Martial Ascent to Divinity

Zhang Xinglie asked, "How many points did you get on the intermediate Divine Text exam?"

"116."

"That high? It shouldn't be."

"Is it impressive?" Molten Hammer asked.

"In our Divine Literature Academy at Yunhua Martial Arts Academy, it's among the top few for senior students."

"That's strange." Molten Hammer said.

The group fell into silence, sitting quietly on the ground to rest.

Zhang Xinglie's imagination sparked, asking, "Do you think it might be that the Mountain Melting Furnace made a mistake, and Zhou Leng is actually correct?"

"No! Way!" The five dwarves shouted collectively.

Zhou Leng thought Zhang Xinglie made a good point.

Even as strong as the Mountain Melting Furnace, one person's power can't surpass the combined research of the Demon Spirit World and humans.

Divine Text has rapidly updated over the years, and even then, it's just a drop in the ocean.

The Divine Text in this Ancient King's Treasure, compared to the Golden Page Divine Text, shows obvious writing errors.

A true Divine Text Master wouldn't make such mistakes.

Moreover, the Dwarf Race has never been known for their intellect, mutation depends on chance...

Zhou Leng asked, "Approximately how many years ago did the Mountain Melting Furnace pass away?"

"Over 800 years." Molten Hammer said.

Zhou Leng understood, glanced at Zhang Xinglie, who also looked over, and the two nodded gently.

Zhang Xinglie, although not specializing in Divine Texts, had learned the basics.

Before long, Zhou Leng stood up.

The smoke had already dissipated, leaving a ground full of eerie white bones.

"Let me see if there are any spoils." Zhou Leng kicked away the bone piles to examine closely.

Molten Hammer said lazily, "No need to search, even if there were any, they would've been taken by those before us. Treasures are usually in noticeable places, like on altars."

"Is your body recovering?" Zhang Xinglie asked.

"I have less muscle than you all, so I recover quickly." Zhou Leng said.

Everyone rolled their eyes, hiding things all day, what's the point?

Zhou Leng carefully looked around, and indeed, as Molten Hammer had said, there was nothing.

Zhou Leng returned, saying, "It seems we can only go to the altar deeper in. What level of treasure can make us dwarf warriors?"

Molten Hammer pondered and said, "It's hard to say, anyway the Eye of the Ancient God could definitely do it, maybe even promote you two to dwarf princes, and we'd have to call you 'Your Highness' whenever we see you."

"Be more practical." Zhou Leng said.

"Just take a bag of Orange Gold each, most practical."

After resting, everyone regained strength or True Qi, heading towards the end.

Up ahead stood five Bronze Gates.

Zhou Leng looked at the five crude Divine Texts above them, frowning.

Zhou Leng asked, "Molten Hammer, this Ancient King's Treasure opens frequently. Over the years, has your Dwarf Race not recorded all the correct paths?"

Molten Hammer patiently explained, "Many things in the treasure change over time, like these five Bronze Gates, they're not on the map, which means they're changeable."

"What appears on the map are unchanging things."

"You have to understand, the Ancient King's Treasure is meant to test us, if everyone had a clear map, what would be the purpose of the test?"

"Also, the dwarves' Divine Text Masters can't decipher the Divine Texts here."

Molten Hammer paused, looking at the other dwarves, then to the Divine Texts resembling ghost talismans on the Bronze Gates.

The five dwarves also felt something was amiss.

Zhou Leng became even more suspicious.

The dwarves' Divine Text Masters have always exchanged knowledge with the Human Race and Demon Spirit Masters.

Dwarf Divine Text Masters have appeared in the Divine Script Ruins in Martial Arts City, and dwarf papers have been published in human Divine Text journals.

There's nothing they can't decipher; surely they know the Mountain Melting Furnace studied incorrectly.

Probably the dwarves' Divine Text Masters can't quite deny this figure who revived their culture, nor clearly understand what mistakes were made, so they abandon deciphering.

After all, it's just a test for Body Refining Dwarves, no need to decipher it too clearly.

Zhou Leng shrugged, saying, "I'll leave the next part alone, I can't understand your ancestors' Divine Texts, only those outside this treasure."

The five dwarves exchanged embarrassed looks.

"You speak first on what these five doors' Divine Texts mean, maybe there's something correct..." Molten Hammer said, lightly slapping himself.

The other four dwarves turned their heads elsewhere, pretending not to hear.

Zhou Leng didn't waste time consulting materials this time, first taking photos, then translating directly.

"They say 'Land of Wind', 'Land of Thunder', 'Land of Clouds', 'Land of Water', and 'Land of Illusion', no guarantee it's correct." Zhou Leng said.

Zhang Xinglie rubbed his chin, saying, "We can choose any; if one doesn't match, then... we'll rely on Qi Manipulation later."

Zhang Xinglie spoke subtly, but everyone understood.

"That's all we can do." Molten Hammer said.

"Which one will you choose?"

"Water won't do, too troublesome. Thunder, Clouds, and Illusion, all troublesome. Especially Land of Thunder, looks most dangerous."

"Then choose Land of Wind, seems easiest."

"No, no, can't choose Land of Wind." Molten Hammer hurriedly said.

The group fell silent.

Molten Hammer coughed lightly, saying, "Zhou Leng, you choose."

"I don't understand regional Divine Text, won't choose." Zhou Leng said.

Molten Hammer rolled his eyes, saying, "You humans really know how to insult without vulgar words, then choose Land of Thunder."

"Yes, choose Land of Thunder." The four dwarves suddenly realized.

Zhang Xinglie smiled at Molten Hammer, this dwarf seemed quite clever.

"I'll go first." Black Barrel said, entering the gate to Land of Thunder.

The group followed into the passage, soon hearing roaring winds ahead.

Entering a new cave entrance, fierce winds blew ahead, dust filled the air.

"Let's go." Molten Hammer tiredly said.

Malt Beer said, "I think it's deliberate by the old ancestor. He's afraid others will decipher it, losing the test's significance, so he scribbles randomly."

"Yes, yes...," the other dwarves nodded repeatedly.

"There are orcs!" Zhang Xinglie suddenly whispered.

Everyone instantly squinted their eyes, looking ahead.

Sure enough, a group of nine green-skinned orcs was slowly moving forward in the fierce wind, each one at the Body Refining Stage.

Everyone's expressions slightly changed, seven against nine, inferior in both number and level.

"Fight according to the pre-discussed tactics, Zhou Leng, you deal with the orc at the Early Stage of Body Refining, don't be reckless," Zhang Xinglie said.

"Alright."

The nine green-skinned orcs also noticed the group at this moment, their eyes turned red, and they charged with roaring cries.

Gray Light, Black Barrel, and Malt Beer, along with Zhang Xinglie, were at the front.

Zhou Leng, Molten Hammer, and Ban Chui were slightly further back.

"There's a demigod beastman descendant, be careful, it's the one with the red waistband," Molten Hammer reminded.

This cave wasn't big initially, and in just a few seconds, the two sides clashed.

The opponents were nine people, directly encircling us.

"Cover your ears."

Zhou Leng and the dwarves hurriedly covered their ears with their hands.

Zhang Xinglie suddenly shouted explosively, his voice like a lion's roar, surging True Qi burst out, exploding in front of him.

Not only the orcs but even Zhou Leng and the dwarves were momentarily stunned; even with their ears covered, they experienced a ringing.

The nine orcs were in worse shape, except for that demigod descendant who instantly recovered, two orcs' eyes went black and fell to the ground.

Zhou Leng knew Zhang Xinglie could perform the Lion's Roar but didn't expect such power.

Zhang Xinglie seized the moment, charging straight at the nearest Late Stage Body Refining orc, landing a punch on its chest before it could react.

Poof...

A punch to the chest, shattering the heart.

Zhou Leng's body crouched, feet stepping the Flying Crane Technique, pouncing on a fainted orc, delivering a Heaven Island Falling into the Sea palm to its head.

Bang.

The skull cracked open, crimson and white splattered everywhere.

Zhou Leng didn't stop, taking advantage of a Mid-Stage Body Refining orc nearby who had just regained consciousness and was unprepared, thrusting a foot toward its knee.

The leg like a spear, foot like a spearhead, True Qi converging, surging impetuously.

Piercing the clouds through the sky.

Crack...

A kick broke the leg, the orc screamed miserably, body tilting.

Another attacking orc came, and Zhou Leng immediately retreated.

"Good!" The five dwarves, seeing the two so fierce, had their fury boiling, swinging their war hammers and charging forward.

Zhou Leng immediately maneuvered toward another fainted orc but was blocked by a Body Refining orc from behind.

Nine orcs, two dead, one fainted, one with a broken leg.

The situation reversed in an instant.

"Get out!" Molten Hammer rushed straight at the orc blocking Zhou Leng, while Zhou Leng feigned assisting in the attack.

After two quick exchanges, finding an opening, Zhou Leng rolled past him.

Pounced on the fainted orc, body side-lying, smashing down with an elbow.

Poof...

The elbow tip crashed into the fainted orc's face, instantly waking it, only to faint again.

Such a fierce elbow smash, yet the orc still had breath.

Zhou Leng hesitated not a moment, despite knowing he couldn't dodge the adjacent attacking orc, delivering a palm to the fainted orc's throat.

Crack, neck bone fragmented.

An orc's kick struck Zhou Leng's side waist from behind, unable to evade, he blocked with his left hand and leveraged a roll.

Intense pain surged from the left palm.

Retreating to a safe spot, Zhou Leng glanced at his left hand, blood and flesh blurred, swollen high, but fortunately, the bone was unharmed.

Zhou Leng took medicine to halt the injury, looking toward the battlefield.

Six against six.

The weakest, Ban Chui, facing the broken-legged orc, still was being beaten into retreat.

The sides differed by one realm, the broken-legged orc being at Mid-Stage Body Refining.

Zhou Leng immediately joined, attacking the broken-legged orc alongside Ban Chui.

Zhou Leng, experienced, always faked using the right palm, suddenly crouching for a sweep kick when the broken-legged orc didn't pay attention.

With a thud, the broken-legged orc was swept down.

Ban Chui wielded a great hammer, leaping to crush down, while the broken-legged orc quickly rolled away to dodge.

Zhou Leng was ready long ago, landing a palm on the broken-legged orc's waist, then swiftly retreating.

The broken-legged orc's beast hide clothing shattered at the waist, revealing the red-tinged green skin underneath, only lightly injured.

Zhou Leng understood inwardly, with the strength of the Late Stage Blood Transport, fighting Early Stage Body Refining was manageable, but against such Mid-Stage Body Refining thick-skinned orcs, only attacking weak spots was effective.

These orcs were all Body Refining, even Zhang Xinglie found it hard to swiftly defeat them in direct combat.

The battle waged on both sides, without a victor for the moment.

Suddenly, Zhang Xinglie repelled the demigod beast race descendant, then leaped fiercely to the broken-legged orc's side, performing a sidekick with stepping.

Kicking at the waist ribs.

Sound of bone breaking, the broken-legged orc screamed, flying sideways.

Zhou Leng stepped the Eight Trigrams Step, figure like a ghost, advancing with a low-step sidekick.

Before the broken-legged orc hit the ground, a kick struck its lower back.

The second sound of bone breaking echoed, the broken-legged orc's torso bent greatly and fell unconscious.

Zhou Leng approached, punching and shattering the broken-legged orc's side neck, then flipped away from another orc's attack.

"Well done! Against excessively strong orcs, use your legs and feet more," Zhang Xinglie praised while reminding.

Zhou Leng understood well too, focusing on enhancing the Flying Cloud Leg after achieving the Perfection in Overlapping Waves Palm.

Below the Innate realm, the legs' and feet's lethality were slightly stronger than the fists and palms.

Seven against five.