Chapter 50

A box of gold, filled with a dazzling pile of gold.

In the storage bracelet of Guoshanfeng, the most eye-catching item was a box of glittering gold. Each ingot was a ten-tael gold ingot, and a rough estimate showed that there were about fifty ingots per layer, with approximately six layers, totaling around three thousand taels of gold. Three thousand taels of gold was equivalent to thirty thousand taels of silver, almost matching all the wealth Ye Zhen currently possessed.

However, this most eye-catching box of gold was not the most valuable item in Guoshanfeng's storage bracelet. The most valuable items were the bottles of pills. Ye Zhen roughly counted and found that there were five bottles of Ningshen Pills, each worth ten thousand taels of silver. These five bottles alone were worth fifty thousand taels of silver.

The Xueyuan Pills, worth two thousand taels of silver per bottle, had only one bottle left, likely because Guoshanfeng didn't need them much. What surprised Ye Zhen was that the most abundant pills in Guoshanfeng's storage bracelet were the Cuishen Pills.

Cuishen Pills were auxiliary pills that, while not directly increasing cultivation, could help martial artists refine their true essence, making it more pure. In Guoshanfeng's storage bracelet, there were as many as ten bottles of Cuishen Pills, more than the Ningshen Pills, which puzzled Ye Zhen.

However, when Ye Zhen's gaze fell on two manuals in the corner of the storage bracelet, he immediately understood. The two manuals were cultivation techniques: one was called the True Essence Secret Technique, True Essence Sword Finger! The other was the Panshui Mian Palm that Captain Guan Ping had mentioned. After a quick glance, Ye Zhen realized that the Cuishen Pills in Guoshanfeng's storage bracelet were all prepared for the True Essence Secret Technique, True Essence Sword Finger.

After reading through the True Essence Secret Technique, True Essence Sword Finger, Ye Zhen broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, Guoshanfeng had not mastered this technique; otherwise, Ye Zhen might have already become a cold, lifeless corpse.

The True Essence Secret Technique, True Essence Sword Finger, was a special method of using true essence. It was said that the Qiyun Sect had similar techniques, but the True Essence Secret Technique was extremely powerful and precious. Even inner disciples were not easily granted this technique, let alone outer disciples like Ye Zhen.

Once mastered, the True Essence Sword Finger was very simple: it involved using a special method to activate true essence, allowing it to condense into a True Essence Sword Finger at the fingertips. Depending on the level of cultivation, the length of the True Essence Sword Finger could be controlled, and its power was comparable to divine weapons. Most importantly, once mastered, the True Essence Sword Finger could be used in conjunction with any martial technique.

For example, if Ye Zhen used his Ling She Jie Mai Hand, the opponent would focus on defending against his finger. But if he had mastered the True Essence Sword Finger, when his finger was two feet away from the opponent's throat, the True Essence Sword Finger would suddenly shoot out, with only one possible outcome: the throat would be pierced!

If mastered, the True Essence Sword Finger would be unpredictable and almost impossible to defend against. However, to master it, one needed not only a substantial amount of true essence but also extremely pure true essence, as pure as mercury.

Guoshanfeng had a large number of Cuishen Pills in his storage bracelet to refine his true essence, aiming to master the True Essence Sword Finger.

"Such pure true essence, I wonder if my true essence is pure enough?"

After reading the manual, Ye Zhen felt an urge to try. He began to practice the True Essence Sword Finger according to the cultivation method described in the manual.

Despite the simple steps, the method of activating true essence was extremely mysterious, involving several meridians that Ye Zhen had not known about.

After about half an hour, Ye Zhen suddenly felt a tightness at the tip of his index finger. *Swoosh!*

A visible, pure green True Essence Sword Finger emitted a faint sound, appearing at the tip of Ye Zhen's index finger, fluctuating in length and intensity as he controlled his true essence.

*Swish!*

With a light movement, a steel spear in the military tent was cut into two pieces by Ye Zhen's True Essence Sword Finger, the cut as smooth as jade, like a mirror.

*Hiss!*

Ye Zhen drew in a sharp breath in surprise.

Ye Zhen was not surprised that he had mastered the True Essence Sword Finger in a short time. His previous cultivation of Jingxue Yuan Body Technique and his current cultivation of Yiqi Hunyuan Technique both emphasized refining true essence. Moreover, he had the mystical Shenlong Pearl, which continuously refined his true essence, making it extremely pure. Therefore, mastering the True Essence Sword Finger was a natural progression.

What surprised Ye Zhen was the power of the True Essence Sword Finger. If this sword finger were to strike a person, there would be no chance of survival. In an attack, a sudden strike with this sword finger would be almost impossible to defend against.

Perhaps only a third-level True Essence Realm cultivator who had condensed a protective true essence aura could withstand it, and even then, only if their true essence was as pure as Ye Zhen's.

"True Essence Secret Technique, indeed powerful!"

The power of the True Essence Secret Technique, True Essence Sword Finger, was immense. If used properly, it could be a decisive weapon in critical moments. The only drawback was the high consumption of true essence. Ye Zhen had maintained the True Essence Sword Finger for a hundred breaths, and his dantian's true essence was already more than half depleted.

However, in the face of such immense power, the drawback of the True Essence Sword Finger was not a drawback at all.

Putting the manual back into the storage bracelet, Ye Zhen was overjoyed. Compared to the box of gold ingots and the numerous pills, the most valuable gain was the True Essence Sword Finger. The value of such a True Essence Secret Technique was immeasurable and rare to encounter.

After calming down, Ye Zhen picked up the Panshui Mian Palm manual and began to read it.

Panshui Mian Palm was a lower-grade human-level martial technique. Its power was continuous like water, and once unleashed, it generated unending force with immense power. If cultivated to a high level, its punch would be like a whirlpool in water, making it extremely difficult to escape once caught. It was a highly skilled technique for counterattacking.

After reading through it, although he had not practiced it, the subtleties of the Panshui Mian Palm were clear to Ye Zhen. Many powerful and subtle martial techniques were valuable because they were unknown to opponents. If understood, like the Panshui Mian Palm, their continuous and unending punch was hard to counter before obtaining the manual.

Now that Ye Zhen knew the subtleties of the Panshui Mian Palm, even without practicing it, breaking it would be easy.

Ye Zhen believed that if Guoshanfeng were to stand before him again, with his pure true essence, defeating him would be effortless.

......

The next day, Ye Zhen returned to Wuan County City with Captain Guan Ping.

"Brother Ye, can you rest in the county city for a few days?" Captain Guan Ping suddenly said as Ye Zhen was about to leave.

"Why?"

"Brother Ye, the killing of Guoshanfeng not only earns military merit but also a bounty from the county. However, the bounty requires the county governor's approval, and unfortunately, the governor is currently inspecting the counties, so you will need to wait a few days."

"Bounty? My comrades suffered heavy casualties. I don't need the bounty; I'll give it to my comrades!" Ye Zhen, still young and passionate, had become familiar with the soldiers of the county government over the past half day.

Captain Guan Ping's face turned red, and he shook his head hastily. "Brother Ye, sharing the military merit with your comrades is already a great kindness. If we take the bounty, would we still be human?"

After a pause, Guan Ping continued, "Brother Ye, why not stay for two or three days? The governor will be back soon. Besides, your comrades want to drink with you until they are thoroughly drunk..."

"Brother Guan, I really need to return home..." Ye Zhen looked apologetic.

Guan Ping frowned. "If that's the case, I'll keep the bounty for you. With me, it won't go anywhere. Come, let me see you out of the city. Brother Ye, if you have any problems in Wuan County, just mention my name; no one in Wuan County would dare to refuse me..."

Guan Ping suddenly stopped. "Look at me, with Brother Ye's cultivation, there's nothing in Wuan County that can't be handled."

"Brother Guan's kindness is noted, but I do have a favor to ask."

As he spoke, Ye Zhen handed over the beast skins and other parts from the beasts, including the Phantom Snake King's skin, to Guan Ping.

"Brother Guan, I need to return home urgently. Please help me handle these beast skins. Also, please find a craftsman to make two sets of close-fitting leather armor from the Phantom Snake King's skin."

"Brother, rest assured, with me, these items will fetch a good price. Come, let me see you out of the city!"

When they reached the city gate, Guan Ping suddenly pulled Ye Zhen aside. "Brother Ye, I heard that when you attacked the bandit's den, He Bancheng offered you half his wealth as a bounty. Now that his daughter has been rescued, he seems to have forgotten about it. What do you think? Should I help you remind He Bancheng to fulfill his promise?"

Ye Zhen smiled generously. "When I attacked Guoshanfeng's den, it was for justice, as they were too cruel, even targeting children. Even without He Bancheng's bounty, I would have attacked. Bloodshed is not for the sake of a bounty. Brother Guan, I must take my leave!"

With a flick of the reins, Ye Zhen's silver-horned horse galloped out like the wind, leaving Captain Guan Ping standing there, who after a moment, gave Ye Zhen a thumbs up from a distance.

************

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