Twin Dimension Yin-Yang Mirror: Attaining immortality through the martial path
Chapter 414 - 370

Chapter 414: 370

"Every family, every well, water channel, and secret chamber must not be overlooked; thorough investigations are necessary... and all the common people must come to the County Yamen to register, their ancestors of eighteen generations must be interrogated thoroughly."

Zhou Ping’an had emptied the Southern City District of fish monsters, yet his complexion still looked somewhat uneasy.

He had thought that within Pinghu County, which was occupied by Ran Sifei and Yi Heavenly King, even though order might be slightly chaotic and the lives of the common people a bit disheveled, basic safety could still be ensured.

However, he hadn’t expected that so many water monsters and demon bugs had already infiltrated the city.

They hadn’t made their move simply because the time was not right.

Still, some monsters were secretly devouring humans, but since they didn’t make a big fuss and no one noticed, it went on undetected.

"Had I not made it a habit to re-inspect the civil registry in every city and mobilize all citizens to leave the city for labor work, I might not have discovered so many hidden dangers within the city for quite some time."

In order to stabilize Pinghu County City in a short time, Zhou Ping’an worried that Xiao Chengfeng’s competent personnel were too few, so he sent out letters, requesting Zhang Shanhe and Wu Junsong from the direction of Qingyang to lead three thousand elite troops each and rush over.

It isn’t because Pinghu County lacks the military force they provide for defense, but because their identities are special.

At the same time, the soldiers under their command are very familiar with the policies implemented by Zhou Ping’an.

With experienced officers leading the new recruits, mobilizing the public, enlisting soldiers, and mustering horses, they can expand the combat troops while vigorously promoting settlement farming.

In a very short time, they can replicate various strategies of Qingyang City.

Starting from scratch would be much slower.

As for the advantages of Zhang Shanhe and Wu Junsong’s identities, they are particularly aimed at the neighboring Yunjin Ferry Crossing.

Or rather, at Huangze County.

Huangze County’s Prefectural Governor Zhang Zhongshu comes from the Zhang Family of Yunzhou and is highly regarded by Provincial Governor Pei Zijing, which isn’t a big deal in itself.

His other identity, as the leading disciple of the Chongyang Peak of the Cloud Water Sect and one of the Cloud Water Sect’s top ten true inheritors, effectively represents one of the Four Great Immortal Sects.

It’s good to rely on a powerful backer; a disciple favored by the Cloud Water Heavenly Sect is different from a disciple like Zhou Ping’an, who is neither cherished by his grandfather nor loved by his grandmother.

In critical moments, he can seek help from his backing, whose strength and heritage are utterly unpredictable.

Zhou Ping’an alone, even counting Lin Huaiyu with him, is not qualified to compete with Zhang Zhongshu in the Cloud Water Sect.

Zhou Ping’an still possesses some self-awareness.

Although he and the Third Miss have acknowledged a master, they entered halfway through, with a layer of estrangement in between, and no one knows how the Cloud Water Sect truly regards him.

To be on the safe side,

he also brought in Zhang Shanhe and Wu Junsong.

These two are native disciples from the Inner Sect of Emerald Peak and Radiant Sun Peak.

Though their cultivation may not be very high, their roots are pure and authentic.

If the Prefectural Governor of Huangze County, Zhang Zhongshu, has any thoughts about him, he can’t have fellow sect members fight each other. If things develop to that point, having these connections could facilitate discussions.

"The three counties must be kept firmly in hand. Even if it’s not for increasing cultivation and gathering qi fortune, these tens of thousands of people should not be abandoned."

Zhou Ping’an doesn’t consider himself a saint,

but he cannot do such heartless and ruthless things either.

If it comes to an irreparable situation where continuing would drag himself down, he might give up this territory.

Currently, it has not yet come to that.

One cannot simply run away at the first sign of impending danger, without even attempting to fight, packing up and fleeing.

The hard-earned foundation he had established, a promising start wasted away, is something he’s utterly unwilling to accept.

"Controlling the land of the three counties, the hearts of a million people coalesce, forming an enormous energy.

I can feel the acceleration in the transformation of Gang Qi and the natural fusion of Blood Power; it’s estimated that in at most a month, both internal and external power will be refined to perfection and clarity.

Once Gang Qi is perfected, Canghai Sword Mastery will emerge, and my combat strength will exponentially increase.

I can even go further to speed up the cultivation of the Crushing Army Blade Intent..."

Thinking of the Crushing Army Blade Intent, Zhou Ping’an was somewhat helpless.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t made progress, but that the progress was extraordinary.

Since he had slain the Red Lotus Saintess Yun Ling and plundered the Visualization of the Karma Fire Red Lotus that she cultivated, Zhou Ping’an felt his soul’s spiritual power increase by as much as eighty percent.

Every day, thousands of Wish Power Threads are converted, increasing twice as fast as when he was merely defending Qingyang City.

Moreover, this is not a one-time deal.

As his policies are implemented and his fame spreads across the three counties, the acquisition of Wish Power continues to grow daily.

With an increase in Wish Power and strengthened spirit, his Sword Intent naturally grew stronger as well.

Strangely, Zhou Ping’an found that although his Sword Intent had grown stronger, there had been no fundamental change in its nature.

It was an increase in quantity, not a leap in quality.

He understood very well what this indicated.

Martial Intent, in fact, is also a process of slow accumulation and transformation.

Just like the process of True Qi filling the meridians and Gang Qi fusing with blood, it requires time and effort, slowly cultivated step by step.

The current control over the three counties, with the mighty force gathered, could probably enable an extreme acceleration of the cultivation at the Eighth Stage Mortal Rank Refinement Mastery of Qi Realm.

The effect on the training and polishing of Martial Intent, however, seems to be minimal.

To want the cultivation speed at the Ninth Refinement Martial Intent Realm of the Mortal Rank to also accelerate crazily, it seems that a larger territory and stronger qi fortune support are needed.

"When the time comes, heaven and earth act with one force; time is momentum, and momentum is fortune. Without fortune, nothing comes easily..."

"Therefore, not only must the land of the three counties be held onto tightly, but efforts must also be made to expand the territory as much as possible.

"This... wouldn’t that make me a rebel?"

At this thought, Zhou Ping’an couldn’t help but smile.

He thought to himself that even if he didn’t want to become a rebel, it was no longer a choice.

In these last years of the dynasty, with so much suffering and death, barely one in ten survived.

In such times, what use was loyalty to the emperor or living a quiet and contented life? That would be out of step with the times.

If rebellion was necessary, it was for the sake of bringing benefits to the masses, to give them a better new life.

Having mentally prepared himself for this, Zhou Ping’an was increasingly convinced that the path he was on was right.

He also grew increasingly dissatisfied with the slow pace of his cultivation progress.

"I can’t rush the cultivation of Sword Intent, so I’ll have to put it aside temporarily and reduce the time spent on grueling practice.

For the cultivation of Gang Qi and the integration of blood energy, I’ll need to take more Qi-boosting elixirs, such as the Yellow Sprout Pill and other treasure pills.

Gang Qi seems higher grade than True Qi, but in reality, they share the same origin, it’s just that Gang Qi has become more condensed.

Seeping from the meridians into the limbs, organs, and bones, truthfully, progression requires replenishing Qi."

With Black Mountain as his own reserve and the Alchemy Master Elder Qing providing logistical support,

Zhou Ping’an wasn’t worried about running out of elixirs.

Moreover, if he ever ran out of materials, he could take a batch after batch of main ingredients from the space within his own mirror.

Ensuring that his cultivation of the Qi of True Power would not face any problems.

And he could share the benefits with those around him.

"Aside from the cultivation at the Eighth Stage Mortal Rank Refinement Mastery of Qi Realm, which has the greatest impact on my strength, the ’Starlight Body Refining Technique’ is another.

After the strengthening of my soul, now I can maintain four shichen of Bone Tempering cultivation each day without fatigue. Moreover, the efficiency has increased quite a bit, managing to temper two small bones each day. This is an unexpected delight."

Sensing the twelve joints of the fingers on the front half of his left hand—the middle, index, ring, and little fingers—each glowing with a pale blue starlight, Zhou Ping’an felt a little more settled.

He could clearly feel that this part of his left hand was several times stronger and more agile in strength generation and maneuvering compared to his right hand.

The most direct proof was that with less than thirty percent of strength used in his left hand, the bones in his right hand would already be cracking...

The sheer force and bone hardness of the fingers of the left hand were like those of divine weapons.

With the bones growing stronger, even the tendons and muscles toughened up, which was somewhat counterintuitive.

Zhou Ping’an didn’t need to understand how it worked; he just knew he was on the right path, and that was enough.

Thinking back to the Trial Illusion Realm, a disciple from Penglai Immortal Sect, Fang Sheng, once mentioned that this "Starlight Body Refining Technique" was the key to the next phase of the trial.

If he didn’t misunderstand her meaning,

then does it require transforming all the bones in the body before moving to the next phase?

Or is it that, even if the technique isn’t fully cultivated, as long as someone’s Subduing Demon Order accumulates enough energy and initiates a sacrifice, others can be brought into the next phase as well?

Zhou Ping’an examined the Nine Sons Subdue Demon Order carefully.

This token had fallen into a kind of dormancy.

It seemed to still be gathering invisible, intangible energy from the universe, but when this process would be complete and qualify to unlock the next phase, there were no clues.

"I can only wait."

Relying on the Nine Sons Subdue Demon Order for a power boost was not a short-term possibility.

The only thing that could swiftly increase his combat strength to face dangerous situations,

after counting and recounting,

was the "King of Light’s Golden Body Technique."

This top-level defense technique he obtained from Elder Guangming at the King of Light’s Temple,

is rumored to yield an unparalleled defense called the King of Light’s Golden Body when cultivated to the Ninth Level of Perfection, resonating with the earth’s strength.

Such boasts should not be taken as truth,

but the incredible increase in defense was inarguable.

Zhou Ping’an had already cultivated the Golden Body Method to the Eighth Layer of Heaven,

which was the source of his confidence in withstanding the assault of Yi Heavenly King’s Sunset Divine Shot.

Having endured so many arrows, any other peak expert of the Ninth Refinement would have died if not for a complete block,

but Zhou Ping’an came through unscathed.

Slightly wounded, his back turned and recovery was swift,

leaving Yi Heavenly King totally frustrated.

Apart from the fact that he had cultivated the Foundation Technique of the Prison Subduing Demon Sect, which made his body extremely strong, the role of this Golden Body Method was not to be underestimated.

Therefore, the pressing matter was to accumulate three hundred fifty thousand Wish Power Value to perfect the Golden Body Method.

Perhaps he could even obtain a "Golden Body Invincible" BUFF.

He had not forgotten, each time a martial art was cultivated to the Completion Realm, a secret technique would emerge.

Looking at the over thirty thousand Wish-Power Incense in his mind,

Zhou Ping’an frowned thoughtfully, but an idea soon flashed through his mind.

The key issue was actually time.

...