One Pound Meat, One More Attribute Point

Zhao Meiying’s materials were placed in the recently excavated underground chamber beneath the Demon Suppression Tower.

With a burst of intense frictional noise, the stone door leading to the underground chamber slowly opened.

"Your Excellency the Commandant."

The two disciples guarding the place bowed excitedly toward Su Heng.

Su Heng nodded slightly as a greeting.

Then he stepped through the stone gate.

Luo Shuang followed behind Su Heng, as she was in charge of coordinating these matters.

After crossing a pitch-black corridor about a hundred meters long, they entered a vast space.

Su Heng’s first impression was that the temperature inside was very low, as if entering an ice cellar. This was to ensure the freshness of resources, as a large amount of ice had been placed in the underground chamber.

Luo Shuang pressed a mechanism.

Several torches hung on the walls were ignited one by one.

The flickering dark red light of the torches dispelled the darkness, and a huge skeleton came into Su Heng’s view.

This was the remains of Tuo Long the esteemed, whose flesh and organs had been cleanly stripped away, with most already digested and absorbed by Su Heng, converted into attribute points for cultivation. The rest of the skeleton was displayed here as a chilling trophy of war.

Su Heng’s gaze locked with the empty eye sockets of Tuo Long’s skull for two seconds, then he deftly moved on.

On the shelves lining both walls, all kinds of cluttered bottles and jars were placed.

"Were these elixirs all transported from the Demon Suppression Army?" Su Heng raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, "That’s more generous than I had imagined."

Pfft!

He waved his hand.

He took a porcelain bottle from the shelf and opened the stopper with his fingernail.

A rich scent of medicinal herbs instantly filled his nostrils, Su Heng’s stomach churned with a slight noise. A craving and greedy emotion emerged in Su Heng’s consciousness, clearly indicating that not only was there a quantity, but the "quality" of these elixirs was also quite impressive.

"Here is the list that was sent along with it," Luo Shuang retrieved a small booklet from the corner of the shelf and handed it to Su Heng.

Su Heng used his "Gravity Sense" to sweep the room gently, knowing that the quantities matched up.

However, the contents of the booklet...

Apart from the gifts from the Demon Suppression Army, the "personal offerings" from that commander actually accounted for a whole half of these resources. ṟＡ

"He’s a frank person indeed," said Su Heng, who had not met Li Lingxiu.

But now he had a rather favorable impression of her.

"The commander also left you a letter," said Luo Shuang as she handed over a beefy envelope sealed with wax. The envelope was hefty, suggesting there was something else inside besides the letter. Su Heng frowned slightly, his expression grew more solemn.

He rubbed off the wax seal and poured out the contents.

A jade token the size of a palm and three sheets of letter paper.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Su Heng first unrolled the letter paper.

It was filled with an abundance of words, lavish and complicated phrases of praise that made Su Heng furrow his brows. His body even shivered slightly, nearly breaking out in goosebumps. Three sheets of paper, several thousand words worth. The content could roughly be summarized in three sentences.

Expressing deep apologies for Zhao Meiying’s rash probing, some resources serve as compensation.

Being deeply impressed by the essence of Su Heng’s foundation and hoping to have an opportunity for a deep exchange and discussion in the future, as well as expressing regret for her inability to meet immediately due to a visit to Skull Plain.

And then there was the token named "Cloud Key."

This token was the key to opening "Cloud Amidst Heavens," which Li Lingxiu did not explain in detail in the letters.

She only mentioned that it is a special place located at the border between the world of mortals and the realm of immortality.

"Cloud Amidst Heavens" opens once every thirty years.

Entering into it with the "Cloud Key" could allow one to resonate with the heavens and earth, entering an enlightened state, greatly benefiting one’s cultivation.

And more crucially, according to some historical records.

The Dominating Dragon from the dawn of the nation a thousand years ago had also rested and stayed within the "Cloud Amidst Heavens."

And the special environment of "Cloud Amidst Heavens" might preserve some of the Dominating Dragon’s essence.

Li Lingxiu originally planned to use this "Cloud Key" to perfect the Domineering Dragon Thirteen Forms Secret Method.

But having seen Su Heng’s two foundational diagrams, Li Lingxiu chose to give up.

She handed the opportunity over to Su Heng instead.

For someone who gave up his position as heir of a top-notch family and ventured out alone in pursuit of pure martial arts, personal gains and losses were indeed trivial in his eyes. He wanted to see the complete Domineering Dragon Secret Method, and Su Heng was clearly a more suitable choice.

"Cloud Amidst Heavens" located in Liuzhou invited profound enlightenment, naturally attracting many powerful figures.

Among them were disciples from top families like Li Lingxiu, heirs of hidden sects, as well as mysteriously emergent trendsetters.

And even those from the outskirts like the Skull Plain or Breath Swamp, among others. Powers from all sides refused to yield to one another, inevitably leading to conflicts when gathered together, especially given the limited number of "Cloud Keys."

Therefore, every opening of the "Cloud Amidst Heavens" was a rare grand event.

It stirred up excitement and attracted the attention of many.

The letter mentioned that the "Cloud Amidst Heavens" would open in about two months. Based on the time the letter was written, there should be about a month and a half remaining.

"Just in time, it won’t delay my Dragon Blood heist," Su Heng pondered in his heart.

Sitting in the position of the Metropolitan Officer, he had clearly sensed that a chaotic era was imminent, the beauty of all things vying to flourish vividly before his eyes.

He had rarely left Baihua County, yet a mishmash of chaotic matters rained down upon him unceasingly, stirring a faint excitement within Su Heng’s tranquil heart.

"Let us first make great achievements with the Dragon Shedding Blood Refining Method!"

Looking at the room full of bottles and jars before him, Su Heng’s face revealed a satisfied expression.

Originally, he had consumed more than half of the monstrous flesh and blood from the Tuo Long during his recent cultivation. As the saying goes, it’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to return. Su Heng had become accustomed to feasting lavishly, and the days of scrimping and saving were honestly hard to endure.

The resources provided by the Demon Suppression Army and Li Lingxiu were just the thing to grant Su Heng a significant boost.

"What good people," Su Heng clapped his hands, stuffing the letter and the "Cloud Key" into his bosom.

...

...

...

In Lianshan City, Baihua County.

A gloomy and empty mansion study built against a mountain.

Bright moonlight streamed through the window, casting its light upon the antique bronze furnace, screen, and octagonal palace lantern within.

Anade bowed his waist.

His spotty and ugly face no longer displayed its previous arrogance.

He now reported respectfully, recounting in full the events that had unfolded in Baihua County.

All around the study.

Aside from Anade, there were three more people.

The one whom Anade directly faced was near the window, with his back to him, leaving only a broad and sturdy silhouette for Anade to behold. Of the remaining two, one stood at the door with arms behind his back, while the other leisurely sipped tea, legs crossed, seated in a chair.

After finishing recounting the day’s experiences, Anade bowed his head, uttering no further word.

His breathing was slightly heavy, clear signs that his heart was not as calm as he appeared. He was enveloped in an intangible fear.

Finally—

After a few short breaths, the person at the window turned around, displaying a square and authoritative visage.

He snatched the teapot from the desk and hurled it at Anade, "Useless!"

Crash!

The pricey celadon teapot shattered on impact.

Some shards embedded into Anade’s eyelids and cheeks, with scarlet blood swiftly streaming from the wounds. Anade, usually defiant by nature, dared not even take a deep breath in the face of this man, nor did he dare to wipe the blood off his face. He merely kept his head deeply lowered, letting the blood trickle down his face.

This august and lion-faced elder was none other than An Chaluo, the Great Elder of the An family.

In the room, among the other two persons, the one with a goatee, a shrewd appearance leisurely enjoying his tea was the Second Elder, An Luoyi. Leaning on the doorframe, a figure with a gloomy temperament, unremarkable in looks and build, easy to overlook, was the Third Elder, An Yunian.

Amongst the three elders,

The Great Elder An Chaluo was the most powerful and had the most volatile temper.

Like a keg of gunpowder, ready to explode at a moment’s touch.

Not just Anade, the young disciple, but even the elders An Luoyi and An Yunian dared not raise their voices before Great Elder An Chaluo.

After a while, once An Chaluo’s anger seemed to ebb,

The Second Elder, An Luoyi who was seated, set down his teacup and spoke softly, cautioning, "This matter isn’t Anade’s fault. Baihua County has its peculiarities. That newly-appointed Metropolitan Officer is not someone who can be judged by common sense."

"I’ve got word that recently, people from the Demon Image Sect disappeared without a trace, and it was by this Metropolitan Officer’s hand."

"Had Anade acted rashly at that time, the outcome could have been worse."

At this point,

A gentle smile crossed An Luoyi’s face.

He waved his hand, and Anade’s eyes instantly revealed a look of gratitude. Bowing his head, not daring to make a sound, he quickly left the room. As he stepped over the threshold, his broad shoulders tensed up, as if escaping from a den of dragons and tigers, noticeably relieved.

"Humph! Good-for-nothing!" The Great Elder pulled his gaze from Anade’s retreating back.

"The important thing is, we must bring that scourge back."

The Great Elder walked back and forth a few steps in the spacious study with his hands behind his back, then he stopped, "She is the most suitable sacrifice, and we spent so much effort to cultivate her. She thinks she can just walk away like that, even trying to use outsiders to fight against the family, it won’t be that easy!"

"So big brother, should I make a trip to Baihua County?" asked the Third Elder, who was the most ordinary in appearance and best at stealth.

"No!" An Chaluo shook his head, a flicker of ferocity in his eyes, "I will go myself!"

"Big brother!" The Second Elder felt it unwise, "The one who once killed Heavenly Deceit. A direct confrontation might bring unwelcome complications. It would be better to let the third brother covertly penetrate, and bring the person back."

"You are still thinking too simplistically."

Upon hearing this, the Great Elder An Chaluo shook his head, "If that man has taken in An Ran, it is certain he is interested in the Dragon King’s Tomb. If we don’t intimidate him now to dispel this notion, it might actually ruin things later. We’ve prepared far too long for this day; all potential risks must be eliminated in advance!"

"Besides…"

An Chaluo shook his head and scoffed, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, "Xie Linyuan, an incompetent claiming divinity’s grace for his breakthrough, what is he to us? If he shows up before me, this old man could crush him to pieces with a slap."

"The same goes, the man who slew Xie Linyuan is nothing special, he just picked up a soft persimmon, that’s all."

Strong confidence permeated An Chaluo’s words.

Of course, with their dragon blood and the formidable power gained through rigorous cultivation, they indeed had the confidence to back up such statements.

The Second Elder, An Luoyi, still felt uneasy, but as the day for the tomb to open drew near, and given the Great Elder’s fiery temper, An Luoyi massaged his temples and could only fatigue, "Be careful with everything!"