Chapter 17: Weakness is the Original Sin

In Wang Chen's memory, or rather, the recollections left to him by the original owner of the body.

Traveling Merchants always appeared amicable and approachable.

Whenever they arrived carrying boxes with tinkling copper bells, they would always attract many children to follow.

Making the countryside bustling.

The merchants provided an assortment of daily necessities for the scattered lower-tier cultivators, while also purchasing various kinds of materials.

Making life convenient for people.

They were always smiling, and their dealings were fair, with very few instances of purposefully cheating others.

Two days ago, the traveling merchant Wang Chen met.

Fitted perfectly with the impression in his memory.

Yet, it was this very person who, in the dead of night, entered his room with the intent to take his life!

Why?

For wealth, to murder!

Wang Chen could think of no other reason.

Without a doubt, in the past few days, he had earned a considerable sum of spirit stones by clearing out Earth Rhinoceros Beetles.

And this had attracted the covetous eyes of others!

Wang Chen recalled that soon after the merchant had left that day, several households came running to ask for his help.

Nine out of ten, it was this fellow who had spread the word.

Allowing him to earn more spirit stones.

Fatten him up before the slaughter.

The other party had likely even conducted an investigation on him.

The thought was terrifying!

Wang Chen realized that he had been too high-profile lately.

When he had just crossed over to this world.

As he came to understand the brutality of this world, he had the thought of "lying low".

But in his past life of twenty to thirty years, he had always lived in a peaceful and stable environment.

Some habits had become second nature.

Without careful consideration, he had almost lost his life.

In fact, up to this point, Wang Chen had only earned slightly over a hundred spirit stones.

Not even enough to buy a slightly larger storage bag.

But even such a small amount of spirit stones could tempt someone to commit murder!

Now, Wang Chen was completely awake.

His strength was far too weak.

In the world of immortal cultivation, weakness was the original sin!

Spirit stones could not go unearned.

But he must act with the lowest profile possible, moving unnoticed in the village without firing a shot.

Looking at the body on the ground, Wang Chen's eyes were resolute.

The same mistake must not be repeated; improving his strength was the top priority!

He searched the merchant's body carefully once more.

Finally, he found a jade pendant.

This turtle-shaped jade pendant had been hanging around the corpse's neck, concealed within the clothes.

When Wang Chen found it, its surface was riddled with cracks.

Clearly, it was already ruined.

Recalling last night's events, Wang Chen surmised that it must have been a body protection magic artifact.

If his Geng Metal Finger hadn't broken through to the Great Achievement stage.

He reckoned it would have been himself lying on the ground!

Picking up the jade pendant, Wang Chen took out the white jade vase containing the peculiar-smelling medicine powder.

He opened the stopper and sprinkled some powder on the corpse's wound.

Sizzling–

Barely more than a nail-sized amount of powder, upon contact with flesh and blood, immediately began emitting wisps of white smoke.

The wounded area started to dissolve at a rate visible to the naked eye.

It was indeed Corpse Dissolving Powder!

Enchanting Fairy Pot, Corpse Dissolving Powder, Rebirth Talisman...

This guy was definitely not new to burglary and robbery.

Wang Chen picked up the dagger that had fallen on the ground and stabbed several holes in different parts of the body.

He poured in more Corpse Dissolving Powder into each.

The rate at which the corpse decomposed and dissolved suddenly accelerated.

In just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a body weighing over a hundred pounds, along with its clothes, had turned into pus.

Wang Chen took out the only Rebirth Talisman from his storage bag.

With the talisman facing outwards and the back tightly pressed against his palm, he gently slapped it forward.

At the same time, he poured mana into it to activate it.

The Rebirth Talisman against his palm immediately burst into radiance, and flecks of spiritual light danced like fireflies.

Many landed on the pus that had fallen to the ground.

"'Dust to dust, earth to earth, lost souls return to the solid ground...'"

Wang Chen silently chanted the Rebirth Mantra in his heart.

The identification and use of low-tier pills, talismans, magic artifacts, and even arrays all belong to the basic knowledge required for cultivation.

As an Outer Sect disciple of the Cloud Sun Sect, Wang Chen could attend a lecture at the Dharma Transmission Hall for free once a month.

Although the Dharma Transmission Elder was not a Purple Mansion Superior, he was a high-level cultivator at the ninth tier of Qi Cultivation.

One could learn many useful and practical cultivation knowledge there.

The original owner had joined the Cloud Sun Sect's Outer Sect for five years, never missing a single lecture.

His dedication to learning could not be faulted.

But his talent was limited.

And the Rebirth Talisman, as a low-tier talisman, was one that every cultivator had to know and master.

Practitioners who died unexpectedly often harbored a sense of grievance before death.

After death, they could easily condense into vengeful spirits and eventually transform into Evil Wraiths!

Those who died under normal circumstances.

Also had a certain probability of evolving into Evil Wraiths.

Therefore, they needed to be delivered into transcendence.

The Rebirth Talisman was exactly for this purpose!

However, to Wang Chen's surprise, just as he finished reciting the Rebirth Mantra, a wisp of black smoke suddenly surged from the pus on the ground.

This black smoke coalesced into a mass before him, violently rolling and twisting.

It even assumed the form of a human head.

It bore a six to seven parts resemblance to the Traveling Merchant that Wang Chen had killed!

It opened its mouth wide and let out a silent scream.

As if it wanted to devour Wang Chen alive!

Wang Chen could fully feel the evil and venom contained in this black smoke.

It sent chills down his spine.

He involuntarily took a step back and reached into his Storage Bag to pull out an Evil-Repelling Talisman.

He slapped it forward!

A burst of light suddenly exploded, and a strong wave of Pure Yang Qi instantly submerged the human head made of black smoke.

The latter evaporated like snow under the scorching sun, melting away in an instant!

As the black smoke completely vanished.

Wang Chen could faintly hear a mysterious scream filled with grievance and poison.

He couldn't help but break out into a cold sweat.

If he hadn't just acquired the Rebirth Talisman and Evil-Repelling Talisman, Wang Chen really didn't know what would have happened.

He looked down to see that the pus on the ground had already disappeared.

Leaving no trace behind.

Wang Chen finally let out a sigh of relief.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and collected all the spoils of battle.

Including the dagger.

Now that he had a new, large Storage Bag, he naturally didn't need the old shabby one.

He transferred everything inside, including the Spirit Stones, into the new bag.

Wang Chen carefully checked it to make sure there were no hidden marks on the new Storage Bag.

Only then did he boldly hang it on his waist.

In fact, unless they are specially customized, the Storage Bags commonly used by cultivators are pretty much the same style and size.

Just by looking at the appearance, one couldn't tell the capacity.

"Cough cough!"

Just as he finished sorting his Storage Bag, Wang Chen felt tightness in his chest and couldn't help but cough violently.

And he coughed up blood!

It was only then that he realized he had suffered internal injuries.

Wang Chen's cultivation level was too low, and his physique was not strong.

Last night, at the critical moment of life and death, he forced himself to fully activate the Geng Metal Finger and, while killing his enemy, he also injured his meridians.

His right hand's index and middle finger were both skin and flesh split open.

Excited while looting the corpse, he had neglected his own injuries.

Now he began to feel the pain.

Wang Chen quickly took out a Healing Pill and swallowed it.

Speaking of which, the Rebirth Talisman, Evil-Repelling Talisman, Corpse Dissolving Powder, and now the Healing Pill he used.

All belonged to the Traveling Merchant.

No wonder he turned into a vengeful spirit even after death.

"Wang Chen! Wang Chen! Are you up yet?"

Just as Wang Chen had swallowed the Healing Pill and had not yet had time to dissolve its efficacy.

He heard a familiar shout coming from outside the courtyard.

Damnit!

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