Eternal Life from the Golden Needle Technique

Shen Changchuan, of course, had no idea what Shen Zhongshan and the others were thinking as they left.

But even if he had known, he wouldn’t have cared.

Being looked down upon didn’t faze Shen Changchuan in the slightest.

Perhaps it was because he possessed the progress bar panel, which gave him the unshakeable confidence that he would one day glimpse the higher Immortal Dao Realms.

The idle gossip he heard along the way was nothing more than a passing breeze to him.

It didn’t affect him in the slightest.

Besides, in a way, the weaker he appeared to his clansmen, the safer he would be for the next few years!

This was actually a good thing.

And this was one of the reasons Shen Changchuan had refused Shen Zhongshan.

’If I go exploring in the mountains with them and we run into some unforeseen danger, should I reveal my true strength?’

’If I do reveal it, will word get out through them and eventually reach the ears of that talent-hating First Madam, bringing even greater danger my way?’

’Better not to risk it.’

’It’s far too dangerous.’

Besides, the Border Desolate Land had already become a massive vortex.

All sorts of factions were gathering, a motley crew of saints and sinners alike.

To rush in recklessly meant that the slightest misstep could lead to utter annihilation.

Shen Changchuan had no intention of taking that risk.

With his progress bar panel, as long as he kept grinding out one Daoist Technique after another and steadily accumulating power, he could crawl his way to the Soul Emergence Realm, even if it took a long time.

’So why take such a risk?’

That was why Shen Changchuan’s refusal had been so absolute.

There was no room for negotiation.

And it was also why they looked so grim when they left.

Not that Shen Changchuan cared much, anyway.

Once the group had departed, Shen Changchuan put them out of his mind.

He went to see Si Houqing on the east side of the village, chatting with him to strengthen their relationship.

During their conversation,

Si Houqing offered Shen Changchuan a suggestion.

He said that when the chamber of commerce officially moved in, it would be best to improve the village patrol’s surveillance methods to better detect enemies in advance.

In his view, the patrol team’s surveillance methods,

were simply too outdated.

When it came to dealing with Cultivators, there were far too many vulnerabilities.

Shen Changchuan wasn’t the least bit offended by this criticism.

Instead, he readily accepted the suggestion.

Shen Changchuan was very self-aware.

He knew that both he and his grandfather, Han Qinhu, were amateurs in this field and lacked professional expertise.

When it came to defensive measures, especially against Cultivators,

they were newcomers with virtually no experience.

They clearly couldn’t compare to a well-traveled Shopkeeper from a major chamber of commerce.

Since the topic was already on the table,

Shen Changchuan decided to proactively ask Si Houqing for guidance.

He even called his grandfather, Han Qinhu, to join them.

The three of them talked for the better part of the day.

They learned a great deal from Si Houqing’s experience, including various tricks for a weaker force to detect an enemy.

They also drafted a rough plan to adjust the village’s defenses.

Shen Changchuan ran a mental simulation of the adjusted plan.

With these changes,

the village’s defenses would indeed be significantly improved.

At the very least, they would be able to raise the alarm in time when facing a surprise attack from a powerful Cultivator, preventing catastrophic losses.

The various techniques involved...

...were likely the culmination of lessons the Sanhe Chamber of Commerce had learned through blood and tears over many years of trade!

This knowledge,

one could even say, was valuable enough to be part of the very foundation of a chamber of commerce.

Shen Changchuan was extremely grateful for Si Houqing’s selfless sharing.

This kind of knowledge and skill,

was the sort of thing that money couldn’t buy.

In response,

Si Houqing just smiled, shook his head, and told him not to worry about it.

Strengthening Dawan Village’s defenses,

would also be beneficial for the security of his chamber of commerce after it moved in.

Even though he said that,

Shen Changchuan still felt,

that he owed the man a great debt.

With the plan decided,

Shen Changchuan wasted no time. The very next day, he had his grandfather Han Qinhu implement the changes to the village’s patrol and defense system, and they conducted a security drill.

But what none of them—not Shen Changchuan, not Han Qinhu, and not even Si Houqing—could have expected,

was that the newly implemented patrol and alert methods,

would be put into effect,

the very next night!

...

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

As three urgent tolls of a bell echoed through the night sky,

the entirety of Dawan Village erupted like a disturbed anthill. The pounding footsteps of countless patrol guards filled the air as torches flared to life on street after street, forming winding serpents of fire.

A cacophony of shouts and clamor,

shattered the night’s tranquility.

And yet, at that very moment,

in one corner on the outskirts of the village,

the scene was completely different from the clamor and commotion elsewhere. This area was far too quiet.

The lights within the houses were faint and scattered,

but not a single figure emerged.

It was as if nothing had happened,

a stark contrast to the rest of the village.

"Old Third, what happened?"

A figure flickered through the darkness like a ghost, appearing beside a shadow.

At the same time,

with a gust of wind,

another figure landed silently nearby.

"It’s nothing."

"Their defenses are just a bit clever. I was careless for a moment and triggered their alarm system."

The man called Old Third withdrew his hand, his face grim under the faint lamplight.

At that moment,

strewn across the street,

lay the bodies of five or six Dawan Village patrol guards.

The stench of blood filled the air.

Considering that the two shadowy figures had just emerged from the surrounding houses,

and that none of the villagers had come out to see what was happening despite the village-wide commotion,

it was clear the nearby residents had already met a grisly fate.

"I was hoping to sneak in quietly and eliminate the target, but it seems that’s impossible now."

"Big Brother, what’s our next move?"

The two figures turned their gazes to the tall, thin man.

They awaited his decision.

"What else can we do?"

"Jobs with a payout this high and this little difficulty are rare. You want to give up?"

"They could have just played dumb, but no, they had to raise a fuss."

"Since they’re asking for death, we’ll just kill them all!"

The "fiery serpents" from the village streets were rapidly converging on their position.

It was the torch-bearing village patrol, and they were closing in fast.

The tall, thin figure stood under the dim glow of the lights,

the approaching torchlight reflecting in his eyes. A savage, cruel expression twisted his high-cheekboned face.

"Excellent. This village looks to have about two thousand people. This time, I should be able to have some real fun!"

The other two glanced at each other, both breaking into wide, bloodthirsty grins.

"Let’s move. Wipe everyone out. Leave no one alive!"

BOOM!!!

A blast of air,

suddenly erupted from the long street, resembling a draconic shockwave as it swept out in all directions!

One house after another,

collapsed in the face of that terrifying impact!