Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

Chapter 98: Chapter 94: Exchange for Soul Crystal_1

```

After listening to Chen Yu's description, Gu Chen had gained a more detailed understanding of the four levels of the Vajra Stage.

The vast majority of martial artists at the Vajra Stage were at the first level, impervious to fire and water, among which three tenths were at the second level, as sturdy as if cast from copper and iron.

Only about ten percent of Vajra Stage martial artists could reach the third level, with bodies as powerful as savage dragons.

As for the final state, the indestructible Vajra, looking across the nine provinces and countless martial artists, it was difficult to find one even in hundreds of years.

Meanwhile, Chen Yu also told Gu Chen that in the practice of martial arts, a temporary lead means nothing, as there are many who only managed to open thirty-something meridians at the Meridian Opening Stage, yet later made great achievements in the martial path, reaching impressive levels in the Vajra Stage and even the Gang Qi Stage and beyond.

Chen Yu took great pains today not only to explain to Gu Chen the common knowledge of martial arts practice, but also to temper him, cautioning him never to become arrogant or underestimate the people of the world because of his achievements.

In truth, Gu Chen never had a superior attitude about his own breakthroughs in the Meridian Opening Stage and, after Chen Yu's martial arts explanations, his mindset became even more level-headed.

Even with the help of the system, there were still many strong and talented individuals in the world, so although Gu Chen was special, that didn't necessarily mean others were inferior.

A lion must put forth its full strength even when hunting a rabbit; one should never disdain other martial artists due to one's achievements.

Sometimes, the more unassuming a person is, the stronger they may actually be.

"For this mission, you have earned quite a bit of merit. Apart from internal skills, you can choose martial arts yourself in the Hall of Merit."

After saying this, Chen Yu signaled that Gu Chen could leave and also reminded him not to forget about meeting King Huai tomorrow.

Gu Chen nodded, then cupped his fists in a salute and left for the Jing Tian Department in the inner city.

The techniques available in the Jing Tian Department of the outer city were only partial, obviously not as complete as those at the headquarters in the inner city. Arriving at the boundary between the outer and inner city, Gu Chen showed his waist token and entered the inner city smoothly.

The inner city was as bustling as ever; Gu Chen, familiar with the route, made his way directly to the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department. Song Yu and Wang Yan, according to Chen Yu, were currently in closed-door cultivation to break through to the External Qi Stage, so Gu Chen went straight to the Hall of Merit.

After all, apart from Song Yu and Wang Yan, Gu Chen really didn't know anyone else well within the vast Jing Tian Department.

Upon reaching the Hall of Merit, Gu Chen glanced at his own merits. After this mission, he had accumulated dozens of merit points, which was truly not a small amount.

Then, he looked at the completely empty merit points value on his panel. Without hesitation, Gu Chen chose to exchange for soul crystals first.

The soul crystals of ghost-level spectres were extremely expensive, as they were greatly useful, whether for refining tools or for other materials.

Gu Chen had also calculated that exchanging for lower-level spectre soul crystals in larger quantities was less efficient than directly exchanging for ghost-level spectre soul crystals.

Thus, Gu Chen first exchanged for a few soul crystals of early-stage ghost-level spectres, which took away more than half of his merit points. The soul crystals were stored in the Hall of Merit, and upon completion of the exchange, the clerk handed them over to Gu Chen on the spot.

After putting away the soul crystals, Gu Chen asked the clerk to bring out the registry of martial skills; he planned to exchange for two sets of martial arts.

Luckily, as a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he enjoyed some merit discount when exchanging for martial skills. After much consideration and with Chen Yu's guidance, he chose two high-quality martial arts that suited his preferences.

In terms of weapons, he had one of medium-grade quality from Qin Mu and did not need to replace it. As for the low-grade treasure weapon, the Red Refinement Blade, Gu Chen planned to give it to his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng.

Gu Chengfeng, a man in his forties, had never handled a treasure weapon. When he learned that Gu Chen had exchanged for a treasure weapon at the Jing Tian Department, he was incredibly fascinated, so Gu Chen decided to give the Red Refinement Blade directly to Gu Chengfeng.

After selecting the martial arts, the clerk deducted the merit points, and Gu Chen, carrying the authorization token, went to the Jing Tian Department's scripture vault. After spending some time to memorize the two sets of martial arts, he left the Jing Tian Department and returned to the Gu Mansion in the outer city.

Discover hidden content at m,v l'e-NovelFire

At the entrance of the Gu Mansion, the gatekeeper Uncle Zhang, though aged, still had good eyesight. He spotted Gu Chen from a distance, carrying large and small bundles, and called out with joy.

"The young master has returned!" exclaimed Uncle Zhang with a joyful face.

"Uncle Zhang."

When Gu Chen reached the entrance of the Gu Mansion, he greeted Uncle Zhang and handed him some items. Uncle Zhang hurriedly opened the grand doors of the Gu Mansion, and Gu Chen walked in.

At this moment, inside the Gu Mansion, the second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, was not present; his aunt, Xu Qinge, was trimming the flowers in the courtyard with her daughter, Gu Qingyan. Seeing Gu Chen, whom they hadn't seen in a long time, return, the eyes of both mother and daughter instantly lit up.

Of course, Gu Chen knew that his aunt and sister's attention was mostly on the packages in his hands.

"Eldest young master, haven't we already talked about this? There's no need to spend so much; we're all family, why do you bring these things every time you come back?" Xu Qinge said this, but her eyes locked onto the items in the bundle and couldn't move away anymore.

Standing next to Xu Qinge, Gu Qingyan was slender and graceful, wearing a floral dress that swayed with the wind, hinting at the ivory-like whiteness of her skin.

As she grew older, Gu Qingyan became increasingly charming. With her lively eyes, a prominent nose, and rosy lips, she possessed a long oval face and an excellent figure. Every time Gu Chen saw his younger sister, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, wondering which scoundrel would benefit from her beauty in the future.

Such a fine 'cabbage', he thought, would one day be taken by some pig.

The two women stood by, picking out cosmetics and jewelry. Although they spent a considerable sum on these items each year, the products from the outer city could not compare to the exquisite ones from the inner city.

The maid Xiao Yu looked on with envy. Seeing this, Gu Chen magically produced a piece of jewelry and handed it to Maid Xiao Yu.

```

Seeing this, the little maid's face lit up with delight, and she cheerfully called out, "Thank you so much, Big Brother."

At that moment, Gu Qingyan looked at Gu Chen with her sparkling eyes and said crisply, "Big Brother, are all these pieces of jewelry you brought back from the inner city this time?"

Gu Chen smiled and nodded, saying, "Indeed, every time I pass by the Jing Tian Department, I think to pick up some for Auntie and you, especially now that you're at an age where dressing up is becoming, such that it matches your exceptionally beautiful face."

At his words, Gu Qingyan's pretty face flushed red, and she said, "Tha... thank you, Big Brother."

Xu Qinge asked, "Big Brother, that must have cost quite a bit of money, right?"

Gu Chen laughed, "No worries, I'm now a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, and my salary has increased a lot. These expenses are nothing."

Xu Qinge nodded her head, seemingly understanding although not entirely. She wasn't a part of the bureaucracy and didn't comprehend what being a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator entailed. If Gu Chengfeng were here, he would have been dumbfounded, wondering if his nephew had bribed his superiors, otherwise how could he have been promoted so swiftly and changed his status with each return?

This was only within the Gu Mansion. If this were elsewhere, Gu Chengfeng, upon meeting Gu Chen, would have to bend over and respectfully call him "Lord Gu."

"Do you often go to the inner city, Big Brother?" asked Gu Qingyan, her beautiful eyes shimmering with curiosity.

Hearing this, Xu Qinge also turned her gaze toward Gu Chen, as after all, entry into the inner city was highly restricted, and one couldn't get in without the corresponding badge or official document.

Even though Gu Chengfeng held an official position, he was merely a seventh-rank official, and even he himself had seldom visited the inner city, not to mention his family.

The last time Gu Chengfeng took Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan to the inner city was several years ago. The mother and daughter duo couldn't forget the prosperity of the inner city they witnessed.

With his acute perception, Gu Chen immediately discerned his aunt and sister's thoughts. A smirk flashed in his eyes as he asked, "What, Auntie and Qinyan are interested in the inner city?"

After all, Gu Qingyan was a young lady of marriageable age and rather bashful. Overhearing what Gu Chen said, her face turned red, and it was not easy for her to broach such a request, even if Gu Chen was her big brother.

Seeing her daughter's demeanor, Xu Qinge knew that Gu Qingyan must be yearning for the inner city and spoke up, "Your second uncle holds an official position, but he can't always take us into the inner city. Qinyan and I haven't been there many times. Big Brother, could you accommodate us on a visit?"

"Since Auntie and Qinyan are interested, of course, it's no problem," Gu Chen readily agreed. After all, as a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he didn't require any official documents; his badge alone was sufficient to bring people into the inner city.

Moreover, he was scheduled to visit the inner city the next day and could directly take Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan with him.

Of course, unlike Gu Chen, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan wouldn't be able to stay overnight in the inner city and would have to leave before curfew.

Seeing Gu Chen agree, joy appeared on the faces of mother and daughter, and even the little maid by their side felt the same. She was Gu Qingyan's personal maid, and wherever Gu Qingyan went, she would follow, naturally benefitting from the opportunity to visit the inner city with her.

"That's wonderful, thank you, Big Brother!" Gu Qingyan said, bowing gracefully to Gu Chen, her lovely figure fully evident.

That evening, when Gu Chengfeng returned and heard that Gu Chen had become a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped.

And that was not all. Gu Chengfeng, who had recently advanced in his own cultivation, insisted on testing his skills with Gu Chen. But when Gu Chen displayed his ability to project internal energy, Gu Chengfeng was instantly deflated, feeling that his nephew's cultivation was improving too rapidly, perhaps indeed a peerless genius?

During dinner, Gu Chen mentioned to his uncle that he would be taking Auntie and Gu Qingyan to the inner city the next day. Gu Chengfeng pondered for a moment, then told Gu Chen to be careful, as the inner city was not like the outer city. Anyone met there could be a high-ranking noble or official, and their family, the Gu Family, absolutely could not afford to offend such individuals.

Gu Chen nodded, indicating his understanding. At the same time, he chose not to mention that he would meet King Huai the next day. After all, with King Huai's high station, sharing such news with his uncle would be of no use and would only lead to incessant questions. It was better kept to himself.

Gu Chengfeng, knowing Gu Chen was no longer the same as before, having matured a great deal, was the reason he agreed to Gu Chen taking his wife and daughter to the inner city.

After dinner, Gu Chen took out the Red Refinement Blade and presented it to Gu Chengfeng, who was ecstatic. He spent a good part of the night waving the blade about.

No doubt, the next day, he would boast to his colleagues about his nephew's accomplishments, showing off the blade.

Gu Chen didn't mind how his uncle Gu Chengfeng chose to celebrate; he simply returned to his room and with a thought, summoned the panel.

Name: Gu Chen

Martial Arts: Horizontal Training (Complete), Burning Vein Finger (Complete), Phantom Traceless Step (Complete), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Complete), Golden Bell Shield, Great Vajra Fist

Internal Work: Pure Yang Wuji Gong

Cultivation: 244 years

Realm: Early Gang Qi Stage

Merit Points: 106

During the day, at the Jing Tian Department, he exchanged a few soul crystals and, after absorbing them, the merit points on the panel once again broke through a hundred.

The Golden Bell Shield and the Great Vajra Fist were the two high-grade martial arts skills Gu Chen exchanged at the Jing Tian Department that day.

Looking at the merit points on the panel, Gu Chen felt a surge of intent and murmured, "Panel, increase my level!"