Zhang San, please behave yourself!
Chapter 137 - 136: Zhang San, your secret is out!

Chapter 137: Chapter 136: Zhang San, your secret is out!

The next day.

Zhang San sat on the largest rock at the summit of Mingzhi Mountain, facing east, absorbing the Power of the Sun with the Gold Liquid Returning Core Technique.

Although this secret technique had been imprinted in his mind through the Jade Scroll, learning it was one thing; mastering it, entirely another.

After eight years of cultivation, Zhang San had perfected the technique of Gold Liquid Returning Core.

Now, as the eastern sun rose, he began to frantically absorb the Power of the Sun, integrating it into his body. Coupled with his own Qi and some Great Supplement Pills from the Gluttonous Bag, he was fervently refining all the energy into a liquid-like Qi, resembling Golden Liquid.

With Qi opening the Qi Acupoints, the Golden Liquid was poured into them, filling the Qi Acupoints and eventually forming a perfect core.

This was the wonderful use of the Gold Liquid Returning Core.

Typically, Martial Artists would use various secret techniques to channel their Qi, breaking open some of their Qi Acupoints. They would then fill these with Qi and continually refine it, eventually causing the Qi Acupoints to expand, compressing the Qi inside them, and ultimately strengthening the Qi Acupoints. This would nourish the body and lead to Body Refinement.

The Gold Liquid Returning Core, however, used powerful Golden Liquid to fill the Qi Acupoints—a step immensely stronger than the typical Body Refinement Technique in enhancing the Qi Acupoints.

Theoretically, as long as you have sufficient cultivation resources, you can absorb enough external power into the Qi Acupoints to form the Gold Liquid Returning Core and then nourish the body, making it incredibly strong.

Beside him, Tiger Brother was also cultivating the Tiger’s Life Spirit Gang.

The spot where Zhang San now sat had been his usual morning cultivation spot. He wasn’t worried about needing the Power of the Sun anymore; he simply needed to transform his Qi into Gang and see if his fur would change.

Hei, too, was nearby cultivating the Xun Wind Breathing Technique. Being from the Dragon Followers, capable of soaring through the skies or diving into the sea, his breathing method differed from that of the human race.

This Cultivation Technique had greatly broadened Hei’s horizons, so much so that he felt his transformation had become even more complete.

And all of this was a reward from their master.

Master, how wonderful!

Soon, Zhang San completely filled the first Qi Acupoint on the top of his head with Golden Liquid, cultivating his first Gold Liquid Returning Core.

Then, Zhang San realized his realm seemed to have not improved in the slightest.

"Tiger Brother, does the Gold Liquid Returning Core Technique not enhance one’s own realm at all?"

Tiger Brother laughed and said, "You humans always chase after realms, then complain you can’t defeat demons even with those realms. The purpose of Body Refinement is merely to strengthen your physique, naturally, it can’t elevate your realm."

Zhang San, now curious, asked, "In that case, isn’t Body Refinement less important? After all, a stronger realm allows one to better defeat powerful enemies."

Tiger Brother shook his head.

"Although Body Refinement takes a long time and needs a lot of cultivation resources, it can make your body incredibly strong!"

"I really don’t understand many cultivators of your human race who only seek to increase their realms, yet the realm is just an upper limit indicator."

"Reaching the next realm indeed signifies greater potential, but if you haven’t fully utilized your current realm, having just an upper limit, what’s the use? A realm is not the standard to measure a cultivator; true strength is!"

"We demons mostly cultivate the All Things Path. The All Things Path emphasizes the survival of the fittest; only the strong survive. Thus, realms, to us, have never been the most important; actual strength is what matters most."

At that moment, Zhang San realized Tiger Brother truly possessed great wisdom.

Though his views were quite pragmatic, in such a world where the strong prey on the weak, pragmatism was the most effective approach.

Moreover, the lower one’s realm, the easier it was to catch enemies off guard. Only by maximizing the abilities within each layer of one’s realm could one become stronger!

Thus, Zhang San continued to cultivate.

His goal was to take advantage of these days of rest on Mingzhi Mountain to cultivate Golden Liquid Returning Cores for all nine Qi Acupoints on his head.

After all, the head was a vulnerable area. If he could protect his head first, he would be much safer.

Time, always flying swiftly after moments of joy, makes you exclaim how fast it has passed.

In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed.

Zhang San had opened all seven Qi acupoints on his head during these seven days and had completed the Gold Liquid Returning Core.

Zhang San didn’t know how hard his skull was, but now he felt that his headbutt could become one of the unexpected combat methods.

After breakfast, Zhang San planned to continue his cultivation for a while, aiming to completely refine the last two of the nine Qi acupoints on his skull today.

Just then, Hu walked over.

"Zhang San, there seems to be someone at the bottom of the mountain looking for you. He just encountered my Ghost but didn’t recognize it was a Ghost, saying he was looking for someone. From the description the Ghost heard, it seems they were looking for you."

Upon hearing that someone was originally looking for him, Zhang San suddenly remembered something.

He had only asked for three days off.

Yet he had already spent seven days on Mingzhi Mountain.

"Tiger Brother, I only asked for three days off, I guess I lost track of time; people from the Town Martial Office might be worried about me, so they came looking."

Zhang San spoke convincingly, but he also knew that those who came looking for him were not necessarily just worried about him; it was also possible that someone within the Town Martial Office knew his real identity and feared he might run away.

However, he had been out for quite a while now, and it was time to go back.

Hu nodded and said, "Then let me escort you back."

A man and a tiger, followed by a black horse, walked out of the cave and headed down the mountain.

"Zhang San, do you think I have gotten whiter recently?"

"Standing next to Hei, you indeed look much whiter than when you are alone."

Hu grinned.

"Though I haven’t become whiter, I feel my strength has increased. Next time I make a move, my Qi Gang can become even sharper. I think you should also cultivate the Tiger’s Life Spirit Gang seriously; although it won’t whiten your skin, combined with your Blade Technique, it should unleash greater might."

Zhang San nodded.

"Got it, thanks Tiger Brother. You can leave me here, otherwise, your mighty appearance might scare others."

Hu also knew this was as far as he should go, so he wagged his tail and said goodbye to Zhang San.

"Tiger Brother, may we meet again if fate allows!"

"May we meet again!"

After parting ways with the tiger, Zhang San led Hei down the mountain, hoping the person who came looking for him was an acquaintance.

Indeed, he hadn’t gone far when Zhang San saw a familiar figure.

Though they had only met once, it was indeed an acquaintance.

And Fang Cunzai, who had been pacing around the foot of the mountain, looked up at the sound of horse hooves and saw Zhang San.

Although the task given to Fang Cunzai by the Town Martial Office was because the Chuan-Yu Road had recently become unsafe, and since the horse that Principal Officer Ximen had lent to Zhang San had disappeared, they were worried about Zhang San potentially facing danger, they required other Martial Artists to go out and look for Zhang San to bring him back safely.

But now, with only Fang Cunzai and Zhang San present, Fang Cunzai would not pass up such an opportunity.

So, upon seeing Zhang San, Fang Cunzai placed his hand on the hilt of his blade.

Zhang San was alarmed upon seeing Fang Cunzai’s reaction.

After all, the other was in the Spiritual Platform Realm.

And had a deep hatred for him.

Could it be that my affiliation with the Heavenly Punishment Sect’s Demon Cult Followers has been exposed, and the Town Martial Office has come to settle accounts?

Fang Cunzai glared with his eyes like those of a bull and bellowed, "Zhang San! Your slander against Bai Yucheng has been exposed! Why don’t you just surrender!?"