My Artifacts Can Upgrade Infinitely

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Decision to Move to the Core Area

In this world, alongside the Path of Cultivation, there existed the mundane Martial Path. It originated from those without Spiritual Roots who, unwilling to be denied a long life, spent generations simplifying the Body Refining Technique into a method for physical fitness. This eventually evolved into its own Path of Transcendence: the Martial Path.

The Martial Path had a very low ceiling. Its strongest level, Innate, could barely contend with Qi Cultivation cultivators. However, centuries of research had led to some unique advantages. Its practitioners were more adept at tapping into the body’s own power, reaching an extremely high level of control over their physical and muscular strength.

One Slash was a technique for improving control over one’s own strength.

Zhao Zuo currently possessed a massive strength of nearly twelve thousand jin, but in combat, he could only muster about eight thousand jin of it. This was the result of relying solely on brute force.

One Slash was divided into three levels, corresponding to three degrees of mastery over one’s power. The names of the levels were also very simple: Broken Blade, Full Blade, and finally, Overflowing Blade.

At the Realm of Broken Blade, one could muster about eighty percent of their strength.

At the Realm of Full Blade, one could muster one hundred percent of their strength.

At the final Realm of Overflowing Blade, one could erupt with one hundred and twenty percent of their power. However, the description specified that this would place a certain burden on the body and could not be maintained for a long battle.

After a simple browse, Zhao Zuo returned the book to his Storage Bag. His future combat style would definitely revolve around combinations of various Magical Artifacts. The practice of his Body Refining Technique was mainly to increase his survivability in battle.

In other words, this secret manual wasn’t very useful to Zhao Zuo. With that time, he’d be better off grinding some experience. However, the combat advice recorded in the latter part of the book was somewhat useful to him.

For example: "In battle, never exhaust your strength. Use ninety percent and reserve ten, allowing for endless variations and responses."

"Are your injuries still serious?" Zhao Zuo put away the secret manual without any polite thanks. After all, he had saved Shen Yunjiao’s life yesterday, so he could accept this small token of gratitude with a clear conscience.

"They’re quite serious. When I’m delirious, I often speak nonsense. If I said anything, please don’t take it to heart, Taoist Friend Zhao." For some reason, Shen Yunjiao repeated herself.

"Don’t worry, I didn’t hear a thing," Zhao Zuo replied, standing up. ’There are some things I’ll never admit to in this lifetime. Pretending nothing happened is the best way to handle it.’

’What I said yesterday wasn’t to take advantage of her; it was purely out of sympathy or pity. Back then, she was like a drowning person grasping at straws. It was truly heartbreaking to see.’

’A person with Shen Yunjiao’s personality... she would definitely hate being looked at with pity.’

"Mm." Shen Yunjiao nodded and pushed herself up with her hands. When she was unconscious, she often dreamed of her childhood and spoke nonsense, but that didn’t mean she lost her memories of that time.

She stretched her limbs a bit inside the bedroom. Her first few steps were a little unsteady, but she quickly moved with ease and swiftly left the room.

Currently, Shen Yunjiao’s injuries were severe and would likely require a period of quiet recuperation. Given the current state of security in Qingni Lane, the safety index had dropped drastically. In this chaotic little society, revealing even a hint of weakness would make one the target of other hunters.

Everyone was a hunter, and also the prey.

"I have news about the matter you asked me to look into," Shen Yunjiao said when she returned.

"Really?"

"There’s a small courtyard with an Earth Fire Chamber in the core district’s residential area."

Some time ago, Zhao Zuo had entrusted Shen Yunjiao with finding information about an Earth Fire Chamber. He hadn’t expected her to actually find such a detailed and viable lead. ’Maybe... I can rent a place in the core district.’

Through Shen Yunjiao’s explanation, Zhao Zuo gradually came to understand the situation in the core district.

The core district had about eight hundred residences, divided into three zones in different locations.

These were divided into high, middle, and low-grade houses, with rents of forty, thirty, and twenty Spirit Stones, respectively. The three types of houses were not very different in size; the main distinction lay in their internal facilities.

High-grade houses came with an additional Earth Fire Chamber, which could be used for Alchemy or Artifact Refining, as well as a cultivation chamber engraved with a Spirit Gathering Array. Middle-grade houses only offered a choice between a Spirit Gathering Chamber or an Earth Fire Chamber. As for low-grade houses, they were just places to live.

Besides the differences in basic amenities, another distinction was that the high-grade residences were closer to Moyun Market. Not only were they safer, but their ambient Spiritual Power concentration also surpassed that of the other two types of residences. However, high-grade houses were few in number and rarely became available.

"Looks like I’ll have to move to the core district," Zhao Zuo sighed. ’Thirty Spirit Stones a month... that’s nearly six times my current rent. But for the sake of Creation Points, I have to make this choice.’

’As for the even safer high-grade houses, they weren’t even an option. For one, I don’t want to be too conspicuous, since high-grade houses are usually occupied by late-period Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivators. For another, I simply want to save money.’

"Then shall we rent together?" Shen Yunjiao said with a grin, seeing that she had achieved her desired effect.

Zhao Zuo glanced at the smiling Shen Yunjiao. ’I feel like I’m being played,’ he thought. But regardless, the proposal was very tempting.

"Alright, but I have one simple condition," Zhao Zuo said.

"Only I can use the Earth Fire Chamber. You are not to enter without my permission."

"Deal." Shen Yunjiao sat back on the bed and crossed her left leg over her right. It was a simple movement, but as the fabric of her pants suddenly tightened, it faintly revealed her long, straight legs and the firm curve of her rear.

Zhao Zuo took a quick glance before immediately averting his eyes, staring straight ahead. ’With Shen Yunjiao’s money-grubbing personality, the haggling is definitely next.’

"Since you’ll be the one using the Earth Fire Chamber, shouldn’t you pay a little more of the rent?"

Whenever Spirit Stones were involved, Shen Yunjiao became exceptionally focused. Even if her attitude was gentle and her eyes held a charming smile, she would haggle over every single Spirit Stone and never yield an inch. She was a very stubborn person when she set her mind to something.

"For a monthly rent of thirty Spirit Stones, I’ll pay twenty at most!" Zhao Zuo said.

"Deal! You’re a straightforward man." Shen Yunjiao’s eyes lit up, and she burst into a dazzling laugh, a truly beautiful sight.

"Also, here are the one thousand seven hundred Spirit Stones from selling the Demon Beast materials. According to the ratio we agreed on, I’ll take eight hundred, and you take nine hundred."

Shen Yunjiao took a large cloth sack about half a meter tall from her Storage Bag and handed it to Zhao Zuo.

"Isn’t my share a bit much?"

’By my calculations of the proper split, I should have gotten eight hundred and Shen Yunjiao nine hundred. After all, she was the one who had used the double Spring Breeze tactic to cloud the Demon Beast’s mind, giving me the chance to heavily wound it with the Sky-Breaking Saber.’

’If you subtracted the two-hundred-Spirit-Stone cost of the Spring Breeze Potion, then from this whole ordeal—hunting the Demon Beast and nearly getting killed in an ambush—Shen Yunjiao would only have earned six hundred Spirit Stones.’

’That was the price she paid with her life on the line.’

"No, this ratio is correct," Shen Yunjiao said in an incredibly firm tone.

Zhao Zuo looked into her eyes. ’This extra one hundred Spirit Stones must be her way of thanking me for saving her life. And yet, just a moment ago... she was haggling intensely over a mere ten Spirit Stones.’

’This woman really was strange.’

......

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