to thrust, when a flash of insight flickered in his mind, the sword halted mid‑air, and he gazed at Luo Lekang thoughtfully, saying:

This novel you...

"Using the Divine Technique: Persuade to do good on an ordinary person—if the other does good deeds, I gain Merit. I wonder, if I apply this technique to that bastard, could it turn him into a good person who frequently does good deeds, and would I likewise gain Merit?"

That thought sprang in Wang Ping'an's mind and then spiraled out of control.

Ordinary people and cultivators differ greatly; cultivators can accomplish things ordinary people cannot, and even their good deeds are worlds apart.

When he used the divine technique on Zhang Guilian, each good deed she performed contributed a bit of Merit to him; he believed his influence would change her.

If he applied the technique to Luo Lekang, and Luo Lekang performed good deeds, he could also gain Merit; he believed he would obtain at least ten points of Merit each time.

Cultivators' lifespans differ vastly from ordinary people; although Luo Lekang's age seems advanced among mortals, among cultivators he is merely a novice. Even if Luo Lekang does a good deed once a day—or every few days—he can accomplish countless good deeds.

It is essentially an endless gold mine of Merit!

Of course.

From Luo Lekang's actions, he clearly isn't a good person; killing him would also yield substantial Merit, and no one can guarantee that a cultivator like Luo Lekang has resistance to the Divine Technique: Persuade to do good—using it on him may not change him, nor necessarily grant Merit.

For a moment, Wang Ping'an hesitated.

(End of Chapter)