C20 Going out to Take a Walk

Liu Rongwei and his peers might have used medicinal means to fortify their hearts and advance to the Golden Core stage, but Fu Chengyang sought to refine his body through medicine to achieve his goals. This practice was quite common among large families for cleansing the marrow and severing the meridians. However, for someone like Fu Chengyang, who was either a solitary practitioner or part of a unique sect, it presented a significant challenge.

Without the deep-rooted support that large families had, nor an alchemy expert to guide him, Fu Chengyang was on his own. His limited knowledge of alchemy meant his only option to acquire the Marrow-Cleansing Pill was to purchase it from a market or the black market. But these avenues demanded soulstones, which were typically earned through Outer Sect commissions. These commissions, however, could interfere with his cultivation, and the rewards were minimal at best. Given the rarity and value of the Marrow-Cleansing Pill, it often fetched exorbitant prices.

For members of the Outer Sect, such prices were prohibitively expensive. Contemplating his financial situation, Fu Chengyang sighed, feeling the onset of a headache. He had been prudent with his soulstone expenditures, saving up a small reserve. Yet, even with his savings, he was far from affording a Marrow-Cleansing Pill. Opening his purse, he gazed at the one hundred and twenty soulstones inside and sighed out of frustration. With a price tag of one thousand five hundred soulstones per pill, completing an Outer Sect mission in under ten days was simply unfeasible.

The deficit was overwhelming. Was there truly no method to rapidly accumulate the needed soulstones in a short time? His brow furrowed, and his expression turned grave. Without the Marrow-Cleansing Pill, his advancement into the Inner Sect, despite his abilities, would be significantly impeded. Moreover, with the final competition being a random draw after registration, he risked facing unpredictable or stronger adversaries.

If he were to be eliminated, all his efforts and anticipation would be for naught. He needed to ensure his luck held out, avoiding early elimination, and secure his ability to maintain a steady progression.

If everything was arranged in advance, he would be able to stay composed in crucial moments.

Fu Chengyang racked his brain and suddenly remembered that he had once been able to discern the cultivation level of sword spirits.

If his earlier idea was feasible, and he actually auctioned off these items imbued with spirits, perhaps...

The thought startled him. While the dream was enticing, the origin of these spirit items was of utmost importance. Items capable of condensing a spirited body were rare.

Yet, if malevolent individuals were determined, they could forcibly infuse a cultivator's soul into a vessel, creating a spirit within the item.

Such acts, however, were typically the work of those on the evil path. Who in their right mind would sacrifice innocent lives for such purposes? It was not only scorned by society but also intolerable to the heavenly order.

"Forget it, I don't want to think about this anymore." The more he dwelled on it, the more it troubled him.

Nevertheless, his earlier contemplation had sparked significant inspiration.

Having spent a long time within Swiftbreaker, he had forgotten that the Outer Sect could accept external commissions, assisting various families with their issues.

If possible, he could take a scroll of cultivation techniques and venture out, potentially earning some soulstones and stumbling upon new opportunities.

Indeed, one must venture out to encounter a broader array of people. Despite the Outer Sect's populous, those with superior cultivation techniques were scarce.

Furthermore, not everyone was inclined to do evil, which significantly reduced the chances for him to intervene and, incidentally, acquire their possessions.

Now, Fu Chengyang was unabashed about seizing others' cultivation techniques. In his view, punishing the wicked and claiming their possessions was not improper. In fact, redistributing wealth from the affluent to the needy was the epitome of righteousness.

With that in mind, he headed to the mission board to find tasks that aligned with his principles. Upon arrival, he noticed the mission handler had a peculiar look, as if he wanted to say something but ultimately refrained.

Fu Chengyang paid no heed and concentrated on selecting missions. He bypassed those with meager soulstone rewards and felt he wasn't quite ready for the S-class missions, which seemed more exhausting to handle.

After much consideration, his attention was drawn to a haunted mansion in the southern part of the city. Logically, there shouldn't be any ghosts in such a place. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the trouble was likely caused by either an evil cultivator or some mischievous spirit.

Regardless, when compared to other missions, this one involving an artifact spirit seemed slightly more challenging. He hadn't forgotten the idea that had just crossed his mind. "I'll take this one," Fu Chengyang declared, taking the mission card in hand.

He should actually consider himself fortunate for having taken on this mission early. Had he delayed even half an hour more, things might not have gone his way.

"Have you heard about that incident?" someone whispered to him after he had accepted the mission.

"What incident?" inquired the person next to him.

"It's said that Liu Rongwei has completely lost his mind..."

Fu Chengyang didn't bother listening to the rest. It was no surprise to him that Liu Rongwei had gone mad. In fact, it would have been more concerning if he hadn't.

Previously, when that individual went insane, he was taken care of by others, and the cultivation technique that dropped from him was now in Fu Chengyang's possession. Having already claimed the treasure for himself, Liu Rongwei was of no further use to him.

Fu Chengyang excelled at cutting losses at the right moment. He casually tossed the mission card into the air and caught it with ease.

So, what should be his next move? He wasn't in any rush to assist the troubled family. The mission was A-class, not particularly difficult—actually, it was somewhat easy. The client hadn't escalated it to an S-class, indicating minimal danger. In his view, it likely wouldn't involve any fatal consequences.

Considering the circumstances, he decided to first stop by the largest weapon shop for some information. With his mind made up, he made his way there directly.

The Swiftbreaker Sect was well-stocked with weapons. As he had witnessed before, every disciple who reached the Golden Core stage was entitled to select a weapon that suited them best.