Chapter 68: Spiral Nine Transformations Breakthrough!

In the next few days, Lu Zhangsheng stayed at home, living a reclusive life and avoiding all contact with anyone.

Every day, aside from training the Ant Tribe's massive army, he mined at the crater of a volcano.

Watching his Source Energy Points increase bit by bit gave him great satisfaction.

At this rate, a breakthrough of the next cultivation technique was not far off.

After he slashed the Guardian of the Wenxiang Sect, the city temporarily calmed down.

He estimated that the opponent would not give up easily and might be hiding even deeper.

Moreover, after these incidents in the city, the DemonSubduingOffice and the County Office began to cooperate, dispatching warriors to patrol the city day and night.

Lu Zhangsheng was also assigned a small sector.

This sector lay on the banks of the Cang River to the west of the city.

The Cang River, a minor tributary of the Mi Luo River, has a modest flow and runs across the entire county town.

Both banks of the river are bustling, with countless laborers unloading goods and many gang enforcers maintaining order.

The dock along the river belongs to the Sanhe Gang's territory, mainly handling canal transport business.

This day, at dawn.

Lu Zhangsheng, dressed in official robes and carrying his Pig Slaughter Knife, patrolled the riverside street.

He looked extremely dignified and upright.

Wherever he passed, a multitude of civilians stepped aside, looking at Lu Zhangsheng with awe.

Even some members of the Sanhe Gang's Fenglei Hall withdrew, their eyes dazed, daring not to provoke him.

They knew the feud between their Hall Master and Lu Zhangsheng, but since Lu Zhangsheng's promotion, no one has mentioned it, as if it never happened.

Lu Zhangsheng scanned the scene with his gaze, ignoring the gang members.

Today was merely a routine patrol, not a search for trouble.

Just as Lu Zhangsheng reached the end of the street and was about to turn back, an anomaly erupted.

He suddenly felt a tightening around his body, as if a fierce tiger were eyeing him, and a chill rose from his heart.

"Bone-forging Strongman attack!"

In an instant, he reacted.

He hurriedly activated the Burning Blood Secret Technique, drew his knife backward and slashed, moving at an astonishing speed.

Even the air emitted bursts of explosive sound.

"Wham—…"

At that moment, a dazzling cold ray flickered in the void, thrusting sharply toward Lu Zhangsheng's back.

The sword‑wielder was a black‑cloaked, masked figure, eyes razor‑sharp and full of murderous intent.

Yet his build resembled that of an old woman, with a slightly hunched back.

From Lu Zhangsheng sensing the danger to striking a defense, it all happened in a split second.

Boom— Boom— Boom—…

The two sides suddenly collided.

Violent shockwaves swept in all directions, the stone slabs of the ground cracked in large sections, smoke and dust billowed, leaving utter chaos.

Lu Zhangsheng felt a tremendous force surge from his Pig Slaughter Knife, his internal Qi and blood congealed, causing a blockage in circulation.

He quickly pushed the Dragon Chant Iron Cloth Shirt and the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield to their limits, finally stabilizing his internal Qi and blood.

"Bone-forging Strongman of the later stage?"

He was startled; if it could firmly suppress his power after activating the secret technique, it must have surpassed the mid‑stage of Bone‑forging.

Then, using the rear‑push momentum, Lu Zhangsheng immediately activated Spiral Nine Transformations, turning into a series of after‑images and retreating backward.

In the blink of an eye, he was dozens of meters away from the old woman.

"What a fast speed, what astonishing footwork!"

The old woman stared at Lu Zhangsheng with a face full of terror.

Just as she was thinking of continuing her attacks, the opponent vanished.

This was something she never expected, causing waves of shock to rise in her heart.

Seeing a massive contingent of Dark Armor troops charging from the street corners, she no longer hesitated, rushed to the riverbank, leapt, and jumped into the icy water.

She disappeared in an instant.

All this happened so fast that the people on the street hadn't even reacted before it ended.

Lu Zhangsheng stood on the street, his eyes filled with deep chill.

He didn't need to think; he knew this was a master of the Wenxiang Sect attempting to assassinate him.

He had just slain a Guardian of the Wenxiang Sect, and the assassination came right after; such coincidence could not exist.

It seems he unintentionally disrupted someone's plan, causing the other party to take a desperate risk and assassinate him in the city.

"It seems some forces hidden for decades are still not to be underestimated."

Lu Zhangsheng grew increasingly vigilant in his heart.

He would avenge this grudge someday.

After a moment.

Lu Zhangsheng gathered his thoughts, hurried forward, and the crowds on both sides looked at him with faces full of awe.

They all witnessed the force of Lu Zhangsheng's earlier strike.

That blade flash and footwork speed far surpassed those of peers, truly astonishing.

The crowd speculated that Lu Zhangsheng must have cultivated his footwork to an extremely high level, otherwise such speed would be impossible.

Lu Zhangsheng and the old woman only clashed once, and the onlookers could not discern their true strength.

He could only rely on his speed and footwork, like watching a leopard through a tube.

But even so, it was still quite frightening.

Sure enough, he truly was the one who, with a civilian's body, broke through the encirclement among apprentice Demon Subduing Officers.

By this slight action, Lu Zhangsheng's reputation gradually spread among these lower‑tier martial artists.

Soon after, he earned the nickname "Fast Blade," which left him both amused and exasperated.

When Lu Zhangsheng reached the end of the street, a hulking member of the Mystic Armor Army quickly clasped his fists in salute, his face very respectful: "Lord Lu, we are sorry to have startled you; I will immediately report to the County Lord and devote all effort to cleansing the city of cults."

He was merely a squad leader of the Mystic Armor Army, lower in rank than Lu Zhangsheng, so he naturally dared not be negligent.

"Then thank you, little brother."

Lu Zhangsheng smiled, appearing quite friendly.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the two went their separate ways.

……

Inside a dimly lit room.

The candle flame flickered.

"Reporting to the Lord, the mission failed; I accept the death penalty."

An old woman knelt on the ground, her face full of reverence as she stared at the red‑robed woman ahead.

"With your strength, why did you fail to slay a Refining Meat warrior?"

The woman also seemed rather puzzled.

"The target was extremely alert; before I could strike, I was discovered, and with a single blow the opponent activated his footwork to evade."

"His strength is not weak either; he has reached the Bone‑forging level."

The old woman clenched her teeth, her face full of resentment.

She also knew the consequence of a failed mission; although she wouldn't die, she could not bear that feeling for even a moment.

"Go down and receive your punishment yourself."

The red‑clothed woman waved her hand.

"At your command, sir."

The old woman rose slowly and retreated backward.

……

As soon as Lu Zhangsheng returned to the Zhen Yao Si Office, he reported the matter to his superior Qin Ruobing.

"Oh? You mean you just encountered an ambush? Suspecting that a demon from the Wenxiang Sect acted?"

Qin Ruobing's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"I will discuss this with the County Lord as soon as possible; you should return and wait a few days for news."

"At your command, sir."

Lu Zhangsheng clasped his hands in a bow, then turned and walked away.

Seeing Lu Zhangsheng's vanishing silhouette, Qin Ruobing's gaze became somewhat distant.

Regarding Lu Zhangsheng as a rising talent, she still held him in high regard.

Having such a promising protégé under her, she naturally gave him special attention.

Now those demons dared to strike in the street, outright challenging the authority of the Demon Subduing Office.

She must act without delay.

In the days that followed.

Lu Zhangsheng stayed at home, awaiting news.

Meanwhile, his clone was tirelessly searching for Fire Crystal Stones.

Finally, after three days, he met the requirements of a cultivation technique.

He opened the panel.

Source Energy Points: 200.

"Add points."

Lu Zhangsheng's mind shifted, and he allocated points to Spiral Nine Transformations.

A subtle wave descended, as if a strong cultivator were rehearsing footwork in his mind day and night.

His entire mind filled with afterimages, growing ever more, as if without limit.

【After twenty years of arduous cultivation, Spiral Nine Transformations has finally reached the divine‑transcendent stage.】

(End of Chapter)