Cultivators Are So Weak in This World-Chapter 282 - 258 Hidden Hand, Part 2

In just a few seconds, the two intertwined their arms, changing moves abruptly whenever about to strike the other.

Zhang Rongfang did not enter the Extreme State nor use the Limit-Breaking Skill; he simply relied on ordinary martial arts techniques and physical abilities.

He was carefully experiencing the difference between the Super Grade Three Emptiness and other levels.

According to the Illusion Talisman Skill recorded in the Great Dao Teaching, internal techniques need to use five different methods to repeatedly reinforce the body, surpassing the level of External Medicine.

That is to say, External Medicine relies on medicine to strengthen the body.

Internal techniques, on the other hand, use different types of secret methods, utilizing different ways to stimulate and temper the body, removing drug toxins, and then further strengthening the body.

As for the Three Emptiness...

It refers to the state of Evil Substance Emptiness, Evil Qi Emptiness, and Evil Thought Emptiness.

In martial arts, anything detrimental to one’s healthy cultivation is referred to as evil.

Hence, the Three Emptiness means cultivating the body to a state of being free of impurities, perfectly harmonious, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Upon completing the Three Emptiness, one stands in the ring, using such a foundation to continuously attain victory.

Then, use the confidence brought by victory to stimulate the spirit, driving the Essence Qi to boil and rise, getting strengthened until this ascending strength is stabilized.

Ultimately, one becomes a Grandmaster.

After more than ten seconds.

A sudden, muffled sound.

Boom!!!

Zhang Yunqi and Zhang Rongfang finally truly clashed.

Their fists and palms met, both stepping back several steps simultaneously.

Zhang Yunqi’s complexion changed slightly; this was the first time he truly felt the results of Zhang Rongfang’s cultivation of Hard Skill.

At this moment, the hand he used for the exchange felt a slight sting in the palm, evidently with minor blood vessel rupture. It was somewhat swollen.

"Again!"

He immediately hesitated no longer, facial blood vessels protruded, whole body skin reddening slightly, muscle lines rapidly bulging.

Boom.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from the original spot, rushing towards Zhang Rongfang like an arrow.

This was entering the Extreme State.

Zhang Yunqi hadn’t entered the Extreme State during a sparring session for many years.

Normally, he would only briefly use the Extreme State when encountering tricky Spiritual Veins.

But due to aging, such energy-consuming moves were avoided if possible.

After all, the body’s functions continued to decline.

Yet at this moment...

Boom boom boom boom!!

In the blink of an eye, the two exchanged dozens of moves.

Zhang Rongfang stood in place, arms rapidly responding to attacks from all directions.

However, after entering the Extreme State, Zhang Yunqi’s speed and strength far exceeded the previous level, making it hard for him to keep up.

Immediately Zhang Rongfang uttered a low shout, compelled to also enter the Extreme State.

His whole body slightly expanded, skin transforming to appear like gray-white stone, fingertips darkening like sharp blades, facing Zhang Yunqi head-on without retreat.

Boom boom boom boom!

This time, after exchanging over a dozen moves in an instant.

Zhang Yunqi abruptly retreated, whole body steaming, exiting the Extreme State.

He looked at Zhang Rongfang opposite with a complex expression.

"I can’t understand you anymore...."

"Why does Uncle Yunqi say this?" Zhang Rongfang likewise retracted from the Extreme State.

The two merely exchanged tentative blows, but even so, it had proven that at this moment, Zhang Rongfang in the Extreme State was no weaker than Zhang Yunqi.

This also meant that he had now reached the strength level of the Super Grade Three Emptiness.

"You clearly have been additionally cultivating Hard Skill and haven’t continued consuming External Medicine... but why..." Zhang Yunqi couldn’t comprehend how this Daoist’s lineage practiced.

No matter what, now he looked very strong. And in the future, he might become even stronger.

"Everyone has their own fate, why should Uncle Yunqi be confined to one path?" Zhang Rongfang felt good.

The martial arts of the Super Grade External Medicine from Great Dao Teaching is a facade used to conceal his true strength.

But for Zhang Yunqi, the two share common secrets.

So there’s no need to disguise too much. Otherwise, he finds it difficult to test his own strength or find a sparring partner for daily practice, which adversely affects real combat experience, causing more harm than good.

Now, with six layers of Iron Cloth Shirt along with a dozen-point increase in life, what it brings to him is a seemingly infinite vigorous physique.

The combination of two Extreme States with the Limit-Breaking Skill, when used simultaneously, previously he could probably only sustain it a dozen times.

But now, he can use it freely. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Five-Fold Heavy Mountain, he also tried, and after reaching sixth grade in Hard Skill, he could use it without harm.

This is the transformation brought about by the strength of the physique and the enhancement of life endurance.

At this moment, his strength, should it come to staking his life, is already no weaker than the Zhang Yunqi before him.

May even exceed.

And this has only been more than half a year....

"Young Master...." Zhang Yunqi watched Zhang Rongfang for a long time, finally taking a deep breath.

"I think you should settle down...."

This body, surely the bloodline produced would be far superior to ordinary people.

There was a slight halt to the smile on Zhang Rongfang’s face.

"About this... I have my plans."

After some brief responses, he quickly separated from Zhang Yunqi, returning to Agarwood Palace.

He also began contemplating the matter of marriage and childbirth.

Indeed, in the blink of an eye, he was already twenty years old.

At this age, many of his peers already had children who could run around everywhere.

However, whenever Zhang Rongfang thought of the scenarios he would face in the future, he had no desire for marriage or children.

He had long decided not to worship the gods, while over at the Celestial Treasure Palace of the Great Dao Teaching, his master Chongxuan had been waiting for his Cultivation of Literature to break through to the perfection of Refining God, reaching the threshold for a Spirit General to worship the gods.

This was trouble he had to face sooner or later.

Moreover... the Spiritualization Ceremony, idols of gods and buddhas, eerie Spiritual Lines, all of these indicated that the world was far from the peace and prosperity it seemed before his eyes.

Getting married and having children would do nothing but give him another weakness.

So this was the key reason for his continued endurance.

After resting for a while at the Agarwood Palace, soon, news from Li Guanyue of the Li family arrived again.

The first of the three conditions had been met.

Li Guanyue required him to get a new operation license.

As long as this was done, it would count as fulfilling one of the conditions.

And this, for Zhang Rongfang, was not difficult at all.

When he spoke personally, the Bureau of Commerce and Operations would naturally show him some respect.

In fact, he had worried that the Li family might deliberately make things difficult.

But on second thought, at Cituogang Port, if the Li family tried any tricks, they must not have wanted to live.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t agree, and if they did agree, they would have to teach earnestly.

With tens of thousands of silver notes and an operations license, it was enough to prove how much influence Zhang Jingrong had in Cituogang Port.

If they wanted to be cunning, the Li family would have to have the capability.

*

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*

Li Mansion.

"An operation license is for a caravan, and without a few thousands or tens of thousands of silvers, don’t even think about it! I reckon this time that Li fellow is bound to have some difficulty."

Li Guanyue knew very well that if he wanted to rebuild the fleet, he must reacquire the operations license.

But his connections were long gone. By commissioning Zhang Jingrong, leveraging that man’s network, he could save a lot of time and effort.

If he succeeded, it would be a great gain.

If not, he could take the opportunity to teach just some basic principles and get away with it easily.

Standing in the courtyard, Li Guanyue schemed with clear intentions.

"Father!" Suddenly his eldest son, Li Erchan, hurriedly ran from the gate.

"Father! That Zhang gentleman just sent this!"

Li Erchan handed over the item he was holding.

It was a piece of light red silk, with large clear characters written on it: Cituogang Operation License.

"So fast?!" Li Guanyue’s face froze.

He only somewhat intended to make things difficult for the man.

And to also take this opportunity to break the previous agreement, who would have thought...

"This is a good thing, Father! With this, we can rebuild the fleet!" Li Erchan was delighted, continuously flipping through the silk in his hands.

Li Guanyue smiled, took the license, and examined it thoroughly. Indeed, it was the same license he had obtained before.

"I didn’t expect him to have such influence...." Though surprised, he was still pleased in his heart.

"Since we’ve taken care of this, in any case, let’s stick to it. Go pass a message; is Zhang Jingrong’s person still around?"

"He is, Father," Li Erchan replied quickly.

"Then go tell him the second condition. Have him retrieve the ships I previously sold off at a low price! Back then, the West Wind was a good ship designed and overseen by me. If he can bring back the West Wind, I’ll count it as fulfilling the second condition," Li Guanyue declared loudly.

"But Father.... wasn’t the West Wind sold a long time ago?" Li Erchan asked in confusion.

Not only was it sold, but it was also hijacked at sea and went missing with the fleet that received it.

Li Guanyue, of course, already knew this, but he was essentially trying to make things difficult for Zhang Jingrong.

Failing to accomplish it would be the best outcome.

At that point, he could justifiably get away with teaching a bit of the basics and call it done!

Besides, the fact that Zhang Jingrong had such resources and wealth slowly led him to a new plan.

With funds in hand now, once the fleet was complete, he could leave Great Spirit anytime and start anew in another country!

By then, no matter what background Zhang Jingrong had, he’d be far away abroad, would he have to worry about being pursued?

Li Guanyue realized that the Great Spirit wasn’t aligned with him, suffering defeat after defeat here; going abroad to seek a new path might be better!

After all, he neither wanted to reveal martial arts nor did he want to let go of money and ship licenses for nothing.

In reality, from the beginning, he had already decided that the family-passed martial skills would never be taught to any outsider.

But Zhang Jingrong’s persistent show of resources and wealth made him feel that if he broke the agreement, life in Citong might not be easy.

So why not just go for a big scam, then leave for a distant place.

Just like the last time!

’If worse comes to worst, I’ll just delay mentioning the last condition or deliberately state something completely impossible.

In that way, as time passes, if it can’t be completed, I can’t be blamed either.’

Knock knock knock.

Suddenly, a faint knocking sound came.

"Is Master Li Guanyue here?"

A slightly androgynous voice came from outside the door.

"Go see who it is." Li Guanyue frowned slightly.

This voice had no impression on him, evidently a stranger.

His son Li Erchan quickly ran over, opened the small window on the door, and peeked outside.

Outside the Li Mansion, there stood a man, wearing a black hat, a black cloak, and a long robe with a mesh pattern underneath. He raised his face, revealing an odd smile.

"My name is Sun Dinglong, and I came to discuss a cooperation with Master Li Guanyue."