Cultivators Are So Weak in This World

Chapter 582 - 546 Investigation 4

"Alright, that’s all I have to say. As for Huanqing, Rongfang, you don’t need to worry. He’ll be back to normal soon, don’t worry." Zhang Rongyu said with a smile.

Zhang Rongfang didn’t respond, just turned and walked towards the courtyard exit.

He paused again at the door.

"Sister."

"?" Zhang Rongyu looked up.

"Is it worth using a child as a gamble?" Zhang Rongfang asked.

"Everyone is born with their own destiny." Zhang Rongyu smiled, "His destiny is good, so why not make it even better if we have the chance?"

"What if we lose?"

"Lose?" A trace of sadness appeared in Zhang Rongyu’s eyes, "That would also be his destiny. But the Confucians have already told me that there is a high chance of success; otherwise, so many people wouldn’t be competing for it. Don’t worry."

Zhang Rongfang didn’t know what to say.

At this point, he no longer had the position to speak.

He originally intended to ask what those things on Xiaohuanqing were for, but it seemed now that his sister knew everything, understood everything.

It was possible that these were what she had sought.

Taking large strides, he walked out of the backyard and returned to the courtyard where Xiaohuanqing was.

At that moment, Zhang Huanqing was learning short sentences under the guidance of a Confucian teacher.

They were using classics similar to the "Three Character Classic" for instruction.

Strangely, Xiaohuanqing’s behavior seemed much more normal with the teacher. He listened attentively and answered questions politely.

Though immature, that’s just how children are.

It seemed he noticed Zhang Rongfang watching from a distance. When Xiaohuanqing’s gaze swept over in this direction, he suddenly trembled slightly and sat up straighter.

Zhang Rongfang’s face remained expressionless, recalling his sister’s earlier response, feeling a complex mixture of emotions.

"Do you all know?" he suddenly asked.

Behind him, an unknown figure had appeared. It was Li Zhen, now serving as the guard for the entire Mu Chi residence, dressed in black clothes trimmed with red, with healthy wheat-colored skin, a fiery figure, but a cold and delicate face.

"Yes, we know." Li Zhen replied. "You should know a lot by now. I won’t hide it from you."

"Please go on." Zhang Rongfang turned to look at her.

"This is an inevitable phase. The sword chime will gradually enhance Xiaohuanqing’s physique to be more suitable for martial arts, but it will have some negative influences during the process.

Generally, these effects will subside in about a year. During this time, constant oversight, correction, and guidance are necessary," Li Zhen explained.

"The sword chime, is that the purple sword-shaped ornament he wears?" Zhang Rongfang asked.

"Indeed."

"What if I take it away?"

"It’s already more than halfway through now. If the sword chime is removed, Xiaohuanqing will become completely mentally unstable, or his temperament will change drastically for the worse, possibly even going insane," Li Zhen answered.

"....." Zhang Rongfang’s senses told him that Li Zhen wasn’t lying.

Her heartbeat and blood flow remained unchanged.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Rongfang spoke again.

"Alright, I’ll wait a full year. If, within a year, he doesn’t return to normal, I will remove this so-called sword chime."

"You won’t need to say it, by then we’ll also remove the sword chime," Li Zhen replied.

She was telling the truth. The purpose of the sword chime was to improve physique and make one more suitable to inherit the Gentleman’s Sword.

If, within a year, there’s no improvement, it would indicate that Zhang Huanqing is highly unsuitable to inherit the Gentleman’s Sword and will inevitably be eliminated.

By that time, he wouldn’t be able to continue even if he wanted to.

Zhang Rongfang said no more and turned to leave.

*

*

*

A month later....

Wish Girl Gorge.

Zhang Rongfang slowly rose from his sitting position.

In a month, in addition to the previous amount, he had accumulated another 40 attribute points.

This time, he didn’t immediately increase his life value.

As of now, his life value was temporarily sufficient.

To complete the entire Blood Race ancestor’s bloodline, these mere forty attribute points were not what was needed.

With Xue Tong’s cooperation imminent, to prevent unexpected events, he needed more immediate combat capability.

So....

Zhang Rongfang’s gaze settled on the martial arts realm in the attribute section.

’Illusion Talisman Skill——Grandmaster Full Moon.’

This realm indicated he had been stuck at the Grandmaster level for a long time.

Hmm, about a year.

If it were other Grandmasters, a short year might not matter at all.

But he was different; from the start of his martial arts journey to now, it had only been a few years.

A year was indeed long for him.

’Let’s try again.’ Zhang Rongfang made up his mind.

Advancing to the Grandmaster level required insight into the use of mental willpower aura.

Ordinary Grandmasters could self-protect with their own mental willpower aura. They could also remain in the final mode indefinitely, but the final mode consumed a lot, and had considerable continuous impacts on the body and mind, potentially shortening lifespan over time. Therefore, ordinary Grandmasters required higher standards for physical and mental harmony.

Physical strength was definitely not an issue. But mentally, Zhang Rongfang wasn’t sure if he met the standards either.

After the Grandmaster level, it was primarily about personal insight, with no fixed paths to follow.

After all, everyone’s mind and will were unique and couldn’t be copied.

He calmed himself and habitually tapped the plus sign next to the Illusion Talisman Skill.

Because before this, he had actually tried many times over these days.

Snap.

The plus sign blurred for a moment, then reappeared.

"Hmm?!"

Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang felt something was wrong.

An inexplicable stabbing pain emanated from the first Blood Lotus on his back.

’Blood.....take it....take it all....hahaha! You are the most suitable!!’

A fuzzy, distorted voice suddenly echoed faintly in his mind.

Before Zhang Rongfang could snap out of it, the Illusion Talisman Skill reappeared before his eyes with characters.

’Unknown Martial Arts: Grandmaster (Defensive Stance)’

It’s done!!?

Zhang Rongfang was suddenly stunned, then opened his eyes wide, carefully staring at the attribute column.

Twenty attribute points were gone....

And the Illusion Talisman Skill had indeed disappeared, replaced by Unknown Martial Arts, with the word Grandmaster at the end!!

’It actually succeeded!!’ He himself hadn’t expected such an inexplicable breakthrough.

No, something’s not right....

Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang recalled a sentence mentioned by a big shot from the Reverse Time Society a month ago.

At that time, he didn’t understand.

But now.....

Zhang Rongfang’s expression of joy slowly faded. He continued to switch the Unknown Martial Arts back to the Illusion Talisman Skill for use.

’Could it be that I really am going insane?’ he questioned himself.

’Am I slowly turning insane without noticing it??’

’No, perhaps it’s just that my will has strengthened, so I’m barely reaching the limits. Nothing to do with insanity.’

Zhang Rongfang shook his head slightly.

Recalling the stabbing pain from his back earlier, he quickly sensed the position of the Blood Lotus to ensure there was nothing wrong.

Every step he took now was a step into uncharted territories, requiring him to be careful again and again.

But just as Zhang Rongfang gathered his perception to the Blood Lotus, his expression suddenly changed.

Within the first Blood Lotus, the patterns belonging to the Blood God seemed smaller!

Compared to a few days ago, they had shrunk by at least a circle.

Relating it to the fuzzy sounds heard earlier, Zhang Rongfang vaguely felt this must be related to the Blood God.

After some thought, he allocated the remaining twenty attribute points entirely to Anticipation.

Since this ability appeared, he hadn’t added to it, but he had to admit, this ability was extremely useful.

Even against completely unfamiliar opponents and martial arts, as long as he engaged in combat for a while, he could quickly master the opponent’s rhythm perfectly.

When used well, it’s often considered a divine skill.

The Anticipation option didn’t have any realm descriptions. After twenty attribute points disappeared in a blink, this option’s color changed from pale red to white, and a symbol slowly appeared at the end.

’Anticipation +1’.

Zhang Rongfang was slightly taken aback, twenty attribute points for just that change.

He quickly focused on this option, and soon, new information flowed into his mind.

’At the same level, your anticipation judgment speed will be shortened by one second compared to your opponent.’

’Impressive!’ Zhang Rongfang felt a surge of joy in his heart.

For ordinary people, a one-second anticipation might not mean much, but at his level, one second meant launching dozens of moves in advance.

This made the gap distinctly noticeable.

Plus, his Anticipation had been specially trained by Emperor Jiang, and now who knows to what extent it had reached.

Standing straight, Zhang Rongfang carefully sensed the changes in his body. Finding nothing further, he took a deep breath, leaped, and jumped down from the Immortal Platform.

Below, at the bottom of the gorge, countless pure white mists spread all around.

With this jump, it was as though he was diving into a sea of clouds, disappearing within.

The surrounding mists passed by continuously, perhaps for five seconds, or perhaps ten.

Bang!

Zhang Rongfang suddenly landed, his legs smashing two washbasin-sized pits into the ground, embedded knee-deep.

Pulling out his legs, he only felt a slight tingling in his knees and feet, with no other injuries.

At this moment, a figure slowly approached from within the mist.

In a gray robe with large sleeves and a purple crown, it was Xue Tong, who had been secluded here for an unknown length of time.

"Young friend, you truly trust others," said the person, who appeared much cleaner compared to their first meeting.

"Senior, have you decided what to do after leaving?" Zhang Rongfang asked.

Towards Xue Tong, he always maintained a sliver of caution.

But now, he was much stronger than before, and his confidence had also increased substantially.

"Are you worried I’ll cause trouble for your master after leaving?" Xue Tong inquired with a half-smile.

"I do have that thought," Zhang Rongfang nodded without hiding it.

"Then you don’t need to worry. It’s been many years now. All my trusted subordinates in the Great Dao Teaching have likely been replaced and vanished by now. Even if I go back, what can I do? Besides rumors of an impostor Sect Leader, the world won’t see any changes," Xue Tong seemed to understand clearly.

He smiled slightly.

"So, I’m planning to find a place to live in seclusion, to enjoy the life I’ve thought about but never had the chance to live."

Though his intentions weren’t truly so, the words needed to be said this way.

He surely wouldn’t tell the other that to leave this place, it required an exchange of one for one.

After all, this place wasn’t only sealed by the Residual God, the Wish Girl, but also had his self-imposed seal after the Descent of the God.

Moreover, if he truly wanted to leave, he could have done so long ago.... His ulterior motives for seeking Zhang Rongfang were more intricate.