After Shen Bai asked his question, the entire room fell into an uncanny silence.
The old Daoist looked at Shen Bai, his eyes filled with utter terror.
A thought suddenly struck him.
As soon as the thought appeared, it quickly transformed into a mental image.
In this vision, Shen Bai used branches from the Locust Tree to create countless abominations. He then unleashed them upon Shengyun County, plunging its people into misery and ruin.
Somehow, the Daoist felt with growing certainty that this scenario was highly likely to occur.
"Master, I see now you're one of us," the Daoist said with a fawning expression. "If that's the case, this humble one is willing to take you to that Locust Tree and help you find a way, but the chances of success aren't high."
"And why is that?"
Shen Bai didn't deny the insinuation, simply continuing his questions.
This was, in fact, his plan. 'If those Locust Tree branches can endlessly produce abominations, won't I have a limitless supply of Evil Qi?'
The Daoist gave a bitter smile. "Even if that Locust Tree is a terrifying abomination, it has its limits. Nothing in this world can be created from thin air. The number of those creatures it can produce is finite."
"I see."
Shen Bai nodded, feeling slightly disappointed.
He thought his plan was good, but the Locust Tree just wasn't up to the task.
Still, at least he could generate some more Evil Qi from it. He would take what he could get.
'Based on his Golden Finger's progression, every major breakthrough requires Evil Qi. I don't know how much the next one will cost, so it's best to stock up now, just in case.'
Seeing Shen Bai fall silent, the hope of survival grew in the Daoist's eyes.
"Master, please spare me. I may not have my limbs right now, but there are countless kinds of Cultivators in this world. I can find a way to restore them. When I do, I'll be your pawn. I'll go wherever you tell me to go."
By this point, the Daoist was convinced that Shen Bai truly intended to wreak havoc on Shengyun County.
But before he could finish speaking, a longsword gleaming with a cold light was already upon him.
As the Daoist stared in disbelief, the longsword slid across his throat.
The Daoist's head flew into the air and rolled several times across the ground. It came to a stop with its eyes wide, staring at Shen Bai, as if even in death it couldn't comprehend what he had said wrong.
"Begging me for mercy? Are you even worthy?"
Shen Bai looked at the headless corpse and shook his head. Then his longsword became a blur, dicing the Daoist's body into small pieces.
Only after confirming that resurrection was impossible did Shen Bai quietly leave the street.
...
After leaving the street, Shen Bai did not hurry to the location of the Locust Tree.
Although the sky was still dark, dawn was not far off, making it inconvenient to move around.
Shen Bai returned to the pawnshop. He was still the only one there.
Shen Bai lit an oil lamp, casting flickering shadows across the room. He poured himself a cup of tea, sat down, and took a slow sip, his mind replaying the evening's events.
'Even though that Locust Tree can't produce an endless supply of Evil Qi, according to the Daoist, there are probably still a few wisps of it hidden inside. Evil Qi is extremely beneficial to me, so I have to go... but not now.'
In these chaotic times of dynastic turmoil, life was as cheap as dirt.
Shen Bai hadn't truly felt that before.
But after stepping into this circle, the things he had encountered one after another made Shen Bai realize that to gain a foothold in these chaotic times, you first had to be strong enough yourself.
He had no desire to end up like that five-year-old girl, without even the ability to resist.
Therefore, before heading to the Locust Tree, Shen Bai decided to use the last wisp of Evil Qi he possessed.
A line of smoke appeared before Shen Bai's eyes, coalescing into text.
[Ancient True Scripture]
[Appraisal Progress: 0%]
[One wisp of Evil Qi can be used for rapid appraisal.]
'I've extracted three Divine Powers so far: Blood Sword Dance, Vajra Demon Subduing Fist, and Bright Jade Evil Body.'
'All three are at Level 3. It'll probably be a while before they're ready for another breakthrough.'
'For now, using it on the Ancient True Scripture is the most worthwhile option.'
Shen Bai tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
One more ability was one more tool for self-preservation. Using the Evil Qi on the Ancient True Scripture was, for Shen Bai, the most logical course of action.
His mind made up, Shen Bai no longer hesitated. With a mere thought, the wisp of Evil Qi before him vanished.
As the Evil Qi faded, new text appeared before him in its place.
[Purifying Heart Spell Level 1 (Clear Heart +1): 0/100]
As the text materialized, a mysterious and inscrutable phantom appeared in Shen Bai's mind.
The phantom sat on an ancient meditation cushion, its back to Shen Bai, its features unclear.
Shen Bai could only feel an ancient, timeworn aura radiating from the phantom's body.
The next moment, the sound of a Wooden Fish being struck echoed in his mind.
A passage of scripture began to emanate from the phantom.
The sound of the chanting seemed to pierce the heavens and the earth, like a sacred hymn from beyond the skies that soothed the spirit.
After several breaths, the phantom and the sound finally faded away.
"A clear mind and few desires, untroubled by worldly matters."
Shen Bai opened his eyes and felt the Qi within his kidneys increase once more.
Beyond that, he had also instantly mastered the Purifying Heart Spell Divine Power.
Shen Bai thought to himself, 'Excellent. This covers another one of my weaknesses.'
This Divine Power, the Purifying Heart Spell, came with an Attribute called Clear Heart.
Just as the name implied, cultivating this Divine Power granted immunity to special types of harm, for instance, attacks that targeted one's consciousness and Divine Soul.
For Shen Bai, it was a passive Divine Power, but it could also be used actively.
When Shen Bai recited the Purifying Heart Spell, he could bestow the Clear Heart effect on others.
Of course, the effect would be weaker than when applied to himself.
Shen Bai already had the Bright Jade Evil Body for physical defense, but his spiritual defenses were weak. This new ability now gave him a way to protect his Divine Soul.
'I still need more Deceitful Objects and Evil Qi.'
Shen Bai reined in his thoughts, feeling as if he'd been sent right back to square one.
But that was just a fleeting thought. As a Gan Di, he now had something new to grind.
Shen Bai rubbed his hands together. He planned to grind the Purifying Heart Spell to Second Level Perfection tonight, then go find that giant Locust Tree and raise the spell to Level 3.
With that, Shen Bai began to softly recite the scripture.
...
「Liu Yun Lake.」
Under the moonlight, the lake's surface was as clear as a mirror.
On an island in the center of the lake, a colossal Locust Tree swayed in the wind.
On the shore, a line of people had formed, each holding three incense sticks with a solemn expression.
A bamboo raft drifted from the island, gradually approaching the shore.
A ferryman in a straw raincoat poled the raft, then raised his scarlet eyes.
"Those who wish to offer incense, present your tribute."