Strongest Scammer: Scamming The World, One Death At A Time-Chapter 197: Viable Options

Back at the reading desk, Han Yu ran a hand through his hair, his gaze flicking between his notes and the open compendium before him. The dense spiritual air of the library felt even heavier now, as if each page he turned carried the weight of hundreds of lifetimes.

He tapped his quill on the parchment, eyeing each material in the list one by one, this time not for their theoretical uses, but for their practical attainability.

"Jade Heart Silk..."

He scanned the relevant passage again and scribbled a side note: ’Available through trade. High cost. Purchase possible if funds available.’

From what he’d read, Jade Heart Silk could actually be bought from reputable sect-backed alchemic markets. It was one of the few materials on his list that didn’t require a black-market transaction, a secret mission, or a miracle. Unfortunately, that accessibility came at a price.

"Each strand can cost around ten thousand merit points," Han Yu muttered grimly. "I’d need at least two or three according to the texts..."

Twenty thousand merit points. That was enough to buy a mid-tier spirit weapon or even purchase housing in the Outer Sect for a decade. Still, it was possible. Difficult, but not impossible.

He underlined the entry and added another note beside it: ’Feasible. Mark for acquisition.’

Moving on, he turned to the next material.

"Ashes of a Fireborn Beast..."

The fiery residue of a creature born in flames—these ashes were crucial in the reconstruction process, acting as the spark of vitality. But these beasts didn’t die easily. Worse still, they often exploded into embers upon death, rendering the ashes unusable.

Yet, Han Yu’s eyes gleamed with a hint of confidence.

"If I can find a Fireborn Beast lair or habitat, I might be able to take one down myself... or wait for a dying one," he murmured. "That wouldn’t be illegal, and I wouldn’t owe anyone a favor."

He flipped to a different section of the book and noted down the known habitats of such creatures—volcanic ridges, scorched wastelands, and spirit flame valleys. A few of these places were within reach if he picked the right sect missions.

’Note: Locate confirmed habitat. Add to potential mission targets.’

The next name gave him pause.

"Three-Cycle Soulgrass..."

Han Yu frowned as he examined its profile. While it wasn’t considered illegal or taboo, it was notoriously rare and grew only in soil enriched with soul energy. Every bloom took thirty years, and its harvesting required care lest the tender stems collapse upon contact.

The sect did have a few samples—he found this detail in the resource catalog hidden in a less-read document on alchemical investments—but the price tag was laughable.

"One million two hundred thousand merit points..." Han Yu read aloud, barely suppressing a choked cough.

Even the most accomplished Outer Court disciples didn’t earn that much in their entire careers. One needed to be an Elder or in the Inner Court for such resources.

He exhaled and scribbled in his notes: ’Unattainable for now. Possible later if status or fortune rises.’

That brought him to the next item.

"Spirit-Forged Bone Sand..."

This one came with a heavy sigh.

Made from the ground bones of ancient cultivators—some willingly donated, most not—this sand was among the most heavily restricted substances in the cultivation world or at least for the Orthodox Righteous factions. The mere possession of it without authorization could result in expulsion or worse.

"Completely illegal... even if it wasn’t, I don’t have the connections to get it," Han Yu murmured, reluctantly crossing a heavy red X over the name on his notes.

’Too risky. Shelve indefinitely.’

Next, he scanned over the information for something that seemed even grayer.

"Spirit Anchor Iron..."

Not illegal by nature, but heavily regulated, this substance was deemed dangerous due to its soul-binding properties. In the wrong hands, it could be used for soul imprisonment, or worse—torture.

Its appearance in the legal markets was nonexistent. But Han Yu knew enough by now to realize that wasn’t the end of the trail.

"The black markets in the Southern Fringe... they probably deal in stuff like this." He tapped his fingers on the parchment. "I’d have to be discreet, but it’s not impossible to get."

His fights in the underground fighting ring had let him know about a few such black markets in the Ending Spine Mountains and around it. He knew for sure they’d have something such nefarious there.

The risks were significant—getting caught with Spirit Anchor Iron could land him in deep trouble—but the potential payoff was worth it.

’Track black market listings. Risky, but viable.’

Finally, he arrived at the last and most straightforward ingredient. freewёbnoνel.com

"Reverse Bloodfruit..."

Han Yu’s expression relaxed slightly.

This fruit wasn’t illegal, nor did it require any esoteric knowledge to harvest. It didn’t grow in forbidden lands or need thirty years of cultivation. It simply had to be fresh and was widely understood for its use in regeneration-focused alchemical mixtures.

"The problem..." he muttered, eyeing the price listed in the sect’s medical records, "is the cost."

Thirty thousand merit points.

It was a staggering number, but still within the realm of possibility. Especially when compared to the Soulgrass or Jade Heart Silk, this seemed practically reasonable.

He marked the fruit’s name with a green symbol in the margins.

’Accessible. Prioritize if savings allow.’

Leaning back in his chair, Han Yu exhaled deeply.

His parchment was now a web of annotations, scribbled notes, and color-coded indicators of possibility, legality, and cost. From an impossible dream, the Undying Life Charm had now transformed into a daunting but clear roadmap.

Seven items. Three potentially obtainable. Four requiring either ridiculous wealth, questionable ethics, or dangerous missions.

But none of them felt entirely beyond him.

’One step at a time...’ he thought. ’I don’t need to revive again right now. But I do need to prepare, just in case. I won’t be caught defenseless again.’

Outside the library, the late afternoon sun poured through the high windows, casting rays of golden light over the reading desks and the ever-turning pages.