Sin Becomes a God

Chapter 17: An Inevitable Encounter

Although the Yuan Dynasty’s tyranny was widely criticized, it must be acknowledged that the Yuan Empire was the largest in Chinese history in terms of territory. At its peak, the Yuan Empire covered an area of 21,227,400 square kilometers. Its diplomatic relations even extended as far as Europe and Africa. It stretched north to beyond the Yin Mountains, south to the islands of the South China Sea, northeast to present-day Sakhalin Island, and northwest to Xinjiang and Central Asia. One can only imagine the splendor of such a vast empire. Amid the bustling crowds, people of diverse skin tones were everywhere, and merchants coming and going hawked all manner of strange and exotic goods. Walking down the street, Lu Renjia felt as if he were strolling along Wangfujing Commercial Street in the capital. Watching Xiao Zhao’s lively figure, Lu Renjia—who had always been single in the real world—felt as if he were in a different world. “Although I’d love to keep walking like this forever, unfortunately, I’m just a passerby… As a qualified user of the ‘Evil God System,’ unless I reach the pinnacle and break free from these constraints, I cannot leave this prison…” Lu Renjia muttered to himself. Just as Lu Renjia was lost in thought, he heard Xiao Zhao’s voice, as sweet as a oriole’s song, ringing in his ears: “Young Master… Young Master… Look, the Tongfu Inn… I’ve heard the roast duck at the Tongfu Inn is famously delicious. We’ve been walking all day… Why don’t we…” Looking in the direction Xiao Zhao was pointing, he saw the four bright, bold characters “Tongfu Inn” written in regular script on a signboard carved from nanmu wood. Lu Renjia couldn’t help but smile. “A martial arts chain? I never expected there to be a Tongfu Inn in the world of *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Demon Cult Leader*…” With that thought, he looked at Xiao Zhao’s eager expression and said with a laugh, “You want to eat roast duck? No problem. The only issue is that I don’t have any silver on me…” “Hehe… Don’t worry, young master. Look…” With that, Xiao Zhao leaned in and pulled three red and green money pouches from her waist. Realizing what was happening, Lu Renjia laughed and teased, “You’re quick on your feet… You even managed to fool a先天 martial artist like me…” “Not at all… With your martial arts skills, how could anyone possibly hide anything from you? Oh… I wonder who says it doesn’t matter, but deep down just can’t let it go…” Xiao Zhao said with a touch of bitterness. Seeing that Xiao Zhao thought he was preoccupied with Zhou Zhiruo, Lu Renjia laughed and explained, “We’re eating roast duck, aren’t we? Not dumplings. Why do I smell a whiff of vinegar? “I’m just worried about my grandfather… You heard it along the way—someone spread a rumor that Bright Summit is overflowing with gold, silver, and beautiful women. Now look—even the lowlifes of the martial arts world and the outlaws are rushing to Bright Summit, and the top masters of the Six Major Sects have all mobilized… I’m truly worried my grandfather won’t be able to handle it all on his own…” Xiao Zhao’s heart leapt with joy. Wasn’t his patient explanation proof that he cared about her? The young girl, in the bloom of youth, let her imagination run wild, and a blush spread across her pretty face. “Don’t worry, Young Master. The Five Elements Banners are unbreakable, and the Five Elements Formation is even more formidable… The Eagle King himself possesses peerless martial arts! Besides, you’ve mastered the *Nine Yang Divine Art*—didn’t that old fire monk say that with your power, even Zhang Sanfeng might not be your match? As long as we arrive in time, I’m sure the Six Great Sects and those small-time thugs won’t be able to touch our Ming Sect…” The two strolled into the “Tongfu Inn” as if they were a young couple and chose a table by the window to sit down. After all, they didn’t feel the slightest pang of guilt spending stolen money. Not to mention that in his previous life, Lu Renjia had served Feng Xifan—the top martial artist of the Prince of Pingxi’s Mansion—and had feasted on countless delicacies, from rare mountain treasures and seafood to cloud-nest swallows, land-raised cattle and sheep, and fresh seafood from the depths of the ocean. So, without a second thought, Lu Renjia ordered a dozen or so exquisite dishes. “Wow… Young Master, I’ve never even heard of the dishes you ordered… Did you used to eat like this all the time?” For a moment, Lu Renjia—who’d been getting a bit too carried away with his pride—gave an awkward smile, thinking to himself, “Now that the mission’s difficulty has increased, I didn’t expect Xiao Zhao to have become so sharp…” He quickly gave a sheepish smile. “Even though my father is Zhang Cuishan, I still lived on simple fare on Wudang Mountain. These dish names are ones my mother used to mention all the time…” “Oh… Damn me, Xiao Zhao—I’ve brought up something that makes you sad…” Xiao Zhao apologized hurriedly. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the attentive waiter brought out a dozen or so exquisitely prepared dishes. Just as Lu Renjia was about to pick up his chopsticks, a rough voice rang out beside him. “This joint assault on Bright Summit by the Six Great Sects is truly a once-in-a-century event! As members of the martial arts world, how could we possibly miss this momentous occasion to eliminate evil and uphold righteousness? Brothers… how about we finish this meal and then rush to Bright Summit to wipe out the Demon Cult?” “Brother Qin is absolutely right! I’ve heard that the wealth the Ming Sect has amassed over hundreds of years is piled high on Bright Summit—gold and silver are scattered everywhere… and those demonic women of the cult are unparalleled in beauty… If we get there too late, we’ll probably come away empty-handed…” Looking at these four burly men armed with weapons, Xiao Zhao’s face was full of disdain as she muttered under her breath, “Pfft… nothing but small fry. They’re no match even for me, yet they have the audacity to boast about attacking my Ming Sect?” Lu Renjia, already a Xiantian-level martial artist, could naturally tell that these four blustering “demon-slaying, righteousness-upholding” types hadn’t even mastered the Twelve Canonical Arts; their cultivation hadn’t reached the level of a second-rate martial artist, and they were nothing more than cannon fodder bound for Bright Summit. It seemed that after he had altered the world’s trajectory by twenty percent, the number of people from the Six Great Sects besieging Guangming Peak this time would likely be even greater than originally intended. However, Lu Renjia’s heart sank slightly, and he thought to himself, “Surely it can’t be that ridiculous?” Lu Renjia’s question was answered by a haughty, clear voice. “Hmph! Since when have a bunch of nobodies dared to rant about destroying the Ming Sect? Heh heh heh… You’re right, though. Let’s finish this meal and hit the road… After all, we can’t very well end up starving to death, can we?” As the saying goes, those who act with righteousness are often rough-and-tumble types, while those who betray their word are usually the educated. For hot-blooded martial artists, nothing matters more than their honor; being mocked in public like this was reason enough to draw their swords. “Clang…” In an instant, the four burly men drew their weapons and pointed them toward the private room. The leader, a man with a full beard, bellowed, “You cowardly rat, hiding in the shadows! Come out if you dare!” “Brother Qin, why waste your breath on him? This man actually spoke up in defense of the Demon Cult—even if he isn’t one of their heretics, he’s still a villain! Kill him!!!!” Another man brandished his sword and charged toward the private room. “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…” A series of whistling sounds pierced the air, accompanied by flashes of cold light. Lu Renjia—who had mastered the *Nine Yang Divine Art*, opened the Ren and Du meridians, and ascended to the realm of an Innate-level expert—could clearly see a dozen or so Wolf’s Tooth arrows, as swift as locusts, being fired from within the private room. “Thud…” The sounds of sharp weapons piercing flesh echoed one after another. The man who had charged toward the private room with his sword didn’t even have time to let out a scream before the flying Wolf’s Tooth arrows pierced his skull, heart, and throat—all vital areas. Seeing that the situation had gotten out of hand, the three survivors, having narrowly escaped death, silently cursed their damnable companion for being so reckless—otherwise, they wouldn’t have provoked the skilled fighters inside the private room. Just then, the man surnamed Qin shouted a classic line: “The Demon Cult’s forces are too strong; we must retreat for now! Let’s go!!!” This line sounded just like a young police officer in a cop-and-robber movie, pinned down by the criminals’ firepower and unable to lift his head, calling for backup: “The criminals’ firepower is too intense—requesting backup!” Unfortunately, the wooden door to the private room swung open, and eight agile archers drew their bows and nocked arrows with the fluidity of flowing clouds and water. “Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…” The arrows rained down like a swarm of locusts, powerful and relentless. How could these third-rate martial artists—who hadn’t even mastered the Twelve Foundational Techniques—possibly withstand such an assault? In an instant, they were pierced like hedgehogs and tumbled headfirst off the second-floor balcony. At that moment, how could the guests on the second floor dare to linger any longer? Ignoring the shouts of the waiter and the manager—“You haven’t paid yet… Damn it… You haven’t paid yet…” Human potential was now being fully unleashed. Seeing these diners running faster than rabbits, Lu Renjia couldn’t help but recall the astonishing speed he’d unleashed when being chased by those crazed, hot-blooded youths. “Damn! Each of them is just as fast as the Wudang ‘Tiyun Zong’ leap… There really are so many masters among the common folk…” Lu Renjia marveled. With a “creak,” the wooden door of the private room—riddled with holes from Wolf’s Tooth arrows—slowly swung open, and a handsome, refined young gentleman with rosy lips and pearly teeth stepped out, gently fanning himself with a folding fan. Lu Renjia, meanwhile, kept his gaze fixed on the masked monk following close behind. “Sure enough, this is the kind of person the ‘Evil God System’ would target—he’s actually opened six of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. That level of strength is on par with Aobai from the *The Deer and the Cauldron* universe. His combat power should be around 8,000, reaching the peak of the first-rate realm,” Lu Renjia thought to himself. Just as Lu Renjia was observing Cheng Kun, Xiao Zhao whispered from behind him, “Young Master… these people aren’t members of the Ming Sect…” Lu Renjia, who knew their background, nodded. “Judging by their demeanor, they seem to be either wealthy or noble… They don’t have a trace of a rough-and-tumble air about them; they must be officials…” After speaking, Lu Renjia tugged Xiao Zhao behind the windowsill to take cover. He knew that the other two targets designated by the “Evil God System” were about to appear. “Thump, thump, thump…” The strange rhythm produced by the walking sticks striking the wooden stairs sounded like a heartbeat. Lu Renjia, his eyes narrowed, watched as two elderly men with gray-white hair slowly ascended the stairs, leaning on their jet-black copper canes. “The Xuanming Elders? I never expected their combat power to reach around 9,500. It seems the Xuanming Elders have already opened seven of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, reaching the Half-Step Pre-Heaven Realm!” Lu Renjia thought to himself. Just then, the icy voice of the “Evil God System” echoed in Lu Renjia’s mind. “Mission targets Cheng Kun and the Two Elders of Xuanming have appeared… Shall the Qualified One eliminate them? Forgoing a kill opportunity will result in a deduction of 500 Sin Coins!” “Damn it! They’re just trying to rip me off… They’re deducting coins for this too?” Lu Renjia cursed under his breath. For every Qualified One, Sin Coins were earned through blood, sweat, and tears. Having 500 deducted all at once made Lu Renjia feel like cursing his mother; he gripped Xiao Zhao’s hand a little tighter, causing her to let out a pained groan. “Who’s there! Come out!” Lu Zhangke, one of the Xuanming Elders, roared, his deep, resonant voice booming as if it were solid matter. Lu Renjia, whose cultivation had advanced to the Pre-Heaven realm, could sense that the Xuanming Duo had likely unblocked all twelve main meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians throughout their bodies; even the Ren and Du meridians were half-opened. They were considered quasi-Pre-Heaven masters. Moreover, having spent many years together, the two brothers possessed incredible synergy; when they joined forces, even an average Pre-Heaven master would likely be no match for their Xuanming Divine Palm. Xiao Zhao, realizing she had been exposed, looked nervously at Lu Renjia. Lu Renjia gave her a reassuring glance, patted her hand, and walked away slowly. Thanks to the special concealment function of the “Artist’s Mask,” unless an opponent’s strength exceeded Lu Renjia’s by three levels, they would be completely unable to discern his true cultivation level. “Never mind, Mr. Lu… They’re just a young couple. Why scare them…” With that, Zhao Min, fanning herself with a folding fan, turned and walked away like a refined young gentleman.