Chapter 88: Bone‑Tempering Breakthrough Complete! Strength Soars!

For the next few days, Lu Zhangsheng stayed at home, leading a leisurely life of mining at night and drinking during the day.

Since XiaoTiansi's subordinate Patrol Envoy was beheaded, the situation has grown increasingly intense.

The area around the county town resembles a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.

Those Yuhunshi have become more rampant, wreaking havoc outside the city, and countless civilians have suffered their harm.

All the warriors inside the city are indignant, hoping that the strong ones of the DemonSubduingOffice can slay those Yuhunshi.

That day, at dawn.

After getting up, Lu Zhangsheng stretched his muscles in the courtyard.

Suddenly, light footsteps echoed from outside his courtyard.

He turned his head to look.

A beautiful woman in a white dress walked gracefully toward him, her face rather cold.

It was Tong Yuhua.

Lu Zhangsheng was startled by the visitor; he was not close to the woman and did not know why she had come to see him today.

Tong Yuhua strode up to Lu Zhangsheng and smiled faintly: "Lu, Patrol Envoy, how about we team up to patrol outside the city tomorrow? Safety would improve greatly."

In her view, Lu Zhangsheng is the weakest, so he has no reason to refuse her.

These days the other party has stayed in the city, presumably because Patrol Envoys have been falling one after another, leaving her somewhat frightened.

Therefore, she came specially today to extend the invitation.

"Thank you, Tong Patrol Envoy."

Lu Zhangsheng gave a faint smile.

He guessed her intentions in his heart, but he offered no explanation and instead agreed outright.

He suspected this might be Qin Ruobing's doing, thinking he had become a bit hesitant, so he let her guide him.

These past days, his excessive leisure must have been noticed by many.

He was getting a bit bored staying in the city, so a walk outside would be fine; at his speed, almost no Yuhunshi could catch up with him.

After the two set a time, Tong Yuhua turned and left the courtyard.

Lu Zhangsheng continued training in the courtyard until the noon meal.

Fang Qing and her sibling had already been waiting at the dining table.

Seeing Lu Zhangsheng approach, Fang Tao couldn't help muttering: "It's so dangerous outside the city; Brother Changsheng staying at home is actually fine."

Obviously he also knew Lu Zhangsheng was about to leave the city again for a mission, and felt somewhat reluctant.

The consecutive deaths of two Patrol Envoys made him extremely worried.

Bang……

Before the words finished, Fang Qing's chopsticks clanged against Fang Tao's forehead.

"Brother Changsheng, you have official duties; if everyone thought like you, the court would have collapsed long ago, countless demons and evils would dominate outside the city, and there would be no way for us to survive…"

Fang Qing's tone was gentle, her gaze flicking over Lu Zhangsheng, carrying a hint of worry.

The two have long been warriors and have their own small circle in the city.

Rumors outside claim that Lu Zhangsheng became a Patrol Envoy because of his speed and his connection to the Qin Hall Master, and that his strength is near the bottom.

They fear that he may soon fall outside the city, and these remarks make them uneasy.

"No need to worry; if the situation is unfavorable, I'll retreat immediately."

Lu Zhangsheng gave a faint smile and offered no further explanation.

He also knew that some external rumors had likely affected the two.

Hearing this, Fang Qing and her sibling fell silent.

The atmosphere in the room was rather oppressive.

"If you have time, dig a cellar in the bedroom and forge it entirely out of refined iron…"

At that moment, Lu Zhangsheng seemed to recall something and said lightly,

"Du Ling," the timed bomb has been silently developing and could explode at any moment; he must prepare in advance.

Fang Qing and her sibling were first stunned, then immediately agreed.

"We'll act at once."

They also knew Lu Zhangsheng does not act without reason, clearly knowing something, so they asked nothing further.

While the few were eating, a burly man in black armor slowly walked toward the courtyard.

"Reporting, Master Lu, a person claiming to be the Guardian of the Sanhe Gang wishes to see you at the street entrance…"

The burly man bowed his hands, his face full of respect.

For this Lu Patrol Envoy, a mere foot soldier like him cannot afford to be negligent.

"No audience."

Lu Zhangsheng's expression was cold, and he refused without hesitation.

He could guess the other's purpose: merely to deliver some Spiritual Medicine and seek reconciliation.

He could not possibly agree; once he steps into the blood‑changing, it marks the other's death.

If the Sanhe Gang is destroyed, those Spiritual Creatures become his.

Not to mention the other might be colluding with demons and evils.

"I obey your command."

The burly man's face turned solemn as he turned and left the courtyard.

The DemonSubduingOffice family courtyard, at the street entrance.

A black‑clad elder stood in the corner, his face rather restless.

Seeing the black‑armored hulking man approaching ahead, his eyes lit up.

"How about it? Has Lord Lu agreed to meet me?"

The old man in black spoke with a rather expectant tone.

"Lord Lu has no time to see you."

The black‑armored hulking man's face darkened, and he stood silently on the flat ground, blocking the entire intersection.

The old man in black gave a wry smile, then turned and left the place.

A moment later.

The old man walked through the streets and arrived at the Sanhe Gang's Gathering Hall.

At this time, the gang leader Huang Tianba and two deputy leaders were waiting in the main hall.

"Reporting to the gang leader, the other party refused to meet with us."

The old man in black wore a face full of resentment.

"Hmph… this person truly doesn't know right from wrong."

A cold glint flickered in Huang Tianba's eyes.

"No need to mind him; his strength is among the lowest of the Patrol Envoys, and sooner or later he will fall into the hands of a Yuhunshi…"

"The gang leader is wise; even the two fallen Patrol Envoys still have strength above his, and facing the increasingly fierce conflicts ahead, the opponent may not be able to retreat unscathed."

The old man nodded in agreement.

…………

Inside the DemonSubduingOffice, a magnificent hall.

HeChunlin and Chen Zhanpeng stood in the center of the hall.

"Defeating the First Yuhunshi, are you confident?"

"Master, rest assured; I will surely defeat the opponent."

Chen Zhanpeng's face was full of arrogance.

As long as he can defeat the First Yuhunshi, his reputation will surely soar.

He is determined to secure the FuduDianZhu seat.

"Having such ambition is good."

HeChunlin gave a faint smile.

Having a subordinate become a FuduDianZhu also brings him prestige.

"Master Xiao's two subordinates are not like you; Master Qin's subordinates are merely filler. This time your chance for promotion is huge, so seize it."

"I obey your command."

Chen Zhanpeng, with a confident expression, bowed his hands.

…………

The next day, at dawn.

Early in the morning, Lu Zhangsheng rushed to the rendezvous point with Tong Yuhua.

He stood in a corner of a wall, waiting quietly.

Soon, a woman in white walked slowly from the far end of the street.

It was indeed Tong Yuhua.

"Lu, the Patrol Envoy, indeed came early."

Tong Yuhua approached and greeted.

Lu Zhangsheng smiled, and the two walked out of the city together.

After passing the city gate, they sped toward the distant official road.

The following days.

Lu Zhangsheng and the other kept patrolling outside the city, slaying many cultists.

When the two teamed up, they encountered a lone Yuhunshi, who was forced to flee in panic.

In an instant, news of the two striking simultaneously spread throughout the area.

At the same time, some cultists dispatched several strongmen to snipe the pair.

All were easily evaded by Lu Zhangsheng and his companion.

Of course, Lu Zhangsheng never revealed his true strength.

Time flew, and another five days passed.

That day, at noon.

Boom—Boom—Boom……

Lu Zhangsheng and Tong Yuhua were walking along the official road when they suddenly heard a series of booming sounds and shouts not far away.

The two exchanged a glance and rushed toward the source of the sound.

Soon, they arrived at the edge of a massive forest.

At this moment, across the battlefield, the officials and the cult bandits' forces were locked in a deadly clash, murderous aura swirling like smoke.

The ground was littered with various corpses, and blood had dyed the grass a deep crimson.

In the center of the battlefield, two immensely powerful auras were confronting each other.

Lu Zhangsheng looked closely and saw it was Chen Zhanpeng and a young man in black.

The man was also the Wenxiang Sect's First Yuhunshi, Zuo Jiliang.

Who would have thought the two sides would collide here.

Chen Zhanpeng also noticed Tong Yuhua's arrival, but paid no heed.

They are the First Yuhunshi.

Tong Yuhua's eyes flashed with a cold light.

Just then, two blood-red figures rushed out from the forest in the distance again.

They are two more Yuhunshi.

Lu Zhangsheng saw this and his expression twitched slightly.

He suspected somewhat, wondering if this was a trap left by the enemy.

If anything seemed off, he prepared to retreat immediately.

Kill.

At this moment, Chen Zhanpeng brandished his knife and charged at Zuo Jiliang with a ferocious, unmatched momentum.

He could hardly wait to suppress his opponent; this person would merely be his stepping stone.

"Slash." Zuo Jiliang showed no weakness, likewise charging forward.

Boom—boom—boom...

The two sides clashed fiercely in the center of the battlefield, waves of qi surging in all directions, cracks crisscrossing the ground.

"Quickly go and slay those two."

Bu Chichong exchanged a glance with another Jade Soul Master.

Then they swiftly rushed toward Lu Zhangsheng and the other.

With a push of their feet, they were just a few meters away, moving as swift as flying; in the blink of an eye they arrived before Lu Zhangsheng and his companion.

Kill.

Lu Zhangsheng drew his transformed Pig Slaughter Knife and went to meet Bu Chichong.

Tong Yuhua, meanwhile, engaged the other Yuhunshi.

Bang—bang—bang...

For a moment, both sides fought fiercely at the edge of the forest.

Shouts of killing shook the heavens, and the battle grew ever more intense.

Lu Zhangsheng, while fiercely sparring with Bu Chichong, kept his eyes on the battlefield where Chen Zhanpeng and his opponent fought.

He knew the outcome of this battle did not depend on anyone else.

If Chen Zhanpeng won, that would be fine; otherwise he would have only to retreat.

With his current strength, he still could not slay a Blood-Exchange expert.

Time flowed slowly.

An hour passed.

Both sides continued their bloody struggle, though fatigue now showed on their faces.

Lu Zhangsheng maintained an unbeatable stance in Bu Chichong's hands, which puzzled him greatly.

No matter how Bu Chichong unleashed his secret arts, he could not slay Lu Zhangsheng.

After a while, Bu Chichong also gave up the idea of slaying Lu Zhangsheng; the two feigned combat while keeping a tight watch on the central battlefield.

Just then, an abrupt change occurred.

Slash.

Zuo Jiliang's face was extremely solemn; as he fully unleashed his secret technique, his long blade burst forth with a startling cold light.

The blade, like Mount Tai pressing down, ruthlessly slashed at Chen Zhanpeng.

Die.

Chen Zhanpeng likewise dared not delay; he knew the opponent intended to decide the match with one move.

He mobilized his inner qi and blood to the fullest, then slashed forward with a blade.

The blade scraped against the void, emitting a piercing, shrill whistle.

Boom—boom—boom...

The two sides violently collided.

Violent qi waves swept in all directions; dust and smoke billowed everywhere, leaving utter chaos.

After that single strike.

Chen Zhanpeng's face turned pale, his breath becoming somewhat unsteady.

Not good.

He wore a look of shock; the peak clash of the two sides, he had clearly lost.

Just then, Zuo Jiliang charged at Chen Zhanpeng again, seemingly intent on leaving him here for good.

Chen Zhanpeng deflected the opponent's long blade with a single stroke and swiftly retreated backward.

Retreat.

Lu Zhangsheng also retreated at the first opportunity.

With a push of his feet, he covered ten-odd meters after several flashes.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished without a trace.

Even before Chen Zhanpeng fell into decline, he had already prepared to retreat.

The surrounding government warriors also hurriedly retreated, the scene momentarily falling into great chaos.

Tong Yuhua also fled the scene at the first opportunity.

She never expected that Chen Zhanpeng, this First Patrol Envoy, would actually lose.

A band of cultist bandits also followed close behind, pursuing and slaughtering the government warriors.

The cries of killing echoed to the heavens.

…………

Several days later.

News of Chen Zhanpeng's defeat at the hands of the First Yuhunshi spread boisterously throughout the city.

Countless martial artists were stunned in disbelief.

No one could have imagined that the current First Patrol Envoy would be defeated.

Moreover, under the opponent's pursuit, he fled in disgrace, reportedly sustaining injuries, and even many government martial artists were slain outside the city.

In an instant, Chen Zhanpeng's reputation plummeted, and countless people were deeply disappointed.

After this defeat, coupled with the recent incident of a Patrol Envoy being beheaded, martial artists throughout Changping County grew somewhat pessimistic.

The atmosphere inside the city was quite oppressive, as if a storm were about to break.

Some martial artists even hoped that the mysterious strongman would intervene, slay several Yuhunshi again, and win back a victory for the county.

These people shouted again across the void, pleading for the other side to act.

…………

Lu Zhangsheng, after returning home, turned a deaf ear to the matter.

He eagerly hoped to further strengthen himself; the matter of hunting Yuhunshi would be dealt with after some time.

The DemonSubduingOffice, a magnificent great hall.

Chen Zhanpeng and HeChunlin stood in the center, and the atmosphere was rather solemn.

"I lost."

Half a moment later, Chen Zhanpeng spoke slowly, his face full of resentment.

Both sides unleashed their full strike, and he could not overcome the opponent.

There was no justification for this.

This failure, in effect, put an end to his nomination for FuduDianZhu.

After the family had prepared for so long, ending up with such a result filled his heart with sorrow.

"Alas... you should first tend to your injuries properly."

HeChunlin let out a soft sigh, saying little else.

Soon, the scene returned to calm.

…………

The Zhu family mansion.

"Chen Zhanpeng lost; my chance has arrived."

"As long as I can subdue Zuo Jiliang, my reputation will skyrocket, and the position of FuduDianZhu will be within easy reach."

Zhu Houyu's eyes glittered with brilliance.

He had endured in silence for so many years, waiting for this moment.

People believed his talent and strength were on par with Chen Zhanpeng, yet in secret he had already broken through to a blood-replacement stage, and even a top-tier sword technique had reached the Minor Accomplishment realm.

"My son will surely defeat Zuo Jiliang."

The elder in blue was beaming with excitement.

…………

Inside a dim great hall.

A group of Yuhunshi gathered together, surrounded by many Wenxiang Sect followers.

The numerous disciples all flatteredly encircled Zuo Jiliang at the center.

"The younger generation of this DemonSubduingOffice are all of mediocre strength."

"The feats Chen Zhanpeng boasts are nothing more than that."

Zuo Jiliang stood with his hands behind his back, his face proud.

He launched his full attack, clearly outclassing Chen Zhanpeng.

Today he naturally dared to speak grandly.

"From now on, we will strike with all our might for the great plan of the honored master..."

Zuo Jiliang said without doubt.

…………

Time flew, and another month passed.

In the past month, the situation outside the city grew increasingly severe, and the clashes between the two sides intensified.

Zhu Houyu, however, rose as an unexpected force, standing out brilliantly on the battlefield, completely eclipsing Chen Zhanpeng.

For a moment, there were signs of him becoming the First Patrol Envoy.

Countless martial artists were extremely surprised.

They did not expect the opponent to conceal so deeply; despite evident strength, he never revealed it.

Such scheming was perhaps too profound.

Since returning, Lu Zhangsheng has stayed at home and not gone out.

Others seemed to have forgotten him.

Lu Zhangsheng enjoyed it, becoming even more low-key.

Each day, besides drinking and tea, he spent his time mining obsessively.

After a month of nonstop effort, his Source Energy Points finally met the requirement.

He opened the panel.

Source Energy Points: 780.

【Silver Arm Skill】 the plus sign behind it lit up again.

He no longer hesitated, his mind moved, and he immediately tapped.

With the Source Energy Points decreasing by six hundred.

"Hum…"

A mysterious wave descended again into the depths of his mind, as if a strong cultivator were training day and night.

A powerful surge of qi and blood raged wildly inside his body, and a veil of blood vapor formed around him.

The marrow within his bones was undergoing intense Metamorphosis, with strands of impurities being expelled from the skeleton.

【After years of arduous cultivation, the Silver Arm Skill has finally reached perfection.】

A crisp Prompt Sound rang in his mind, marking the formal end of this enhancement.

Lu Zhangsheng slowly opened his eyes, and a sharp beam of light pierced the void.

He clenched his fist tightly, and a surge of great power rose to his heart.

It felt as if a single punch could shatter the void, due to the massive increase in strength.

This enhancement resulted in an extremely massive boost in power.

He can be said to have initially entered the Blood Transmutation Realm; the entire county now belongs to the strong.

If he breaks through again to Divine Perfection, he might be able to slay those in the early stage of Blood Transmutation.

After several years, Lu Zhangsheng finally reached this point, and his personal safety finally gained a slight guarantee.

Next comes Blood Transmutation, then Cocooning, and even the Innate Martial Path that that person longs for.

(End of Chapter)