Early the next morning, a few sparrows chirped as they landed on the courtyard branches, fluttering down a blanket of snow amidst a scene of utter chill.
The kang bed inside, however, was as warm as spring.
After refining four wisps of anomalous energy, Chu Ge observed through inner vision that his qi and blood had grown robust enough to condense nine-tenths of a fierce tiger's head. He only needed to condense another one-sixth of a tiger head to probably break through to the mid Blood Change Realm.
If the tolerance of my meridians and acupoints could be a bit stronger, I could refine one more wisp of anomalous energy every day, and my cultivation speed would be even faster...
Chu Ge thought inwardly, pondering for a moment as he tried to make the anomalous energy within the Dragon Clock split off another wisp to merge into his body.
He soon felt a stinging sensation in the meridians along the path it traversed.
He sighed inwardly, immediately drawing that wisp of anomalous energy back into the Dragon Clock.
It seemed that even though he had already broken through the Blood Change Realm, and his physical strength had been further enhanced through the nourishment of qi and blood, the strengthening of his meridians and acupoints was still limited.
Every day, he could still only endure the baptism of four wisps of anomalous energy; any more would damage his meridians and acupoints.
Practicing martial arts depended on personal natural talent, and Chu Ge was not clear about how high his martial arts talent actually was.
He had only heard others praise him as being very formidable.
Yet when it manifested in the tolerance of his meridians and acupoints, only he knew the truth.
Whether this manifestation was strong or weak involved anomalous energy, and with no comparative reference, it was impossible to put into words.
He only knew that when he first began practicing martial arts, his meridians and acupoints could only endure a single wisp of anomalous energy per day.
Later, as he broke through realms, his physique grew stronger and stronger, and the tolerance of his meridians and acupoints gradually increased alongside it.
Now, it seemed to have fallen into a bottleneck.
If he wanted to further raise the endurance of his meridians and acupoints, perhaps the only way was to obtain some heavenly material or earthly treasure in the future that could widen meridians and acupoints, or step into the transcendent Force Condensation Realm.
Perhaps people without spiritual aptitude are just like those whose meridians and acupoints are naturally blocked at birth; the former's body cannot guide and endure anomalous energy, while the latter cannot circulate qi and blood to practice martial arts.
Chu Ge calmed his qi and blood, opening his eyes.
Inside the room, two maidservants had timed his awakening and were busy preparing washing utensils.
He stepped down from the bed, his muscular physique possessing smooth lines and stacked layers of build. Soon, under the maidservants' ministration, he finished washing and dressed in his garments.
At this moment, the neighing of horses and the sound of conversation faintly drifted from outside the residence.
Chu Ge's five senses far exceeded those of ordinary people.
Gathering a trace of qi and blood in his ears, he heard that Wang Xiuyun had brought people over outside.
Over twenty old artifacts. If my luck isn't too bad, they will contribute at least seventy wisps of anomalous energy to me... This is a huge deal.
Stirred with excitement, Chu Ge immediately threw on a heavy cloak and went out to see Wang Xiuyun.
The transaction process went without any twists or turns.
Wang Xiuyun even wished to present two of the old artifacts to Chu Ge free of charge in celebration of his breakthrough to the Bone Training Realm.
Having lived two lifetimes, Chu Ge vaguely perceived that Wang Xiuyun intentionally intended to invest in and befriend him, presumably wanting to act as his angel investor.
However, he himself was not short on money for the time being, nor did he wish to owe too many favors. After politely declining, he engaged in barter instead, trading the title deed to the final tavern for over twenty old artifacts plus three thousand taels of silver.
A cup of tea later.
Inside the Chu Family's Yingbin Pavilion.
Wang Xiuyun put away the title deed and asked with curiosity, "Chu Ge, it seems you plan to leave Linyuan City soon? Almost all your family's properties have been sold off by you, leaving only this old residence and the inn..."
Chu Ge took a sip of fragrant tea and nodded. "I do plan to leave. As you know, I am preparing to head to the prefecture city.
I originally planned to set off after my cultivation broke through, but given the current situation inside and outside the city, it has become difficult to leave..."
Hearing this, Wang Xiuyun's expression also turned serious. "It's good that you know it's hard to leave; I originally intended to remind you.
Last night, that Evil Path corpse driver from outside the city manipulated a Flying Head Zombie to hunt and kill quite a few people who left the city, and even patrol guards at the city docks met with foul play.
I only got the news from the yamen this morning. Rumors are now flying all over the city, and people are panic-stricken... Venturing out of the city at a time like this is extremely risky."
Chu Ge immediately thought of the scene he had witnessed last night through the Thousand Mile Kite.
Recalling the unidentified entity that was scattered last night, he frowned and said, "If what you say is true, I'm afraid it's not just one Flying Head Zombie making a move. Could there be many?"
"Not necessarily. Even if there are, their strengths may differ.
According to the latest news obtained by Lord Tian from interrogating the captured Heaven and Earth Incense Cult bandits, that corpse driver is likely a formidable figure from the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult, only he had been lying low until now.
His sudden strike this time is perhaps retaliation from the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult."
Wang Xiuyun twirled a strand of fine hair around her finger, pondering. "Perhaps he has also driven many people from the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult, blockading all the major thoroughfares outside the city, including the waterways. That powerful Flying Head Zombie is the killer weapon he uses for deterrence."
"This is indeed troublesome..." Chu Ge knitted his brows, feeling a sense of difficulty.
If many major routes outside the city, including the waterways, were blockaded with checkpoints, even if he dared to force his way through, he would quickly alert that corpse driver.
Given the flying and hunting speed of the Flying Head Zombie observed yesterday, escape would be utterly impossible.
"So... if you want to head to the prefecture city, you must at least wait until it is confirmed safe outside the city before leaving. Don't recklessly take a gamble."
Wang Xiuyun reminded him, "I originally intended to return to the prefecture city to cultivate, but for now I can only wait. I believe Lord Tian and the Demon Suppressing Division will have a countermeasure. When the time comes, you can travel with our Wang Family caravan."
Chu Ge knew Wang Xiuyun meant well, but he was not as optimistic as she was.
Judging by the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult's past reckless style of daring to directly raid the city, and the fact that the corpse driver had the strength to severely injure Lin Hongtu of the Demon Suppressing Division,
he feared that once the probing was done, they would show their true colors, leaving no chance for Tianyujun to bring in reinforcements.
Therefore, time was running short for the people inside the city.
What other countermeasures could Tian Youji possibly have?
Soon, Chu Ge personally escorted Wang Xiuyun to the door.
He then returned to his room and sacrificed all twenty-three old artifacts obtained from the transaction into the Dragon Clock.
Regrettably, although there were many old artifacts this time, they did not yield treasures like the alcoholic wine jug from last time; they were merely ordinary old antiques.
Meanwhile, the three old artifacts like the alcoholic wine jug sacrificed previously within the Dragon Clock were still undergoing refinement.
What a pity. I just hope there's enough time.
Chu Ge hoped inwardly.
If the fragrance and liquid within the wine jug finished refining, it would be far more potent than the fungal poison he concocted himself, giving him an extra trump card.
The current situation was critical, and it was hard for his martial arts strength to improve in a short period.
Yet the accumulated anomalous energy had already grown quite a bit.
Chu Ge intended to utilize the heterodox embroidery technique within a day or two to try crafting an embroidery equipment piece that enhanced strength--Flying Horse Boots.
Meanwhile, in the Xue Men River valley merely six or seven miles away from Linyuan City,
the riverbanks on both sides were narrow, the sound of the rushing water resembling the clamor of thousands of bulls charging, and the valley churned up patches of pale, hazy mist.
This river valley was the essential thoroughfare through which Linyuan City's merchant ships had to pass.
At this moment, as if an accident had occurred, several merchant ships sailing from Linyuan City had already been intercepted.
Baskets-sized whirlpools emerged throughout the river water.
Abruptly, figures drilled out one by one, each biting a weapon in their mouth and doing a flip onto the ships.
Instantly, they engaged in a chaotic battle with the martial artists of the merchant caravan on board, and the sounds of killing and screaming quickly spread.
Such a scene terrified some merchant ships that had just left the city docks in the distance, causing them to turn their boats around and rush back in panic.
The same scene was simultaneously staged across three major thoroughfares outside Linyuan City.
In the unseen sky and among the mountain forests, grim and terrifying Flying Head Zombies wrapped in intestines swept past one after another.
Two of them were slightly smaller and shriveled, while one had a cold expression, exposed fangs, and a grim, terrifying aura.
Outside the city, inside a dilapidated temple, an old man wearing a dark cyan robe stood holding a large banner, staring expressionlessly at the crumbling Buddha statue inside the temple.
A crowd of Heaven and Earth Incense Cult disciples wearing cloaks knelt all over the empty space behind, which was originally used for paying homage to Buddha.
These arrogant and violent fiends were now all as silent as cicadas in winter.
Although the old man opposite possessed only the martial arts strength of the Blood Change Realm, the evil path methods he controlled were enough to make any Blood Change Realm martial artist's blood run cold.
This old man was even listed on the wanted rolls of several prefectures in Da Zhou, concurrently ranked seventy-third on the Blood Ranking. Notoriously infamous, he was known as the Soul Chasing Old Man.
At this moment, the old man abruptly turned around, revealing a withered, yellow, and emaciated face. With a gloomy expression and an intense, flashing glint in his pair of eyes, he spoke coldly.
"It seems there are no more experts from the Demon Suppressing Division in this city. Last night, this old man merely lost a little ghost; it's no big deal. It's almost time. Tomorrow at dawn, attack the city!
The mission your emissary failed to complete, this old man will finish. And your mission is to capture children under six years old within the city for this old man, regardless of gender!"
"Yes!"
The congregation kneeling all over the ground responded in unison, their faces beneath their cloaks displaying utter fanaticism.
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