How is your Black Tortoise Body Refining Technique coming along?

Abbot Huineng had come today with the intention of using Buddhist teachings to influence Zhou Cheng. Hearing that Zhou Cheng was now proactively asking to listen to his teachings, he was naturally more than willing.

However, the main hall was not a convenient place, so the two moved to Zhou Cheng's courtyard.

Yet, enlightenment is something that can be met by chance but not sought; for the remainder of the time, Zhou Cheng did not enter a state of enlightenment again.

Even so, by listening to the profound Buddhist teachings of an eminent monk like Abbot Huineng, the cultivation speed of Zhou Cheng's Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique still increased significantly.

Zhou Cheng discovered that for every hour he listened, the cultivation progress of his Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique increased by 3%.

If he listened for ten hours, that would be 30%.

Coupled with his medicinal baths and the consumption of the Ancient Body Refining Pill and Marrow-Cleansing Pill, he would be able to break through to the ninth level of Body Refining in at most two days!

An hour later.

Zhou Wei returned from the morning court session, bringing with him good news.

Because his heart meridians were injured and he could no longer take to the battlefield to slay enemies, the Emperor of Great Feng, Zhu Xuan, had allowed him to step down from his post as the Grand General who Defends the State this morning, transferring him to the position of Minister of the Ministry of History.

The central administrative body of the Great Feng Dynasty consisted of six ministries: the Ministry of History, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Works. The Ministry of History was the head of the six, and the Minister of the Ministry of History was equivalent to the head of the central organization department, holding immense power over the promotion, transfer, and assessment of officials.

Zhou Cheng was happy for his father. Although being the Grand General who Defends the State was impressive, it required him to guard the borders year-round, and he could barely spend a few days at home each year.

But the Minister of the Ministry of History was different; from now on, he could stay at home in the Capital City all year round.

Moreover, killing enemies at the border meant living in constant danger, whereas the Capital City was different—the Capital City was peaceful.

It was not until 6:00 PM that Abbot Huineng left the Grand General's Mansion, bidding them farewell after exactly ten hours.

Not long after Abbot Huineng departed, Zhou Cheng's elder brother, Zhou Li, and the Sect Master of the Sun Moon Sword Sect, Chen Genfeng, arrived at the Grand General's Mansion.

Zhou Wei and Luo Shui were naturally overjoyed at Zhou Li's return and hosted a banquet to entertain Chen Genfeng and the others. However, because Zhou Li had joined the Sun Moon Sword Sect at a young age and spent his years cultivating there, Zhou Cheng did not have a deep bond with him, and the two had little interaction during the banquet.

After the banquet, Zhou Cheng returned to his courtyard.

Only then did he open the breakthrough gift package for the eighth level of Body Refining.

Amidst Zhou Cheng's anticipation:

"You have obtained one Marrow-Cleansing Pill."

"You have obtained one Bronze-Armored Guard."

"You have obtained one juvenile Azure Dragon Divine Beast."

"Do you wish to consume the Marrow-Cleansing Pill now?"

Zhou Cheng immediately swallowed the Marrow-Cleansing Pill.

"As the Marrow-Cleansing Pill cleanses the marrow and improves your constitution, your aptitude has been enhanced."

"Your superior aptitude has increased to 50."

Finally, 50.

He was only two pills away from his superior aptitude evolving into that of a century-old genius.

"Due to the surging medicinal power of the Marrow-Cleansing Pill, the cultivation progress of your Black Tortoise Divine Technique and Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique has skyrocketed."

"Black Tortoise Divine Technique cultivation progress skyrocketed by 1%."

"Skyrocketed by 2%."

"Skyrocketed by 15%."

Since the cultivation progress of the Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique skyrocketed at twice the rate of the Black Tortoise Divine Technique, it instantly surged by 30%.

Zhou Cheng checked his status panel.

Host: Zhou Cheng

Black Tortoise Divine Technique: 7th Layer progress 39%

Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique: 8th Layer progress 61%

Wind-Facing Willow Steps: Mastery progress 13%

Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist: Mastery progress 9%

Demon-Subduing Saber Technique: Mastery 11%

Originally, the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist was the first to reach the mastery stage, but now, its cultivation speed was the slowest.

After the three martial arts entered the mastery stage, they would automatically cultivate for a day, only increasing by about 2%.

Zhou Cheng released the Bronze-Armored Guard.

The fourth Bronze-Armored Guard was named Yang Yu, also at the seventh level of Innate, though he wielded a long spear.

When Zhou Cheng released the juvenile Azure Dragon Divine Beast, the entire courtyard was filled with a vibrant green glow, and waves of water vapor flowed endlessly throughout the space.

This juvenile Azure Dragon was about the same size as the Ice Snow Phoenix, over ten meters long.

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Azure Dragon Divine Beast. Your Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist has gained a rapid increase in cultivation speed due to observing the form of the Azure Dragon Divine Beast."

Zhou Cheng was startled. He took a look, and sure enough, the cultivation speed of the Roaming Dragon White Tiger Fist was much faster than before; in just a short while, it had already reached 14%.

Zhou Cheng felt a sense of relief in his heart.

In the evening, after soaking in a medicinal bath, Zhou Cheng went to the Green Demon Mountain Range to slay demonic beasts as usual.

With the help of Qin Meng and the other three Xiantian Seventh Layer experts, along with the three divine beasts, Zhou Cheng's speed in locating demonic beasts increased significantly. After killing dozens of them, he arrived at the mountain cave to begin practicing the Wind-Facing Willow Steps, not sneaking back to the mansion until two in the morning.

The next two days followed the same routine.

During the day, Huineng came to lecture Zhou Cheng on Buddhist dharma, and at night, after soaking in his medicinal bath, Zhou Cheng would head to the Green Demon Mountain Range to slay beasts and utilize the gale within the cave to practice the Wind-Facing Willow Steps.

Of course, every day, Zhou Cheng never forgot to consume an Ancient Body Refining Pill.

At the same time, Zhou Cheng instructed Qin Meng to help him acquire iron ore materials so he could use the Earth Cauldron to refine equipment and upgrade its grade.

As for the high-quality steel blades he refined at the mortal-grade level, Zhou Cheng rented a shop in a prime location to sell them. Because the prices he set were cheaper than those on the market, business was quite good.

Over these two days, because Zhou Wei had taken office as the Minister of the Ministry of History, the mansion's entrance was bustling with activity, with a constant stream of people coming to pay their respects and offer congratulations.

His good friend Jiang Feng also came along with his father, Jiang Haidong. Upon seeing him, Jiang Feng gave Zhou Cheng a thumbs-up and said, "I heard that Abbot Huineng comes to your courtyard every day to lecture you on Buddhist dharma for ten hours just to reform you."

He then looked Zhou Cheng up and down: "You're the reincarnation of a great Buddha; why couldn't I tell before?"

Zhou Cheng laughed: "There are many things you can't tell."

Jiang Feng chuckled: "I heard that for the past two days, Vice Minister Chen of the Ministry of War has been smashing things."

Zhou Cheng feigned surprise: "You know about that too?"

Jiang Feng grinned: "I heard it, just heard it."

On the seventh night after Zhou Cheng arrived in this world, after finishing his medicinal bath, his Indestructible Vajra Divine Technique finally broke through to the ninth layer.

The ninth layer!

Feeling the changes in his physical body, Zhou Cheng punched a stone pedestal; it instantly shattered into pieces, turning into a pile of rubble.

I wonder how I would fare against Big Brother now, Zhou Cheng thought to himself.

His elder brother, Zhou Li, was currently at the peak of the third layer of Qi Refining.

With his current combat strength, he might not be without a chance in a fight.

"Second Brother, are you asleep?" Zhou Li's voice rang out from outside the courtyard.

Zhou Cheng responded, signaled for Qin Meng to clean up the rubble, and then opened the courtyard gate.

After entering, Zhou Li walked to the stone pavilion and noticed a missing pedestal. He joked, "Don't tell me a thief broke into the house and stole your stone pedestal?"

Zhou Cheng laughed: "Qin Meng was practicing his techniques just now and smashed it."

Qin Meng was speechless.

Last time it was him, why was it him again this time?

Zhou Li glanced at Qin Meng and Lin Ru, who were waiting respectfully, and said to Zhou Cheng, "I didn't come for anything in particular. I joined the Sun Moon Sword Sect when I was young and have been cultivating in the sect year-round. We brothers haven't really had a heart-to-heart, so I just wanted to come and talk with you."

"How is your progress with the Black Tortoise Body Refining Technique?"