"Just who was that person…?" Xue Ren wondered while opening the book, viewing its first page. "The Ancient Gold Body Refining Technique. A Body Path Technique that requires both a strong will and an unshakable resolve. If trained to the highest stages… even the physical bodies of Nascent Soul Realm Energy Path Cultivators won't be my match??"
The more Xue Ren read on, the more his astonishment increased.
This Technique was overpowered to high hell!
And all one had to do to progress through it was experience a bit of pain while constantly beating yourself up!
"This is just what I have been searching for," Xue Ren said excitedly. "I wonder how that old man knew that though. It's also a mystery who he was—friend or foe."
But in the end, none of that really mattered.
If he was gifting a Technique as good as this one, then he was obviously a benefactor!
"For this Technique, there are three different stages," said Xue Ren, refocusing on the contents of the tome. "Bronze, Silver, and Gold. In ascending order, they correlate to the approximate physical strength of a Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator."
But seeing as the Technique heavily relied on battling stronger opponents to progress, it looked like he had to go out and find the trouble instead of letting it come to him.
"I hear there are a few vile Bandit Dens in the surrounding hundred miles," Xue Ren recalled. "However, I should request Mother's permission first before following through with this objectively reckless course of mine."
His father's opinion was worthless by default, for his mother could always overwrite it with a single word.
A few days quickly passed by. Xue Ren obtained his mother's permission after much convincing and reassurance, which was only made possible because she wasn't currently here and they were using transmission talismans to communicate.
Nonetheless, Xue Ren was now on his way to one of the most dangerous Bandit Hideouts located outside Yellowbog City. Of course, with many villages and Bandit Hideouts between him and that city, he'd be taking a lot of detours.
…
Yellowbog City was one of the only ones around for hundreds of miles. And though its population almost entirely consisted of mortals, there were plenty of cultivators as well. Some were just passing through, while others were permanent residents.
But as of late, the moods of the local cultivators were extremely bad.
And for good reason; after all, the Yellow Blade Bandit Gang had been running amok, doing whatever it was they felt like doing!
Normally, they'd only act as ruffians or hooligans by messing up a few people or ruining a fruit stand. However, over the last few months, they'd taken things a step further.
Even kidnapping women and children to keep as toys or to sell off to the slave market was no longer too much for them!
The local cultivators wanted to put a stop to this tyranny in place of the city's incompetent government. But when they grouped together and charged toward the Yellow Blade Bandit Gang's secret hideout in the mountains, they realized that it was a trap.
And the culprit was none other than Yellowbog City's government!
Their Officials had been colluding with the Yellow Blade Bandit Gang to further stuff their own pockets!
"Damn them all!" cursed a man fleeing through the woods while covered from head to toe in blood. "The fucking government officials!! The Yellow Blade Bandits!! I hope they all fucking drop over dead…!!!"
This man was named 'Xiao Chen,' and was the only survivor of the Cultivator Coalition that set out to eradicate the Yellow Blade Bandits. His cultivation was of the Early Foundation Establishment Realm, and yet he was still reduced to this state, which just went to show how formidable the Yellow Blade Bandit Gang really was.
"One of these days, I swear I'll get my revenge!!" Xiao Chen bellowed out as he increased his speed, his feet jumping through the mushy, rain-drenched ground. "If all of you aren't dead within the next 100 years, then my name won't be Xiao Chen anymore!!!"
"Xiao Chen?"
"Yes, that's the name! And don't you forget it— Wait, who the hell are you…!?"
Xiao Chen stopped in his tracks, stumbling through the mud and heavy rainfall.
Off to the side, leaning against a tree, was a cloaked figure 5'10 in height. Neither his face could be seen nor his cultivation visible, and yet Xiao Chen could still instinctively tell that he was some sort of unfathomable existence.
"Your name is Xiao Chen, isn't it?" the cloaked figure asked while extending a hand holding a piece of paper with an image on it that showed a man who looked exactly like Xiao Chen. "One of the leaders of the Coalition Forces founded for the sole purpose of erasing all evil in Yellowbog City. That's you, right?"
Although confused and covered in mud, Xiao Chen unconsciously nodded. "That's me— Wait, more importantly, who in God's name are you!? Some sort of lingering ghost?? An underworld spirit!?"
"You could say I'm something like that," replied Xue Ren as he checked to make sure the aura-concealing ring he picked up earlier was doing its job properly. "But that doesn't matter. No, what I've come to you for is very simple."
"W-What is it…?"
Even while severely injured, Xiao Chen was prepared to fight if this encounter went south.
"Calm down, I'm not here to harm you," said Xue Ren. "I'd just like to know if you'd pay me to resolve this bandit and government corruption issue of yours."
"!!!"