Scripture of Days Past

”Why did you give them such a good money-making method?” Qiao Zhi asked frantically. ”Couldn’t we have kept it to ourselves?”

”If you think this is a good way to make money, then you’re in for a rude awakening,” Chu Qiguang chuckled.

”What’s that supposed to mean?” Qiao Zhi asked with a puzzled expression.

”Don’t worry about it,” Chu Qiguang said, shaking his head. ”You’ll find out what I mean in about half a year or so.”

If they follow the plan I laid out for them, the stock price will quickly become massively inflated, and everyone and their grandmother will try to buy stocks. Once the price reaches a certain level, I’ll sell all my stocks and burst the bubble. The market will instantly collapse, and that’s when I’ll unveil my newly invented spinning mule. I’ll use it, along with all the money I made from selling my stocks, to save the market, and everyone will laud me as their savior.

I’ll then use the spinning mule and my money to purchase shares in the Azure Sun Trade Association. It’ll quickly become clear to everyone that I’m the person best suited to running the trade association.

Of course, Chu Qiguang knew that he would need powerful backing if he wanted to manipulate the market like this, and his mind immediately went to Zhong Shan’e.

A Dao Comprehension-state martial god should be sufficient backing. If that still isn’t enough, I’ll get the Demon Vanquishing Department behind me as well.

***

After returning to Hidden Fiend Village, Chu Qiguang paid a visit to the captured Yi Shuang and Han Ying.

When Chu Qiguang first met Han Ying, the fox fiend had strings of human heads tied to his tails. Chu Qiguang couldn’t be bothered to reform such a heinous fiend, so he force-fed him the elixir of undying, some of which he still had left over from his eradication of the Immortal Dao base.

After Han Ying became a living corpse, Chu Qiguang threw him into the blood pool, and the fox fiend’s body immediately began undergoing a drastic transformation.

First, large tufts of fur peeled away from his skin, and his nine furry tails were stripped bare, leaving him resembling nine fleshy tentacles.

After that, his muscles began to bulge, and his body became more angular, as if he had donned a suit of armor made of flesh and blood.

Recently, more and more fifth-state fiends had been coming to Hidden Fiend Village, and Chu Qiguang had been worried that Qiao Zhi wouldn’t be able to keep them all in check.

However, now that Qiao Zhi had such a formidable living corpse at his disposal, Chu Qiguang felt much more confident leaving the village in his hands whenever he was away.

After dealing with Han Ying, Chu Qiguang turned his attention to Yi Shuang.

Upon seeing Hidden Fiend Village, Yi Shuang began chortling like a madman.

”Who could’ve imagined that you were the biggest mole on Jade Face Mountain!”

Chu Qiguang wasted no time interrogating him. After realizing that he couldn’t extract any useful information from Yi Shuang, he decided to feed him the elixir of undying as well and throw him into the blood pool.

”Wait!” Yi Shuang yelled frantically in a last-ditch effort to save himself. ”I know a secret that’ll definitely interest you!”

”What is it?” Chu Qiguang asked.

”You have to promise me—”

Before Yi Shuang could finish his sentence, Chu Qiguang raised the cup of elixir of undying again.

”It’s about Jiang Longyu!” Yi Shuang hurriedly revealed. ”I imparted some forbidden knowledge to him as well...”

As it turned out, Yi Shuang had taught Jiang Longyu some forbidden knowledge during their private lessons together. He had even performed a ritual on Jiang Longyu that would cause Lin Lan to be drawn to him.

”My original plan was to have Lin Lan possess Jiang Longyu,” Yi Shuang continued. ”Think about it. Jiang Longyu is one of the Eight Han Resurgence Generals! If I can control Lin Lan and have her possess Jiang Longyu, then I’ll gain control over one of the Eight Han Resurgence Generals! If you let me go, I can teach you how to control Lin Lan and make her possess Jiang Longyu.”

”You expect me to believe that?” Chu Qiguang scoffed. ”If you could actually pull that off, surely you would’ve done it long ago. If one of the Eight Han Resurgence Generals were so easy to control, they wouldn’t be one of the Eight Han Resurgence Generals.”

Sure enough, after further interrogation, Yi Shuang was forced to admit that he had only been bluffing. Chu Qiguang then fed him the elixir of undying before throwing him into the blood pool.

***

After obtaining these two powerful living corpses, Chu Qiguang was about to leave the blood pool with Qiao Zhi when he noticed a small figure sneaking toward it while seemingly talking to themselves.

”Who’s there?” Chu Qiguang yelled as he kicked the suspicious figure. As he did so, two words appeared in his peripheral vision.

”Lucky Jiaojiao.”

Zhou Yujiao let out a pained yelp as she teetered on the edge of the blood pool, about to fall in. Before she could, Chu Qiguang grabbed her by the collar and lifted her into the air.

”What’d you kick me for, big bro?!” Zhou Yujiao yelled as she flailed around angrily.

”Why’re you sneaking around here?” Chu Qiguang asked.

A hesitant look appeared on her face, and Chu Qiguang harrumphed coldly. ”Looks like you haven’t been given enough math homework to keep you busy.”

”No! There’s already more than enough!” Zhou Yujiao hurriedly protested. ”I still haven’t even finished today’s problems yet!”

”Then what’re you doing out here?” Chu Qiguang asked.

”The questions are too difficult, so I came out for a stroll to take a break,” Zhou Yujiao replied sorrowfully.

”Tell me the truth!” Chu Qiguang snapped.

All of a sudden, Qiao Zhi remarked, ”Your scent is very strong on her.”

Chu Qiguang noticed a few strands of silver cat fur on her clothes, and immediately realized what she had been doing.

”Have you been throwing my fur into the blood pool?”

”Your fur multiplies when it’s placed in the blood pool. I wanted to use it to make some clothes for you as a surprise, but now the surprise is ruined,” Zhou Yujiao explained with a pitiable expression.

Chu Qiguang didn’t know what to say.

***

After returning to the mountain, Chu Qiguang returned to his cultivation and reading.

Upon his return, he received some bad news from Yang Ling.

”The Vajra Laws and Steel Tendon Iron Bone Arts that you’re looking for aren’t on Jade Face Mountain.”

”Why?” Chu Qiguang asked, surprised by this outcome.

Yang Ling pulled out a book and said, ”I only managed to find an incomplete version of the Vajra Laws. Apparently, the complete versions of both cultivation arts are in the possession of the Hunter Hand Faction.”

Chu Qiguang accepted the incomplete version of the Vajra Laws from Yang Ling, and a passage of text appeared before his Dao pursuer eyes.

***

It’s said that this martial art was left behind by the Buddha for his followers, but due to tragic circumstances, only a small portion of it remains. The Buddha was once said to be the first human to awaken, and he was even able to fool the gods in his pursuit of the truth. However, all lies are eventually exposed, and the Buddha’s are no exception. What was once regarded as a sacred martial art has gradually descended into darkness.

***

”Where can I find the complete versions?” Chu Qiguang asked.

”They’re in the Hunter Hand Faction headquarters in the Shu Province, but you’re a member of the Fiend Assassin Faction, so even if you go there, they wouldn’t give them to you,” Yang Ling replied. ”If you ask me, I think you should just give up on the idea and focus on cultivating the Lightning Screech. You may be unmatched among this batch of trainees right now, but they won’t be your competition in the future. Many people in the Hunter Hand Faction are waiting to receive the resources required to cultivate the Lightning Screech, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be chosen.”