Chapter 341: 317 Attempts, Part 1

Agarwood Palace Martial Arts Training Ground.

Zhang Rongfang lifted a heavy iron lock with one hand. This is what he usually used to temper his arm strength.

One weighed one thousand pounds, two were two thousand pounds.

Yet at this moment, he felt it was slightly lighter in his hand than usual.

Though not by much, the feeling was unmistakably there.

He gently tossed the iron lock into the air, watching it tumble, spin, rise, and then fall.

Puff.

He caught it accurately with one hand again and gently placed it on the ground.

“Next is speed.”

He looked toward the end of the training ground where a heavy metal mannequin quietly reflected the early morning’s pale golden sunlight.

Swoosh.

Zhang Rongfang’s feet moved, and he shot out like an arrow released from a bowstring.

A strange feeling quickly surged in his heart.

His Body Technique’s straight-line speed was a bit faster than yesterday!

At this point, every increment of physical improvement could be precisely sensed by himself.

Especially with the time interval shortened to just one day, even a small improvement could be felt distinctly.

Reaching the position by the metal mannequin, Zhang Rongfang decelerated, stopped, and stood steadily.

“The rest doesn’t need testing. The key strength and speed have both been enhanced… This blood consumption talent ability is indeed terrifying…”

He originally thought the attribute panel would awaken some super hearing or super smell-type traits, never imagined it would be such a cruel and evil talent.

Yes, after witnessing the prisoners in that cell being drained of blood and dying.

He understood that this ability was very similar to certain vampire or zombie abilities he had heard about in his past life.

The difference is, he didn’t fear sunlight, nor was he a ghostly creature, but just an ordinary person.

Sighing inwardly, Zhang Rongfang looked again at the other Daoists on the training ground.

In the corner, there were some Daoists painstakingly refining their martial arts.

As he glanced over, these dozen or so people emitted a faint fragrance as well.

But it was much fainter than before.

“Huh?” Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang’s gaze paused, spotting a ’familiar face.’

Among those practicing martial arts was the bearded Daoist he had seen before.

The guy was muscular and was sparring with someone.

Zhang Rongfang slowly approached, stopping at a certain distance, quietly watching them spar.

This time, although it’s the same person, the fragrance emanating from the bearded Daoist was much fainter.

In less than an hour, such a big change occurred.

Zhang Rongfang realized now that this couldn’t be an external issue; it had to be something within himself.

’Is it because I just drained a prisoner?’ He could only speculate this one answer.

Though it’s the same person, the scent he smelled had faded significantly.

Recalling the literal meaning of ’blood consumption’.

Zhang Rongfang suddenly had a hypothesis.

’Perhaps the meaning of blood consumption is actually completing genes? Optimizing all of humanity’s excellent genes to the extreme.

And the fragrance I smell might be the scent from the genes of the other person that are superior to mine.’

He speculated thus.

’When I first activated this talent ability, compared to ordinary people, my genes likely had many areas for optimization in conventional genes.

So everyone seemed fragrant.

After consuming a person, most conventional genes were supplemented and optimized, making the scent less intense.’

This hypothesis seemed quite reasonable.

’If this speculation is correct, then when the number after blood consumption reaches a certain amount, it’s likely that there will be no more growth. At that point, this talent ability will have fully matured.’

After reaching a conclusion, then it’s time to verify it.

Zhang Rongfang’s heart stirred.

’If I continuously directly consume human blood in Agarwood Palace’s dungeon, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar.

No matter if I do it for righteous reasons, it would be misunderstood as evil.

Too many people only see the surface and ignore the inner essence.’

’Therefore, I must act covertly.’

His eyes flickered as he began thinking about how to act covertly.

And which faction to target.

“Daoist.”

At this moment, a Daoist hurried to his side and bowed.

“What’s the matter?”

“We have two officials from the yamen who were just attacked, now missing, both incidents happened on their way to check-in at the yamen.” The Daoist quickly reported.

“Two were attacked? And official ones at that?” Zhang Rongfang furrowed his brows.

In Citong, since his momentum had grown stronger, it’s the first time anyone dared act against a member of Agarwood Palace.

Moreover, the targets are officials with official positions, which no ordinary person or faction would dare attempt.

Unconsciously, Zhang Rongfang thought of a possibility—Western Sect.

He could wipe out Wanghai Temple, Western Sect’s experts might secretly dare act against Agarwood Palace.

As long as they’re not caught or identified, it’s fine.

“File a case at the prefectural office, request officials to send personnel and a Captain to assist with the investigation.” Zhang Rongfang said solemnly.

Although he didn’t expect the yamen to uncover much, it’s important to show the right stance.

“Yes!”

The Daoist respectfully bowed his head and backed away.

Zhang Rongfang watched him leave, a subtle and inexplicable glint flashing in his eyes.

Since he was planning on finding someone for experimentation anyway, why not use the Western Sect and the Golden Wing Pavilion who came to the door?

Just killing them outright would be a waste, better to make use of them…

*

*

*

On an inconspicuous small ship of Citong.

Deep in the cabin, the bronze-armed Zen master Kong He held his Zen staff with one hand, his brows furrowed into a frown, staring at the two managers from Agarwood Palace who were captured.

The interrogator kept pressing them, but these two claimed they knew nothing, and what they said carried no secrets at all.

This made him feel frustrated and getting nothing.

With two crisp snapping sounds, the two managers lost their breath completely.

After failing to provide any valuable information, they lost their value of use and were killed on the spot.

“Master, you see… even the peripheral members of Agarwood Palace, even those in management, have no access to the core.

Maybe only those few whom Zhang Ying trusts the most know the most.” A fat, big-eared monk from the Western Sect reminded aloud.

“Who are the most trusted in Agarwood Palace? Do you know?” the bronze-armed Zen master Kong He asked impatiently.

“This subordinate really knows.” The fat monk grinned, full of energy.

“Agarwood Palace itself is complicated, since its rise was too rapid, it absorbed many external martial artists to build their power.

But the makeup of these members is complex; some of them are even spies from other forces.

So, the ones truly managing the operations of the Daoist palace are only those trusted by Zhang Ying, around a dozen people.

And among these dozen, Sun Chaoyue and Zhang Zhenhai, the two women, lead.”

The bronze-armed Zen master Kong He froze upon hearing this.

“Two women? Pretty?” He instantly had an association.

“Very pretty.” The fat monk smiled and said, “Sun Chaoyue has a good temperament, voluptuous figure. Zhang Zhenhai has a graceful silhouette, naturally fragrant, both are excellent Ming Fei.”

“I like them.” The bronze-armed Zen master Kong He immediately smiled with satisfaction. “Do you know their travel routes? I’ll do it myself. Play first, then interrogate.”

While he was rushing all the way, he had accumulated quite a bit of irritation, now it was a good time to relax.

“This is easy, these two usually live in houses at the foot of Agarwood Mountain, occasionally heading out to handle some religious dispute cases for the religious bureau.

So as long as the moves are fast enough, capturing them en route is easy.” The fat monk explained.

With the bronze-armed Zen master’s skills, capturing people is simply too easy.

“Alright, let’s go now!” The bronze-armed Zen master immediately got proactive.

“Yes.”

The two of them exited the cabin one after the other, walking along the passageway to the deck.

The fat monk began arranging people to investigate the whereabouts information.

Meanwhile, the bronze-armed Zen master Kong He, disembarked and donned a black robe, then started leisurely wandering around the streets near the ship, eating and drinking.

But he didn’t notice that one of the street vendors selling snacks and barbecue was inadvertently glancing at him from the corner of their eyes.

A vendor seized the moment of delivering food to a customer to discreetly pass along a hastily written draft paper scroll.

The scroll was taken by the dining customer and tucked into their sleeve, casually pretending to head to an outhouse.

The customer stood and left amid playful banter from friends, leaving the seat.

At this point, the information about the bronze-armed Zen master Kong He swiftly spread out.

Meanwhile, Kong He was waiting for the fat monk to gather the trajectory of Sun Chaoyue and Zhang Zhenhai.

Soon, he tossed away the lamb skewers he had finished eating, making his way back to the ship alone.

As night gradually fell.

On the way back from the street to the ship, there was a stretch without the illumination of shop lanterns.

The sky was without moonlight, only patches of rain clouds, somber and shadowy.

The wind rustled through the greenery alongside the road, making mocking sounds, as if a group of whispering people were standing there, shoulder to shoulder in the shadows.

Holding a jar of wine, Kong He leisurely hummed a tune as he walked back.

Crunch.

Suddenly, he paused, looking ahead.

On the beach in front, at the boundary of light and shadow, stood a robust figure, covered completely with a black cloak, concealing both the person and their head.

The wind tugged at the cloak’s hem, faintly revealing the spear-like straight legs within.

The person was standing sideways, gazing at the distant undulating sea.

Seemingly someone taking a walk to enjoy the view, like him.

Kong He didn’t think much of it and continued heading toward his destination ship.

In the Great Spirit, any man practicing martial arts is never frail.

The frail cannot exert power, what purpose does it serve?

Even those pursuing speed and explosiveness have streamlined muscles, hardly considered frail.

He continued forward.

The two gradually approached.

“What do you think, what is the purpose of living?”

Suddenly, the cloaked figure spoke.

Kong He paused his steps, looking at the figure in surprise.

“Are you speaking to me?” he asked in astonishment.

“Aside from you, there’s only me here. What do you think?” the cloaked person calmly replied.

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