Stone Heavenly King

Just fifteen minutes later, the pain intensified rapidly.

Lin Qing hurriedly removed this martial art from his Equipment Slot.

"Indeed, inheriting the Body-Hardening Art is the most troublesome," he remarked.

Inheriting the Body-Hardening Art requires constantly ingesting elixirs. The process of skin and flesh transformation is very painful and takes a long time, at least seven days.

In comparison, mastering a Lightness Skill only takes a few hours.

However, the effect of equipping the Body-Hardening Art is permanent, but that is not the case with the Lightness Skill; once it is removed, the enhancement effect will immediately disappear.

"It's extremely inconvenient to inherit the Hardening Art on the convoy. Let's wait until we get to the Prefectural City," Lin Qing pondered.

From Wan Ying to Shi Yi, Lin Qing discerned another pattern.

To gain a foothold in Shuzhou City, one must possess Fourth Tier martial arts skills, and the more the better.

Martial arts below the Fourth Tier can be used, but they may be at a disadvantage against strong enemies in Shuzhou City.

"I still have too few Fourth Tier Combat Arts techniques. I must strengthen this aspect when I go to Shuzhou City," Lin Qing thought to himself.

He currently possesses a Fourth Tier Lightness Skill, "Passing Glimpse," and two other Lightness Skill that he can equip at any time: "Thousand Miles Without a Trace" and "Void-Treading Step."

The Rebirth Record is currently at Fourth Tier and has four equipment slots, so he still needs to find two Lightness Skills of Fourth Tier or higher quality.

Other Combat Arts also have significant gaps. For example, in Saber Art, the Demon-Subduing Sunblade is still in its infancy, and there is not a single Fourth Tier sword technique available for equipment. In terms of fist techniques, the Tathagata Fist Tathagata Fist Manual Combat Arts has been Minor Mastery, but four Fourth Tier fist techniques are still missing for equipment. In terms of Hardening Art, the Dragon-Scale Golden Body technique is still in its infancy, the Water-Fire Primordial Unity Art needs to be inherited, and other Hardening Art are always welcome.

Moreover, Lin Qing felt that his martial arts Talent was not enough.

His martial arts Talent, one in a million, sounds impressive, but the sheer number of Fourth Tier martial arts techniques he needs to learn is overwhelming.

He would need higher-quality martial arts Talent to learn it all in a short period of time.

"The task is arduous and the road ahead is long." Lin Qing rubbed his temples.

Amidst howling winds and thick, dark clouds resembling ocean waves, a majestic mountain lies prostrate on the earth. This mountain is high and densely forested, with precipitous terrain, and is frequented by spirit birds.

This place is located at the border of Yun Province and Shu Province. This mountain is called Tiandang Mountain, and it is said to be home to 100,000 bandits.

At this moment, on the main peak of Tiandang Mountain, more than a dozen majestic mountain strongholds stand, brightly lit even in the dead of night.

In one of the wooden buildings, a man in his fifties, dressed in a white scholar's robe and sporting a beard, stood by the window, gazing at the rolling dark clouds in the distance.

"A storm is brewing," he murmured softly.

"Stone Heavenly King, the world is in chaos, which is a good thing for us. As the saying goes, times create heroes, and we are all heroes. We should dance with the chaos!"

In the room, besides Shi Tiankai, there were more than a dozen Martial Artist of different appearances, both men and women, all of whom were leaders of various mountain bandits in Shu Province. One of them was as strong as an ox, had a scar on his face, and a loud voice.

His words immediately resonated with many people.

"That's right, the more chaotic the better!"

"Damn it, you anti-French bastard!"

"If beggars can do it, grooms can do it, so why can't bandits?"

"The emperor's throne rotates, this year it's my turn!"

The various leaders chimed in, creating a lively atmosphere, their ambitions barely concealed.

Shi Tiankai slowly turned around. Although he was over fifty years old and known as the number one bandit in Shu Province, he had no fierce aura at all. Instead, he looked like an old scholar. Only his eyes were deep and unfathomable. Looking into them, it felt as if you would fall into them at any moment.

"The Shu Region is not chaotic enough. Immediately send a message via flying eagles to Jingtao Village, Zhenshan Village, and Tengkong Village. These three villages must immediately send troops to attack the nearby county towns. I want to make the Shu Region ablaze with war and have refugees everywhere. Let's see how Fang Longsheng responds!" As soon as Shi Tiankai, the hall immediately fell silent.

"Yes!" Three people stood up, turned and left.

"Stone Heavenly King, compared to the mighty army of the Shu Region, our strength is weak. If we disperse further, won't we be defeated one by one?"

"Someone suddenly asked."

"With the help of the Bai'e Cult, our strength is greater than you imagine," Shi Tiankai said calmly.

"Very well, but this will plunge the entire Shu Region into chaos, many people will lose their lives, and the situation will be difficult to manage in the future," the man added.

"I only want results. I want to capture Shuzhou City, I want Fang Longsheng dead, and I will take back everything the world owes me!"

Shi Tiankai said coldly.

The man fell silent. He could sense the resolve in Shi Tiankai's words and the deep hatred he harbored for Fang Longsheng.

At that moment, a red feather the size of an adult's head flew in from outside the window and landed in Shi Tiankai's palm.

Shi Tiankai untied the secret letter from the man's leg, glanced at it, and frowned slightly. "Shi Yi is dead. That fool was too weak. Instead of staying in the stronghold and following my plan, he went around looting and ultimately lost his life."

He casually tossed the secret letter into the nearby brazier and said coldly, "Send word to all sides that a man named Lin Qing is traveling from Shichuan Prefecture to Shuzhou City soon. He is carrying a Blood Pact Nether Seed. Capture him alive and bring him before me. He will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver, promoted three ranks, and given a superior Combat Arts— "

"Yes!"

Shuzhou City.

The Wei Family.

In a peach grove on the Rear Mountain, a young man dressed in fine clothes with a cold face flicked his finger, the bowstring vibrated, and an arrow flew through the air, hitting a peach tree three hundred paces away.

With a crack, the peach wood broke in half, the upper half wobbling as it fell to the ground.

"Young master's Thunder Serpent Bow Art has improved even further, congratulations!" An elderly man in blue robes beside him clapped with a smile.

Its appearance was extremely peculiar, with triangular eyes, no eyebrows, and a face full of pits and craters, making it incredibly ugly.

Wei Shaogong then tossed the precious bow, engraved with gold and silver patterns, into the hands of his attendant.

"Mr. Shan, where are all my brothers and sisters now?"

"The closest is Wei Qiuluo, who has arrived at Fang Family Fort, twenty miles outside Shuzhou City, with the caravan. Next is Wei Dong, who has arrived at Hongya County, fifty miles outside Shuzhou City, with a thousand-strong City Guard Army from Shichuan Prefectural City."

"Go and inform Ghosthand Liu Tong to make a trip to Fang Family Fort. I need to hear news of Wei Qiuluo's death within three days. As for Wei Dong, he has a thousand Prefectural Soldiers by his side and Wei Hai's assistance, making him extremely difficult to kill. Mr. Shan, you go there yourself and bring back his head within seven days," Wei Shaogong said expressionlessly.

"I will certainly not disappoint you, young master." Shan Chunlai turned and left.

"Young master, you are truly ruthless. Are you planning to wipe out the entire Wei Family?" a white-browed old man chuckled beside him.

"The Wei Family has me alone; everyone else is a burden," Wei Shaogong said calmly.

"I knew I wasn't wrong. Young master, you are extremely bloodthirsty and certainly not an ordinary person. However, if you have no morality, it will not last long. If you kill too many people, you will eventually suffer the consequences." The old man stroked his beard and said leisurely.

"Morality? What use is morality? Can it feed me? Can it make me stronger? No, then discard it! Besides, even if I don't make a move, others will Assassination me. In that case, I'll strike first. If you're not ruthless, you can't stand firm." Wei Shaogong raised an eyebrow.

"There's a reason why your Wei Family has risen to the top tier in Shu Province and is one of the four great Lineage. You're ruthless enough." The white-browed elder sighed. The head of the Wei Family has been chosen through the method of raising Gu worms for generations, a unique practice in Shu Province.

Half a day later.

Shan Chunlai stepped into a restaurant in the center of Hongya County. He turned slightly to the side, his brows furrowed, as if he felt someone was watching him from behind.