Human Clan Defender

Before the Grandmaster Realm, True Qi determined strength, occupying the dominant position. After entering the Grandmaster Realm, the Physical System and Spiritual System took the leading role, and True Qi served an amplifying function. This was also the reason Shen Changqing wanted to exchange for a powerful Inner Strength technique. The higher the grade of Inner Strength, the higher the quality of the True Qi. In this way, the amplification effect of True Qi would be even stronger. If it were the amplification of a powerful Inner Strength, he could even amplify his physical vitality by four to five times.

Moreover, when dealing with Demon Evils, strong True Qi as support could also have a significant effect. Demon Evils existed between reality and illusion. True Qi was the same.

Regarding the Heaven Divine Skill, Shen Changqing didn't bother to look at the latter parts. After putting it back in its place, he picked up another Martial Art.

Bright Moon Profound Record!

The name wasn't bad, but after he turned to the first page and read its content, he shook his head in disappointment and put the Martial Art back in its original place. Compared to the Heaven Divine Skill, the Bright Moon Profound Record was merely a rather good Martial Art. When it came to rank, it was not as good as the Heaven Divine Skill, but stronger than his existing Heavenly Martial Gang Qi by a margin.

The current Heavenly Martial Gang Qi, after breaking through its limit, was also considered an extremely powerful Martial Art. Unfortunately, the Slaughter Value consumed to progress through its subsequent levels increased more and more, making it less practical than a Martial Art with a higher inherent cap. After all, the Slaughter Value required to advance each unmastered level of a Martial Art is consistent. Only upon reaching Perfection or breaking through its limits does the cost increase exponentially. With this limitation in mind, naturally, seeking a Martial Art with a higher cap is preferable to continuing with one with a lower cap. Not to mention anything else, just the Slaughter Value consumed for subsequent advancements would be reduced.

The logic was very simple: Consider a Martial Art that reaches Perfection at twelve levels. Each level before the twelfth might require four Slaughter Value points to advance. Beyond the twelfth level, each subsequent level might cost eight points, and by the sixteenth level, it could increase to sixteen points per level. However, if one found a Martial Art perfected at twenty levels, perhaps each level would require five, or even seven to eight Slaughter Value points to improve. Yet, before reaching Perfection, it would be unlikely for any single level to cost as much as sixteen points.

When it came time to cultivate, the conversion from the existing Heavenly Martial Gang Qi would save him many detours, and his strength would hardly suffer any substantial loss. With no loss in strength and a considerable reduction in consumption, the benefits were clear.

——

There were quite a few Martial Arts on the second floor, and Shen Changqing flipped through them one by one. Fortunately, at the beginning of each Martial Art, there was an overview description, which saved him from wasting too much time discerning different Martial Arts.

A couple of hours passed. Eventually, he set his eyes on a particular Martial Art.

Great Sun Scripture!

It was rumored to be a Sect-Defining Martial Art from the Buddha Sect. A powerful practitioner purportedly realized it after observing the changes in Heaven and Earth before a statue of Mahavairocana. Upon achieving Great Achievement in this Inner Strength, one's True Qi would be like the boundless Great Sun, possessing supreme might.

"Great Sun Scripture!"

This extremely yang and vigorous Inner Strength technique is somewhat similar to the Pure Yang Technique I cultivated at the beginning. However, the Great Sun Scripture is more domineering, and its cap is incomparable to that of the Pure Yang Technique.

Holding the Martial Art in his hands, Shen Changqing's eyes gleamed. The Pure Yang Technique's cap was not high. Moreover, although the Pure Yang True Qi from the Pure Yang Technique was powerful, it was not as intense as the Great Sun True Qi, and the cap of the Great Sun Scripture was much higher, aiming straight for the Grandmaster Realm.

What truly attracted him was a passage at the end: If the Great Sun Scripture was brought to Great Achievement, it could complement the Great Sun Furnace of the Physical System, pushing a martial artist's physical body to its peak.

From the introduction, it was clear that this Martial Art had the function of nourishing vitality when it reached Great Achievement. The True Qi cultivated from ordinary Martial Arts was hardly capable of nourishing vitality, and even if it did, the effect was limited. But the Great Sun Scripture could complement the Great Sun Furnace of the Physical System. Shen Changqing even suspected that the term "Great Sun," in addition to its relation to Mahavairocana, was also related to the Great Sun Furnace state.

It was precisely because of this that he decisively chose the Great Sun Scripture.

Sitting cross-legged, Shen Changqing directly opened the Great Sun Scripture, memorizing its content thoroughly.

——

Name: Shen Changqing

Affiliation: Great Qin's Demon Suppression Division

Identity: Earth Rank Demon Hunter

True Intent: Hundred Battles True Intent (10%)

Martial Arts: Invincible Golden Body (Level 17, not upgradable), Heavenly Martial Gang Qi (Level 17, not upgradable), Iron Sand Palm (Level 5, non-integrable), Snare Trampling Gang Step (Level 5, non-integrable), Mountain Splitting Palm Technique (not initiated, non-integrable), Willow Catkin Body Technique (not initiated, non-integrable), Great Sun Scripture (not initiated, not upgradable)

Slaughter: 3

Seeing the words "Great Sun Scripture" on the panel, Shen Changqing finally put down the Martial Art in his hand. Having it recorded on the panel meant he had memorized the entire Martial Art. What remained was to elevate the Great Sun Scripture.

After memorizing it completely, he also discovered that the cap of this Martial Art was much higher than he had imagined. Actually, Shen Changqing hadn't truly studied many Inner Strength techniques—only a Pure Yang Technique with a limit of nine layers, and a Heavenly Martial Gang Qi with a limit of twelve layers. Compared to those, the Great Sun Scripture had as many as twenty-five layers. It was his first time encountering a Martial Art that boasted twenty-five layers.

Needless to say, once the Great Sun Scripture reached Great Achievement, its power would undoubtedly be earth-shattering.

Twenty-five layers of Great Sun Scripture! Even if each layer's enhancement requires eight or ten Slaughter Value points, I've still made a huge profit. This visit to the Martial Hall was truly the right choice!

Shen Changqing's eyes flickered. In the Scripture Pavilion of the Demon-Subduing Division, there was absolutely no Martial Art like the Great Sun Scripture. Let alone the Great Sun Scripture, even a Martial Art like the Heaven Divine Skill was probably unavailable.

Previously, he had spoken to Jiang Zuo, and the latter's words differed greatly from what he now understood. It could be seen that even though Jiang Zuo held the position of Steward in the Huang Department's Demon Hunting Court, he was, in essence, just a Profound Rank Demon Hunter. He wasn't qualified to understand many high-level matters. His own status was now indeed much higher than Jiang Zuo's.

After thoroughly reading the Great Sun Scripture, Shen Changqing did not leave the Martial Hall but continued browsing through the Martial Arts. Having found an Inner Strength technique, what was left was to find a suitable Outer Technique.

Flipping through the options took quite a lot of time. Eventually, he found a Martial Art that suited him.

The Tathagata Golden Body!

Like the Great Sun Scripture, the Tathagata Golden Body also originated from the Buddha Sect. This Outer Technique aimed directly at the Great Sun Furnace Realm, and the remarks at the end indicated that its power would increase to a certain degree if cultivated alongside the Great Sun Scripture. From this, it could be seen that the creator of the Tathagata Golden Body came after the Great Sun Scripture. The Great Sun Scripture made no mention of enhanced effects when cultivated alongside the Tathagata Golden Body. This proved that when the Great Sun Scripture was created, the Tathagata Golden Body did not yet exist.

After spending another one or two hours, Shen Changqing also memorized the Tathagata Golden Body.

Suddenly, he felt a sense of sorrow for the Buddha Sect of this world. Two supreme Martial Arts, both leading directly to Grandmaster Peak, had ended up in the hands of the Demon-Subduing Division. One didn't have to think too hard to realize the Buddha Sect definitely did not willingly hand over these Martial Arts.

"Speaking of which," I've never had dealings with anyone from the Buddha Sect in this world, though I have heard of their name in the Jianghu.

In any world, the Buddha Sect exists. Shen Changqing wasn't particularly curious about the Buddha Sect; he only thought of this because he now practiced two Martial Arts from the Buddha Sect.

Afterward, he looked at his panel and mused inwardly.

With the Tathagata Golden Body as my Outer Technique and the Great Sun Scripture as my Inner Strength, if I later integrate the Invincible Golden Body with the Tathagata Golden Body, perhaps I could create a Martial Art that breaks the limit of the Physical System. As for offensive techniques, the Hundred Battles Saber Technique is sufficient. Another opportunity to merge the Iron Sand Palm with the Mountain Splitting Palm Technique, and there should be no major problems. The martial artist themself is the foundation; any offensive technique is based on the practitioner. With my current strength, even a simple punch is much more powerful than an Innate Realm martial artist who has trained an offensive Martial Art to Perfection.

The essence of the Martial Dao was the martial artist himself. Having reached the Grandmaster Realm, Shen Changqing gradually gained many insights. Therefore, whether Martial Arts techniques were exquisite or not, they only functioned within the same realm. However, what truly mattered in terms of strength and weakness was the martial artist himself.

Unless one day I reach an impasse where I can no longer advance, that will be the time to turn back and devote myself to studying exquisite Martial Arts. Otherwise, the Martial Arts I currently know are more than sufficient. Any more, and I might bite off more than I can chew.

After leaving the Martial Hall, Shen Changqing saw Tan Tianji sitting there once again. Out of courtesy, he greeted him and then planned to leave.

Unexpectedly, Tan Tianji called out to him.

"Wait!"

"What is it, Elder Tan?"

"I have a task here. Would you like to take it on?"

"A task?" Shen Changqing looked puzzled. Tasks were usually accepted at the Demon Slaying Hall, and he'd never heard of taking one from a private individual.

Seeing this, Tan Tianji smiled and said, "Don't get me wrong, this task is different from others. It's an internal matter within the Hidden Heart Pavilion. To be precise, the task does not come from me, but from the Suppressing Evil Hall."

"Please tell me, Elder Tan."

Since it involved the Suppressing Evil Hall, Shen Changqing did not immediately refuse. He was also very interested in the other halls of the Hidden Heart Pavilion but had never had the chance to understand them. Now Tan Tianji's words instead presented him with the possibility of understanding the Suppressing Evil Hall.

"It's really not a big deal," Tan Tianji explained. "The Suppressing Evil Hall is in charge of the Demon-Subduing Prison. Every year, the Suppressing Evil Hall sends people into the Demon-Subduing Prison to strengthen its seals. But as you know, there are many Demon Evils sealed in the Demon-Subduing Prison. Although with the seals in place, it should be impossible for any Demon Evil to escape. But, to err on the side of caution, the people from the Suppressing Evil Hall are mostly researchers and not very strong. Therefore, when they enter the Demon-Subduing Prison, they usually have some experts accompany them."