Sin Becomes a God

Chapter 29: Between Gain and Loss

He slowly opened his eyes. What met his gaze was no longer the antique-style setting; the fluorescent lights still glowing reminded Lu Renjia that his soul had returned to reality from the world of *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Demon Cult Leader*. He picked up his newly purchased cell phone from the bedside table and glanced at it, discovering that only three days had passed since his soul had traveled to the world of *The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber: The Demon Cult Leader*. Lu Renjia muttered to himself, “It seems the time ratio between the Microcosm and the real world is one hundred to one…” “The Qualified One has slain Cheng Kun and the Two Elders of Xuanming, obtaining the E+-level martial art *The Nine Yin Manual*.” “The Qualified One has obtained the E+ level martial art *Nine Yang Divine Art*” “The Qualified One has obtained the E+ level martial art *The Great Transference of Heaven and Earth*.” “The Qualified One has slaughtered 320 third-rate martial artists, 79 second-rate martial artists, and 1 first-rate martial artist, earning a total of 11,200 Sin Coins… Mission completed with excess. The Qualified One has earned the title ‘Hundred-Man Slayer’ and received one random treasure chest as a reward.” “The qualified candidate has slain 1,000 disciples of the ‘Three Clans and Five Sects’ and obtained the E+ rank equipment ‘Yitian Sword.’ ” “The Qualified Player has acquired the E-rank martial art *Eagle Claw Fist*.” “The Qualified One has obtained the E-rank martial art *Frosty Cotton Palm*.” “The Qualified One has obtained the E-rank martial art *Dharma Sword Technique*.” “The Qualified Player has obtained the E-rank martial art *Mighty Vajra Fist*.” “The Qualified One has obtained the E-rank martial art *Shadow-Following Leg*” “The qualified candidate has acquired the E-rank martial art *108 Moves of the Mad Demon Staff*” “The qualified candidate has acquired the E-rank martial art *Mighty Vajra Palm*” “Eligible candidates have obtained the E-rank martial art *Mighty Vajra Finger*” “Eligible candidates have obtained the E-rank martial art *Invincible Vajra Body*” “The Qualified Candidate has obtained the E-rank martial art *Compassionate Sword Technique*” “The world’s trajectory has shifted by 30 percent. Sin Rating: 3 stars. Sin Level has increased by two levels. Congratulations to the Qualified One—your Sin Level has reached 2 stars.” “The Qualified One’s physical attributes: Internal Energy (Early Second-Tier), Reflexes 10 (10 times that of an average person), Strength 15 (15 times that of an average person), Speed 10 (10 times that of an average person), Comprehension 1 (average person). Possesses one D+-level martial art, three E+-level martial arts, and thirteen E-level martial arts. Possesses the E+-level equipment ‘Yitian Sword,’ the G-level equipment ‘Performer’s Mask,’ and the H-level skill ‘Disguise Technique.’ Overall Rating: F-level martial artist.” Listening to the barrage of system notifications ringing in his mind, Lu Renjia thought to himself, “It really is just as Master Xuan Kui said—E-rank martial arts don’t necessarily translate to E-rank strength… The reason my overall rating went up by one rank is probably because they factored in the E+-rank weapon, the Yitian Sword!” Although he hadn’t brought back the 16,000 Combat Power points or the cultivation level of a先天 martial artist from this journey, Lu Renjia had managed to acquire ten E-rank martial arts, three E+-rank martial arts, and the “Yitian Sword,” an E+-rank weapon. He tapped the “Evil God System” in his mind, and two six-pointed stars appeared beneath the grayish-white skull. As long as he leveled up two more times, he could get through the “period of bad luck” that Master Xuan Kui and the others had mentioned. By then, he’d be able to travel through the Lesser Thousand Worlds in his physical body, and he was confident the rewards would be even greater. The number in his “Spatial Wallet” had finally surpassed five digits. The original 3,000 Sin Coins, combined with the spoils from this trip, totaled 13,700. On top of that, there was the E+ rank weapon, the “Yitian Sword,” which he’d seized from Abbess Mie Jue. Just as Lu Renjia was about to tap the “System Rewards” option to open a treasure chest, the smug voice of Dragon Warrior rang out in the “Guild” channel. “See… see… Little Jia has only completed two missions, and his Sin Level has already risen to one star with a gold border… Back when I suggested to the Boss that we recruit new members, you guys wouldn’t listen… Now do you see just how wise and brilliant I, Dragon Warrior, am? Hahaha… At this rate, Little Jia only needs to complete three or five more quests before his Sin Level reaches five stars… By then, we’ll all be living the high life thanks to him…” “Bullshit!! We recruited new members back then just to lower our guild’s level! It was simply to make the missions easier for everyone. Besides… we sent out over sixty invitations… The fact that only Xiao Jia chose our guild can only be called fate! What the hell do you have to take credit for?” the Mechanical Witch retorted. “Sigh… Anyway, Xiao Jia is our guild’s rising star right now. I’ve heard that Qualifiers from Earth have glitches. Damn it… Back in the day, it took me a full five missions just to get my Sin Level up to one star with a gold border… Is this even fair?” the Doomsday Man said bitterly. “Xiao Jia, tell us—what good loot did you get from this mission?” the alluring little vixen chuckled softly. That sickly-sweet voice made Lu Renjia jump. Now that he’d boarded the Xuan Kui Guild’s sinking ship, the millennia-long War Chronicles group battles hung like a sword of Damocles over everyone’s heads. Since they were all in this together, Lu Renjia didn’t hold back and briefly recounted his gains from the world of *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Demon Cult Leader*. After listening to Lu Renjia’s account, Xuan Kui Zhenren, the guild master, shook his head in resignation. “Xiao Jia, this trip may seem like a huge success, but in reality, you’ve lost out big time… If you’d entered the world of *The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Demon Cult Leader* only after your Sin Level reached three stars, you could have brought all your cultivation back with you…Although you’ve obtained so many E-rank martial arts manuals this time, they’re nothing more than manuals—cultivating them will take a considerable amount of time… As for that E+-rank weapon, the ‘Yitian Sword,’ it may seem impressive, but with your current strength as a mere second-rate martial artist, you simply don’t have enough true qi to unleash its sword energy…“However, I must remind you of one thing: the main reason your overall rating has reached F-class is largely due to that E+-class weapon, the Yitian Sword!” “A suitable weapon can significantly boost a user’s combat effectiveness… Among the six of us, aside from the Mechanical Witch and the Dragon Warrior, everyone else’s overall rating is genuine…” the alluring little vixen said with a smile as she licked her lips. Lu Renjia, who had been brimming with confidence, was doused with a bucket of cold water by the seasoned Master Xuan Kui and couldn’t help but freeze in shock. His mouth twitched slightly as he said weakly, “Well… then I’ll just have to go again once my Sin Level reaches three stars…” The Eight-Faced Demon’s eight faces simultaneously revealed different expressions—some mocking, some contemptuous, and others filled with the helpless frustration of seeing someone fall short of their potential. “Xiao Jia… do you think the Small Thousand World is your personal fiefdom? That you can come and go as you please? The world’s trajectory has already shifted by thirty percent. By the time you travel there again in your physical form, that Small Thousand World might already be teeming with Innate martial artists. Do you still want to go? That’s practically a death wish…” “The path of martial cultivation knows no end… Once you advance to the Innate Realm, you’ll realize this is merely a threshold on that path… Xiao Jia, you still have a long way to go…” Master Xuan Kui admonished. “Uh… so doesn’t that mean I’ve wasted this trip, sacrificing the big picture for the small details?” “You can’t quite put it that way. After all, every E- and E+-grade martial art costs Sin Coins to redeem in the ‘Evil God System’…You could also list these martial arts on the ‘Trading Platform’ to sell them… though for items like martial arts—which require so much time and effort—the price often drops significantly… It seems the only way to make up for this now is to exchange some G-rank elixirs, such as ‘Marrow-Cleansing Pills’ or ‘Great Restoration Pills,’ from the ‘Evil God System’ to enhance your physical constitution, thereby shortening the time required for cultivation…” said Master Xuan Kui. “So there’s still hope for me?” Lu Renjia said dejectedly. Although G-grade elixirs didn’t cost over 10,000 Sin Coins like G-grade bloodlines did, they still required at least three to five thousand. He’d finally managed to become a “ten-thousand-coin man,” but it seemed he’d be back to square one overnight. “Hmm… as long as you’re willing to cooperate with the treatment and take the medicine… everything will be fine…” The gentle reassurance from the alluring little vixen felt more like a final blow from a god, leaving Lu Renjia feeling utterly crushed. Once Master Xuan Kui and the others had dispersed, Lu Renjia began browsing through the various elixirs listed under “Lifestyle Services.” The vast array of elixirs was categorized and ranked from highest to lowest, much like the powerful bloodlines. With a net worth of only five figures, Lu Renjia was realistic enough to ignore the S- through E-grade elixirs. Following the advice of Master Xuan Kui, the guild leader, he found the G-rank “Great Restoration Pill” and “Marrow-Cleansing Pill.” Carefully comparing the descriptions of the “Great Rejuvenation Pill” and the “Marrow-Cleansing Pill,” Lu Renjia frowned in thought. “This ‘Great Rejuvenation Pill’ can increase one’s martial power by thirty years. In the world of *The Deer and the Cauldron*, after slaying Ao Bai, I’ve already acquired fifty percent of Feng Xifan’s martial power, making me a second-tier martial artist now. With an additional thirty years of martial power, I’ll at least be able to fully unblock all eight extraordinary meridians—reaching the realm of a first-tier martial artist shouldn’t be a problem…” “In that case… I’ll be able to perform all E-rank martial arts, though I doubt I’ll be able to use the ‘Yitian Sword’ indefinitely like I did in the world of *The Demon Cult Leader of The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber*…” “No… These thirty years’ worth of martial power may seem like a windfall, but in the end, it’s still no match for the Nine Yang True Qi refined after mastering the *Nine Yang Divine Art*… The *Marrow-Cleansing Pill*, however, can widen the meridians, making my cultivation of the *Nine Yang Divine Art* twice as effective with half the effort.” With that in mind, Lu Renjia didn’t hesitate to spend four thousand Sin Coins to purchase the “Marrow-Cleansing Pill.” Looking at the “Marrow-Cleansing Pill” that suddenly appeared in the palm of his hand, Lu Renjia’s mouth twitched. “Damn… this thing’s practically the same as Liuwei Dihuang Pills… and it cost me four thousand Sin Coins… Sigh, I hope whatever the System produces is absolutely top-notch…” He swallowed the black pill, which was about the size of a soybean. In no time at all, the sensation of his stomach churning caused Lu Renjia to release a barrage of farts. Amid the deafening sound of flatulence, Lu Renjia hurried toward the bathroom. Fortunately, his current studio apartment was fully equipped—unlike the partitioned room on the second basement level where he used to live, where he had to wait in line for a toilet stall. A series of crackling sounds followed, like popping beans. With his hands and legs going weak from the strain, Lu Renjia couldn’t help but curse, “Damn it… Is this the ‘Marrow-Cleansing Pill’ or a powerful laxative? If this keeps up, my asshole’s gonna be ruined…” Just as Lu Renjia was in the throes of a relentless bout of diarrhea, the members of Xuan Kui Zhenren’s group—who had previously gone their separate ways—gathered once more in the “Guild” channel. “I say, Guild Master… why didn’t you just have Xiao Jia buy the ‘Marrow-Cleansing Pill’? What if he’s tempted by the thirty years of martial power from the ‘Great Rejuvenation Pill’? That could have a significant impact on his future martial arts cultivation…” Doomsday Man asked in confusion. Xuan Kui Zhenren, with his face as fair as jade, smiled. “How many of those Qualified Ones who gain strength through shortcuts actually make it to the end? If Xiao Jia really is someone who’s in a rush to succeed, then he doesn’t deserve to be our teammate…”