"What? Thirty spirit stones? Old Mu, are you kidding me?" Huang Zitang laughed out loud, but his heart was pounding like a drum. He was secretly surprised that the usually timid and submissive Old Mu had the courage to come and demand spirit stones.
"Xiao Huang, there's no mistake. We were working together back then, and you were at the third level of Qi Refining. When you borrowed those 30 spirit stones from me, you promised to return them promptly. Without my spirit stones, you probably wouldn't have advanced. Old Ma and Old Zhao knew about it too," Mu Xiaochuan said bluntly, pointing to two Inner Sect disciples present.
Huang Zitang's face turned red with anger as he retorted, "I borrowed those spirit stones with my own skills, why should I return them?"
The surrounding Inner Sect disciples listened to their conversation with amusement, whispering and egging them on.
"Oh, this Outer Sect Deacon is quite bold, daring to come to the Inner Sect to demand a debt from Huang Zitang."
"Exactly, Huang Zitang is now an Inner Sect disciple at the seventh level of Qi Refining. This Outer Sect Deacon is asking for trouble."
"Hey, Old Huang, are you a chivalrous hero who lends generously, or a scoundrel who doesn't repay debts?"
Mu Xiaochuan continued to smile, "Oh, so Xiao Huang got into the Inner Sect by being good at owing debts? I thought it was because of your cultivation base."
This remark made the onlookers restless.
"Old Huang, hurry up and pay back what you owe."
"Yeah, don't give our Inner Sect a reputation for not repaying debts."
Huang Zitang wished he could slap Mu Xiaochuan in the face, but with so many eyes watching, he didn't dare make a move, as the sect forbade internal fighting. Reluctantly, he took out thirty spirit stones and handed them to Mu Xiaochuan.
Mu Xiaochuan took the spirit stones and, seeing Huang Zitang's face turn beet red, couldn't resist teasing him as he left, "Xiao Huang, I thought you didn't have any spirit stones. Turns out you just didn't want to pay your debt!"
Having retrieved the spirit stones and embarrassed Huang Zitang in public, Mu Xiaochuan felt elated and refreshed!
"Ding, congratulations to the host for successfully humiliating the scoundrel and feeling refreshed, earning 20 Thrill Points."
The system's prompt sounded as expected, and Mu Xiaochuan was overjoyed.
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"This way of making money is really simple and crude!" Mu Xiaochuan thought to himself, realizing that to quickly enhance his strength, he needed to find ways to make himself feel thrilled.
***
Back in his room, Mu Xiaochuan couldn't wait to close the door and sit cross-legged on the bed.
"Open the panel!" Mu Xiaochuan silently commanded in his mind.
The familiar translucent panel appeared before his eyes again.
[Host: Mu Xiaochuan]
[Thrill Points: 90]
[Realm: Qi Refining Level Six]
[Cultivation Technique: Withered Tree Revives Technique (Entry Level)]
[Secondary Cultivation: None]
[Spiritual Artifact: None]
However, what concerned him most now was how to enhance his strength. After all, he had already offended Huang Zitang, and knowing that guy's vengeful nature, he wouldn't let it go easily.
He opened the system shop and began to browse carefully.
"Let's enhance my cultivation first," Mu Xiaochuan thought. "Enhance cultivation!"
"Ding, do you want to consume 30 Thrill Points to advance to Qi Refining Level Seven?"
"Yes!" Mu Xiaochuan confirmed without hesitation.
A more powerful force surged into his body, making him feel as if he had been reborn, lighter and stronger.
"Ding, congratulations to the host for successfully advancing to Qi Refining Level Seven!"
[Host: Mu Xiaochuan]
[Thrill Points: 60]
[Realm: Qi Refining Level Seven]
[Cultivation Technique: Withered Tree Revives Technique (Entry Level)]
[Secondary Cultivation: None]
[Spiritual Artifact: None]
"Qi Refining Level Seven, finally caught up with Huang Zitang!" Mu Xiaochuan clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, his confidence soaring.
However, he didn't let his guard down. He knew that Huang Zitang had been at Qi Refining Level Seven for a while, and he had just stepped into it, probably not yet a match.
"Still have 60 Thrill Points, what should I buy?" Mu Xiaochuan pondered, stroking his chin.
His current cultivation level was sufficient, so he decided to enhance his combat power in other areas.
He opened the system shop again and browsed carefully.
"Attack techniques, defense techniques, support skills, or?" Mu Xiaochuan was indecisive.
In the end, he decided to purchase a spiritual artifact and an attack technique to have some self-defense capability.
"System, purchase a Low-Grade Spiritual Artifact [Greenwood Staff] and a Low-Grade Technique [Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique]!" Mu Xiaochuan commanded in his mind.
"Ding, successfully purchased Low-Grade Spiritual Artifact [Greenwood Staff], consuming 20 Thrill Points. Successfully purchased Low-Grade Technique [Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique], consuming 20 Thrill Points."
Mu Xiaochuan felt a stream of information flow into his mind, instantly mastering the Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique, and a Greenwood Staff appeared beside his bed.
"System, upgrade the proficiency of the Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique!" Mu Xiaochuan commanded in his mind.
"Ding, successfully upgraded Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique to Entry Level, consuming 10 Thrill Points."
Another stream of information flowed into his mind, and he instantly mastered the Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique to the Entry Level.
He eagerly picked up the Greenwood Staff.
"System, upgrade the Greenwood Staff," Mu Xiaochuan commanded in his mind.
"Ding, do you want to consume 10 Thrill Points to upgrade the [Greenwood Staff] to a Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact?"
"Yes!"
The Greenwood Staff suddenly flashed, and several spirit patterns appeared on it, becoming a Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact—the Greenwood Spirit-Pattern Staff.
He opened the panel again.
[Host: Mu Xiaochuan]
[Thrill Points: 0]
[Realm: Qi Refining Level Seven]
[Cultivation Technique: Withered Tree Revives Technique (Entry Level), Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique (Entry Level)]
[Secondary Cultivation: None]
[Spiritual Artifact: Greenwood Spirit-Pattern Staff (Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifact)]
"Ha! Ha!"
Mu Xiaochuan swung the Greenwood Spirit-Pattern Staff, performing the Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique. The staff shadows danced like a silver snake in the air.
"What a great staff technique!" Mu Xiaochuan couldn't help but praise.
With the Greenwood Spirit-Pattern Staff and the Dragon-Subduing Staff Technique, Mu Xiaochuan's strength had risen to another level.
"Now, even if Huang Zitang comes to trouble me personally, I won't be afraid of him!" Mu Xiaochuan said confidently.
***
As night fell, the Qingling Sect was silent.
Mu Xiaochuan sat cross-legged on the bed, meditating, but his divine sense remained highly alert, constantly monitoring the surroundings.
He knew that Huang Zitang might come for revenge tonight.
"Hmph, trying to ambush me? Let me show you what I'm capable of!" Mu Xiaochuan thought with a cold smile.
Sure enough, a faint sound of footsteps reached Mu Xiaochuan's ears.
He suddenly opened his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them.
"Here he comes!" Mu Xiaochuan thought to himself.
He held his breath, quietly got off the bed, and hid behind the door, waiting silently for the enemy to arrive.
The footsteps grew closer and clearer.
Finally, a shadow appeared at the door of Mu Xiaochuan's room.
The shadow cautiously pushed open the door and tiptoed inside.
Mu Xiaochuan saw the shadow's face clearly—it was indeed Huang Zitang!
The shadow held a short staff, inching towards Mu Xiaochuan's bed.
Just as the shadow raised the short staff to strike the lower part of the bed, intending to cripple Mu Xiaochuan's legs,
The shadow didn't hear the expected heart-wrenching scream from Mu Xiaochuan and was puzzled,
A sinister voice came from behind his ear, "Little Huang, here to thrill me again?"
Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan