Chapter 36: Setting Out for Treasure

With the bottle of a master-level martial artist, Zhang Ji now found practicing these martial arts to be incredibly easy. At the very least, achieving an introductory level was no longer a hurdle.

When he focused solely on one discipline, it took him only five days to master the basics of the "Snake-Style Fist," earning him a single essence. This meant that, at his current pace, he could reach the pinnacle of the "Snake-Style Fist" in just fifty days—less than two months.

Zhang Ji calculated that the time required was roughly the same as accumulating a crystal for his "Iron Body Technique." He typically gained a crystal for the "Iron Shirt Technique" in about five days as well. In terms of scaling, the two martial arts were comparable. In the eyes of players, combat skills of the same tier were often divided into star ratings, from one to nine, representing their relative strength. However, Zhang Ji no longer possessed the ability to view such data; he could only judge by the color of the essences within the Boundary Space. Regardless, the color of the "Snake-Style Fist" essence lacked the profound depth of the "Dragon-Style Fist."

After mastering the basics of the snake style, Zhang Ji’s physical flexibility increased dramatically. He could now perform specific yoga poses, such as easily kicking his leg over his head—a feat he could not have accomplished before. When under attack, he could fluidly utilize techniques to neutralize and divert force before launching a counter-snare. The snake style’s offensive repertoire consisted mostly of joint locks and grappling, though it did include an explosive move called "Viper’s Tongue." Yet, this move was far inferior to the integrated explosive force of the Dragon Fist; it felt as if the creator had simply included it as a "better than nothing" afterthought.

While practicing the snake style, Zhang Ji was also actively preparing for his first treasure hunt. He had already contacted Zhou Hao and, with the help of his sect, secured his travel arrangements. He would be heading out on October 20th.

The treasure he was after was likely the easiest for him to obtain at the moment. It was located in the Eastern Pole Nation, guarded by no overly powerful monsters, and required no frustrating puzzle-solving. Speaking of which, Zhang Ji couldn't help but curse the developers who loved their cryptic riddles. Phrases like "Where the Sun God gazes," "Hope hides within the shadows," and "Ordinary things bring ruinous calamity"—each riddle was more abstract than the last. If he missed asking a single NPC or lacked a shred of information, he would be left utterly blind. He hadn't solved a single one of those riddles on his own; he had relied entirely on walkthroughs. Yet, the items tied to those puzzles were always quite good!

He much preferred the wild treasure spots that could be cleared through sheer force. At worst, they might have a few traps or a couple of strong guardians. He would simply fight his way through and take the prize—simple and brutal.

On October 18th, Zhang Ji also achieved an introductory level in the "True Qi Nourishing Spirit Art" he had been practicing as a supplement. He now prioritized the "Snake-Style Fist," used the "Dragon-Style Fist" to refine his Yuan Qi, and utilized the "True Qi Nourishing Spirit Art" during his nightly rest to consume the stored Yuan Qi and nourish his spirit. It was a tripartite cultivation regimen.

Once he mastered the "True Qi Nourishing Spirit Art," Zhang Ji felt his mind sharpen significantly, as if a great burden had been lifted from his body. His use of various techniques became more intuitive, and he could even condense a small portion of his Yuan Qi into a needle-like point to be fired outward. Zhang Ji flicked his finger, and a needle of Yuan Qi, glowing with a faint blue light, shot out, leaving a two-inch-deep hole in the wall.

The improvement in his Spirit attribute provided an intuitive boost to his combat prowess. This level of control opened up possibilities for more advanced techniques, especially the one he had developed after receiving advice during his bout with Ma Rui. Zhang Ji called this move the "Wave-Stacking Strike."

It involved wave after wave of force, borrowing the opponent's momentum to recoil, and then, like a spring, adding his own power to strike back. Zhang Ji had tested it on his own; he could stack the force by himself using the reaction force of his own strikes. He could stack it up to five times at full power; anything more would cause muscle strains and internal organ damage. This was only possible because of his specialized physical training; an ordinary martial artist with the same technique would likely be limited to two stacks.

On October 19th, thanks to the "Qi-Replenishing Pill" and his diligent training, he finally obtained his second "Dragon-Style Fist" essence. On October 20th, with everything ready, Zhang Ji prepared to depart. He took a helicopter directly from Golden Hook Mountain to the airport. Upon arrival, he met Zhou Hao.

"Uncle Master Zhou," Zhang Ji greeted him with a bow.

"Why the sudden thought of traveling to Lake Gester?" Zhou Hao asked.

"I've been under too much pressure lately. Having finally made a breakthrough, I wanted to go and feel the nature," Zhang Ji replied.

"You really reached the master level?" Zhou Hao asked suddenly.

"I did," Zhang Ji nodded.

Zhou Hao suddenly struck at Zhang Ji with a swift, powerful whip-like motion. The strike was executed with perfect form. A previous version of Zhang Ji would have failed to react, but with his mastery of the "True Qi Nourishing Spirit Art," he could now perceive it. However, instead of dodging or parrying, he allowed Zhou Hao’s strike to land on his shoulder.

*Hum! Clang! Bang!*

The first sound was his muscles naturally tensing to absorb the force; the second was the sound of him releasing his muscles, causing the energy to rebound back to Zhou Hao; the third was the sound of Zhou Hao being knocked back two meters and crashing into a van.

"Uncle Master?" Zhang Ji was stunned. It was just a natural reflex; how could Zhou Hao not withstand it? He was a practitioner of the snake style, wasn't he? Wasn't force-neutralization his specialty?

"I'm fine, no harm done!" Zhou Hao climbed to his feet, grimacing, his expression unnatural. He walked up to Zhang Ji and said, "You kid, you really did become a master! How old are you?" As he spoke, Zhou Hao reached out as if to pat Zhang Ji’s shoulder, but hesitated and pulled his hand back, likely fearing he might be sent flying again.

Zhou Hao was also a Grade Nine professional expert. While a Grade Nine professional and a Master seemed only one level apart, the actual gap was like heaven and earth. It was a qualitative shift in essence. After his breakthrough, Zhang Ji had only sparred with Ma Rui and Li Long, so he lacked a clear understanding of his own growth. He had assumed his casual counter-strike would be trivial for Zhou Hao, but in reality, even his casual strike was lethal to someone of Zhou Hao's level.

"Uncle Master Zhou, I apologize! I just broke through and don't yet have perfect control over my strength," Zhang Ji said, though in truth, he had simply misjudged the disparity between their strengths.

"It's alright, it was my fault for testing you so suddenly. But remember, when you're out there, try to hold back. Don't take lives too easily," Zhou Hao reminded him.

"I understand," Zhang Ji nodded.

"I've already sent the supplies over; you can pick them up at the station when you arrive," Zhou Hao said.

"Understood." Zhang Ji nodded. At that moment, the boarding announcement played. "I have to board now. See you later, Uncle Master Zhou."

"See you!" Zhou Hao waved.

Watching Zhang Ji’s retreating back, Zhou Hao’s expression grew melancholic. He too had been a genius once; after all, no one selected as a direct disciple was mediocre. But after witnessing how even a Master could be easily killed by a thermal beam, he had grown decadent. No matter how hard one trained in martial arts, flesh and blood were no match for those weapons of war. So, he turned his focus to managing the sect's industries and developing its influence, believing that to be the correct path.

It wasn't until Li Long broke through to become a Master at twenty-five, with the potential to touch the legendary realm of a "Land Immortal," that the spark for martial arts was reignited in his heart. He still felt the hope was slim, but Zhang Ji’s appearance made him feel that he might actually live to see a Land Immortal emerge from the Five-Form Sect.

"Heroes emerge from the youth!" Zhou Hao sighed, then suddenly made a phone call. "Junior Brother Liu, yes, yes, I want a batch of Pulse-Cleansing Grass and Red Snake Fruit... Don't ask if I'm planning to resume my training; I know full well whether I can break through to become a Master or not! Just send them over!"

...

Shengling Province.

After stepping off the plane, Zhang Ji felt a slight chill. This region was further north, and by mid-October, the cold had already set in. The temperature outside was only five degrees.

Leaving the airport, Zhang Ji picked up his supplies from the station and took an autonomous taxi toward the outskirts of the city. His destination was a semi-tourist spot: Lake Gester, located at the heart of the Shengling Mountain Range. The lake spanned over a hundred kilometers, surrounded by primeval forests, at an altitude of over three thousand meters.

The place Zhang Ji was heading to was an underground karst cave near Lake Gester. In the game, there was a platform inside with a goblet embedded in it called the "Moonlight Cup." Its effect was to absorb moonlight and convert it into Lunar Essence. A single cup of Lunar Essence could restore a significant amount of health and stamina. Moreover, it could be used repeatedly, as long as there was moonlight. Of course, the most important thing was that, in the game, it was only guarded by a purple giant centipede with D+ level strength. To the current Zhang Ji, it was practically a free gift.

Soon, the taxi reached his pre-arranged drop-off point. The area was desolate, with nothing but the road stretching into the distance and patches of primeval forest on both sides. It was already a nature reserve.

Zhang Ji took his gear from the car and headed toward the mountains. He had calculated the distance; it was less than thirty kilometers to the cave. At his speed, even through the mountains, he could make a round trip in just a few hours. That was why he hadn't made a scene or requested a helicopter.

Deep in the woods, Zhang Ji moved with ease. With a single leap, he could cover seven or eight meters, and much of the rugged terrain was as flat as a plain to him. Occasionally, he caught glimpses of wild beasts in the forest, a testament to the Eastern Pole Nation's effective nature conservation. According to his memories, there was another beast with B+ level strength in another mountain range in the Eastern Pole Nation, guarding another treasure—a pity he couldn't covet that one yet. Even if the Eastern Pole Nation sent their military, it was doubtful they could secure it.

Lost in his thoughts, Zhang Ji had traveled an unknown distance when he heard the sound of running water. Following it, he found a stream. He traced it upward until the stream transformed into a grand waterfall over two hundred meters high. Lake Gester lay above that waterfall. Now, just past the rainy season, the lake was overflowing, creating the cascade.

The underground cave Zhang Ji was looking for was nearby.