Shen Yi tossed and turned, barely enduring until daybreak.
Even though he knew that Lin Baiwei had been sealed by the fox demon, rendering her unable to use her energy points, he realized that not only his current cultivation level but even his predecessor, a complete good-for-nothing, could easily slay her.
Moreover, he had his sword pressed under his arm, ready to draw at any moment.
But he still wasn't used to having a living person behind his back.
Secondly, Shen Yi certainly didn't believe in the hodgepodge of martial arts that Lin Baiwei had made up, but he was convinced that she must possess several decent skills of her own.
The woman was not willing to tell the truth.
Shen Yi closed his eyes to feign sleep, yet his mind wrestled with whether he could gain anything by using force or food as leverage.
If it had been up to his predecessor, he would have helped the local authorities cover up the chaos caused by the demon and merely fool the Demon-suppression Bureau. Once the fox demon completely replaced the identity of the Lin Family's only daughter, the woman could be dealt with as she pleased.
But Shen Yi couldn't do that.
He wanted to join the Demon-suppression Bureau, and once the fox demon's matter was exposed, he would be irredeemably soiled, as if he had mud in his pants that he couldn't wash clean even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
For a promising young hero to be unjustly saddled with such a huge blame seemed too wrongful!
After much consideration, Shen Yi decided that the only solution was to chop down Lin Baiwei, bury her somewhere, and if the Demon-suppression Bureau found out anything, he would staunchly deny everything, insisting he too was deceived by the fox demon's illusion.
After all, there would be no witness to the dead, and he could also forcefully extract some martial arts techniques along the way.
His fingertip brushed over the sword scabbard, gently gripping it.
Shen Yi slowly sat up from the bed, his eyes bloodshot from staying up all night, and he stood up with a somber expression.
Hearing the movement, Lin Baiwei, who was leaning against the foot of the bed, groggily opened her eyes and wiped the corner of her mouth, "Is it daybreak already?"
Shen Yi glanced at her and strode out of the room.
Sensing the carefully concealed murderous intent in that casual look, Lin Baiwei instantly became more alert, murmuring hesitantly, "Eh, I don't snore, why are you so grumpy in the morning?"
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later.
Shen Yi, with a pancake in his mouth, stood at the doorway and expressionlessly tossed in a package wrapped in oiled paper.
Lin Baiwei tore it open to see several steaming buns.
She unconsciously swallowed her saliva, eyes gleaming with excitement as she neatly bit into one, chewing while saying, "How come… there's no meat…"
Shen Yi took out a clean outer garment, giving her a blank look, "Meat-filled ones are called 'stuffed buns', but I'm broke, so make do with what we have."
Although he had never killed anyone in either of his lives,
Shen Yi was not afraid to take action. He had chopped down demons before, let alone more vulnerable humans.
He just thought it was unreasonable and made him look utterly foolish to be forced into killing someone.
Moreover, there was more than one way to solve the problem.
As long as he could chop down the fox demon in the Lin Family before the Demon-suppression Bureau did, everything could end perfectly well.
As for the woman in front of him, it was better out of sight, out of mind.
Shen Yi changed his clothes and left the room.
Once his footsteps faded away, Lin Baiwei stopped chewing, thoughtfully looking towards the door with an obvious sigh of relief.
She was well aware of how desperately a martial artist at Shen Yi's level could yearn for transcendence.
But even under the threat of a knife to her throat, Lin Baiwei could not disclose a single detail.
That was an iron rule set by her superiors.
If she violated it, not only would her opponent be doomed, but she would also face dire consequences.
"To endure even this, his patience could almost match mine."
Lin Baiwei sniffed the aroma of the buns, licked her lips, and took another hearty bite.
Baiyun County East Street.
Shen Yi slowed his pace and called up his panel.
[Current Martial Arts]
Bone-penetrating Grappling Technique (Great Success)
Demon-subduing Sword Technique (Complete): Initial Realm. Demon-trapping True Sun Sword
Cloud-Dispersing Long Fist (Complete): Fist and Palm Mastery
Serpentine Eight Steps (Complete)
Wind-Thunder Precious Scroll Upper Volume (Complete)
[Current Remaining Lifespan: Twenty-one years]
[Remaining Demon Lifespan: Two hundred and twenty-two years]
He casually found a deserted alley and sat down.
Shen Yi skillfully directed the life force of the demon into the Wind-Thunder Precious Scroll.
There was no telling whether continuing to invest in a martial art that was already complete would yield any results.
Just the Demon-trapping True Sun Sword, which was merely at the Initial Realm, had already consumed an additional twenty-seven years of his lifespan.
And what Shen Yi wanted now... was a complete set of cultivation techniques for the Initial Realm!
For that, he didn't care how much more he had to consume.
[In the first year, you look at the Wind-Thunder Precious Scroll, which you have known by heart for a long time, and begin to reflect on your life...]
[In the fifth year, whether it was the sword technique or the long fist, your skill had reached its pinnacle. Your body had been thoroughly refined by the essence yuan of the universe. However, all the experiences from the first half of your life had lost their effect at this moment.]
[In the twentieth year, you meditate in seclusion, glimpsing those elusive essences that haunt your dreams.]
[In the thirty-seventh year, the Wind-Thunder Precious Scroll is a technique of medicine refinement, using essence yuan to refine the self. You realize that the substances in medicine and those in the universe don't seem to differ. You think you've grasped a little something.]
Year after year, these prompts floated before his eyes.
Shen Yi could not personally feel the painful loss of years without any gain.
Just the mere thought of putting himself in that position sent a shiver down his spine.
[In the sixtieth year, you have grown as familiar with the energy of the universe as with an old friend, yet you are still unable to merge it with your body. Your eyes then turn to the sword beside you.]
[In the eighty-second year, you have wielded the Demon-trapping True Sun Sword countless times. With each move, your flesh and essence energy are depleted further. Your body, once refined by essence yuan, begins to degenerate with the self-consuming years.]
[In the ninetieth year, you successfully revert to being an ordinary person, yet you still haven't put down the sword.]
[In the hundred and fifth year, your flesh withers away, leaving nothing to transform. As you execute that familiar Zhengyang Sword move and collapse, the trembling in your hands makes it hard to believe they are your own. You close your eyes.]
[In the hundred and sixth year, it's not until that refreshing coolness permeates your skin that a smile finally emerges on your tense face. You know your guess was right.]
[In the hundred and twentieth year, your thinking is correct. Since you can't figure it out, you let your body reach a near-death state, using instincts to draw in the gifts of the universe. Over the years, you continuously repeat this action, becoming more familiar with the method of absorbing the energy into your body.]
[In the hundred and forty-sixth year, you have finally perfected the entire process and recorded it in a book, naming it "Wind and Thunder Demon Subduing True Solution".]
[Remaining Demon Lifespan: Seventy-six years]
Shen Yi clenched his teeth, an abrupt feeling of powerlessness sweeping through his body.
He reached out to support himself, his breath chaotic and feeble.
Yet the information that appeared in his mind made him unconcerned about the changes in his body; his eyes shone with intense excitement instead.
The lives of merely three ape demons were exchanged for a method of transcendence, and he hadn't even used all of their lifespan. It was an incredible bargain!
The "Wind and Thunder Demon Subduing True Solution", which had taken over a hundred years to obtain, was not inscrutable.
The human body has three hundred and sixty-two acupoints.
Only twelve large acupoints are suitable for absorbing and storing the energy of the universe.
Through martial art deductions, what he had done was to find these twelve acupoints using the most foolish method and master a way to refine the cosmic energy through them.