Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 158 - 123: The Subtleties of the Ninth Realm, Bountiful Gains

He opened another sandalwood box, and found the same inside—the only difference was that this pill was pure black, dark as ink.

Su Mu's eyes flickered as he suddenly remembered the pill with a faint golden pattern he'd obtained after killing Black Insect Elder. "I'll find a chance to have a pharmacist identify it when I get back."

Putting away the two unknown elixirs, Su Mu took out a bundle. This bundle held the belongings of Zhao Family's tributor. Unwrapping it, what came into sight was a stack of silver notes and a thin booklet.

"One thousand three hundred taels, that's quite a lot."

Counting Zheng Xuan's share, it was over one thousand eight hundred taels altogether. Su Mu then took out the booklet and opened it in surprise—though it looked small, it could unfold into a blueprint.

Focusing his gaze, he saw a complex and meticulous design drawing for armor.

"Fire Cloud Armor?"

Su Mu's eyes lit up, excitedly holding the blueprint in his hands to examine it. As he glanced over the internal breakdown of parts, his eyes grew even brighter.

"This is a Grade-Entering Treasure Artifact armor..." What truly set his heart ablaze was that the blueprint included a brand new inscription.

"Flame Rune, used to amplify Flame Power. I wonder what exactly its power is?"

"Some of the armor's design can also be applied to the forging of the Great Spear."

Upon seeing this rune, Su Mu couldn't help but itch with anticipation. His heart longed for Cyan Cloud, and he remembered still needing to visit Master Lin Ruoshui to learn the last secrets of Treasure-Forge Art.

What thrilled him even more was his soon-to-be personal forging chamber, and the chance to forge a Grade-Entering Treasure Artifact Great Spear of his own.

"A Grade-Entering Treasure Artifact can greatly enhance my combat power!"

Su Mu recalled that day when Shangguan Feng wielded twin swords laced with Cold Iron Essence, and the white-haired elder whose sword pierced his Vajra Body Golden Bell. A handy weapon was clearly necessary.

After sorting Zhao Family tributor's possessions, there was only Guo Lie's left. Guo Lie himself didn't carry much; Su Mu only found a small Full Moon-shaped Jade Pendant, just a bit larger than his thumb.

The jade felt smooth and warm in his hand, with a faint soothing coolness that seeped in and circulated through his meridians, finally settling at his brow.

Buzz------

The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss at Su Mu's brow, along with his intangible Spiritual Power, instantly reacted, transmitting a surge of joy that slightly invigorated his spirit.

"This thing can actually nourish Spiritual Power?!"

Joy swelling inside, Su Mu began to examine the jade pendant closely.

"The jade pendant from Guo Lie seems to use the same material as the one Sun Li had... but it's clearly inferior to Sun Li's fish-shaped jade pendant."

Memories from years ago surfaced—Sun Li's pendant was still buried by him beyond Dongbian Village, under the desolate mountain, together with the Black Tiger Gang token.

In that memory, Sun Li's fish-shaped jade pendant was three to five times bigger than the one in his hand, and much more lustrous and pure. Upon close inspection, this piece had some impurities within the jade.

Back then, Sun Li's jade had landed with Su Mu like a hot potato. He'd known well that an ordinary person possessing treasure could invite disaster. Even knowing its wonders, he'd dared not wear it and chose to bury it instead.

But the nameless youth of old had now reached the Ninth Realm.

Su Mu was confident he now had enough power to protect himself, and so without hesitation, he directly wore the jade pendant. Pressed against his chest, threads of coolness continuously flowed in, making his mind noticeably clearer.

"It truly is a fine thing."

Su Mu resolved to find a time to return to Dongbian Village and retrieve the fish-shaped jade pendant.

Having finished with Guo Lie's belongings, he turned to what he'd looted from Guo Mansion. Su Mu opened the small wooden chest filled with silver notes.

Each note was marked for one hundred taels. He pulled out a thick stack; without pressing hard, it was as thick as a finger.

"This Guo Family really is rolling in wealth."

Thinking to himself, Su Mu counted it over, then was astonished. "Seventeen thousand five hundred taels. Adding Uncle Li's one thousand five hundred taels, that's a full nineteen thousand taels!"

Nineteen thousand taels—almost twenty thousand. With what he'd collected earlier, Su Mu found himself in possession of over twenty thousand taels, an enormous fortune.

Guo Lie had once confiscated fifteen hundred taels and five hundred taels of interest from him. Su Mu had promised to pay it back tenfold—now, with nineteen thousand taels in hand, he was true to his word.

"Not bad, not bad."

Satisfied, Su Mu placed the silver notes in his bundle; as for the wooden chest, he crushed it to powder with Power. Lastly, his eyes fell on several martial arts secret manuals.

Back then, Su Mu had suppressed the glow of destiny and insights in his mind, unable to look at the manuals in detail. Now, spreading the newly acquired 'manuals' before him, he was taken aback.

The three books from Guo Family weren't martial arts secret manuals at all—they were account books.

"Account books?"

Su Mu hesitated and opened one up. His eyes gradually brightened; he found records of many dealings and payments with various big figures in Canghe City, each involving hundreds or thousands of taels.

Su Mu realized at once these account books were probably Guo Lie's safeguard—so long as he had them, the powerful people of Canghe City wouldn't dare turn against him easily.

"Better keep these... Perhaps they can be handed to Li Zhihe as repayment for a favor, should the need arise."

Thinking this, Su Mu wrapped the books back up in a cloth bag and tucked them into his coat. With them in Li Zhihe's hands, they could count as an achievement.

After accounting for the harvest of the past few days, Su Mu rose and stretched his limbs. After days of snow, the sky had cleared; a ray of sunlight pierced through the forest, illuminating the youth's resolute face.

"Time to go... I'll make a trip to Canghe City for some strong wine, then return to Cyan Cloud."