Chapter 69.2: Breaking Through the Profound Gate of Life and Death; Ascending to the Divine Strength Realm! (II)

Whoosh!

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes and punched forward, and the air burst with a sharp crack. His body trembled slightly, and in that moment, he vividly felt his strength surge once again.

I've completed the First Transformation!

His lips curled into a faint smile, and he immediately invoked his Status Panel.

𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

[Status Panel]

Host: Lu Changsheng

Perception: 581 (Hidden Dragon in the Abyss)

[Skills]

Layered Peaks Divine Strength Art: Perfection

Divine Dragon Transformation: First Transformation

Nine-Character Thunder Chant: Perfection (Incomplete)

Lu Changsheng's smile widened when he saw that he had pushed the Layered Peaks Divine Strength Art to Perfection. In truth, the art had perfected itself the moment he stepped into the Divine Strength Realm. His Perception also increased by ten points, and with that boost, the art was now firmly ranked as a tenth-tier martial art.

From this point on, if he wished to reach the Hundred Cauldrons Stage of the Divine Strength Realm, he would have to rely on secret techniques to strengthen his body and push it into a new round of metamorphosis. Without the correct secret technique, he would remain trapped in the first stage, unable to advance.

Aside from the Divine Strength Art, what captured his attention most was Divine Dragon Transformation. As expected, the First Transformation had already been finalized.

The First Transformation increased his body's raw strength by thirty percent. With a base strength of twenty cauldrons, activating it fully would allow Lu Changsheng to erupt with twenty-six—about sixty percent of the strength of an ordinary Divine Strength martial artist.

Lu Changsheng stared at his Status Panel in awe.

All this strength from just the First Transformation. The Second and Third are going to be far more terrifying.

But with my current physical condition, I can only sustain the First Transformation. Completing the subsequent transformations requires external means. I can't just rely on Perception alone.

Lu Changsheng's extraordinary Perception allowed him to quickly grasp the Divine Dragon Transformation. Most martial artists would have to dedicate months, or even years, to this technique, but in just two hours, Lu Changsheng understood the technique allowed him to mobilize my muscles, bones, and organs to unleash explosive power. Even so, no amount of Perception could replace the enhancement provided by external materials.

What he needed for the Second and Third Transformations was a substance known as ancient rock resin, and he needed a large amount of it. Although he had never seen it before, he was certain that he could discover its location by asking around.

Lu Changsheng stayed home for several days, focusing on stabilizing the Divine Strength Realm and familiarizing himself with its capabilities. Eventually, he made his way back to Miaoren Hall.

Along the way, he noticed that the streets had changed. The number of refugees had decreased significantly, and many of the people he passed wore faint smiles. Curious, he stopped a few passerbys to ask what had happened. Their answers were all the same.

A hero known as the Great Hero Zhuang had slain the Thirteen Riders of the Great Desert and wiped out the bandits.

He had cut down hundreds of vicious bandits all by himself, making the roads safe again for people to return to their hometowns. While many speculated about the identity of this hero, no one knew who he truly was.

This news brought a faint smile to Lu Changsheng's face. He went on his way in a far better mood, knowing that Nanyang City had regained its peace.

When he arrived at Miaoren Hall, he was greeted by the sight of an excited Wang Ruhai.

"Xiaohe Village has been avenged by the Great Hero Zhuang!" Wang Ruhai exclaimed, walking quickly toward Lu Changsheng.

He let out a sigh. "But it's a pity that this hero comes and goes without a trace. No one has managed to track him down. If I ever met him, I would fall to my knees and kowtow to him on the spot, just to thank him properly." His voice thickened with emotion, never suspecting that the very man he wanted to bow to was standing right in front of him.

"Physician Wang, have you ever heard of something called ancient rock resin?" Lu Changsheng asked.

"Ancient rock resin? Sounds familiar..." Wang Ruhai thought for a few moments. His face lit up. "Right! In the mountains near Gao Fortress, there is a peculiar local substance. Apparently an oil-like substance seeps out from the rocks there, and people there call it ancient rock resin.

"In the past, no one thought much of it. It was practically useless. But when the Blood Fiend Sect took over Gao Fortress, they seemed to have discovered some special use for this resin. Rumor has it that it can be refined into a kind of peculiar incense, so they have been mining it in great quantities. Physician Lu, if you want this ancient rock resin, you can ask the people over at Gao Fortress."

Although the Blood Fiend Sect had seized the Gao Fortress and wiped its old identity away, Wang Ruhai kept using the original name out of habit. Since the takeover, the sect had been unusually quiet. Apart from stripping the mountains for the once-worthless resin, they barely showed themselves at all.

"Thank you, Physician Wang." Lu Changsheng returned to his seat and quietly tended to his patients.

By dusk, he stepped out of Miaoren Hall. The sky had dimmed, but light hadn't faded entirely. Since the Blood Fiend Sect's territory lay close to Nanyang City, he decided there was still time to go.

He returned home first and disguised himself as Zhuang Shisan. Once prepared, he slipped out of Nanyang City and headed toward the Blood Fiend Sect.

Lu Changsheng had already gathered information about them. The Blood Fiend Sect had always been around in Nanyang Prefecture and was considered a major sect, though they mostly kept to themselves. But one day, this supposedly quiet sect annihilated the Gao Clan overnight, and not even Lu Changsheng could not grasp their purpose.

But now that he knew they needed the ancient rock resin to make some peculiar incense, and that the resin could only be found near the Gao Fortress, everything clicked into place. Seizing the fortress was simply a way to seize the resin.

When Lu Changsheng arrived at the fortress

"Stop!"

Two guards stepped forward, blocking his path. One of them narrowed his eyes. "What business do you have with the Blood Fiend Sect?"

"I've come here to acquire the ancient rock resin," Lu Changsheng said plainly. If they were willing to sell it, all the better. He certainly was not short on silver taels.

"Ancient rock resin?" The guards exchanged a puzzled look before shaking their heads. If you want to buy Ancient Rock Incense, that is possible. But we do not sell the resin."

"No, I want the ancient rock resin specifically," Lu Changsheng replied. "Name your price."

"We already told you it is not for sale!"

The other guard stepped forward. He warned in a sharp tone, "Say one more word of nonsense and you will regret it."

"You think the Blood Fiend Sect are mere merchants?"

Their expressions twisted into something cold and vicious. They were disciples of the Blood Fiend Sect, not merchants. If anyone pushed their patience, they would kill without hesitation.

Lu Changsheng frowned.

Seems like buying it is not an option. Fine, I'll just go to the mountains behind the fortress and collect some myself.

With that thought, he turned to leave.

"Heh, look at him. Dresses like a martial artist from the jianghu, but runs off the moment we raise our voices," one of the guards mocked.

"I honestly thought he would draw his sword."

"What, that shortsword?

Hah

, that thing's only good for cutting branches."

The guards did not even bother lowering their voices. After all, not many dared to provoke the Blood Fiend Sect. Those who caused trouble rarely walked away.

Lu Changsheng paid them no heed. Such mockery was common in the jianghu, and spilling blood over it would be absurd. After all, he was no bloodthirsty demon, not the kind of man who killed simply on a whim. Without a true conflict of interest, he would never take petty insults to heart.

Lu Changsheng went around the fortress and arrived at the luscious mountains behind it. Disciples of the Blood Fiend Sect were everywhere, patrolling with tight defenses. But of course, such measures could not stop him. He scaled a cliff on the other side, slipped into the trees, and quickly found the ancient rock resin.

The grayish-white resin clung to the rocks like hardened wax and gave off a peculiar, unpleasant scent. The Blood Fiend Sect must have mixed other ingredients to refine it into that peculiar incense.

Lu Changsheng did not hesitate. He drew back his fist and struck the rock directly.