Dinner ended.
Inside his private meditation room, Zhang Fusheng silently practiced the Tiger Roar Fist. At the same time, he activated the Spring Thunder Technique to shake his sinews and bones, drawing vast quantities of Mysterious Factors into his body and completing one circulation after another.
"Does the form of the Spiritual Realm have to be fixed?"
"Living Souls... where am I supposed to find Living Souls?"
He was troubled.
Second Senior Sister had said that Living Souls from breeding planets were only sold in at least medium-sized cities, and their prices were exorbitant. Even the cheapest, poorest-quality Living Souls cost two or three hundred thousand.
As for the most expensive ones?
They ran into the hundreds of millions.
"The flesh is a precious raft. Without sufficient physical cultivation, I can't bring out the power of the Spiritual Realm at all."
As he practiced the Tiger Roar Fist over and over, Zhang Fusheng's spirit and will seized hold of the vast Mysterious Factors and forcibly pressed them into his body.
His body rapidly grew stronger, his skin and flesh being tempered bit by bit toward Perfection.
The fist routine ended, and the wind ceased.
Third Refinement Perfection, with a strength of 3,200 jin.
"Not enough."
"Far from enough."
Zhang Fusheng silently assessed his current state. He possessed a True Spiritual Realm with only one Subordinate Soul, cultivation at Third Refinement Perfection—
In terms of techniques, he had the Perfection-level Tiger Roar Fist, the Minor Perfection Spring Thunder Technique, the second form Newly Dead Form, the third form Giant Form, and the seventh form Scattered Bones Form.
"The Newly Dead Form is for concealment. The Giant Form expands my body and amplifies my strength. As for the Scattered Bones Form..."
Bit by bit, he transformed into grim white bones. Yet this was not the true Scattered Bones Form, merely its "prelude."
According to the Seventy-Two Snow Mountains Scripture Illuminated by the Great Sun, as well as the complete Dense White Bone Contemplation—
The seventh form of body and spirit, the Scattered Bones Form, had verses to attest to it.
[Withered vines and sparse grass entwine the bones; scattered from this dwelling, they are hard to find. Claws and hair lie severed across the wilds; skulls rot at the tips of thickets.]
The form of scattered bones meant that even the bones had scattered away, leaving nothing behind!
Zhang Fusheng pressed his palms together and sighed.
The grim white bones collapsed into dust. He was still there, but he no longer had a physical form.
The so-called Scattered Bones Form ought to be called the [True Soul Form]!
A semi-transparent figure slowly floated upward.
"What a strange experience. I've clearly scattered my form, yet I can still sense my heart beating and my blood flowing. I still possess 3,200 jin of strength."
Zhang Fusheng looked at his semi-transparent hand.
"At the same time, I can fly. I can even pass through solid objects."
"In this form, I merely possess the traits that a 'soul' possesses, but my body is actually still there."
He marveled. The Eight Forms of Body and Spirit truly grew more powerful and bizarre with every form. Relying on countless episodes of demonic deviation and madness, and on the moment he broke through to Perfection—
He had somehow skipped forms four, five, and six, directly attaining the Scattered Bones Form.
"If the Scattered Bones Form is already like this, what ability does the eighth form, the [Ancient Tomb Form], possess?"
He reassembled into white bones, flesh growing over them as he transformed back into a human.
"Under normal circumstances, relying on the Tiger Roar Fist, I should be invincible among Third Refinement martial artists. Fourth Refinement might be somewhat difficult; I'm short by over a thousand jin of strength."
"If I count the Newly Dead Form and Giant Form as well—especially the latter, with its threefold strength amplification—then in terms of raw power, I can rival a Sixth Refinement martial artist!"
Zhang Fusheng licked his lips.
"And if I use the Scattered Bones Form, switching between illusion and substance as I please, I could probably fight Eighth or Ninth Refinement martial artists. Any higher than that... I'm afraid I won't be able to break their defenses."
After the bones scattered, only an insubstantial form remained.
This form could be illusory or corporeal, moving entirely according to his own will.
In other words, Zhang Fusheng could use the illusory form while defending, then switch to the corporeal form when throwing a punch at someone!
"In the illusory state, even a Twelfth Refinement martial artist can't hurt me. They only have brute strength."
"Unfortunately, that's as far as it goes."
Zhang Fusheng felt somewhat regretful. Twelfth Refinement martial artists could not hurt him, but he could not hurt Twelfth Refinement martial artists either.
Even if he used the Spiritual Realm, unless he risked severe injury or even collapse to forcibly bring the Spiritual Realm into reality, he could at most trap his enemy and could not inflict any substantial damage.
"The only methods I currently know that can injure or even kill people within the Spiritual Realm are the Five Thunders Art and Subordinate Souls. The former requires a Martial Arts Master to truly display its power, so I can only take the path of Subordinate Souls."
Zhang Fusheng licked his lips. What was this, turning his spiritual world into a Ten Thousand Souls Banner?
"My moral bottom line is still a little too high."
He muttered to himself.
Otherwise, with his current abilities, killing people and taking their souls would be easier than turning over his hand.
Jiangzhou City alone had a population of over ten million.
Zhang Fusheng shook his head and gathered his thoughts.
"Below Ninth Refinement, I can kill them. Above Ninth Refinement, they can do nothing to me."
"If I run into one of those 'inhuman' Martial Arts Masters, I either bluff them off or run!"
Zhang Fusheng now had an accurate understanding of his own position.
Ring ring ring!
His phone vibrated softly.
"Dad, what is it?" he answered with a chuckle, then his voice shot up an octave. "Come to Jiang University? At a time like this??"
Zhang Fusheng furrowed his brow.
"Dad, didn't you tell Sister Xixi that Jiangzhou City isn't very peaceful right now?"
Sister Xixi, Zhang Xiaoxi, was his cousin—the daughter of his eldest uncle, Zhang Wenhua.
"I did."
Zhang Wentao said helplessly,
"They don't really believe it... though I think it should be fine. It's District Three, not the Lower-Level District. Just don't take your Sister Xixi running down to the Lower-Level District when the time comes."
Zhang Fusheng had a headache.
"So what is Sister Xixi coming here for?"
His dad answered,
"Your Sister Xixi is going to the provincial capital for some competition. She's using Jiang University's external student quota, and she needs to go to Jiang University to sign some documents. She also wants to visit you while she's there."
"What documents?"
Zhang Fusheng frowned.
"I've recently gotten along well with one of Jiang University's teachers. If possible, I can have them send the documents to Longzhou City for Sister Xixi to sign."
There was a clear pause from his dad on the other end.
"Really? In just a few days, you brat have gotten this capable?"
"Why would I lie to you? I won't hide it from you either—the School Master of the Martial Arts Academy thinks I have great talent and has taken me in as a disciple."
His dad sounded suspicious.
"Who has such poor eyesight? Can that School Master be a good person? Don't tell me they're some kind of swind—"
Before he could finish, his mother's lioness roar from east of the river came through the phone, followed by his dad's cry of pain.
"Zhang Wentao, what do you mean by that! What do you mean, poor eyesight? What's wrong with our son? Tell me, what's wrong with him?"
"Teacher Zhou, that's not what I meant."
"I think that is exactly what you meant! Earlier, I fell while skiing, and instead of helping me up, you stood there laughing. Laugh! Laugh! Laugh!"
Listening to the noisy bickering on the other end, Zhang Fusheng unconsciously smiled.
This was nice.
After a while—
Amid heavy breathing, his dad picked up the phone again.
"It's some cooperation contract for external students or something. If you really can send it to Longzhou City, son, how about... you make the trip yourself?"
Zhang Fusheng raised a brow. He knew his dad was still worried.
Longzhou City.
"It has been a long time since I last saw Eldest Uncle and the others. I'll ask about it. If it works, I'll go with a Jiang University teacher tomorrow and bring the documents along."
Zhang Fusheng had already been planning a trip to Longzhou City. Chen Nuanyu's mother was there, so he had to go sooner or later.
Perfect. He could take her with him, too?
"Alright, I'll tell your eldest uncle and the others. Oh, right—"
His dad added,
"Didn't I give you Uncle Yu's number?"
Uncle Yu was his dad's well-informed old friend, the one who knew Daoism had been making moves.
"Yeah, what about it?"
"If you're going to Longzhou City, mention it to Uncle Yu and have him help you confirm the train schedule."
His dad spoke calmly.
"Didn't you see the news? A train suffered a terrorist attack yesterday. Uncle Yu is especially well-informed about this sort of thing."
He bit down hard on the words "well-informed," then added,
"The train Uncle Yu picks for you will definitely be fine."
Zhang Fusheng fell silent for a moment.
"This terrorist attack... wasn't launched by that Uncle Yu, was it?"
Old Zhang choked and coughed violently.
"You little brat, what are you thinking? Your Uncle Yu used to work in a special department, one that specifically investigated terrorist attacks, cults, and things like that—"
Zhang Fusheng's heart stirred. The Investigation Bureau??
Smiling, he probed,
"Dad, you even have friends like that? Why didn't you introduce him to me before? Keeping him hidden away, huh?"
Doctor Zhang spoke helplessly.
"It's not a good line of work. It's dangerous, and I rarely deal with Old Yu myself. Alright, just call him directly. Old Yu held you when you were little."
"Mm-hm, mm-hm, mm-hm." Zhang Fusheng gave a fake smile. Why didn't I remember this person?
He had been reborn with his memories and had known things from birth. He remembered his infant years with perfect clarity!
His dad had secrets.
But that was normal. Everyone had some secrets, big or small.
After listening to his mom nag for a while after taking the phone, he hung up.
After thinking for a moment, he opened Feixun, found the phone number his dad had sent him, and dialed it.
"Hello, Uncle Yu? I'm Zhang Fusheng."
"Oh! Fusheng!" A hearty laugh came from the other end. "Old Zhang has praised you plenty!"
Zhang Fusheng laughed along.
"It's like this, Uncle Yu."
He roughly explained the situation. The man on the other end immediately agreed.
"No problem. When are you planning to leave?"
"Mm, tomorrow?"
"Alright, let me check. Tomorrow afternoon, 5:40. Leave from East Railway Station for Longzhou City, arrive at 7:00."
"Great, Uncle Yu." Zhang Fusheng smiled. "When I get back, I'll have to come by and thank you properly—"
He wanted to get in touch with the Investigation Bureau.
"No problem, but don't go back to the Lower-Level District. Uncle will come find you for a meal then!"
After politely exchanging a few more words, they ended the call.
"Uncle Yu..." Zhang Fusheng rubbed his chin. His dad and this Uncle Yu both seemed certain that the cult's activities would only exist in the Lower-Level District and would not spread elsewhere.
Interesting.
Zhang Fusheng opened his phone and found Sister Xixi's number. After thinking about it, he decided against calling.
Instead, he called Chen Nuanyu.
After a while—
The call connected, and a slightly trembling voice came from the other end.
"It's me."
"Old Yu, was that Wentao's kid?" In the cramped little room, a woman asked curiously.
"Yeah."
Old Yu took a drag on his cigarette.
"That kid's got promise. Got into a good university. Too bad it isn't the Martial Arts Department. Good thing it isn't the Martial Arts Department."
He sighed.
"A plain, peaceful life is better."
The woman stroked her smooth chin.
"Old Zhang really is something. He just refuses to let us meet his little nephew. Tsk, he guards against us like we're ghosts."
"Understandable. He finally managed to settle down. Since the kid is coming to Jiangzhou City this time, once everything is over, no matter what, I have to go see sister-in-law. I was the one who brought those two together in the first place!"
As he spoke, Old Yu stubbed out his cigarette.
"I heard the Investigation Bureau's advance team has come down?"
"Yeah." The woman nodded. "They're probably preparing to close the net? Three years, three years, then another three years. We'll be able to go back soon."
She stretched lazily.
"Going undercover isn't easy. You've already risen to become a [Handler]. Keep this up, and you really won't be able to get out."
Old Yu grinned.
"My rank is still too low. Be careful lately. If the cult ultimately decides to use the Lower-Level District of this city as a petri dish, we'll have to tell my big nephew to run—run as fast as he can."
The woman nodded lightly and straightened her Daoist robe.
Before you continue