Chapter 324: Chapter 324

The frenzy hadn’t subsided yet. Jiang Yuan saw his apprentice successfully exit seclusion and instinctively wanted to praise him. However, the system identified the lingering resentment of Lin Feng within him.

His blood boiled, and he cursed at the unclear resentment, "Shameless traitor, betraying your descendants to be a ’Personal Grandmaster’ for my apprentice? You think you’re worthy?!

Come out, in consideration of your remains helping my apprentice during his seclusion, I won’t kill you. But if I have to personally deal with you..."

Jiang Yuan, a bit dazed, thought to himself, since the resentment possesses energy, it should taste like something. Perhaps I can extract some lifespan from it.

Damn it, I’ve been searching everywhere for suitable targets, and here comes one throwing itself at me?

"Hehe, I knew Master is the best, spotting the guy hiding in me with just one look." Wan Mingchuan was not surprised at all, boasting, "My master is kind to negotiate with you. If you don’t leave and anger him, you’re in for trouble!"

The small courtyard members looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and confusion as they gazed at Wan Mingchuan, just out of seclusion with no apparent abnormalities.

Bai Yunqi’s red horn spurs on his temples stood upright, his snake eyes fixated, trying to discern something.

Yet, he stood there with no differences in form or aura from usual. Even Hu Zhile, the best at tracking auras, was baffled, sniffing hard and confirming only his unique living scent on Xiaochuan. How did the Venerable Family detect it?

While others were confused, Lin Feng was even more so.

He observed carefully, finding the current situation quite strange.

The young man called Master had a talisman on his forehead, yet no spiritual energy in his body, and a heap of tattered paper figures behind him;

The nearby man and woman seemed to have strong auras, likely Demon Cultivators, while the eagle behind was weak and inconsequential. Yet, the woman with the brush appeared odd, unlike a living person...

Lin Feng was uncertain. Hiding within the young apprentice’s body, the other party, out of fear, wouldn’t rashly make a move, so he played dumb, staying silent and still.

"Have I given you too much face?" Jiang Yuan was not indulgent, immediately targeting the faint, short resentment with a Soul-Devouring Demon Skill.

[The resentment does not belong to the living realm, Soul-Devouring Demon Skill is ineffective]

The system’s prompt made him realize that not even lifespan could be extracted from this, much less blood packets, so it should just die!

He flipped out the Soul Refining Banner, gusting with chilling wind, directly sucking the targeted resentment of Lin Feng out of Wan Mingchuan.

"Don’t kill me!" The Soul Refining Banner, specifically for refining remnant souls and resentments, fit the task perfectly. Feeling the threat of death, the previously reckless Lin Feng screamed in terror, "Don’t kill me! I know many useful techniques and left lots of treasures in the Otherworld. I can offer all these! I’m of use, don’t kill me!"

What techniques? What treasures?

Indeed, he was the Cultivator who fled here to the Otherworld back then and reached the Nascent Soul Realm. Though fallen, if his remaining resentment retains certain memory, by using the system to verify truth from lie, he can be thoroughly exploited!

"How are you useful? Elaborate." Despite being influenced by the frenzy state, Jiang Yuan was dazed yet unwavering in his original intention.

It would be best to extract cultivation techniques and information on the Otherworld, otherwise, he could just feed the Soul Refining Banner, contributing to the courtyard’s development.

"I can teach you all the techniques I’ve learned throughout my life!" Lin Feng was dodging desperately in vain. Nearly devoured by the Soul Refining Banner, he was so scared his voice trembled, "Additionally, I carried a large amount of resources to the Otherworld and had other fortuitous encounters, give me some time to sort everything out, I can provide many useful clues!"

Jiang Yuan, feeling a severe headache, looked towards his two contract pets, "Can you control this resentment?"

"It was impossible to start while it was hiding in Xiaochuan, but now it’s doable, leave it to us." Bai Yunqi promptly replied, after all, both are Great Demons with some means.

Casually putting away the Chaotic Heaven Bell, Jiang Yuan sat cross-legged on the spot to rest and adjust himself.

After about half an hour, feeling a bit groggy, he fully regained clarity and was finally able to check his personal panel.

[Diamond Necklace: Attack Power +1000 Speed +50 Critical Strike +45% Defense +20%]

[Black Jade Ring: Attack Power +1000 Speed +80 Critical Strike +55%]

[Bronze Beast Pattern Facial Ornament: Conceals aura, Damage Reduction 45%]

[Blade: Attack Power +300]

[Earth Spirit Pearl: Defense +1000]

These are all the ordinary equipment usable in stealth mode. The appearance-shifting set requires manual switching and cannot be concealed.

[Medium Quality Organs: Defense +1000; Physical Strength +500; Reduces self-damage by 5%]

[Beastman Body: Defense +500; Attack Power +300; Physical Strength +200]

[Mutated Fierce Ghost Skull: Attack Power +2000; Critical Strike +75%]

After the perilous battle moments ago, Jiang Yuan concluded that the defensive power added by equipment only protects the health bar but doesn’t block lifespan damage caused by skills like Soul-Devouring Demon Skill.

Furthermore, unless the "non-human" appearance equipment is manually overlaid from the start, it’s impossible to switch during combat when being held, rendering attack power like that of the skull or Beastman Body useless.

If he could equip the Mutated Fierce Ghost Skull, releasing Black Flame Storm with both attack power and critical strikes, he could have taken out Yuan Liyang in one go rather than being nearly drained of lifespan to death?

Fortunately, the system’s baseline mechanism enabled the comeback, but if he encounters more bizarre tactics and the system doesn’t provide a safety net, it’ll be a problem. Strength still needs to come from within without relying on the system for a bailout.

"Therefore, I need to speed up upgrading buildings and increase goodwill with the little elf You Meng, so I can craft the Resurrection Talisman soon..."

With a Resurrection Talisman in hand, no matter the danger, there’d at least be a chance for survival. Moreover, from the key moment earlier where spirit stones were used to turn the tide, it seems the system is the most reliable foundation. Following its tasks will certainly not lead to loss.

While pondering, Jiang Yuan tapped to view his lifespan, and the next moment, his whole body immediately perked up, wiping away the previous fatigue from narrowly escaping the Ghost Gate!

[Remaining Lifespan: 284 years]

Amazing! Hahaha... this misfortune turned into a huge blessing and profit!

"Purifying lifespans from seven evil cultivators with significant realms only yielded less than three hundred years. The cost is indeed a bit high." Gazing at the direct breakthrough into a three-digit lifespan, he felt refreshed and utterly eased.

The mountain weighing heavy on his heart completely vanished, concurrently sparking an intense interest in the group of evil cultivators.

Though the system improved the Soul-Devouring Demon Skill, as someone who grew under the banner of socialism with supposedly correct values, he could never do the unscrupulous act of killing innocents for lifespans, yet executing justice, removing evil for the people, posed no moral issue.

Slaying evil cultivators benefits the world and grants him lifespans for profit, a definite win-win!

"Right." Excited, Jiang Yuan hurriedly opened the task interface to check, "What about my side quest?"

[Side Quest: Wan Mingchuan’s Identity. Task 3: Carry the token to return Wan Mingchuan to the Lin Family, awakening his bloodline and acquiring Heavenly Level Cultivation Technique complete, reward: Special Material Gift Pack issued]

No fourth task popped up afterward; it seems the disciple’s identity mystery is fully resolved.

He clicked open the shimmering gift pack inside the Storage Bag, watching each special material appear in the inventory, and the joy of harvest peaked with the addition of a special material, "Star Wood," which sparkled like stardust — it was the only missing special material required for reaching Level Four of the main quest’s poultry house!

Returning home means upgrading the poultry house, unlocking more poultry varieties, and raising more chickens, ducks, and geese, getting one step closer to a safer Level Five courtyard!