Martial Ascent to Divinity

After the operation that day, the Huang Meng Sect quickly retreated, and the Martial Guard and various departments acted in unison.

In the end, none from the Huang Meng Sect were captured, but a large number of Demon Worshipers were caught.

The matter remains unresolved to this day.

Wang Boxiong was given a major demerit.

Deng Zhijue was given a demerit.

No civilians died that day.

That night, a murder case occurred at Fifty-Ninth Middle School, and Zhou Leng, knowing Rao Mingxian's family was involved, rushed to Fifty-Ninth Middle School.

Zhou Leng went in and saw the familiar heads of school leaders, puking over and over again at the sight, emptying his stomach and retching until he had a stomach spasm.

Rao Mingxian's grandfather and parents were all sacrificed.

Zhou Leng sat in a corner, finally understanding why Rao Mingxian left without saying goodbye.

Surveillance showed that Rao Mingxian ran back to Fifty-Ninth Middle School, then frantically searched for the murderer everywhere, finally running outside Rucheng and disappearing.

Those days, Zhou Leng followed Rao Mingxian's escape route, searching for three days and nights without any trace.

Zhou Leng did not expect the major case at Fifty-Ninth Middle School to break out again in this way.

Both Deng Zhijue and Zhou Leng felt deeply guilty, always thinking that if the case had been solved earlier, Rao Mingxian's family wouldn't have died.

To solve the murder case, both of them lost a lot of weight in just a few days.

The time of the crime was indeed when the Huang Meng Sect acted.

The scene also bore the standard tactics of the Huang Meng Sect: arranged decapitation, long knife inscriptions, blood-red signatures of Huang Meng.

What differed from a typical Huang Meng Sect crime scene was that the site was filled with numerous demon materials and demon magic arrays.

The core array among them was the Enchantment Array, an array for Demonized Martial Artists to absorb the power of others.

However, all indications showed that this array was not activated at the time.

Furthermore, the establishment date of that array had been at least two years ago, existing for a long time.

Zhou Leng hadn't yet continued to investigate when he was forcibly taken away by Song Juesi and Zhang Xinglie and others to proceed on the Innate Battle Path.

They feared Zhou Leng would be too heartbroken and it would harm his martial arts at the crucial moment of advancing to Innate.

After talking about that day in the car, they talked about the national Divine Techniques, the Body of Tenacity.

"This Divine Technique is truly a lifesaver. Although the higher the realm, the stronger it becomes, even the Grandmasters say that the earlier you get it, the better."

"Getting it before becoming Innate means it's no different from future kids, with solid foundations."

"I envy kids nowadays, having the Body of Tenacity is almost like eating a hundred Replenishing Essence Pills."

"Kids growing up on toxic food finally don't have such frail bodies anymore."

"Think about us, apart from kids from wealthy families, who didn't envy 'Replenishing Essence Pills' growing up? Who didn't longingly hope to eat up to three in a lifetime? A hundred? Couldn't even dream of it."

"In a few more years, the strength of us from Dragon Country might stand layers ahead of others, several layers ahead."

"Heaven bless Dragon Country."

Some people occasionally glanced at Zhou Leng.

During their private conversations, they basically concluded that this time's national Divine Technique had a 99.99% chance of being awakened by Zhou Leng.

Golden Crystal is no ordinary item; each appearance required at least a Ten Realms War level to manifest.

Considering various information, it could only be Zhou Leng.

It certainly wouldn't be the 0.01% possibility of Deep Dark Fury.

It's just that since Zhou Leng wouldn't say, they didn't bring it up and pretended not to know.

Zhang Xinglie asked, "Zhou Leng, tonight I'm going with my aunt to Uncle Li's for dinner, don't forget."

"I plan to go to Xu Qingjin's place for dinner."

"Perfect, come to Uncle Li's together, Uncle Li has met Xu Qingjin. It'll be a nice family gathering since I'm heading back to Beijing tomorrow."

Zhou Leng hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, I'll contact her."

Saying this, he sent a message to Xu Qingjin.

"Tell your mom not to prepare any food, come to my neighbor Uncle Li's for dinner."

"Is that okay?"

"It's fine, Uncle Li has met you too."

"Alright, I'll tell my mom!"

Xu Qingjin cautiously added an exclamation mark, waiting for her heartbeat to calm before going to the living room, looking towards the kitchen.

"Mom, Zhou Leng invited us to his neighbor Uncle Li's for dinner." Xu Qingjin sneaked a glance at her mother.

"Oh? What's your opinion?" Mother Xu smiled as she looked at her daughter.

Xu Qingjin blushed and whispered, "Uncle Li lives alone, probably the only relative Zhou Leng has. It's not good to let him spend the holiday alone. I didn't think much and just agreed."

"Alright, then we'll bring some rice dumplings and some meat dishes to Uncle Li's," Mother Xu replied, smiling sweetly.

"Okay." Xu Qingjin quickly returned to her bedroom and messaged Zhou Leng.

"My mom agreed, so we'll go to Uncle Li's."

"I'll arrive at your place in about an hour or two, then buy a few things to take to Uncle Li's."

"We have everything at home, no need to buy anything, just bring it over. My mom prepared a lot last night, with salty meat dumplings, plain dumplings, and even the salty egg yolk pork belly dumplings you like."

"Then I'll tell Uncle Li and them, whatever we can take, we'll take, whatever we can't, we'll leave at your place. But we'll still buy a little something."

"Okay."

Zhou Leng turned off the Demonized Wrist and said to Zhang Xinglie, "Then Qingjin and her mom will go to Uncle Li's. You and Third Brother prepare a bit, we'll buy a few things, not too much, so we don't repeat."

"It's alright, with the three of us, there will only be less food, not leftover."

After Zhang Xinglie finished, he said loudly, "When we return to Rucheng, let's eat rice dumplings and hamburgers together."

"Alright, I'll have ten of each."

"I'm not that interested in hamburgers, I'll just have one, and for the rest, I'll switch to meat and buns, just the same."

"Yeah, whether you want hamburgers or meat and buns, it's all the same."

Zhang Xinglie said, "You're really planning to go to Xihai Martial Arts Academy tomorrow?"

"Yes." Zhou Leng had already mentioned to Zhang Xinglie and the others on the road that after completing the Innate Battle Path, he would go to Xihai Martial Arts Academy to challenge the masters, fulfilling the unresolved grudge of the previous Innate Battle Path.

If you encounter the Mountain and River Origin, it's a perfect opportunity to test yourself.

"I can't get in touch with the Mountain and River Origin; he should be in the Giant World. You probably won't run into him for tomorrow's challenge. I was hoping to see you have a grand battle with the Mountain and River Origin, but without him, I have no interest. Go on your own tomorrow; I'm heading back to Xiongjing."

"Do you look down on everyone else at Xihai Martial Arts Academy that much?"

"Heh, they are blind and not worth my attention." Zhang Xinglie was still resentful towards Xihai Martial Arts Academy for rejecting Zhou Leng.

A few disciples of the Ancient River Sect who were from Xihai Martial Arts Academy stood with their heads down, not daring to make a sound.

"Do you want to write a challenge letter?" Li Yuanhe asked.

Zhou Leng replied, "We just went through the Ancient River Trial; it's not suitable to be ostentatious. I'll go alone, and come back after the fight."

"You're really humble. If it were me, I'd invite everyone, fight all the way from the main entrance of Xihai Martial Arts Academy to the back entrance, and crush them thoroughly!"

Zhang Xinglie had been fighting everywhere since he was a child, both a top student and a martial arts bully.

Zhou Leng said, "After all, we've taken a major project from Xihai Martial Arts Academy; let's be low-key this time."

"What did we take?"

Everyone was curious.

"You'll see the results in a few days."

Back in the city of Rucheng, the group bought zongzi, hamburgers, and roujiamo, and split up after eating.

A few went home, while most returned to the Ancient River Research Bureau in Rucheng.

At the old site of the Sea Suppressing Army in Rucheng, they took down the old sign and replaced it with a new Ancient River Research Bureau plaque.

All the disciples of the Ancient River Sect were transferred from the Ancient River Ruins Research Institute to the Ancient River Research Bureau in Rucheng.

The cultivation land of the Sea Suppressing Army base was all allocated to the Ancient River Sect.

All official martial arts facilities in Rucheng were open to the disciples of the Ancient River Sect.

These days, while the city of Rucheng was dealing with the aftermath of the Huang Meng Sect and the whole city was gloomy...

On the other hand, outstanding martial artists from all over the Dragon Country entered Rucheng, where Chen Changyi and Wang Boxiong conducted a large selection, preparing for the first entrance ceremony of the Ancient River Sect.

Many children who will be first-graders next year and have not been seeded with the Seed of True Qi were also sent here with their families.

Many noble families sighed because their children, who had received abundant resources from a young age and were seeded with the Seed of True Qi early, missed the opportunity instead.

This selection was ranked according to aptitude, and many families did not know what was happening, resulting in most of the children without the Seed of True Qi being commoners from various places.

Chen Changyi and Wang Boxiong looked through the list and frowned.

This entrance ceremony is recruiting four levels of people: those who have not cultivated, Qi Blood Realm, Innate Realm, and Grandmaster Realm.

The quotas for the latter three realms were almost entirely filled by major forces.

They even took over many slots belonging to the Demon City Army, Martial Guard Department, and Martial Arts Academy.

Wang Boxiong said, "I'll be the bad guy in this."

"You're still young, and I'm already old, so I'll handle this. First, expand the quota and increase the number of high martial arts level civilians across regions. Then, use the Martial Guard's system to eliminate all Zhao Family and Lou Family members except for Lou Fei Qiong. I'll spread the word that it's Marshal Huang Xuan's idea."

"Hmm?" Wang Boxiong paused for a moment.

"I can't handle it myself; he's a Grand Marshal and also a Martial Saint. Naturally, he should bear the brunt, and I'll support him from behind."

Wang Boxiong couldn't help but laugh. He didn't expect Chen Changyi, the old general he knew who was always serious and humorless, to have such a moment.

Wang Boxiong nodded and said, "Only the prestige of Saint Huang can suppress this matter. But won't it cause misunderstandings outside?"

"They chose their path."

Xihai Martial Arts Academy.

The top one hundred students of the school gathered together.

The student council president raised a challenge letter.

"Those who follow Eagle Alliance Martial Arts Academy must have heard a name, Lucas Miller."

"He's a sophomore at Pulin Martial Arts Academy. Since entering last year, he has beaten every opponent in the Eagle Alliance undefeated."

"Defeating opponents across minor realms, as if it were as common as meals."

"Even when sparring with experts of the same realm from Yunhua Jinjing, he has remained unbeaten, with the worst outcomes being a draw."

"His only defeat was losing to Li Shenkong."

"You all know who Li Shenkong is, the first genius of martial arts civilization; a true martial arts legend."

"The most terrifying thing is, after his defeat, Miller improved his martial arts, not only bearing two kinds of Odd Bodies but also gaining benefits from the Ten Realms Youth Battle."

"Today, he issued a challenge letter, and tomorrow, he wants to challenge the ten strongest students of our school."

"I can't judge a man of virtue with a villain's heart because the Mountain and River Origin happens to be cultivating in the Giant World."

"Without the Mountain and River Origin, I don't need to explain the gap between Xihai Martial Arts Academy and Pulin Martial Arts Academy."

"I don't want to promote hatred, but he fears we won't understand, writing in Chinese 'Stamp out Xihai.'

"I know he's very strong, and I also know there's a good chance he can go ten for ten, but I want to ask all of you, are you willing to accept this?"

"Unwilling!" the students of Xihai Martial Arts Academy shouted.

"Do you want to concede?"

"No!"

"Three years ago, a genius from Zheshui Martial Arts Academy used Xihai Martial Arts Academy as the Innate Battle Path, winning against ten people consecutively, suppressing the whole school. This year, are you willing to see Xihai Martial Arts Academy reenact the humiliation from three years ago?"

"No!"

"Great, today, I'm going to select ten students to fully prepare for tomorrow."

"These ten students won't be chosen based on the Martial Arts Index or apparent realms."

"What I'm looking for is courage and determination."

"The courage to defend Xihai Martial Arts Academy."

"The determination to fight to the death!"

"If you don't possess this courage and determination, please leave. This battle isn't for you."

"Now, please, those who have this courage and determination, step forward."

"We may be defeated, but Xihai Martial Arts Academy cannot lose!"

The students were filled with righteous indignation, and over ninety percent stepped forward, willing to participate in this battle concerning the honor and disgrace of Xihai Martial Arts Academy.