Chapter 332 - 320: Good Merit Exchange
Chapter 332: Chapter 320: Good Merit Exchange
It would take over two hundred Spirit Stones to raise four magic skills to the Proficient Level using the Spirit Cultivation Map, and a single Hongyan Talisman was worth one hundred Spirit Stones.
A suit of protective inner armor would be another two hundred Spirit Stones, plus pills, a tent, other miscellaneous items, and travel expenses...
Zhao Lin did some quick math in his head and replied, "I need to exchange for six or seven hundred Spirit Stones. Do you have that much, Brother Dong?"
Dong Lingcheng’s eyes lit up. "I have a little over five hundred Spirit Stones myself. I can get the rest from someone else. No problem!"
Zhao Lin felt relieved and then asked, "What’s the exchange rate?"
"The rate?"
Dong Lingcheng paused for a moment before it dawned on him. "Ah, you mean how many Spirit Stones per merit point, right?"
"The going rate in the commandery is ten Spirit Stones per merit point. I’ll add one more, making it an eleven-to-one exchange. How does that sound?"
"Alright, let’s go with that!"
Zhao Lin knew he could probably get more if he haggled, or even get a few instructing disciples to bid against each other, but there was no need for that. He agreed readily.
"Brother Dong, what are you two whispering about over there?"
An instructing senior brother passed by the front of the hall. Seeing their secretive air, he asked with a smile.
"It’s nothing, just small talk."
Dong Lingcheng said, feigning nonchalance.
"I was just asking Senior Brother Dong for advice on some cultivation problems."
Zhao Lin added, helping to cover for him.
"This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s head to the Merit Hall now. We can talk on the way."
After the instructing senior brother walked away, Dong Lingcheng said quickly, "By the way, do you have any Spirit Stones on you? I want to exchange for some pills."
"I do. Is fifty enough?"
Zhao Lin said, patting his storage pouch. For a Martial Cultivator, carrying a hundred or two hundred pounds was a simple matter.
"That’s more than enough. Get me one Yuan Condensing Pill, three bottles of Jade Marrow Liquid... let me think... and access to a Third-Class Spirit Cave for seven days. All told, that should be worth six hundred Spirit Stones."
Dong Lingcheng listed the items as they walked.
A short while later, they arrived in front of the Merit Hall, and Dong Lingcheng stopped.
"I’ll wait out here."
The sect tacitly allowed private transactions of merit points among disciples, but doing so openly would still reflect poorly on them.
"Alright, I can go in by myself."
Zhao Lin double-checked the list of items with Dong Lingcheng one last time before walking into the Merit Hall.
"Junior Brother Zhao?"
Steward Hu asked in surprise, seeing that Zhao Lin had returned.
"Senior Brother Hu, I’d like to use merit points to exchange for some cultivation items: one Yuan Condensing Pill, three bottles of Jade Marrow Liquid..."
Steward Hu listened silently. He guessed Zhao Lin was making the exchange for someone else but didn’t call him out on it, simply smiling. "That will be sixty merit points and thirty-nine Spirit Stones. If you agree, Junior Brother, please follow me."
Zhao Lin followed Steward Hu into a records office within the hall, where he took out his Body Stone and the Spirit Stones and placed them on the desk.
Steward Hu summoned an attendant and gave a few instructions. He counted the Spirit Stones, then took out a Star Origin Brush to record the transaction on the Body Stone and deduct the sixty merit points.
A few moments later, the attendant returned with four porcelain vials and a diamond-shaped jade plaque in hand.
Steward Hu took the items and handed them over to Zhao Lin.
"One Yuan Condensing Pill, three bottles of Jade Marrow Liquid, and the jade plaque is the access Token for the Spirit Cave. Please keep them safe, Junior Brother Zhao."
Impressed by the efficiency, Zhao Lin was very satisfied. He offered his thanks, walked out of the Merit Hall, and handed everything over to Dong Lingcheng.
Dong Lingcheng gave the items a quick check and smiled. "Everything’s here. Thanks!"
Zhao Lin glanced at the Token in Dong Lingcheng’s hand. ’When I earn enough merit points,’ he thought, ’I’ll come cultivate in a Spirit Cave, too.’
「That night」
Dong Lingcheng came to Zhao Lin’s residence, furtively carrying a large chest on his shoulder.
"Sixty merit points come out to six hundred and sixty Spirit Stones. Add the thirty-nine you fronted for me, and we’ll round it up to an even seven hundred Spirit Stones."
Once inside, Dong Lingcheng set down the chest and rubbed his shoulder. "Go ahead, count it."
Zhao Lin merely glanced at it before moving the chest to the head of his bed. "No need. I trust you, Senior Brother Dong."
Dong Lingcheng chuckled at his words, a hint of envy in his voice. "Younger Brother Zhao, you’ve only been in the sect for a little over a year and you already have this many Spirit Stones. I bet all the other disciples from your year combined don’t have as many as you."
It was true. The other disciples who had entered the sect with Zhao Lin had only just started receiving their monthly stipends; their merit points and Spirit Stones were still in the single digits.
"I still prefer merit points."
Zhao Lin walked over to the table and poured Dong Lingcheng a bowl of water.
Dong Lingcheng didn’t stand on ceremony, picking up the bowl and taking a few large gulps. Wiping his mouth, he said, "You don’t even have any Spirit Tea here. Now that you’re rich, you should buy some to serve your guests. Besides, drinking it yourself is good for your cultivation."
Zhao Lin smiled. "Alright, the next time you visit, Senior Brother, I’ll serve you Spirit Tea. By the way, you must have taken on sect missions before, right?"
"Well, of course..."
Dong Lingcheng set his bowl down on the table with a thud and launched into a long series of stories, recounting the missions he had undertaken.
Zhao Lin listened quietly, only interjecting with an occasional question.
Dong Lingcheng spoke for a full hour before finally pausing. "Younger Brother Zhao, you’re a Martial Cultivator, not one of those sheltered kids from the Spirit Dao Institute, so I won’t waste your time with pleasantries."
"Just remember one thing: the mission isn’t what’s important. Your life is. Never take unnecessary risks, and don’t try to be a hero."
"Always keep your wits about you, and don’t blindly trust your fellow disciples. Understand?"
Zhao Lin nodded, understanding. ’It takes all sorts to make a world. The sect has over a hundred thousand cultivators. Though they’re all nominally disciples of the same sect, they come from all over the world, from countless different lesser worlds, with no real connection to one another.’
’Especially in those lesser worlds, which are relatively isolated. It would be hard for word to get out even if someone were robbed and killed, as long as the deed was done cleanly.’
’Still, I have a Hongyan Talisman. As long as I’m careful, no one should dare to make a move on me.’
They chatted a while longer before Dong Lingcheng took his leave, staggering a bit as if he’d somehow gotten drunk on plain water.
Zhao Lin didn’t go to bed. He waited until late into the night, when all was quiet, before dragging out the chest of Spirit Stones.
As he opened the chest, the room was instantly filled with an overflowing azure light.
As Zhao Lin took out the Spirit Stones, he glanced at the Spirit Cultivation Map in his mind and muttered, "Tonight, you can absorb to your heart’s content."
His Rock Armor Skill, Ice Blade Skill, and Qi Observation Skill were all at the Minor Achievement Level. To advance them to the Proficient Level, the Spirit Stone cost would increase from sixteen to sixty-four—a difference of forty-eight Spirit Stones for each.
His Flame Stream Arrow was at the Skilled Level and needed an additional sixty Spirit Stones to level up.
Zhao Lin counted out two hundred and four Spirit Stones and arranged them neatly on the floor. Then, he reached out and grabbed a Spirit Stone in each hand.
The Spirit Cultivation Map flared to life, as if sensing the vast number of Spirit Stones nearby. It rapidly shot out nearly a hundred tendrils that traveled down Zhao Lin’s arms toward the stones, frantically absorbing the Spiritual Qi within them.
Fifteen minutes later, all two hundred and four Spirit Stones had crumbled to dust.
Zhao Lin felt four distinct sets of memories flood his mind. At the same time, his body absorbed the muscle memory needed to cast the magic skills.
Now, within the Spirit Cultivation Map, each of the plum blossoms in their respective grids had four crimson petals.
All four magic skills had reached the Proficient Level!