Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Chapter 760 -

"This must be it," Wang Linchi muttered, retrieving a special plant resembling a phalanx from a thumb out of an inconspicuous mushroom.It was a plant from the Catacombs, presumably some kind of valuable resource. Judging from the circumstances, it must have been smuggled goods; if word got out, trouble would inevitably ensue.

Wang Linchi wasn't sure what it was for the time being. Analyzing its properties, he deduced it to be calcium-based. Upon consumption and absorption, it would strengthen one's bones, and if enough was consumed, it could even stimulate secondary development.

But it seems the effect on me would be rather limited, wouldn't it?

That's not necessarily the case. If I can find a Cultivation Technique related to bones, I could put it to use. Or I could wait until I have a Samurai Cultivation Technique.

Starting from the Samurai Realm, individuals would begin to comprehensively strengthen various aspects of themselves—bones, blood, flesh, internal organs—essentially tempering their Physique. The Martial Student stage still focused on developing vital energy, so it wasn't overly incredible yet. As one gradually advanced to the Samurai stage, their physical attributes would grow stronger. Wang Linchi estimated that most firearms would be unable to harm a Martial Artist at the Samurai stage. Firearms hadn't truly developed in the Martial Arts World; instead, cold weapons had seen significant advancements.

This substance must be what that Mr. Wolf was planning to use for bone tempering at the Samurai stage.

Seems he's just another poor wretch from the bottom.

Wang Linchi sighed. It makes sense. If he were some important figure, how could he lack this sort of thing? Besides, the children of nobles don't cultivate this way.

From before they even became Martial Artists, they were prepped with various foundational training. Upon reaching the Martial Student stage, heaps of rare treasures and profound Cultivation Techniques were lavished upon them. They used only the very best, not because resources were lacking, but out of fear their offspring wouldn't bother to cultivate.

So, we've made an enemy. We're both poor bottom-dwellers; why bite each other? Squeezing a pauper like me won't yield much oil.

Go after the rich and powerful instead. Bleed one wealthy family dry, and you're set for life. Wang Linchi rarely bothered to exploit the poor; there was too little to gain.

I hope this Mr. Wolf doesn't cause any more trouble. Otherwise, I might actually have to kill him. Then his father would get involved, and his father's father... It would never end.

Wang Linchi understood these tropes. Once caught in such a plot, a ceaseless wave of trouble would follow. As for returning the item, even if he did, the other party might not let him off. Judging by how they sent someone to rob him, it was clearly a gang-style tactic.

However, the other party's response hadn't been that swift. Wang Linchi had already returned and even cultivated up to eight Air Vortexes, yet they hadn't made a move. They probably hadn't yet investigated Wang Linchi's specific situation.

He had only discovered the issue with this particular mushroom while using poisonous mushrooms for his Cultivation. Upon dissecting it, he found this fortunate encounter. He couldn't possibly inspect every single poisonous mushroom, could he? That would be far too troublesome. These mushrooms were vacuum-sealed and refrigerated. Taking them all apart and then packing them back up would be an immense hassle.

The ninth Air Vortex is close, and the guaranteed enrollment spot is almost within reach. Wang Linchi had been cultivating for a month now, with only fifteen days remaining until the martial arts examination. He needed to become a Samurai within five days to secure the guaranteed enrollment slot.

The challenge wasn't too great. He would form the ninth Air Vortex tonight, and by tomorrow night, he could condense the nine Air Vortexes into a single Qi Acupoint.

Even if he were to use a Plug-in, he would still have to adhere to certain principles. Instantaneous completion was no problem for his mind, but the physical body his consciousness inhabited couldn't manage it. This body was originally of mediocre talent; without a Plug-in, even becoming a Martial Student would be difficult, let alone a Samurai.

If I break through, will it affect certain things?

He remembered that the Principal of South District Second School had "sold" him to a certain noble. That noble wanted him as a Martial Student, not a Samurai. The principal certainly wouldn't reveal that he had secretly swapped the student; he likely intended to give that noble a "surprise." Of course, whether it would be a pleasant surprise or a nasty shock remained to be seen.

Wang Linchi would bet fifty cents that what had caught the noble's eye was his 'special physique,' not any supposed combat prowess. If one wanted to find someone invincible at the same Realm, they'd look among the scions of the Martial Second Generation, not among the mud-legged commoners from the slums. Other than the value of his 'special physique,' Wang Linchi couldn't think of anything else about himself that could attract the attention of a so-called noble.

Forget it; it's not my concern. The only one who will be in trouble is the principal. He's just being presumptuous.

However, right after securing the guaranteed enrollment, I need to leave immediately.

If their target was his 'special physique,' they definitely wouldn't let him go. The Great Zhao Country, on the whole, was progressive, yet it was bound to have its internal issues. The power of individual Martial Artists would naturally give rise to much darkness.

What if they still don't let me go?

Wang Linchi had considered this. His identity was that of a protagonist; such pointed problems were impossible to avoid.

Then I'll have to kill them. No matter, there's still a month and a half. By the time everything is exposed, I'll be long gone.

He didn't even know who this so-called noble was, so how could he possibly go about killing them? The person the principal had met was definitely not the noble himself, just a front man arranged by the noble's people. How could someone of the principal's standing possibly meet such a person? Even someone like Wang Linchi, who had piqued the noble's interest, was just that—an interest. Yet, a casual word from a noble could make their subordinates risk their lives. Even if it was just a whim of the noble, it was a major affair for those below.

Could I use these deeply buried societal contradictions to spark a civil war in the Martial Arts World? Wang Linchi pondered this.

He'd heard bits and pieces about the situation in the Catacombs. For years, the nations of the Martial Arts World had suppressed them so thoroughly they had no strength to resist. It was estimated that in another eight hundred to a thousand years, the Alien Races in the Catacombs would likely be wiped out. Once the greatest external threat vanished, Wang Linchi didn't even need to guess what would happen to the various powers on the surface—they would undoubtedly start fighting amongst themselves.

Currently, all Cultivation resources in the Martial Arts World originated from the Catacombs. Everything on the surface was merely ordinary, not Natural Treasures. Wang Linchi had a theory about this: the Extraordinary Source must have flowed out from the Catacombs.

To find the truth, he would have to explore the origins of Martial Arts. However, Martial Arts had been ascendant for so many years that even if he wanted to search, he probably wouldn't find a single clue. Many truths had been deliberately buried to consolidate the rule of those in power.

As he pondered, Wang Linchi continued to use Hang Up, and the ninth Air Vortex successfully formed.

"Alright, that's settled. Looks like I can become a Samurai tonight." Wang Linchi then took a closer look and realized his earlier estimation was off.

He felt the nine Air Vortexes within him—variegated and multicolored—become particularly vibrant after absorbing the essence of the poison mushrooms, looking exceptionally toxic. At a glance, they looked highly poisonous.

If anyone takes a hit from my vital energy now, they'll see illusions and suffer explosive diarrhea... Oh, and they'll get a nasty cough too. Every cough will trigger a gush, and not coughing will be agony. Their condition will plummet.

As for the fatality rate, it genuinely wasn't high. As long as the opponent's Martial Arts Realm was about three stages higher than Wang Linchi's, they wouldn't be in mortal danger. However, if their Realm was equivalent or not sufficiently higher, death was still a possibility. His idea of 'ordinary' toxicity was based on his own perspective, not an objective measure of it being truly mild. In fact, he could adjust the Toxin's intensity and effects, so he didn't have to worry about it being instantly lethal. It was perfectly suited for tormenting people.

Come to think of it, the Potential of this body seems nearly exhausted, Wang Linchi estimated. Setting aside the Golden Finger, the body's inherent aptitude was quite average, so its upper limit was definitely not high. Furthermore, Wang Linchi hadn't followed the original plot to obtain its corresponding fortunate encounters, so there had been virtually no improvement to his Potential. On top of that, cultivating the Poison Skill had already overdrawn much of it.

Once I reach the Samurai stage, I can begin bodily transformations. But performing surgery on myself might prove challenging.

I'll need to find a suitable Martial Art as a supplement.

Devising one myself is out of the question due to the cost. Finding a suitable manual and modifying it would drastically reduce the expense. He called this 'biking to the brothel'—penny-pinching on the ride to splurge on the vice. Save where you should, spend where you want.

"I just don't know if South District Second School has any," Wang Linchi mused. What he wanted, of course, were Samurai-stage Martial Arts, not Martial Student-stage ones.

There was a considerable difference between the two. Different Realms involved different methods for developing and utilizing one's abilities. Even a complete set of inherited techniques couldn't be used from beginning to end, let alone these common, piecemeal Martial Arts.