Breakthrough

After hearing Scholar Lu's report, Zhang Yunhao smiled with satisfaction. "You are indeed loyal and useful. Go, find the petty cash, and then go to the warehouse and bring me all the precious medicinal herbs, like ginseng, I have use for them."

"Yes, Great Chieftain."

Scholar Lu left excitedly. Now that there was hope, he was more motivated than ever, determined to assist Zhang Yunhao well and then be granted amnesty together.

Zhang Yunhao shook his head at this. He was just painting a picture to win people over. He would leave once the mission was complete; the rest was none of his business.

A while later, Zhang Dazhuang, the first to pledge allegiance to Zhang Yunhao, returned with an aura of killing intent. After bowing, he reported, "Great Chieftain, the three former chieftains have been dealt with."

Zhang Yunhao nodded and asked, "Good. Did any bandits escape?"

Zhang Dazhuang replied, "Only a few. They didn't know the Great Chieftain had already sent people to guard the passes. They were all captured and are awaiting the Great Chieftain's disposal."

"Only a few? Not bad!"

Zhang Yunhao was very satisfied. His speech earlier had been very effective; most of them had stayed. Otherwise, if he had just suppressed them with force, they probably would have all fled by now, and he couldn't possibly keep an eye on so many people alone.

However, with this foundation, the next stockade would be easier, as he would have manpower to use.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Yunhao said to Zhang Dazhuang, "Go and kill those who escaped. Come find me tonight, and I will teach you martial arts."

"Thank you, Great Chieftain."

Zhang Dazhuang was overjoyed. Filled with excitement and anticipation for martial arts, he strode away.

Zhang Yunhao smiled. With the killer move of teaching martial arts, combined with his own formidable strength, his position as chieftain was very stable.

Soon, Zhang Yunhao sensed that the Benevolent True Qi within him had grown stronger by another degree. He couldn't help but smile. Experiments had proven that by issuing orders to eliminate evil, one could also gain merit, thereby strengthening the Benevolent True Qi.

This meant that in the future, leading these bandits to kill other bandits would also yield merit, and quite a lot of it!

Furthermore, now that Zhang Yunhao had become a bandit leader, he would inevitably commit evil deeds. This would also strengthen the Evil True Qi—he didn't care about good or evil; being able to increase his strength was the most important thing!

This was why Zhang Yunhao hadn't killed all the bandits. Of course, the more important reason was to complete the mission; the mission was the most important thing.

In the blink of an eye, it was evening. Zhang Dazhuang received the Iron Cloth Shirt incantation from Zhang Yunhao and was extremely excited, even kneeling to thank Zhang Yunhao.

Iron Cloth Shirt was widely circulated in the martial arts world, but most versions were incomplete. The one Zhang Yunhao gave was the complete technique obtained after killing Iron Eagle, which could break through to the True Qi Realm!

Iron Cloth Shirt included both the cultivation method and the mental technique. The cultivation method involved strengthening the body's defense through various external impacts. The mental technique began with breathing methods and later included True Qi circulation methods. Even without practicing the external techniques, one could break through using the mental technique.

"Get up."

Zhang Yunhao told Zhang Dazhuang to rise, then took out a crimson pill. "This is a pill specifically designed to enhance physique. Take it and break through to the True Qi Realm as soon as possible. We have plenty of battles to fight next!"

"Thank you, Great Chieftain!"

Without any doubt or hesitation, Zhang Dazhuang immediately stood up, took the pill, and swallowed it. He immediately felt his blood and qi surging as if boiling, rapidly growing stronger, which filled him with pleasant surprise and even greater gratitude towards Zhang Yunhao.

"Go and digest it properly."

Zhang Yunhao waved his hand, signaling Zhang Dazhuang to leave and practice. As he watched Zhang Dazhuang's retreating back, a deep glint flashed in his eyes.

This pill was actually refined by Zhang Yunhao himself. Besides the various materials provided by Scholar Lu, the most crucial ingredient was the essence blood from the Blood Origin Pearl!

The essence blood from the Blood Origin Pearl could be used not only by Zhang Yunhao himself but also by others. Breaking through from the Body Tempering Realm to the True Qi Realm involved strengthening the body and blood-qi. With the help of the Blood Origin Pearl, Zhang Dazhuang, who already had a good foundation, would definitely break through quickly.

This was an experiment to test the effectiveness of the Blood Origin Pearl. If it was good, it could be promoted. At that time, he could quickly build a team of experts to deal with Cao Dan!

Of course, this method had significant side effects for those involved, but Zhang Yunhao wouldn't care. Even if those people knew, they wouldn't care either!

This incident caused the Evil True Qi within Zhang Yunhao to increase again. He shook his head and began to cultivate. His power had increased significantly today, and he should be able to open many meridians and the fourth spiritual aperture, possessing the strength of four oxen.

A person's body was like the universe, containing a vast number of spiritual apertures like stars. Each one opened could unleash a part of the human body's potential. To open a spiritual aperture, a corresponding cultivation technique was required!

The Great Strength Dragon Elephant Art was such a technique. It allowed practitioners to open spiritual apertures related to strength, thereby greatly increasing their own power.

In fact, Zhang Yunhao had excellent aptitude in external martial arts. Moreover, he practiced Immortal Martial arts, which had various wondrous aspects. He had opened three spiritual apertures in a short period, making rapid progress—a genius among geniuses!

"The most marvelous thing is that while others cultivating the Great Strength Dragon Elephant Art have the strength of one ox equal to five hundred jin, mine is one thousand jin. It must be the power of a Martial Immortal that has transformed my body! External martial arts are indeed the most suitable for me!"

Zhang Yunhao smiled slightly. Whether it was the spar with Nangong Ru or previous battles, he had never used his full strength.

For the next three days, Zhang Yunhao did not rush into action but focused on consolidating the group of bandits. During these three days, an event occurred that caused the entire Black Wind Stockade to be shaken!

Zhang Dazhuang had broken through to the True Qi Realm!

With the pill given by Zhang Yunhao and the cultivation technique he provided, Zhang Dazhuang's breakthrough was only natural. The moment he broke through, both he and the other bandits in Black Wind Stockade were extremely excited.

There was no need to elaborate on Zhang Dazhuang's excitement, as he was now considered an expert. The reason the others were excited was that they saw hope of becoming experts themselves.

Blood Hand Tian Ming had not lied; he would indeed teach them martial arts. Furthermore, through the news spread by Zhang Dazhuang, the bandits also learned that the Great Chieftain possessed a pill that enhanced physique and could rapidly improve it.

This meant that as long as they performed well, they too could become experts like Zhang Dazhuang.

This drove the bandits into a frenzy. Although Zhang Yunhao had only been Great Chieftain for three days, and had forcibly taken over by killing the original chieftain, the bandits' loyalty to him was no less than before, and their cohesion was even stronger.

At the same time, the bandits were eager to attack other stockades, as performing well there would earn them martial arts!

Under these circumstances, consolidation was extremely simple, and morale was high. Zhang Yunhao naturally would not miss the opportunity and immediately set out for war!