Martial arts ascend to the gods

Chapter 592 Insect Shell
"I still remember that day... that brilliant stroke of the pen. I was too young then to see it at all..."

"You need to learn from your predecessors. First, in the name of the greater good, make sure those who might support you are well-fed. They will naturally reciprocate and side with you. Once your position is secure, then focus on a specific area. Allocating resources is always one of the top priorities... Let the common people suffer a bit; they're used to suffering anyway..."

After speaking for a while, the old lady changed the subject and said, "However, too much was divided up too quickly back then, and there's not much left to divide now. Didn't Tianlong acquire some rich mine? It made the Zhao family take the blame. You can then confiscate it to the public to shut them up. You're the governor, and then you can privatize it again in the name of reform. You're in charge... If one or two ignorant fools try to defy orders, ha, for the sake of the bigger picture, then investigate thoroughly. How many can withstand an investigation... Also, do a good job of publicizing it so that people resent the original mine owner, and then no one will care who ends up with the mine..."

"By the way, some of our family's loss-making businesses should also be returned to the state at a reasonable price... We need to be ruthless and make tough decisions..."

Madam Zhao stood beside the old lady, gently massaging her legs with a smile, nodding frequently, her back hunched, looking as gentle and kind as kneading dough.

At first, Zhao Cong was dismissive of the old lady's words, thinking they were all old tricks. He believed that people were becoming more aware and had long since seen through those old tricks, and that using them again would put them at a disadvantage.

But upon hearing the rest, Zhao Cong secretly cheered.

After the old lady finished speaking, Zhao Cong held her hand, which was covered with age spots, and said with emotion, "It really comes down to the old lady. I was just worried about how to solve the mine problem, and your words were like a wake-up call! Grandma, I apologize to you. At first, I really didn't take it seriously, but after hearing the rest, I was convinced! Completely convinced!"

The old lady laughed so hard she almost fell over, pointing at Zhao Cong and saying, "You little monkey, you've always seemed so steady, but you're actually full of schemes. If I don't show you my best skills, you'll really think I'm senile!"

After finishing their meal, Zhao Cong and his wife left.

As she walked into the covered walkway, Madam Zhao stood tall with her head held high, her gaze indifferent. She had been as docile as a dough ball, but now she was as stiff as a rolling pin.

She turned her head and glanced at him expressionlessly, and the aunt behind her immediately stopped.

Madam Zhao, holding her son's arm, first lamented the deaths of Zhao Tong and Zhao He, then her gaze returned to its cold indifference.

“Tianlong is a bit temperamental, but he doesn’t deserve to die.”

"He heard that a large piece of spirit mist jade had been found in that mine. He took a picture and, without saying a word, didn't even go there himself. He put Tianfeng aside and rushed over to show it to me, asking me what style it would be made into in the future."

"They didn't have any ulterior motives? Of course they did, but when they came across a large piece of spirit mist jade, knowing I liked it, they didn't hide anything from me and said it was a birthday gift for your father."

"Tell me, isn't it our own children we trust most? Do you think those peasants would care about our family?"

Zhao Cong smiled and said, "You're right."

"Don't look down on your mother just because you've become the governor."

Zhao Cong laughed and said, "Mom! What are you saying? Do you think I'm that kind of person?"

Madam Zhao said, "In ancient times, you and Tianfeng would have been even closer relatives. That's not possible now, but you are still cousins. You should take good care of them and make sure no one bullies them."

"Don't worry, besides, I've cleaned up their messes countless times."

"Hey, that's nothing compared to what I've heard. I heard that mine might produce the Jade King?"

"I really don't know. I'll ask someone when we get to Rucheng." Zhao Cong understood.

Madam Zhao stopped talking about the mines and jade, and earnestly gave Zhao Cong some advice.

Zhao Cong, a high-ranking local official, was about to become the youngest member of the Supreme Court. He showed no impatience and obeyed his mother from beginning to end.

That evening, Zhao Cong and his father Zhao Hao talked in the study.

"Once you arrive in Rucheng, remember to use the excuse of exchanging ideas with the various races to visit the Tree People World... that person is preparing..."

"Also, remember, on March 15th, the day of the Grandmaster's Life and Death Arena..."

"As expected, once the great war begins, the Heavenly Calamity Envoy will use the Water Continent Demon City as their breakthrough point. Your most important task while staying in Ru City is..."

"The First Corpse Throne must not be lost..."

The next morning, Zhao Cong left Xiongjing and headed to Rucheng.

Zhou Leng spent several days cultivating at the Tree Man Base and saw Li Shenkong multiple times.

Moreover, I can sense that divine sword every time.

The two sides ultimately did not know each other, but they managed to become acquainted through nodding acquaintances.

Li Shenkong gets jealous every time he sees him.

After cultivating for a while, Zhou Leng left the room, bought some necessities, and headed out of the city to excavate ancient tree fossils.

Cultivation here is too slow. Only by consuming a large amount of ancient tree fossils can one quickly master the first level of the Star Phoenix Rejuvenation Technique.

Upon reaching the city gate, a group of tree people were seen approaching from a distance, their tree roots moving like snakes.

Several of the saplings seemed to be visiting the base for the first time, looking around with their heads full of lush branches and green buds, full of vitality.

Zhou Leng froze, staring at a sapling.

A fragment hung from a branch above the young tree-man's head.

The fragment resembled an enlarged piece of a silkworm pupa, with a brown, spiral-patterned bony shell, about half a meter long, and full of gaps.

Zhou Leng watched for a while, and an image of a giant silkworm pupa constantly wriggling appeared in his mind, sometimes burrowing into the ground, sometimes jumping, chirping, as timid as a mouse.

Finally, like fireworks bursting forth, it burst open into the sky.

Zhou Leng took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and walked up to the sapling.

Pointing to Xiaoyong's shell, he asked, "Where did you get this thing?"

The young tree people and the other tree people looked at Zhou Leng with curiosity.

The young tree-man was a little shy and whispered, "The elder said that this was a gift from a very, very good friend of mine before my tree-man heart was resurrected, and that I should keep it for the rest of my life."

"What's your name?"

"My name is Lush Roots".

Zhou Leng's eyes reddened slightly, but he smiled and nodded gently, saying, "Remember to protect your friend's gift."

"Yes!" Lush Root nodded vigorously. Zhou Leng turned and left, but after walking for a long time, he couldn't help but turn back to look at Lush Root and the broken insect shell on its head.

He turned around and strode forward.

Following the blurry old map, Zhou Leng kept running towards the flute forest he had visited before.

Although that place has been razed to the ground.

When they were still hundreds of kilometers away from the Flute Forest, a Grandmaster Treeman led a group of Innate Treemen and came head-on to meet them.

"Are you Zhou Leng, the ancient tree spirit?"

"Hmm, you can recognize me?"

"Your aura is quite unique."

"it's me."

"Excuse me, are you here to participate in the Holy Land Trials again? That might be several years from now."

"No, I came here to excavate ancient tree fossils." Zhou Leng didn't hide anything; they would definitely find out anyway.

"So it's for ancient tree fossils. Why don't you go to the 'Old Fertile Land'? There are far more ancient tree fossils underground there than in the Flute Forest. Although it's a bit far, the insectoids are scarce there, making it safer."

Has something changed in the Flute Forest?

"The Zerg have learned of the hidden holy site underground. We have already fought several major battles around the Flute Forest. The holy site is too important; we are willing to pay any price to gain the upper hand."

"need any help?"

"No trouble at all. By the way, before you advance to Martial Saint, remember to visit the Mother Tree and cultivate there; it will be very beneficial to your future."

Zhou Lengxin thought to himself that the tree-man was indeed hiding powerful abilities, as it was able to detect his advancement to Grandmaster.

Zhou Leng asked a few more questions, got a map, and left.

The tree people watched Zhou Leng's retreating figure and the dust he left behind.

The Grandmaster Tree Man sighed and said, "What a pity, such a talent, the martial arts path has been cut off."

"But... Elder, his aura is so strong. I am also a Great Innate Realm cultivator, but I have a feeling that he could shatter my tree trunk with one punch."

"That's why it's a pity. He doesn't have true qi, but his physical strength alone contains such terrifying power. If he could advance to the Grandmaster level, he would probably be no less than 'Son of the Mother Tree' Gray Scroll Beard."

"Huh? He can compare to Elder Graybeard? Elder Graybeard was able to match Tyrannical Blood within three hundred moves, making him the number one master of our clan."

“Very likely. But, in the end, the martial arts path has been severed, which is a pity... However, why do I feel that I can't beat him either?” The Tree Elder, who was at the lower Grandmaster level, fell into deep thought.

Zhou Leng ran along the map and entered a forest that looked somewhat familiar.

Passing through the forest, a brown earthen hill full of holes stands in front of you. A giant flying ant as tall as a person looks out from the sky, while other giant ants the size of cattle and horses crawl in and out of the holes.

"It's an old acquaintance..."

Zhou Leng calculated the time and realized it was quite a coincidence; it had been almost a year.

This means that the queen ant has replenished her radiant fluid.

Last time, half of the Blood of Tyranny was taken; this time, it's my turn.

Having learned from the previous experience, this time we've prepared multiple large-capacity magic bottles.

It can easily hold the brilliant insect juice of hundreds of queen ants.

As soon as Zhou Leng appeared, the flying giant ant emitted a piercing scream and the sound of its wings vibrating.

The massive army of giant ants charged forward as if they had gone mad.

Zhou Leng took out two legendary weapons: a long-handled broadsword and a giant horse-slaying sword.

He strolled forward, brandishing two weapons as big as doors.

In Zhou Leng's perception, these giant ant colonies that used to be a headache now seemed like slow-moving maggots.

Slow-moving and poorly prepared for attacks, they are no different from wild beasts.

Even if I were a giant ant, I would bite harder than them.

There is no need for true qi or stellar energy; it is simply the use of physical strength.

Wielding two legendary polearms.

In the past, Zhou Leng wielded his weapon with sweeping, powerful strikes, like a giant striking, fierce and unparalleled.

But now, whether it's a broadsword or a horse-slaying sword, the movements are gentle and smooth, like waves, rising and falling, always making small adjustments.

It can be either up or down, or it can be accelerated or decelerated, or it can be a diagonal cut or a straight cut.

With a single slash, he changed his moves twelve times.

The heads of the twelve giant ants were broken off.

At each of the twelve fracture sites, the ratio of the remaining neck position to the total neck length was exactly 0.618 to 1, not a fraction more or less.

Zhou Leng smiled.

After the battles and arduous training on the great battlefield, with the guidance of Shen Yunxian and the instruction of the Void God, his martial arts realm is now vastly different from what it used to be.

(End of this chapter)