Three Sins Against Heaven

Five days later, on the Spirit Treasure Platform, when Ghost Guest presented forty Rejuvenation Pills at once, the surrounding crowd was stunned.

"I can't believe my eyes, forty pills! Junior Brother Ghost Guest is truly remarkable, producing so many pills again."

"If I had such alchemy skills, I wouldn't have to worry about Spirit Stones all the time. Cultivation would be so much easier."

"It seems the saying that pill refiners never lack Spirit Stones is true. I wish I were a pill refiner."

Ghost Guest calmly exchanged all the Rejuvenation Pills for Spirit Stones and left quietly.

The onlookers didn't realize that their astonishment was just the beginning.

In the following days, the number of pills Ghost Guest brought increased, causing even greater commotion.

Until it reached a hundred pills.

In the lakeside pavilion on the Jadeite Platform, Kenneth Yi put down the jade slip in his hand, frowning slightly.

Given his status, it was easy for him to keep track of Ghost Guest's movements. After receiving the news from the Spirit Treasure Platform, he couldn't help but feel puzzled.

He had already told Ghost Guest not to devote all his time to pill refining, yet Ghost Guest had been obsessively refining pills, causing bigger and bigger stirs at the Spirit Treasure Platform.

It wasn't out of worry; he knew Ghost Guest's nature wouldn't allow him to waste time. He just couldn't figure out what Ghost Guest was up to.

...

In his room, Ghost Guest looked at the various herbs scattered on the ground, a smile appearing on his face.

After refining Rejuvenation Pills for so long, he finally had enough Spirit Stones. He had bought all the ingredients needed for first-grade pills and could now experiment to see which herbs would best enhance his Wood Spirit Root.

After chewing and swallowing each herb, Ghost Guest focused his mind like never before. Since this concerned improving his aptitude, he had to carefully sense which herb had the best effect.

As the powerful medicinal energy spread through his body, the dormant Extinct Spirit Seed in his Sea of Consciousness suddenly became restless, startling Ghost Guest.

Fortunately, the Extinct Spirit Seed didn't absorb the Spiritual Energy this time. Instead, it slowly rotated in his Sea of Consciousness, gathering the medicinal energy to repair his Spirit Root, while the purified Spiritual Energy flowed into his meridians.

Unknowingly, the second acupoint was opened. Ghost Guest suppressed the joy of his breakthrough and continued to consume the herbs, carefully sensing their effects.

When he reached a vibrant five-colored flower, he hesitated. This was the Five Poison Flower, extremely toxic, and he wasn't confident he could withstand it.

After a moment of thought, he plucked a petal and ate it. The potent toxin instantly invaded his heart, causing Ghost Guest to clutch his chest in pain, cold sweat streaming down his face.

As the Extinct Spirit Seed rotated, the toxin gradually dissipated, transforming into pure medicinal energy that merged with his Wood Spirit Root.

After consuming the entire Five Poison Flower, Ghost Guest felt his Wood Spirit Root and his eyes lit up. The Five Poison Flower was currently the best herb for enhancing his Wood Spirit Root.

Although the toxin was strong, the presence of the Extinct Spirit Seed ensured it wouldn't threaten his life.

The herbs on the ground gradually disappeared, one acupoint after another was opened, but Ghost Guest remained unresponsive, his mind fully immersed in his Wood Spirit Root.

After consuming the last herb, the aura emanating from Ghost Guest's body intensified once again.

Seventh acupoint breakthrough!

Ghost Guest closed his eyes and calmly reflected on the changes in his Wood Spirit Root. Five different herbs flashed through his mind; these were the most effective so far.

From the time he started consuming the herbs until now, fifteen days had passed, averaging one acupoint breakthrough every three days. Although this speed couldn't match Mark Ye's, it was much faster than using Spirit Stones for cultivation.

The only downside was the high cost in Spirit Stones. Those herbs had cost a total of five hundred Spirit Stones, far more than he would use in fifteen days of cultivation.

Moreover, considering the time spent on pill refining, the overall cultivation speed was roughly the same as using Spirit Stones.

However, consuming herbs could enhance his aptitude, something Spirit Stone cultivation couldn't compare to.

After weighing the pros and cons, Ghost Guest decided to focus on consuming herbs for the time being.

Even though it was costly, the earlier he improved his aptitude, the better. This was a calculation he could clearly make.

A knock suddenly sounded at the door. Ghost Guest opened it to see Laura Jiang standing outside.

"What's the matter?"

"Sir, someone has arrived," Laura Jiang pointed to the fluctuating light screen above the courtyard.

Outside the courtyard, Ghost Guest looked at John Wei, who stood with his arms crossed, looking like a debt collector, and frowned.

He had already paid a year's worth in advance, and now, after just a month, they were here again!

"What brings you here, Senior Brother?" Ghost Guest asked.

John Wei replied indifferently, "Collecting Spirit Stones. The Mountain Lord wants you to pay two more years' worth."

"But I've already paid a year in advance," Ghost Guest's voice grew lower.

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John Wei sneered, "When you're told to pay, you pay. Why so much nonsense? This is the Mountain Lord's order. Do you dare defy it?"

"I don't have that many Spirit Stones right now. I'll pay in a few days," Ghost Guest clenched his fist inside his sleeve, suppressing his anger. "Rest assured, Senior Brother, I won't let you make a wasted trip. I'll delay it by just a day or two."

"Smart move," John Wei mocked, turning to leave. "You have five days to pay up."

Watching John Wei leave, Ghost Guest's eyes narrowed, his expression dark as water.

Since coming to Dusk Mountain, he had been quietly cultivating in seclusion, only going out when necessary, yet trouble always found him. It wasn't something he could avoid.

At this moment, he finally understood what his master, Adam Dao, had told him.

Among cultivators, one must fight and seize!

Not an inch can be conceded!

"Junior Brother Ghost Guest, why are you daydreaming here?" A gentle voice suddenly sounded.

Ghost Guest turned to see Douglas Situ standing beside him. "What brings you here, Senior Brother?"

"I was on my way to the private market and happened to pass by," Douglas Situ examined Ghost Guest closely, his eyes full of surprise. "Your aura is getting deeper. It seems your cultivation has advanced again. You might break through to the second level of Qi Refinement in a few months."

"Thank you for your kind words, Senior Brother," Ghost Guest smiled.

Douglas Situ changed the subject, "Was that John Wei I saw talking to you? Did he come to ask for Spirit Stones again?"

Ghost Guest nodded, his expression calm once more.

"How much did he ask for?"

"Two years' worth."

Douglas Situ clicked his tongue, "That's a bit like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Come to my place for a chat; it's been a while since we caught up."

Ghost Guest cupped his hands, "I need to visit the Jadeite Platform to see Senior Brother. Please forgive me, Senior Brother."

Today was the last day of the month. If he missed today, the two hours would be wasted.

Douglas Situ smiled, "Then you should hurry. We can't keep Senior Brother waiting. I'll prepare some tea for your return."

"Please wait for two hours, Senior Brother. I'll visit you after returning from the Jadeite Platform," Ghost Guest said, bowing before quickly descending the mountain, deep in thought.

Too coincidental, far too coincidental.

Douglas Situ and John Wei always arrived around the same time. Once could be a coincidence, but two or three times was deliberate.

Either John Wei was deliberate, or Douglas Situ was.

John Wei was the Mountain Lord's man, and while Douglas Situ outwardly respected the Mountain Lord, he secretly tried to win Ghost Guest over. Their relationship with the Mountain Lord might not be as good as it seemed.@@novelbin@@

Ghost Guest suddenly realized he was caught in an unavoidable vortex.

Even if the title of personal disciple was useless, with that title, the Mountain Lord wouldn't be so frequent in extorting Spirit Stones unless it was because of Douglas Situ.

Douglas Situ had helped him, and perhaps in the Mountain Lord's eyes, he was already on Douglas Situ's side.

He hadn't even met the Mountain Lord yet and was already marked as an opponent. What a stroke of bad luck.

As the Jadeite Platform came into view, Ghost Guest shook his head, putting these thoughts aside.

Last time, Senior Brother's lecture had resolved many of his alchemy doubts, which was why his alchemy skills had improved so much recently.

With only one lecture a month, he didn't want to be distracted by these matters.

As for the Mountain Lord, he would deal with it after the lecture and his meeting with Douglas Situ.