Chapter 91: Two Layers of Gang Force and the Aftermath of the Incident
Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Two Layers of Gang Force and the Aftermath of the Incident
As Zhang Chi had predicted, using two types of Evil Qi at the same time was not only possible but also greatly increased the advancement speed and mighty power of the Cultivation Technique.
Now, when he tried to circulate the Cultivation Technique with his full strength, two layers of an invisible, intricate energy net would immediately appear on the surface of his body.
The two energies were somewhat similar, yet distinctly different, with each corresponding to a type of Evil Qi.
They didn’t just greatly enhance his defense and strength; they were also incredibly resilient, even capable of deflecting and absorbing damage to a certain degree.
According to the Celestial Net Evil Body Technique, these two energies were the Celestial Net Gang Force, produced by refining the body with Evil Qi.
Thanks to the Jade Pendant, not only did the two types of Celestial Net Gang Force not clash, but they actually complemented and reinforced each other, making both stronger.
The reason this Cultivation Technique was called Celestial Net Evil Body was precisely because of this net-like Gang Force.
Zhang Chi was certain that if he used even more types of Evil Qi for his Cultivation in the future, he could continue to add new varieties of Celestial Net Gang Force and increase the number of layers in the net, which would elevate this Cultivation Technique to a level comparable to a Top Grade one.
And so, Zhang Chi began to set aside time for Body Refining every day.
BOOM!
Seven days later, as he was once again practicing Body Refining, a sudden roar echoed in his mind. His muscles and bones trembled, and his blood surged and roared like a great river. His physical defense, strength, and the Celestial Net Gang Force all suddenly improved by a huge margin.
This meant his Celestial Net Evil Body had successfully reached the Tier One Early Stage.
As a result, his Body Refining strength directly surpassed that of the Bright Jade Body Refining Technique at the Perfection realm, and the boost it provided to his Qi Cultivation and God Refining became even greater.
Over these past few days, he had still consumed a good deal of Spiritual Qi and Elixirs, but the primary resources expended were Corpse Evil and Demonic Qi. Therefore, the financial burden was completely manageable for him.
BANG!
At that moment, Zhang Chi brought out a white Low Grade Magical Artifact Shield. He then threw a sudden punch, and the Shield’s Spiritual Light instantly dimmed, a deep fist imprint appearing directly on its surface.
He had done that without using his Celestial Net Gang Force, not wanting to waste a Magical Artifact. Otherwise, a single punch could have shattered the Shield.
"Truly worthy of an Upper Grade Body Refining Technique!"
Zhang Chi’s fist was completely unharmed; he hadn’t even felt a sting of pain. He couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction.
In truth, the reason this Cultivation Technique was already stronger at the Tier One Early Stage than his previous one had been was also related to his physical foundation.
An ordinary Cultivator lacked his foundation, couldn’t utilize two types of Evil Qi simultaneously, and certainly wouldn’t have a Jade Pendant to prevent the Gang Forces from clashing. Even if they had heaven-defying luck and reached the same Realm, they would be no match for him.
Following this, Zhang Chi continued his Cultivation, now with even greater motivation.
Then, three days later, after attending a private trade meet organized by Qin Susu and the others, Zhang Chi finally heard about the aftermath of Song Xinghai’s death during some idle chatter.
"Senior Brother Zhang, you should try not to leave the Sect for a while. It’s too chaotic out there. Even an Inner Sect Disciple like Song Xinghai was murdered."
"Yeah, they say the killer was a Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator. Apparently, not even the many protections Song Youdao left for Song Xinghai were enough to save his life!"
This was the warning Qin Susu and her friends offered.
They had actually known about it for a while and had wanted to warn Zhang Chi sooner. However, considering he was a recluse who never seemed to leave the Sect, they hadn’t felt the need to make a special trip to see him.
"Is that so? That Demon Cultivator is unbelievably brazen, aren’t they? What happened? Did they catch him?" Zhang Chi asked, feigning shock.
He acted as if there was no bad blood between him and the Song Family. And Qin Susu and the others didn’t give it a second thought.
After all, in their eyes, as long as Zhang Chi wasn’t a fool, he would never dream of getting revenge on the Song Family.
"Not captured, no. But the culprit was killed. The Sect launched a massive investigation into all the Loose Cultivators and minor powers within its territory, uncovering many suspicious individuals and Demon Cultivators, including the murderer," Qin Susu answered.
"That’s right. The ones with low Cultivation were rounded up for hard labor, and the more powerful ones were sent to the Demon Abyss. Since the incident with Song Xinghai happened after he attended an auction in White Cloud Marketplace, even Junior Martial Uncle Liu Menglong, who was in charge of guarding the marketplace, got dragged into it. The Sect punished him by sending him to the Demon Abyss," He Shi chimed in.
"That Junior Martial Uncle Liu Menglong has terrible luck. I heard he won’t be able to come back for twenty years," Qin Susu added with a nod.
"I think the Loose Cultivators and Demon Cultivators are the unluckiest ones. I heard they found seven or eight Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivators, and three of them were even killed outright," He Shi continued.
"Exactly. One of them, a Foundation Establishment Female Cultivator of the Demon Dao, had been hiding in White Cloud Marketplace the whole time. She even attended the auction that day. They say she was the killer. To curry favor with the Song Family, the Xie Family sent out six of their Foundation Establishment cultivators all at once. It took them considerable effort and cost before they finally managed to kill her," Qin Susu explained in detail.
"A lot of Sect disciples took part in the sweep. It’s a shame our strength is too low, otherwise we could have joined the operation like all the senior brothers and sisters," He Yan said with a sigh of regret.
"Is that right? Those Demon Cultivators really deserve to die. It’s a good thing the killer has been slain. I’m sure any other Cultivators will think twice before messing with someone from our Cangwu Sect now."
Zhang Chi’s expression was a little strange, but this news also brought him a great sense of relief.
He had been living in seclusion this whole time and had no idea that his one small act had caused such a huge stir outside.
"You have a point, Senior Brother. Oh, right, I heard that Junior Martial Uncle Chen Bufan is going to guard the Demon Abyss ahead of schedule, in about a year. He’ll be taking a group of Qi Cultivation Disciples with him; it’s an assignment from the Sect. What do you think, Senior Brother? Should we go together?" Qin Susu said, nodding before changing the subject.
"I heard the Qi Cultivation Disciples who go won’t have to fight on the front lines. They just need to handle chores for the Foundation Establishment Junior Martial Uncles, help manage the Loose Cultivators, and assist in guarding some of the outposts. Plus, the rewards are incredible. Not only do you get a huge amount of Contribution Points, but the Sect will also prioritize your training when you get back."
He Shi and He Yan also looked toward Zhang Chi. They were clearly tempted but wanted to hear his opinion.
"I don’t think you should. You’re all still new disciples, and your Cultivation isn’t high enough. The Demon Abyss is in the middle of a Demon Tide, and there aren’t any clean Spiritual Veins. It would be dangerous, and it would delay your Cultivation."
Zhang Chi was a little surprised to hear the Sect was arranging such a mission for Qi Cultivation Stage disciples.
It made him realize that the situation in the Demon Abyss was likely even more dire than before.
However, he was mentally prepared for this, so he quickly regained his composure. He also suddenly realized that this might be a good opportunity for him.
’For an ordinary Qi Cultivation disciple, going to the Demon Abyss would be unwise.’
’But I’m different.’
’When I first joined the Sect, I only wanted to stay far away from the Demon Abyss because my Cultivation was insufficient.’
’But a year from now, I will very likely have already reached Foundation Establishment.’
’If I go to the Demon Abyss then, not only will I have the chance to monopolize a High Tier Spiritual Vein, but with the Sect’s experts holding the front line, it surely won’t be too dangerous.’
’And once my Cultivation is higher in the future, I can just choose to leave, even if the situation in the Demon Abyss gets worse.’
"Alright, that’s what we were thinking, too!"
Hearing this, Qin Susu and the others were readily persuaded.
They didn’t even bother asking if Zhang Chi would be going himself.
They figured that since Zhang Chi rarely even left the Sect’s gates and had advised them against going, there was no way he would go himself.
After chatting for a while longer, Zhang Chi returned to the Earth Fire Hall and once again began his life of Cultivation in Seclusion.
「And just like that, another half a year flew by...」