name: Lin Baichuan
identity: Demon Suppression Division Junior Demon Slayer Guard
cultivation: Ninth Rank
Cultivation Technique: Golden Bell Shield (Sixth Layer, 100%)
Martial Skill: Seven Kill Blade Technique (Perfection)
Concept: Blade Intent (1% +)
Karma: 91
...
"Karma is actually only 91 points left..."
Lin Baichuan quickly scanned the attribute panel, his brows furrowing slightly. As expected, this Karma was simply not enough. The further he went, the more Karma was needed.
The Golden Bell Shield consumed a full 202 points of Karma to advance from the third layer to the sixth layer.
The most important thing was that his Golden Bell Shield had already reached 100% on the sixth layer, but the remaining 91 points of Karma were surprisingly not enough to advance to the seventh layer. This was simply outrageous! The advancement of Blade Intent wasn't even this outrageous!
"Could it be because my Physical Body strength has reached the 10,000-jin limit, and the seventh layer of Golden Bell Shield is about breaking through this 10,000-jin limit? This is a qualitative leap from a quantitative change."
Lin Baichuan muttered to himself, "It's precisely because of this that the Karma required to go from the sixth layer to the seventh layer will skyrocket, directly a hundredfold increase. If that's truly the case, then advancing from the sixth layer to the seventh layer might require 100,000 Karma."
As he thought, Lin Baichuan's eyes immediately gleamed with light. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this possibility was very high.
After glancing at the attribute panel, he simply ignored it.
He still had 91 points of Karma left. The Golden Bell Shield couldn't be upgraded, but Blade Intent could have points added. However, one point of Karma only yielded 0.1%, which was quite uneconomical. He decided to save these 91 points of Karma for now, just in case.
"It's time to go back. Lingering too long might make Li Da and the others suspicious."
Lin Baichuan thought to himself, taking one last look at Yin Kuisheng's dismembered corpse, then immediately turned and sprinted out of Seven Mile Slope. He moved like a tiger or leopard, his speed having increased by more than several times compared to before.
The Golden Bell Shield reaching Perfection on the sixth layer not only allowed his Physical Body strength to reach the 10,000-jin limit but also strengthened his Physical Body physique, greatly improving his physical qualities, and naturally, his speed also surged.
Each step covered over ten feet, and soon Lin Baichuan burst out of Seven Mile Slope and returned to the town.
By the time he returned to the inn, there were no living people left, only a pile of ruins, a scattering of corpses, and a strong smell of blood filling the air.
"Where are they?"
Lin Baichuan frowned slightly, muttering to himself, "They couldn't all be dead! Impossible... That explosion couldn't have killed everyone, at least Li Da and the others definitely couldn't have. Serious injuries are possible.
They must have left. I should find someone to ask."
With that thought, Lin Baichuan turned and walked to a shop not far from the inn. He waved at the shopkeeper, who was peeking out, and tossed him a piece of broken silver, saying, "Shopkeeper, where did the living people from the inn go?"
"Officer, are you asking about the whereabouts of the other Demon Slayer Guard adults?"
The shopkeeper quickly took the silver, his face beaming with smiles. He immediately chuckled and said, "If you follow this street inwards, the innermost courtyard, they should be there."
"You actually recognize Demon Slayer Guards?" Lin Baichuan raised his eyebrows, a little surprised.
"Officer, you jest. Who in all of Great Xia doesn't recognize the attire of a Demon Slayer Guard?" The shopkeeper immediately cupped his hands in a bow, his face full of apologetic smiles as he offered the silver back to Lin Baichuan, saying, "Officer, here's your silver back. This humble commoner wouldn't dare accept it."
"Keep it!"
Lin Baichuan waved his hand, not taking the silver. What was given out, how could it be taken back? That would be too demeaning. He was now, after all, a dignified Demon Slayer Guard and couldn't afford to lose face.
"Thank you, Officer, thank you, Officer..."
The shopkeeper subconsciously took the silver and immediately bowed respectfully to Lin Baichuan, who had already turned and left.
At this moment!
Lin Baichuan had already quickened his pace, heading towards the very end of the street the shopkeeper had mentioned. The street wasn't actually long, and Lin Baichuan was very fast, so in less than a quarter of an hour, Lin Baichuan arrived at the end of the street, stopping in front of a somewhat old, large courtyard.
The courtyard gate was wide open, and a faint smell of blood wafted out.
Lin Baichuan immediately frowned. He took a step, and his body had already rushed into the courtyard.
Clang...
As soon as he entered, a flash of blade light immediately appeared, striking directly down towards his head. Lin Baichuan remained calm in the face of danger, leaning back slightly and easily dodging the blade. At this moment, the blade light actually swept horizontally, intending to cut Lin Baichuan in half at the waist.
"Hmph!"
Lin Baichuan snorted coldly. He raised his hand and extended two fingers, actually clamping the cold, gleaming long blade. Then he said coldly, "It's me, Lin Baichuan... What's wrong, Niu Zhenye, are you trying to kill me?"
"Stop!"
At the same time, a reprimand came from a room inside the courtyard: "Zhenye, it's Lin Baichuan..."
Niu Zhenye's face, however, changed drastically at this moment. His two consecutive blade strikes were not only easily avoided by Lin Baichuan, but even his fighting stance was clamped by Lin Baichuan's two fingers. This simply blinded his 24k titanium alloy dog eyes.
"Damn it, isn't this kid a newcomer? He just entered the Ninth Rank, how can he be so strong?"
Niu Zhenye cursed inwardly, but a forced smile appeared on his face as he said, "Haha... This, Lin Baichuan, I'm truly sorry, it was a misunderstanding... All a misunderstanding. I didn't see clearly that it was you just now."
"Hmph!"
Lin Baichuan snorted coldly. He loosened his fingers, and the battle blade he had clamped vibrated slightly, emitting a faint muffled sound.
He didn't say much, just gave Niu Zhenye a meaningful look, a faint murderous intent condensing in his heart. Niu Zhenye said it was a misunderstanding and that he hadn't seen clearly that it was him who came in. Lin Baichuan, however, didn't believe that.
If he didn't see clearly on the first strike, it might be excusable, but not seeing clearly on the second strike was nonsense.
Lin Baichuan was certain that Niu Zhenye mostly wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of him.
He even suspected that, within the entire team, perhaps everyone except Qin Qing had received benefits from the Lu family and wanted his life. If Niu Zhenye had succeeded just now, he could have easily used the excuse that he mistook him for a thief or a villain and accidentally killed him.
He believed that with the Lu family's influence at that time, and with a little more bribery, the Demon Suppression Division probably wouldn't stand up for a dead man like him.
"Very well, in that case, let's play a long game!"
Lin Baichuan harbored a hidden hatred, his killing intent restrained. Many thoughts flashed through his mind, but no emotional fluctuations showed on his face as he looked at Li Da and the others who had already walked out of the room.
Yin Kuisheng's last attack was probably quite formidable. With the demon core self-destructing, the situation inside the inn would definitely not be good. Li Da and the others were clearly injured. The only exception was Qin Qing, who was perfectly fine and whose aura was normal, indicating she had no injuries.
But then again, this woman's background was quite extraordinary, so it was normal for her to have some life-saving methods.
"Captain, you're injured, are you alright?" Lin Baichuan immediately walked towards Li Da, asking with a concerned expression.
"It's nothing. Where did you go just now? We didn't see any trace of you." Li Da shook his head slightly, asking in a deep voice.
"Where else could he have gone? He probably hid!"
At this moment, Niu Zhenye's voice came from behind, sneering disdainfully, "But you do have some self-awareness, knowing to hide. At least you didn't drag us down. However, as a Demon Slayer Guard of the Demon Suppression Division, to only know how to hide is truly a disgrace to the Demon Suppression Division!"
"Disgraceful or not, why don't you try it..."
Lin Baichuan's eyes were cold. He swept a glance at Niu Zhenye, a sneer playing on his lips.
This immediately made Niu Zhenye shut up. What a joke, he was only talking. If he really had to compete with Lin Baichuan, he'd rather not. He was afraid of being beaten to death.