Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 710 Villain
An unprecedented sense of fullness and weight enveloped Liang Jin's entire body like a warm tide.

He quietly looked inward and could "see" the internal energy within his body, which was originally surging like a river, transforming into an even more powerful and magnificent torrent after breaking through the shackles of the second-grade realm!

Guided by intention, they joyfully surge and circulate along the meridians that have been widened and reinforced several times over. Each cycle brings tangible feedback of increased power, seemingly without end.

Not only his internal energy, but he could also clearly feel that his muscle fibers had become denser, his bones had a faint, warm glow, and his entire body seemed to have undergone a thousand-times-forging process, with its strength and resilience rising to a new level!
As Liang Jin slowly stood up from the cold ground and stretched his limbs, which were slightly stiff from sitting for so long, an indescribable feeling of joy involuntarily welled up on his face.

"I feel so relaxed right now!"

This exclamation came from the bottom of my heart, carrying a genuine joy of breaking free from heavy shackles.

It should be noted that in order to solidify his foundation and suppress his cultivation in order to achieve a greater breakthrough in the future, Liang Jin has been wearing four [Zhenyuan Nianlong Locks] for a long time!
These four invisible shackles, like four heavy mountains, pressed down on his body, meridians, and dantian, making his internal energy circulation extremely sluggish, as if he were wading through a sticky swamp.

He would become breathless after walking just a few steps, and even slightly strenuous exercise would leave him as weak as a chronically ill tuberculosis patient.

Under the suppression of the four Dragon-Slaying Locks, he was not even as strong as an ordinary man who did not know martial arts. He had to endure the omnipresent heaviness and restraint in every movement and sitting position.

But now, after successfully breaking through to the second rank, everything has changed!
Liang Jin tentatively stretched his body, twisted his neck, and waved his arms—his movements were smooth and free, without the obstruction and stagnation he used to feel as if he were stuck in a quagmire!
Although the four dragon-crushing locks still exist, the "weight" they exert is now bearable relative to his surging strength and physical attributes!
He couldn't help but take a step forward, then suddenly punched the air in front of him!
"Hu! Hu! Hu!"

The fist whistled through the air, fierce and powerful!
Although it was far from using its full strength, the sound of it cutting through the air was already clearly audible, demonstrating remarkable power and speed!

"My current strength... even with four [Suppressing Yuan Dragon-Slaying Locks] on, is equivalent to that of a ninth-rank martial artist!"

Liang Jin carefully felt the power of the punch and the response speed of his internal energy, and couldn't help but marvel, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

This is undoubtedly a huge leap!

From a state of "sickness and weakness" that was worse than that of an ordinary person, to now being comparable to a ninth-rank martial artist who has formally stepped into the threshold of martial arts, it means that he has finally gotten rid of that extreme dependence and inconvenience.

In the future, he will no longer need to be supported by others or rely on a sedan chair for transportation. He has regained his precious ability to move independently!

To verify the power after complete liberation, Liang Jin had a sudden thought and whispered:

"Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock! Remove it!"

With a slight tremor in his body, it was as if some invisible nexus within him had been opened.

"Click! Click! Click! Click!"

Four clear, melodious sounds, like jade shattering or a lock being opened, emanated from the depths of his body.

The four [Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Locks] that had been clinging to him like a malignant tumor for so long were released instantly, turning into four faint rays of light, which were then stored back in the [Item Inventory] in his mind.

The instant the Dragon-Slaying Lock was removed!

Liang Jin suddenly felt a lightness all over his body!
It felt as if the four mountains I had been carrying had been suddenly removed, and an extreme sense of ease, almost like I was about to fly away, swept over my whole body!

At the same time, the internal energy stream within his body, which had been struggling to move forward in a narrow river channel, instantly transformed into a vast, roaring river that rushed forward for thousands of miles after losing all restraints!
A surge of immense power erupted from the depths of the dantian, rushing wildly along the unobstructed meridians to every part of the body. Every cell was jubilant, filled with unprecedented vitality and strength!

"Is this... the unrestrained power of a second-grade cultivator?"

Liang Jin clenched his fists, feeling the terrifying power between his fingers that seemed capable of crushing fine iron, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his heart.

"With my current strength, if I were to face an opponent like the Demon Lord of Wuxu again, even if he were at his peak, defeating him would be several times easier than before!"

"As for eunuchs like Wang Jin..."

A cold glint flashed in Liang Jin's eyes:

"I'm afraid you're no longer worthy to be my opponent!"

Second-rank martial artists were once considered by Liang Jin to be unapproachable and extremely difficult to deal with.

He vividly remembered that in order to kill Beihuan, he had to use the Hundred Evils Body and the War Puppet, giving it his all and facing numerous dangers.

However, when facing Wang Jin, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, although he was able to force him to retreat with his extraordinary skills such as the Heavenly Tribulation, he was never able to truly defeat him.

The sense of oppression and powerlessness brought by that peak second-grade expert was deeply imprinted in his heart.

But now, times have changed!
Liang Jin was absolutely confident that even without the support of the Annihilation Armor, his newly broken-through second-grade cultivation and various divine powers were enough to defeat Wang Jin head-on!

If the Annihilation Armor were used... people like Wang Jin probably wouldn't even be worthy of his attention!

The surge in strength brought him immense confidence, but Liang Jin remained clear-headed.

His brows furrowed slightly again, a sense of unease rising in his heart.

"But why... do I still clearly feel that I am no match for Zhao Wuji, who is hiding deep within the imperial mausoleum?"

Although he had successfully entered the second rank, the feeling of insignificance, powerlessness, and near-death experience he had when facing that terrifying attack that seemed to come from afar and contained the power of heaven and earth in the underground palace still made him feel lingering fear and his spine chilled when he thought about it.

He had a gut feeling that even in his current state, if he were to face that kind of attack again, the result would probably be no different—he would still be crushed without any suspense!

The absolute gap in power level did not seem to have narrowed much because of his breakthrough.

"Just what level has Zhao Wuji reached?"

"Has it already surpassed the first rank?"

"Also, why do I feel that the path to the first rank is completely blocked even though I have already reached the second rank?"

"What exactly is going on?"

Liang Jin composed himself and carefully contemplated the profound mysteries of his own realm, a deep sense of confusion creeping onto his face.

Logically speaking, martial arts training is like climbing a tower, progressing from low to high levels, with a clear and definite path and direction.

After breaking through to the second rank, the next goal is naturally to challenge the legendary first rank.

however.

At this moment, after having initially mastered the power of the second rank, Liang Jin had an extremely strange feeling—as if the peak of the second rank was the end of this martial path!

Further ahead, it's not a smooth road, but a wall!

An invisible wall that is infinitely high, with no top in sight; infinitely wide, with no edge to touch; and infinitely thick, so thick that it inspires despair!
In his perception, the first-grade realm was not unattainable, but rather... it seemed to not exist at all!

This situation was simply incomprehensible and went against his common sense understanding of martial arts.

If one must find a similar situation, one might draw a parallel to the enormous chasm a martial artist encounters when breaking through from the sixth rank to the fifth rank.

The sixth and fifth ranks are the dividing line between the mortal and the extraordinary. Breaking through them is far more difficult than other ranks, making it an insurmountable barrier that can stop 99% of the martial artists in the world.

But the difference is that no matter how deep or wide the chasm is, martial artists can at least see the scenery on the other side, know that a new world awaits them after crossing it, and have hope and goals in their hearts.

At this moment, Liang Jin stood on the "shore" of the second rank, trying his best to look into the distance at the location of the "first rank", but only felt a void!
That's not a matter of distance, but a denial of "existence"!

It was as if some unseen rule was telling him: This path is blocked, and the path of martial arts ends here!

Faced with this seemingly eternal and insurmountable wall of despair, even Liang Jin, with his strong will, couldn't help but feel a brief moment of palpitation and bewilderment.

But he was ultimately a man of strong will, and he quickly suppressed this negative emotion, his eyes regaining their sharpness and determination.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Something must have gone wrong!"

"First-rank martial artists truly existed in this world! History and legends cannot be entirely false!"

A first-rank martial artist is a legend at the pinnacle of martial arts, the strongest standing above millions of martial artists.

Despite their small numbers, there has never been a lack of records and legends about them throughout the long history.

Every few centuries, there will always be exceptionally talented individuals who break free from constraints and ascend to that supreme realm.

The closest first-rank martial artist to the present era was Emperor Taizu Zhao Wuji, who swept across the eight wastelands and unified the world with absolute martial power decades ago, establishing the Great Qian Dynasty!
Since first-rank martial artists truly exist, then second-rank martial artists can never be the end of the martial arts path!
There is always a way forward!

"It seems that working in isolation is not a viable approach."

"I must find other second-rank martial artists to exchange information and see if they have encountered the same situation?"

"Is this just my personal illusion, or... a predicament faced by all second-rank martial artists?"

Liang Jin quickly made up his mind.

If you want to understand the secrets of the second rank, there is naturally no more direct and effective way than asking someone of the same level.

However, at the moment, he has no trustworthy second-rank martial artist by his side.

Most of the second-rank officials he encountered were his enemies.

However, the clone that is far away on Hualong Island can seek guidance from Yu Linglong, a second-rank martial artist.

As a princess of the previous dynasty, Yu Linglong knows many secrets, and she will surely be able to provide an answer to this matter.

"Oh right, I haven't had a chance to examine my newly acquired divine power properly yet."

Putting aside his confusion about the first-grade realm for the time being, Liang Jin began to turn his attention to the newly added power within his body.

The serpent's essence and blood endowed him with a powerful, fully dragon-like body and the "Divine Dragon Arm," a weapon that combines offense and defense.

Black blood brings with it the incredibly destructive "Kui Arm" and further enhancements to the defense of the scales covering the body.

So, what strange changes will the divine power contained in the Lightning Strike Fruit, which originated from the ancient divine tree and was tempered by lightning tribulations, bring?
Liang Jin focused his mind and looked inward, carefully sensing the three intertwined yet distinct sources of power deep within his dantian.

However, after some investigation, he frowned slightly.

"This divine power originating from the Lightning Strike Fruit... seems to be significantly weaker than the other two?"

"Is it because I only consumed one Lightning Strike Fruit?"

"If the divine power of the three Thunderstrike Fruits is fully absorbed and fused, its power will surely increase several times over!"

Liang Jin seemed to be thinking about something.

But he quickly dismissed the idea of ​​immediately consuming the second Lightning Strike Fruit.

The effects of the Lightning Strike Fruit are too domineering and fierce. If taken continuously, one's cultivation will certainly increase again, but at the same time, the risk of conflict between the three divine powers will also increase dramatically. The danger of "blood boiling and body collapse" that was just experienced may be repeated, or even more violently.

More importantly, in the path of cultivation, a balance between tension and relaxation is crucial; a solid foundation is far more important than blindly pursuing speed.

He has just broken through to the second rank, and his realm has not yet been completely stabilized. Like a newly built dam, it needs time for the rammed earth to settle and solidify.

At this crucial moment, we should proceed steadily and patiently, laying an unbreakable foundation for the initial stage of the second rank. Only in this way can we support future advancements to higher levels and minimize the risk of going astray.

If one blindly pursues progress and relies excessively on the accumulation of rare and precious materials, it is tantamount to pulling up seedlings to help them grow. Sooner or later, one's foundation will become unstable, inner demons will arise, and it may even lead to a regression in cultivation, resulting in more harm than good.

"Even the best medicine is good, but one should not overindulge in it..."

Liang Jin secretly became alert.

He decided to spend one or two months first to completely solidify his current early stage of the second rank, and then consider taking the second Lightning Strike Fruit to use its medicinal power to launch an attack on the middle stage of the second rank.

The last Lightning Strike Fruit will be saved for when I try to break through to the first-grade Xuan Gate, as a crucial aid.

"The most urgent task is to figure out the specific characteristics of the power of this lightning-struck fruit."

With this thought in mind, Liang Jin began to carefully activate the strange power within his body that belonged to the divine tree and carried a vibrant life force and a thunderous aura.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred! Patches of light blue lightning patterns, seemingly naturally formed, quietly appeared on Liang Jin's skin!

At the same time, a faint, chilling crackling sound began to emanate from all around him!
Thin, leaping, azure lightning bolts appeared out of thin air, coiling around his body and emitting a dazzling white light, making him appear as if a thunder god had descended to earth!

A faint smell of ozone permeated the air; it was the smell produced by the ionization of air.

Liang Jin raised his right hand and casually pointed into the air at a thick stone pillar inside the earthen fortress that supported the roof and required one person to hug!
"Click——!!!"

A deafening thunderclap exploded!

A blinding bolt of lightning, as thick as an infant's arm, burst forth from his fingertips like a sword tearing through the sky. It traveled several meters in an instant at a speed too fast for the naked eye to see, and struck the stone pillar hard!
"Boom!"

The stone pillar snapped in two!

The broken edge was charred black, and molten stone was even dripping down, making a "sizzling" sound. The air was filled with the burnt smell of rocks being melted by high temperatures.

Looking at the broken stone pillar that was still emitting blue smoke and burning with tiny flames, Liang Jin did not show much surprise in his eyes, but instead fell into deep thought.

"Controlling the power of lightning?"

"The ability is straightforward and powerful... but it seems to overlap with my existing attack methods."

He frowned slightly.

The "Emperor's Heavenly Thunder" technique he cultivated in the "Sacred Heart Manual" is essentially a transformation and application of extremely cold internal energy, but its external manifestation is also thunderous roar, and its power should not be underestimated.

While adding another pure lightning attack method would certainly increase the variety and power, it still feels like it fails to fully showcase the uniqueness and mystery of the "divine tree's power," making it seem somewhat... useless.
"Perhaps this power of lightning is just its most superficial characteristic? I still need to slowly explore and familiarize myself with its deeper abilities?"

"The Yaoshui Queen has passed down her lineage for generations. That divine tree is the deity worshipped by the Yaoshui Kingdom. Her understanding and application of this divine power must far surpass mine. Unfortunately..."

A pang of regret rose in Liang Jin's heart.

"It was a bit hasty to let Wu Ling kill the Queen of Yaoshui back then. If we could have spared her life, we might have been able to extract a lot of secrets about the power of this divine tree from her."

But who could have predicted that such a seemingly ordinary natural treasure, which could only enhance one's power, would actually contain such a unique plant-based divine power?

Now that the divine tree is destroyed and Queen Yaoshui is dead, all the mysteries of this divine power can only be explored and tried by himself step by step.

"Well, things will work themselves out. As long as I practice diligently and keep trying, I'll eventually discover its true value."

"Right now, stabilizing my cultivation level is the most important thing."

Liang Jin stopped dwelling on it. With a thought, four invisible shackles quietly reappeared and merged into his body.

When he put on the Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock again, the familiar heaviness and binding feeling returned, but he could now bear it calmly.

He sat down cross-legged again, focusing his attention on his nose and then his mind, immersing himself completely in his body. He guided his internal energy to flow slowly through his meridians, which had become much narrower, refining his newly achieved breakthrough and making it more harmonious and stable.

Time flies, and day and night alternate.

The earthen fortress atop the solitary peak fell into a long silence once more, with only the ceaseless howling of the wind passing by day and night.

A month goes by in a blink of an eye.

As the first rays of dawn shone through the skylight and fell upon Liang Jin, he slowly opened his tightly closed eyes.

At this moment, the aura around him that was originally slightly restless and overflowing due to his recent breakthrough had completely settled down, becoming profound, restrained, and perfectly harmonious.

His gaze, whether opening or closing, was radiant with divine light, yet it remained profoundly hidden.

"My initial stage of the second rank has finally been completely stabilized."

"This speed is even faster than expected."

A satisfied smile appeared on Liang Jin's lips.

He originally estimated that it would take at least two months to consolidate it, but he did not expect that while suppressing the power, the [Zhenyuan Dragon-Slaying Lock] also seemed to produce a "thousand-times-forged" effect.

This "burdened cultivation" greatly improved the purity of his internal energy and his control over his power, seemingly slow but actually fast, thus accelerating the process of stabilizing his realm.

"It's time to leave the pass and see what's going on outside."

Liang Jin stood up and strode toward the gate of the earthen fortress that had been closed for a long time.

He stretched out his hands and pressed them against the heavy, rough wooden door, applying slight pressure.

"crunch-"

With a tooth-grinding, long-accumulated scraping sound and dust falling from the lintel, the heavy door was slowly pushed open.

Outside the door, the long-awaited, unobstructed, intense sunlight flooded in, causing Liang Jin to instinctively squint.

He stepped across the threshold and slowly walked out.

The sky was a clear, deep blue, with wisps of thin clouds like silk or cotton.

Although the air still carried the dryness and chill characteristic of the Gobi Desert, it was much warmer than the bitter cold when he first went into seclusion.

Looking out, the solitary peak is covered with jagged rocks, and at its foot lies an endless, grayish-yellow Gobi Desert that stretches to the horizon.

At the juncture of heaven and earth, the outline of a magnificent city was clearly visible—the heart of the Western Desert, Hanzhou City.

Just as Liang Jin was gazing at this familiar desolate yet magnificent scene, a rapid and crisp sound of horses' hooves came from afar, quickly approaching along the winding mountain road.

It was clearly the soldiers guarding the area at the foot of the mountain who heard the sound of the earthen fort gate opening and came to investigate.

Soon, a cavalry unit of about ten men galloped up, reined in their horses a few feet in front of Liang Jin, dismounted in unison, and bowed respectfully to Liang Jin in a loud and reverent voice:
"Greetings to the Marquis!"

"Congratulations on your successful completion of the seclusion, Lord Marquis!"

However, among this group of soldiers in neat uniforms and with solemn expressions, there was a figure with a completely different style.

This man was about thirty-four or thirty-five years old, not tall, and slightly overweight. He wore a finely made, brightly colored brocade robe with floral patterns, and on his ten fingers were no fewer than five or six gold and jade rings inlaid with various gemstones, which sparkled in the sunlight.

He's a complete nouveau riche brat who's afraid people won't know he's rich.

His complexion was unhealthy, puffy and dull, with heavy eye bags, clearly caused by long-term indulgence in alcohol and sex.

His appearance was even more "rough," with a chubby, dark face covered with pits and dents left by rampant acne during puberty, resembling the surface of the moon.

At this moment, his face was plastered with a fawning smile that was almost exaggerated. Instead of making people feel friendly, the smile made him look particularly lewd and ridiculous because of the combination of his facial features.

The moment this man dismounted, without even bothering to brush the dust off his robes, he rushed to Liang Jin's feet like a wild dog seeing a bone, and knelt down with a thud.

But instead of prostrating himself in obedient worship, he knelt, yet strained to keep his upper body straight, raising his unsightly face high, and cried out in an almost aria-like, tearful, fawning voice:
"My dear father! My grandfather! My ancestor! You've finally come out of seclusion! I've missed you so much!"

"You have no idea! Lately, I've been so anxious that I can't eat or drink, just eagerly waiting for you to come out of seclusion! I come to the foot of this mountain every day to keep watch, braving the wind and sun, not daring to slack off for a moment, for fear that I might miss the sacred moment when you come out of seclusion!"

"Fortunately! Fortunately, heaven rewards those who persevere, and our ancestors have blessed us, allowing me to finally meet you within the first hour! I kowtow to you to offer my congratulations!"

This man's name was Bao Rui, a local from Hanzhou City, and he was nicknamed "Bao Huazi" by the locals.

On the surface, he was the son of a small merchant in Hanzhou City. His family was relatively well-off compared to ordinary people, but they were only middle class and far from being wealthy or powerful.

But his true "skill" and identity lie in being the top "hanger-on" in Hanzhou City.

The term "hanger-on" does not refer to a respectable profession. It refers to those who have little talent of their own but specialize in accompanying high-ranking officials, wealthy merchants, and tycoons, making a living by joking, flattering, arranging entertainment, and assisting in events.

Such people seem to do nothing all day long, only good at talking and flattering, and have no seriousness whatsoever.

However, within certain specific circles, they possess unique ways of surviving and a distinct value in their existence.

In some of the classical novels Liang Jin had read in his previous life, there were many vivid descriptions of such characters.

Among them, the most successful were Gao Qiu from "Water Margin," who was originally a frivolous and idle person. He only became famous because he was good at playing Cuju (ancient Chinese football) and accompanied Prince Duan for entertainment. When Prince Duan ascended the throne, he and his entire family rose to prominence and became Grand Commandant, wielding immense power.

Those who fared slightly worse, like Ying Bojue in "Jin Ping Mei," spent their days following wealthy tycoons like Ximen Qing, helping them with whoring, gambling, and drinking, telling them romantic anecdotes and street jokes, and living off the rewards from their masters.

Once the master loses power or dies, they will immediately switch allegiance, or even turn against their former master and seize his inheritance, showing the utterly despicable nature of a villain.

For ordinary people, encountering such a despicable person is something they should naturally avoid at all costs, lest they get themselves into trouble.

However, for those in positions of power, the selection of personnel is not solely based on moral character.

In his eyes, subordinates are not distinguished as "petty people" or "gentlemen," but are often simply divided into "useful" and "useless."

Bao Rui is undoubtedly a complete scoundrel, but he is a "useful" scoundrel.

He had previously been a guest of honor and a close confidant of the former ruler of Hanzhou City. He was intimately familiar with the intricate network of relationships, shady dealings, and weaknesses of many important figures in Hanzhou City and the entire Western Desert region.

On the very first day that Qingyi Tower took over Hanzhou City with lightning speed, Bao Rui displayed an astonishing ability to "assess the situation." Without hesitation, he abandoned his old master and took the initiative to pledge allegiance to the new owner, revealing all the secrets he knew as a stepping stone to advancement.

It was precisely because of the damaging information he provided that Qingyi Tower was able to force all forces in Hanzhou City to submit at the lowest cost and with the fastest speed, without bloodshed, and successfully take over this core city of the Western Desert.

To rule the vast Western Desert, one needs not only open and aboveboard strategies, but also clandestine and underhanded tactics.

Bao Rui, skilled in despicable and shameless methods, naturally became a highly valuable "tool".

Looking at Bao Rui at his feet, whose acting was exaggerated and whose behavior was ridiculous, Liang Jin was not angry at all. Instead, he was amused and burst into laughter.

"Baohuazi, your clever tongue is much more appealing than your appearance."

"Your filial piety is commendable, truly commendable!"

Upon hearing this, Bao Rui's fawning expression deepened. He casually brushed the dust off his knees, stood up, and began climbing the pole.

"My dear father, Lord Marquis! You've hit the nail on the head! I'm nothing but a smooth talker and a sycophant!"

He pointed to the guards standing solemnly to one side, then to himself, and said in a serious tone:

"Look around you, Lord Leng You, Mr. Ding, Lord Mu Zheluo, they are all pillars of society capable of accomplishing great things and stabilizing the world!"

"If you let them handle the administration of the Western Desert, command the army, and devise strategies, they will definitely do a fantastic job for you, without a single complaint!"

"But my dear father, the Marquis, these people are capable of great things, but can they make you happy? Can they relieve your worries and bring you some amusement?"

"You are the Marquis of our Western Desert, the sky above this land!"

"If you're surrounded by people who always have straight faces and talk about serious matters, and you can't hear a single pleasant word, wouldn't being a marquis be too boring? To have a vast territory, yet be so dull!"

After Bao Rui finished speaking, he deliberately blinked his small eyes, making a pitiful and laughable face as if to say, "Although I am a villain, villains have their uses."

Upon hearing his absurd reasoning, Liang Jin couldn't help but burst into laughter again:
"Hahaha! Well said! Even fallacies can be logical!"

"You little rascal, you're quite the shrew!"

Seeing that Liang Jin was in a good mood, Bao Rui immediately seized the opportunity, took a step closer, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of mystery and urgency:

"My dear father, now that you've emerged from seclusion, please hurry back to the Marquis's residence!"

"The imperial envoy arrived in Hanzhou City yesterday, along with the emperor's edict. We are waiting for you to return and receive it!"

(End of this chapter)