Chapter 137: Skill Upgraded! Thirty Percent Intent of Slaughter!

Not only that.

Outside the County City, the number of those Evil Cult Bandits was growing by the day, arrayed in a posture ready to attack at any moment.

As time went on.

The atmosphere around the County City grew increasingly tense, and within the city there was a pervasive sense of panic.

Some Martial Artists even fled the County City at night to throw in their lot with the Evil Cult.

The entire situation in Changping County had already reached a state as precarious as an egg balanced on the brink.

Days like these flashed by, and two months passed in an instant.

On this day, late at night.

Lu Zhangsheng lay quietly on the bed.

He opened the Panel to check his resources.

Source Energy Points: 4200.

After all these days of hard excavation, the resources in his hands had once again grown.

He prepared to control the Pangolin and begin accelerating the collection of Spiritual Objects.

Outside, the Evil Cult Bandits grew increasingly rampant, ready to attack the County City at any moment.

The other side had been encircling without attacking—there must be some plot afoot.

Perhaps that Demon Witch was making some preparations; when the day to attack the city came, it would surely be earth-shattering.

From now on, he had to devote all his efforts to raising his strength.

A thought stirred in his mind.

"Buzz…"

A wisp of thought was invested into the Pangolin's body.

Looking around, it was still that dim, damp Cave, the air thick with the smell of moss.

After many days of digging, he had finally reached the middle section of this Mine.

The deeper he dug inward, the richer the Spiritual Objects became.

Of course, the Strange Beasts he encountered also grew more numerous, and their strength was considerably greater.

Clang clang clang…

Its twin claws swung rapidly; the massive rocks before it crumbled like blocks of tofu, tumbling to the ground one after another.

Lu Zhangsheng was rapidly burrowing deeper into the Mine.

After digging nonstop for most of the day.

He arrived at an underground corner, and ahead, a sliver of light suddenly came rushing in.

"Could it be another large natural limestone cave?"

Gazing at the natural passage ahead, Lu Zhangsheng's expression shifted slightly.

"Whoosh…"

He no longer hesitated; with a kick of his legs, he shot straight out.

After he swiftly passed through this cave opening, the surroundings suddenly opened up before him.

There was also a faint glimmer of light flickering in the space.

The entire limestone cave covered a considerable area, roughly ten zhang or so across.

Above, a vast array of stalactites hung like sharp swords, pointing straight downward.

Lu Zhangsheng immediately began searching for the source of the light.

Looking left and right, a corner behind him caught his attention.

Lu Zhangsheng hurriedly leapt out, arriving beneath a massive rock wall.

He looked up.

He saw that the entire rock wall was emitting a faint glow—somewhat miraculous.

"Could there be a treasure?"

Lu Zhangsheng's expression shifted slightly; he quickly leapt beneath the rock wall and began furiously clawing at it with his claws.

"Clang clang clang…"

As the outer rocks were clawed away one after another, an even smoother, more delicate inner wall was revealed.

A faint coolness also transmitted through his claws.

"Is there hope?"

A look of delight instantly crossed his face.

This was one of the common signs of discovering a rare treasure; after years of digging, he was quite familiar with it.

As Lu Zhangsheng dug with all his might, a crystalline, translucent rock was soon revealed within.

The instant his claws touched it, a crisp notification chime rang through his mind.

【Origin Marrow discovered. Absorb?】

"Absorb."

Lu Zhangsheng silently recited in his heart.

【Source Energy Points +50.】

【Source Energy Points +50.】

……

Watching his resources skyrocket, he was quite delighted.

This small piece of Origin Marrow could provide 50 Source Energy Points—truly a treasure even more precious than a High-grade Yuan Stone.

After absorbing this small pile, it would be enough to upgrade all my Skills.

Not long after.

The Yuan Sui within the rock wall in front of him was completely absorbed, leaving behind a small pit several meters across.

His Source Energy Points rose again by over two thousand.

Lu Zhangsheng was about to turn and leave when sudden disturbances erupted from the cave entrance behind him.

"Zizizi…"

Three Strange Beasts, resembling lizards, rushed swiftly toward the cavern.

Each Strange Beast was several meters long, with pitch-black skin radiating a powerful malevolent aura.

Their copper-bell-sized eyes glowed with faint traces of blood-red.

"Sixth-rank Strange Beast?"

Seeing this new species of Strange Beast ahead, Lu Zhangsheng knew he had once again intruded upon their territory.

And these Strange Beasts were no weaklings—they were all Sixth-rank.

"Kill."

Lu Zhangsheng pushed off with his legs and shot forward violently.

In the blink of an eye, he reached the lizard on the far left.

He extended his sharp claws and stabbed fiercely toward its skull.

"Aah…"

With a shriek, the giant lizard's skull shattered outright, blood gushing wildly, staining the shattered stone ground red.

"Honghonghong…"

At that moment, the other two lizards bit down hard on Lu Zhangsheng's back, emitting piercing, shrill screeches.

Thanks to his own hard scales, Lu Zhangsheng felt only a slight numbness on his back—no serious harm.

He turned his head and struck forward again with a claw swipe.

"Kacha…"

His claws pierced straight through the chest of the lizard on the right, splitting it open from belly to back, its internal organs spilling out.

The scene was extremely bloody.

The remaining lizard's face twisted in terror; it tried to flee, then suddenly screamed, writhing violently on the ground.

This was Lu Zhangsheng using his Talent Divine Ability again: 【Soul Strike】.

Under this single mental attack, the creature lost all combat capability.

At that moment, a pitch-black vortex suddenly appeared above, spinning rapidly.

Dark shimmering light flickered unpredictably, appearing profoundly mysterious.

"Xiu…"

The lizard's soul was instantly extracted, surging upward toward the vortex.

In the blink of an eye, it vanished inside the vortex.

Soon after, a cool sensation arose in Lu Zhangsheng's mind.

The creature's soul was completely crushed, transformed into pure Mental Power.

He checked the Panel again.

Species: Poison-Scaled Lizard. Rank: Sixth-rank.

Gregarious creature, skilled in using venomous attacks, prefers hunting other Strange Beasts at night.

Lu Zhangsheng had already known this beast's information the moment he struck.

As he delved deeper into Shiwan Dashan, Strange Beasts appeared more frequently.

His Pangolin's level must be raised quickly.

Then Lu Zhangsheng gathered the Strange Beast corpses and sprinted toward the cave entrance ahead.

…

Changping County.

Night, moon bright, stars sparse.

Lu Zhangsheng stood at the center of the Courtyard, legs spread.

The clear moonlight streamed down upon his shoulders, as if draping him in a silver veil.

Open Panel.

Source Energy Points: 7400.

After this period of diligent excavation, his resources were once again sufficient.

He no longer hesitated and immediately invested in several Skills.

"Weng…"

A humming resonance echoed in his mind, as if ancient temple bells were tolling.

His Qi and Blood surged wildly; a transparent Xuanguang Gang Qi Shield instantly enveloped his entire body.

His whole form radiated wisps of golden light, extraordinarily divine.

【After years of arduous cultivation, Sky-Splitting Strike, Body Protection Mystic Gang Qi, and Crossing the River on a Reed have all reached Perfect Realm.】

With a crisp notification tone, this upgrade was complete.

Lu Zhangsheng slowly opened his eyes, and a powerful aura erupted from him.

"Xiu…"

He stomped his foot—everywhere within the Courtyard, Residual Shadows multiplied, countless Blade Lights darted through the air, interweaving with the shadows as if forming a dense celestial net.

"Huh…"

After a moment, Lu Zhangsheng stopped and exhaled a thick breath.

After this breakthrough, his attack power and speed increased by several tenths again.

His strength was drawing ever closer to that of an Innate Strength.

Then, he began testing his newly enhanced Xuanguang Gang Qi.

"Boom—boom—boom…"

As the Body Protection Mystic Gang Qi activated, thick, overwhelming Gang Qi instantly enveloped his entire body.

Even the fallen leaves around him were blasted away.

He suddenly drew his blade and slashed at his own Aura Shield.

"Bang—bang—bang…"

The crisp strikes echoed throughout the courtyard; not a single ripple marred the Aura Shield—it remained as impregnable as ever. "Such formidable defense."

Lu Zhangsheng had used three-tenths of his strength and still could not budge it an inch.

This level of defense could likely withstand even a group of Tuotai Perfection Strong Persons trying to kill him.

Now, even if he stood still, a Tuotai Perfection Strong Person could not harm him.

Only now did the Indestructible Golden Body and Golden Bell Shield fully reveal their terrifying power.

With his current strength, he dared to fight even those Pseudo-Innate Strong Persons who had been famous for decades.

It is said some Tuotai Strong Persons, failing to break through to Innate Strength, have already undergone bodily transformation, and with decades of refining their Martial Dao True Intent, their power is exceedingly terrifying.

Then, Lu Zhangsheng practiced Martial Arts for a while longer, about to return to his bedroom to rest, when suddenly he sensed a knocking sound coming from outside the courtyard.

"Dong—dong—dong…"

The crisp knocks were unmistakable.

Lu Zhangsheng frowned in confusion—who would come calling so late? "Enter."

"Squeak…"

A beautiful woman in purple stepped through the door and walked gracefully toward him.

It was Yue Wanting, the master of Haisha Gang.

She wore a long purple gown that perfectly accentuated her curvaceous figure, and her face bore a constant smile.

As time passed, she had grown even more mature and stunning.

Lu Zhangsheng looked puzzled.

Why had she come at this hour, dressed so elaborately? "Young Marquis, the Four Great Families I was ordered to monitor have shown unusual activity."

Yue Wanting walked up to Lu Zhangsheng and bowed gracefully.

She dared not be the least disrespectful toward this hotly favored figure of the Town Suppression Office.

Lu Zhangsheng's expression shifted slightly: "Lead the way."

He suspected some of them planned to leave the County City—this was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

"Your servant obeys."

Yue Wanting turned and walked out of the courtyard.

Yet inside, she felt a pang of disappointment—she had spent long preparing her appearance, yet he hadn't even glanced at her properly.

This made her doubt her own beauty, and a sense of defeat rose within her.

Soon after, the two walked in silence along the quiet streets, arriving near the East City Gate.

At this moment, numerous carriages were parked near the City Gate.

Several Martial Artists stood guard around them, weapons in hand.

Zhu Houyu and Chen Zhanpeng, the two scions of noble families, were clearly among them.

The group was now standing in confrontation with the Xuanjia Army soldiers guarding the gate.

"By order of Lord Qin, no one is permitted to leave the city at will."

A man in the guise of a Commander shouted loudly, his face icy.

"Open your dog's eyes and look clearly—I have a written order from Lord Xiao."

"He permits us to flee to the Prefecture City—get out of our way."

Zhu Houyu and Chen Zhanpeng's eyes flashed with murderous intent.

Who would have thought a mere gatekeeper would dare block the Four Great Families? He was asking for death.

The middle-aged Commander looked troubled.

He stood frozen, unsure what to do.

Nearby Xuanjia Army soldiers glared angrily.

Whenever there was profit to be had, these noble scions rushed in en masse, grabbing every advantage.

But the moment danger appeared, they fled immediately—deeply despised.

Just as the middle-aged man was deeply troubled, he suddenly sensed movement ahead—and when he saw who it was, his eyes brightened.

"Your humble servant bows before Lord Lu."

The man immediately stepped forward, his face filled with respect.

He dared not offend this top figure under Lord Qin's command.

"What is happening here? Such noise and commotion—how unbecoming."

Lu Zhangsheng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stern.

He naturally knew the cause—but still asked, feigning ignorance.

"Some noble Martial Artists wish to leave the city and flee to the Prefecture City."

The middle-aged Commander bowed slightly and said with a smile.

"What aristocratic Family Martial Artists? These are Evil Cult spies! Prepare to leave the city and defect to the Evil Cult."

Lu Zhangsheng grinned.

"All Xuanjia Army, attack immediately and slay the spies. This Seat will recommend merit for you."

His tone brooked no argument, utterly grim.

The surrounding crowd stared at Lu Zhangsheng with utter disbelief.

No one expected him to be so "bold" as to launch an absolute kill against the aristocratic families.

Yue Wanting's beautiful eyes sparkled even more, her heart surging.

"Lu Zhangsheng, you dare!"

Zhu Houyu and Chen Zhanpeng's faces were full of fury, killing intent chilling in their eyes.

"We have ties with several major families of Prefecture City as well. Do you dare to act?"

"Kill."

The only response to the two was a single cold word.

Lu Zhangsheng waved his hand, his face utterly cold.

"Hah."

The numerous Xuanjia Army immediately formed a Spear Formation and surrounded them, killing intent instantly rolling across the field.

These people had long been dissatisfied with the Four Great Families, so being able to publicly slay this group was naturally quite to their liking.

"Kill Lu Zhangsheng first, then fight our way out of the city district."

Zhu Houyu and the other's faces were utterly grim. They hadn't expected Lu Zhangsheng to be so clueless about life and death, so they had no choice but to personally send him on his way.

Then the two struck simultaneously, charging to kill Lu Zhangsheng.

Blade Light flickered in the night sky, its momentum ferociously unmatched.

"Die."

Lu Zhangsheng merely gently swung his blade and slashed forward.

A dazzling cold light flashed across the void, as if even the Moonlight high above paled in comparison.

"Crack…"

With a light sound, two heads immediately fell to the ground, rolling to the side.

A great spray of blood shot up several meters high, extremely bloody.

One slash, two dead.

With his strength, killing the two was like crushing two ants.

All of this happened in an instant.

Only then did the surrounding crowd react.

They all stared wide-eyed, faces full of shock.

"Fetal Transformation strength?"

The numerous Xuanjia Army were also faces full of disbelief; to slay the two in a single move required at least Fetal Transformation strength.

The middle-aged Commander's gaze grew even more reverent.

Yue Wanting, standing to the side, felt increasingly fortunate in her heart.

After clinging to this great tree that was Lu Zhangsheng, the Haisha Gang was destined to rise.

"You seek death, give me back my son's life!"

From the center of the aristocratic family disciples, two explosive shouts rang out, revealing two blue-robed elders.

The two stared at Lu Zhangsheng with faces full of killing intent, hearts aching with grief.

They couldn't believe that in the blink of an eye, their two geniuses had been cut down.

The surrounding crowd, seeing this, wore faces full of worry.

These two elders were probably Fetal Transformation Strong Persons hidden in the shadows.

They were also the last reserves of the aristocratic families.

It was unknown whether Lu Zhangsheng could withstand these two.

The middle-aged Commander quickly gave his subordinate a look, preparing to have him go invite Lord Qin to save the situation.

A trace of worry also appeared in Yue Wanting's eyes.

Just at this moment.

Lu Zhangsheng moved, his legs kicking off.

"Whoosh…"

A Residual Shadow flickered in the night sky, then a brilliant Blade Light erupted instantly.

Only the Blade Light was visible, not the person.

"Ah…"

As two screams pierced the night sky, the corpses were directly cleaved in two.

A great spray of blood dyed the surrounding Qing Shi ground red.

Then, Lu Zhangsheng wielded his blade and moved through the crowd of aristocratic family members.

Like a Death God, wantonly reaping the lives before him.

"Ah…"

Wails of agony echoed across the entire field, and before long, the ground was littered with all manner of corpses.

【Killing Intent increasing…】

【Killing Intent increased...】

【Killing Intent increased to thirty percent.】

Crisp notification sounds rang through his mind one after another, and only then did Lu Zhangsheng "come to."

His Martial Dao True Intent had actually risen to thirty percent.

His strength had once again grown considerably.

At this moment, the people present finally reacted, falling silent as cicadas in winter.

Everyone gazed at Lu Zhangsheng with faces full of reverence.

This level of strength made him a Strong Person even among those at the Marrow Cleansing stage.

No wonder Lord Qin valued Lu Zhangsheng so highly.

"Clean up the corpses of these spies. This Seat will report this matter to Lord Qin."

Lu Zhangsheng stood with his hands behind his back, walking toward the rear with an utterly calm expression.

As though he had done something utterly trivial.

Now that the area outside the city is surrounded, the fact that these people dared to leave the city means they must have had contact with that group of Heretic Cultivators.

Killing them could also be considered ridding the people of a harm.

Yue Wanting followed closely behind, like an obedient maidservant.

The two quickly vanished into the curtain of night.

(End of chapter)