Chapter 143: 134: Monsters, Part 2

The noontime winter sunlight had little warmth.

Zhang Rongfang sat cross-legged on the cushion, quietly perceiving and adjusting his body.

The Nascent Soul Stage of the Void Observation Skill actually feels like there’s something in the dantian area that automatically breathes the Qi and Blood within, like a living infant.

Hence the name, Nascent Soul Stage.

This was shared by Xu Yi Daoist; at this moment, Zhang Rongfang just felt the Qi and Blood condensing into a ball of blood at the dantian.

After a while, he stood up and slowly performed a set of Flame Emperor Talisman.

Since mastering the Flame Emperor Talisman, he had been particularly fond of this talismanic skill.

The Flame Emperor Talisman was fierce in action, resolute in style, with clear intent, without dragging.

It completely matched his current mindset.

A set of Flame Emperor Talisman was finished.

Zhang Rongfang felt the Qi and Blood throughout his body flow smoothly, and his gaze fell on the edge of the courtyard at the row of sturdy wooden stakes.

These stakes were wrapped in thick cowhide outside, with metal rods nailed at the center inside. Each was three meters long, with only a little over one meter exposed above ground.

The rest was buried underground to keep them stable.

They were specifically for practicing martial arts.

Each was about the size of a human head, obviously made specially with strengthened versions to suit Zhang Rongfang’s powerful Spirit Level skills.

Zhang Rongfang walked up to a stake and gently touched its brown surface.

He recalled when he fought the Snake King, the envoy of the Black Ten Sect, he stacked the Heavy Mountain five times, ultimately unleashing terrifying speed and power, instantly killing the severely injured Snake King.

’Since using Heavy Mountain five times injures me, can reducing the stack increase the power without causing harm?’

His heart stirred with anticipation.

If successful, the power of his ace card would significantly enhance.

With that thought, Zhang Rongfang stepped back.

Hiss…

His entire body muscles filled with blood, expanded, and bulged, especially prominently in the arms.

A Heavy Mountain quickly burst.

This Limit-Breaking Skill of Heavy Mountain, in essence, is a special explosive technique cultivated through talismanic skill, modifying the body.

The explosion triggers through Heart Method breathing, with body muscles, bones, and meridians cooperating, forming about one second of sustained explosive state.

And what Zhang Rongfang wanted to try was stacking this explosive state.

“In theory, the Ninth-Grade Extreme State is formed by stacking the explosive state of various Limit-Breaking Skills together, extending them in thought.”

“Others complement and counteract each other, thus creating a state with minimal damage.

I can’t build this system for now, so I have to rely on life force for hard resistance.”

This is also the price he had to pay because of his initially limited vision and wrong choices.

Otherwise, only practicing talismanic skills until Seventh Grade, he would have reached the Extreme State of the Great Dao Teaching.

Instead, it’s like now, where other martial arts occupy positions, and he only practiced Fifth-Grade talismanic skills.

Now Zhang Rongfang, taught by the Celestial Maiden Tong Zhang, understood many profound aspects of martial arts very clearly.

It’s fair to say, the one-month guidance of the Celestial Maiden Tong Zhang gave him a massive overall improvement.

If previously he was a normal expert who learned martial arts scattered and randomly from everywhere.

Then after that month, he turned into someone who understood many martial arts, aware of himself, and planned accordingly, similar to a great family’s heir.

It’s unlikely he would make the same beginner’s mistakes in martial arts again.

Right now, without hesitation, Zhang Rongfang triggered Heavy Mountain again.

Hiss!!

Another surge of Qi and Blood accompanied by explosive breathing and heartbeat made his muscles bulge higher.

A trace of sharp pain transmitted from the skin surface.

Bang!!

Immediately, Zhang Rongfang struck with his palm, venting all his power onto the surface of the stake.

The stake harshly dented inward, forming a deep and clear palm print.

He exhaled deeply, feeling the changes in his body.

“No damage! It truly works!”

Double cascade of Heavy Mountain did not burden his body anymore. It could be used as a regular state.

Joy filled Zhang Rongfang’s heart.

Of course, double Heavy Mountain doesn’t mean his explosive power is exactly twice as before.

Double-speed and power increase is about 10% more than at single strength.

Even so, it’s already formidable.

At Ninth Grade, everyone’s physique difference is actually not that great.

The Snake King, as a Super Grade, when examined closely, his speed and power levels were basically on par with him using Limit-Breaking Skills.

The higher the grade, the closer it gets to the natural limits of the human species.

And for most people, their innate limits aren’t very different.

Zhang Rongfang’s eyes glittered, trying again to use double Heavy Mountain a second time.

But when he barely initiated single strength, he felt his internal organs sting slightly, and he immediately halted, realizing he could only use double Heavy Mountain once without harm.

“No rush… no rush… there’s plenty of time, I’ll rest and accumulate slowly… wait until the tools are ready to train external skills first.”

*

*

*

The City Guard’s Mansion.

Central to a spacious stone slab yard, a corpse covered in dark red, lay draped with a white cloth, only the head exposed, resting on a stretcher.

The face on the corpse was rigid, shocked; it was Fang Wenxuan who previously had a conflict with Zhang Rongfang in the entertainment pavilion.

At this moment, almost all the Fang family members had returned and gathered here.

They stood in a dense circle around the place.

The Patriarch, Fang Wucuo, was already over fifty years old. Fang Wenxuan was his fifth child. Although born of a concubine and known for indulging in eating, drinking, womanizing, and gambling all day, he was, after all, his own flesh and blood!

The foundation of the Fang family lay far away in the Grand Road Governor’s Mansion, with the old Patriarch Fang Zhixin.

The old Patriarch serves as the deputy judge at the Governor’s Mansion.

The so-called deputy judge handles sentencing and adjudication, akin to a chief justice in the Great Spirit.

Such a position naturally carries significant authority and influence, being a crucial part of the judiciary system.

Thus, even if the Fang family’s foundation in Wushan Prefecture was shaky, and their power and influence were not strong, they survived on the business dealings with the Huang family.

Yet, other families were still willing to show them respect, and no one was eager to provoke them.

But now….

Now…. how could someone from their own family be beaten to death in public, in the bustling market!?

Fang Wucuo gripped his cane, his face ashen.

What he cared about was not the death of his son, but the audacity of someone daring to flaunt their power over the Fang family publicly!

“Qin Ye!” His gaze swept across, landing on the sturdy man looking down at the corpse on the right side.

This person, named Qin Ye, was the Fang family’s most trusted protector, possessing great martial prowess and cunning. He was Fang Wucuo’s right-hand man, handling the darker side of their businesses.

“Master.” Qin Ye, burly and clad in black attire, revealed muscular arms with faintly visible azure wolf-like tattoos.

He and Fang Wujiu were the strongest in martial prowess within the Fang family, each handling internal and external matters separately, clearly defined in their roles.

“Go to the music hall where the incident occurred, trace the entire process, find out what happened, and gather all testimonial and material evidence.” Fang Wucuo instructed.

“Understood.” Qin Ye nodded, swiftly leaving the courtyard, taking a squad of household servants, and hurrying outside.

“Huasheng, accompany me to the Commercial Affairs Office. The people of Suda Heqi have killed my son, even if they are from the Mu Chi family, they owe me a sufficient explanation!”

“Yes.” Fang Huasheng was on the same level as Qin Ye, managing the Fang family’s external, legitimate business affairs.

“Everyone else, disperse! Prepare for the funeral and mourning!”

Fang Wucuo’s expression was stern.

This trip to the Commercial Affairs Office, if Suda Heqi doesn’t hand over the murderer, they shouldn’t blame him for being ruthless!

A business that’s been here less than half a year shouldn’t get to throw its weight around over the Fang family!

Soon, everyone from the Fang family dispersed, with nobody particularly caring about Fang Wenxuan; since his mother’s death, his character had deteriorated, and he had little good rapport within the family.

Now that he was dead, many even secretly felt a twinge of pleasure.

“Patriarch.”

After everyone had left, Fang Huasheng suddenly spoke up from the side.

“The one who struck the killing blow, according to the detained guards, is the younger brother of Zhang Rongyu, the current rightful wife of Suda Heqi.

This person just arrived in Wushan Prefecture and is only eighteen years old; could he truly kill Wenxuan right before two guards without anyone being able to react?”

“Are you suggesting…. that someone set a trap?” Fang Wucuo frowned.

“We can’t rule out this possibility. It just seems that this situation bears some resemblance to that case two years ago in terms of the method.” Fang Huasheng said lightly.

“In this case…. we might as well capture Zhang Rongyu’s younger brother for interrogation; this would shed light on the truth.” Fang Wucuo replied. “Even if the Mu Chi family takes offense, I’m only targeting a member connected through marriage, so the problem shouldn’t be too big.”

“Agreed.” Fang Huasheng nodded. He had no particular fondness for Fang Wenxuan, but this issue involved the Fang family’s dignity, giving them no choice.

The Commercial Affairs Office and the Fang family would inevitably have to concede.

Suddenly, a little red bird flew straight down from the distant sky, landing on Fang Wucuo’s hand.

He furrowed his brow slightly, gently stroking the little red bird, and retrieved the bamboo tube tied to its leg.

Fang Huasheng took note and, cupping his fists, bid farewell, voluntarily stepping aside.

He had seen this red bird in the mansion more than once, knowing the Patriarch surely had additional secrets.

Turning away, Fang Huasheng quickly walked towards the courtyard gate.

“Wait!”

Suddenly, the Patriarch’s shout broke the air.

Fang Huasheng turned around and stood still, looking at the Patriarch.

But with this one look, he saw an unprecedented expression on the Patriarch’s face.

Fang Wucuo took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and crushed the note in his hand into a ball.

He slowly walked to Fang Wenxuan’s body.

“I misjudged. Wenxuan did not die by murder.”

He reached out, gently pressing on the corpse’s chest.

“It was an illness of the heart, unrelated to that person.”

Fang Huasheng’s heart suddenly jumped as he watched the Patriarch, momentarily at a loss for words.

“Patriarch… Is the background… that significant?”

He paused before squeezing out this question.

Fang Wucuo withdrew his hand.

“Don’t worry, I will handle it.”

He looked up at the sky. The winter sun shone brightly, yet it seemed bone-chilling due to that person’s presence.

He had heard of a new Spirit Level arriving in Wushan Prefecture, but never expected it to be the new ascendant from Tan Yang.

The person from Tan Yang, overtly and covertly, had a death toll exceeding a thousand.

Among all new ascendants to the Spirit Level at the Golden Wing Pavilion, his level of brutality was unmatched.

If he dared to make a move, he feared the entire Fang family might be obliterated tonight.

“He is the most highly valued by that person…”

“With the Celestial Roc at dawn and the Golden Wings eternal, perhaps this might not be a bad opportunity…” A thought flashed through Fang Wucuo’s mind.

Fang Wenxuan, being a troublemaker, was better off dead, saving the family future trouble.

Perhaps he should prepare a generous gift to thank the other party for ridding the Fang family of this scourge…..

No, that’s not right!

Since the individual did not wish to be exposed, it wouldn’t be fitting to be too ostentatious.

The days are long; as long as the thread is known, they could slowly establish contact in the future.

Fang Wucuo’s mind flickered with various thoughts.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep