Chapter 299: 275 Intensification Part 1

End of May, 1187.

King Zhending rebelled, leading an army of three hundred thousand, claiming five hundred thousand, and established territories in three provinces.

The right military leader of the Snow Rainbow Pavilion went to negotiate and was beheaded as an example to the public.

The Spirit Court was shaken and dispatched a Spirit General to oversee the army for suppression.

War broke out again.

Inside the Celestial Extreme Cave.

Zhang Rongfang listened to the information relayed by Sun Chaoyue, his brows slightly furrowed.

He wasn’t very familiar with King Zhending, but if he went by another name, he would have a deep impression.

King Zhending was the father of Princess Yongxiang.

Also, one of the six kings of the Great Spirit.

“I didn’t expect that behind the matter of Princess Yongxiang, there would be such connections.” He sighed.

What this Great Spirit will transform into in the future, he does not know.

Deep within the Spirit Court, countless spiritual veins encircle Spirit Guards, with Spirit Generals occupying the upper echelons, overlooking all beings.

Gods and Buddhas lurk even deeper, their intentions unknown.

The common people are bred and driven like pigs and sheep…

“Sometimes, perhaps finding a place where the mountains are clear and the waters are beautiful to live in seclusion isn’t such a bad thing.” He said softly.

Sun Chaoyue below remained silent.

The more one understands this world, the more one realizes how difficult such a life is.

Back when his family fled everywhere, they also thought about this, but what was the result?

The people of the Snow Rainbow Pavilion simply wouldn’t let them go.

And Daoist Zhang Ying was the same.

As a core of the Great Dao Teaching, even if he wanted to live in seclusion, it wasn’t his choice to make.

Friends, mentors, enemies, each thread tightly bound him in place, unable to escape.

“Alright, I’ve heard the news. You go practice martial arts first.” Zhang Rongfang waved his hand.

“Yes.” Sun Chaoyue rose and left.

Leaving Zhang Rongfang alone sitting in the cave.

He suddenly thought of his sister and brother-in-law’s family far away in Wushan Prefecture, and his first teacher Zhang Xuan, who had been missing for a long time.

As well as the Eastern Sect Celestial Maiden who lost her trace in the Great Capital.

Ordinary people are powerless to resist spiritual veins.

This is also the fundamental reason why all the rebellion by countless militia armies in the Great Spirit failed today.

No matter the uprising, as long as Spirit Guards and spiritual veins are deployed, the final outcome is slaughter, and the rest are scattered and fled.

The people have clouds hanging over them, seeing no trace of hope.

And now, he and the Rebel Sect mastered the method to encircle and slay the Spirit Guards and spiritual veins with ordinary people.

Therefore, no matter his will, once discovered to be of Eastern Sect descent and holding such secret methods, the final outcome is inevitably to be silenced.

Standing up, Zhang Rongfang glanced at the attribute panel where another attribute point appeared.

With the previous two points, a total of three points were all applied to the Thirteen Guardians’ Horizontal Practice.

Hiss…

In an instant, a subtle skin-tightening sensation spread throughout his body.

His skin became thicker, muscles visible to the naked eye tightened, no longer as swollen as before.

He lifted his hand to look at his arm, the skin on his hand already faintly showed a fine gray-white color, like rock.

A thread of power, like tangible water flow, surged within his body.

At the same time, he felt one of the last three vulnerable spots at the heart slowly undergo changes, as if several layers of extremely thick cowhide were added to the heart.

He gently pressed down, the skin at the heart became tough and sturdy, far stronger than before.

Obviously, this is one of the three vulnerable spots remedied as the martial arts improved.

Afterwards, only the other two vulnerable spots remained.

At the same time, a large amount of memory regarding practicing the Thirteen Guardians’ Horizontal Practice flooded into Zhang Rongfang’s mind.

In the memory, he tirelessly practiced hard skill day and night, even some faceless black-clad men constantly wielded heavy objects, pounding and tempering various parts of his body.

Luckily, it was merely transcending limits, not much memory remained, and quickly dissipated.

Just then, a new note slowly appeared on the attribute panel.

’Zhang Rongfang — Life 100-100. (Strength, Body Technique, Endurance have reached human genetic limits)’

The bracket content suddenly appearing after life, like written in fresh blood, carried a kind of warning and reminder, hanging there, somewhat striking.

“Is this the limit?” Zhang Rongfang sighed. No surprises.

This time the limit-breaking improvement in rank brought almost zero improvement overall.

The only enhancement was the defense of skin and flesh in hard skill.

But strength, explosion, speed aspects, were already incapable of further increase.

Whether the heart or other internal organs, muscles, skin, blood vessels, bones, bone marrow, everything seemed to have entered a saturated state, unable to go further.

Hence seeing this tip in the attribute panel, he was not surprised.

Standing up, he walked out of the cave, his toes lightly tapped, easily following the rock wall upwards, swiftly reaching the mountaintop.

A Daoist was sitting here, meditating and guarding.

Seeing him coming, promptly stood up and saluted.

“No need for courtesy.” Zhang Rongfang responded, his figure accelerated towards the cliff below.

He had a strong feeling in his heart.

At this moment, human limits had been reached.

If he was at his own limit before, he could forcibly increase the upper limit by using life points, and then empower himself through levels.

Then now, he has reached the gene limit of the entire human race.

This feeling is so intense that he has a premonition that even if he continues to practice martial arts, the hardness of his skin and muscles might improve, but strength, burst power, and speed will not be able to increase further.

Before long, his rapidly running figure suddenly stopped, halting before a gray rock three meters long and four meters high.

With an outstretched hand, he embraced it, exerting his whole strength, his feet quickly sinking into the ground.

The entire rock trembled slightly, and soon was gently lifted, raised up forcefully by him.

Yet this was the utmost limit; Zhang Rongfang distinctly felt the rapid flow of blood throughout his body, having reached an extreme.

Bang.

He placed the rock back down, standing amidst the mountain forest, beginning to contemplate future development.

’I have an attribute panel, by elevating the limits with life value, ultimately reaching this point, having reached the genetic limit of all.

So what’s next? How should I proceed from here?’

Ordinary humans reaching this point means the pinnacle determined by their own genes.

In other words, the road ahead is cut off.

Yet the Spirit Guard, Spiritual Veins, and Spirit General remain like towering mountains, weighing in front.

’No wonder in the martial arts pathway, the final development leads to technique, realm, weapon.’

Standing amid the woods, Zhang Rongfang gazed at the round moon in the sky.

His heart was filled with emotions.

Since strength and speed have reached the genetic limit, it implies that no matter how he forcibly cultivates to enhance strength and body technique martial arts through increasing life points in the future, it will be of little use.

At most, he can increase technique, realm, and experience.

Yet there is virtually no breakthrough for himself.

’Originally, I thought I could continuously stack grades, reaching a state of invincibility. Now it seems it’s also an illusion.’

He extended his hand to gently stroke the rock surface before him.

’Since strength, body technique, and endurance have genetic limits, then hard skill defense, recovery power, and others must also have limits. If I keep improving, I should soon reach the genetic limits of all humans. And at that time….’

Suddenly, he thought of divine worship.

’The essence of divine worship should be more about transplanting external objects to assist in enhancing the human body. Perhaps I can also try… maybe divine worship cannot control me…’

No!

Suddenly Zhang Rongfang closed his eyes, interrupting this dangerous thought.

He cannot entrust his safety to the whims of external donations.

Countless thoughts and ideas surged and collided in his mind.

’The adaptability of life is definitely far beyond this limit.’ He placed hope on the newly appeared talent traits after life value enhancement.

’There’s no hurry, wait a while longer. If new talent traits appear later, it means in the future, I can keep progressing along this path.’

’If I can continuously increase talents… perhaps I can create new top-tier martial arts based on new talents, as I did before…’

Calming his thoughts, Zhang Rongfang immediately began testing his current comprehensive qualities.

Strength, he had already tested just now.

Regarding body technique, he roughly counted in his mind for a few seconds, estimated the distance, and calculated the limit speed, which is about nine seconds per hundred meters.

Great Spirit measures three meters per zhang, and a hundred meters is slightly over thirty-three zhang.

Moreover, due to the martial arts of body technique, he can turn forward in a fan shape at any time, exerting full effort, can turn three times without reducing speed.

As Zhang Rongfang was alone contemplating his future path in the mountains.

Dozens of miles away from the Celestial Extreme Cave.

In a cold and damp mountain cave.

The cave wall carved with a ferocious statue of a deity with three heads and six arms, adorned with many circular rings.

The upper body of the statue connects to the cave wall, while the lower body stands independently.

The face resembling a male lion, with a thick mane at the neck, draped in a broad purple robe embroidered with sun, moon, mountains, and rivers, followed by floating black ribbons.

This is the Sensing Sect branch—Thousand Stone Sect, dedicated to a subordinate god under the Moon God, known as Salukra. In Great Spirit language, it signifies the god managing earth and rocks.

The statue stands over ten meters tall, and beside its legs, there presently stood a towering figure.

The figure wore a black mask, his hair gray, with a powerful aura, robust muscles like rocks.

It was undoubtedly Yan Shenjun, the Left Protector of Thousand Stone Sect, who just fought Zhang Rongfang.

Yan Shenjun gazed at the statue, standing quietly in place awaiting.

Bits of water dripping sound in the cave, unknown whence it came.

That sound, though unhurried, made one feel increasingly annoyed inside.

Yet Yan Shenjun seemed long accustomed, standing still like a statue.

Time consistently moved on, over half an hour passing.

Finally.

Tiny footsteps were heard from behind the statue’s robust legs.

Yan Shenjun lowered his gaze, looking towards the source of the sound.

But there was only darkness, nothing visible.

“So eager to notify me back, you can state your reasons.”

The newcomer did not reveal themselves, merely stood behind the statue’s substantial legs and spoke directly.

“Sect Leader. I’ve found the legendary Celestial Extreme Cave. And confirmed the treasure medicine planted by the Moon King is hidden within.

Therefore….. I sent people to investigate…” Yan Shenjun directly altered the cause and effect.

Originally, it was Black Tiger Daoist who discovered it first, then notified a companion for assistance. Finally, unable to defeat, they informed him.

To him, it turned into him discovering the Celestial Extreme Cave first.

Thus, the credit for the first discovery became his.

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