Chapter 2: Piggy Bank
Within the camp, a martial cultivator raised his fist in greeting. "I am Wang Cheng, a disciple of the Surging Clouds Sect" he declared.
Liuping nodded in acknowledgment. " I am Chen Shuangyu, pleasure to meet you" he announced.
"Brother Chen Shuangyu, may I inquire about your sect?" Wang Cheng asked.
"I am a disciple Heavenly Path sect" Liu Ping replied.
"Ah, Heavenly Path sect. a prestigious sect indeed" Wang Cheng remarked with interest.
"It's nothing extraordinary. Most of us from the Heavenly Path sect specialize in swordsmanship. Unfortunately, our losses often exceed those of other schools. Our Soul Hall's soul lamps have been extinguished by more than 30%" Liu Ping stated matter-of-factly.
"Truly commendable," Wang Cheng acknowledged with a sigh.
The soul lamp serves as a vital link to a practitioner's life force. When a practitioner perishes, their soul lamp extinguishes itself.
However, the creation of a soul lamp is a complex process, requiring expertise in various techniques such as tool refinement, understanding of laws, and Array formations. Only those with advanced levels of cultivation can personally craft and light soul lamps for disciples.
Hence, it is typically the esteemed sects that possess a Palace of Life and Soul where these soul lamps are housed.
Liuping also possesses a soul lamp.
Despite the chaos in the army and the sect's inability to attend to him at present, inevitably, someone will eventually come to assess his condition after his demise.
With limited knowledge of the other party's intentions, Liu Ping can only resort to indirect persuasion to resolve any suspicions that he may have.
Having finished speaking, the two lapsed into silence simultaneously.
Wang Cheng appeared troubled, furrowing his brows as he pondered.
Meanwhile, Liu Ping swiftly inspected his storage bag.
Inside, he found a few spirit stones, a knife, a string of copper coins, two ordinary cultivation books, and a few pitiful grain pills were all that remained. There was nothing more.
These items were likely prepared in advance by Liuping's master, aligning well with his status as a Qi-refining disciple of the Baisheng School.
However...
It seemed even Liuping's master hadn't anticipated this turn of events. Awakening to find himself face to face with someone returned from the dead, Liuping realized he was in a perilous situation.
His master hadn't prepared for this?
It was an unusual oversight.
Liuping squinted slightly.
His injuries were healing rapidly; as long as he remained still, the pain was bearable.
If you were to engage in immediate battle, confronting a mysterious resurrected individual would be quite unwise.
Moreover, considering the opponent is a foundation-establishment cultivator, they might have hidden cards up their sleeves.
If the opponent does wield such powers, engaging in combat would be dangerous.
However, observing Wang Cheng's nonchalant demeanor as he casually rested his hand on his storage bag, Liuping couldn't help but inquire, "Brother Chen, as a true disciple of Surging Clouds Sect, surely you have some defensive measures. Why find yourself in such a predicament?"
With a resigned sigh, Liu Ping responded, "Encountering the main force of demons leaves me with little choice."
Wang Cheng echoed his sentiment with a sympathetic sigh, "Indeed, it seems fortune hasn't favored you."
Liuping shifted slightly on the stretcher, reaching for the storage bag around his waist. "My comrades died one after the other, me surviving is nothing short of a miracle" he remarked.
"Yes, indeed," Wang Cheng concurred.
Considering Chen Shuangyu's abilities, no matter how many techniques he possessed, they wouldn't suffice against the main army of demons.
Surviving such an ordeal would indeed be a miracle.
Having come to this realization, Wang Cheng withdrew his hand from the storage bag and whispered, "Dawn is approaching..."
"Yes, dawn is imminent," Liuping affirmed.
As soon as the words left his lips, Liuping felt a sudden sense of urgency.
As Liuping uttered those words, he sensed an immediate shift in Wang Cheng's aura, his gaze turning colder.
—What did I say wrong?
Liuping frantically recalled his words but found them to be flawless.
Only the last sentence, "It's almost dawn"...
Was there something amiss with it?
Suddenly, he recalled the words of the previous practitioner.
"It's already Mao hours (between 5 and 7 in the morning), and within a quarter of an hour, the effect of the medicine on your body will disappear. I will give you another medicine to consolidate it."
Liuping felt something was amiss.
The sky still lingered in darkness, yet Wang Cheng's mention of the hour of Mao suggested otherwise.
If it truly were Mao, the sky would have already brightened by now.
Yet, darkness persisted.
Could it be...
The day won't come?
The conclusion seemed all too easy to draw, yet...
It was too absurd.
Liuping's thoughts raced, but before he could ponder further, Wang Cheng produced a pill from his robes, offering a smile as he spoke,"Brother Chen, I have a few potent healing pills here. I've been holding onto them since the onset of the war, but I took one recently to heal my injuries. Please accept this one from me. Give it a try, it works wonders," Wang Cheng offered.
Liuping glanced at the pills. One caught his eye—it was flaming red, with a golden thread weaving through it, emitting a mesmerizing glow.
"The Blazing Crane Pill!" Liuping exclaimed, moved by the sight.
"It's actually the Blazing Crane. Brother Chen, would you like to try it?" Wang Cheng smiled, extending the pill towards Liuping.
"Thank you, Brother Wang," Liuping expressed his gratitude.
"Haha, I'll be delighted if you find my pill satisfactory," Wang Cheng chuckled.
"How could I find it unsatisfactory? This is the Blazing Crane Pill!" Liuping exclaimed with gratitude, his fist clenched in appreciation.
—The Blazing Crane Pill.
The genuine Blazing Crane Pill could regenerate muscles, even repairing a shattered dantian. How could it end up in the possession of a small martial arts sect?
Furthermore, others might not recognize the medicine, but Liuping was well aware of its true nature.
This pill may resemble a Blazing Crane Pill on the surface, but it actually contains two types of pill qi—one strong and one weak.
On the outside, it looks exactly like Blazing Crane Pill, but on the inside Poison Pill is hidden.
Even the Poison Pill emits a similar aroma.
However, the Poison Pill is a demonic creation capable of transforming anyone consuming it into terrifying puppets.
This revelation prompted Liuping to take the situation seriously.
While practitioners of the Heavenly Sect of God excel in offensive and defensive combat techniques, as well as battle formations, alchemy is not among the sect's disciplines.
'poison! Is it because he is scared of what hidden cards I might have as a disciple of the Heavenly Path Sect?.'
If Chen Shuangyu truly exists, he would likely have the backing of elders, numerous trump cards, and a soul lamp ensuring his safety at all times.
Moreover, the two Cultivators could return at any moment.
With Liuping mentioning the arrival of dawn, it triggered an immediate action from the dead man.
The reason for withholding aggression likely stems from Wang Cheng's sudden realization and the lingering uncertainties surrounding the situation.
But now, it appeared there was no viable solution.
Liuping's gaze drifted into the void, his thoughts stirring lightly.
Suddenly, in the emptiness, a flickering message unfolded before his eyes, transforming into a series of small words:
[Due to insufficient funds, this sequence cannot be opened.]
Liuping silently uttered, "Access the piggy bank."
In the void, a few new lines suddenly materialized:
[Your available balance is: 5,462,343,767 spiritual stones.]
[You can access it at any time.]
[Note: a spiritual stone is the primary currency in the realm of cultivation and can be circulated within the cultivation world.]
Liuping couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Throughout history, there have been individuals with extraordinary abilities, their actions shrouded in mystery.
Initially, when I acquired this sequence, I believed it would grant me such supernatural powers—
But it's like a bottomless pit, prompting me to continuously deposit spirit stones in hopes of unlocking its potential and altering my destiny entirely.
As an apprentice of the Gua Sage, adept in the six arts, earning spiritual stones should have been effortless.
It's a pity...
It had taken him years to diligently save up 5,462,343,767 spiritual stones.
the sequence sent a new reminder to him
[Since you have deposited an excessive number of spirit stones, this sequence is making an exception to activate the 'piggy bank' function, allowing you to access the spirit stones at any time.]
[Attention: While spirit stones serve as the currency in the realm of cultivation, they are not the funds required to activate this sequence.]
"Please continue to raise funds."
''....''
'THE F*CK YOU MEAN?!, this gotta be A JOKE!. WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME SOONER THAT SPIRIT STONES DONT WORK??!!.' almost blurted out, after all, he had been gathering these spirit stones for decades to be used to activate the sequence.
At that moment, Liuping immediately inquired about the true meaning of "funding".
Only to be answered.
[Please find it yourself.]
Indeed a heartfelt and profound experience.
Despite his subsequent inquiries, Liuping never received any further answers.
With resolve in his demeanor, Liuping turned to Wang Cheng and stated, "Thank you, Brother Wang, but this item is too expensive, and I will not allow you to bear the cost of such a gift."
Wang Cheng hesitated, "But... this is..."
Liuping cut him off, insisting, "Brother Wang, I hate being indebted to others, especially financially. It puts my mind in great unease, I cannot accept it. please let me pay you for this medicine."
As they exchanged glances, Wang Cheng began to recall the situation more clearly.
"I'm attempting to eliminate him, but he seems to have misunderstood, thinking I was offering assistance," Wang Cheng realized.
—Indeed, this is the hallmark of a prestigious sect. Better to spend a bit of money to resolve the issue than to become entangled with practitioners from smaller sects.
—If he wants to pay, let him pay.
Although he felt a tinge of annoyance, Wang Cheng knew that once Liuping consumed the pill, everything would be resolved.
"Never mind," Wang Cheng said, nodding as he tossed the medicine to Liuping.
Liuping wasted no time in swallowing the poison pill in one gulp.
Wang Cheng's expression immediately brightened.
'Good, there is no way for him to survive now!.'
However, during this process, Chen Shuangyu would first experience the healing effects of the pill.
After all, the outer layer of this pill is a genuine Blazing Crane Pill. The true poison pill is concealed within it, taking some time to take effect.
"Remarkable, I already feel my body recovering faster," Liuping praised.
"Hahaha, naturally! How could I deceive you, brother?" Wang Cheng responded, visibly relieved, with a wide grin.
"In that case, I'll settle the bill. Just name the price," Liuping offered.
Wang Cheng boldly declared, "I will leave the price to you brother"
Liuping nodded. "Alright, I'll be sure to satisfy Brother Wang."
The surroundings suddenly started to vibrate as A crystal clear mountain suddenly appeared in the sky and started to fall.
A mountain composed entirely of spirit stones!
BOOM!!!!!
The falling spirit stones Mountain violently collided with the earth, and smoke, dust, and debris rose into the sky like a colossal explosion.
Without any time to react Wang Cheng was crushed under the mountain.
all this took less than a breath.
"Life is so beautiful and yet you decide to kill yourself." Liu Ping sighed and looked up at the Spirit Stones Mountain, emotions crossing his face as memories flooded his mind.
"Brother Wang, I've always been a bit lazy. You see, I constructed this mountain during my travels in the foundational establishment stage. It was a means to avoid working with cultivators of similar levels. I used spirit stones to build it... Back then, I was young and had grand visions for the future. I entertained many fantastical ideas and engaged in some rather dubious endeavors. It wasn't as mundane and tedious as it is now," Liuping muttered to himself.
With these words, Liuping laid his hand on the peculiar mountain.
In the next moment...The entire Spirit Stones Mountain vanished instantaneously.
This mountain, crafted entirely from spirit stones, existed for only a few fleeting breaths before dissipating into nothingness, akin to a passing dream.
Various magical formations encircled the expansive graveyard. At this moment, they all emanated their arcane energies to quell any residual disturbances.
Aside from Wang Cheng's demise—
It was as if nothing had transpired.
Everything returned to its previous state.
In the emptiness, two lines of minuscule characters emerged.
[You withdrew 200 million spirit stones from the piggy bank, comprising the spirit stone Mountain.]
[You've reclaimed the spirit stone Mountain once more.]
Liuping paid no mind to this. He opened his mouth and placed a pill in his hand.
The dark red coating on the exterior of the pill quickly dissolved.
In reality, the entire pill was swallowed into his abdomen, immediately enveloped in spiritual energy—
The spiritual energy didn't accelerate the pill's dissolution but rather delayed it.
and because of that the Poison Pill had yet to take effect.
Swallowing the poison pill was merely a ploy to lower Wang Cheng's guard.
After all, foundation-building cultivators often possess extraordinary abilities, and unforeseen circumstances can arise at any moment.
Liuping stowed the pill into his storage bag before approaching Wang Cheng's body and executing a hand sign.
In response, a coffin soared through the air, landing squarely in front of Wang Cheng.
"I didn't intend to activate the spell so soon," Liuping mused.
—His injuries were still mending.
However, despite being at the pinnacle of Qi refinement...
He could hardly be considered a minor player on the battlefield, his strength not particularly useful.
Liuping gazed down at Wang Cheng lying on the ground saying:
"You must harbor many secrets, but I'm still injured and weakened. I'll have to clean the bloodstains off the spirit stones later. I really don't have time to waste on you," Liuping stated.
"Besides—"
"They should be returning soon."
With a swift movement of Liuping's hand, Wang Cheng's body soared up and landed firmly inside the coffin.
—Though Wang Cheng had drawn his last breath some time ago, his eyes remained open in disbelief.
It seemed that even in death, he couldn't fathom that his final fate would be to be crushed under a mountain of spirit stones.
Sealed shut, The coffin slowly sank into the ground.
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