Martial Ascent to Divinity

Zhou Leng had a long dream.

Dreamed of the Star of Dim Light continuously resurrecting after being killed by him.

He battled with it fiercely, from Demon City to Rucheng, from Rucheng to Demon Purgatory.

From the first layer of Demon Purgatory, all the way to the eighteenth layer.

Fought for a lifetime.

In the end, with his aged body, he finally killed the Star of Dim Light completely.

Tears streamed uncontrollably.

Zhou Leng awoke.

"Mmm..."

Huang's dog head came into view.

Zhou Leng moved his throat but couldn't speak.

After a full ten minutes, Zhou Leng's body felt restored.

"It's over," Zhou Leng murmured.

Huang opened its mouth and started licking vigorously.

Thump...

Thump...

Thump...

His heartbeat accelerated, filled with power.

An unimaginable, overwhelming mighty force surged in his heart, like a melting furnace, roaring loudly.

Zhou Leng used martial arts perception, sensing his heart, suddenly feeling a momentary daze.

With a tremor of the heart, all demons appeared.

Before Zhou Leng's eyes, the world transformed, turning crimson.

He was as tall as a mountain, seated upon a gigantic throne forged from flames, giant bones, and weapons.

In front, dark clouds billowed, and the land stretched red for a thousand miles.

Beneath him, countless demons bowed, chanting "Demon Lord."

In an instant, his vision flipped.

He saw himself seated on a burning throne of weapons and bones, atop it sat a gigantic giant in crimson-black armor, lava flowing like rivers across its surface.

The armor's face formed a "T"-shaped gap.

Within the gap, Zhou Leng's face appeared.

Zhou Leng blinked and found himself lying on the ground, overhead was the massive canopy of the Frost Giant Tree.

Snowflake leaves gently swayed.

Feeling something within, Zhou Leng introspected his heart.

The sensation of flesh and blood wrapping was completely gone.

All the power had already merged into his heart and veins.

Inside the layers of the heart and veins' walls, it seemed like flames were burning.

Most of the power lay dormant, merging very slowly into his body.

Realm elevation.

Blood Transport Late Stage.

Zhou Leng opened the database, searching for Demon information.

Especially looking into information related to Magic Bag Garden, Demon Lord, and others.

Using the keyword "Demon Lord," he found something.

Original Demon's Blood.

The information wasn't detailed, but in just a few hundred words, it revealed a terrifying aspect of it.

This item, using the innate descendants of eighteen different Demon Purgatory Lords as a foundation, extracts life and bloodline, refining into a drop of blood.

Starting from the first layer of Demon Purgatory, it undergoes layers of sacrifices, until the eighteenth layer.

Each sacrifice requires the offering of ten thousand demons, draining their blood.

Sacrificing eighteen layers, the Original Demon's Blood is refined.

After absorbing the power of Original Demon's Blood, through transformation by magic potion, one can acquire part of the Demon Lord's power...

Zhou Leng stared at the information, reviewing it repeatedly for a long time.

A complex expression appeared on his face.

He raised his hands, looked at both hands.

They looked no different from before.

The demon nature vanished, and part of the original demon's power also dissipated.

The benefit is, he won't be influenced by demon nature.

Zhou Leng leaned against the Frost Giant Tree, gazing upwards.

In his mind, countless battles on the Celestial Tier Battlefield appeared.

Zhou Leng's gaze gradually grew resolute.

"With this body, I shall slay all demon scourges. Bright new flames, all things shall be illuminated."

After a long time, Zhou Leng slowly got up.

From spirit to body, he felt an indescribable weariness.

Entered Red Lotus Fire Purgatory seven times consecutively.

After a simple tidy up, carrying a backpack and holding a camping chair, he headed to Mammoth Lake.

Huang wagged its tail following him.

Azure lake, delicate white sands.

Zhou Leng sat on the camping chair, motionless, thinking of nothing, simply quietly looking at the scene before him.

Lush woods and lake light, distant snow-capped peaks, heaven and earth pure.

Slept when tired.

Awake, he sat idle.

Huang and Xiaoba played nearby tactfully, not disturbing him.

After a whole day and night, the fatigue in Zhou Leng's eyes finally dispersed.

"Let's go, heading home."

Said goodbye to Xiaoba, leaving with Huang.

Returning to Xiaoru Village, the sun slanted west.

As soon as the signal connected, messages flooded in.

Xu Qingjin asked about how the cultivation was going.

Liang Baiyin inquired about his injuries.

Rao Mingxian wanted to gather together.

Li Linhan's third son, Li Yuanhe, returned from a mission, congratulating Zhou Leng on his achievements.

Zhao Nandi urged him to study Divine Texts properly, cautioning not to slack off, otherwise his research on Divine Texts might be cracked ahead by others, and he'd find no place to cry.

Hu Yi sent a picture from driving school, he was taking a driver's license test.

Feng Wenhao shared a video of class cultivation, telling Zhou Leng not to worry, classmates were doing well.

Wei Hong mentioned he was keeping an eye on various scholarships, ensuring they wouldn't be taken by other classes.

Xue Chengsong thanked for helping retrieve the abandoned mine, suggesting a chance to eat and chat.

Deng Zhijue advised Zhou Leng to rest well, not to worry about taking leave.

There's also a message from Zhang Xinglie.

"I'm returning to Rucheng tomorrow, gathered some friends for a meal, you know them. When the time comes, join us, also to discuss the Dwarf tribe."

Zhou Leng glanced at the time, noting Zhang Xinglie had sent it yesterday.

He replied to everyone's messages as he walked.

After completing the Gate of Purgatory, he always needed a long sleep.

Having entered the Red Lotus Fire Purgatory seven times and the Land of Blades once, it had been several days.

Adding the rest by Mammoth Lake, time passed in a blur.

Today is Saturday of the new week.

Zhou Leng first replied to everyone, then lastly responded to Zhang Xinglie.

"I've been cultivating these days, always in flight mode. I just saw it today. Did you get off the plane?"

"I'm home. I booked a private room at Daqian BBQ, 6 PM tonight. How are you?"

"I'm good. How about you?"

"It's hard to explain. I'll tell you while we eat tonight."

"Alright."

Zhou Leng guessed that Zhang Xinglie encountered something; otherwise, there was no need to return to Rucheng, as those geniuses from Yunhua Jinjing are all racing against time to cultivate.

Zhou Leng jogged all the way to the Martial Arts Hall.

The Martial Arts Dojo was empty on Saturday.

He found a single pull-up bar, using his right hand to do one-handed pull-ups.

One, two…

One hundred, one hundred and one…

He did up to two hundred and surprisingly didn't feel strained, then let go and landed.

Zhou Leng quietly observed his body.

Doing one-handed pull-ups without True Qi, even for a Body Refining Stage expert, is quite challenging.

Only upon reaching the Vitality Stage can it be done with ease.

Unexpectedly, he could do so many without reaching his limit.

The one-handed pull-up can no longer measure his level.

This means his body has undergone some qualitative change.

Zhou Leng walked to the demonized weightlifting platform, pressed the button, and lifted the demonized steel plate with both arms.

With a rumbling sound, the demonized steel plate slowly pressed down.

Zhou Leng took a deep breath and exerted all his strength to lift it.

His muscles tensed, and veins and tendons slightly bulged.

The demonized steel plate kept pressing down.

Zhou Leng kept persisting.

Beep…

The test ended.

The demonized steel plate slowly rose.

Zhou Leng stepped out from the weightlifting platform and looked at the display screen.

1205.3 kilograms.

Score: 117.

Zhou Leng flipped through his previous record without True Qi weightlifting.

987.5 kilograms

Score: 110.

Zhou Leng didn't test his True Qi weightlifting, which would definitely exceed ten thousand pounds.

He turned and walked to the squat rack, increasing the barbell weight to 700 kilograms.

Before, it was 600 kilograms.

Now, this number is the top tier level of the Top Ten Martial Arts, and the second tier level of Yunhua Jinjing.

Except for Mountain and River Origin.

Zhou Leng gripped the barbell rod with both hands and slowly lifted it up.

The demonized barbell plates on both sides slightly drooped.

Zhou Leng slowly squatted down, his leg muscles deforming.

Then, he slowly stood up.

His thigh muscles swelled, each thick muscle bulging, as if blocks of steel fused together.

They were so thick that at first glance they looked like a vast expanse of a chest instead of legs.

Zhou Leng kept doing squats, completed ten, rested briefly, then proceeded to the second set…

Four sets of barbell squats, ten per set.

Without True Qi, the daily weight of 700 kilograms, completed.

Zhou Leng touched his slightly numb legs.

His strength never relied on his body, but on True Qi.

Before Body Refinement, 800 to 900 kilograms should be his limit.

Just like Zhang Xinglie, no matter how strong his body is, True Qi control is his shortcoming.

However, once he acquires the Body of Wonder and Powerful Body, the physical talent gap among Martial Artists will be leveled.

Under the power perception of Martial Arts, because his body is not strong enough, the newly acquired power of the Original Demon can only exert a minimal force.

"The Giant Body of Wonders must be obtained, this relates to future growth, and the sooner the better."

"It's not enough to have strong True Qi without a strong body."

"Elder Song's True Qi manipulation and External Skills realm are far above mine, yet because his body is fragile, he can't fully utilize even thirty percent of his abilities."

"Next, I must quickly obtain the identity of the Steel Dwarves, then participate in the Giant Trial to gain the Ancestral Protection of the Giant Race."

"Only by obtaining the Giant Body of Wonders can I be qualified to compete with Mountain and River Origin."

Zhou Leng went to the outdoor Martial Arts field, used the Lightweight Flying Crane Technique, ran at full speed while timing and measuring speed with the demonized watch.

With each step spanning over ten meters, like a flying bird, he repeatedly skimmed the ground and glided mid-air.

When his True Qi was exhausted, Zhou Leng stopped and looked at his demonized watch.

Before heading to the Celestial Ladder, with full True Qi, he could only maintain the lightweight skill for 1 minute and 5 seconds.

Now, he ran a straight 5 minutes and 52 seconds.

More than five times longer.

The speed reached 39 meters per second.

The speed reached 140 kilometers per hour.

"Still a bit short of the speed of a bullet train."

Zhou Leng found an open space, sat cross-legged to restore his True Qi.

With the True Qi overflowing, he checked the time and walked towards Daqian BBQ.

Entering the private room, Zhang Xinglie hadn't arrived yet, but two people from another school were there, both freshmen from Xihai Martial Arts Academy.

In high school, they weren't from the Eighth Middle School either; they were from the Third Middle School, and Zhou Leng had met them.

Both sat on chairs and did not stand up.

One asked, "Are you that Zhou Leng?"

"I should be," Zhou Leng replied.

The two glanced at each other, one of them said helplessly, "We really didn't associate you two together. Back then, you... ahem..."

"The change is indeed big," Zhou Leng said.

"Since it's you, it's different. Tsk, impressive, really impressive."

"I used to see you as an outsider and judged you with prejudice, always felt you weren't good..."

"But comparing to the past, you aren't just good, you're extraordinarily good, scary good."

"I never expected..."

Both shook their heads lightly, completely unable to imagine that the ordinary Zhou Leng back then was now ranked as high as the forties on the freshman list.

Higher than both of them.

Soon, more and more of Zhang Xinglie's friends arrived.

Zhou Leng had seen them all, and there was even a senior from the fourth year.

Not long after, Mo Hai, the Martial Arts Committee Member from his high school class, walked in.

Mo Hai and Zhang Xinglie were both from honors class, and they were on good terms.

In no time, a group of ten gathered.

Everyone was a practitioner, shoulders broad, arms thick, making the private room slightly cramped.

Zhang Xinglie's friends all had good grades; those staying in Rucheng mostly went to Xihai Martial Arts Academy.

Zhou Leng felt like he was sitting in a Xihai Martial Arts Academy alumni meeting.

Shortly after, another person pushed the door open and entered.

"Yo, Crown Prince Rao, the new number one at Ruda! You're amazing."

More than half the people stood up to welcome him.