Qin Zheng Lifespan: 70 (17) Martial Arts: Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill (Third Layer), Black Fiend Palm (Minor Mastery), Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell (Mastery), Ghost-head Saber Technique (Mastery) Merit: Seven taels, two qian Current martial art · Black Fiend Palm can be upgraded. Requires eight qian of merit. Upgrade? Current martial art · Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill can be upgraded. Requires one tael of merit. Upgrade?
The Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill had been raised to the third layer.
His merit had also accumulated to seven taels and two qian.
Setting aside the two qian of merit he had left before departing, he had gained four taels and three qian of merit from killing the Golden Cicada Gang's remaining scum.
Then, after deducting the one tael needed to later upgrade the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill—
That meant killing Shi Dian had earned him two taels and seven qian of merit.
Although this was the largest single sum of merit Qin Zheng had ever received, it seemed rather mismatched with the difficulty involved.
But Qin Zheng also understood that the merit rewarded by the Merit Scroll was measured according to the sins of the person killed, not their strength.
Thus, those evildoers who were weak in strength yet burdened with monstrous sins were the best targets for harvesting merit.
With that in mind, Qin Zheng looked at the leather hide in his hand that recorded martial arts.
Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill!
Those five bold, vigorous characters were the first thing that met his eyes.
Immediately after, Qin Zheng immersed his gaze in the cultivation method written below.
A moment later, the Merit Scroll gave a slight tremble, and another line of text appeared.
Martial art discovered · Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill. Can be refined. Requires one tael of merit. Refine?
Qin Zheng did not hesitate. He immediately muttered, "Refine!"
It was only one tael of merit. He had a full seven taels now, so spending it did not hurt in the slightest!
Then, one tael of merit was deducted. A warm current likewise swiftly arose within his body, continuously merging into his skin.
A moment later, the enhancement ended, and this martial art had thoroughly reached the entry level.
Qin Zheng rose to his feet and poked his skin with a finger.
Beneath his wheat-colored skin, he could feel a toughness as resilient as cowhide.
Yet that was not the greatest change.
At a thought from Qin Zheng, a faint golden glow began to spread across the skin of his entire body.
He could feel that, in that instant, the hardness of his skin had abruptly risen several levels!
This Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill truly was a body-tempering martial art that strengthened one's defenses!
A flicker of delight rose in Qin Zheng's heart.
For the time being, he could not further upgrade the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill, and he also had to avoid using strength exceeding a thousand jin as much as possible.
So at a time like this, having a divine body-protecting art that enhanced his defense was perfect.
Moreover, Shi Dian was dead. The blade that had hung over his head ever since he had transmigrated here had vanished along with him.
Without danger, there was no longer any need to frantically rush to improve his martial arts.
He could slowly nurse his internal injuries, accumulate merit, and circulate his qi and blood to temper his body.
For now, he would simply grow quietly and make a fortune under the radar.
At the same time, he would try to see whether he could find an internal cultivation art.
With the Merit Scroll, he did not truly need a manual recording martial arts before he could refine and learn them.
Whether it was the Ghost-head Saber Technique he had refined for the first time, or the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill that was currently the foundation of his survival—
Both had been refined from objects.
He could also search for various items and try them one by one, to see whether he could find more martial arts within them.
With that thought, Qin Zheng once again turned his attention to the Merit Scroll.
As a defensive art, the Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill was only at the entry level right now and still needed further improvement.
However, the Merit Scroll showed that upgrading the Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill now required three taels of merit.
This was the greatest expenditure Qin Zheng had encountered so far.
Even the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Skill required only one tael of merit for each upgrade.
Qin Zheng frowned slightly, unable to understand the reason behind it.
Fortunately, his merit was plentiful at the moment. After giving it some thought, he still chose to upgrade it.
This time, an even more powerful and surging warm current poured forth, and the strength of his skin improved tremendously as well.
But the changes were no longer limited to his skin!
Qin Zheng suddenly felt his mind go blank.
Then a warm current emerged from the void, endlessly nourishing his spirit.
The sensation of comfort nearly made him unable to resist sinking into it.
Only after a moment did Qin Zheng pull himself free from that state.
But then Qin Zheng discovered that his five senses had changed.
Or rather, they had improved to varying degrees!
Moreover, Qin Zheng vaguely felt a slight swelling between his brows, as though something was being nurtured there.
And that thing could help him foresee danger and discern the smallest details!
The Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill was not merely a body-tempering martial art that enhanced defense.
It was also a spiritual martial art that increased mental strength!
A sharp gleam suddenly burst from Qin Zheng's eyes.
Among the martial arts stories he had read in his previous life, spiritual-type martial arts had been exceedingly rare.
Even in this world, it was surely no ordinary martial art!
Especially this ability to help him foresee danger—it was far more powerful than defensive body-tempering techniques!
The Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill truly lived up to the words "Golden Cicada"!
Before the autumn wind stirred, the cicada sensed it first!
If he encountered danger again in the future, he would be able to detect it in advance and avoid it directly!
And this was only the Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill at Minor Mastery.
If he raised it to Major Mastery, or even Mastery, who knew how powerful it would become!
Qin Zheng's heart burned. He immediately focused on the Merit Scroll, wanting to see whether he could continue upgrading it.
Unfortunately, upgrading the Great Sun Golden Cicada Skill again required five taels of merit, while Qin Zheng had only three taels left. It was not enough.
"Forget it. You can't grow fat with a single bite. There's still plenty of time ahead, so there's no need to rush at this moment."
Qin Zheng sighed softly and could only console himself this way.
He had even been wondering whether raising this martial art to Mastery would awaken spiritual abilities and allow him to move objects through the air.
Though it was highly unlikely, who could say for sure?
After pondering for a while, Qin Zheng withdrew his focus and calmed his thoughts.
He then took out the mutton-fat jade bottle he had found on Shi Dian and opened it to inspect the pills within.
These should be pills capable of replenishing qi and blood. After all, to hasten his breakthrough, Shi Dian had needed to circulate his qi and blood day and night to strengthen his inner body.
For Qin Zheng, they were not bad items either.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Qin Zheng's mouth. He put away the pills, then got up to check the medicinal soup he had been brewing.
The injuries on his body had yet to recover, and he still needed quite some time to recuperate.
Fortunately, everything had returned to calm, and he no longer faced the danger of losing his life at any moment.
A carrier pigeon rose from Black Goose City.
It soared through the sky, passing over the cities and fields, the grasses, trees, mountains, and forests below.
Finally, after flying a hundred li, it arrived at a stronghold deep in the mountains.
The carrier pigeon slowly descended, and a burly man reached out to catch it.
He then removed the slip of paper from the pigeon's leg.
After giving it a brief glance, he turned and roared at the bandits within the mountain stronghold, "Brothers! Prepare to head down the mountain!"
Wah! Roar!
In an instant, the atmosphere in the mountain stronghold was like oil poured onto blazing fire—it exploded at once.
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