Proving God begins with the principle that no effort is wasted.

The cleanliness of Anxi City is a kind of cold, rigid rule.

The cobblestone street was as smooth as a mirror, with no mud in the gaps. The shops on both sides had shiny paint on their facades, and gold-plated signs stretched out in rows, giving it an air of nobility.

Most of the passersby were dressed in silk and walked leisurely. There were no displaced people rushing about in a panic, nor were there any poor people squatting and begging.

Jiang Lan strolled slowly along the street, recalling the docks of his hometown, where the smell of fish mingled with mud and filth, and beggars squatted against the walls. When the cold wind blew, they were all people struggling to survive.

It's not here.

As they walked into the second alley, an old man in tattered clothes had just leaned against the wall at the alley entrance and hadn't even settled down when two yamen runners with swords immediately stepped forward.

There was no scolding, no shoving.

He only said a few words in a low voice.

The old man looked up at the high walls of the city, silently leaned on his cane to get up, and slowly moved out of the street and alleyway.

Jiang Lan understood.

It's not that there are endless people in the city, it's that the poor are not allowed to show their faces in the city.

Beneath the glitz and glamour lies ruthless class oppression. The weak don't even deserve a place to breathe.

The Misty Rain Pavilion stands in the most prestigious part of the city, with three-story flying eaves, vermilion buildings and painted beams. A procession of sedan chairs lines the gate, their coats embroidered with the crests of various families, all marks of the Anxi aristocratic families. Ordinary people are not allowed to get close, and even stopping to look at it seems out of place.

The gray-clad servant bowed to greet him, verified his identity, and, not daring to say a word, led him upstairs.

A private room on the third floor, overlooking the river.

Outside the window, a painted boat gently rocks, accompanied by the soft sounds of string and wind instruments. Through a layer of paper window, one can see a different kind of luxurious and romantic scene.

Liu Ruyan had already arrived.

She wore a light blue, close-fitting outfit, without a skirt or makeup. A silver-threaded soft armor belt cinched her waist, highlighting her strong figure. Her long hair was tied up high with a jade hairpin, revealing the clean lines of her hairline.

The table was set with fine tea, snacks, and delicacies, creating a dignified scene.

"Brother Jiang, please have a seat."

Jiang Lan sat down, her back straight, her gaze level.

The servants served the dishes one by one.

Steamed sea bass, braised deer tendon, eight-treasure duck, crab roe tofu, and ginseng chicken soup.

A single table of delicacies is equivalent to several years' worth of meals for an ordinary cultivator.

Liu Ruyan raised her hand to dismiss the servants, and the private room was instantly sealed off, cutting off all eyes and ears.

"Brother Jiang is having a very difficult time in the Daishan Sect."

She got straight to the point, without any pleasantries or preamble.

"The outer disciples of the Spellcasting lineage receive meager monthly stipends, barely enough to cover the rent for their courtyards. Cultivation, renting courtyards, supplies, and elixirs—everything costs money."

"You're short of money."

Three sentences exposed all of Jiang Lan's current predicament.

Jiang Lan remained silent. Liu Ruyan flicked her finger, and a silver note slid out from her sleeve and gently pushed it to the center of the table.

Five thousand taels!

The paper was brand new, and the amount was glaringly obvious.

Jiang Lan glanced down at it, her fingertips remaining motionless.

Money doesn't fall from the sky; expecting a large sum of money upfront inevitably comes with the perilous risk of living on the edge.

Looking at his restraint, a hint of approval flashed in Liu Ruyan's eyes as she slowly explained the reason.

"Half a month ago, a batch of medicinal herbs that the Liu family was transporting out of the city was robbed at Black Dragon Beach in the north of the city."

"The goods are worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, and two of the main ingredients are the core spiritual medicines for refining the Condensing Evil Pill."

Upon hearing the words "Condensing Evil Pill," Jiang Lan's mind slightly focused.

He has now achieved initial success in cultivating his inner strength. The Condensing Qi Pill can nourish his inner strength and infuse it with malevolent energy, effectively shortening his arduous cultivation by half a year. It is the most urgently needed resource for his breakthrough.

"The robbers are from the Netherworld Sect."

Liu Ruyan spoke calmly, revealing a complex web of hidden power dynamics.

"The Netherworld Sect is an outer henchman of the Demonic Sect—the Netherworld Altar. They have been entrenched in the waters and forests for many years, robbing caravans, colluding with river bandits, and plundering wealth and resources."

"They are not good at accumulating wealth, nor at cultivating themselves; they are only good at offering tribute."

"They intend to offer all of these precious medicines to the higher-ups of the Youjin Altar in exchange for formal membership, to escape their lowly status as peripheral members, and to join the true demonic sect's power system."

"Once the medicinal herbs are sent to the Netherworld Altar, there is no possibility of them being retrieved."

Jiang Lan finally spoke, his voice steady and calm.

"What does Miss Liu want me to do?"

Liu Ruyan looked directly at him, her words crisp and clear.

"Charge into Black Wind Stronghold, kill the stronghold leader Wen Ghost Hand, and retrieve all the medicinal herbs."

She then reported all the information.

"Wen Guishou, early stage of Qi Condensation. He recently broke through to a higher realm, but his cultivation level is still unstable and his foundation is not solid."

"His five leaders are all at the mid-to-late stage of the seventh or eighth level of cultivation. The stronghold has over a hundred bandits who have been living on the edge of a knife for years, and their ferocity far surpasses that of ordinary rogue cultivators."

"Black Wind Stronghold is situated on a mountain and overlooks a river, with sheer cliffs on three sides and the river on the other. Its terrain is treacherous, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack."

Jiang Lan quickly weighed the options in her mind.

With his current solid foundation in internal energy, he is facing an opponent who has just broken through to the peak of the early stage of internal energy.

The odds of winning are absolutely 100%.

"How many combat troops will the Liu family contribute?"

"All ten are at the early stage of the Seven Acupoints realm." Liu Ruyan didn't hide her shortcomings and frankly revealed the truth: "They can only surround and clear out the swarms, but they can't stop the leader, let alone stop Wen Guishou."

"Throughout this battle, you were the only one who could withstand the frontal assault and slay the main enemy."

The Liu family has no one available, and the guards from other prominent families are not up to the task, so she has no choice but to hire outsiders at a high price.

Jiang Lan nodded, not asking for reasons or grudges, but only asking about the most practical things.

"remuneration."

"If it succeeds, ten thousand taels."

Liu Ruyan pointed back to the silver notes on the table.

"This five thousand taels is an advance payment and is not included in the final payment."

"You can use it to cultivate your inner strength, buy spear techniques, purchase elixirs, and acquire weapons."

"What I need is for you to have enough fighting power to help me destroy Black Wind Stronghold two months from now."

Jiang Lan silently calculated in her mind.

The existing balance is 1,300 taels, plus an advance payment of 5,000 taels, totaling 6,300 taels.

Enough to make complete marksmanship copies, enough to purchase suitable weapons, and enough for two months of rapid preparation for war!

After the deed is done, I will receive another ten thousand taels of silver, and I will be free to cultivate for several years without worry!

And there are still two months to prepare...

worth!

"Okay." Jiang Lan looked up.

Liu Ruyan responded, "Two months from today, at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), we will meet at Liu Family Wharf in Black Dragon Beach, north of the city."

She stood up and stood by the window, her back view cold and aloof.

"Brother Jiang, I will not invite you into my household, nor will I ask you to be my retainer."

"It's just a collaboration. You need money to train in martial arts, and I need people to break the deadlock. We each get what we need, and neither of us owes the other anything."

"it is good."

Jiang Lan picked up the banknotes, folded them neatly, and carefully put them away close to her body.

I clasp my hands in farewell.

As he went downstairs, he heard people talking at the corner of the stairs.

"The young lady actually hired an outer disciple of the Daishan Sect to deal with the Youzhang Sect?"

"Who knows? The young lady has the final say in the family, so we'll just follow her. It's not like we're the ones going to our deaths."

"That kid was quite calm, accepting the two thousand taels of silver without hesitation. I just don't know if he'll live to spend it."

Jiang Lan walked past them, and the two of them immediately shut up when they saw him.

Stepping out of the Misty Rain Pavilion, the sunlight was blazing, and the bustling streets remained as vibrant as ever.

He walked very fast, heading straight for the sect's scripture pavilion.

First solidify the foundation, then hone your skills in combat.

The second floor of the Sutra Repository contains miscellaneous anecdotes and secret records.

Jiang Lanhua spent an hour and a hundred taels of silver to thoroughly search through the files.

Netherworld Gate, Netherworld Altar, Warm Ghost Hand, Yin Sha Claw Technique...

The "Yin Sha Claw" is made by tempering the hands with Yin Sha, and each move is sinister and poisonous, causing blood to break and flesh to rot, making it extremely difficult to heal.

However, the technique has a fatal flaw.

Firstly, at midnight, the yin and yang of heaven and earth rotate, and the yin energy dissipates and needs to be re-coalesced, leaving a weak and empty window of about 15 minutes.

Secondly, the technique consumes a great deal of qi and blood. If one forces oneself to fight, after a hundred moves, one's qi and blood will be exhausted, and one's combat power will plummet.

Both weaknesses are deadly.

Jiang Lan kept it in mind.

Exhausted from all his efforts, he was weak at midnight.

This battle will not rely on brute force, but on timing.

Understand your opponent, then examine your own strengths and weaknesses.

Five thousand taels for the Zhenyue Eight Spears; now we can go and make rubbings.

He walked to the counter.

"Make a rubbing of 'The Eight Spears of Zhenyue'".

The deacon looked up.

Five thousand taels.

The money was exchanged, and the scroll was in hand.

Jiang Lan returned to her room, closed the door, and locked herself in, where no one could see her or disturb her.

By reading it word by word, the entire framework of the spear technique was firmly established in my mind.

Golden light rose.

[Introduction to the Eight Spears of Zhenyue: 1/100]

Afterwards, Jiang Lan went to the weapons shop in the market and bought a seven-foot-long fine iron spear for three hundred taels of silver.

The gun is straight, with a three-edged blade that gleams coldly. It is easy to handle, suitable for blocking, long-range thrusting, and wearing down the enemy.

An open space in the courtyard.

Slouch, brace yourself, and hold your gun.

The first move: Stability.

A faint light flickered in my mind.

[Introduction to the Eight Spears of Zhenyue: 2/100]

One shot, one move, one breath.

Not seeking anything fancy, just seeking to kill.

Block, seize, stab, prick, point, sweep!

Day after day, they practiced from dawn till dusk, from twilight till the stars set.

My arms are sore and swollen, my thumb and forefinger are numb and tingling, and my blood and energy are repeatedly depleted.

……

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

In the courtyard, Jiang Lan lowered his spear stance and exhaled a breath of stale air. A golden light appeared in his mind—

Heaven rewards diligence; no effort is ever wasted.

【True Explanation of Spells - Level 1 (198/1000)】

【Zhenyue Eight Spears Minor Completion (26/1000)】

[Minor Mastery of Hidden Weapons (102/1000)]

【Iron Bones and Golden Body - Iron Skin (78/100)】

He has made minor progress in marksmanship and concealed weaponry, and his progress in condensing evil energy has increased significantly.

The seedlings still haven't sprouted, but they've grown a bit thicker than they did two months ago.

He changed into clean clothes, filled his weapon pouch, wrapped his spear in cloth, and carried it on his back.

……

Black Dragon Beach, Liu Family Wharf. It was still dark, and the fog was thick. Liu Ruyan was already there, followed by ten men dressed in black short-sleeved shirts, long knives at their waists, their faces grim.

She glanced at Jiang Lan, her gaze lingering on the spear behind him.

"They're here."

"Um.

"Get on the ship."

Jiang Lan boarded the boat and sat at the stern. Her hand rested on her hidden weapon pouch.

A middle-aged manager behind Liu Ruyan whispered, "Miss, should we bring more men? After all, the Netherworld Sect..."

"No need," Liu Ruyan interrupted him. "Too many people will only get in the way."

The manager glanced at Jiang Lan, hesitated, and ultimately said nothing more.

The boat left the shore and sailed into the depths of the fog. Jiang Lan placed the long spear across her lap and closed her eyes.

In the distance, the outline of Black Wind Village emerged from the mist.