C18

Fifty-one Whispershard soul stones—that was the equivalent of ten months' salary for a disciple.

Meng Yang, who had only been promoted to disciple status a few days ago, surely hadn't robbed the Spiritual Pavilion. Was there someone backing him?

At that moment, everyone couldn't help but reassess Meng Yang with new eyes.

With preparations complete, Meng Yang called out to Gao Yubo, "Come on..."

"Wait for me too..."

Gao Yubo, who had been making faces, suddenly turned red and couldn't contain his shout.

"Are you two here to play around or to fight?"

"Wait for me, wait for you, let's all wait until we're old and gray. You might as well fight with dirt."

Ignoring the comments from the crowd, Gao Yubo clenched his teeth and pulled out over thirty soul stones, pressing them onto his body.

"Alright, today, I, Gao Yubo..."

"Cut the chatter. Everyone's been waiting long enough. Quit your rambling. You're just trying to kill me, right?"

Watching Gao Yubo still trying to show off, Meng Yang yawned, exuding an air of indifference as if his life was of no concern, taunting Gao Yubo to come and take it. Enraged, Gao Yubo lost control and unleashed a flurry of punches.

Ding! 1,500 wealth points spent, increasing Soul Stealing Palm proficiency by 15,000.

The Soul Stealing Palm leveled up successfully, achieving initial success, but failed to grasp the True Martial Will.

Meng Yang, feigning ignorance, flashed a glint of sharpness in his eyes. His fingers came together, and he thrust his palm forward like a dragon, aiming straight for Gao Yubo's fist.

Gao Yubo's face twisted with a ruthless expression, but it was too late to dodge.

As fist met palm, Gao Yubo was sent flying three meters back before he could even scream, collapsing unconscious on the ground.

It took just one move—a move Meng Yang had controlled using the dark strength of the Soul Stealing Palm. Had he not held back, Gao Yubo's fist might have been pulverized. The formidable power of the Level Three Soul Stealing Palm not only took Meng Yang by surprise but also left the onlookers with their mouths agape, faces etched with shock, unable to utter a sound.

Everyone witnessed it: Meng Yang's palm was at least an inch away from Gao Yubo's fist, yet Gao Yubo was knocked unconscious.

What did this signify? It demonstrated that without using a weapon, Meng Yang was an unbeatable force at his level.

This was only possible because reaching a certain mastery in martial arts allows one to harm an opponent from a distance.

Even more astonishing was the fact that Meng Yang hadn't yet completed the transformation of his Qi and blood into spirit.

"Remember, if I, Meng Yang, want to kill you, it would only take one move!"

He didn't miss the opportunity to build his reputation, emphasizing his name with particular gravity.

After collecting his winnings in soul stones, Meng Yang cast a glance at the trembling Zhuang family member, clutching his heart with a darkened forehead, and strutted out of the Martial Hall.

Meng Yang's name was sure to be etched in the minds of every disciple at the Dueling Platform that day.

The wager had netted Meng Yang nearly five times the amount of soul stones. And that was with many disciples abstaining from betting.

Had the hundreds of disciples all placed bets, Meng Yang's winnings would have been even greater.

Meng Yang was aware, however, that such tactics were only viable occasionally.

If overused, even a fool would catch on to his scheme and it could unnecessarily reveal his true capabilities, which would be counterproductive.

This experience also gave Meng Yang a more tangible grasp on ways to increase his wealth value.

Wealth: 22,090

Realm: Mortal

Physical Body: None

Heart Sutra: Scripture of the Triune Soul, Proficiency: 1/1000, Initial Success +

Martial Arts: Level 3 Soul Stealing Palm, Level 2 Water Serpent Style, Level 2 Flesh Puppet.

"Wow... The Scripture of the Triune Soul now shows proficiency and a plus sign. Has it leveled up again?"

Meng Yang couldn't help but grin as he looked at the heart sutra section.

Clutching the soul stone, he was just reaching the courtyard entrance, beaming with joy, when a sudden scream made him shudder.

Looking up, he saw Lee Ming approaching, his face slick with oil, flashing a bright white smile despite several cuts on his chin. He was carrying a basket woven from dry rice straw, appearing to have been waiting for quite some time.

Meng Yang was aware of the situation, but anyone else might have assumed Lee Ming had just returned from a blind date.

"Did you shave off the goatee?"

Lee Ming chuckled and nodded, his bright teeth seemingly reflecting the harsh sunlight and giving Meng Yang the impression they were shining.

"This was specially requested by the young master's mother to be delivered to you. I mentioned that you, as a disciple of the Lin family, want for nothing. But she insisted, recalling how you've always loved these since childhood, even getting into trouble for it, so she sent them along."

As he spoke, Lee Ming removed the gauze covering the basket.

The sight of the basket brimming with eggs stirred a sense of emotion in Meng Yang.

Having been an orphan in his past life, he had always longed for the affection of parents.

If it hadn't been for the rule that Lin family disciples must not leave, Meng Yang would have likely been the one to return, not Lee Ming.

Seeing the touched look on Meng Yang's face, Lee Ming felt the journey had been worthwhile.

After a pause, he added, "I also sought out a renowned local doctor to examine the young lady's condition. There's no cause for concern; with regular medication over the next few months, her illness should clear up completely."

"Well done. Now that you're back, go ahead and change into the butler's attire. Store the eggs in the kitchen, and from now on, I'll have three with each meal."

"Will do..."

With a broad smile, Lee Ming set about his tasks.

"It's time to advance my cultivation of the Scripture of the Triune Soul. Martial arts, no matter how powerful, are still just martial arts..."

Back in the main hall, Meng Yang pondered over the Blood to Spirit Transmutation.

Given his innate talent, it would take at least thirty years to master the Scripture of the Triune Soul on his own.

But with the advent of wealth value, the gap between him and the Blood to Spirit Transmutation was merely a matter of resolve.

Once he achieved Blood to Spirit Transmutation, the state of De-boned would be within reach.

Determined, Meng Yang rose without hesitation and retreated to his room. He sat down cross-legged on his bed and closed his eyes.

Gazing at the 20,000 wealth value, Meng Yang took a deep breath and decisively tapped the plus sign next to the Scripture of the Triune Soul information in his pupil.

A series of notifications detailing the depletion of wealth value materialized before his eyes.

Consuming 100 wealth value increased the proficiency of the Scripture of the Triune Soul by 1,000, advancing it to the intermediate level.

Using 200 wealth value, the Scripture of the Triune Soul's proficiency rose by 2,000, elevating it to the advanced level.

Finally, with an expenditure of 400 wealth value, the Scripture of the Triune Soul's proficiency surged by 4,000, reaching the pinnacle level, with no further upgrades possible.

"At last, it's fully leveled up. I can finally undergo the Blood to Spirit Transmutation. No more waiting ninety years," Meng Yang thought to himself.

Upon seeing the last update, Meng Yang's eyes snapped open, and he burst into an ecstatic laugh.

He might have remained calm had he not looked around, but the sight that greeted him sent a jolt of surprise through him.

The entire room was shrouded in a mystical white fog, reminiscent of a celestial realm. White, cloud-like wisps swirled around his chest, back, and even his head.

Particularly striking were the two dragons formed from the mist, which seemed to pulsate with life, occasionally emerging from Meng Yang's breath in a dance of hide and seek.

Should anyone else witness this spectacle, they would likely be more astonished than Meng Yang himself.

Although practicing the Scripture of the Triune Soul involved channeling cosmic energy into the body and permeating the internal organs, typically resulting in a brief display of white mist above the head, nothing could have prepared him for this unprecedented and startling vision.

Moreover, this solidified spiritual energy was not the result of Meng Yang drawing in energy from the cosmos.

Rather, it was the surplus spiritual energy emanating from within him, a byproduct of using wealth value to enhance the Scripture of the Triune Soul.