Loophole
"I'm sorry." Says Li Xing. "Because of us...all of the artifacts..."
Everyone has their fist clenched, frustrated by their powerless self.
"Patriarch...thank you very much." Says Xiang Hou. "I will become someone strong enough such that nobody sullies your name."
Xiang Hou is serious, his determined eyes gave hints of frustration.
"T-Thank you very much!" They say in unison as they bow.
"Don't think too much about it," I reply. "If it is for my disciples, of course, that is the least I must do."
!
"I will follow you for the rest of my life!" Xiang Hou says as he lowers his head further.
?!
The rest, except the formal disciples of The Profound Poison sect, followed Xiang Hou.
They are easy to manipulate. Although it happened by chance, it worked out for the better.
The total revenue from the auction amounts to 20 gold ingots, close to the finance of a big sect's treasury.
I kept 14 gold ingots for myself.
Although the event ended peacefully, there were two issues.
First, my achievement caused an uproar in Tiansu with every sect taking notice of me. Rumours of me have spread to other neighbouring countries.
Secondly, Xie Mo won't come out of the palace. I've been doing regular checks on his cultivation base and realised he made no progress. What is he doing?
Is he waiting for somebody?
Immediately after we return, we are greeted with cheers of jubilation and luminous smiles in the night.
"Everyone did a great job! I heard that many of you humiliated sects that once looked down on us! Hahaha! I cannot imagine their reaction!" Exclaims Li Ye. "Ah, all of you must be exhausted. The core disciples may return to their room for the day. Patriarch, there is something we need to inform you."
I nod.
Words have already reached this far within a short time.
The Golden Steal merchant group should have started their movements. My existence is a big threat to them.
But I won't sit back and take it, it's time I unlock my third virus...
Li Ye escorts me to the guest room. Inside it is Choi Inyoung waiting.
"Wang Ji!" She smiles.
"Hello. Is there anything I can help you with?"
She gulps.
...
"Li Ye, you may leave," I say.
"Yes."
I close the door behind me.
"Wang Ji...I decided I can be the alchemist pavilion master. But the reason why I rejected you before was...someone will be coming for my head." Says Inyoung.
?
"As an alchemist in the Alchemist Association, they act as my backing. However, if I join your sect, my pursuers from the Luo family will move."
Luo family? It's not a worry, I will need to face them sooner or later.
I smile. "You are worried about my safety?"
"N-No! I don't mean to say you are weak. That is why I made up my mind to join. If you need anything, you can ask me. Also, do you mind if I bring along a herb cultivator?"
Someone who grows herbs.
"I don't mind."
"Great! I have two people in mind from your sect that have alchemist potential."
"I have already done the necessary paper works, you may talk to Li Ye for further information," I say.
With that out of the way, I immediately return to my room.
-----------------------
Xie Mo has failed to obtain the inheritance from the tomb.
-5000 fate points
+500,000 points
------------------------
------------------------
Missions:
-Kill Xie Mo
+Martial Package(Tier A)
+[Secret Reward]
Side mission:
Steal Xie Mo's opportunity for inheritance. (Complete)
+[Secret Reward]
[Claim]
-Infection count reaches 5 million
+1 Virus Slot
+Recovery of the Middle Dantian
-Get 50,000 Kills(Complete)
+40,000 points
+1 Martial Package Z
+1 Virus slot
[Claim]
-------------------------
-------------------------
System level up!
System-level: 13->14
Unlocked Symptoms:
[Tier 2]
-Pneumonia
[Tier 4]
-Anti-Qi
(Infected will feel intense pain when attempting to use Qi to combat the virus. Similarly, absorbing or using Qi may trigger the pain.)
+1 Virus slot
--------------------------
--------------------------
System-level: 14
Current Cultivation Realm: Tenth stage of Foundation Establishment.
(Breakthrough)
The number of Infected people: 2.3m
The number of people killed: 50,001
Recovered: 12,090
Evolution Points: 6.1m
---------------------------
All these sudden pop-ups when I check my system...
I notice that an infected cultivator sometimes shows no or mild symptoms like coughing.
All of the deaths belong to mortals. And even so, they are resisting the symptoms by taking medicines and herbs. It does not eradicate the virus but it does ensure a higher chance of longevity.
People are adapting to the virus and living with it.
I should start with the missions.
---------------------------
Congratulations!
Secret reward:
+ 1 Qi Conceal technique.
(Conceal the host's cultivation base)
+40,000 points
+ 1 Virus Slot
Martial Package Z:
+ 1 Divine Sword spiritual roots.
+ 1 Vermilion Bird imprint(Muscle)
------------------------
------------------------
New Missions Available:
-Reach the Golden Core Stage
+[Secret reward]
-Kill 500,000 infected
+ 1 [Discount 5%](every upgrade and purchase will be reduced by 5%)
+ 1 [×2 multiplier for points gained]
-------------------------
Haha! It was worth the effort stealing from Xie Mo
-------------------------
Spiritual Roots: Divine Sword Spiritual Roots
Physique: Normal
[Body Cultivation]
Cultivation Stage: Muscle Refinement Stage 8
Left Eye: Normal
Right Eye: Eyes of the Gods(lvl 1)
Muscles: Vermilion bird
Spirit: Normal
Bones: Normal
Meridians: Normal
Dantian: Lower Restored, Middle and upper broken.
--------------------------
The Vermilion Bird imprint can increase my defence while providing fire resistance.
Divine Sword Spiritual Roots increase my affinity with sword techniques and sword cultivation.
A physique affects the entire body but individual enhancement only targets a specific part of the body. At this rate, I wonder how much stronger I can become?
Although I want to make haste and breakthrough, there is something I need to test.
Tiansu has a population of about 16 million, 10 sects, and 6 crucial families.
Sooner or later I will run out of people to infect in Tiansu. The virus might have already travelled to other countries but it's better to be safe. Moreover, stronger cultivators can mitigate my virus or eliminate it.
I need a loophole. One where I can get the most out of the minimal amount of people I infect.
I call Yueling to my room.
"Yes, Patriarch?"
She is sweating profusely. "Pardon me, I was practising."
"Practising immediately after we return?" I say.
"Every passing moment is important."
What is her background? This silent girl was the only one untouched by Tian Long.
"Alright, sit down on the mat."
She complies.
I have two free virus slots.
System, create a virus.
---------
Choose your symptoms.
---------
Cough.
---------
Cough symptom has been selected.
---------
---------
Properties selected:
-Airborne
-Water-resistance 2
-Heat-resistance 2
-Qi-Borne
Character selected:
-Qi Hunger 2
Congratulations!
The virus(Rank E) is successfully created.
10,000 points have been consumed to create the new virus.
Remaining: 6,109,829 points
----------
Infect Yueling with the third virus.
A second skull appears above Yueling.
----------
Points: 6,109,833
----------
And now...System, delete the virus.
----------
200,000 will be consumed to delete the virus. (Price will increase as system levels up)
[Continue][Cancel]
----------
Ugh...
I gulp and sacrifice 200,000 points.
---------
Virus deleted.
---------
The second skull above Yueling disappears.
System, create a virus again.
---------
Choose your symptom.
---------
!!!!!!
There isn't a cooldown or any penalty?
---------
Points: 5,909,833
---------
I can infect the same person more than once and still retain the points obtained after the virus deletion. This is the jackpot!
The first virus will be the main virus while the third acts as the evolution point generator.
The third virus must be infectious yet easy to recover from. In this case, I can repeatedly infect the same person over and over again, leading to my properties and character choice.
I create the same virus again and assign it as the third virus.
"You may leave."
Yueling nods and left.
On the peak mountain, lies a circular far structure for breakthroughs. Two arrays are put into place to help resist the thunder and prevent the destruction of infrastructure.
I take a seat on the structure. The sky, a black canvas sprinkled with many little stars, shines brightly on the structure by the moon.
The night is quiet.
I press "Breakthrough".
*grrr*
Rumbles of grey clouds envelop overhead.
A deep breath as I embrace what is to come.
*BOOM!!*
The first thunder strikes me.
"URK..."
It felt like my entire body was being squashed by a giant mass while being pierced by a thousand swords.
This isn't what I was told, the intensity of each heavenly tribulation should not be more than 3 fold of the previous. Yet mine felt like 10 fold?!
The second strikes, and then the third.
The impact accumulates and increases with every strike.
Oddly, a moment of peace came by.
??
Energy gathers around the clouds and generates red statics.
"W-What?" I mumble.
Pillars of red thunder rain upon me as if an entity is trying its best to eradicate me.
The insurmountable damage creates a small crack in the structure as I grit my teeth.
"Ack!"
Blood?
I notice my mouth has a trail of blood dripping down from my chin.
Uck... I can't hold on much longer...
Even with all the body cultivation and defensive techniques, this heavenly tribulation is way too extreme!
*BOOOOOOOM!!!*
Luckily for me, it ended as soon as I was about to collapse. My body emits a variety of hues that glows brightly, sending a wave of Qi across Mount Hua Xi.
Huff huff...
What...?
*thud*
...
"Patriarch! Patriarch!"
The sound of Li Ye's voice echoes through my mind as I collapse.