Chapter 129

In the following days, a large group of Heretic Cultivators withdrew one after another, once again hiding in the shadows.

The defense of Fulong Town ended in a decisive victory for the County City's official forces.

After this battle, the Heretic Cultivators ceased attacking other small towns, instead falling silent.

Yet everyone in the Government knew this was likely the calm before the storm.

The final showdown between both sides drew ever closer.

The atmosphere across Changping County grew increasingly eerie.

Outside Changping County.

In a dark underground space.

Zhao Yuanjing sat seated on a chair, her face brimming with murderous intent.

Before her stood a vast, dark mass of Heretic Cultivators.

The atmosphere in the hall was suffocating; no one beneath the stage dared speak.

They all knew their Venerable Lord was in a rage over the Mysterious Strongman, and none wished to provoke him.

"Your Lordship, shall we proceed with the original plan?"

Lei Yunfang stepped forward with great trepidation, his expression full of deference.

He thought to himself: even the Venerable Lord failed to kill that Mysterious Strongman; it was only natural he himself could not succeed.

"No need to waste effort attacking the small towns anymore. That man appears and vanishes at will, launching endless ambushes—no one can withstand him…"

Zhao Yuanjing's eyes flared with killing intent.

Even she could not slay him, and this filled her with profound dread.

The original plan to sweep through every small town had become impossible; for the first time, a Martial Artist had given her real trouble—his speed was simply too fast, unmatched anywhere in Changping County.

"Go to Black Mountain. Fully assist the Black Mountain Bandits in fortifying the passes. This Seat will turn this place into a meat grinder for them…"

As she spoke, her gaze swept the entire hall, her tone icy.

"We obey your command."

All bowed deeply, their faces filled with awe.

They had long understood: Black Mountain was the final battlefield.

The mountain was easy to defend and hard to attack, and after centuries of development by the Black Mountain Bandits, it was now as solid as a iron barrel.

Added to that, the Venerable Lord likely had further plans—victory was highly probable.

Soon, the many Heretic Cultivators turned and slowly withdrew from the Main Hall.

Zhao Yuanjing gazed at the empty air before her, her eyes distant.

"This Seat awaits you at Black Mountain…"

…

Time passed slowly, and before long, a month had slipped by.

At noon, in a refined courtyard.

Lu Zhangsheng, clad in a white robe, sat upon a stone chair in the courtyard; warm sunlight spilled over him, as if draping him in a golden glow.

He lifted the Spiritual Wine Gourd and took a deep gulp of Spirit Wine; a warm current rose from his belly.

He exuded an air of effortless freedom.

During this time, Lu Zhangsheng had remained at home cultivating Martial Arts, ignoring all external turmoil.

Even when Tong Yuhua and the others invited him on missions, he flatly refused.

Since the Demon Persons had hidden even deeper, he had no desire to search for them—better to wait patiently for the final battle.

His own strength was sufficient for self-preservation.

Besides practicing Martial Arts by day, Lu Zhangsheng went at night to Shiwan Dashan to dig for Spiritual Objects.

Through relentless effort, his resource points had once again become plentiful.

At this rate, he estimated he would soon be able to raise his Realm again.

As Lu Zhangsheng enjoyed this long-awaited peace, countless Martial Artists across Changping County secretly searched for traces of the Mysterious Strongman.

The reason was that Wei Shaoxuan and three Deputy Hall Masters of the Demon Suppression Bureau had publicly declared: this person did not exist within their ranks.

This deepened everyone's confusion; after years of searching, they still found no useful information.

Worse still, upon carefully examining his growth path over the past several years, they were profoundly shaken.

To rise to the rank of top Strong Person in Changping County within just a few years—such talent was among the highest in all of Dazhou.

Instantly, this Mysterious Strongman became the object of pursuit for countless Martial Artists in the city.

His fame even spread throughout Qingning Prefecture.

…

Night, silent as water.

Lu Zhangsheng lay quietly on his bed and opened his Panel.

Source Energy Points: 2100.

He was still far from upgrading the Indestructible Golden Body; he planned to take control of the Pangolin to accelerate progress.

The current situation was urgent—the battle could erupt at any moment. Only overwhelming strength could bring him peace of mind.

With a thought.

A thread of consciousness sank into the Pangolin's body.

Around him, the cave remained filled with rubble, the air still carrying a faint mossy scent.

He immediately swung his claws, rapidly digging forward into the cave.

Since upgrading to Sixth-tier Mountain Lord, the sharpness of his claws had surged dramatically.

The stone blocks before him crumbled like tofu, easily scraped away.

Even refined iron could not halt his progress.

"Clang clang clang…"

Only Lu Zhangsheng's digging sounds remained, and as he delved deeper into the Shiwan Dashan, resources gradually grew more abundant.

He dug all the way until late afternoon.

Just as Lu Zhangsheng reached a corner of the cave entrance, he suddenly felt his spirit sharpen, a cool breeze rushing toward him.

"Something's here!"

His expression changed slightly.

This aura was unmistakably caused by a Spiritual Object—he was far too familiar with it after years of exploring the deep mountains.

Lu Zhangsheng no longer hesitated; he immediately dashed down the tunnel.

"Clang clang…"

He dug all the way to a massive rock wall, then stopped.

He looked up at the milky-white rock wall before him, his eyes flickering uncertainly.

The entire rock surface was vast, radiating a pure, jade-like glow; as he drew closer, he felt an instant chill.

"Is this a higher-grade Origin Stone?"

Lu Zhangsheng was unsure.

He immediately kicked off with his legs, leaping to the front of the wall and pressing his claws against it.

【High-grade Origin Stone detected. Collect?】

A crisp alert echoed in his mind.

"Collect."

Lu Zhangsheng was delighted—this much high-grade Origin Stone was something he'd never seen before.

If he could collect it all, it would greatly advance his Cultivation Realm.

【Source Energy Points +10.】

【Source Energy Points +10.】

…

As the high-grade Origin Stones on the wall gradually diminished, the resources in his hands surged rapidly.

Moments later.

The massive rock wall ahead was now only a deep pit, surrounded by scattered debris.

Open Panel.

Source Energy Points: 5800.

This harvest was enormous; even if he found only ordinary Origin Stones from now on, three months would be enough for him to break through his Cultivation Realm.

Lu Zhangsheng's heart brimmed with determination.

Just as he prepared to set out again, a disturbance suddenly came from the side cave entrance.

Several Shadow Snakes burst from the entrance, charging toward Lu Zhangsheng.

They all opened their bloody maws, radiating terrifying malevolence.

Seeing this, Lu Zhangsheng's expression turned icy; he kicked off and dashed forward immediately.

Over these days, he had encountered these Shadow Snakes often, killing batch after batch.

This area belonged to their territory, and with the Shetun's astonishing reproductive rate, powerful Strange Beasts were also numerous.

"Huh huh huh…"

In an instant, both sides collided.

Lu Zhangsheng became a Residual Shadow, darting through the swarm of snakes like lightning; each swipe of his claws sent flashes of cold light through the air, terrifyingly swift.

"Aoo aoo…"

Amidst cries of agony, massive snakes had their heads severed, collapsing into pools of blood.

Soon, the ground was littered with snake corpses.

With his Sixth-tier Peak strength, Lu Zhangsheng slaughtered Fifth-tier Beasts almost instantly.

"Boom boom boom…"

At that moment, from the tunnel's end, a furious roar erupted—a massive snake head shot out, its eyes blood-red and chillingly cold.

"A Sixth-tier Peak Shadow Snake?"

Lu Zhangsheng's expression shifted slightly.

This beast's aura was far stronger than the one he had slain last time.

It was likely not far from Seventh-tier.

"Kill." Lu Zhangsheng did not dare delay; he launched a full assault.

In an instant, he reached the snake's head, twisted sharply to dodge its lethal strike, then thrust his claws toward its skull.

"Aoo aoo aoo…"

Howls of agony echoed throughout the Cave, sparks flying as deep gashes marked its scales.

The giant snake, writhing in pain, surged fully out of the wall and charged at Lu Zhangsheng.

"Bang bang bang…"

The two fought bloody battle within the Cave; massive rocks above soon crashed down, dust and smoke swirling everywhere in chaos.

Lu Zhangsheng, relying on his speed and agility, kept the opponent firmly on the defensive.

No matter how it roared, it could not reverse its decline.

As time passed, an hour later, the giant snake's aura had also waned considerably.

Lu Zhangsheng knew the moment had come.

He no longer hesitated, immediately activating 【Soul Strike】. A strange ray of light shot swiftly toward the snake's head, vanishing into its mind in an instant.

"Ao—"

The giant snake rolled wildly inside the cave, wailing continuously.

Strike while it's sick; take its life.

Lu Zhangsheng activated 【God Slayer】 once more, and a bizarre black vortex instantly appeared above his head.

Immediately after, the giant snake's soul was dragged right out of its mind, struggling as it rushed toward the vortex.

In the blink of an eye, it vanished into the vortex without a trace.

"Zii—"

As the giant snake's soul was crushed, wisps of cool qi surged into Lu Zhangsheng's mind.

A moment later, Lu Zhangsheng felt his own soul had grown a fraction stronger again.

This Talent Divine Ability was indeed bizarre enough.

If in the future he could absorb massive numbers of powerful Strange Beast souls, the Mental Power of this Beast Clone would only grow stronger and stronger.

Afterward, Lu Zhangsheng collected the corpse on the ground and once again set out on his journey to gather Spiritual Objects.

……

Three months later.

Late at night, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

Lu Zhangsheng, in a white robe, stood astride the center of the Courtyard, his Qi and Blood surging all around him.

Open the Panel.

A Blue Light Screen appeared in the void ahead.

Source Energy Points: 8900.

After months of strenuous excavation, he had finally gathered enough resource points.

Seeing the plus sign behind Indestructible Golden Body light up again, his face lit up with joy.

"Add points."

Lu Zhangsheng no longer hesitated, immediately clicking toward Indestructible Golden Body.

As the Source Energy Points decreased by eight thousand, a miraculous ripple instantly descended into the depths of his mind, as if a supreme Strong Person were practicing day and night.

"Boom boom boom—"

The Qi and Blood within his body erupted wildly, emitting bursts of roaring sounds, like endless ocean waves.

【After years of bitter cultivation, your Indestructible Golden Body has finally reached Great Success.】

A crisp notification sounded, and this enhancement concluded perfectly.

Lu Zhangsheng slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through them.

An immensely powerful feeling welled up in his heart.

He clenched his fist; his entire body brimmed with a sense of power, as if he could shatter the void ahead.

With this Realm advancement, his strength had more than doubled.

At this moment, after several years, he had finally stood at the pinnacle of Changping County.

Even if that Demon Witch Zhao Yuanjing descended, he was confident he could suppress her.

During their last encounter, he could only barely withstand her; one careless step and he would have perished.

Next time he met this woman, he would definitely give her a great big surprise.

Next, he only needed to upgrade his Skills to Great Completion step by step and wait for the decisive battle.

When the time came, he would find out what this woman's ultimate goal was.

Lu Zhangsheng would certainly think of every possible way to sabotage her plan.

While Lu Zhangsheng lay low at home, the situation outside grew increasingly treacherous.

Large numbers of Evil Cult powerhouses gathered at Black Mountain, even openly building forts and fortifications. The Government was also actively preparing for war; armor and crossbows were all distributed, and the Xuanjia Army began drilling day and night.

Inside the County Government Office, a certain Main Hall.

Qin Ruobing and the three Deputy Hall Masters, along with Du Wentao, sat in chairs, all wearing solemn expressions.

"County Magistrate, when shall we leave the city to exterminate the demonic Bandits?"

Qin Ruobing spoke lightly, her tone very gentle.

"One year from now, the entire army will mobilize to wipe out all Heretic Cultivators and Black Mountain Bandits."

Du Wentao's face was stern and dignified.

This moment, he had waited for several decades.

Reinforcements from the Prefecture City were also arriving soon; it was time to settle things with the enemy once and for all.

"Recently the Prefecture City Monster-Suppression Office sent word that a Deputy Hall Master selection will be held in the coming days…"

He Chunlin frowned slightly.

The two Monster-Suppression Envoys under him had been preparing for a long time and could just barely participate in the examination.

"No matter, there's plenty of time. Once the examination is held, we'll immediately begin the decisive battle."

Du Wentao took a sip of tea with a faint smile.

Qin Ruobing, however, remained silent.

The two under her command probably had no hope of passing at all.

In her view, to become a Deputy Hall Master, one needed at least Tuotai Level combat power; otherwise it was absolutely impossible.

Beside him, Xiao Tianci's mouth twitched slightly at the corner.

In this generation, he didn't even have a single capable figure under his command.

Several Patrol Envoys had died in succession, and he had long since given up, simply letting things slide.

This matter had nothing to do with him either.

"Then let's do as Lord Du says."

He Chunlin's lips curled up slightly, the smugness on his face impossible to conceal.

In his view, the Deputy Hall Master position of this generation was bound to be produced under his own command.

Cultivating a Deputy Hall Master would bring him enormous benefits as well.

Afterward, the few exchanged a few more words briefly, then each rose and departed.

……

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, two months had passed.

One day, late at night, all was silent.

Lu Zhangsheng stood in the center of the Courtyard, the bright moonlight scattering around him, as if cloaking him in a layer of silver radiance.

He opened the Panel.

Source Energy Points: 5500.

After several months of excavation, the resources in hand had once again become abundant.

The plus signs behind the Skills had all been lit up.

Lu Zhangsheng no longer hesitated, clicking rapidly on the three major Skills.

"Buzz buzz……"

A humming sound rang through his mind, as if evening drums and morning bells were striking, his entire body exuding a mysterious rhythm.

【After years of bitter cultivation, Sky-Splitting Strike, Crossing the River on a Reed, and Body Protection Mystic Gang Qi have finally reached Great Success.】

As crisp notification sounds rang out one after another, this enhancement concluded perfectly.

Lu Zhangsheng gripped the Long Blade tightly and slashed forward with one strike.

"Whoosh……"

A dazzling cold light appeared in the void, its momentum extremely fierce.

Immediately after, his body swayed, and in an instant he vanished into the night. Within the courtyard, only Residual Shadows could be seen, interweaving with endless Blade Light, striking dread into the heart.

After this breakthrough, his speed and the might of his blade technique had once again risen a notch.

Regarding this decisive battle, Lu Zhangsheng felt an extra measure of confidence in his heart.

Next, he abruptly activated his body-protection gang qi.

Sizzle……

A streak of pure white gang qi instantly spread across his entire body, with fluorescent light flowing over it—quite wondrous.

He raised the Long Blade and slashed fiercely at the body-protection gang qi.

"Boom boom boom……"

The violent rumbling echoed throughout the area, yet the body-protection gang qi remained as steady as Mount Tai, not even a single ripple stirred.

"What tremendous defense."

Lu Zhangsheng's expression shifted slightly.

After this enhancement, his defense had more than doubled.

That Demon Witch Zhao Yuanjing probably could no longer easily shatter his body-protection gang qi like last time.

Even if numerous Tuotai Perfection Strong Persons came to surround and kill him, relying on such gang qi, he would not fear them in the slightest.

(End of this chapter)