217 Holding a Grudge
Comrade Liu? He's come looking for me!?
Hearing the voice from outside his house, Beno Alder's pupils contracted sharply, his expression instantly darkening to the extreme. Not only did he not respond, but he also concealed his energy signature.
"...Comrade Alder?"
The voice came again, but Beno still didn't respond. Although he had no proof, he was now convinced that there was something wrong with the Innate Dao Scripture he had been practicing!
I still fell victim to my lack of experience, I can't believe I didn't suspect anything before.
The Hall of Harmony and Heaven Mending Peak have close ties, so the cultivation technique should have been related to coupled training, yet the Innate Dao Scripture has nothing to do with sexual intimacy at all.
I've been an idiot! But why would he want to harm me?
The Red Party had clear rules. Killing a formal member was strictly forbidden, and once discovered…
Thinking of this, Beno suddenly slapped his forehead.
How could I have trusted the demonic Red Party!
Once discovered, once discovered... if it's not discovered, then nobody cares. If the people don't report it, the officials won't investigate it. Isn't that a Chinese saying that had been true in China even before the apocalypse? Beno's parents had told him that authorities even punished those who petitioned higher officials.
The more Beno thought about it, the darker his expression grew. It was simply force of habit—after all, Xin Liu's previous words and actions had flawlessly fulfilled the duties of an orientation guide.
Besides introducing the inner circle's organization, he had also helped him obtain all the benefits, weapons, elixirs, and pet beasts that inner members were entitled to. He could be described as wholehearted and generous, withholding nothing. Especially at the Hall of Weaponry, he had even directed the steward to give him the very best item.
Besides introducing the inner circle's organization, he had also helped him obtain all the benefits, weapons, elixirs, and pet beasts that inner members were entitled to. He could be described wholehearted and generous, withholding nothing. At the Hall of Weaponry, he had even instructed the steward to provide him with the very finest item available.
But it had all been an elaborate charade!
All his previous actions were merely setting the stage for that final moment when he handed over the Innate Dao Scripture—deliberately making me lower my guard and fully trust his seemingly benevolent intentions!
In hindsight, he had almost certainly planned to keep all those items for himself.
After all, if I'm killed, all those weapons, elixirs, and pet beasts I received would naturally fall into his possession—no wonder he specifically insisted on the best items for me!
Son of a bitch!
Just then, the voice echoed from outside the house again.
"It's me, please open the door."
The next moment, with a crisp "crack," the alarm system around Beno's house suddenly deactivated, and the main door was violently torn apart by a beam of sword light!
The door burst open, and Xin Liu strode in with his black robes billowing behind him, each step measured and deliberate.
Upon seeing Beno Alder, Xin Liu's face lit up with the satisfied smile of a farmer surveying his ripened harvest. He nodded appreciatively and said, "Comrade Alder is indeed talented..."
BOOM!
Before Xin Liu could finish his sentence, Beno erupted into action!
A torrent of celestial essence enveloped his Ivory Bone Sword, transforming into a razor-sharp beam of light that slashed toward Xin Liu with unstoppable momentum.
However, in the next second, the sword light came to an abrupt halt.
"...a futile struggle."
Xin Liu neither dodged nor blocked the attack. He simply formed a hand seal, and Beno's body instantly lost all control, as if he had become someone else's puppet!
"This Innate Dao Scripture is truly marvelous." Seeing this, Xin Liu couldn't help but laugh loudly. "The practitioner transforms their essence into a stream, which can be used in medicine, forging weapons, and even for direct consumption to absorb into my own chambers. With this wondrous treasure, I should be able to break through into the Wave Realm!"
"By helping me break through, comrade, your death will at least serve a purpose."
As his words fell, Xin Liu immediately began forming different hand seals. Beno felt his consciousness gradually dissipating—as if being forcibly erased from existence!
At that moment, a sudden insight flashed through Beno's mind: He's using the second half of the Innate Dao Scripture!
The first half functions as a trap for practitioners, while the second half contains the true method—allowing the real practitioner to wait until others complete the first part, then harvest the accumulated benefits for themselves.
This wasn't truly a cultivation technique at all, but rather a method for forging artifacts.
However, rather than using objects to forge artifacts, it used human beings—compelling individuals to transform themselves while the true practitioner lurked unseen in the shadows, saving both effort and energy.
Named as a Dao Scripture, it was actually a demonic technique!
You win this round. Take this life.
With this realization, Beno ceased all resistance, allowing his consciousness to fade away. Beyond his initial shock and fury, he had now recovered a sense of cold, detached composure.
A fall into the pit, a gain in my wit. You may deceive me once, but I have countless chances ahead.
This grudge is etched in my memory!
In the next moment, Beno's consciousness plunged into darkness.
In the void, only the rustling sound of turning pages remained.
[Your consciousness was wiped away by Xin Liu. You died.]
[Hundred Rebirths. Chances remaining: 98.]
[Starting a new life, you can choose one reward from your previous life:
1: Treasure.
2: Realm.
3: Lifespan.
4: Abandon all rewards and randomly awaken a talent based on your previous life experience.]
"Next." The familiar voice came from the stage. Beno Alder had to clench his teeth to control his emotions. Instead of looking up, he focused his thoughts on the panel before him.
Treasure, Realm, lifespan. If possible, Beno would certainly want to choose Realm, but he worried others might notice and he wouldn't be able to explain where his power came from.
As for lifespan, he skipped that option entirely.
"So I can only choose treasure, huh."
Beno frowned deeply. Speaking of treasures, he only had the Ivory Bone Sword that was barely worth mentioning, and without essence, having a magical weapon was useless.
Just then, Beno's gaze suddenly paused.
Because at that moment, the panel had given him a response.
This... can also count as a treasure?
Beno was first shocked, then his expression turned thoughtful, and finally he gritted his teeth and made his decision: choose option one, retain one treasure from his previous life.
The next second, an extraordinary change occurred!
Without disturbing anyone, all changes were confined within Beno's body. At its source was a swirling, misty white stream of celestial essence.
Innate Dao Essence!
The Innate Dao Essence that Beno had refined in his previous life—after he combined all the essence in his chambers—actually counted as a treasure, and now he had obtained it!
"Unbelievable," Beno lowered his eyelids, hiding the joy in his eyes. He could still control the essence with his will power.
Moreover, before I died in my previous life, I heard Xin Liu say this Innate Dao Essence could be absorbed directly to breaking through realms... this essence stream will be extremely useful in the future!
After organizing his gains, Beno began his actions in this life.
First, he was again assigned to the Hall of Harmony.
But this time, he didn't take Reka Vagar's essence. He enjoyed the oral pleasure Reka provided during those five minutes, then avoided her completely.
This life I need to lay low, no showing off!
He found a secluded place to cure his AIDS using the Innate Dao Essence. He exercised extreme caution, making sure never to handle the Dao Essence where others might see.
Afterward, Beno waited patiently.
About ten days later, a local recruit of the Hall of Harmony named Finnion Burgi had a breakthrough, and Beno saw Xin Liu rushing over at the news, excitedly taking him away.
A few days later, the person responsible for receiving promoted members was replaced. Rumors suggested that Xin Liu had announced he was going into seclusive training.
Nevertheless, Beno still maintained a low profile.
Who knows what kind of person this new comrade is? What if he's like Xin Liu... hmm, I'd better not stick my neck out.
To be safe, I'll wait another month.
He didn't need to wait that long. After just two weeks, another new outer member was promoted to the inner circle without incident, and Beno finally decided to break through.
With the support of the Innate Dao Essence, Beno didn't actually need coupled training to break through.
However, to keep up appearances, he still found a few outer members from whom to absorb essence. Reka was no longer an option, as she had received her promotion just two days after their encounter.
This time, the formal member responsible for receiving him was far more perfunctory, lacking Xin Liu's enthusiasm, and even displayed obvious disdain in his expression.
"This is the Archives Pavilion."
After receiving his benefits, the comrade led him to a building and said dismissively, "Take your badge and go in. Exchange contribution points for whatever techniques you want."
With that, the comrade turned and left.