Talismans and Muscle Theory

BOOM!!!

The moment the fist and axe collided, it sounded like thunder exploding!

A savage wave of energy, carrying the stench of corpse gas and scorching vital energy, blasted outwards!

Several empty metal carts in the morgue were violently thrown, smashing against the walls with a piercing clang!

The beam of the powerful flashlight shook violently, illuminating the center of the collision!

Fang Gang's fist, gleaming with a bronze metallic luster, forcefully blocked the heavy, rust-covered fire axe that was chopping down. The axe blade was barely an inch from his scalp!

The immense impact caused the solid floor tiles beneath his feet to instantly shatter, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading outwards!

But his stance remained like a rock, not budging an inch!

In contrast, the Green Zombie's burly, green-skinned body trembled violently. A flicker of disbelief and shock seemed to flash through its eye sockets burning with green fire!

Its axe-wielding arms were forced high into the air by the recoil. It staggered back three steps, each one leaving a deep footprint on the ground!

Chen Tao, the slightly overweight man in the black combat suit standing at the doorway, had his mouth agape, wide enough to fit an egg. His hand, clutching a yellow talisman, was frozen in place. All he could manage was a stunned, "Holy… holy crap?! He… he actually blocked it?!"

Fang Gang slowly retracted his fist, not a single white mark on its surface.

He shook his wrist, feeling the formidable defense and surging might granted by Skin Refining Mastery and Bronze Skin Mastery, his eyes ice-cold as he locked onto the retreating Green Zombie.

"ROAR!!!" The Green Zombie was utterly enraged! Being repelled by mere "food" sent it into a frenzy!

It swung the massive axe again, this time with an even more ferocious, foul wind, sweeping horizontally like a thousand armies towards Fang Gang's waist! The axe wind howled, tearing through the air!

This time, Fang Gang moved!

The Great Accomplishment level of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill not only granted him strength but also nerve reaction speed far beyond that of ordinary people, making him Agile as a Rabbit!

The instant the axe descended, he ducked sharply, his body like a spring compressed to its limit, sliding just barely beneath the cold axe blade! The pungent smell of decay almost filled his nostrils!

Simultaneously, his right fist, like a cannonball fired from its barrel, carrying a low elephant's roar, slammed hard into the Green Zombie's unguarded flank! His target: the opening exposed when Fang Gang's brute force had repelled it earlier!

BANG!!! CRACKLE!!!

The fist landed squarely on the Green Zombie's tough, green-skinned ribs! The brute elephant's might, combined with pure Yang vital energy, erupted!

Amidst the dull thud of impact, the distinctly grating sound of cracking bone was clearly audible!

The Green Zombie's resilient ribs were as fragile as rotten wood in the face of absolute strength!

A large section of its waist visibly caved inwards!

"AARRGGHH—!!!" The Green Zombie let out a hoarse, distorted howl. Its massive body was lifted off the ground by that terrifying punch, crashing heavily into the morgue cabinet behind it like a tattered sack!

CRASH!

The heavy metal morgue cabinet was deeply dented!

Embedded in the dent, the Green Zombie struggled to rise. Broken ribs pierced its skin, oozing thick, dark green pus that emitted a foul stench.

The green fire in its eyes flickered violently, filled with pain and… a hint of fear!

Fang Gang's eyes were cold, showing no hesitation. Strike while the iron is hot, finish it off!

He pushed off the ground, the floor tiles shattering! His body shot out like an arrow loosed from its string! His target: the Green Zombie's head, lodged in the cabinet!

"Brother! Leave it alive! We need to ask…" Chen Tao, at the doorway, finally reacted and shouted urgently.

Too late!

Fang Gang's fist, carrying an unstoppable, all-crushing, savage momentum, before Chen Tao could finish speaking, had already slammed down like a heavy hammer onto the Green Zombie's green-skinned head!

SPLAT!!!

Like an overripe watermelon smashed by a sledgehammer!

Green, white, and black filth, mixed with shattered bone fragments, sprayed violently in a radial pattern onto the inner wall of the dented morgue cabinet!

The green fire in the Green Zombie's eyes instantly extinguished. Its massive body convulsed a few times and then went completely limp.

[Ding! Killed 'Corpse Puppet (Green Zombie-level)'! Gained 50 Evolution Points!]

[Ding! Absorbed Yin energy, converted to Evolution Points +5! Current Evolution Points: 66.9 + 55 = 121.9!]

The system's notification was like a heavenly sound! 121.9 points! That was enough!

Fang Gang slowly retracted his fist, smeared with filth, and flicked off the sticky fluid.

He breathed slightly, his bronze skin steaming with white heat under the light, his gaze sharp as a knife.

The immense energy from killing the Green Zombie made the furnace of vital energy within him burn even more vigorously, even suppressing the restlessness of the dark ink-like Yin line on his arm.

"Upgrade cultivation technique!" He didn't hesitate, locking his intent!

[Ding! Consumed 500 Evolution Points! True Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill upgraded to 'Great Accomplishment' (0/1000)!]

BOOM—!!!

A more savage, deeper torrent of power, carrying an ancient, wild aura, exploded within his body!

His bones and muscles resonated like thunder! The bronze color of his skin instantly deepened and solidified, as if truly cast from bronze!

Muscles bulged, lines terrifying!

A heavy, thick, all-crushing dragon-elephant phantom flashed behind him and vanished!

[Ding! True Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill (Mastery)!]

[Effects: Strength +10! Constitution +5.0! Dragon-Elephant Strength (Stable), Blood Energy Furnace (Vigorous, greatly increased suppression of Yin evil)! Skin tough as bronze leather (can resist sharp weapon cuts)!]

[Realm Advancement: Skin Refining Realm (Perfection)!]

Host: Fang Gang

Realm: Skin Refining Realm (Perfection)!

Strength: 13.5 → 23.5 (Brute Elephant Strength)

If you find this book good, remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid losing it next time.

Constitution: 11.5 → 17.5 (Bronze Skin Mastery)

Cultivation Technique: True Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill (Mastery 0/1000)

Usable Evolution Points: 121.9 - 500 = 621.9? (Calculation Correction: 121.9 - 500 = -378.1? System Prompt: Insufficient Evolution Points!)

Fang Gang: "..." Looking at the 121.9 usable evolution points on the status panel and the Mastery 0/1000 in the cultivation technique bar, the veins on his forehead twitched. He'd miscalculated again! Did the PE teacher teach this broken system math? 121.9 points isn't even enough for 500!

"Uh..." Chen Tao, standing at the doorway, saw Fang Gang's fierce display as he punched the Green Zombie's head off. He then glanced at Fang Gang's shifting expression while staring at empty air, swallowed hard, and cautiously took a few steps closer, breaking the silence. "Bro... Brother? Are you okay?"

Fang Gang snapped back to reality, suppressing his complaints about the system's math skills, and looked at Chen Tao.

The chubby guy was wearing a black combat uniform with the badge of the "Special Affairs Bureau" emblazoned on it. He clutched a yellow talisman in his hand, and shock was still lingering on his face.

"From the S.A.B.?" Fang Gang's voice was low, hoarse from the battle.

"Yes, yes, yes! Field operative, Chen Tao! You can call me Old Chen or Fatty!"

Chen Tao nodded hurriedly, his gaze involuntarily drifting to Fang Gang's fist, which shone with a bronze luster, and... his bare, almost reflective head under the lights. His eyes were filled with disbelief. "Brother... your... your physique, it's too... too hardcore! That Green Zombie's axe... you... you took it head-on with your fist? And... you blew it up?!"

He raised the yellow talisman in his hand, looking a bit wronged and bewildered. "This 'Evil Warding Talisman' of mine barely got warm... It feels like in front of you, my talisman is like a child's toy... Your muscles are much more effective than my talisman!"

Fang Gang didn't pick up on his comment about the talisman. His gaze swept across the trashed morgue, finally landing on a dropped plastic ID card, stained with dirty blood, beside the Green Zombie's remains. He walked over to pick it up.

The photo on the ID card showed a middle-aged man with a simple, honest smile. The name read: Uncle Wang (Security Guard).

"Uncle Wang..." Fang Gang's eyes narrowed.

This was the night shift security guard who had left the warning note! His ID was here, but he was nowhere to be seen...

"Uncle Wang?"

Chen Tao leaned over to take a look, and his expression also turned serious. "This old guy is a 'informant' registered with us, responsible for keeping an eye out for anomalies in this area. He went missing two days ago after reporting strange noises at the funeral home! That's why we rushed over... it seems he..."

Chen Tao didn't finish, but the implication was clear. Uncle Wang had met a grim fate.

Fang Gang clenched the ID card, his icy gaze directed towards the dark corner deeper in the morgue, the one created by the Green Zombie's rampage.

Uncle Wang's warning... and that even more terrifying "thing"...

Just then, something unexpected happened!

The dark ink-black Yin line on Fang Gang's arm, which had been temporarily suppressed, suddenly writhed violently!

An extremely greedy, yearning thought transmitted along the Yin line!

It seemed to have sniffed out the powerful Yin energy lingering from the Green Zombie's corpse!

An incredibly fine, almost imperceptible black thread shot out from the Yin line on Fang Gang's arm. Like a living thing, it instantly pierced the shattered remains of the Green Zombie's head!

Gulp... gulp...

A faint sucking sound arose! The residual, yet-to-disperse dense Yin energy and resentment from the Green Zombie's corpse, like a thousand rivers flowing into the sea, were madly devoured by that black thread!

In just a few seconds, the Green Zombie's massive corpse rapidly shriveled and weathered, finally turning into a pile of gray-black powder!

And the ink-black Yin line on Fang Gang's arm became even deeper and more viscous, like flowing ink. It also instantly extended a considerable length upwards, approaching his elbow!

A stronger, colder chill, seemingly carrying the Green Zombie's violent aura, erupted fiercely, violently impacting the Blood Energy Furnace within Fang Gang's body!

"Ugh!" Fang Gang grunted, his face turning slightly pale, his body swaying.

This damned thing could actually devour evil spirits to strengthen itself?!

[Warning! Unknown Yin Energy Erosion Intensified! External Resentment Fusion, Strength Increased! Threat Level: B (Approaching Fierce Soul Level)!]

[Strongly advised to clear or suppress immediately!]

"Brother?! What's wrong?" Chen Tao was startled, looking at Fang Gang's suddenly pale face and the even more conspicuous ink line on his arm, his eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty.

He instinctively felt that the ink line exuded an extremely ominous aura.

"It's nothing." Fang Gang forcibly suppressed the turbulent blood energy and Yin coldness, his voice icy.

He shook his arm. The ink line seemed to have "eaten its fill" and temporarily retreated, but the bone-chilling coldness had become even clearer.

"There's... more than just him here."

Fang Gang pointed at the ashes left by the Green Zombie, his gaze sharp as he looked into the deeper darkness. "There's a stronger 'thing.' Uncle Wang warned me."

Chen Tao followed his gaze, his face growing even more grim. The Green Zombie was already a difficult monster at C+ level, and there was something even stronger inside? He tightened his grip on the talisman, feeling his scalp tingle.

"Brother, you're so fierce, are you interested in joining our Special Affairs Bureau?"

Chen Tao looked at Fang Gang's strong physique and the steam rising from his bald head, his eyes full of enthusiasm. "We offer excellent benefits! Eight insurances and three funds! We specialize in dealing with these creepy things! It's much better than you going at it alone!"

Fang Gang glanced at him but didn't say anything. Join the authorities? Too many restrictions. How could it be as satisfying and free as killing monsters and leveling up on his own?

What he needed most right now were evolution points! A stronger skill! And to get rid of this damn thing on his arm!

He turned and strode out of the morgue.

"Hey? Brother? Leave your contact information!" Chen Tao quickly chased after him.

Fang Gang didn't look back, his voice filled with unquestionable resolve: "Not interested. I'm leaving this to you. Don't bother me."

He didn't have time to deal with people from the authorities right now.

Inside his body, the yin line, which had just devoured the remnant soul of the Green Zombie, was lying dormant for now, but it was like a bomb ready to explode at any moment.

And the delivery for the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art was still waiting for him at the post station! The divine art that cost nine kuai nine was the key to solving his current predicament!

Watching Fang Gang's back, radiating a powerful aura, disappear into the darkness of the corridor, Chen Tao opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't call out again.

He looked down at the "Evil-Breaking Talisman" in his hand, which was useless, then at the chilling darkness deep in the morgue and Uncle Wang's ID card on the ground. He let out a wry smile and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead:

"This world... is getting weirder and weirder... A bald powerhouse who punches zombies with his bare fists... Tsk... I have to report this! I must report it! This is definitely a talent... no, a human-shaped weapon!"

He took out his special communicator and was about to report when his gaze was suddenly drawn to the sky outside the window.

The Blood Moon still hung high, but on its viscous, dark red surface, at some point, a very blurry, distorted... giant emblem, as if composed of countless suffering human faces, had quietly appeared!

The emblem exuded an indescribable sense of evil and sacrilege!

Chen Tao's face instantly turned extremely grim, even showing a hint of fear: "Blood Moon... projection?! Nightmare Holy Cult?! These lunatics... have they started already?!"