Bai Lingyi handed the sword technique manual in her hand to Chu Lan.
Chu Lan glanced at the four large characters on the cover:
《Mystic Shadow Light-Splitting Sword》
This was a Mysterious Grade sword technique manual.
Chu Lan opened the first page and read:
"The sword moves through unorthodox paths with shadows that follow the form; one part illusory light, seven parts true!"
The 《Mystic Shadow Light-Splitting Sword》 was divided into nine layers. Once spiritual qi was infused into the sword blade, afterimages would be produced. With each layer gained in the 《Mystic Shadow Light-Splitting Sword》, an additional illusory shadow could be manifested.
While causing a distraction to the enemy, it could also inflict damage.
Each illusory shadow could deal half the true damage of the actual attack; the more illusory shadows there were, the higher the damage, stacking up to a maximum of nine layers.
"If I cultivate all nine illusory shadows, can the damage reach a truly real level?"
Chu Lan cupped his chin in thought.
Feeling that this sword technique manual was quite good, he asked Bai Lingyi, "Miss Bai, how much do you plan to sell this manual for?"
Bai Lingyi shook her head and said, "Fellow Daoist, this manual is not for sale; I am giving it to you as a gift."
A gift?
Chu Lan raised an eyebrow slightly, pushed the manual back, and shook his head, saying, "Unearned rewards are not to be accepted."
Things that are free are often the most expensive.
He and Bai Lingyi were engaged in a normal transaction.
If she were using this sword technique manual to exchange for Yunxiang Grass, Chu Lan would find that acceptable.
Yet as a free gift, who could guarantee there were no hidden traps?
"Fellow Daoist is overthinking this," Bai Lingyi said with a smile. "The Yunxiang Grass sold by Fellow Daoist saved my grandfather and is a great favor to the Bai Family."
"How can it be considered unearned?"
Chu Lan shook his head; he was not buying it.
"You can keep your gifts. I do indeed want this sword technique manual, so how about this: tomorrow I will bring the Yunxiang Grass to trade for it."
After several rounds of negotiation, Bai Lingyi simply could not out-stubborn Chu Lan, and in the end, she had to do things his way.
Bai Lingyi let out a helpless sigh.
In truth, she really had intended it as a gesture of gratitude toward Chu Lan.
She just hadn't expected Chu Lan's guard to be so heavily fortified.
Had it not been for what Liu Yemei and Wang Zhaoyun had done to him, Chu Lan wouldn't have been driven to this extent.
Right now, however, Chu Lan trusted no one else.
There was no telling when someone acting chummy with you on the surface would flip their face a short time later, stab you in the back, and take your life.
Finally, Chu Lan left Qingyun Market holding the 《Mystic Shadow Light-Splitting Sword》.
As for the Pulse-Opening Pill, it would be fully refined by the Qingyun Market by the time he came to deliver the Yunxiang Grass tomorrow.
Before leaving, Chu Lan naturally did not forget to purchase seeds for the Yunxiang Grass.
Only with seeds could he cultivate them inside the Divine Desolation Pagoda.
What a pity he had already used up Ma Yuan's flesh and blood.
Had he not used it, he could have applied Ma Yuan's flesh and blood to the Yunxiang Grass.
Feeling a slight sense of regret, Chu Lan prepared to head to an inn.
He would not return to the Chu Family right now; not a single person in the Chu Family stood on Chu Lan's side.
The moment he went back, he would undoubtedly be walking right into a trap.
After walking only a few steps, a voice rang out from behind Chu Lan.
"Chu Lan, I never expected it really to be you, trash!"
A young man rushed right up to Chu Lan and blocked his path.
The youth said in an arrogant tone, "I didn't expect the Chu Family to have just issued a bounty on you, and for this lucky break to fall right into my lap!"
"Liu Mingchuan!"
Chu Lan's expression sank.
Liu Mingchuan was Liu Yemei's younger brother. Seeing him inevitably made Chu Lan think of that vicious woman, Liu Yemei.
"It's this young master!"
Liu Mingchuan said with an arrogant look, "Chu Lan, are you going to come with this young master of your own accord, or shall I subdue you and drag you back to the Chu Family?"
In the past, Liu Mingchuan would never have dared to use such an attitude to speak to Chu Lan; back then, it had been respectful "brother-in-law" this and "brother-in-law" that.
"Heh... then you'd better have the ability to back it up!"
Looking at Liu Mingchuan, Chu Lan's eyes lit up. He had just been thinking that cultivating Yunxiang Grass lacked flesh and blood for fertilizer, and lo and behold, the fertilizer had delivered itself right to his doorstep.
"Hahaha, Chu Lan, you piece of trash, subduing you is nothing more than lifting a finger for this young master!"
Liu Mingchuan wore a look of utter disdain.
Although he was no profound genius, he was still a martial artist at the Body Spirit Realm Third Layer.
With his strength, dealing with a piece of trash like Chu Lan should be effortless.
"What a coincidence. To deal with trash like you, I only need to lift a finger as well."
Chu Lan smiled faintly.
As soon as those words left his mouth, Liu Mingchuan's expression instantly shifted; he felt as though he had been deeply humiliated.
"Impudent!"
Liu Mingchuan shouted angrily, "Chu Lan, do you still think you're the genius you used to be?"
"Trash like you isn't even qualified to carry my shoes in front of me!"
As his voice fell, Liu Mingchuan moved, directly charging straight toward Chu Lan.
He considered his speed to be extremely fast, assuming that a good-for-nothing like Chu Lan wouldn't even be able to track his movements.
In reality, however, Liu Mingchuan's movements appeared exceedingly sluggish.
As Liu Mingchuan rushed forward, Chu Lan swung a fist directly outward and knocked Liu Mingchuan cold with a single blow.
Immediately afterward, he stealthily hauled Liu Mingchuan into the Divine Desolation Pagoda.
Seeing that no one around was paying attention, Chu Lan headed straight to the inn.
After securing a room at the inn, Chu Lan stepped inside the Divine Desolation Pagoda.
"Such utter trash, he still hasn't woken up yet."
As soon as he entered, Chu Lan saw that Liu Mingchuan was still unconscious.
Stepping forward, Chu Lan snapped his hand across Liu Mingchuan's face with a harsh slap, jarring him awake.
"What, what is this!"
Jolted awake abruptly, Liu Mingchuan looked around and found the place entirely unfamiliar, with only Chu Lan standing before him.
"Chu Lan, you piece of trash, where have you brought me?"
Liu Mingchuan's attitude remained just as arrogant as before.
Chu Lan simply hoisted Liu Mingchuan up by his collar and sneered, "You don't need to know where this place is!"
Suspended in the air like a helpless chick, Liu Mingchuan yelled, "What do you think you're doing, Chu Lan?!"
"I'm warning you, you'd better not try anything funny!"
"My sister is already a disciple of the Backing Mountain Sect now! If you dare lay a single finger on me, my sister will certainly not spare you!"
Completely oblivious to the imminent danger bearing down on him, Liu Mingchuan continued to bluster away.
"What a coincidence, I have no intention of sparing Liu Yemei either!"
With a cold voice and murderous intent blazing in his dual pupils, Chu Lan declared, "If Liu Yemei dares to show her face here, I'll turn her flesh and blood into fertilizer for my medicinal garden!"
"Wh-What?!"
Liu Mingchuan's pupils dilated in shock. "You want to use my flesh and blood as fertilizer for spiritual herbs?!"
"Chu Lan, are... are you out of your mind?!"
Yet looking at Chu Lan's sneering face, it didn't look like he was joking in the slightest.
Everyone else had their flesh and blood turned into fertilizer only after they died, but for Liu Mingchuan, Chu Lan intended to use him while he was still breathing.
Wielding a flawed Spirit Sword in his hand, Chu Lan's actions caused Liu Mingchuan's face to drain entirely of color.
"Chu Lan... no, brother-in-law... spare me!"
"I can... I can make my sister change her mind!"
The arrogant young man's bluster instantly dissolved into wretched and pathetic pleading.
No matter how arrogant someone might be, they still feared death; if he hadn't feared it before, it was only because he hadn't yet kicked a solid iron plate.