Inside the Central Guild, Su Wen and Du Yue once again stood in line, waiting for their turn. A short while later, they reached the front of the line, and receptionist Tina greeted them with a smile, her bunny ears twitching.
"Back already? How was the dungeon?" Tina asked warmly.
"Well, not bad." Su Wen smiled back. "Though the sixth floor was definitely the most interesting."
"Oh! Don't tell me you were the ones who cleared the dungeon earlier today?" Tina exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes, that was us. But how did you know?" Su Wen asked.
"You're amazing! With only the two of you... you managed to clear the dungeon." Tina praised them sincerely before continuing, "Whenever a dungeon is cleared, it absorbs the impure Spiritual Qi in the surrounding area, which causes quite a commotion."
"I see." Su Wen nodded and took out all the storage rings containing the monster corpses.
Tina glanced at their contents, her eyes widening. "So many! 120 Peak Grade 2 monsters, 55 Early Grade 3 monsters, 20 Mid Grade 3 monsters."
"Most people avoid fighting monsters unless they have a mission that requires it or the monsters are impossible to bypass. They'd rather cross each floor quickly and reach the deeper levels. After all, the deeper floors have better-quality herbs, while avoiding unnecessary fights lets them conserve Spiritual Qi and spend more time searching for treasures and resources." Tina explained.
Su Wen nodded and smiled warmly. "Well, for me, these monsters were good for training. I gained something far more important while fighting them."
Du Yue noticed the smile on his face as he chatted with Tina, and a flicker of jealousy immediately surfaced in her eyes. She tightened her grip around his right arm and pinched his waist with her other hand.
Su Wen winced but didn't dare react. Instead, he silently took out a slice of carrot cake, fed it to her, and gently patted her head.
Du Yue snorted and, with a huff, took the slice and quietly savoured it.
Tina saw this and sighed inwardly, wondering if she could ever find a man like him. Without showing anything on her face, she maintained her professional smile and spoke, "Let's go to the Contribution Hall at the back. That's where the Guild handles sales and exchanges."
Su Wen nodded, then suddenly remembered something. He took out a few more storage rings.
"Also, these storage rings contain the corpses of the Hungry Bandits. I'd like to claim the bounties for them as well."
Tina froze.
"What did you say?" she asked, her voice noticeably louder. Several mercenaries stopped in their tracks and turned toward them, shocked by Tina's sudden loss of composure.
Su Wen didn't waste any time and spoke directly. "This ring contains the corpse of the bandit boss, Si Song, the so-called Hungry Bandit. My wife killed him, so we'd like to claim the bounty for him. The other rings contain the corpses of the five Peak Foundation Establishment vice bosses, and we'd like to claim their bounties as well."
The entire Guild Hall fell silent. No one spoke as everyone stared at Su Wen and Du Yue in astonishment.
Tina's hands trembled slightly as she took the storage rings. After sensing their contents, she fell silent for several moments, struggling to process what she had just confirmed.
The Hungry Bandit was a nightmare to the people of Greenstone City, after all.
She finally took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Then, a smile full of excitement and relief appeared on her face as she bowed to the couple. "I can confirm that these rings contain the corpses of the Hungry Bandits. From this day onwards, the people of Greenstone City no longer have to live under the shadow of those bandits."
Murmurs immediately spread through the crowd.
"What? Did I hear that right? The Hungry Bandits are dead?"
"Hahaha! Those bastards... their day finally came! After terrorising the city for so long, they finally got what they deserved."
"The Hungry Bandit is really dead? I thought no one would ever be able to deal with him. He was a Golden Core cultivator, after all."
"I wonder how the City Lord will react. After all, that bandit boss was his younger brother."
"If it weren't for the City Lord secretly protecting him, do you think the Hungry Bandits would've been able to act so freely all these years?"
"Who cares? As long as they're dead, that's all that matters. Greenstone City is finally going to be peaceful again."
"But who are these two? They dared to kill him. Either they have a solid background, or they're fearless. If it's the latter, they should leave quickly... and if it's the former, they should leave quickly anyway."
Su Wen ignored the murmurs and spoke politely. "You could say we were lucky. Thanks to him, we now get to claim a generous bounty."
Su Wen paused before continuing. "Of course, you could also say he was unlucky. He can only blame himself for having ill intentions toward my wife. He thought she was easy to bully, but this was the only possible ending."
Silence fell over the Guild Hall once again. Everyone looked at him strangely.
They wanted to say how infamous and cruel the Hungry Bandit was, and how unlucky anyone would be to fall into his hands. He was a Golden Core cultivator, after all... a top powerhouse in the Eastern Continent. There were very few Golden Core cultivators here, and most of those who reached that realm had powerful backgrounds.
Yet now, these two were talking about him as if he were nothing more than a mortal.
Looking at their stunned expressions, Su Wen thought to himself, 'If I told them their bandit boss was killed by a single flick of my wife's finger... Never mind.'
The murmurs continued, but Su Wen and Du Yue paid them no attention. They simply nodded to Tina and followed her toward the Contribution Hall.
The Contribution Hall was enormous. Rows of shelves lined the walls, displaying everything from herbs and cultivation techniques to weapons, alchemical items, rare materials, and countless other treasures.
Du Yue stood quietly at the exchange counter while Su Wen wandered between the display shelves, looking around curiously. Behind the counter, Tina was busy calculating their rewards and bounties.
Su Wen picked up a small jade bottle and examined it curiously before returning it to the shelf.Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the side. "You look lighter than you did this morning."
"Hmm?" Su Wen turned around, raising an eyebrow.
Not far away, Guild Master Aldren stood beside one of the shelves. He was carefully placing a treasure sword back onto its display stand, his movements calm and unhurried. Su Wen glanced at the sword before looking back at him. "Senior, what do you mean?"
Aldren chuckled softly and turned towards him. "I saw your expression after you killed that Golden Tooth Bandit in the hall this morning. You looked terrible."
Su Wen's mouth twitched as he remembered it. He coughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well... his teeth were ugly. I could only make that face."
Aldren let out a small laugh and shook his head. "Now you look much sharper. And how should I put it...?" Aldren studied him for another moment. "Freer."
Su Wen exhaled slowly. "I thought killing those bandits would make me feel guilty or sad, but when I saw that they had ill intentions towards my wife, all hesitation vanished from my heart."
Aldren looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Good. Killing doesn't automatically make you evil. To protect yourself, your loved ones, your principles, your future, or even something seemingly insignificant... sometimes, killing is unavoidable."
His expression grew slightly more solemn. "What's important is not whether you've taken a life. It's what kind of person you become afterward."
"You're right, Senior." Su Wen smiled and nodded in complete agreement. Then his expression became slightly more serious as he continued, "But for me, it's just hard to believe how cheap a life can be. Especially in the eyes of higher-realm cultivators, who look at lower-realm cultivators like weeds."
He shook his head. "They'll take everything from you, kill you, and then demand gratitude because they were kind enough to leave you with a full corpse."
Aldren stared at him for several seconds. Then, unexpectedly, he burst out laughing. "Hahaha!"
Su Wen said nothing and only sighed. Aldren shook his head, still chuckling. "The world is scary." Su Wen chimed in, "There's no humanity at all."
Aldren's expression turned calm and profound, carrying the quiet wisdom of someone who had witnessed much more of the world. "Of course there is humanity. But humanity without power is nothing more than a luxury. Without enough strength to protect it, even the kindest heart can be trampled beneath someone else's feet."
He straightened himself and looked at Su Wen with a more serious expression. "One should always remain true to their heart if they want to go far in cultivation." He continued, "A person can have a kind heart, and they can choose to remain kind, but..."
Aldren's eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze shifted towards Du Yue, who was standing at the exchange counter. "Don't hesitate to become ruthless if the situation demands it. There will be plenty of trouble waiting for you in the future."
Su Wen followed his gaze towards Du Yue, and his expression gradually became thoughtful. He understood the deeper meaning behind Aldren's words. After a moment, he cupped his hands towards Aldren. "Thanks for the advice, Senior. As you said, I'll no longer hesitate."
His eyes became sharper. "If I want to live freely in this world, I'll cultivate until I'm strong enough that, before anyone can tell me to leave my corpse intact, I'll obliterate them completely."
Aldren stared at him for a moment before a chuckle escaped his lips. "Haha... good!" He walked over and placed a hand heavily on Su Wen's shoulder, looking at him with satisfaction. "You really are teachable."
Su Wen's expression twitched from the sudden weight on his shoulder, but he didn't mind.
Aldren released him and walked towards the cultivation manuals section. After scanning the shelves, he pulled out a black booklet with white lettering on its cover. He tossed it towards Su Wen. "Here."
Su Wen caught the booklet and looked at the title with curiosity. "Heavenly Yin-Yang Sun-Moon Scripture."
Aldren put his hands behind his back and looked Su Wen up and down. "I don't sense any special physique from you, but you're radiating an unusually rich Yang Qi."
He tapped his finger against his arm thoughtfully. "However, it seems that you haven't properly controlled or refined it. I suspect it's because you lack a suitable cultivation technique."
Su Wen listened quietly.
Aldren continued, "Yang Qi enhances vitality and strengthens the body. But in your case, you've accumulated far too much of it. Sooner or later, it may start poisoning your body."
He paused and gave Su Wen a strange look before glancing towards Du Yue. "I also have to praise your willpower... You're able to control yourself even with such a beautiful wife constantly by your side."
Su Wen's face twitched.
Aldren chuckled. "You should already understand what I'm talking about."
Su Wen shifted awkwardly. Of course, he understood.
He had consumed a huge amount of Yang-attributed herbs over time, and his body had already begun evolving because of it. The turning point had been the Blazing Phoenixflame Soup he consumed in Sky Way City to treat the poison in April's arm. The Grade 3 herbs within it had flooded his body with Yang energy and pushed his constitution toward another evolution.
The Vermillion Sun Fruits he'd later consumed for body cultivation had only made matters worse. Now, whenever he was particularly close to Du Yue, his Yang Qi would sometimes get out of control, making it difficult to suppress his surging blood and rising desires.
Without a suitable cultivation technique to refine and control the excess Yang Qi, continuing like this could eventually lead to Qi deviation, ruptured meridians, or even death.
Su Wen lowered his eyes towards the black booklet in his hand and carefully read its name again. "Heavenly Yin-Yang Sun-Moon Scripture..."
He raised his eyebrows.
Aldren noticed his reaction and smiled. "Cultivate this technique. It will stabilise your Yang Qi while also improving your physique and constitution."
Su Wen immediately opened the booklet. His eyes quickly scanned the contents, and his expression gradually changed from curiosity to interest. "Absorb Sun Qi to refine the body during the day and Moon Qi to refine the soul at night. Refine body and soul together to maintain the balance of Yin and Yang..."
"This..." Su Wen was genuinely surprised. This cultivation technique was almost perfect for his current situation. His eyes sparkled as he looked towards Aldren. "Is this free?"
Aldren's expression immediately darkened. "Free your grandmother!" He pointed towards the shelf with an irritated twitch of his eyebrow. "It's only 8,990 Guild Points."
Su Wen's eyes widened. "That's expensive!"
"Snort." Aldren crossed his arms and looked at him as if he had asked the most ridiculous question in the world. "Do you think you can buy this technique anywhere? This is a Grade 3 technique. If cultivated to perfection, it can raise the quality of your physique to the Awakened level."
He tapped the booklet with one finger. "But that's not all... the later parts are of even higher grades. If cultivated successfully, they can eventually allow you to develop your physique to the Immortal level."
Su Wen's gaze lingered on the booklet. Only now did he fully understand its significance. He lowered the booklet slightly and thought for a moment before looking back at Aldren. "Senior, although the technique seems good, I'm still having trouble understanding something."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "Why did you recommend it to me? There must be something you are after, right?"
Aldren didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced towards Du Yue before giving Su Wen a knowing smile. "You're not naive."
Su Wen's eyebrows rose.
"Of course, it's because of her." Aldren pointed towards Du Yue with his chin. "Her physique is Immortal-grade, and her future is boundless. She's only at the Mid Golden Core Realm, yet she can easily kill Peak Golden Core cultivators like chickens and dogs."
Su Wen's expression became slightly stiff.
Aldren continued, "So naturally, establishing a connection with her is worth considering."
He paused. "And... as for you..." His expression suddenly became somewhat strange.
Su Wen's eyes narrowed. "I'm what...?"
Aldren coughed lightly and looked away for a moment. "I mean... although you don't have any special physique and haven't even broken through to the Golden Core Realm, you're still quite amazing."
He patted Su Wen's shoulder. "And you're also her husband. So you're a talent as well."
Su Wen's face immediately darkened. The Guild Master had clearly meant it as praise, but somehow, it sounded even more insulting.
He stared at Aldren in silence. Aldren turned away, deliberately avoiding his gaze.
Su Wen took a slow breath and clenched his fists inside his sleeves. 'Old man, don't let me see you once I break through to the Golden Core Realm...'
He took another deep breath before calming himself down. "But Senior..." Su Wen asked, forcing a smile onto his face. "How does this technique help you establish a connection with my wife?"
Aldren chuckled when he saw Su Wen's expression. "To be honest, I'm not making the connection personally." He pointed towards the Guild Hall around them. "It's the Guild."
Su Wen's expression became attentive.
"The technique belongs to the Guild, and its subsequent parts can only be purchased with Guild Points. If you want to cultivate it further, you'll have to earn those points through Guild missions and contributions." Aldren explained slowly.
He looked directly at Su Wen. "You both are young geniuses. Working with you will directly benefit the Guild. In return, the Central Guild can act as your backer when the situation requires it... but only as long as you remain active members and continue providing value to the Guild."
Su Wen listened quietly.
"The world is vast. Only a handful of people ever reach the top." Aldren's eyes gleamed with ambition. "The Central Guild supports geniuses like you because we don't need hundreds to reach the top. One is enough. If even one succeeds, the benefits to the Guild can be enormous."
He reached into his storage ring and took out a special token. Then he held it out towards Su Wen. "If you ever decide to become a true member of the Guild, take this token to any branch of the Guild around the world."
Su Wen lowered his gaze to the token, now understanding the Guild Master's reasoning. 'It's basically like a corporation. As long as we work for them and continue providing value, they're happy to invest in us and support our growth.'
He looked down at the token in his hand. 'If we don't manage to enrol in one of the Holy Lands, maybe becoming full-time Guild mercenaries wouldn't be a bad option. With the Guild as our backer, there won't be many people who dare to mess with us... especially those who covet her Yin Physique.'
His gaze shifted towards Du Yue. 'But again, it needs more deliberation and a complete picture of the advantages and disadvantages. I should leave the decision for later.'
However, another thought immediately followed. His expression became slightly more serious. 'And now that the Guild Master knows about her physique, I'm even more concerned about it becoming known to others.'
He remembered the black-robed cultivators. 'That Young Master Edrick they mentioned most likely comes from Great Eastern City... and that's our next destination.'
Su Wen looked back at Aldren and cupped his hands. "Thanks, Senior. We'll definitely think about your offer."
Aldren waved his hand dismissively, a satisfied smile lingering on his face. "Fine, fine. Just cultivate well."
He turned around and looked back over his shoulder. "I'd love to see your name resounding throughout the Central Continent one day."
Before Su Wen could reply, Aldren's figure disappeared.
Su Wen watched Aldren disappear, then shook his head with a faint smile before returning to the exchange counter, where Tina had almost finished calculating their rewards.