"Heh..."

She smiled:

"In truth, when I achieved flawlessness, I realized there was definitely a secret about me, but I never imagined it was actually a spirit armor."

In fact,

it’s more than just a spirit armor.

The numerous inheritances contained within the spirit armor are what truly make it rare and precious.

As an ’observer,’ Fang Zheng could not fully receive the inheritance, but he still gained quite a bit of benefit from it.

Not to mention, there’s also a Giant Spirit Divine Skill!

And as the owner of the Demon-Extinguishing Spirit Armor, Li Shu fully accepted the inheritance. Given time, her future achievements will surely be limitless.

"The ancestors placed their hopes on me; it was their only choice, it seems."

Li Shu sighed lightly:

"But if I had not achieved Martial Arts Grandmaster, would this contingency not have been revealed at all?"

"It wouldn’t." Fang Zheng shook his head:

"Your talent is not low, and with King Kang’s assistance, the possibility of achieving Martial Arts Grandmaster is not small."

"Furthermore..."

"There’s also the Giant Spirit Divine Skill!"

The Giant Spirit Divine Skill is one of the Ten Great Divine Skills of the world, representing the ultimate in power. With this skill, one can advance to Martial Sect.

If, under these circumstances, you still do not achieve Martial Sect, it can only be said that you’re unlucky.

Moreover,

if you do not achieve Martial Sect, you might not be able to protect the Li Family’s inheritance.

The Li Family ancestors must have trusted King Kang; otherwise, King Kang could have just killed Li Shu to obtain the Demon-Extinguishing Spirit Armor.

In this sense...

Li Yingxuan was indeed correct.

"What do you plan to do next?" After a moment’s silence, Fang Zheng looked at Li Shu.

"I..."

Li Shu turned her head, her beautiful eyes flickering, as if threads of emotion were surfacing, only to be forcibly suppressed by her strong willpower.

This is not the time to talk about matters of the heart, and besides, the two of them don’t have such an emotional foundation.

Better to treat it as if it were all a dream.

Upon waking,

everything vanished.

"I have already attained Martial Sect, but my foundation is not yet solid, and I need time to fully grasp the Demon-Extinguishing Spirit Armor and the ancestral inheritance."

Li Shu spoke up:

"I’ll find a place to retreat and cultivate for a while."

"Alright."

Fang Zheng nodded:

"The Giant Spirit Divine Skill is already a topmost inheritance in the world. Together with the Demon-Extinguishing Spirit Armor, when you emerge, you could probably stand against a Rogue Immortal."

"Mm..."

"I know a place, a secret realm Master Jiuyuan found by chance, with a good and concealed environment."

"It also holds some things left by Master Jiuyuan; you might want to take a look."

"Really?" Li Shu pursed her lips:

"Where is it?"

"Close to the East Sea," Fang Zheng said.

"..." Li Shu’s fingers trembled slightly:

"Alright."

She carefully considered whether to stay by Fang Zheng’s side, but decided against it considering he already has a wife and children.

Ultimately determined that they were fated but not meant to be, she chose to leave.

Fang Zheng closed his eyes.

This time, he originally planned to sacrifice himself to save others for Master Jiuyuan’s sake and unexpectedly gained many benefits.

Because the Demon-Extinguishing Spirit Armor hid vast Primordial Energy, Li Shu shared part of it with him, causing his cultivation base to advance rather than regress.

Comparable to...

decades of arduous training!

Not only his cultivation base, but his Martial Arts Realm also improved significantly, now surpassing ordinary Martial Sect or Master.

Previously, to kill Crazy Pigeon, assistance from Ghost King was needed.

Now,

he has full confidence of success in a solo kill!

*

*

*

"Vast and boundless is the world, standing alone in desolation!"

Fang Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, suspended in mid-air, gazing at the distant mountains and ridges, layered with white clouds, feeling a deep sense of emotion.

Now, his cultivation base has skyrocketed, allowing him to easily soar through the sky without relying on the Wind and Cloud Banner.

No longer does he have to worry about lacking True Qi to dare flying too high, as he did at the start of his Martial Sect journey.

"Brother Fang!"

A figure pierced through the thick clouds in the distance, appearing nearby, clasping his hands in greeting:

"I have kept you waiting."

"Brother He, no need for courtesy." Fang Zheng returned the gesture:

"Do you have any news?"

"Yes."

He Zhong nodded:

"Follow me!"

With that, his body twisted, retreating swiftly, the Gang Qi stirring layers of airwaves behind him as he escaped through the sky.

In contrast.

Fang Zheng executed the Yin Thunder Escape Technique, transforming into a streak of light, silent yet astonishingly fast.

He Zhong raised an eyebrow.

After some time apart, it seems his in-law’s cultivation base has progressed quite a bit?

Little did he know.

Fang Zheng was also surprised.

Evidently, during their last encounter, He Zhong hadn’t been using his full strength; his current aura was much stronger than before.

To rise from an ordinary fisherman’s origins and ultimately become the Vice Sect Leader of the Exclusion Sect truly cannot be underestimated.

The two were each lost in their thoughts, traveling silently along the way.

Soon after.

The Escape Light descended on a mountain peak.

Three people were already waiting there.

One wore a raincoat and a bamboo hat, with white hair yet a youthful face, known as the famous Rogue Cultivation Master of the East Sea, Xiao Haisheng.

Another stood eight feet tall, covered in dense hair, his eyes transparent like fiery jade.

It was Fire-Eyed Lion Zou Yuan of Lanping Mountain.

The last was a woman in lavish garments, holding a duster, her eyes flickering with a hint of spiritual light.

"Brother Fang."

He Zhong extended his hand in introduction, finally saying:

"This is Bai Mingyu, Fairy Bai, Island Master of the Forty-Six Islands of the East Sea, renowned in the East Sea."

At the end, his voice took on a slightly serious tone, clearly implying that the identity of Fang Zheng with this woman was quite exceptional.

"So it’s Fairy Bai."

Fang Zheng realized, clasping his hands in respect:

"I’ve long heard of your great name!"

He indeed knew of this woman, the most favored female cultivator beside Lu Zhi, the Celestial Snake King, one of the Ten Celestial Demons.

Serpents are inherently secretive, and the Celestial Snake King even more so.

Moreover, Lu Zhi had a feminine appearance, enjoying the company of both men and women, with many partners around him, yet few were outstanding.

Bai Mingyu could be considered the only one.

"Fellow Daoist Fang’s reputation, I have heard quite often recently."

Unlike the rumors of a licentious demeanor, Bai Mingyu exuded an elegant aura and composed demeanor, resembling a noblewoman of a grand family.

"The Fairy jests." Fang Zheng laughed heartily:

"I only have a bit of fame in this Zhaonan Prefecture."

"Not so." Fire-Eyed Lion Zou Yuan spoke in a muffled voice:

"In troubled times, heroes rise. Based on past experiences, in recent years, those who achieved the Martial Sect, and the title of Master, eight or nine out of ten are major figures who stir the world’s affairs."

"Fellow Daoist Fang must also be one of them."

"I dare not." Fang Zheng shook his head:

"I only wish for a place to settle in this chaotic world."

"Though it is so, being in Jianghu, one often cannot help oneself!" He Zhong sighed with deep understanding:

"Especially now, as chaos looms over Zhaonan Prefecture."

"Master He." Bai Mingyu’s beautiful eyes moved, asking:

"Any news of the Yama Secret Realm?"

"Hmm." He Zhong nodded:

"The Nie Family has been pushed to the brink. Li Yingxuan and Baili Zhan haven’t dealt a fatal blow, as they’re waiting for the Nie Family to open the secret realm."

"Hmph!" Xiao Haisheng snorted coldly:

"Opening the secret realm would render the Nie Family useless, leading to a quicker demise. If they don’t open it, they can at least act as a deterrent."

"Haha..." He Zhong laughed heartily:

"If they don’t open it, the Nie Family cannot escape disaster."

"If they do open it, they might still use the items within the secret realm to make a comeback; the Nie Family is bound to take the risk."

Fang Zheng nodded.

The current intel he had was the same.

Li Yingxuan and Baili Zhan were pressuring step by step, yet hadn’t delivered the fatal blow, just forcing the Nie Family to open the secret realm.

Hmm...

The people before him were from all over the world, likely intending to seize a share as well.

"Fellow Daoist Fang."

Fire-Eyed Lion Zou Yuan extended a large hand, an item appearing in his palm:

"I’ve brought the item."

"This item is called the Separation Alloy Wheel, acquired by Zou in his younger years from an elder’s legacy mansion. It can emit Separation and Union Divine Light, capable of shattering everything, a treasure for attack and defense, but controlling it demands a strong body."

"The greater the power and higher the cultivation base, the stronger its potency, and vice versa."

With that, he tossed the item over.

Fang Zheng reached out to catch it, simultaneously taking out the Cyan Rope Sword, presenting it in return.

"Swish!"

Zou Yuan took the Cyan Rope Sword, pouring pure mana into the flying sword, immediately feeling a blood-bond connection.

Rejoicing inwardly, he performed a finger technique and pointed forward.

"Twang..."

The flying sword emitted a vibrating sound, and the sword’s light magnified, carving a long sword mark through the dense clouds in full view.

"Swish!"

"Swish swish!"

The cyan sword light flickered in mid-air, shredding the clouds into fragments in the blink of an eye.

The chilling sword intent lingered in the air, and the creatures within a few miles fell silent.

This sword technique...

Even surpasses Mad Daoist!

Fang Zheng’s heart raced; no wonder Zou Yuan was willing to trade his prized possession for a Treasure Sword.

Truly terrifying!

A mere Martial Sect Sage, before this Sword Control Technique, wouldn’t last more than a few encounters.

This scene not only alarmed Fang Zheng inwardly but also caused the expressions of others present to shift repeatedly.

Clearly,

the prowess of Zou Yuan’s Sword Technique exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Fang Zheng collected his thoughts, channeling True Qi into the Ruyi Golden Wheel.

Since Zou Yuan had previously cleansed it of internal mana, this treasure was now unclaimed, requiring only a little refining to be used effortlessly.

The golden wheel, palm-sized, consisted of inner and outer crescent shapes, with the outer edge bearing numerous sharp teeth.

"Buzz..."

As True Qi infused it, the golden wheel trembled suddenly, then transformed into a streak of golden light shooting towards a distant mountain peak.

The next instant.

"Boom!"

The mountain’s giant rock exploded, scattering debris in all directions.