103: Mr. Jiang, are you tired?

Jiang Lan couldn't help but feel a little happy.

After thinking for a moment, he asked,

"Based on your current digestion speed, how long will it take for you to fuse the next one?"

Bao Jing also lowered his head, thought for a while, then replied,

"Little Monk believes that if we continue at this absorption rate, it will take about half a year to be completely unaffected, and then it should be possible."

"Half a year…"

Jiang Lan repeated in a low voice.

Half a year was still a bit too long for him.

He asked again,

"How many sub-souls can a single bamboo tube hold?"

"One," Bao Jing replied, "Actually, more could be put in, but if they are kept together, the sub-souls will merge into one. If it exceeds what Little Monk can bear, after absorbing them, Little Monk fears he might lose control and turn into a demon or ghost."

"I see." Jiang Lan nodded.

Immediately, he frowned slightly.

If what Bao Jing said was true, then he could only kill two more sub-souls.

Although that would still be over a thousand years of lifespan, Jiang Lan always felt it was a bit lacking.

And Bao Jing could make use of these sub-souls.

The most crucial thing was that only Bao Jing knew the locations where these things were hiding.

Since it was a collaboration, it definitely had to be a win-win.

If he were to kill more sub-souls, and the bamboo tube couldn't hold them, and Bao Jing couldn't absorb them, then they would just dissipate into the world.

In that case, what was originally a win-win situation would become a one-sided gain for Jiang Lan.

Even if Bao Jing agreed, he would probably feel very uncomfortable inside.

So, if they wanted to continue, there were only two methods left.

The first was to take it slow.

Getting a few hundred years of lifespan every six months was also pretty good.

However, this thought only appeared for a moment before Jiang Lan rejected it.

The lifespan he could obtain was related to the power gap between him and his opponents.

It was fine to stay at a certain Realm for a while.

But he couldn't possibly keep his Realm stuck at the Spirit Gathering Realm just for this bit of lifespan.

After Yao Banxian told him about the vastness of the Nine Provinces Continent, Jiang Lan's thoughts were no longer confined to the small Yan Country.

The Peak of the Gathering Yuan Realm was indeed one of the best in Great Yan, but in Chihong Province, he would just be a slightly stronger ant.

Therefore, his Realm definitely had to be improved.

In that case, only the second method remained.

To find more containers capable of collecting sub-souls.

As long as there were enough containers, for example, a hundred of them, Jiang Lan could kill all hundred sub-souls in one go.

As for Bao Jing, those sub-souls wouldn't expire anyway, so he could just keep them and absorb them slowly.

He would ask Yao Banxian if he had any more when he returned, and even if he didn't want them, couldn't he just buy some?

If Yao Banxian didn't have any, he would surely know others who did.

This method was clearly much more reliable than the first, and Bao Jing could also accept it.

Having made a decision, he now only needed to fill the other two bamboo tubes before returning to the Demon Suppression Division to find Yao Banxian.

"Let's go." Jiang Lan called out to Bao Jing.

The matters within Golden Light Temple were already settled.

As for the Buddha statue, he would let those monks repair it themselves.

Upon hearing this, Bao Jing also turned to leave.

But after only two steps, he stopped, his gaze falling upon the monk who was still sitting on the prayer mat.

Seeing this, Jiang Lan also stopped.

"amitabha."

Bao Jing clasped his hands together, then walked to the monk and placed his hand over the monk's head.

After closing his eyes and sensing for a while, Bao Jing shook his head.

"As this poor monk expected, only an empty shell remains."

Jiang Lan also sighed softly.

However, he didn't dwell on it too much.

There was nothing he could do.

In this world, not to mention people dying every moment, the number of people who died at the hands of demons every day was countless.

Even if he, Jiang Lan, wanted to manage it, he couldn't.

Bao Jing's expression was complex, he clasped his hands together and chanted softly,

"All sentient beings who have not attained liberation, their nature and consciousness are unstable, evil habits lead to karma, good habits lead to results, doing good or evil, arising from circumstances..."

After chanting for a while, he silently stopped and said to Jiang Lan,

"Benefactor Jiang, let's go."

Jiang Lan looked at Bao Jing.

"You've changed again."

"Huh?" Bao Jing was a little confused, "How have I changed?"

"Your malevolence." Jiang Lan pointed to Bao Jing's eyes, "It's much less than before."

The current Bao Jing was again different from when he was at Bao Ping Temple.

Before, his demonic nature had the upper hand.

Now, his human nature had returned for the most part.

At least Jiang Lan didn't believe that when he was at Bao Ping Temple, Bao Jing would stand here chanting scriptures for half a day for a deceased monk.

Bao Jing smiled, "amitabha."

"Let's go."

The two walked together towards the outside of Golden Light Temple.

Passing through the Hall of the Heavenly Kings and the Bell and Drum Tower, Jiang Lan and Bao Jing once again arrived at the entrance.

At this time, the monks who had been rolling on the ground were all gathered in a corner and squatting by Lin Zifeng's men, looking no better than prisoners.

"Resolved?" Seeing Jiang Lan and Bao Jing emerge, Lin Zifeng's eyes lit up, and he quickly came forward to greet them.

Jiang Lan nodded slightly.

"Yes, it's resolved."

He continued, "Let those monks repair the Buddha statue in the Mahavira Hall themselves. Oh, and there's a corpse inside; have someone prepare the body for burial."

"Alright." Lin Zifeng nodded, then gestured to a Demon Suppression Guard behind him.

The Demon Suppression Guard immediately understood, and jogged into the temple, seemingly to check the situation.

"Would you like to come to the Demon Suppression Division for a visit? I'll arrange dinner tonight. It's a good opportunity; I haven't had a chance to thank you for what happened in Qinglin County."

Jiang Lan declined,

"I won't be staying; I still have something to do later. Thanks... there's nothing to thank me for, it's just my duty. Let's gather again when there's an opportunity in the future."

Lin Zifeng's gaze was complex.

He seemed reluctant for Jiang Lan to leave directly, but since Jiang Lan had said so much, he couldn't force him to stay.

After a moment, he nodded and said,

"Then I won't force you to stay. We'll meet again when I return to the Yan Capital City in a while."

"Alright."

After a simple farewell, Jiang Lan took Bao Jing and left Golden Light Temple.

Walking on the street.

Jiang Lan turned his head and said,

"Shall we continue?"

Bao Jing retorted, "Benefactor Jiang, aren't you tired?"

"Uh..."

Jiang Lan indeed didn't feel tired.

After all, he was already at the Peak of the Gathering Yuan Realm, and he could be said to be a completely different kind of creature compared to ordinary people.

Not only his strength and speed, but his endurance was also unimaginable to ordinary people.

Even if he sprinted at full speed for a day and a night, Jiang Lan might not necessarily feel very tired.

Not sleeping for three to five days had no effect on him whatsoever.

However, even so, Jiang Lan still maintained the good habit of sleeping every day.

It wasn't because he was sleepy, but simply because he was used to it.

"Then... shall we rest here for a night?"

"Benefactor Jiang, that's not what I meant." Bao Jing said, "What I meant was, if you're not tired, then let's continue on our way."