Becoming a god by following the natural order and seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune.

Chapter 96 Foundation Establishment Perfection (Bonus Chapter)
After the surrendered bandit leaders left with their own thoughts, only Yu Qiantong and Li Qianlang remained in the hall.

The awe on Li Qianlang's face remained, but a hint of knowing smile crept in, and his posture became more relaxed.

Those leaders who were intimidated and incorporated were unaware that Li Qianlang had already gotten wind of the Azure Dragon Alliance's intention to integrate the Changshan waters and had secretly surrendered long ago, expressing his willingness to submit.

That's why he was able to secure the position of deputy leader in the newly established Changshan branch.

The reason he was able to seize the initiative was simple: more than a month ago, he had learned through secret channels that the waterway forces in several neighboring counties had been secretly integrated by the Azure Dragon Alliance using similar methods.

He had anticipated and prepared for this.

"From what you said before, the person in charge of the Changshan County government now is a military battalion commander named Chen Sheng?"

Yu Qiantong leaned back lazily in the armchair, her fingertips lightly tapping the armrest, her tone somewhat nonchalant, as if she were talking about a slightly larger ant.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, it is still difficult to say whether he is in complete control on the surface, but he is undoubtedly the one who has been the most prominent and ruthless recently."

Li Qianlang quickly composed himself and reported in detail: "This young man first destroyed the Black Serpent Stronghold, then swept away the two powerful Gao and Huang families with lightning speed, subdued the Yang family, and acted decisively and ruthlessly."

He has now largely consolidated the various forces within Changshan County. Based on my deductions, if nothing unexpected happens, his next target will undoubtedly be us, the river bandits entrenched in the vicinity.”

As Chen Sheng's prestige grew, intelligence about him naturally became a major focus of attention for various forces. Li Qianlang dared not be negligent and recounted all the information he had gathered.

"At just over twenty years old, he already possesses such skill and cunning, and his strength far surpasses that of his peers. Not bad, not bad at all, he can be considered a remarkable figure."

Yu Qiantong narrowed his small eyes, his tone seemingly judgmental, but then his words shifted, revealing a chilling intent: "It's just a pity that Changshan County doesn't allow such a powerful person to exist!"

The section of the Qinglin River flowing through Changshan is crucial for the transfer of many important supplies and clandestine activities of the Qingjiao Alliance.

In the past half month, due to the government's strong crackdown, the activities of the river bandits have decreased sharply, which has aroused dissatisfaction among the upper echelons of the alliance.

Otherwise, this innate master wouldn't have needed to come to this county town in person. After all, an innate expert is too conspicuous and would easily arouse the vigilance of Ning'an Prefecture.

Although the Azure Dragon Alliance is powerful, it has not yet reached the point where it can openly disregard the government.

"The Emperor's words are insightful."

Li Qianlang quickly chimed in, "That's absolutely right! Changshan County will never allow such arrogant and ignorant people to exist!"

"Going straight into the county town would be too much of a commotion and could easily cause unnecessary trouble."

Yu Qiantong pondered for a moment and said, "Let's find a way to invite this person out of the city for a 'talk.' If he knows what's good for him and knows when to back down, we might be able to share some benefits with him, and everyone can live in peace."

But if he insists on being an enemy of my Azure Dragon Alliance and is determined to clear the waterways…

A flash of murderous intent crossed his eyes, and his voice was icy cold: "Then I... will personally send him on his way!"

"That's probably not easy."

Upon hearing this, Li Qianlang's face immediately showed a troubled expression: "Your Excellency may not know, but although this young man is young, he is well aware of the principle of planning before acting, and he is extremely cautious and never takes risks easily."

He spends most of his time cultivating in the military camp and rarely leaves the city. Trying to lure him out is as difficult as climbing to heaven.

"fool!"

Yu Qiantong impatiently rebuked, "Can't you use someone or something he cares about to blackmail him?"

"According to my investigation, this boy seems to be an orphan, all alone, and acts ruthlessly and decisively. For the time being, we really can't find any obvious weakness in him," Li Qianlang explained with a bitter face.

"Is there nothing that could tempt him? Something that would make him willingly risk leaving the city?"

Yu Qiantong snorted coldly, clearly quite dissatisfied with Li Qianlang's helplessness.

Li Qianlang lowered his head and remained silent, thinking to himself:

Chen Sheng has plundered the Gao and Huang families one after another. The wealth he has obtained is probably more than the total wealth accumulated by us bandits over the years. How can ordinary gold and silver treasures entice him?

"waste."

Yu Qiantong glanced at him, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes, then said in a sinister tone:
"For a Foundation Establishment Realm martial artist, what is the most precious and irresistible thing? It's innate spiritual energy! Just send someone to spread the word that there are signs of 'innate spiritual energy' appearing somewhere outside the city. The message must be made to look convincing and reach his ears. With this as bait, he won't be afraid to take the bait."

Innate spiritual energy is a rare commodity even in the prefectural city, and in this county town, it is an even greater treasure that would drive any Foundation Establishment martial artist crazy. Yu Qiantong firmly believed that Chen Sheng would never be able to resist such a temptation.

Upon hearing this, Li Qianlang's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had been enlightened. He quickly bowed and replied:
"Your Excellency's insight is brilliant! I will make arrangements immediately and ensure that Chen Sheng walks right into our trap!"

[Basic knife skills perfected (1025/2000)]

[Golden Bell Body Tempering Method Completed (1999/2000)]

[Mastering the Secret Techniques of Toad Fishing (390/1000)]

[Mastery of the Three Ultimate Demon-Slaying Sword Techniques (670/1000)]

The military camp, in a quiet meditation room.

Chen Sheng sat cross-legged, assuming a profound stance from the "Golden Bell Body Forging Method." His blood and qi flowed slowly throughout his body, like mercury, and a faint golden luster emanated from beneath his skin.

More than ten days have passed since the Huang family was destroyed.

During this period, Chen Sheng lived a secluded life, almost never leaving the military camp, and devoted all his energy to intensive and rigorous training.

Even the invitation from Madam Yang was politely declined by him under the pretext of cultivation. At this crucial moment of breaking through to a higher realm, even a stunning beauty had to give way to his martial arts career.

The emperor does not bear the painstaking people.

With the combined assistance of the Golden Jade Ointment and the Yuan Sui Pill, even as cultivation became increasingly difficult in its later stages, his progress remained at an astonishing level.

At this moment, he was already infinitely close to the perfect level of the Marrow Transformation Realm. His strength was perfectly integrated and extremely refined, and could even be released to more than an inch! Such a solid foundation naturally led to a surge in his strength.

Now, what stands in Chen Sheng's way is the crucial hurdle—breaking through to the Innate Realm!
The conditions for breaking through the innate level are extremely demanding.

The first priority was to prepare the foundation material, innate spiritual energy, but he had already accepted this from Xu Shenzhi, so there was no need to worry about it anymore.

Secondly, one must choose a fundamental cultivation method that leads directly to one's innate potential and successfully master it in order to guide oneself through that transformative metamorphosis. Chen Sheng had hesitated when it came to choosing a cultivation method.

He already possessed the advanced version of the "Golden Bell Body Forging Method"—the "Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique"—which he had obtained from the demonic monk Shanxin.

However, Captain Nie had given a word of advice, saying that it was best not to practice Buddhist techniques above the Foundation Establishment stage, so as to avoid being affected by them, and there might even be unknown hidden dangers.

However, if he abandons this method, he will have to apply to the prefectural city through Wu Kuang to exchange his merits for the government's innate cultivation method.

Fortunately, during Chen Sheng's struggle a few days ago, the "Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune" celestial book provided guidance and hints.

My name is Chen Sheng. When you see this sentence, it will be too late for me to regret it... Because of Nie Yuanliu's advice in the past, I was wary of Buddhist techniques and eventually abandoned the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique, instead practicing the innate techniques bestowed upon me by the prefectural city.

However, what I was unwilling to accept was that the cultivation method bestowed by the prefectural city was far inferior to the "Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique" in terms of its mystery and potential. I later learned that Nie Yuanliu's claim that Buddhist cultivation methods were deceptive was something he had only heard his elders mention.

In fact, Buddhist techniques are not a big problem as long as one does not cultivate to the fourth level or above. In addition, the "Golden Bell Body Forging Method" was not created by Buddhism. Its origin is a body-refining technique that was once famous. It was only later improved by Buddhist monks and included in Buddhist techniques.

Therefore, practicing this method will not lead to being misled by Buddhism.

What I regret most is that in order to fuse the 'Nine Nether Yin Fiends' that ranks high on the Earthly Fiends List, one must have a foundation of extraordinary blood and qi that far surpasses that of ordinary people in order to withstand it.

However, because I practiced the innate cultivation method bestowed by the government, my foundation was insufficient, which ultimately forced me to waste years searching for other spiritual objects to make up for my deficiencies in qi and blood, squandering countless years of my life.

Furthermore, the "Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique" and the "Golden Bell Body Forging Method" share the same origin. If I had practiced this method, with my previous profound foundation, I could have easily overcome the initial hurdles and saved a great deal of time in arduous cultivation. Later, upon learning the truth, I always regretted it deeply. It's just a pity that in this world...

It was this hint from the celestial book that completely dispelled Chen Sheng's doubts. Instead of asking Wu Kuang to apply for the cultivation method on his behalf, he made up his mind to focus on cultivating the "Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique".

After several days of dedicated study, he felt more and more that this method was extraordinary.

It is not simply a physical training technique, but rather emphasizes "cultivating both internal and external strength, and simultaneously utilizing internal energy." Although the progress of cultivation may be slightly slower than some quick-success methods, the foundation is extremely solid, the potential is enormous, and the power is formidable.

More importantly, once you break through to the Innate Realm using this method and reach the peak of the Innate Realm, you will not need to switch to other cultivation methods. You can take one step at a time and have a bright future.

[Golden Bell Body Tempering Method Completed (2000/2000)]

Just as Chen Sheng was single-mindedly refining the last bit of his vital energy, the progress of the "Golden Bell Body Forging Method" on the panel finally jumped to perfection.

In an instant, his body shone with golden light, and a powerful and condensed force, far more vigorous than ever before, surged and circulated on its own. A faint humming sound emanated from his limbs and bones, as if a bronze bell were gently vibrating.

With a thought, Chen Sheng did not hesitate. He held his palms in front of his dantian and, following the introductory method of the "Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique," began to guide the powerful energy within his body toward a more mysterious trajectory.

The next moment, the panel in my consciousness changed.

The words "Golden Bell Body Tempering Method Completed" slowly faded away, replaced by "Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique".

[Introduction to the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique (1/100)]

After a while.

[Introduction to the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique (3/100)]

[Introduction to the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique (6/100)]

Thanks to the solid foundation laid by the Golden Bell Body Forging Method, the progress of learning the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique was faster than imagined, with the progress numbers jumping upwards at a speed that was almost visible to the naked eye.

In just one day, the transformation of the cultivation method was nearly completed.

[Introduction to the Six Extremes Golden Bell Technique (88/100)]

Chen Sheng was clear-headed. As long as he mastered this technique (reaching 100/100), he could use it as a foundation to guide innate spiritual energy, condense a spiritual seed, and formally attempt to break through to the extraordinary innate realm.

At that very moment, the "Seeking Good Fortune and Avoiding Misfortune" divine book once again surfaced in my consciousness, issuing a new warning:

【My name is Chen Sheng. When you see this sentence, it is because I destroyed the Black Serpent Water Village and cut off the Azure Dragon Alliance's source of income. This made the water bandits near Changshan Waterway very nervous and dared not act recklessly anymore. As a result, the Azure Dragon Alliance's interests in this waterway were severely damaged, which finally aroused the anger of the alliance.

They actually dispatched a master at the innate level to forcefully integrate all the bandits in Changshan and establish a branch, intending to regroup and rebuild their forces.

Initially, the Azure Dragon Alliance tried to set a trap, using the false news of "the appearance of innate spiritual energy" to lure me out of the city. However, I was not fooled at all, because the process of breaking through to the innate level was not as simple as I imagined. Although I had consulted Wu Kuang about the taboos of breaking through to the innate level, Wu Kuang himself was only a Foundation Establishment Martial Master, and his knowledge was limited, so he did not have any detailed insights.

In addition, I was unprepared and lacked key spiritual items to aid in the breakthrough and protect the meridians and internal organs—such as the 'Meridian Protection Pill' and 'Mysterious Organ Spiritual Liquid'.

Despite my strong foundation and sheer determination, I managed to forcefully break through and reach the Innate Realm. However, at the crucial moment of drawing upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth to infuse my body and condense my spiritual seed, my lack of preparation led to the violent energy damaging my meridians and internal organs, causing me hidden injuries that will make it difficult for me to recover to my peak condition in a short period of time.

If I had known this beforehand, I would have made thorough preparations. Wu Kuang actually possessed these spiritual items for his future breakthrough to the Innate Realm. If I had asked, he would certainly have been generous out of consideration for our relationship, and I wouldn't have suffered any hidden harm or loss of strength.

He would not soon find himself in danger when facing the attack of Yu Qiantong, a master of the Azure Dragon Alliance, due to his injuries and inability to exert his full strength.

Unfortunately, there's no going back in life.

After reading the warning in the Heavenly Book, Chen Sheng's gaze suddenly became extremely solemn.

When he destroyed the Black Serpent Water Village, he knew that the Azure Dragon Alliance would not let it go, but he did not expect that the other party would directly send out a master of the Innate Realm.

Although he had participated in the siege of the demonic monk Shanxin, who was at the Innate Realm, it was only successful after careful planning, multiple weakenings, and a sneak attack with the Blood Fiend Demon Talisman.

He knew better than anyone how troublesome a fully-fledged innate expert was.

The most fundamental way to deal with this calamity safely is for him to successfully break through to the Innate Realm himself.

However, it now appears that his path to breakthrough was not smooth sailing.

Without sufficient preparation, even if a breakthrough is achieved through force, hidden dangers will remain, making it impossible to exert full strength in a short period of time and thus difficult to contend with this innate master of the Azure Dragon Alliance.

Fortunately, he is now prepared.

Once I break through to the Innate Realm, I can completely overwhelm this person.

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(End of this chapter)