16: Chapter 16: The Three-Part Return to Origin Finger

After Xiao Ran came out of the Deacon Hall, he did not return directly to the Eternal Night Palace, but instead went to the Sect's Internal Affairs Hall.

He had to deal with this batch of Ore in his hands first.

The Medium Grade magic crystal Ore he had looted from the Ghost Crying Cave was taking up space in his Storage Pouch and was unsafe to keep there.

The manager of the Internal Affairs Hall was a chubby middle-aged Cultivator surnamed Qian, with a Late Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation base.

He was originally an Outer Sect Disciple of the Demon Sect, but since he hadn't achieved a Breakthrough to the Golden Core stage by a certain age, he stayed in the Sect to work as a manager.

Seeing Xiao Ran enter, his eyes lit up, and he quickly hurried out from behind the counter.

"Oh, isn't this Uncle Xiao? Why did you come in person? If you need anything, just give the word and this Disciple will deliver it to you!"

This was the treatment of a Grand Elder's Named Disciple.

Steward Qian wished he could worship him like his own father.

Xiao Ran waved his hand, took the Storage Pouch from his waist, and threw it directly onto the counter.

"I'm here to deal with a batch of Ore. Give me an estimate."

Steward Qian took the Storage Pouch, and when his Divine Sense probed inside, his hand trembled.

"This... so many? Junior Martial Uncle, which mine did you clean out?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

Xiao Ran said indifferently.

"Yes, yes, yes, this Disciple was too talkative."

Steward Qian wiped his sweat and began to take count.

After half an incense stick's time, he looked up, his face covered in smiles.

"Junior Martial Uncle, the quality of this batch of Ore is quite good. A total of about one thousand two hundred Medium Grade magic crystals can be refined. At a thirty percent discount on the market price... that's eight hundred and forty Medium Grade magic crystals. What do you think..."

"One thousand two hundred."

Xiao Ran said directly without even looking up.

"Huh?"

"Junior Martial Uncle, this..."

Steward Qian was stunned, and sweat dripped from his forehead.

A total of one thousand two hundred refined, and you want one thousand two hundred.

So I have to lose money on the labor costs!

Many thoughts flashed through Steward Qian's mind. Could this newly promoted Ninth Demon Son be looking to extort him?

Steward Qian gritted his teeth and planned to pay out of his own pocket; after all, he couldn't afford to offend a Demon Son.

"In this batch of Ore, there are twelve top-grade demonic crystal ores that you didn't include."

"Don't think I don't know the business."

At that moment, Xiao Ran pointed at the Storage Pouch and spoke indifferently.

Steward Qian's expression changed, and he quickly checked again. Sure enough, deep within the Ore pile, he found those twelve pitch-black top-grade demonic crystal ores with a metallic luster.

One of these magic crystal stones is worth fifty ordinary Medium Grade magic crystals.

"Junior Martial Uncle, forgive me! This Disciple was blind, this Disciple was blind!"

Cold sweat poured down Steward Qian's forehead as he hurriedly apologized.

"Enough, calculate it according to the rules."

Xiao Ran waved his hand and didn't hold it against him. After all, everyone was surviving in the Demon Sect, and it wasn't easy for anyone.

So, Steward Qian thanked him while performing the final settlement.

One thousand two hundred ordinary Medium Grade magic crystals plus twelve top-grade demonic crystal ores (equivalent to six hundred Medium Grade magic crystals) made a total of one thousand eight hundred Medium Grade magic crystals.

At a thirty percent discount, that's one thousand two hundred and sixty.

Steward Qian paid out of his own pocket again to round it up.

"Junior Martial Uncle, here are one thousand three hundred. If you have anything to deal with in the future, please come to this Disciple!"

Xiao Ran accepted the magic crystals and turned to leave.

As he walked out of the Internal Affairs Hall, he felt the bulging Storage Pouch, and his heart finally felt a bit more at ease.

One thousand three hundred Medium Grade magic crystals, plus the five hundred from the mission reward, and the dozens left over from previous cultivation... all in all, he had a fortune of nearly two thousand.

Although for the Myriad Dao Guixu Body, this amount of magic crystals was barely enough to fill the gaps between his teeth, it was better than nothing.

Returning to the Eternal Night Palace, Xiao Ran went directly into the cultivation room.

[Ding!]

[Detected that the host has obtained a large amount of resources. Enable rapid cultivation mode?]

[Hint: Rapid cultivation mode will consume System points and accelerate resource conversion efficiency.]

"There's even this function?"

"How does it charge?"

Xiao Ran was stunned upon hearing this and quickly asked.

[Every 1,000 points can double the cultivation speed for two hours.]

"1,000 points just to double the speed? Are you trying to rob me?"

"Forget it, I don't need it for now."

Xiao Ran rolled his eyes and flatly refused.

Since he transmigrated, he had completed so many missions, and now he only had five or six thousand points in total.

Which means after six hours of cultivation, I'd be broke?

Can't afford it, can't afford it.

Furthermore, Xiao Ran now had the Foundation laid by the earthly fiend spirit marrow, and his base was very solid.

What he lacked was not cultivation speed, but the opportunity to break through to the Golden Core stage.

From Foundation Establishment to Golden Core is the first major hurdle on the path of immortal cultivation.

It requires compressing and condensing liquid demonic essence to form a demonic core in the Dantian.

This process not only requires a massive amount of Devilish Qi but also a deep enough understanding of the Cultivation Technique and insights into one's own Dao.

Xiao Ran didn't lack Devilish Qi; the Myriad Dao Guixu Body was like a human-shaped black hole.

What he lacked was insight.

Xiao Ran planned to stabilize his cultivation for a while and then train all the Martial Skills in his hands to Minor Achievement.

This would be beneficial for facing enemies in the future.

"System, claim 'Three-Part Return to Origin Finger'."

This was the reward for completing the mission.

[Ding! Reward being issued...]

As soon as the words fell, a mysterious flow of information suddenly flooded into his mind, and Xiao Ran quickly closed his eyes to digest it.

After a while, he opened his eyes, which were shining.

This Three-Part Return to Origin Finger is quite something!

It's not a simple offensive Martial Skill; it divides Devilish Qi into three streams: one for offense, one for defense, and one for restraint and interference.

The three streams of Devilish Qi can be switched at will, integrating offense and defense with infinite variations.

"This thing... it's simply tailor-made for the Guixu Body."

Xiao Ran was delighted.

The Guixu Body lacks nothing in terms of Devilish Qi volume; others might find it difficult to perform a Martial Skill that requires such fine control.

But he could rely on the massive volume of Devilish Qi to brute-force it; even if his control wasn't fine enough, quantity could lead to a qualitative change.

"Let's try it."

Xiao Ran stood up, pressed his right index and middle fingers together, and the Devilish Qi in his body instantly split into three streams.

The first stream condensed at his fingertip, pitch-black as ink, with a faint swirling vortex; this was the offensive-focused Shattering Essence Finger.

The second stream coiled around his arm, forming a thin layer of black armor; this was the defensive-focused Essence Protecting Force.

The third stream transformed into dozens of hair-thin Devilish Qi threads wandering around his body; this was the Entwining Essence Silk used for restraint.

"Go!"

Xiao Ran tapped lightly with one finger.

Swish!

A black finger force shot through the air, leaving a thumb-sized deep pit on the wall of the cultivation room.

The edges of the pit were as smooth as a mirror, as if it had been instantly pierced by something extremely sharp.

"The power is good."

"It's just that the consumption is a bit high... with this one finger, a third of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator's Devilish Qi would be gone."

But for him, it was just a drop in the bucket.

Xiao Ran nodded in satisfaction.