One Pound Meat, One More Attribute Point

The temple of the Law King was enshrouded in dusk, covered in a layer of dark clouds.

Outside, torches were lit all around, with monks bustling to and fro. Even not far away, a few small marketplaces could be seen conducting transactions, with cultivators from immortal sects maintaining order. Should one obtain any treasures within the Law King’s temple, they could quickly be sold at a fair price.

Such an environment might seem peaceful at first glance, but Su Heng could sense the lurking crises beneath the gloomy clouds.

Enjoy new adventures at empire

Withdrawing his gaze, Su Heng took a step forward.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whoosh!

He quickly arrived at the towering city wall not far away.

A girl in red sat cross-legged on the grey-black crenellations, her slender figure silhouetted in the bright moonlight that gave it a silver sheen. A chilly wind, carrying the frosty bite of distant snowy mountains, lifted a few strands of her dark hair on her pale cheeks.

"Ah!" Ling Weizi got such a fright that she nearly leapt off the wall.

"You seem a bit afraid of me," Su Heng’s gaze fell, "Is it because you’re a demon?"

"You—"

Ling Weizi’s eyes widened, stunned in place.

With a subdued chuckle, Su Heng crouched down, his hand gently touched her cold cheek, and brushed through a few strands of her smooth hair, "It seems my guess wasn’t wrong."

The first time Su Heng met Ling Weizi, he had faintly sensed a demonic aura about her.

And after the contact outside the Law King’s temple over time, his suspicion was further confirmed.

"Don’t eat me!" Ling Weizi’s complexion paled with fright, visibly shaken.

"Do I really look that terrifying?" Su Heng touched Ling Weizi’s head while she stiffened all over, like a kitten seized by the scruff of its neck.

Seeing Ling Weizi in such a state, Su Heng chuckled, leaning against the city wall he teased, "With your petite frame, eating you wouldn’t add much flesh anyway."

"Phew, that’s a relief," Ling Weizi relaxed.

Her small hands fumbled over her chest, for the first time grateful for her "meager" figure.

"When I left Baihua County, Qin Shunying entrusted me with taking care of you. I’ll go and come back quickly; during this time, stay here and don’t wander around," Su Heng always took his promises seriously, especially between friends. Having made the promise, he intended to keep it earnestly.

"Okay," Ling Weizi nodded, "I understand."

Looking towards the distant marketplace’s lights, Ling Weizi gathered a few stray hairs by her ear, "Are you also preparing to set out?"

"It’s about time," Su Heng replied decisively, a faint glow in his eyes.

"You seem to be in a bad mood," Su Heng rarely noticed that Ling Weizi was emotionally distressed.

"It’s alright, I just don’t quite understand." Ling Weizi rubbed her cheeks, sighing, "I clearly told them the Law King’s temple was dangerous, and they believed me. Yet, they still chose to delve deep into it... Some juniors I valued died inside the temple."

"That was their choice, what’s there to be sad about?" Su Heng spoke calmly, "A human’s lifespan is too short. Even if one cultivates to the Heavenly Deceit, under normal circumstances, it’s just over three hundred years, far less than a demon’s."

"That’s why they must seize every possible opportunity, so they won’t leave any regrets when they grow old."

"I see, it seems there’s some truth to what you say."

Ling Weizi nodded as if she understood, "What about you? Your life should be exceedingly long, and your cultivation progresses swiftly, so why take the risk?"

"I just simply enjoy the fight, the thrill of life and death crises," Su Heng laughed, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the twinkling stars of the Skull Plain and the dark vault of heaven, "I am such a monster."

Ling Weizi jumped down from the crenellations and patted Su Heng’s arm firmly, "Then I wish you success!"

"You too, take care," Su Heng waved his hand.

With a single movement, he vanished from Ling Weizi’s sight.

...

Sharpening an axe will not interfere with the cutting of firewood.

Su Heng had not immediately entered the Law King’s temple but headed to a makeshift marketplace outside.

Even though it was night, there were many people in the marketplace, with a dazzling array of goods displayed on the stalls on either side. There were all sorts of treasures, remnants of scriptures, and materials from beasts gathered from within the Law King’s temple. There were also one-time magic artifacts, talismans, and so on made by monks.

Su Heng had gained some insight, but these objects were of no use to him.

One inconspicuous stall caught Su Heng’s attention; it was adorned with several crudely drawn maps: the interior maps of the Law King’s temple.

This was somewhat useful. Su Heng’s primary goal was to find the "Tathagata Hidden Sutras," and having a map would save him a great deal of effort.

"How much for this map?" Su Heng inquired.

"Depends on which kind you want; different conditions, different prices," the vendor was a gaunt old man with a mouthful of yellow teeth. He wore clothes that seemed not to have been washed in a long while, greasy and indiscernible in their original color, emitting a rancid smell.

"Of course, I want the best quality," Su Heng replied calmly.

"Great, great, great!" the yellow-toothed elder exclaimed with delight. "I like young people who are straightforward like you."

He fished out a beast pelt scroll from the bundle behind him and, as he looked up to hand it to Su Heng, he saw Su Heng’s face clearly by the light of the moon. His eyes widened in surprise. "You are the stalwart who quelled the beast tide a few days ago."

"This is extraordinary," the old man said with a smile. "If you want it, just take it."

"I won’t take advantage of this small benefit," Su Heng shook his head.

"Then... let’s exchange it for a piece of demon brute bone," the elder thought for a moment and extended a bony finger.

For a martial arts practitioner, as their realm advanced, mundane things like gold and silver became almost worthless. In such a bustling market, there were no less than ten Heavenly Deceit powerhouses, yet the mode of trade remained the most primitive—barter.

Among all the items traded, demon brute bones were considered a relatively universal "currency".

On one hand, they could be fused into one’s body to enhance cultivation and prolong life. On the other hand, they were greatly useful whether for artifact refining or as a medicine ingredient. Countless demons had fallen at Su Heng’s hands, and his stock of demon brute bones was correspondingly substantial.

Su Heng took out a Fierce Level demon brute bone from his bosom, the old man carefully took it, and then handed the most detailed map to Su Heng, thus completing the transaction. Having obtained what he wanted, he didn’t linger.

Leaving the market, Su Heng unfolded the map, browsing its contents in the moonlight.

Compared to the several maps shown previously, the contents on this beast pelt booklet were undoubtedly much more detailed.

The Scripture Pavilion, Artifact Refining Room, Monks’ Dormitories, Dharma Transmission Hall, and so on, each area was marked clearly and was self-explanatory. It was a mystery where the information on the map had come from.

However, there was also a line of small print with a note.

The secret realm where the Dharma King Temple originally stood has shattered, and the space within might have shifted.

Therefore, the contents of the map booklet can only be used as a reference and should not be fully trusted. If any errors occur, the seller assumes no responsibility.

"It’s enough to use it as a reference," Su Heng was not entering a secret realm for the first time and was aware of the bizarre environment within. He memorized its contents, and then with a "snap," he ignited the map with a flick of his fingers, turning it into a handful of flying ash that dispersed in the wind.

Without any hesitation, he strode forward, arriving outside the Dharma King Temple.

The environment inside and outside the Dharma King Temple was distinctly different—the weather outside was clear, with a full moon hanging high, while inside it was gloomy and deathly still, with a rich stench of blood wafting in the air. Just a wall apart, the inside and outside were divided into two completely different worlds.

And moreover...

Su Heng looked up at the sky.

A broken Buddha head hung in the sky, black blood seeping from its eyes.

The clouds roiled in the sky, and some ancient buildings uprooted could be seen performing irregular movements, sometimes colliding with each other, with two mangled corpses falling out from within. It looked as if blood was raining from the sky, deeply unsettling.

"Is this the spatial turbulence mentioned on the map, or is it the further spread of the demon god’s corruption?" Su Heng fell into contemplation, but it was difficult to arrive at a definite answer.

"No matter the reason, there’s no need to fear, just push through," Su Heng chuckled. The faint sense of crisis emanating from the Dharma King Temple didn’t frighten him or stop him in his tracks. Instead, it only made Su Heng’s heart burn with anticipation for the coming battles.

He intended to activate his hyper-senses here, step into the Heavenly Deceit, then devour the demon god alive and build an invincible foundation in martial arts.

Whoosh!

With that thought, the barrier enveloping the Dharma King Temple rippled.

A blood-red thunderbolt exploded in the sky, and Su Heng’s burly figure blurred, then vanished without a trace.

In the distance, two plain-looking secret agents from the Yiluan Bureau breathed a sigh of relief.

"It seems the target has entered the Dharma King Temple. Inform General Jian and Great General Yuan that they can proceed with the next step of the plan," one of the middle-aged secret agents spoke solemnly with a deep gaze.

"What a pity..." the younger agent said, "Such a young powerful figure is going to die here. If the current emperor had not been injured, perhaps the empire would have gained another renowned Heavenly King powerhouse."

Within the tone of this agent, there seemed to be a hint of dissatisfaction with the current ruler, Prince San Huang.

"Is that what you should be saying?" the middle-aged agent cast a cold glance at him, speaking emotionlessly, "Remember our duty. A numb and heartless brain is the best brain. We are the eyes and hands of those powerful figures; no need to think, just execute."

The young agent was felt intimidated by the rebuke and became a bit sheepish.

Quickly lowering his head, he did not dare to meet the gaze of his senior partner. "I understand," he replied, and then the two agents swiftly moved out to relay the message, soon disappearing into the darkness outside the Dharma King Temple.

...

Inside the Dharma King Temple.

Su Heng didn’t even blink, only feeling a slight distortion in the space beside him.

Then the scenery around him changed. White walls, red tiles, vast deserts, and the huge Buddha head floating in the sky, all disappeared. What loomed before him was a gloomy bamboo forest, enveloped in black mist and dotted with a few fleeting ghost fires.

"It seems that upon entering the Dharma King Temple, I encountered the spatial turbulence generated when the secret realm shattered. I’ve been directly teleported here..." Su Heng narrowed his eyes, closely observing his surroundings. He then tapped his temple, comparing it to the map to gauge his position.

A look of surprise quickly spread across his face; moving forward, it seemed he would reach a medicinal garden within the Dharma King Temple.

And if lucky, the distance to the most central Dharma Transmission Hall was not far.

"It seems my luck isn’t too bad," Su Heng said with a carefree smile. He pushed aside the lush bamboo in front of him and strode into the dense darkness as if it were tangible.