Immortality by Merit and Sin Coins

「In the Zhao Family’s courtyard.」

Chang Yi stood in silence, his gaze sweeping over the family—old and young alike. He noticed they were all staring at him, their faces filled with apprehension.

On any other day, he would have suppressed the rage in his heart. He would have comforted the old and the weak, helped them tend to the bodies, and then found a way to investigate the matter thoroughly to clear the Zhao Family’s name.

But now, an image surfaced in Chang Yi’s mind: Lin Shu glancing at the paper slip in his hand.

’A life is on the line! I have to be flexible and know my priorities!’

At this thought, he suddenly gritted his teeth and charged into the main street like a man possessed.

Passersby stared in astonishment at the young constable running for his life.

He ran all the way from West City to East City.

Chang Yi barged straight into the imposing Government Office, which was guarded by two stone lions. After navigating a winding series of corridors, he reached a deserted side hall.

He pushed the door open and strode inside. "Auntie!"

"Hm?"

Behind a wide desk inside the hall sat a woman of remarkable grace.

As the Black Water County Captain, she wore no makeup. Her attire was a tight-fitting black shirt, similar to a constable’s uniform, but the Purple Flood Dragon embroidered on her collar was depicted soaring over a splash of waves.

Combined with the Treasure Saber resting silently on her desk, her once-gentle and pretty face now held an inexplicable air of authority.

Hearing him call her that, Gu Nanzhi looked up from her book in surprise. Her gaze fell upon the slightly disheveled young man at the door.

She smiled. "Didn’t you warn me time and time again not to let anyone at the Government Office know we were related? What’s happened today?"

Young men were often thin-skinned and proud.

Plus, his older brother had drowned in the Black River ten years ago, leading his family to coddle their only remaining son. That was how he had grown up to be so naive.

Chang Yi closed the door, his voice urgent. "On Sifang Street in West City, they’re saying a family named Zhao colluded with the Fierce Wolf Hall. There’s no hard evidence, but the lady of the Zhao house has already been taken to prison..."

"I’m aware. I’ll send someone to investigate again," Gu Nanzhi said, giving a slight nod.

But before she could look away, she was cut off by a hoarse, desperate cry.

"Let them go! Right now!"

Chang Yi had a good idea where the Zhao Family’s Immortal Elixir from six months ago had come from. His eyes were bloodshot as he ground out, "I’ll find the evidence and submit it later."

He always followed the rules to the letter, never daring to overstep his bounds, for fear that people would accuse him of using his connections or being a spoiled brat who threw his weight around.

’But what’s more important? My pristine reputation, or the lives of innocent people?’

’In Black Water City, the law is already a sham.’

’If I truly want to get something done, how can I keep clinging to convention?’

"..."

Gu Nanzhi looked up again, her surprise deepening.

She mulled it over for a moment before speaking slowly. "I heard you’ve gotten close to the Black Water Gang’s Fierce Wolf. He just took over Sifang Street, and now you’re targeting Liu Zhen?"

Gu Nanzhi wanted to know if this change in the boy came from within, or if he had become a blade for someone else to wield.

"Fierce Wolf?"

Chang Yi looked up, bewildered. It took him a moment to realize who his aunt was talking about. "He’s a good person," he said, his voice firm and quick.

’The fact that Lin Shu showed up at the Zhao residence means he cares about this too. He probably just can’t interfere because of who he is.’

Hearing this naive reasoning, Gu Nanzhi looked down, a sense of resignation in her eyes. "You can take them out of the cells for now, but keep them under close watch. I’ll make a final decision after my investigation is complete. Don’t bother gathering evidence—you don’t have the ability. Just stick to your patrols."

"Remember, stay away from that wolf."

’A wolf who’s just clawed his way to the top will be desperate to secure his territory. He’ll most likely stop at nothing.’

Gu Nanzhi didn’t know this Greedy Wolf well, but she knew her nephew. He was the type of person born to be used as a weapon by others.

"Go get them," she said with a wave of her hand.

...

「West City, Old Woodshed.」

Miss Yun looked up at the thick veil of night.

Ever since the day the Immortal Descendant had woken, she’d felt as if something above her had been torn apart. Since then, she would occasionally see strange currents of air in her vision.

They drifted erratically, like a tattered fishing net floating over the Woodshed.

The feeling grew more and more real, eventually coalescing into fragmented words that seeped into her mind.

She stood up, wanting to share the good news with her benefactor.

But just then, a muttering figure stumbled into the yard. Miss Yun hesitated for a moment before retreating back into the house, closing the door, and peeking out through the window.

’As her benefactor’s status rose, more and more unfamiliar faces were showing up in the yard.’

’She couldn’t get in the way of his business. Her only choice was to hide herself away as best she could.’

"Master Lin, I brought the item..."

Dong Cheng walked to the door of the side house, his voice feeble.

’To be honest, after he’d left earlier, he had spent a long time wondering if he should just flee from this greedy, stupid madman.’

’Yes, greedy and stupid. That was Dong Cheng’s current assessment of Lin Shu.’

’Unfortunately, there was no escaping Black Water City. The city was carved up between the Government Office and the Black Water Gang, and no one was willing to take in a young wolf like him.’

’Whether he was hunted down by this Greedy Wolf or killed by his schemes, it didn’t seem to make much difference.’

In the end, Dong Cheng had steeled himself and come anyway.

"Come in."

A calm voice drifted from inside the house.

Dong Cheng pushed the door open, stepped inside, and closed it behind him like a thief with a guilty conscience. Gritting his teeth, he placed a ledger on the table.

’He wanted to slap himself right now.’

’So what if that bastard Liu provoked him? It wasn’t the first time. Did he really have to run his mouth and brag?’

"Master Lin, I have to be clear with you." Dong Cheng tried to squirm his way out one last time, forcing a smile. "Liu Zhen isn’t an idiot. He knew we would cook the books, and he still managed to get the previous Master Wolf killed."

"It was an ambush, sure, but the root of the problem is that he’s not afraid of us at all..."

"This ledger might contain proof of his crimes, but it’s all tied to those ’tigers’!"

Dong Cheng’s smile was bitter. ’Even a complete fool should understand what I’m getting at.’

’It implicates their own White Tiger Hall. What kind of Fierce Wolf would dare to bring this out into the open?’

’When he knows you don’t dare act, why would Liu Zhen be scared? Compared to coughing up some silver, that Chief Constable would much rather just have us both killed.’

"It’s not worth it for a bit of silver!"

"..."

Lin Shu’s expression remained unchanged as he leafed through the ledger.

Every line of text represented another life from the streets that the Chief Constable had traded to the White Tiger Hall for personal gain.

The entries were densely packed, too numerous to count.

’He’s in the wrong line of work,’ Lin Shu thought. ’If Liu Zhen had joined the Fierce Wolf Hall, he’s the one who should have the ’Greedy’ in Greedy Wolf as his title.’

Lin Shu closed the ledger, casually took two Qi Replenishing Pills from his waist, and popped them into his mouth.

They weren’t fragrant or sweet like the Immortal Pills of his imagination.

Instead, a bitter taste exploded on his tongue, so intense it could make a man’s face twist in disgust.

But Lin Shu merely furrowed his brow slightly, feeling the pill’s potency rapidly spreading through his body.

He had consumed about six wisps of Spiritual Power in his earlier Magical Combat with Tian Jingyuan.

A moment ago, he had tried using two Merit Coins to Promote his Inner Technique. After all, with the help of Yu Sheng’s Essence Blood, his Seventh Grade Cyan Bird Qi-Introducing Formulas was already on the cusp of a breakthrough.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough Merit Coins, and the breakthrough failed.

The attempt only loosened the threshold a bit more, replenishing four wisps of his Spiritual Power in the process.

With these two Qi Replenishing Pills, his condition was now restored to its peak.

"This..." Seeing the young man’s actions, Dong Cheng couldn’t help but rub his temples forcefully.

’He’s already in such a sorry state, does he really need this silver that badly?’

’I’d better stay sharp tonight and play it by ear. The moment things look bad, I need to be ready to run.’

Lin Shu exhaled, tossed the ledger back to him, and slowly rose to his feet.

’I’m always complaining about being short on Merit Coins.’

’The problem is, most of the people who dare to commit violent crimes in Black Water City aren’t like Liu the Third, who was just a cornered dog. The rest of them all have powerful backing.’

’Now that a chance for Merit Coins has presented itself, I can’t just close my eyes and pretend I don’t see it.’

"Is he still at the teahouse?"

"Definitely. That guy won’t be satisfied unless he’s gambling until dawn," Dong Cheng said, letting out a long sigh.

"Bring it. We’re going to go have some fun, too."

Lin Shu started forward, pushed open the door, and strode decisively out into the night.