Chapter 71: 70 Utilization, Part 2

’Zhang Rongfang—Life 24-25.

Skills:

Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual – Mountain-shaped Talisman (Limit-Breaking)

Morning Energy Talisman (Limit-Breaking)

One Element Talisman (Limit-Breaking) (Limit-Breaking Skill: Heavy Mountain, ten times),

Void Observation Skill (First Layer Essence Aperture).

Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill (First Layer Limit-Breaking)

Eight Steps to Catching a Cicada (First Layer Limit-Breaking) (Limit-Breaking Skill: Shrink Earth.)

Taichang Eagle Claw Skill (Limit-Breaking)

Spiritual Snake Body Skill (Beginner)

Merged Limit-Breaking Skill: Shrinking Step Heavy Mountain.

Available Attributes: 4.’

“Finally… Spiritual Snake Body Skill has reached the beginner level… and there are enough attribute points.”

Looking at the increasingly lengthy attribute panel, the entire display almost occupied all his vision.

This was quite inconvenient.

Zhang Rongfang felt a subtle movement in his heart.

’Perhaps in the future, I will practice more low-grade martial arts as supplements. If listed like this continuously, the attribute panel will inevitably become quite cluttered.

If I could merge martial arts from the same school…’

This thought had just flashed in his mind.

Suddenly, changes occurred on the attribute panel.

’Zhang Rongfang—Life 24-25.

Skills:

Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual – Third Grade.

Leg Technique – Second Grade.

Fist, Palm, Claw: First Grade.

Unbroken Limit: Spiritual Snake Body Skill (Beginner)

Limit-Breaking Skill: Shrinking Step Heavy Mountain.

Available Attributes: 4.’

All skills were instantly significantly streamlined.

Low-grade martial arts were completely grouped together, summarized into leg technique, fist, palm, claw.

Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual was also merged, directly showing only the third grade, which means three limit-breaking talismanic skills.

Zhang Rongfang noticed that behind these summarized skills, there was still an ellipsis that could be clicked.

After clicking, detailed introductions of the martial arts were inside.

As long as it wasn’t clicked, the entire attribute panel was undoubtedly much clearer.

“Not bad!” At this point, he roughly understood that this attribute panel was likely completely controlled and influenced by his main consciousness.

’Next, it’s the Spiritual Snake Body Skill.’

Previously in actual combat, he had already felt that the fusion of this low-grade body technique would have a certain impact on his original body technique.

So at this moment, he also had some anticipation in his heart.

After calming his mood, Zhang Rongfang imagined clicking on the plus sign after Spiritual Snake Body Skill.

Sss.

Four points in a row, all piled up there.

The brackets behind the body technique instantly blurred, and soon after a few seconds, became clear again.

’Spiritual Snake Body Skill (Limit-Breaking)’.

Boom.

Countless information, insights, memories, crazily poured into Zhang Rongfang’s mind.

At this moment, it was as if he had arduously practiced Spiritual Snake Body Skill for over ten years, from the beginning to the limit-breaking.

Without any omission, day and night.

Inside the room.

His entire body muscles trembled violently, slithered.

The specially changed wide robe could not conceal the dramatic muscle twists.

Soon, Zhang Rongfang’s legs visibly swelled before the naked eye.

Fiber bundles of muscles quickly enlarged, becoming more resilient.

The detail muscle groups that were not trained by previous body techniques were also rapidly breaking and healing, becoming increasingly stout and resilient.

Zhang Rongfang clearly felt that Spiritual Snake Body Skill was like a flexible rope filament, linking Eight Steps to Catching a Cicada, Dragon and Snake Ascension Skill, and Mist Smoke Step together.

At this moment, all the step techniques were in his mind removing redundant parts, forming a leg technique lightweight skill most suitable for him.

This change lasted for a good half an hour.

Until his body had completely calmed down, Zhang Rongfang slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

He glanced down at his legs.

The originally slender and robust legs had now grown a circle larger, the thigh circumference almost as thick as a small water bucket.

“Too conspicuous…”

He frowned slightly, took a long robe to completely cover his legs.

“It seems for quite a while, I’ll have to wear robes.”

The change in his legs brought about a clear enhancement in explosive power.

Improved explosive power represents increased burst speed over short distances.

Zhang Rongfang gently inhaled, his foot stomped fiercely.

Whoosh!

His silhouette rapidly dashed forward, touching the wall by the bed, flipping in mid-air, and returning to the original spot.

The entire process was silent, the speed was at least thirty percent faster than before.

At this level, a sudden increase of thirty percent in speed, such a huge improvement was like cheating.

’Am I not just cheating?’ Zhang Rongfang suddenly laughed.

’Previously, my speed could already compare with burst capability of lightweight skill experts at the fifth grade. Now, it’s probably even more exaggerated.’

Immediately, he started to integrate and adapt the greatly enhanced body technique with the rest of the martial arts within the room.

If martial arts do not match well, if the rhythm is wrong, it might not bring an improvement in strength but rather a decrease.

So how to coordinate is also an issue.

The faster the speed, the faster the body technique, the more the required offensive and defensive moves must be simplified.

Because with too fast speed, there is simply no time for complex moves.

When there is a large speed discrepancy, many deceitful moves can also be completely canceled, all replaced by charged rapid motions.

It wasn’t until late afternoon that he stepped out of the room.

None of the ninth squad members were present.

Having just received an unexpected fortune, the group probably went partying.

Zhang Rongfang leisurely walked out of the small building, greeted several other captains, then headed towards the Penal Division’s main entrance.

“Captain Zhang Ying, please hold on.”

Suddenly, a voice drifted over.

Zhang Rongfang looked over and saw General Zhang Xiangyang and a middle-aged scholar with a three-inch long beard walking toward him.

“Greetings, General.” Zhang Rongfang hurriedly saluted.

“Captain Zhang, you are over twenty now and without close family in the house. Shouldn’t you be living alone?” Zhang Xiangyang asked with a smile.

“No, I’m currently living in the Ninth Squad’s residence.”

The squad residence referred to the small building occupied by the Ninth Squad.

“That won’t do. Why not live outside on your own? The squad residence is just a temporary accommodation for when missions are on lockdown. It doesn’t feel like home,” Zhang Xiangyang smiled.

The middle-aged scholar beside him smiled as he looked Zhang Rongfang over, saying nothing.

Zhang Rongfang felt his gaze all over him, making him uncomfortable.

“What the General says is absolutely right. I have been thinking about moving out on my own, but buying a house outside is still quite expensive.”

“With your current salary, it shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, now that you’re officially confirmed, someone will surely approach you soon,” Zhang Xiangyang said with a smile.

Hearing this, Zhang Rongfang felt a bit inexplicable.

But he still chatted casually with the General for a while before they left together.

According to the old routine, he went to Wang Bude’s place to study Talismanic Skill.

However, he had basically mastered the finer details of the Talismanic Skill by now, and their transaction was nearing completion.

Such an advanced martial arts skill required personal instruction, but once the details were grasped, further practice could lead to self-study.

By evening.

As he was about to gather for patrol duty, Zhang Rongfang suddenly remembered Zhang Xiangyang’s suggestion about moving out.

Moving out to live on his own would indeed make things much more convenient.

Often, he worried that the noise from practicing martial arts might be overheard by others.

Coming and going at night was also quite inconvenient, requiring him to build a good relationship with the guards of one squad in advance.

Now that he was the official captain, he could arrange or even cancel morning briefings as he pleased.

After all, as long as he turned up for afternoon patrols, it was fine.

Immediately, he went to a real estate agency to inquire about the housing market.

The cheapest house near the Department of Penalty was several hundred taels and poorly located.

But renting was much cheaper.

Only less than ten taels for a year.

He quickly found a secluded house with a small courtyard. It was around two hundred square meters in total, and the annual rent was eight taels.

The house was located at the far end of the Department of Penalty, just under a hundred meters from the side gate.

Once he confirmed the place, Zhang Rongfang promptly moved his luggage over.

As the captain, with just an order, more than ten squad members generously lent a hand.

Everything was moved in less than fifteen minutes.

In the next few days, the Department of Penalty continuously dispatched forces to capture the so-called ’Sea Dragon’ organization bases.

Zhang Rongfang also led two operations, catching small-time thugs and low-level gang members who weren’t even considered entry-level.

Despite the many people in government offices and religious circles, entering this elite realm wasn’t easy.

Without exceptional talent, it typically required over ten years of full-time training, completely removed from production, following a nurturing model.

It also required a teacher for guidance and a constant supply of supplements for Qi and blood enhancement.

Plus, it demanded unwavering perseverance from the martial artist.

Hence, true martial artists usually came from well-off families.

Meanwhile, the low-level gang members often began training later when they could earn money, finally having the eligibility and time to practice.

This type of person missed the optimal time to practice martial arts, so most couldn’t reach entry-level and at best trained to Muscle Forging.

These were the types of people Zhang Rongfang caught.

Throughout Tan Yang, such individuals were the majority.

Just like that, a week quickly passed by.

*

*

*

Creaaak.

The large door of the courtyard was gently pushed open.

Zhang Rongfang flexed his hands, wearing a black robe with red edges to conceal his excessively muscular legs.

The morning air was a bit chilly, with a hint of moisture.

Outside the door was a pristine night market street.

The district adjacent to the Department of Penalty was mostly bustling with vibrant nightlife.

The only quiet time was in the early morning.

Trash carts driven by slaves stopped intermittently during cleaning.

In front of several courtyards, servants sprinkled water with willow branches for exorcism, for warding off evil.

On the right sidewalk, two small children helped wash tubs in front of a public bathhouse.

The pair wore tattered clothes with soaked pant legs, looking similar enough to suggest they were relatives.

Elsewhere, a young woman, visibly pregnant, slowly walked by with twin-tailed children.

The children held a rattle drum, shaking it to make noise.

Retracting his gaze, Zhang Rongfang, who had been tense for some time, slightly relaxed.

Isn’t this the peaceful life he had been pursuing?

Unfortunately… such peace was merely an illusion, a veneer ready to shatter at a touch.

As he walked down the street, he bought three pancakes from a stall for breakfast.

Walking and eating at the same time, he stopped in his tracks once he returned to his courtyard gate.

A gaunt elderly man in a black robe was standing in front of the gate.

The old man turned around, facing Zhang Rongfang, and gently took off his black hood.

“Captain Zhang, it’s been a few days. You seem to be doing quite well.”

Zhang Rongfang halted, the warmth on his face slowly fading.

The visitor was none other than Basari, the Grand Elder of the Black Ten Sect, whom he nearly eliminated a few days back.

The side of his neck was still bandaged from the previous wound.

“I didn’t expect the Grand Elder to visit. What is it? Seeking revenge?”

Where Zhang Rongfang lived was only a hundred meters from the Department of Penalty. If a fight broke out, neither Basari nor those behind him could escape.

“How could that be? I’m just here to give Captain Zhang a little reminder,” Basari answered, his expression unchanging.

He stepped forward until he was less than half a meter away from Zhang Rongfang, then stopped.

“Recently, the Sea Dragon seems to be looking for someone who framed them…. Hehe, who could it be?

Who framed the Sea Dragon and ruined the Lin family’s daughter…. What a brilliant scheme that was…”

With icy amusement, Basari’s eyes focused on Zhang Rongfang.

“Wouldn’t you agree, Captain Zhang Ying… always pretending to visit brothels at night but never to be found…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep