Chapter 178: Quick Ways to Gain Merit

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The Heavenly Secret Treasury can be used for both buying and selling. Anything of value can be sold to the Heavenly Secret Treasury.

However, this is not a cost-effective option. Lu Ye once tried to sell the Mountain-Shattering Blade to the Heavenly Secret Treasury, and it was valued at only fifty merit points. He had bought this spiritual blade for one hundred and thirty-eight merit points, meaning the difference in price was more than double.

Among the items he could sell, the most valuable was a scale he obtained from the Dragon Spring. He had tried selling it recently, and it was valued at over eight thousand merit points. However, Lu Ye would certainly not sell it. The power contained within it was greatly beneficial to both Amber and himself. Currently, he would place the scale within a Spirit Gathering Array during each cultivation session, slowly activating its energy. After these days, Lu Ye distinctly felt his physique growing stronger again. After Amber consumed the bloodlines within it several times, she also became increasingly majestic.

Slightly less valuable than the scale were the Barrier-Breaking Fruits. Each fruit was worth five hundred merit points. These also could not be sold, as they were extremely useful for cultivators opening their apertures, and Lu Ye would need them in the future. Moreover, he had already given the two Barrier-Breaking Fruits to his Second Senior Sister. She was not only a medical cultivator but also an alchemist. She could combine the Barrier-Breaking Fruits with other medicinal ingredients to refine them into Barrier-Breaking Pills, maximizing their effect. Regarding the value of Barrier-Breaking Pills, Lu Ye had checked in the Heavenly Secret Treasury; each pill required three to four hundred merit points. With one Barrier-Breaking Fruit, his Second Senior Sister could refine at least four or five Barrier-Breaking Pills.

“Is there no other way?” Lu Ye asked, continuing to eat the dishes his Second Senior Sister had served him.

“Declare war!” Li Baxian said with a slight smile. “Declare war on a force from the Myriad Demon Ridge faction. If you prepare a substantial amount of merit points beforehand and win, those points will be yours.”

Lu Ye’s face darkened. Currently, he was the only disciple at the Crimson Blood Sect's outpost. Who would he declare war on? There were indeed a few Myriad Demon Ridge sects nearby, but even if they accepted his challenge, he had no hope of winning. Furthermore, he lacked the capital to declare war; to win merit points from others, he first needed to possess some himself.

“Or you could participate in the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle?”

No sooner had Li Baxian finished speaking than Shui Yuan shot him a fierce glare. “Junior Brother cannot stay cooped up in the outpost forever. Senior Sister, you and the Old Man shouldn’t try to protect him indefinitely. You can protect him for a while, but can you protect him for a lifetime? A disciple of the Crimson Blood Sect should not be raised in a greenhouse. It would be beneficial for him to go out and broaden his horizons sooner.”

Shui Yuan remained silent, picking up another piece of food for Lu Ye.

Lu Ye looked around. Seeing his Second Senior Sister say nothing, he asked, “What is the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle?”

Li Baxian began to explain to him, “In about half a month, the results of the sect ranking assessment will be out. Usually, after each assessment, there will be this Spirit Stream Outpost Battle…”

Through Li Baxian’s explanation, Lu Ye gradually understood what the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle was. According to the rules over the years, before the sect ranking assessment, all sects, large and small, would remain peaceful. This was because any inappropriate action during this period could cause their sect’s rank to fall, a responsibility no one could bear. However, the Spirit Stream Battlefield could not remain peaceful indefinitely. The antagonism between the two major factions was destined to make cultivators on both sides dislike each other, so it became extremely lively after each sect ranking assessment.

The Spirit Stream Outpost Battle came into being as a natural outcome of the Heavenly Secret’s workings, something no one could resist. The Heavenly Secret seemed to be using this method to intensify the confrontation between the two major factions. After the sect ranking assessment, the outpost guardians of all sects, large and small, could sign up to participate. Using one enchantment from their sect's Heavenly Secret Pillar as a wager, they would enter an unknown small dimension to engage in battle. If they were killed, that enchantment would be taken by their killer.

The Heavenly Secret Pillar’s enchantments could make the spiritual energy of an outpost denser, with each enchantment increasing it by ten percent. Lu Ye had previously tried to purchase one with merit points; the first one cost five hundred points, which wasn’t much. However, he had asked Li Baxian, and learned that these enchantments became progressively more expensive. Therefore, powerful individuals in the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle could acquire numerous enchantments, which, if brought back to their sect's outpost, would significantly enhance the spiritual energy of the location. Not only that, but within that unknown small dimension, there were also many unique treasures, such as Barrier-Breaking Fruits, which were rarely seen in the outside world, yet were abundant there. It could be said that the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle, held every three years, was a grand event for all sects, large and small, with virtually every sect in the Nine Provinces participating.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ye was captivated. He had previously been contemplating how to enhance the spiritual energy within the outpost, and if it weren't for the high cost in merit points, he would have already purchased an enchantment. He hadn't expected such a method existed.

However, since it was the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle, naturally only the outpost guardian and deputy guardian could participate. Each sect could only send two people. Given the sheer number of sects in the Nine Provinces, the total number of participants would be enormous if each sent two.

“But Fourth Senior Brother, I’m only at the fifth-level cultivation stage. At most, I can defeat someone at the seventh level. How could I possibly be a match for the outpost guardians of those core sects?” Lu Ye slowly shook his head. Although he was very interested in the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle, he still had a sense of self-awareness.

His Fourth Senior Brother, Li Baxian, was the deputy guardian of the Danxin Sect. If someone like him participated in the outpost battle, how could a fifth-level cultivator like Lu Ye compete?

Li Baxian said, “Although the Heavenly Secret is cruel, it wouldn’t send you to your pointless deaths. It maintains a balance in its own way. While the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle takes place within a single small dimension, there’s an invisible suppression there. The further you move outward, the stronger the suppression becomes. For example, if I enter that small dimension, I would only appear in the most central area. If I were to move outwards, my cultivation would gradually be suppressed. Conversely, if someone of your cultivation level enters, you would only appear in the outermost areas, and the cultivators you encounter would not be too high-level. Therefore, participating in the Spirit Stream Outpost Battle isn't about having the highest cultivation; high cultivation means facing stronger enemies. Of course, outpost guardians are generally at least at the seventh-level cultivation stage, while deputy guardians might be at the seventh or sixth level.”

“Such a good thing exists… then there’s no problem!” Lu Ye's interest was piqued.

Li Baxian glanced at him. If an ordinary fifth-level cultivator spoke so brazenly, he would surely scoff, but his own junior brother… indeed, he couldn't be treated as an ordinary fifth-level cultivator. Through these days of instruction, he could feel Lu Ye’s rapid growth, a speed that could be described as terrifying.

Shui Yuan slowly interjected, “The Crimson Blood Sect isn’t eligible to sign up. The outpost battle requires both the guardian and deputy guardian to participate together. How can you go alone? Unless you can find a deputy guardian to accompany you.”

His Second Senior Sister’s words sounded as if she didn’t quite approve of Lu Ye participating in the outpost battle, but she didn’t explicitly forbid it… Lu Ye naturally felt her concern, but as his Fourth Senior Brother had said, his Second Senior Sister and the sect master could protect him for a while, but not for his entire life. Therefore, if he wanted to participate in the outpost battle, he would need to find a deputy guardian.

Where would he find one? The suitable candidate would need to be trustworthy and have sufficient cultivation; otherwise, bringing someone at the third or fourth level would only be a burden. There were many rogue cultivators, but Lu Ye had never interacted with them. Aside from the issue of trust, it was unlikely that any of them would be willing to participate in the outpost battle, as it was a place where one could die at any moment. He thought for a long time but came up with no ideas.

After dinner, he, as usual, endured his Fourth Senior Brother’s “beating,” then was dragged away by his Second Senior Sister for healing. At night, he returned to the outpost to cultivate.

One day, as Lu Ye was cultivating, he suddenly felt an invisible force surge from the Heavenly Secret Hall, then radiate throughout the entire outpost. He frowned, rose, and walked toward the Heavenly Secret Hall. Upon reaching the Heavenly Secret Pillar, he examined the situation and quickly understood the reason. The results of the sect ranking assessment were out. This assessment was conducted by the Heavenly Secret, beyond human interference. Originally, in this assessment, the Crimson Blood Sect was slated for removal, but because of his presence as a disciple, the sect barely managed to retain its status. This was also due to the sect having one Divine Sea Realm cultivator and one True Lake Realm cultivator; otherwise, an ordinary sect could not possibly retain a ninth-rank status with only three individuals. As for how sect ranks were specifically assessed, the Heavenly Secret had its own set of standards. However, generally speaking, it was directly related to the number of cultivators within the sect and their cultivation levels. Confirming that nothing was amiss, Lu Ye returned to his training room to cultivate.

The next day, within the main Crimson Blood Sect compound, two figures clashed. Swords and blades met, creating a harsh grinding sound. The figures, locked in a stalemate, crossed paths. Blood spurted from Lu Ye’s chest and abdomen. He quickly turned, holding his blade in defense. Across from him, Li Baxian lowered his gaze to his own chest, where there was a faint bloodstain. He smiled slightly, sheathed his long sword, and turned to Lu Ye. “Junior Brother, you’ve passed! There’s nothing more I can teach you. From now on, when fighting enemies, just trust your blade.”

After a month, this was the first time Lu Ye had injured Li Baxian. At comparable cultivation levels, Li Baxian was practically an invincible opponent, further revealing to Lu Ye the significance of being ranked tenth on the Spirit Stream List. Putting away his blade, Lu Ye bowed respectfully. “Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother.”

Li Baxian tossed out his wine gourd, which immediately grew larger. He lightly leaped onto it. “The sect ranking assessment results are out, so I need to return to the Danxin Sect to prepare. Junior Brother, I’ll visit you again next time. If you encounter any trouble on the battlefield in the future, remember to let me know.” As he spoke, he also greeted Shui Yuan, then faced the main hall, bowed solemnly, straightened up, and the gourd carried him away as a streak of light, quickly disappearing into the distance. He left as soon as he said, truly free-spirited.

Lu Ye watched him leave, then asked the question that had been on his mind for many days: “Second Senior Sister, since Fourth Senior Brother originated from our sect, why did he become a disciple of the Danxin Sect?” It seemed his Third Senior Brother was also in a similar situation, now affiliated with another sect. However, judging by Fourth Senior Brother's demeanor, he clearly still regarded this place as his home. The sect master and Second Senior Sister didn’t treat him as an outsider either, letting him come and go as he pleased.