Chapter 158: Not Bad

In Shijie Zhang's courtyard, Lin Lin Bu Fan and Han Qi exchanged glances, looking at Zheng Fa in the study with concern in their eyes.

"Has the Young Master not come out yet?"

"Mm, he has been in seclusion for three consecutive days." Lin Lin Bu Fan shook his head: "He hasn't left the house."

"Regarding Shijie Zhang's matter... sigh, I will go to the market district to stand guard first." Han Qi shook his head, seeming to understand Zheng Fa's choice somewhat: "You persuade the Young Master, tell him not to be too hasty."

Inside the study, Zheng Fa's divine sense was immersed in his dantian.

On the seventh petal of the twin lotus throne in his dantian, a new Yang Yuanfu had appeared—Lei Suofu.

This is a relatively obscure type of Yuanfu; one should say, Lei Fu are already quite obscure, because this thing is extremely unstable, and ordinary people dare not play with it.

Originally, he had been hesitating over what Yuanfu to condense on the seventh talisman diagram.

According to the order of Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements, the talisman diagram condensed this time should be Yang and Metal.

Such talisman diagrams are generally inclined toward attack and defense types.

What Zheng Fa actually needs most are medical and illusion types.

Therefore, Zheng Fa hesitated for a long time over this talisman diagram—in the past few days, he had almost decided on Jin Jiafu.

After all, in terms of attack power, he already had Shuangren Fu.

In terms of traveling, he already had Ju Xia Fu.

Choosing a defensive spiritual talisman this time would also perfect his combat system.

But just yesterday, he changed his mind and chose Lei Suofu.

The function of this spiritual talisman, as the name suggests, is to summon a chain condensed from lightning, with the main effect of restricting the opponent's actions, plus paralyzing them.

The function of Shuangren Fu is more about killing enemies.

And Lei Suofu leans more towards trapping enemies, which also counts as a perfection of his combat mode.

Of course, the main reason he chose Lei Suofu was, of course, to prepare for going to Lei Chi.

Zheng Fa was inclined to go to Lei Chi as soon as possible.

On one hand, it was naturally for Shijie Zhang.

On the other hand, he could not avoid it.

Jiushan Sect is now confronting Zizaimo Sect; the conflict is unknown how long it will last, and as one of Jiushan Sect's most famous geniuses, it is hard for him to stay out of this struggle.

One day, he will have to face enemies from Zizaimo Sect, or rather, he has already met them, such as Lin Lin Bu Fan, and also Chen Ting.

He considers himself someone who does not particularly like conflict with people, but at this time, it is not up to whether he likes it or not.

Since they must fight, Zheng Fa of course is willing to choose the battlefield most suitable for him—

The best is naturally Jiushan Sect, full of security.

But they are not stupid.

The second is Lei Chi; he wants to go to Lei Chi, besides cultivating the Five Thunder Dharma Body and the Divine Sky Thunder True Method, he also wants to familiarize himself with Zizaimo Sect—just treat it as troop training.

Now that the Master does not let him leave the sect, he can also understand the worry behind it.

For him, there is only one way to have it both ways—cultivate to the death!

The Sect Master told him to go after the Five Thunder Dharma Body reaches perfection, so he will reach the fourth layer as soon as possible!

Zheng Fa picked up the Xuanlei Stone gifted by Shijie Zhang.

He had always used this Xuanlei Stone quite sparingly, having used it only two or three times.

At this moment, he no longer had any stingy thoughts.

Lei Guang flowed from the Xuanlei Stone into his dantian, making his whole body tremble involuntarily, his skin turning red all over, his teeth chattering, as if the bones all over his body were out of his control, constantly jumping.

This was his first time conducting the bone-forging cultivation of the third layer of the Five Thunder Dharma Body.

Zheng Fa could feel that compared to the current intensity of the electric current before, the heavenly thunder power exploding from this Xuanlei Stone was stronger, and increased by several times.

Only in this way could this electric current penetrate his skin and flesh, tempering his bones.

What surprised Zheng Fa was that actually, it was not just his bones strengthening; his skin and flesh were also slowly strengthening.

Not much time passed.

The black on the Xuanlei Stone in his hand gradually faded, turning snow-white; Zheng Fa gently squeezed, and the Xuanlei Stone crumbled into a pile of slag on the ground.

Zheng Fa stood up, not surprised.

Although he had always been saving it, the heavenly thunder power needed for one bone-forging session was actually quite a lot; consuming one Xuanlei Stone per cultivation session can be considered normal.

The Xuanlei Stones in the market district are scarce, but there are not none.

Now he still has some savings; if he really wants to buy, buying a few more pieces is not a burden he cannot afford—though a few pieces are probably not enough; even adding the time in the modern era, to cultivate the Five Thunder Dharma Body to the fourth layer in a short time, he needs more Xuanlei Stones.

Zheng Fa had already decided:

Shijie Yuan is relatively silly... no, generous.

Borrowing some from her first should be no problem.

Just as he thought of Shijie Yuan, Shijie Yuan's voice came: "Shidi Zheng!"

"Is Shidi Zheng still in seclusion?"

Outside the door, Shijie Yuan was speaking with Lin Lin Bu Fan.

"Yes."

"What can be done?" Shijie Yuan's voice sounded full of worry.

"Shijie?"

Zheng Fa pushed open the study door; as soon as he stepped out of the study, he saw Shijie Yuan frowning and pacing in place.

"What's wrong?"

"The market district... is not so good."

"Not so good?"

"News about Shijie Zhang and the others has spread..."

Han Qi and the other two walked slowly through the market.

Today, the market felt especially strange to them.

The atmosphere in the market was chaotic and desperate.

Some shops had their doors closed, with traces of fighting at the entrances, looking utterly messy.

The stalls in the market were more than half empty, so sparse it chilled the heart.

The customers walking inside the market all wore expressions of unease and urgency on their faces.

The stalls selling spirit talismans.

The shops selling spirit grains.

Even the shops selling pills and magical artifacts that used to have few visitors because prices were too high.

Were all packed with people.

Everyone acted as if they were about to spend all their wealth, going mad as if they wouldn't survive tomorrow.

"The news of Shijie Zhang's disappearance has spread; many senior brothers who went to the market this time... I heard quite a few were lost." Beside Han Qi, the tall, thin man, having gone to inquire, returned with a somewhat mournful expression on his face: "The entire market has fallen into chaos."

"They say the Sect is selecting Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation disciples to go to Lei Chi; everyone guesses it's to send them to their deaths."

Han Qi nodded lightly; he understood what the tall, thin man meant.

Whether buying various supplies or not setting up stalls to do business.

It was actually for one reason—preparing for war.

"Lei Chi is actually relatively safe for the lower-level disciples; don't they know?" Han Qi asked.

"They know; Shijie Yuan explained it, but they don't believe it," the tall, thin man replied: "They fear this is just a pretext to send them to their deaths."

"..."

Han Qi shook his head.

To be honest, he understood these disciples.

They could not resist, because this order came from two Nascent Soul cultivators.

Precisely because of this, they were so desperate.

"Senior brother, do you believe it?" the tall, thin man suddenly asked Han Qi.

"..."

After a long silence, Han Qi finally let out a bitter smile.

If it hadn't been said by Zheng Fa, he wouldn't have believed this explanation either.

"..."Everyone says spiritual energy is declining; actually, everyone understands there will always be a day like this," the tall, thin man fell silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

Han Qi was speechless and also understood what the tall, thin man meant; the panic in the market was not just the lower-level disciples of Jiushan Sect distrusting the upper levels.

There was also a fear that great chaos was about to arrive.

The three of them were very busy today.

As enforcement disciples of the market, their main duty was to maintain the market's stability.

But unfortunately, today everyone in the Jiushan Sect was like a Lei Fu; one wrong move and they would explode.

Often, a single disagreement would lead to an argument.

In one shichen, Han Qi and the others had already stopped three conflicts.

Moreover, as time passed, the suppressed anger in everyone's hearts grew; some even started fighting in the market.

This situation made Han Qi and the other two extremely worried.

Just then, as if some news had come from outside the market, the customers and stall vendors in the market began whispering to each other, and surprisingly, all showed smiles.

This news was like a spring breeze; the atmosphere in the market, which had just been tense and ready for battle, immediately became peaceful.

"What good news is there?"

Han Qi walked over and asked a nearby stall vendor.

"You don't know? Shijie Yuan sent a message; Shidi Zheng Fa said he will also go to Lei Chi in at least half a month, at most one month."

"..."

"If he goes, we naturally feel at ease."

Watching this group of people, as if they had put down a heavy burden, happily, calmly, and doing business just like in the old days.

The tall, thin man couldn't help but be stunned: "Shijie Yuan explained for half the morning this morning; we've also said it nearly a hundred times before, yet it doesn't compare to a single word from Shidi Zheng?"

"..." Han Qi pressed his lips together and sighed: "His single word is stronger than anything else."

"That is Shidi Zheng; whoever goes to their death, it won't be him."

"Come to me."

The voice of his own Shizun appeared in Zheng Fa's ear.

When he walked to the thatched cottage, the Sect Master stood before the cottage, looking at him with a cold face.

"Shizun."

Zheng Fa silently bowed.

"Do you still recognize me as your Shizun?"

"This disciple dares not forget."

"Then you do not respect your master's command?"

"Master, I plan to cultivate the Five Thunder Dharma Body to the Blood-Exchange stage; by then, I will go to Lei Chi to advance." Zheng Fa stated his reason: "At that time, I will also need Lei Chi to cultivate the Five Thunder Dharma Body."

"... Half a month to a month, you plan to cultivate to Blood-Exchange?"

"This disciple plans to borrow the help of Profound Thunder Stones."

"Where did you get so many?"

"If the spirit stones are not enough, I will borrow from Senior Sister Yuan."

Zheng Fa's previous frequency of going to the Modern Era was irregular; sometimes, because cultivation reached a critical juncture, he would go to the Modern Era only once a month.

But during this period, he planned to go once every seven days.

He would try his best to use the electricity of the Modern Era to cultivate the Five Thunder Dharma Body.

He did not plan to waste time in this world either; although Profound Thunder Stones were expensive, now that he had reached a critical juncture, he did not plan to be stingy.

The Sect Master looked at him twice, curled his lip, and said: "Do not bully that bird."

He waved his hand, and a storage bag fell into Zheng Fa's hand.

"Master?"

"Inside are a few Profound Thunder Stones I had left over before." The Sect Master said with a cold face.

Zheng Fa opened the storage bag; inside were dozens of black Profound Thunder Stones.

"Master, you have so many left over?"

Zheng Fa looked at his own master, somewhat disbelieving.

"Profound Thunder Stones were plentiful before!"

"That was over ten thousand years ago, right... This thing, Master, could you keep it for so long?"

Zheng Fa said, half moved, half complaining.

"Can't I bet that this thing will appreciate in value?"

"..."

"Just say whether it appreciated or not!" The Sect Master snorted, then waved his hand as if shooing someone away: "Disciples are all debts! Get out now!"

Watching Zheng Fa's receding back, True Person Pang suddenly walked out of the thatched cottage.

"Your disciple is not bad; in the future, we can rest assured leaving Jiushan Sect to him."

"... He is not bad; he has prestige and can remember kindness." The Sect Master sighed: "He just does not listen."

"If he is not good, give him to me!"

"Dream on!"

The Sect Master glared at True Person Pang; after a long time, he spoke again: "However, I can let him support you in your old age in the future."

"..."

"Just lend me some spirit stones."

"... Do you take me for that stupid bird?" Uncle Pang snorted: "I am a Nascent Soul; what old age do I need to be supported in!"