Chapter Thirty-One: Making Arrangements

For those who possess extraordinary abilities, mundane wealth holds little value; that is why Hathaway could so casually offer ten million. Yet, if she could exchange ten million for magic stones, it would clearly be a profitable bargain.

The only thing that surprised Hathaway was that, despite Qin Jing's overwhelming strength, he was still willing to conduct a fair trade. This left a profound impression on her. Perhaps he hailed from the realm of legends and wielded tremendous power, but he was also, fundamentally, human, adhering to his own principles. This was, in truth, a good thing. When he first mentioned the possibility of a transaction, she had not given it much thought; now, it seemed she truly could do business with Mr. Qin in the future. Her abilities had stagnated at the peak of the third rank—if she could acquire a significant number of magic stones, she would surely advance further.

"Mr. Qin’s generosity is admirable! I wish to proceed with the transaction."

"Remember, when dealing with me, you must use old bills."

Ultimately, Hathaway memorized Qin Jing’s instructions and departed the shop with respect. She needed to prepare her funds, planning to return the next day for the formal exchange.

Qin Jing closed the door, then opened the chest of Alchemy One and retrieved a piece of black stone—the magic stone. Originally, it was as dazzling as a diamond, reflecting light under the lamp, but now its energy was depleted. After merely a single, not particularly fierce battle, Alchemy One’s magic stone had been exhausted.

"If I am to face even stronger foes in the future, I will truly need at least two alchemical puppets, so that when one’s magic stone runs dry, the second can fill the gap."

Qin Jing murmured to himself, noting this crucial detail: for now, the alchemical puppet seemed invincible, yet it possessed clear limitations. Thus, external tools would never be as reliable as one’s own strength.

He then stood before the mirror, opened the recovery space, and took out an item.

"Extraordinary Essence, Rank One (Wang Keng)."

This was the remnant left behind after the bronze chest devoured Wang Keng. It appeared as a ball of light; upon extracting it, a subtle stream of information flowed into Qin Jing’s mind, letting him know he could absorb this orb at any time and thereby acquire the essence of Wang Keng’s rank one extraordinary power.

"Absorb."

Qin Jing drew a deep breath, sat cross-legged, and began to meditate upon the 'Six Stratagems of Literary Power' he had obtained from Jenny-Tio.

The 'Six Stratagems of Literary Power' was the most orthodox Eastern spiritual cultivation method. The Literary Power section taught how to harness the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to forge oneself.

The Six Stratagems themselves were meant to draw upon all things in the world, transforming them into one's own strength. As he began the practice, Qin Jing felt a subtle sense that he could refine himself using the myriad things around him.

Meanwhile, the essence of Wang Keng’s rank one extraordinary power dissipated in Qin Jing’s hand. He felt a surge of vitality bloom within him, expanding his meridians and imbuing him with a mysterious aura. Following the cyclical pathway described in the Six Stratagems, it coursed through his body, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to nourish and amplify this strength.

After about two hours, Qin Jing opened his eyes, clarity dawning upon him: the 'extraordinary essence, rank one' was actually the spiritual energy Wang Keng had cultivated. No—it was the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, absorbed and refined by Wang Keng, and thus it should be considered Wang Keng’s spiritual breath.

He looked around, found a sturdy plank, and lightly pressed his finger against it. The newly cultivated literary power spirit exhaled gently—there was a sharp crack, and the plank shattered instantly, splintering into fragments. Such powerful damage was beyond the ability of an ordinary boxer.

"Does this mean I’ve entered the first rank of the extraordinary?"

Qin Jing frowned. The Literary Power chapter described the various realms: the extraordinary realm was divided into nine levels, each three forming a minor stage. Even a minor advancement would result in some feedback from the world.

Especially when a mortal broke through to the first rank of the extraordinary, his essence, energy, and spirit would undergo a dramatic elevation. If successful, he would naturally experience a sense of 'life transcendence.'

Yet, Qin Jing felt nothing of the sort.

"Judging by this, the essence produced by the bronze chest is Wang Keng’s cultivated spiritual breath—the 'energy' among essence, energy, and spirit. To advance to rank one of the extraordinary, I still need the physique of the extraordinary—that must be the 'essence.' And the mental power of the extraordinary would be the 'spirit.' Only when essence, energy, and spirit are united can the transformation be complete."

"No, even with Wang Keng’s 'energy,' my cultivation in literary power is not yet perfect. I must continue using the Literary Power chapter to practice, daily drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to strengthen my 'breath.'"

"If this is the case, then when I eventually ascend to rank one of the extraordinary, my essence, energy, and spirit will surpass Wang Keng’s."

"This makes sense. After all, I am cultivating the Six Stratagems, a method from the realm of legends, likely far superior to those found on Earth. As I overheard from Zheng Qiuyin, the firmer the foundation, the greater the future potential. Clearly, the Six Stratagems demands a much higher standard for foundational cultivation."

"Hmm, if so, I could continually use the bronze chest in this way, harnessing others’ essence, energy, and spirit to shape myself to perfection. When I finally advance, I shall gain even greater power."

At this thought, Qin Jing was struck by a chill and caution—today, having barely touched upon extraordinary power, he was already thinking of harvesting the essence of countless lives with the bronze chest. His mentality had shifted dramatically in such a short time—was this the nature of the extraordinary?

He recalled the legendary world: those who had reached the mythic or eternal realms—their mindsets must have transformed beyond recognition. Rather than being human, they had become something utterly different. No wonder the mythic world placed such value on ordinary objects—those 'inhuman' beings could only experience the faintest trace of 'being human' through such mundane things.

"In the future, I may continue to refine essences with the chest, but I must never target the innocent. This is the bottom line of humanity. I cannot become like those legendary elders who, though eternal, have lost the joy of being human!"

...

At midnight, Qin Jing finished his cultivation. He was about to step away from the mirror when a thought struck him—wasn’t Zheng Qiuyin supposed to be the 'bird in waiting'? Now that Hathaway had arrived, she should soon appear as well.

If she didn’t show up, that was no matter—he could arrange it himself.

He opened the client list, spent ten grams, and selected the option for Zheng Qiuyin to visit the shop before tomorrow.

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Thanks to 'I Love Qin Lele' for the thousand reward, and to 'Leisurely Farmer' for the tip.