Chapter 887: Guobei County

Ding Ling looked down at the Ascender killed by the ironworker, his face covered in blood, the contours clear, but the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed. After a brief recall, he remembered, wasn’t this Liu Bei?!

“…”

Ding Ling was speechless.

The elder brother of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, originally the founder of Shu Kingdom in the Three Kingdoms plot, the renowned Emperor Zhaolie, a legendary figure of his time, actually died at the hands of an obscure ironworker.

This was indeed somewhat absurd!

Yet the facts were there, leaving Ding Ling no choice but to believe.

“If Guan Yu knew his brother was killed, would he go mad?”

Guan Yu was no longer what he used to be. He thrived in the Wind and Cloud World, and his sword dao ultimate move “City-Overturning Love” was of Heaven and Earth Destruction Level.

In Guobei County, a mere ironworker couldn’t stand a chance, even summoning ancestors from eighteen generations past wouldn’t suffice against Guan Yu’s blade.

“Hmm.”

The ironworker looked up and saw a magpie, smiling wryly:

“It’s really auspicious. Even magpies are nesting at my home, is this a sign of getting rich?”

Singing a little tune, he buried Liu Bei’s head in a pit by the tree.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he returned to his ironwork.

As for Liu Bei’s weapon, he put it aside and turned to sell it at a high price to another Ascender.

This money earned…

“Something’s wrong.”

Ding Ling wasn’t in the mood to contend with an ironworker, directly flew away from the place, circling around Guobei County, he discovered the place was indeed full of filth, insidiousness, and malice.

From adults to children, everyone was like this.

Only players and Ascenders appeared somewhat normal.

However, upon opening the Spiritual Eye for a closer look.

One would discover mystical lines silently and discreetly penetrating their nine apertures.

And once these players and Ascenders absorbed these lines, their spirits would noticeably become more vigorous, their eyes brighter, the fire of their souls seemingly rising.

“What is that?!”

Ding Ling keenly sensed.

The mystical lines were ubiquitous.

Especially here in Guobei County, the lines were so dense that even the Spiritual Eye could see them.

Ding Ling discovered many lines attempting to penetrate his nine apertures but were repelled by the spiritual protection of the library.

These lines could enter his body.

They couldn’t corrupt his spirit!

With the library’s protection.

Ding Ling remained unscathed.

But it was different for others.

Without exception, they were all affected!

“It seems there’s something strange about Guobei County. But where is the source of these mystical lines?”

Ding Ling explored thoroughly for half a day.

Flying around Guobei County again and again.

Still to no avail.

He decisively gave up.

He knew the answers would reveal themselves as his power grew.

Past occurrences had proven this time and again.

Don’t force explorations when strength is insufficient.

Otherwise, the consequences could be unpredictable.

Just as in the Immortal Realm’s Hongyuan during Celestial Dragon Eight Books, the Netherworld during the Three Kingdoms World, when exploring with inadequate strength, it was most likely a path to doom.

So Ding Ling was sensible.

Things beyond perception.

Should absolutely not be investigated.

After all.

Curiosity killed the cat.

“Guobei County is such a sinister place. No wonder Ning Caichen was exploited numerous times, and a hundred years later Little Monk Shifang seemed similar…”

It’s not people who are wicked.

But the place is ferocious, with demons at work!

“Is it the Black Mountain Demon? It doesn’t seem likely, a demon afraid of the sun, what skill could he possibly have? And why would he mess around with Guobei County, what’s the significance or motive?”

Ding Ling couldn’t fathom.

Just brushed it off.

Directly flew into a small alley, and casually transformed back to human form, then rented several rooms at the county inn.

When he reached for payment.

All eyes including the proprietor’s were ‘green with greed’, like wolves coveting prey.

But as Ding Ling lifted his gaze to them, they all appeared benevolent, smiling warmly, like amiable neighborhood folks, or scholars well-versed in classical texts, politeness overflowing.

“…”

Ding Ling was at a loss.

These guys.

Anyone could be an Oscar-winning actor!

He ignored them.

As long as it didn’t directly affect him, Ding Ling wouldn’t bother meddling.

He planned to stay here.

To wait for Left Thousand Households Officer and the others, he even specially set up a sign outside the inn, writing a code that only Fu Qingfeng and company could understand.

Seeing the code.

They would naturally know he was here.

Inside the room.

Ding Ling locked the door.

Brought out the bookshelf.

Started reading.

Picked up a book and finished it.

[Liyan Swordsmanship Inner Power Heart Method Full Level]

[Inner Power Value +300]

[Liyan Swordsmanship External Martial Heart Method Full Level]

[Strength +0.6]

[Dexterity +0.6]

[Constitution +0.6]

This was another path of shattered-level techniques and laws for internal and external cultivation.

Completely comparable to Celestial Smoke Saber Technique, Green Blood Swordsmanship.

“This National Preceptor’s collection is really impressive.”

Ding Ling praised inwardly.

He guessed Pudu Cihang, the old demon, might have relocated the essence of Jiuzhou’s martial dao to his own library.

The subsequent verification seemed to support his assumption.

Utilizing Wind Summoning Skill, Divine Meditation Technique, one bookshelf after another, he continued reading.

[Yunhua Blade Skill Inner Power Heart Method Full Level]

[Drunken Moonlight Lightness Full Level]

[Wind Chasing Skill Full Level]

…

Without exception.

All were shattered-level laws and skills.

Ding Ling’s strength, dexterity, and constitution kept soaring!

A full eight bookshelves.

Hundreds or even a thousand books!

Besides the Martial Arts Secret Manual Heart Method, numerous treasured Buddhist Dao and Confucian Dao classical texts were also present. Though these texts didn’t enhance three-dimensional attribute points, they enriched Ding Ling’s foundation, providing nourishment for advancing Martial Dao True Understanding 2.0.

Ultimately.

All books were finished.

[Strength +61]

[Dexterity +63]

[Constitution +62]

Three-dimensional attribute points were now:

[Strength 474.2, Dexterity 476.2, Constitution 475.2]

Getting closer to breaking through to the Martial Arts Body Refining Primordial Spirit Realm.

Ding Ling felt.

The threshold for Martial Arts Body Refining Primordial Spirit might be around 500.

“As I continue to strengthen, the three-dimensional attribute points provided by ordinary shattered-level techniques and laws are steadily decreasing!”

Ding Ling sighed deeply:

‘Maybe by the time I break through to Martial Arts Primordial Spirit Realm, shattered-level techniques and laws will lose their effectiveness entirely!’

It’s identical to the experience in the Lower Realm.

Upon reaching a certain realm, further cultivation with standard techniques and laws can’t yield attribute points.

“However, Pudu Cihang, this old demon, surprisingly didn’t keep his Fundamental Technique in the library. It’s truly regrettable.”

Ding Ling stopped worrying.

Started consuming pills.

The quantity was vast.

Over a thousand-years-old totaled less than a hundred.

Two hundred years old numbered seven hundred.

Three hundred years old were five to six hundred.

After that, five hundred years old were about three hundred.

Eight hundred years old totaled ten.

About five that were a thousand years old.

Such an immense quantity of pills could allow Ding Ling’s body refining cultivation to advance significantly!

Perhaps after consuming these pills, he might step into the Martial Arts Body Refining Primordial Spirit Realm.

“Not to mention the pills in the Alchemy Furnace.”