Linlang I

Several days later.

The Li Family.

Zhang Rongfang stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the falling leaves overhead.

A cool breeze is blowing; winter has passed, and new leaves are now emerging.

"I'm so sorry, I was ultimately unable to save your brothers and sisters."

He lowered his head and looked at the young girl who was walking out of the room not far away.

The girl was dressed in all white, with a white hairband binding her black hair, and there were faint tear stains and redness around her eyes.

It was Li Guanyue's youngest daughter Li Wansha.

From the very beginning, she had been wary of her father's actions. So, when she was taken aboard the ship overnight, she promptly sent a message to Zhang Rongfang's subordinates.

Unfortunately, "It's not the young master's fault; they were simply too greedy and lacked the fortune."

Li Wansha placed the tea tray on the stone table and gently poured tea for Zhang Rongfang.

"Actually, I had thought about this day coming a long time ago, but I didn't expect it to come so suddenly."

She had found a place to hide early in the morning while she was on the boat.

Although she didn't know why the thugs didn't target her afterwards, she survived nonetheless.

"Your father has lost a leg and an eye," Zhang Rongfang said softly.

"Perhaps this is for the best. He can take good care of himself in his old age, and I will take care of him alone. I will not do anything against my conscience again," Li Wansha said, bowing her head.

There was a pause.

She suddenly looked up.

"May I ask, young master, who are the two people on that boat? Are they truly not you?"

"No," Zhang Rongfang said frankly.

He wasn't lying.

The men he sent didn't intend to go so far; they only planned to capture the Li Family members and stage a charade.

At most, they'll just cripple a few people as a deterrent.

But they never intended to exterminate them all.

After all, he wasn't that ruthless. If it weren't for the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training, he wouldn't have resorted to such a desperate measure.

Unfortunately, I understand the ways of the world now.

Looking into his sincere eyes, Li Wansha chose to believe him.

Indeed, given the strength and power of the other party, they wouldn't need to go to such great lengths to take action.

What she couldn't have imagined was that Zhang Rongfang's men were just a little late in making their move. Li Wansha was silent for a moment, then finally took out a thin Little Booklet from her sleeve, placed it on the stone table, and pushed it over.

"This is the Li Family's Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training Arts, the authentic version. You can take it and familiarize yourself with it first. Father will explain many of the key techniques and omitted parts to you."

"Thank you." A knowing glint flashed in Zhang Rongfang's eyes. He reached out and solemnly picked up the booklet.

"Tell your father that I've already arranged for people to search for the murderer. I've also started investigating the organization he provided, called 'Hundred Changes.' I believe we'll have results soon."

"Thank you for such kindness, young master," Li Wansha said, bending her knees to kneel down.

"Absolutely not!" Zhang Rongfang quickly stepped forward to support her. "I was just doing something that any ordinary person would do."

"It wasn't my Li Family that was the first to lose face. If it weren't for your magnanimity, young master, please rest assured that my father and I have already agreed that we will follow your lead from now on!" Li Wansha said resolutely.

"Alas, how could it have come to this?" Zhang Rongfang sighed, but in his heart he was already making plans. Perhaps in the future, he could let Li Guanyue be in charge of training a team of masters of Hard Skill.

He thought that if he wanted to make a living in this world, he would have to have a force that could help him protect his family's property.

After all, he was just one person and couldn't be in two places at once.

However, ordinary power is extremely fragile when facing Spirit Vein.

Therefore, this matter needs to be considered carefully.

After withdrawing from the Li Family.

Zhang Rongfang returned to the Aloeswood Palace with the secret scroll and read it carefully.

This research lasted for seven days.

During the seven days, Li Guanyue regained consciousness midway through the process, rested for a few days, and then came to find Zhang Rongfang. Upon learning his true identity, Li Guanyue was shocked and immediately began to carefully point out the shortcomings in Zhang Rongfang's Hard Skill.

This time, he imparted the essence of his family's martial arts without reservation.

Under his guidance, Zhang Rongfang quickly rectified the shortcomings of the previous Iron Shirt.

Without using any Attribute Points, he directly reached the fifth level of the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training.

This fifth layer is equivalent to the sixth layer of Iron Shirt, or even stronger. Some weaknesses that were not mastered are also compensated for and covered.

This Hard Skill has nine levels, corresponding to Ninth Grade system. Each level allows for combat against opponents of higher ranks, and its defensive capabilities are extremely formidable.

The "thirteen" in the name "Thirteen Protectors" simply refers to Li Cunxiao's thirteenth birth year, not to the thirteenth level of his martial arts technique.

In the blink of an eye, another half month has passed. The rain was as heavy as fog.

It has been raining heavily for three consecutive days in the entire Citong.

There are far fewer tourists and pilgrims coming to offer incense at the Aloeswood Palace.

The saplings and shrubs that were previously transplanted into the palace now mostly exude a tender green luster and are full of vitality.

In the Dao Palace in the middle of the Daoist temple.

Zhang Rongfang was wearing a Daoist robe and holding a letter he had just received.

The letter was sent from Wushan Prefecture and was written by my elder sister, Zhang Rongyu.

The letter essentially stated that they were all well in Wushan Prefecture and that there was no need for them to worry.

The letter was sent to Quanzhou by a person who Rebel Sect, and after traveling to other places, it was finally delivered to Citong.

To avoid being discovered, Zhang Ying was Zhang Rongfang.

Only a handful of people in the Eastern Sect's Golden Wing Tower know this.

For example, Qing Su, and Heavenly Maiden.

But now only Qing Su remains of the two. The Heavenly Maiden has long since disappeared.

So, besides his sister's letter, he also received a letter from Qing Su and Sweeping Mountain Tiger Ding Yu.

Qing Su is a tested Golden Wing Tower warrior, and can be considered trustworthy. It is reassuring to entrust her with certain tasks.

Sweeping Mountain Tiger Ding Yu, is purely gifted with exceptional talent. Zhang Rongfang hopes to nurture him further and make him his right-hand man in the future.

Ding Yu has broken through to the Ninth Grade for some time now. With his talent, he will probably be able to easily enter the Super Grade once he finds a suitable Super Grade External Medicine.

After all, the Super Grade is the backyard of the exceptionally talented.

Those without talent shouldn't even think about it.

Zhang Rongfang put the letter away, gently lit it by the candlelight, and threw it into the charcoal brazier until the Letter Paper was completely burned black, then reached out and crushed it.

"Now, the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training have reached the Fifth Grade rank, and they have already entered the basics. They have also mastered the complete subsequent techniques."

"I can use Attribute Points to directly upgrade. From Subordinate Fifth Rank to Sixth Grade, to rank seven, eight, or nine, I wonder if I have enough Attribute Points."

He closed his eyes, opened the Attribute Panel, and looked at the 22 Free Attributes he had accumulated.

"At 22 points, if you use all of them to upgrade your life points, you can directly break 100 and enter a new level."

So, should we prioritize improving physical health or enhancing Hard Skill?

Standing by the window of the Dao Palace study, Zhang Rongfang fell into thought.

If the 22 points of the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training, Fifth Grade skill, could be raised to the Ninth Grade, their effect on him would be enormous.

By then, his body will be strong enough to withstand attacks from Ninth Grade Master. He will be immune to most damage, unless it is a divine weapon or a gunpowder weapon.

Even the most powerful gunpowder weapons will have their damage reduced significantly.

This was extremely attractive to Zhang Rongfang.

I hesitated for a moment.

He gave up on the idea.

"Forget it, I'm well-fed and clothed now, and my safety is guaranteed. I don't lack weapons for the time being. Perhaps I should increase my health first, and then look at other things."

Suddenly, his expression froze.

"No, I forgot that to upgrade your rank, you must first increase your health by ten points. Then you have no choice."

Based on this calculation, there's no way that 22 Attribute Points could raise the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training to the Ninth Grade.

Without hesitation, he immediately poured all his Attribute Points into the Life Attribute.

The original 78 health points rapidly increased during the continuous flashing.

Suddenly, at 80, 85, 90, and 95, Zhang Rongfang's heart began to beat faster, his whole body began to heat up, and his blood circulation, endocrine circulation, and internal organs all began to operate at an accelerated pace.

100!! Finally, the health points stopped at this complete number.

There was no movement.

It was as if all my previous guesses and feelings were just fantasies.

Zhang Rongfang waited for a while and found that he was still the same as before, with two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. He immediately chuckled and shook his head slightly.

"Looks like I was overthinking it," he said, reaching out to close the window.

Squeak.

The wooden window closed gently.

The light dimmed rapidly.

Then it turns gray.

Finally, it turns black.

It was pitch black.

Zhang Rongfang was jolted awake. He felt all the light in his eyes begin to disappear, and everything in his vision—colors, luster—turned into a thick, impenetrable black mist.

The black mist rapidly engulfed and submerged everything.

He can't see anything anymore.

This state of blindness did not last long.

It might be a minute, or it might be ten minutes.

Soon, a faint light returned to Zhang Rongfang's eyes.

Gradually, the light increased and became brighter.

Immediately afterwards, my vision returned to normal.

Zhang Rongfang opened his eyes wide. He was still standing in front of the window, which was now closed.

Everything that just happened seemed like an illusion.

Immediately, he closed his eyes and opened the Attribute Panel.

The Civilian Skill remain unchanged, except that the martial arts now include the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training.

What truly made his heart tremble was...

A new major category has appeared directly below the Life section.

Trait Talent: Super Vision - Dark Light Vision.

"Trait Talent: Super Vision"

A storm raged through Zhang Rongfang's heart.

It's been so long!! He finally saw what changes life would bring as it continued to rise! Immediately, he focused his attention on his eyes.

He vaguely sensed that his eyes seemed somewhat different.

It was as if the light in the whole world had become brighter and fuller.

Close your eyes.

He was still able to see most of the surrounding environment through his eyelids.

The red light from the blood flowing inside the eyelids was slightly blurred and interfering.

Overall, it's like an ordinary person wearing a transparent red filter.

He opened his eyes again.

Zhang Rongfang felt a strange excitement.

He had always viewed life as a necessary exercise to improve his martial arts skills.

But now, everything has changed.