Chapter 86: Breakthrough to Fourth-Tier Mountain Spirit! Comprehensive Improvement!

The next period of time.

Lu Zhangsheng roamed outside the city every day, killing quite a few heretic cultists, and retreated immediately upon meeting Blood Exchange experts, not fighting them at all.

Making quite a few Wenxiang Sect members hate him to the bone.

At the same time, the news about the mysterious strong person beheading a Soul Envoy again also gradually spread.

Countless heretic cult bandits were all terrified, and when they went out to perform missions, they were afraid of meeting this star of disaster.

This mysterious strong person of the government had already become the number one target for the heretic cultists to behead.

Even countless martial artists in the county city began to discuss it, all clapping and cheering.

For a time, the morale of the commoner martial artists in the city also increased significantly.

Just as the entire Changping County was secretly guessing about this person, in a secluded farmstead outside the city.

A group of men in black stood in the main hall, their eyes cold, and their malice was compelling.

Bu Chicong, the Soul Envoy who had escaped, was also among them.

The remaining seven men were not the least bit weaker than Bu Chicong, and two of them possessed particularly terrifying auras, faintly reaching the Blood Exchange level.

The group of people quietly watched the woman in red on the jade throne ahead, their faces full of awe.

"Another Soul Envoy was beheaded a few days ago. Have you found any information on this person?"

The woman raised her eyebrows, her gaze sweeping across the room, carrying a hint of pressure.

"We cannot find any information for the time being; this person seems to have popped up out of nowhere."

Bu Chicong answered, biting the bullet.

Because he had observed the other party's actions at the scene himself, he had to stand up at this moment.

"This person's strength is extremely high, and their speed is astonishing; they are not comparable to ordinary martial artists."

He cupped his hands and kept his head low, not daring to look up at the woman, as if she were some kind of ferocious beast.

"Trash. If I were to make a move, I would certainly be able to easily behead this person."

At this moment, a slender man in the center spoke up, his face full of disdain.

As the First Soul Envoy, Zuo Jiliang did not hold any Patrol Envoy in his eyes.

This was also the source of his confidence after possessing Blood Exchange strength.

Even the Second Soul Envoy, Qi Guangcheng, was a notch below him.

The strength of the two of them belonged to a unique tier among all the Soul Envoys.

Upon hearing this, Bu Chicong's face flushed red, and he clenched his fists tightly, feeling incomparably angry inside.

Yet he could not open his mouth to refute anything.

The fact that he had fled in a panic could not be washed away.

However, he also extremely suspected that the mysterious strongman likely possessed Blood Exchange strength.

Even if Zuo Jiliang and his companion were to make a move personally, it would be difficult to behead the other party.

When the time came for these two to lose face, they shouldn't blame him for not having warned them.

He thought to himself secretly.

"The task of beheading this person is left to Zuo Jiliang and Qi Guangcheng; there will be a Great Merit reward upon completion."

The woman waved her hand, looking nonchalant.

In her view, the other party was merely a Bone-Forging martial artist with some speed; two top-tier Soul Envoys were sufficient to behead them.

"Subordinates obey the order."

Zuo Jiliang and Qi Guangcheng looked delighted.

A Great Merit reward was already extremely generous.

Both of them couldn't wait to find the other party immediately, torture them to death, and bring back their head to claim the reward.

Only Bu Chicong, who was on the side, sneered repeatedly in his heart.

When the time came, the two of them would find out; it was useless for him to say more now, as it would only make him appear extremely incompetent.

That kind of speed from the other party was not something an ordinary Blood Exchange expert could compare to; it was simply terrifying.

…………

Time flowed slowly.

In a flash, several days passed.

Besides his daily routine of patrolling outside the city, Lu Zhangsheng spent his time practicing martial arts at home.

At night, he would go to control the exotic beasts to mine frantically; everything was developing steadily and for the better.

Moreover, these past few days, he had gradually kept a low profile and was no longer the focus of others.

Except for a few former teammates with whom he still had contact, he had been keeping to himself, as if he had been forgotten by everyone.

Because the news of him beheading two Soul Envoys had not been exposed, his points were temporarily at the bottom.

However, he did not pay too much attention to it.

After Lu Zhangsheng's observations over these days, not only was Changping County in turmoil, but the surrounding counties were much the same.

The entire dynasty was like a pot of hot oil; it would explode with just a single spark.

He guessed that this likely had to do with the mischief caused by those human traitors of the Heavenly Demon Gate.

Even the Wenxiang Sect was merely a subordinate force created by them.

Lu Zhangsheng became somewhat urgent; he had to push upward as quickly as possible.

Blood Exchange, Tuotai, and even the higher Innate Realm.

According to the records in the classics, the lifespan of Innate martial artists increases significantly, reaching over two hundred years, and they can travel over a thousand miles a day, which is very terrifying.

However, there were no Innate martial artists in the entire Changping County.

This also made Lu Zhangsheng quite yearn for it.

His initial purpose for practicing martial arts was to extend his life, and this was also his lifelong pursuit.

Pursuing the sublimation of the essence of life was enough to make the soul tremble.

Just at this moment, a burst of light footsteps came from outside the courtyard.

Before long, a man dressed in white scholar's robes walked in.

It was Yao Chen, the Scribe of the Demon-Suppressing Division.

"Lord Lu, Hall Master Qin invites you to come over for a visit."

He smiled and cupped his hands, his tone quite respectful.

This genius commoner before him, who was currently in the limelight, was not someone he could afford to neglect.

"I understand."

Lu Zhangsheng then rose and walked toward the Demon-Suppressing Division.

Passing through the neat streets all the way, when he arrived at the Main Hall of the Demon-Suppressing Division, five figures were already standing inside.

They were the other five Patrol Envoys, and Tong Yuhua was among them.

Lu Zhangsheng smiled and greeted Tong Yuhua before walking over.

He began to size up the few people around him.

The two Patrol Envoys under He Chunlin had the strongest strength.

One of them had a face like jade, wore white robes, and the aura around his body was as deep as an abyss.

The other party was Chen Zhanpeng, a leader among the noble families and a leading figure within this generation of the Demon-Suppressing Division.

At this moment, Chen Zhanpeng stood proudly among the crowd, as if he were a crane in a flock of chickens.

His eyes scanned the surroundings, and a sharp glint flickered within them.

A temperament of looking down on everything emerged spontaneously.

As the First Patrol Envoy of this generation of the Demon-Suppressing Division, possessing Blood Exchange strength, he had the capital for this arrogance.

The remaining few Demon-Suppressing Envoys were completely incomparable to him.

Another one was a man with a cold face whose aura was very restrained, named Zhu Houyu.

Lu Zhangsheng sensed a hint of threat from the two of them.

He suspected that these two likely possessed Blood Exchange strength.

Similar to the first two Soul Envoys of the evil cult.

Except for Chen Zhanpeng and the other, the remaining few only had Bone-Forging Perfection strength.

Under Xiao Tianci were two young men in yellow, who were also from noble family backgrounds.

In the entire field, on the surface, Lu Zhangsheng and Tong Yuhua had the weakest strength.

They also did not belong to the Four Great Families' forces.

Of course, Lu Zhangsheng's strength had not been fully exposed.

Just at this moment, Qin Ruobing, Xiao Tianci, and three other Deputy Hall Masters walked in.

The three of them arrived on the high platform in front.

"In view of the current tense situation, we have made a consultation: within three years, the Patrol Envoy with the highest points will be nominated as a Deputy Hall Master, and the Demon-Suppressing Division will cultivate them with all its might; after passing the assessment, they will be promoted immediately..."

He Chunlin shouted loudly, his face full of confidence.

For Chen Zhanpeng under his command, this position of Deputy Hall Master was simply like taking something out of a bag.

The other party was first-rate among these six Patrol Envoys in terms of not only strength but also talent and aptitude.

This proposal was also something he had consulted on with Xiao Tianci, and the Chen family had also bled quite a bit, even sending some spirit medicines to the Demon-Suppressing Division.

It was as if the Chen family had already secured it.

Chen Zhanpeng scanned his colleagues, and an air of arrogance emerged spontaneously.

He was determined to obtain this position of Deputy Hall Master.

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed across Zhu Houyu's eyes, but he quickly hid it.

Xiao Tianci on the side was also quite envious.

The two Patrol Envoys under his command were mediocre, and there was little hope.

As for the two under Qin Ruobing, in his view, they were just there to make up the numbers. Qin Ruobing scanned Lu Zhangsheng and the other quietly, also not holding much hope.

In the tasks that followed, being able to survive was a fortunate event.

Lu Zhangsheng's expression was as calm as water, but he had some thoughts in his heart.

This hurdle of Deputy Hall Master was extremely difficult to promote to, and it was worlds apart from an ordinary Demon-Suppressing Envoy.

Not only did strength have to meet the standard, but one also needed a certain amount of talent; spiritual objects were precious, and the Imperial Court would not cultivate someone who did not have the potential to become an Innate strongman.

Some older-generation martial artists, although their strength barely reached the level, had also lost the opportunity for promotion.

As long as one could be promoted successfully, the benefits would be immense.

Not only could one obtain the full cultivation of the Demon-Suppressing Division, but one could also learn a large number of secret techniques.

There was also a great possibility of being promoted to Deputy Hall Master of the Prefecture City in the future; it could be said that this hurdle was a leap in social class.

Lu Zhangsheng had two Soul Envoy heads in his hands, and the points could be exchanged for quite a lot.

He prepared to find Qin Ruobing to exchange them when the three-year deadline was approaching.

By then, his own strength would likely already be at the Blood Exchange level, or even higher, and he could also compete for the position of Deputy Hall Master.

As for now, it was impossible for him to expose this thought; the time was not yet ripe.

Just at this moment, Qin Ruobing spoke faintly: "What are your views on that mysterious strongman who beheaded two Soul Envoys?"

These past few days, she had also received intelligence about the other party, which made her quite puzzled.

There was no such person within their Demon-Suppressing Division; if they could be pulled in, it would also be a great help.

He Chunlin smiled slightly: "This person might be a secret strongman from the Xuanjia Army; their strength is likely close to Blood Exchange."

Xiao Tianci on the side also nodded, evidently quite in agreement.

Chen Zhanpeng, who was below the platform, expressed some disapproval.

With his strength, he could also behead those two Soul Envoys.

Afterward, after the group exchanged for a while, they all left.

Lu Zhangsheng left the Demon-Suppressing Division Yamen and returned to his own small courtyard.

The next few days.

He returned to the same peaceful days as before.

Every day, he would go out of the city to patrol during the day, and go home at night to dig for spiritual objects; the resources in his hands increased bit by bit, making him quite satisfied.

This day, at night, it was as silent as water.

Lu Zhangsheng lay quietly on the bed, his mind moving.

His thoughts were then cast into the body of the exotic beast.

Looking around, it was still inside the scorching cave.

On the periphery, there were still a large number of Second-tier Blazing Fire Ants remaining.

Some were still missing arms and legs, looking quite tragic.

Not only that, the number of the ant swarm had also decreased by about ten percent, making even Lu Zhangsheng feel a bit of heartache.

The Fire Toad tribe in that lava river still posed too great a threat.

Even if the ant swarm went to dig without fear of death, they could only collect a small amount of spiritual objects, and their own losses were also very great.

This was still the Second-tier Blazing Fire Ants; if they hadn't broken through before, it would likely have been even harder to collect.

"It seems this exotic beast must be upgraded; otherwise, it will be a great obstacle to collecting spiritual objects."

Lu Zhangsheng thought to himself.

Next, he prepared to first use all his strength to upgrade the exotic beast to the Fourth-tier.

Then he would lead the ant army to kill all the Fire Toads, dig up all the spiritual objects near the lava river, and then his main body would use all its strength to charge toward a higher realm.

This route was also the fastest route for improvement.

He had already made plans.

After his own strength increased greatly, he would then go to hunt the Soul Envoys and then take the position of Deputy Hall Master in one fell swoop.

This was also his plan for the last two years.

Afterward, Lu Zhangsheng put away his thoughts, looked at the Fire Crystal Stones on the cave floor, and immediately began to absorb them.

"Source Energy Points plus 5."

"Source Energy Points plus 5."

"Source Energy Points plus 1."

……

Before long, all the spiritual objects collected these days had been absorbed completely.

Open the panel.

Source Energy Points: 380.

Lu Zhangsheng did not hesitate anymore and immediately clicked toward the plus sign behind the Mountain Spirit, and clicked several times in succession.

"Hum..."

A powerful surge of Qi and Blood surged wildly in his body, his entire body began to expand violently, and his scales began to emit a faint luster.

Even his sharp claws were undergoing rapid transformation.

A moment later.

Lu Zhangsheng slowly opened his eyes, only to see that his body had become larger again, and his scales also looked much thicker.

Bound Exotic Beast: Mountain Spirit 【Third-tier】

Level: 33.

Consuming three hundred Source Energy Points to upgrade three times in a row was quite cost-effective.

And ever since his bloodline awakened, this upgrade did not require an incremental consumption of Source Energy Points.

Next, Lu Zhangsheng ordered the ant swarm again to explore toward the lava river with all their might, completely disregarding the casualties of the ant swarm.

As long as he could make himself break through, under the feeding of a large number of spiritual objects, the number of the ant swarm could be restored again.

…………

In a flash, two months passed.

This day, at night.

In the cave, it was pitch black.

Lu Zhangsheng lay quietly on the rubble in the cave.

His own body size had increased by a large margin, and even his scales contained a hint of golden luster.

Open the panel.

Bound Exotic Beast: Mountain Spirit 【Third-tier】.

Level: 39.

Source Energy Points: 300.

During this period, Lu Zhangsheng had been frantically digging for spiritual objects, and the ant swarm had also been operating at full capacity.

The level of this exotic beast had also climbed step by step, finally reaching the Third-tier peak.

Tonight was the time for the breakthrough.

Lu Zhangsheng did not hesitate anymore and immediately clicked toward the plus sign behind the level.

"Hum..."

As bursts of rumbling sounds rang out, his entire body began to shake violently, and his Qi and Blood surged wildly.

Strands of golden radiance bloomed in his eyes, which was extremely miraculous.

I don't know how long it took before the transformation phenomenon gradually ceased.

Lu Zhangsheng opened his eyes, and a sharp glint pierced directly into the void.

Open the panel again.

Bound Exotic Beast: Intermediate Mountain Spirit 【Fourth-tier】.

Level: 40.

Talent Divine Ability: 【Domination】 (Excellent), 【Soul Strike】 (Excellent).

Skills: 【Armor Enhancement】 (Excellent), 【Burrowing】 (Excellent), 【Underwater Breathing】 (Excellent).

Divine Bloodline: One in one hundred thousand.

Remark: A powerful species transformed from a Primary Mountain Spirit, possessing a hint of magical power.

Divine bloodline is further awakening...

This upgrade was extremely huge.

Not only did his realm reach the Fourth-tier, but his talent skills also advanced accordingly, and their power increased greatly.

Among them, the most critical concentration of the divine bloodline also increased by a full ten times.

Lu Zhangsheng was quite expectant; what kind of creature would it evolve into when it reached one hundred percent?

By then, this exotic beast clone would also become a powerful help to his main body.

These few ordinary skills had also long been upgraded to Excellent by him.

Next, Lu Zhangsheng began to test the changes in himself.

He waved his sharp claws several times, and trails of residual shadows came from the void; his speed surged by a large margin.

Even the strength of his sharp claws and scales had increased several times over.

It could be said that this upgrade was an all-around improvement.

Now he would no longer fear that Fourth-tier Fire Toad.

He prepared to immediately go and clear the lava river basin; after killing the Fire Toads, he would search for all the Fire Crystal Marrow with all his might.

And then let his main body break through rapidly.

As the conflict between the two sides became more and more intense, he had to speed up.

(End of chapter)