Immortality by Merit and Sin Coins

"My goals are different from yours."

Cheng Yi turned his head slightly, his gaze distant, concealing the sneer in his eyes.

’What kind of Cultivator would want to be the local emperor of a county town?’

’Only those with no prospects.’

’I’m here in Black Water City to carry out my Master’s business, armed with an Immortal Order and a priceless treasure. A generous reward is guaranteed once I complete my task and return.’

That was why Cheng Yi couldn’t care less how greedy Lin Shu acted.

’The man’s sights are set too low. He’s just a commoner.’

’A few benefits and an empty title are all it would take to chain this so-called Greedy Wolf to the city. He’d even think himself impressive and remarkable for it.’

"Don’t worry. Look at Mountain-Smashing Dragon. He’s held that position securely for ten years."

Cheng Yi looked away from the distance and smiled reassuringly. "I have no intention of propping up a puppet. You just need to be yourself in that position."

He’d already made inquiries.

The man was brazen and vindictive, but most importantly, he was greedy.

On his very first day as a Fierce Wolf, he had brazenly seized another Fierce Wolf’s street. Then, to cement his control over Sifang Street, he’d gone so far as to kill the local Chief Constable.

Anyone who tried to take what this Greedy Wolf had would face his brutal and vicious retaliation. There were never any exceptions.

If a man like this became the Gang Leader of the Black Water Gang, Cheng Yi could just imagine the carnage that would engulf the city.

And that was exactly what he needed.

His Master wanted to feed a priceless treasure with the malevolent energy born from the despair of living creatures. That was why he had only trapped the city’s inhabitants, not killed them. He simply used the aura emanating from a Magical Artifact to influence the mortals’ minds, letting the city’s situation develop on its own.

He had also ordered Cheng Yi to conceal his identity and not interfere directly.

But it was taking far too long!

Cheng Yi had been waiting for ten long years. And all because of that meddling bitch, Gu Nanzhi, the level of chaos in Black Water City was far lower than he’d expected.

Finally, today, something had changed.

That woman had inexplicably lost her usual composure and suddenly made such a major move.

It almost made him laugh out loud. He thought things were finally turning around.

But who would have thought? The Government Office made a move to break the stalemate, and Mountain-Smashing Dragon just... caved?

"I really do admire you."

The smile on Cheng Yi’s face held not a trace of falsehood.

’This young man seems to have been born for the sole purpose of helping me complete the Immortal Order. Even his strength is perfect for the job.’

’When it comes to matters below the Foundation Establishment Stage, he can be just as effective as Mountain-Smashing Dragon, more than capable of stirring up storms in the city. Yet, he’s weaker than a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, which makes him easier to control.’

’Besides, with Lin Shu as Gang Leader, he wouldn’t even have to do anything to drive that pack of tigers to the brink of madness.’

’The tigers don’t have the power to overthrow this Greedy Wolf, yet he has definitely crossed their bottom line.’

’To protect themselves, those crazed tigers will cast aside all their reservations and try to increase their strength by any means necessary.’

’Five years... maybe even just three, and I can go back to claim my reward!’

"Of course... before you take that seat, we’ll need to make those eyesores quiet down a bit."

Cheng Yi casually pulled a small, jade-white pouch from his robes. He gave it a little shake, and a stream of light flowed out, sweeping down below.

He was holding something as rare as a Storage Bag, yet he didn’t dare hang it at his waist and could only keep it hidden.

He’d taken it out now specifically to make Lin Shu understand just how extraordinary his status was.

"What’s this?"

Lin Shu forced his eyes away from the jade-white pouch... and this time, he wasn’t faking it.

Even the small, string-like seal on the note Gu Nanzhi had sent earlier had intrigued him, to say nothing of a Cultivator’s tool he had never seen before.

He looked down at the thick stack of sheets in his hand.

The pages were yellowed, a mix of old and new. They detailed various medicinal ingredients and recorded the state of Mountain-Smashing Dragon’s body.

Cheng Yi said nonchalantly, "With your personality, no one will find it strange that you occupied Xia Mingtang’s residence after killing him. And then, you can ’naturally’ discover the prescription lists left behind by that tiger."

"You’ll notice that Mountain-Smashing Dragon has a hidden ailment and has been having the White Tiger Hall perform Alchemy to treat his injuries. But his condition is still deteriorating, so much so that his Cultivation has become dangerously unstable."

"Finally, you’ll realize that the entire Black Water Gang is ostracizing you, that they all want you dead."

"Under these circumstances, you’ll take this as a sign of allegiance and seek a new protector... If I remember correctly, you have some sort of relationship with Gu Nanzhi, don’t you?"

Cheng Yi chuckled.

The beauty of the plan was that it required no outside interference. At most, he had just given Mountain-Smashing Dragon’s emotions a little push. Everything else, the kid would do himself.

"Is this real?" Lin Shu placed the thick stack of prescription sheets on the table beside him.

"Of course it’s fake." Cheng Yi shook his head.

"She’ll believe this?"

"In the past, if someone else had brought it to her, of course she wouldn’t have believed it. But your actions have been flawless, so she’ll believe about twenty percent of it." The Overseas Dragon held up two fingers, then opened his entire palm.

"After today’s Corpse Hanging Notice, she’ll believe at least fifty percent. Because now, she’s getting desperate."

"A Loose Cultivator like you, who clawed his way out of the South Suburbs on pure luck, wouldn’t understand these Immortal Disciples. Every year they’re trapped here, their future prospects dim a little more. And that’s not to mention her injuries, for which there are no Elixirs in Black Water City that can heal her."

Cheng Yi had observed the woman for ten years. He knew her all too well.

He was therefore certain that her actions today could only mean one thing: Gu Nanzhi had finally been affected by despair, and malevolent energy was stirring in her heart.

If Mountain-Smashing Dragon hadn’t been such a disappointment, he wouldn’t have had to go to all this trouble in the first place.

"..."

Lin Shu listened in silence, a peculiar look flashing in his eyes.

’Even though this third-in-command is trying his best to project an air of confidence, as if he has the whole city in the palm of his hand...’

’The problem is, he doesn’t seem to know that the whole Corpse Hanging Notice was a cover for me, his newly chosen Gang Leader.’

’And besides, someone like Yan Jin would definitely be heavily affected. Her Cultivation is low, she’s reached the end of the Qi Cultivation path with no hope of a breakthrough, so she’s idle and looking for a way to vent.’

’Gu Nanzhi might be a little lost, but as the County Captain, she still has the city’s entire population to look after. She’s nowhere near that point.’

’In comparison, this Overseas Dragon, in his impatience, seems more unhinged than the County Captain.’

"Give it to her, and then what?"

"Then, you just need to rest here quietly for a few days. I will give her a reason she can’t refuse to act, forcing a one-on-one confrontation between her and Mountain-Smashing Dragon. No matter who wins, neither of them will be in any condition to make a move for the next three to five years. With me backing you, no one in this city will be able to touch you."

Cheng Yi raised his palm slightly. "When that time comes, you’ll be free to do as you please."

There wasn’t a hint of falsehood in his words. He had just left one part unsaid.

’This comfortable life would only last for three to five years.’

’After I finish my business and leave, Master Lin will be the one who has to answer to the Court for all the lives lost in this city.’

With that, Cheng Yi stood up and strolled casually out the door.

He wasn’t the least bit worried about whether Lin Shu would follow his plan.

The man had already made enemies of the entire Black Water Gang. And while he had some connection to Gu Nanzhi, it didn’t seem to run very deep.

Even if the woman was willing, the Government Office would never deploy a Foundation Establishment Cultivator just to protect a wolf cub for her.

’In other words, the man is in a fatal bind. I’m the only one in the entire city who can protect him.’

’Become the awe-inspiring Gang Leader, or be torn to shreds by Mountain-Smashing Dragon and his tigers... it shouldn’t be a difficult choice.’

"..."

Lin Shu sat in the empty courtyard, glancing at the blood-spattered Pill Furnace.

The moment he had spoken up during the Black Water Gang’s assembly, all of Gu Nanzhi’s arrangements had become useless.

He was bound to be targeted by everyone.

But the rewards had been substantial, so the gamble hadn’t been a bad one.

He put away the stack of prescription sheets, a faint smile touching his lips.

In truth, Lin Shu had been facing a bit of a headache himself recently.

Black Water City was small and isolated, and with the balance tacitly maintained by both sides, it was incredibly difficult to earn any Merit and Sin Coins.

After the Cunning Fox Hall was wiped out and Xia Laohu was dead, if he were to move against other gang members, the three "dragons" would have no reason to continue turning a blind eye.

Even if the Filthy Moon Wolf Lord was a juvenile Immortal Descendant with Magical Power comparable to the Foundation Establishment Realm, how could he fight one against three?

As for earning Merit Coins...

Lin Shu closed his eyes. The Third Grade Spirit Sparrow Foundation Establishment Method surfaced in his mind.

All Upper Three Grades Formulas could lead to Foundation Establishment Cultivation.

The Dao Foundation built using this method was of slightly inferior quality, far from perfect, but it would be enough to solve most of his current problems.

But even for a Third Grade Technique, breaking through to the next Great Realm would require no less than a thousand Merit Coins.

Wiping out the entire Cunning Fox Hall had only earned him a little over three hundred Merit Coins.

In a piddly little place like Black Water City, where was Lin Shu supposed to find a case involving a thousand lives... unless he actively started trouble himself and stoked the conflict between the two sides.

To convert the lives of an entire city into his own Cultivation.

Setting aside whether he would earn Merit Coins or Sin Coins with such an objective...

If he really went through with it, he wasn’t sure he could still consider himself a normal person.

Compared to that, Lin Shu much preferred earning the ten thousand coins Gu Nanzhi had mentioned.

But just when he was feeling the bind he was in...

...someone had actually taken the initiative to split up these Foundation Establishment Cultivators for him.

It was a genuine surprise.

He clutched the prescription sheets in his hand, lost in thought.

’A Late-stage Qi Cultivation expert is worth over a hundred coins. A Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator like Mountain-Smashing Dragon... he has to be worth over a thousand, right?’

"Hoo."

Lin Shu reined in his thoughts and let out a long breath.

Even though Cheng Yi had been gone for a while, an unsettling feeling lingered.

’The man is an idiot with almost no redeeming qualities. His strength is probably nothing special either—definitely not much greater than Gu Nanzhi’s.’

’And yet, just because of his status and his Immortal Order, he can trap a city for a decade, cause the deaths of countless people, and suppress other Immortal Sect Disciples so thoroughly they can’t even raise their heads.’

’This world... it’s even more absurd than I imagined.’