My cards can be infinitely combined.

Chapter 553 I'll give you a strategy guide

Zhou Nan walked forward on his sword, greeting everyone he met.

He encountered the two-headed demon lizard player [Demon], whose combat power had reached 15.

I met Piglet, whose combat power is 56,000!

I met my third senior sister, Fei Ying, whose combat power was 69,000.

They met the second senior brother, the octopus-man Zhang Zhi, whose combat power was 78,000.

They met their senior sister, Lu Mingxin, whose combat power was just over 49,000.

"The most hardworking senior sister actually has the lowest combat power. Who can you reason with when it comes to talent? Qi cultivation really depends too much on talent..."

Zhou Nan sighed. Although diligence can make up for lack of talent, there is never a shortage of people in this world who are both hardworking and talented. If one is mediocre, it is certainly good to work hard step by step, but at most one can only become an upper-class person and will never become a top person.

If I had stayed on Wukong Mountain to cultivate Haoyang Gong like Lu Mingxin, no matter how hard I tried, my achievements would probably be similar to hers.

Of course, Zhou Nan was not denying Lu Mingxin's actions; he still admired Lu Mingxin.

Such people are also worthy of respect.

Hard work deserves respect, regardless of achievements.

"Junior brother, it's been a long time. I wonder where you've been all these years. Have you neglected your cultivation? How is your cultivation now?"

Lu Mingxin was very happy to see Zhou Nan, and her words were full of concern.

After all, she and Zhou Nan were of the same race, both human, and among fellow disciples, she naturally felt closer to Zhou Nan.

Zhou Nan cupped his hands in greeting and said, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, Senior Sister. My cultivation has fallen behind..."

He wasn't lying. Although he had mastered the Dry Heart Zen technique, his internal energy cultivation had actually regressed. His current reference combat strength was 29,000, making him the weakest among his fellow disciples.

"Cultivation must not be neglected. Your talent is probably better than mine, so you should work even harder to bring honor to humanity..."

As Lu Mingxin spoke, a barely perceptible hint of melancholy appeared in his expression.

Presumably, she was aware that her cultivation level was lagging behind her fellow disciples.

Zhou Nan smiled and nodded. After a moment's thought, he snapped his fingers, and three white cards suddenly appeared in front of him.

These three cards are: [Kung Fu Technique - Overbearing Aura], [Zen Technique - Silent Zen], and [Zen Technique - Closed-Eye Zen].

"Senior sister, these three cards are for you. I know you cultivate the [Yin-Refining Technique], but in your spare time, why not try out the techniques on these three cards as well?"

Zhou Nan did not reveal the cultivation method of the Withered Heart Zen, because he knew that Lu Mingxin could not cultivate the Withered Heart Zen unless she, like himself, had a life body created by someone from the Dragon Slaying Empire.

The [Overbearing] technique is actually a fusion technique derived from core calculations. Since Lu Mingxin does not have the Supreme Emperor Technique as a foundation, it should be very difficult for her to cultivate. However, it is not without hope. As long as she can grasp even a little bit of it, she will benefit immensely.

Zhou Nan chatted casually with Lu Mingxin for a while, and then he went to the top of Wukong Mountain.

Wu Tian made a special trip out of the pass, and when he saw Zhou Nan, he laughed heartily, appearing extremely happy.

At this time, Wu Tian was already in his prime, his severed arm had regenerated, and his cultivation seemed to have improved even more. At least he had made up for the three thousand years of power he had lost when he killed the projection of the Cosmic Emperor.

"You're very good. Although your Qi cultivation hasn't improved, you haven't disappointed me. You've actually cultivated a precious body! With this precious body, your Qi cultivation will be twice as effective!"

With his profound martial arts skills, Wu Tian could see through Zhou Nan's hidden abilities at a glance. He then said, "My disciple, what are your plans for the future? Listen to your master's advice: you should start practicing Qigong."

Zhou Nan bowed respectfully and said, "This student will certainly strive to cultivate my skills and dare not waste any time."

He will definitely practice Qigong, and when he reaches a high level, it will be full of profound mysteries.

Moreover, the Qigong practice of refining Qi into spirit, cultivating spirit to return to emptiness, and refining emptiness to unite with the Dao, thus forging the soul, complements the Light Radiation Qigong method for cultivating the precious body.

Now that Zhou Nan thinks about it, cultivating qigong might even strengthen the two souls of heaven and earth.

Wu Tian nodded and continued, "With your current physique, you no longer need to limit your cultivation of Qi Gong to refining the primordial energy of heaven and earth. Qi Gong is a method of cultivating Qi, and Qi is energy. The primordial energy of heaven and earth is the purest and most peaceful energy of heaven and earth. Ordinary people are too weak and can only refine their bodies with the primordial energy of heaven and earth. You don't need to worry about that; you can try refining even more powerful Qi. This card contains my cultivation insights, which should be of some help to you. Take it and study it!"

As he spoke, a card flew out from between Wu Tian's eyebrows.

Zhou Nan took the card and bowed deeply.

Both morally and logically, I should bow to him.

Wu Tian was arguably the kindest, most genuinely good-natured person Zhou Nan encountered in his fantasy world.

"Go ahead, Lan Yuping is waiting for you on the back mountain. She seems to have something to discuss with you."

Wu Tian waved his hand, and his figure suddenly disappeared, disappearing to some unknown place to go into seclusion.

Zhou Nan bowed again, then got up and headed towards the back mountain. He didn't walk in a hurry, studying the cards Wu Tian had given him as he went.

This card is called "Qi Gong - Seven Thousand Years". It was obviously created by Wu Tian himself. After Zhou Nan used it, a large amount of information entered his mind.

The information was not a cultivation technique, but rather Wu Tian's insights into qigong cultivation, mainly focusing on three aspects: refining qi into spirit, refining spirit into emptiness, and refining emptiness into the Dao. Many parts of it can only be understood intuitively and cannot be explained in words.

Zhou Nan silently digested the knowledge in his mind, feeling that he had gained a great deal.

"The path of Qigong is far more profound and mysterious than I imagined. I have already entered the first stage of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation. Refining Spirit and Returning to Emptiness seems to be the stage of cultivating the Heavenly Soul. As for Refining Emptiness and Uniting with the Dao... could it be that one can attain the Heavenly Dao?"

Zhou Nan was increasingly shocked and admired Master Wu Tian even more, secretly marveling that he was truly a hero of all time.

It's important to understand that Wu Tian and Xing Lun are not the same. The latter has a foundation of civilization. In some place, there exists or once existed a Light Radiation Civilization with many nuclear energy cultivators. Xing Lun can only be considered the culmination of this civilization. Even though his cultivation is unprecedented, he is only climbing higher by stepping on the foundation laid by others.

The former, on the other hand, was a true pioneer.

Qigong shines because of his efforts alone.

"I've had a really good opportunity; I can't let it go to waste."

Zhou Nan pondered silently, feeling an urge to immediately go into seclusion.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the back mountain. Lan Caihe and Lan Yuping were both there. Lan Caihe didn't react much when she saw Zhou Nan, but Lan Yuping was unusually excited when she saw him. She called Zhou Nan over, handed him a comic book, and said mysteriously, "Keep this safe. Here's a strategy guide for you. Whether you can get the Holy Sword depends on how much you can learn from it."

"What do you mean?"

Zhou Nan was a little confused when he saw the comic book, "The Legend of the Fantasy Heroes, Chapter 133: The Sun God and the Holy Sword"!

"Take it back and study it carefully. Don't ask me any questions. Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. Go, go!"

Lan Yuping waved her hand, urging Zhou Nan to leave.

Zhou Nan was somewhat bewildered, but he had nothing to say in front of these two people, so he cupped his hands in farewell and took his leave.

After he left, Lan Caidie suddenly said, "You're useless. He didn't receive the Holy Sword quest, so he can't possibly obtain the Holy Sword."

"That's hard to say!" Lan Yuping said. "You have to understand, this world is not what it used to be. The core can no longer be in charge, and everything is subject to change."

"Ridiculous! Complete the mission, collect the reward—what variables could possibly arise? Do you expect the core to mistake the target when distributing the reward? Don't read Cuihua's comics anymore; do you really believe her fictional stories?"

"I was just looking forward to it casually; it won't affect your Holy Sword quest anyway." Lan Yuping pouted. "I'm not talking about it anymore, it's boring, I'm going to cultivate!"

Zhou Nan was unaware of the conversation between the two, let alone any Holy Sword mission. At this moment, she was riding the Divine Sword Jiangya Die Lang, walking through the void, heading towards the chaotic void.

In the chaotic void, there is another battlefield, the place where high-level players go.

Red Boy, the Imperial Guards, and the Divine Commander, among others, actually spent most of their time in the Chaotic Void. They only participated in the Civilization War occasionally, because the competition in the Chaotic Void was more important and more intense.

The players here are also stronger because there are a large number of players who are gods or demons.

After three years of development, Chaos City, Guanghan Palace, God Emperor City, and Longevity City, which Zhou Nan originally opened up in the Chaotic Void, are now major regional cities with a large number of gods and demons active in them. Even NPCs from the Dragon Slayer Empire have opened up venues for the Ascension Conference, entrances to the Cycle Game, and so on.

In terms of liveliness, Chaos City, Moon Palace, and God Emperor City are not much different from the original Twenty-Eight Constellation City.

Zhou Nan entered the chaotic void, firstly to seek out old friends, and secondly to retrieve [True Lord Wang Ba - Zhou Yi Dou].

This True Lord carries time-space clue cards, which Zhou Nan asked him to find the secret treasures left behind by time travelers. He has found an unknown number of them.

During his journey, out of curiosity, Zhou Nan took out the comic book that Lan Yuping had given him and started reading it.

He had seen similar comic books before; back when Lan Cuihua sold comics from a basket, he was very likely her first customer.

However, without knowing the background, it's easy to get confused when reading this single episode.

The comic's plot is quite rich. Taken individually, the protagonist of this chapter is a mysterious character called "Sun God." He is mysterious because he wears a mask.

According to the storyline, there is a secret realm in the chaotic void where a great treasure called the "Holy Sword" is hidden. This great treasure is set to be the key to killing the Cosmic Emperor.

The universe's most powerful beings gathered in the secret realm to vie for that great treasure.

Among these powerful figures were martial arts masters and Saint Azu. The Sun God was not originally among them; he forcibly entered the secret realm. According to the narration, he came from another time and space and was accompanied by two companions.

The two companions were tall, clad in golden armor, and looked exactly alike.

An ancient and mysterious will guards the Holy Sword, and only by being recognized by it can one obtain the Holy Sword.

That ancient and mysterious will is presented as a blurry image in the comic book. Zhou Nan thinks it looks a lot like a brain sealed in a glass jar.

Zhou Nan didn't know if that was an implication of the core.

In short, this will devised a strange game to select the wielder of the holy sword.

The game is called "Fengshen".

All the powerful individuals who sought to vie for the Holy Sword were transported to a secret realm by that ancient will, which declared that to find the Holy Sword, they must demonstrate their strength; only the strongest could find it.

In that secret world, there are two hostile kingdoms. The strong are randomly assigned to one of the kingdoms and have various identities, such as butcher, fisherman, general, assassin, and so on.

These powerful figures, some strangers to each other, some with deep-seated hatred, and some as close as brothers, become the backbone of both sides in a brutal and protracted national war as various plots unfold.

The sun god and his two companions did not receive any special treatment. The sun god was a merchant, and his two companions were a vegetable farmer and a fisherman.

Subsequently, powerful figures fell one after another, and the final battle arrived. Master Wu and Saint Azu, as the highest combat forces of their respective countries, were ultimately forced to fight to the death. The two fought fiercely, with the sky darkening and passion running high.

At this point in the story, Wu Da and Sheng Azu remain the absolute protagonists, with the most screen time. It seems that whoever wins will obtain the legendary holy sword.

The sun god and his two companions looked like mysterious villains.

Just as Saint Azu and Master Wu were preparing for their ultimate duel, deciding their life or death, the Sun God and his two companions suddenly appeared.

The sun god pointed out that all of this was meaningless, and he brought a witch who said that money could make even the devil turn the millstone, and so could gods and demons.

And the priestess is the holy sword.

The story ends here.

Zhou Nan found it all incoherent and somewhat inexplicable.

"I really don't know what Lan Yuping means? If there's any hidden meaning, is the Sun God referring to me? The ancient will guarding the Holy Sword in the comic should be the core, but I don't quite understand what the Holy Sword is. The witch who appeared at the end looks a bit like Lan Caidie, and the Sun God's two companions look a bit like Xiao Taichong and Xiao Taiyong from Illusion God Island... And the Fengshen Game, those two words are mentioned many times in the comic, what does that mean? Is it related to the Fengshen Group...?"

Zhou Nan couldn't figure it out, nor did he dwell on it too much. Although he felt that Lan Yuping must have some deeper meaning in giving him this comic book, that meaning was truly hard to fathom.

A moment later, Zhou Nan arrived at Chaos City.

Red Boy, Divine Commander, Imperial Guard, Lin Yun, Sunken Ship Ancestor, and True Black Bull Cake are all here, as well as Dinosaur Ranger, Arhat, Demon Lizard Player Chicken, Holy Egg Player Bao Pi, Moth Player Moth One, Moth Two, Pig Flower, and Starry Sky Three Fools!

They are now members of the leadership team of "Zhenhei Construction and Development Company".

Zhou Nan was quite moved to see them. In three years, they had changed a lot. Red Boy was more like a leader; he was stern and highly respected. Shen Qianhu also seemed to have become a great master. Lin Yun had become a half-bald warrior...

Red Boy hosted another grand banquet. After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Zhou Nan chatted with the others, listening to their gossip and embarrassing stories...

Just then, the Fiery Pirate Ship arrived.

Over the course of three years, the pirate ship had accumulated a large number of experience scrolls, void gems, and other valuables, while King Ba Zhenjun Zhou Yidou stood at the bow.

"Come back!"

Zhou Nan waved his hand at him, and with a bang, King Overlord Zhou Yidou turned back into a card and flew into Zhou Nan's hand, also bringing Zhou Nan a memory.

(End of this chapter)