Chapter 8: Great Joy

In the dim daylight, Li Si walked alone in the wilderness, a full three miles away from the deserted village.

Although he knew this behavior was very dangerous, he understood even more clearly that if he didn’t take advantage of this time when the Floating Cloud Sect members hadn’t become suspicious yet to accumulate his first bucket of gold, his fate might turn very miserable.

If he was lucky, he would be used as dregs by that terrifying Old Madam.

If unlucky, he would be turned into human pills by the Floating Cloud Sect members.

This was no joke—if others couldn’t avoid aberrant corruption, why should he be able to?

In the face of survival, things like morality were vague and unreal.

So last night, he had already made a decision: once he had self-protection ability, he must separate from the Floating Cloud Sect members as soon as possible. He couldn’t gamble that others were all good people.

The current time was about 2 PM, and that terrifying Dark Mist appeared at dusk. Therefore, he had two hours for adventure.

The direction Li Si was walking now was west of the deserted village. There was a mountain here, very barren, but definitely full of anomalous weeds and alien trees.

He didn’t plan to go up the mountain either—staying at the foot would be enough.

Besides this, Li Si had prepared a final trump card for himself: one portion of Gray Fortune he had just refined. He didn’t rush to use it but saved it instead.

Because one portion of Gray Fortune could restore 1000 points of Magic Power.

Although his current Magic Power limit was only 100 points, if he really encountered danger, he could completely consume this portion of fortune. The 1000 points of Magic Power would last for a period of time, and with such ample Magic Power, combined with his Dao Techniques Evil-Warding Curse and Demon Slaying Thorn, he should be able to escape back to the deserted village.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Several dark shadows suddenly sprang up ahead, but before they could get within five meters of Li Si, they were forcibly suppressed and killed mid-air by an invisible force.

They were the weakest type of anomalous weeds. They didn’t even qualify to pierce the Evil-Warding Aura. Li Si didn’t need to lift a finger; they were already killed.

Simple, convenient, fast, and effective.

The only trouble was—

“Aberrant Corruption Degree +0.001%”

…

Completely unavoidable, quite disgusting. No wonder the Floating Cloud Sect master and disciples, despite their strong power, could only huddle in the deserted village, neither human nor ghost, suffering.

But for Li Si, this was a benefit.

He easily gained six portions of Gray Firewood. Without stopping his steps, he deliberately headed toward areas with many anomalous weeds. Without him needing to act, just his enhanced Evil-Warding Aura could sweep through everything. The monster clearing speed was incredibly fast.

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!”

“Whoosh whoosh!”

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh!”

Li Si charged around recklessly, using the Evil-Warding Aura to suppress and kill one hundred and four anomalous weeds in total before the Evil-Warding Aura was finally broken.

The cost he paid was only 0.014% Aberrant Corruption Degree.

“Refine!”

With a slight thought, another one hundred portions of Gray Firewood were refined into one portion of Gray Fortune. As for those Mutant Grass Molts, he couldn’t be bothered to collect them.

“So happy!”

Without the Evil-Warding Aura protecting him, Li Si felt ‘Great Joy’ in his heart. Then, in less than three seconds, he was dragged into an illusion of bliss. The goddess came again, smiling sweetly, with beautiful eyes glancing—those long legs…

“Aberrant Corruption Degree +0.1%.”

The cold information cruelly pulled Li Si out, but immediately after, a small red mushroom swaying in the wind grew appetizingly from Li Si’s belly!

“Boom!”

The Evil-Warding Curse struck down. All were skeletons in red, great powerful heavenly dragon—uh—Li Si gathered his focus, not daring to feel Great Joy randomly anymore. He didn’t even have other thoughts, especially since he now had no Magic Power.

But what did this matter?

He heroically consumed one portion of Gray Fortune directly, exchanging it for a deluxe package of 1000 points Magic Power recovery within the time of one incense stick.

Then, he felt Great Joy…

Continued feeling Great Joy…

Today was a day of Great Joy…

So happy today, must feel Great Joy…

Great Joy…

In one breath, Great Joy ten times in a row!

Li Si’s Aberrant Corruption Degree directly surged to 40%, consuming 500 points of Magic Power, but he obtained as many as ten portions of Gray Fortune.

“Cough cough cough!”

A bout of violent coughing brought up traces of blood. This showed his body had weakened to a severe degree.

No choice, Li Si quickly consumed two portions of Gray Fortune, adding them to Bloodline and Bone Foundation, raising the Evolution Progress to 12.4%, while the Aberrant Corruption Degree was reduced to 38%.

As for the remaining ten portions of Gray Fortune, although they could be used to learn Heart Cleansing Curse or Iron Prison Discipline, clearly what restricted him most now was the Magic Power limit.

So he began strengthening the Heaven-Turning Scripture. One portion of Gray Fortune could increase cultivation progress by 0.1% and increase Magic Power limit by 10%, meaning it could raise it by 10 points.

Ten portions of Gray Fortune just raised the Heaven-Turning Scripture second layer cultivation progress to 1%, and the Magic Power limit just reached 200 points.

Great Joy!

Li Si felt deeply comforted, happily showing eight teeth.

So happy.

“Wait?”

Li Si remained ‘Great Joy’ on the spot for a long time, but no more Blissful Mushrooms appeared. Could it be… he had made the Blissful Mushrooms in this area extinct?

No matter.

Li Si sighed deeply, feeling Great Sorrow in his heart. Sorrow came from within, sadness flowed backward like a river, bleakness uncontrollable. So melancholic, why so melancholic.

Soon, a few seconds passed. Li Si discovered his goddess had run off with someone else. So damn sad…

“Aberrant Corruption Degree +0.1%!”

The cold information pulled Li Si back to reality again. Immediately, he found a small blue mushroom sprouting from his forehead—such blue sorrow—but that wasn’t important!

“Boom!”

The Evil-Warding Curse erupted. If the enemy exists, I don’t; if I exist, the enemy doesn’t.

“Aberrant Corruption Degree +0.3%.”

“Killed anomalous creature Sorrowful Mushroom. Obtained one hundred portions of Gray Firewood.”

Comfortable, Great Joy!

Oh, it’s joy to sorrow.

Oh, sorrow…

Ah, my sorrow…

Oh, no one understands my sorrow…

Li Si killed five Sorrowful Mushrooms in one breath. The Aberrant Corruption Degree rapidly increased by another 40%, consuming 250 points of Magic Power, and obtaining five portions of Gray Fortune.

The profit wasn’t very high. Indeed, making money was truly difficult.

Li Si stopped here. First, he consumed two portions of Gray Fortune, piling the Bloodline and Bone Evolution Progress to 12.6%, and the Aberrant Corruption Degree was suppressed again to 38%. Only then did he strengthen the remaining three portions of Gray Fortune all at once into the Dao Technique Demon Slaying Thorn.

Thus, the strengthening effect of Demon Slaying Thorn became—

Required 50 points Magic Power to release. Effective attack range one hundred meters. Deals base damage +400% extra damage to the target.

Then, he cast another Evil-Warding Curse on himself, forming a strong Evil-Warding Aura.

At this point, he just had 200 points of Magic Power left.

“The Joyous Mushrooms in this area are probably extinct. The Sorrowful Mushrooms can still be farmed, but the value is too poor. Not good friends!”

Li Si scorned this. He still planned to farm anomalous weeds—these things had the best value. For the same one hundred portions of Gray Firewood, the same 50 points of Magic Power, they only accumulated 0.1% Aberrant Corruption Degree.

So, who wouldn’t like grass?