Immortality by Merit and Sin Coins

"Who would dare kill Chief Liu?"

"Who the fuck even needs to ask!?"

The shopkeepers of Sifang Street had ashen faces, not from anger, but from a chill of fear that shot up from the soles of their feet, straight up their spines, and into the back of their skulls.

The Black Water Gang and the Government Office had been fighting for years, and the common folk had long since grown accustomed to it.

But those groups were more accustomed to keeping their struggles in the shadows, or resolving them in more "civilized" ways.

Not like this—crudely tossing a corpse onto the street in broad daylight, for all to see.

This was less a simple clash of interests and more a potent act of intimidation!

It was like a sharp, vicious slap across their faces, waking them up before brutally prying their eyes open to ask a silent question.

’Open your damn eyes and see just who this street belongs to.’

"I-I’m heading back..."

One shopkeeper’s legs went soft. He turned to go back into his store, but his boot caught on the threshold, and he fell flat on his face.

He didn’t even have time to cry out in pain or get up; he just started scrambling on all fours, trembling as he crawled toward the back room.

After sending two Fierce Wolves in a row to no effect, the Black Water Gang had finally dispatched a truly ruthless one!

The formidable Liu Zhen had made a small provocation at the teahouse entrance, and by the next day, he met the miserable fate of having his corpse displayed on the street. What awaited them, they feared, was an even more brutal reckoning.

Sifang Street was under new management!

While the shopkeepers could still manage to think, the maids and servants on the street scrambled back to their courtyards, pissing themselves in terror, and shakily bolted the gates.

In a short time, the crowd had scattered and fled.

The once-bustling Sifang Street was suddenly empty, leaving only a mess behind.

...

In contrast to the panic filling the streets, the pregnant woman just stared blankly at the corpse on the ground.

Not long ago, this was the man who had led the constables to storm the Zhao Family’s home.

Without a word of explanation, he had dragged her from her bed, shackled her, and then hacked her husband to death.

"A good death... A good death!"

A crazed smile bloomed on her haggard, dazed face. If Chang Yi hadn’t been holding her back, she would have lunged forward, eager to tear the Evil Constable’s flesh from his bones with her teeth.

Amid her hoarse laughter, hot tears streamed from the corners of her eyes.

The pregnant woman finally let go of her forced composure and broke down into loud sobs.

She had never imagined that someone would actually avenge a small, humble family like hers that only made pastries—and that it would be someone from the Black Water Gang, of all people.

Liu Zhen had framed her for colluding with a Fierce Wolf, and in the end, he got his wish and died at the hands of one.

This was karma in its purest form!

"Please don’t get too agitated. You must think of the baby."

Chang Yi let go of her, carefully tucked the account book into his robes, then reached down and hoisted the mangled corpse onto his shoulder. "I have urgent business. It’s just a few steps from here, so I’ll have to ask you to get back on your own, sister."

Normally, no matter how rushed he was, he would have definitely escorted the woman from the Zhao family back to her courtyard to prevent any other accidents.

But things were different now...

Chang Yi raised his head and glanced into the distance.

That Master Lin was sitting nonchalantly at the food stall. This was his street, so what was there to be afraid of?

The truly important thing was the ledger he was carrying. He had to get it back to the Government Office as quickly as possible. This was the evidence Lin Shu had risked himself to hand over, the proof that would clear the Zhao Family’s name!

"I know. You go on! I’ll be fine." The pregnant woman gently touched her throat, trying to compose herself.

"Wait for my news. I... He can clear your name."

Chang Yi looked away. ’Another day of being inexplicably ordered around like a pack mule by Lin Shu.’

But this time, he felt nothing but excitement and gratitude.

’I was right about him after all. Whether he’s a fox or a Fierce Wolf, however he got the power to kill Liu Zhen, at the very least... he’s definitely not a bad person!’

Back at the breakfast stall, the owner had a strange expression on his face. "Sir, you’ve got some real nerve, still being able to eat through all this. You should go hide. The Fierce Wolves might be coming out onto the streets any minute."

"What’s the rush? I’ve got a couple of bites left."

Lin Shu chewed his youtiao and drained the last of his soy milk.

’After tearing things down, I had to at least get a taste.’

He wasn’t sitting here out of boredom. He was making sure Chang Yi got away with the item.

There was a certain logic to who he entrusted the ledger to.

The person had to be righteous and stubborn, to prevent the thing from being buried. They also needed a certain status and background, to ensure that turning it in would result in merits, not harm.

Chang Yi met the first condition, and it was highly likely he met the second one as well.

After all, how could a family that wasn’t rich and powerful raise a son with such rare innocence?

Besides, Bai Feng had met several constables.

Only when facing Chang Yi did that wolf’s smile hold a hint of apprehension, and he had mentioned a so-called Lord Gu.

Blackhead’s reaction at the time was exactly like that of a second-generation rich kid trying to work his way up from the bottom, only to have his identity exposed, leaving him looking thoroughly indignant.

"Change."

Lin Shu pulled a piece of broken silver from his pocket and tossed it on the table.

It was from when he sold the Jade Pendant earlier. Otherwise, he would have had to pull out two large silver ingots.

He stood up and glanced at the pregnant woman in the distance.

’Looks like Brother Baodao isn’t so naive after all,’ he thought. ’At least he knew to get her out of jail first.’

"Sir, I can’t possibly make change for this! Forget it, forget it, it’s on the house." The young owner looked nervous. He just wanted to close up shop, not make change.

"Keep it. And help that woman get home for me."

Lin Shu rose slowly. ’When you make money, you have to spend it lavishly. Otherwise, what’s the point of making it?’

’Might as well start by splurging a little silver as an appetizer.’

’Now that’s what I call extravagant!’

...

「Day and night were reversed.」

In a side room of the Old Woodshed, perhaps because he finally had some measure of control over his surroundings, Lin Shu had a rare, full night’s sleep.

He was sprawled out on his back on the bed, with a little personal heater hanging off his ankle.

The porcelain doll with skin like creamy jade was hugging his ankle, sleeping soundly. She must have been dreaming of some delicacy, as her chubby cheeks were covered in drool.

CHOMP!

The little cub opened her mouth and sank her small white teeth into the young man’s toe.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Lin Shu’s eyes shot open, his face contorting as he kicked out fiercely.

"Ow, that hurts! It hurts!" Yu Sheng rubbed her forehead, squeaking in her childish voice, "If you kick me to death, you’ll never get into an Immortal Sect!"

...

Lin Shu stared at the tooth marks on his toe, his eyelid twitching.

He suddenly felt a bit envious of an Immortal Descendant’s body.

Immortal Techniques were powerful, but they required Spiritual Power to activate. If he could have such a tough Physique, he would be able to sleep much more peacefully.

"You’re sleeping under the bed tonight."

Lin Shu got up impatiently, threw on an outer shirt, and looked out the window.

It was now mid-morning, and the usually deserted Old Woodshed was packed with people.

"Bleh!"

Yu Sheng didn’t dare provoke the brute, so she timidly waited for him to turn his back before pulling down the corner of her eye at him.

"Will they spot you?" Lin Shu asked, pausing at the door to look back.

"Please. This Array of mine... even after you tore it up and that little widow absorbed a few wisps of it, no one without a Foundation Establishment Cultivation could ever hope to see through it, let alone notice my presence."

Yu Sheng flopped back down onto the bed, completely unconcerned.

’That brute was only able to sense the Cyan Qi back then because he was cultivating in the courtyard for so long, and maybe he had help from that parasitic thing in his chest.’

’Even then, he only noticed the Array itself.’

’If I hadn’t lost my patience, worried that even the little widow would run off, and been forced to reveal myself, I never would have ended up having my Essence Blood tricked out of me.’

That’s right. In Yu Sheng’s mind, her Essence Blood had been *tricked* away.

’By a mere Early-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator...’

Huh?!

The little cub’s head snapped up, her eyes glued to Lin Shu’s back.

Her little mouth fell open in astonishment.

’What’s going on?’

’When did he take the Middle Third Grade Formulas from me?!’