Promise!

Chapter 238, Cutting Off the Meridians

Time flies, and six or seven days have passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, Zhuang Jin has been taking the purple kangaroo into the Funiu Mountains every day. Although in the following days, natural treasures were not as plentiful as on the first day, and the subsequent income was not very stable, he still accumulated more than four million contribution points in total.

During this period, he also hunted eight or nine beasts at the Five Organs Realm, but none of them were at the Perfect Five Organs Realm level, which would allow him to complete the promotion mission. Zhuang Jin was not in a hurry, and he did not believe that he could not hunt a single beast at the Perfect Five Organs Realm level in this month.

When Zhuang Jin returned that evening, he saw Bi Boyi waiting outside the door with a pale face. He sensed that the other party was quite weak and had obviously suffered a serious injury.

Zhuang Jin invited him in, poured him tea, and asked, "Brother Bi, what happened to you?"

"Ugh!"

Bi Boyi sighed and said with a wry smile, "Brother Zhuang knows that when we enter the Funiu Mountains, we generally avoid the area near the first pass, and we never even get close to the boundary between the first dangerous place and the second perilous place."

"Today, when we went to Cuiping Mountain, we discovered a vortex of heaven and earth energy not far away. We knew that a treasure was about to be born there. It is close to the second level of forbidden land, and we usually do not go there, but we did this time."

This was largely due to Zhuang Jin's breakthrough to the Innate Qi Realm, which stimulated Cen Zhanshan, He Zhaoyi, Leng Kui, and others, influencing their vote to ultimately pass.

"Strictly speaking, it wasn't really the second level of the forbidden zone, not even the edge of it, which is why I went along. Who would have thought that this adventure would lead to disaster?"

Bi Boyi said, "There is indeed a treasure that has appeared there. It is a Panlong Wood Heart, a rare and precious material used by those at the second level of the Innate Qi Realm to refine their attributes."

"Before we arrived, there were already two Five Organs Realm beasts there. One had tempered four organs, and the other was at the Great Perfection of the Five Organs Realm. Both were equivalent to the third level of the Innate True Qi Realm for us martial artists. The five of us formed the Five Elements and, after a difficult battle, finally severely injured and drove away the two beasts."

"Not long afterward, the heartwood of the Panlong tree matured, and He Zhaoyi broke away from the formation to pick it. It was at this moment that the incident occurred."

As Bi Boyi spoke, a hint of fear appeared on his face: "That was a Fire Phoenix at the Six Organs Realm, which is equivalent to the Innate Qi Realm of us martial artists..."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Jin almost spat out his tea. His expression was somewhat strange. Could the fire phoenix that Bi Boyi and the other four encountered be the same one he saw on the first day of the Yuanqi Tide?

He was right. It was indeed the case. After the Heaven and Earth Spirit incident on the first day of the twelfth month, the fire phoenix had tasted the sweetness and discovered that there were good treasures even on the edge of a dangerous place. Although the probability of finding a treasure useful to it was far less than that of a second-level perilous place, the beasts and martial artists here were also weaker!
Therefore, these days, whenever the fire phoenix remembers, it goes for a stroll, and Bi Boyi and his group are the unlucky ones who suffer the consequences.

"Brother Zhuang?"

"It's nothing. I once encountered a Fire Phoenix at the Six Organs Realm, and we exchanged blows. It was quite troublesome... And then what?"

"He Zhaoyi left the team to pick the heartwood and became the main target of the attack. He was killed on the spot... Leng Kui's left arm was infected with strange fire and he escaped with his arm severed; Cen Zhanshan was seriously injured and his vitality was greatly depleted; Hong Baoshu and I were also seriously injured, but compared to him, we were already better off."

Bi Boyi recalled the events of the day, his face still showing lingering fear: "It was only because we abandoned the rare and precious materials we had gathered, and that extremely precious Panlong Wood Heart was still there, that the Fire Phoenix did not chase after us. Otherwise, Brother Zhuang would probably not be here to see me again."

"I see. It is indeed dangerous. However, rare and precious materials are all external possessions. It is already a great fortune to have survived."

"Yes!"

Bi Boyi sighed and continued, "He Zhaoyi is dead. Considering the He family's past actions, there will likely be a backlash... After today's events, Elder Cen, at his age and seriously injured, has lost his vitality and has gone into seclusion since returning; Brother Leng Kui, who lost an arm, is also recuperating in seclusion; Brother Hong Baoshu and I are also injured. If the He family seeks help, they will most likely turn to Brother Min Zhongmin and Brother Zhuang."

"I came here to talk about this matter, so that Brother Zhuang can be prepared."

He knew that He Zhaoyi and Zhuang Jin had some past disagreements, and in order to avoid the He family coming to their door unexpectedly, he made this announcement to give Zhuang Jin some time to consider.

"Thank you very much, Brother Bi."

Zhuang Jin nodded slightly, about to say something.

At this moment, the gatekeeper announced that He Tong, the steward of the He family, requested an audience.

That He Tong, the steward, was the same steward who received Zhuang Jin and Teng Zushou when the Teng family checked out.

"Oh?"

Zhuang Jin and Bi Boyi exchanged a glance, both showing surprise.

They had anticipated that the He family would retaliate after He Zhaoyi's death, but since such an event had only occurred today, they expected it to happen in two or three days. They didn't expect it to come so quickly.

This is the result of the He family's own actions. Their exploitation of first-, second-, and third-rate families for land acquisition is a glimpse into the extent of their despicable deeds. The He family has committed countless dirty tricks. When He Zhaoyi was alive, he was able to shield them from the consequences as a martial artist, but now that He Zhaoyi is dead and some people have confirmed the news, the backlash has begun immediately.

The real reason is that the He family is too fat. With He Zhaoyi dead, they are like a piece of fat meat. The ones making a move now are not the people behind the scenes, but first, second and third-rate families that have conflicts with the He family and are being pushed to the forefront. It is a test to see if there are any, and how many, innate-level figures will stand up for the He family before making a decision. In the end, they will take a small bite, bite hard, or slaughter the whole family.

The He family first learned the devastating news today, losing He Zhaoyi, their pillar of the family. Then, as if things weren't going to go smoothly, they suffered a backlash. They were truly at a life-or-death moment and panicked, searching for him everywhere.

"However, seeking my help is a desperate measure."

Although Zhuang Jin and He Zhaoyi were in the same circle, their relationship was neither close nor distant, just lukewarm, and they had no real connection. Last year, He Zhaoyi even tried to morally blackmail him, but after Zhuang Jin retorted, he said he would carefully consider going into the mountains. Later, He Zhaoyi made a lot of money and even said some strange things about Zhuang Jin behind his back.

This isn't about hatred; he won't kick someone when they're down. But expecting him to step in and help the He family now is wishful thinking.

He didn't consider himself to have the noble sentiment of repaying evil with kindness, nor did he think much of He Zhaoyi. After understanding the cause and effect, he believed that the He family deserved it. At this moment, he was more like someone who would watch the He family rise to prominence, entertain guests, and then watch their fortunes crumble.

“Go tell them I’m not here.” Zhuang Jinming’s attitude was clearly one of refusal.

After dismissing the He family's steward, he took out the Jade Dragon Ginseng he had obtained on the first day and pushed it towards Bi Boyi: "I obtained this a few days ago. Seeing that Brother Bi is injured today, I suppose he needs it, so I'm giving it to Brother Bi!"

"Brother Zhuang!"

Bi Boyi stood up, accepted the gift with both hands, and said gratefully, "To be honest, Brother Zhuang, I also came here this time hoping to find something like this."

“I do need this Jade Dragon Ginseng, so I won’t stand on ceremony with you, Brother Zhuang. I appreciate your kindness, but please accept my contribution points as well.”

Such high-level healing resources are usually exchanged quickly when they appear in the Suspended Sky Division, let alone now that they are in the Yuan Qi Tide. He immediately searched for them upon his return today, but found them difficult to locate. He came to Zhuang Jin not only to inform her of the news, but also to keep in mind that if Zhuang Jin also did not have them, he would prepare to use a second-tier alternative.

It is precisely because of this situation that such a statement was made.

Zhuang Jin did not refuse, knowing that Bi Boyi was sensible and would not take advantage of her.

It is precisely because they are all like this that they can "group together by their kind" and have a good relationship. On the other hand, people like He Zhaoyi have different values, so even though they are in the same small circle, their relationship is just so-so.

Bi Boyi was injured, and after obtaining the Jade Dragon Ginseng, he did not stay long. Zhuang Jin saw him off and turned back to think of the seven people in the small circle from back then, feeling complicated emotions.

'Initially, there were seven people: Cen Zhanshan, Hong Baoshu, Feng Qingyin, Leng Kui, He Zhaoyi, Bi Boyi, and Min Zhongmin.'

Cen Zhanshan, he can lie flat, yet he can't lie flat. Now he is seriously injured and his vital energy is depleted. He will most likely have a shorter lifespan.

Hung Pao-shu is bound by his family ties and has been going into the mountains for years, and is now injured;
Feng Qingyin fell into the trap set by the Suspended Heaven Division. After breaking through to the Innate Realm, the beauty in the Ascending Immortal Pavilion committed suicide. He endured years of revenge and eventually died.
Leng Kui also fell into the trap. Because of his family affairs, he was preoccupied with his mental state and left a flaw. He was holding his breath and wanted to make progress, but now he has suffered the loss of an arm.

He Zhaoyi's breakthrough due to the rare herb filled him with a gambling spirit and a restless drive. He was unwilling to accept the status quo, and as a result, he rose with luck and fell with luck.
Bi Boyi, who came from the prefectural city with me, tasted success last year, but this time he suffered a heavy blow and has probably sobered up.
In the end, Min Zhongmin, though also betrayed and his beloved tragically killed in Kaifeng, ultimately achieved his goal, living a carefree and pleasure-seeking life for many years, and thus lived the best life.

Through observing the different fates of the people in this small circle, Zhuang Jin came to a clear understanding: 'Under the Innate Realm, the Suspended Heaven Division uses various methods to force you to strive for advancement and to drive you into fierce competition, all in order to reap the benefits and exploit you.'

"Once you reach the innate level, they don't want you to be too ambitious. They give you honor and comfort, hoping you'll be content with the status quo, not compete for the high-end resources of the innate level, and not threaten their position."

'At the innate level, if you really try to improve, you'll be implicitly suppressed by the entire system, suffering setbacks and injuries. But if you just lie low, you can enjoy ultimate bliss.'

Zhuang Jin thought to himself, 'This is the Innate True Qi Realm level; it's a further advancement from the Innate罡 Qi Realm, which will inevitably attract more attention and stricter control from the Suspended Heaven Division.'

'What I've seen, the Innate Qi Realm martial artists outside the three great families of the state capital wouldn't be blind to. How will they react after they understand the rules?'...

Zhuang Jin's luck wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either. On the thirteenth day of the monthly energy tide, he finally caught a rare beast at the Five Organs Realm Perfection level, took its core, completed the upgrade mission, and was promoted from the Xuan Snake Token to the Black Python Token.

Following the elevation, the image was displayed for six days in the central pillar of light at the Temple of Heaven to signify its honor.

Amidst the comings and goings of people from the Xuantian Division, and their astonishment, he had already gone to the quiet room.

hum!
After the token was reactivated, a black python phantom, about ten feet long and as thick as a bowl, coiled out, lightly touched its forehead, and shattered, turning into a screen of light.

Within the light screen, various upgraded privileges refreshed like a waterfall.

1. Upgraded task posting authority; now allows posting Xuan Snake-level tasks by consuming credentials and contribution points.

2. All shops within the Third Ring Road, including those under the Xuantian Division such as Dengxian Pavilion, Shenbingfang, Tianyifang, Zhenxiufang, etc., will enjoy a 10% discount;
3. Obtain a house and two shops within the Second Ring Road, valid for life;
4. You will automatically receive one Black Python Level 1 certificate every month;

5. Obtain a dedicated receptionist from the Heavenly Bureau for each of the twelve hours;
6. Upon entering any prefecture or county in the Great Qian Nine Provinces, you will automatically receive the treatment of a fifth-rank official;

……

Zhuang Jin quickly scanned and skipped the numerous privileges, then searched for the cultivation technique. This time, he finally had the qualifications to exchange for it, and the exchange requirement was displayed.

'Does the complete Innate Qi Realm chapter of the Black Fiend Technique require three Black Python-level certificates and 1.88 million contribution points?'

Zhuang Jin was initially a little distressed, but after seeing the other cultivation techniques, she instantly felt at peace.

The Five Elements version and the Five Elements variant version of the cultivation techniques require a minimum of nine and a maximum of twenty or thirty Black Python-level tokens to exchange for, and the contribution points are all over five million.

Furthermore, to exchange for these two versions of the Innate Qi Realm cultivation technique, you also need the recommendation and guarantee qualifications of other Black Python Token holders. The Five Elements version requires three people to jointly guarantee it, while the Five Elements Mutation version requires five people to jointly guarantee it.

'The Suspended Heaven Bureau's requirements for the Black Fiend Technique are so low, while they impose heavy restrictions on other versions of the technique. They are clearly encouraging the practice of the Black Fiend Technique. But the Black Fiend Technique isn't for someone like me who has no bottlenecks. No matter how high my talent, I can't withstand continuous consumption; it's a dead end. This move to eliminate a threat is truly blatant.'

However, it also saved me a lot of money and trouble.

Zhuang Jin had already submitted the beast cores and materials he had hunted in the past few days to the Xuan Snake-level mission to synthesize the Black Python Certificate. He also sold beast meat and rare treasures to exchange for contribution points. At this time, he successfully obtained the complete Black Fiend Technique in the Innate Qi Realm.

The Suspended Heaven Division has two layers of secrecy measures for the cultivation techniques. The first is to make an oath in front of the Suspended Heaven Mirror. If this oath is broken, a flaw will inevitably be left in one's mind. The second is that if there is any leakage and the Suspended Heaven Division finds out, it will severely punish those who are lazy and do not care about breaking through to the next level.

After learning the cultivation technique, Zhuang Jin looked at the cultivation resources—a mid-grade Black Yuan Pill. The price wasn't cheap, but it was manageable over time and could be easily afforded.

Next came martial arts techniques; Zhuang Jin first looked at movement techniques.

【Wind Chaser - Qi Chapter】

[Description: A superior movement technique at the Qi Refining Realm, allowing the user to move with the wind and disappear without a trace.]

[Required for exchange: 6.66 million contribution points, 6 Black Python-level tokens.]

……

【Leaving No Trace in the Snow: The Chapter of罡气】

[Description: A superior movement technique at the Qi Refining Realm, allowing for effortless and unhindered movement, leaving no trace in the snow.]

[Required for redemption: 5 million contribution points, 5 Black Python-level tokens.]

……

【Chasing Stars and the Moon: The Chapter of Qi】

[Description: A superior movement technique at the Qi Refining Realm. When used, it creates a scene of stars and the moon around the user, like a shooting star chasing the moon, with graceful movements.]

[Required for exchange: 8.88 million contribution points, 8 Black Python-level tokens.]

……

"Free and Easy Wind Riding: Gang Qi Chapter" is also available here. Compared to the True Qi Chapter, the Gang Qi Chapter differs in its application of Gang Qi. To exchange for it, you need five Black Python Tokens and six million contribution points.

Next are offensive martial arts techniques.

【The Myriad Phenomena of the Universe: The Chapter of Divine Qi】

[Description: A superior offensive martial art at the Qi Refining Realm. When used, innate Qi transforms into countless vine-like shadows, enveloping the enemy. (Note: Martial artists with a Wood-attribute physique or those who practice Wood-attribute techniques will experience a certain power boost when practicing this martial art.)]

[Required for exchange: 12 million contribution points, 12 Black Python-level vouchers]

……

【Severing Meridian Divine Sword -罡气 Chapter】

[Introduction: A superior offensive martial art at the Qi Refining Realm. Though no sword is in hand, the heart holds the sword. Innate Qi transforms into invisible sword energy, shooting forth from the ten fingers with immense and overwhelming power. (Note: 1. Martial artists with physical or magical attributes of Metal, Fire, Lightning, or Ice will experience a certain boost in power when practicing this skill; 2. This skill is quite difficult to master; please consider carefully before practicing.)]

[Required for exchange: 8.88 million contribution points, 8 Black Python-level vouchers]

……

【Evening Drum and Morning Bell - The Chapter of Divine Qi】

[Introduction: A superior offensive martial art at the Qi Refining Realm. Upon activation, it condenses innate Qi into a golden bell around the body, combining offense and defense in a myriad of profound ways. (Note: This martial art is enhanced in power for those with an Earth-attribute physique or those who practice Earth-attribute techniques.)]

[Required for exchange: 10 million contribution points, 10 Black Python-level vouchers]

……

Other examples include: Fallen Flower Divine Sword Technique, Buddha's Wrath Lotus, Apricot Rain and Pear Clouds, Spring City Flying Flowers, etc., which have impressive names and very attractive prices.

Zhuang Jin noticed that the attack techniques indicated that certain physical attributes or cultivation techniques provided bonuses, and upon closer inspection, he understood.

Regarding the attributes of the techniques, the Black Fiend Technique has no attributes. The Five Elements version and the Five Elements variant version are self-explanatory.

As for physical attributes, the first level of the Innate Qi Realm is about Qi protecting the body, while the second level is about condensing attributes. After entering the second level, the physical attributes become apparent, and it is necessary to condense natural treasures with corresponding attributes according to one's own physical attributes and the nature of Qi to strengthen the Qi attributes and further purify the Qi.

If one wants to know their own physique and qi attribute before reaching the second level of the Innate Qi Realm, they can use the Suspended Sky Mirror to detect it. Under the sensing of the token, a beam of light shone down, and after a short while, it was shown that their physique was ice attribute and their qi attribute was also ice attribute.

There's not much to say about the former. Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the variations of the Five Elements such as wind, thunder, and ice are all normal. As for the Gang Qi attribute, it was due to the beast treasure of the Netherworld Python that he condensed when he reached the Meridian Opening Realm.

For movement techniques, the best choice is "Free and Easy Wind Control: Qi Chapter". As for attack techniques, Zhuang Jin considered the overall cost-effectiveness and set his sights on "Intercepting Meridian Divine Sword". However, the awkward thing is that he doesn't have enough remaining vouchers and contribution points, so he can only exchange for "Free and Easy Wind Control: Qi Chapter" first and wait for "Intercepting Meridian Divine Sword".

Fortunately, the expenditure on martial arts skills was a one-time thing; once exchanged, one could benefit for life. However, he had originally planned to stop after completing the promotion mission, but now he had to change his mind. For the next half month, he continued to work hard in the mountains, and after more than ten days of hard work, he finally managed to exchange for the "Severing Meridian Divine Sword".

……

(End of this chapter)