The Mortuary.
In the dim, shadowy realm stood an unadorned high platform. Atop it lay an open, towering tome, carved with lines of ancient and majestic seal script.
Wang Ping opened his eyes.
After a long daze, he finally snapped awake from the lingering sensations of resurrection. A tempting thought crossed his mind: What if he revived and charged back right away?
In that recent battle, he had whittled down the county yamen's constables by a third, and all four veteran constables at the grand perfection of external arts were slain. Bluntly speaking, the imperial court's foundation of control in Longxing County was more than half ruined. If he revived and attacked again now, there was a strong chance he could finish off Xu Bingzheng!
At this thought, Wang Ping's hands itched.
Yet looking down at his empty, bare hands, he quickly cooled off. "No. All my weapons were destroyed in that fight."
The Black Hornless Dragon Bow, the oxtail saber, the heart-protecting mirror, the exquisite belt, the soft armor... All the gear suited to his martial arts had been wrecked. Such worldly items would not return with him upon resurrection. Even if he went back on the spot, his combat power would plummet without his armaments.
"Besides, Fiend from Beyond is still on cooldown."
"Xu Bingzheng's cultivation was already higher than mine to begin with, and I have zero margin for error. If I can't return in peak condition, a single slip could mean disaster..."
Weighing his options, Wang Ping decided to play it safe.
He was never truly a hothead; recklessness was merely a facade. Most of the time, his boldness followed a calculated plan. Charging in blindly was just courting death.
"A gentleman's revenge is never too late even after ten years."
"Better to head to the immortal sect world first. Once I cultivate immortality and pick up a few spells, returning to execute a dimensional strike on that vulgar martial artist will be the truly superior move."
Before that, however...
Wang Ping turned his gaze toward the towering tome before him with a spark of anticipation. Before dying this time, he had used his own corpse for the settlement.
Conveniently, the Classic of Great Peace still had an empty slot for a volume.
What would roll this time?
As if responding to his thoughts, the massive book soon began to glow faintly, the light spreading across the pages at a visible pace.
On the blank page, Wang Ping soon saw scenes from his previous life. To his surprise, Madam Su featured prominently in the imagery: from their conversations to his selfless charge through the city, and finally to Madam Su speaking with a tall woman in a peach orchard...
"A brief pact sworn, life and death conjoined; a promise worth a thousand gold."
For a moment, watching this made Wang Ping feel a bit sheepish. After all, the only reason he had been willing to throw away his life was that he could resurrect and start over.
If he couldn't, he doubted he would have had the resolve to lay down his life for righteousness.
"To think the Classic of Great Peace can even display scenes after my death. Judging by her appearance, someone from the Su family in the capital must have arrived to escort her."
Wang Ping shifted his gaze to the tall woman behind Madam Su.
Merely looking at her gave his spiritual sense a faint pang of ache.
Evidently, this tall woman's strength was exceptional. The last person capable of provoking such a reaction from his spiritual sense had been Xu Bingzheng in his prime.
Seeing this, he could put his mind at ease. He hadn't died in vain.
In the next second, the images shattered, and Wang Ping's awareness snapped back to reality. On the towering tome before him, the script on the third page finally settled into place.
Volume Three: A Promise Worth a Thousand Gold
For the sake of a promise made in life, you pressed forward resolutely even at the cost of your existence. Your deed has left an indelible mark upon someone's heart.
Wang Ping carefully read through the contents of the volume.
After a long while, he rubbed between his brows, delight surfacing in his eyes. "This volume's effect... is completely different from what I imagined."
In short, it was an advance loan.
"Once A Promise Worth a Thousand Gold is activated, I can record a promise upon the scroll and draw upon the fruits of its fulfillment in advance."
"So long as I fulfill the promise within the allotted time, the advanced fruits will be retained permanently. Conversely, if I fail to keep the promise, the scroll will backlash. Not only will the advance gains vanish, but the scroll itself will be rendered useless, never to be used again."
"Of course, there is an exception."
"If I die suddenly after making the promise, then once I'm dead, the advanced fruits vanish, and the promise resets naturally."
Death cancels all debts—quite literally.
Looking at the scroll, Wang Ping sank into thought.
"This volume... cannot be used to kill someone. After all, a person cannot die twice. Using that as a promise would virtually guarantee breaking it."
Nor could it be easily used to boost combat power directly.
After all, if he used this scroll to break through straight into a titled martial master, how could he break through a second time afterward? The cost of crippling his cultivation to start anew would be far too steep.
Turning it over in his mind, only one application offered the best value.
"Cultivation."
Whether martial arts or immortal arts, by using this volume, he could draw the results in advance and then go back to cultivate them, doubling his efficiency with half the effort.
Take his cultivation of Qi Restriction: after receiving the infused experience from being a strongman, he had cultivated this spell to the level of mending bones and joining sinews in virtually no time, only a step away from cloaking his body in true qi to become invulnerable to blades and spears. That was the boost in cultivation speed gained from getting on board before buying the ticket.
"...It really is a fine treasure."
Wang Ping stroked his chin. If he had possessed this scroll earlier and drawn the grand perfection of the Cloud-Piercing Sky-Shaking Arrow on loan beforehand, he might truly have stormed into the yamen!
At this thought, Wang Ping remembered the Heaven's Will Soul-Returning Pill he had deliberately passed into Xu Bingzheng's hands right before dying, and a smile surfaced in his eyes.
"Calculating the time, that corrupt official should have started inspecting it by now, right?"
"With his skill, the Gut-Severing Pill I coated onto the outer pill shell won't escape his notice. But it doesn't matter; that was always just a decoy."
The Heaven's Will Soul-Returning Pill given to Xu Bingzheng was a version Wang Ping had painstakingly reforged. The outermost pill coating used the original pill's shell; the middle layer was replaced with the Gut-Severing Pill; and the innermost layer reverted to the original pill, though with Gut-Severing Pill powder evenly blended into the shell.
The two pills were seamlessly fused together, possessing both restorative benefits and lethal toxicity.
This was no longer a mortal method.
"Only someone like me who possesses spiritual sense could carve two pills with such precision, seamlessly reassembling and bonding them back together into one."
According to Wang Ping's estimation, no matter how cautious Xu Bingzheng was, he was ultimately just a mortal. Without spiritual sense, no method of testing the medicine could uncover the trap within.
"If he chooses to consume it himself, I might not even need to lift a finger. By the time I return from the immortal sect, I might hear news of the magistrate's sudden death..."
Returning from cultivating immortality to find the magistrate dropped dead—now that had a pleasant ring to it!
"A pity the immortal sect world isn't like the Dashun Dynasty. There's no way to spend fate to pick an identity; I can only let the Classic of Great Peace randomize it..."
He only hoped he would roll a disciple's identity this time, rather than ending up as a strongman again.
Thinking this, Wang Ping lingered no longer. He stood up, patted his sleeves, and strode toward the gateway above the Fiend from Beyond.
Clang!
Golden radiance flared alongside the sound of the opening portal. Wang Ping's vision was swiftly submerged, his consciousness turning groggy as if sinking into the ocean depths.
After an unknown span of time, a bizarre floating sensation swept through him. The golden light gradually faded and scattered. His five senses rebooted, and brand-new sights, sounds, and scents flooded in, accompanied by a deluge of memories.
"Rest assured, Senior Sister."
"This fellow was originally slated to become a strongman. I had to pull strings with the senior brother guarding the pens to secure him."
"The records say he is not only a natural Desire Realm Deva, but has also trained extensively in mortal martial arts. His blood and qi are vigorous—a one-in-ten-thousand find."
"His value as a human sacrifice is quite high!"
The voice sounded by his ear. As Wang Ping rapidly absorbed the surging memories, he caught an unexpectedly familiar voice.
"I naturally trust both Junior Brothers."
The voice was soft and gentle. Merely hearing it was enough to sketch the image of a poised, noble lady in one's mind, yet it carried an inexplicable allure.
'That Daoist Nun You again?'
Wang Ping felt a slight chill in his heart and didn't dare react in the slightest.
"Senior Sister is too kind."
The voice continued, carrying evident flattery. "After all, Heaven and Earth Pavilion's quality control was lax previously, somehow allowing that strongman to retain fragments of his living memories."
"A shame that rogue strongman died suddenly. Without evidence, neither the Protector Courtyard nor Heaven and Earth Pavilion would take responsibility; otherwise, we could have extorted a handsome sum from them. And... I heard Senior Sister's attendant boy caused a huge catastrophe earlier, leaving Senior Sister's dharma coins for this quarter swept clean by villainous scum?"
"Had it not been for that, why would I trouble you two Junior Brothers?"
Daoist Nun You spoke in a wistful tone, sighing softly. "I am truly strapped for cash and cannot afford a new strongman, so I had no choice but to purchase raw material to nurture myself."
"Just as well, I have already refined that attendant boy. With the position before my seat currently vacant, let this one fill the vacancy, lest our sect's heavy responsibilities go unfulfilled."
"I see..."
After a few more pleasantries, the two disciples who had delivered him took their leave, leaving behind only the sound of Daoist Nun You's breathing.
Meanwhile, Wang Ping finally sorted out this life's memories.
'In this life, my predecessor was a mortal martial artist who voluntarily became a strongman just to enter the immortal sect, asking only to be bestowed a spiritual root and a chance to cultivate immortality...'
The deeper Wang Ping delved into the memories, the more shaken he felt.
'My predecessor hailed from a great grassland nation named Northern Liao, also known as the Golden Horde Court. The people there worship the immortal sect, calling it Eternal Heaven.'
And Eternal Heaven's status in Northern Liao went beyond religious supremacy; it even possessed the most vital secular power of taxation.
Yet they did not collect ordinary monetary taxes.
Rather, they levied a "death tax."
'Under Northern Liao's rule, corpses were neither buried nor cremated. Instead, they were collected as taxes and placed under the uniform jurisdiction of Eternal Heaven.'
'The more people died in a household, the more taxes they paid, a practice known as sky burial. The royal court even offered subsidies for it. Thus, the common folk not only saved on funeral expenses but also earned a windfall, making it a benevolent policy that benefited both state and people, widely beloved across the grasslands...'
Wang Ping was utterly dumbfounded.
People always said nothing was certain except death and taxes. Now, look at this—even death couldn't escape taxation! This immortal sect had to be a demonic sect!
'The corpses collected as taxes must be the raw material for the immortal sect's strongmen.'
'My predecessor was somewhat different; he voluntarily joined the immortal sect while still alive, seeking only to have his spiritual root tested one more time so he could step onto the path of cultivation.'
'It seems he had already been tested once. The result revealed a Desire Realm Deva Body, but no spiritual root, barring him from entering the sect. Unwilling to accept this, he convinced himself the test was a mistake and sought a retest. And the immortal sect was actually merciful enough to let him enter and test again?'
Wang Ping was surprised, but the reality soon dawned on him:
'Of course. Corpses have varying quality, depending mainly on the weight of grievance before death. A body that died of old age can't compare to one that met an untimely, violent demise.'
'My predecessor was already reluctant to accept his fate. If a second test yielded the same outcome, his despair would cause his grievance to skyrocket.'
From this angle, rather than showing benevolence by granting a second chance, the immortal sect was simply finding ways to enhance the corpse's quality.
No wonder they just said his value as a human sacrifice was high.
That explained everything!
'My predecessor probably understood this as well, but harbored faint hopes and couldn't let go of his obsession... Sigh, cultivation is hard, harder than scaling the azure heavens.'
At this point, Wang Ping's heart tightened.
For within his predecessor's memories lay a term he could not ignore: spiritual root. A mortal body had to possess a spiritual root to cultivate immortality.
'Is that for real?'
'The Heavenly Scripture of Other-Transformation Governing the Desire Realm didn't mention this at all! Could it be because the text was incomplete, or did it assume all practitioners already had spiritual roots?'
His scalp prickled with unease.
Because there was one fact he couldn't overlook: every time he was reborn into a "predecessor," all conditions were virtually identical to his own original self.
In other words:
'If my predecessor had no spiritual root, does that mean I don't have one either?!'
Just then, a pleasant fragrance drifted over, followed by the loosening of the bonds around him. A seductive voice echoed in his ear:
"Wake up."
Hearing this, Wang Ping hurriedly cast aside his stray thoughts and slowly opened his eyes.
The familiar countenance of Daoist Nun You entered his field of vision. Yet compared to last time, she appeared visibly haggard.
"Where is this...?"
Wang Ping feigned bewilderment, pausing in a daze before blurting out, "My second test! The immortal masters promised me I could test again!"
His obsession was played to perfection.
Seeing him like this, Daoist Nun You did not mind and chuckled softly. "Rest assured. Since I brought you here, you will naturally be given the chance to test again."
With that, she gestured around them.
Only then did Wang Ping notice that he was in a grand hall. At the head of the hall stood a shrine holding a divine statue.
The statue's appearance was exceedingly peculiar. It lacked the dignified majesty found in secular temples, and lacked even a clear visage. What met his eyes was the figure of a Daoist in fluttering robes, turned sideways with face tilted, its features obscured behind the curls of azure smoke drifting from an incense burner within the shrine.
It seemed ever-shifting, yet also resembled something eternal and unchanging.
It looked down upon everyone with equanimity. Even more bizarrely, no matter the angle from which one viewed it, one saw only this side-profile figure.
Profound and mysterious; the unchanging within change.
"This is the Hall of the Heavenly Venerable,"
Daoist Nun You explained on her own initiative. "The immortal sect was founded by the Heavenly Venerable. Every disciple of our sect, regardless of cultivation depth, is an inheritor of the Heavenly Venerable."
"Therefore, beneath the gaze of the Heavenly Venerable's statue, no spiritual root can remain hidden. The accuracy of this test far exceeds any method outside... After all, undeniably, besides waste spiritual roots and true spiritual roots, there are indeed variant spiritual roots in this world that are difficult to detect."
Hearing this, Wang Ping felt a stir within.
Waste spiritual roots and true spiritual roots were both familiar to his predecessor. A waste spiritual root was an incomplete root; while one could still cultivate, the Great Dao was hopeless.
Only a true spiritual root could truly allow one to cultivate immortality and achieve longevity.
Yet now, Daoist Nun You had introduced a third kind: variant spiritual roots. As the name implied, they differed greatly from ordinary roots and were thus hard to detect under normal circumstances.
This rekindled the flame of hope in Wang Ping's heart.
After all, if given the chance, who wouldn't want to cultivate immortality? Compared to vulgar martial artists, immortal cultivators with their boundless lifespans were undeniably a dimensional strike!
"Still, don't hold out too much hope."
In the next second, Daoist Nun You's faint voice drifted over. "Although variant spiritual roots are hard to detect, mortals possessing them are one in ten thousand."
Who's to say I'm not that one?
Wang Ping took a deep breath. Filled with anticipation, he sat before the shrine, gathered his strength and circulated his qi, and said softly, "Thank you for the guidance, Immortal Master. Please test me."
Daoist Nun You nodded. "Very well."
With those words, she pinched an incantation gesture. The shrine in the hall immediately shimmered with a halo of light, and the statue within shifted slightly, seeming to cast a sidelong glance.
Seeing this, Wang Ping instinctively held his breath.
Yet nothing happened.
Watching the statue's glow fade back into dullness, stripping away its previous wonder, Wang Ping's heart sank to the abyss, until Daoist Nun You's voice broke the silence:
"It seems you are not."
She tossed a jade slip into Wang Ping's lap and remarked indifferently, "This is a technique practiced by servant disciples. Take it and cultivate."
"My attendant boy practiced this as well, and there are still some resources he left behind in the temple that can help you advance quickly. With some luck, if you train this art to the limit, you might just forge a waste spiritual root. Though the Great Dao will remain out of reach, prolonging your life will be more than achievable."
With that, Daoist Nun You walked away without another word.
Wang Ping: "..."
Come to think of it, cultivating immortality wasn't really that great anyway. Sure, you could live forever, but spending half your life sitting in seclusion was no different from being dried bones in a tomb.
How could it ever match the free, unrestrained thrill of the martial path?
I don't even care!
Chapter 33