Starting from the pharmacy, he grew into a martial saint among men.

After bidding farewell to Gu Jin and returning home, Chu Hong chatted and exchanged pleasantries with his parents, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

After finishing his meal, he returned to his room, opened the control panel, and intently examined his current martial arts foundation.

Heaven rewards diligence.

[Effect: Reflecting on all methods, diligent study and practice will surely yield results!]

【Hun Yuan Zhuang (Da Cheng) 3026/4000】(Convertible)

【The Return to the Void and Suppress the Sea Skill - Volume 1 (Beginner) 1/1000】

【Nine-Forged Fist (Mastery) 2389/4000】

【Swift Step (Mastery) 106/4000】

【Cold-light legs (Minor achievement) 268/2000】

【Void Palm (Beginner) 759/1000】

Iron Body Skill (Minor Success) 377/1000

Chu Hong's gaze fell on the three words "convertible" and he fell into deep thought.

Seemingly sensing Chu Hong's doubts, another message appeared on the panel a moment later.

[Martial arts techniques of the same type can be merged and transformed, inheriting their proficiency, but proficiency will be depleted.]

Should it be converted?

Upon seeing this message, Chu Hong immediately realized what was going on.

Ordinary martial artists need to start from scratch and practice hard to change their techniques, adjusting the circulation of qi and blood.

With the panel's support, he can directly convert proficiency and change paths, saving a lot of time and effort.

The slight losses incurred were insignificant to him.

With careful polishing of the chain afterward, the damage can be quickly recovered.

Having made up his mind, Chu Hong silently chanted, "Transform!"

In an instant, light and shadow shifted on the panel, and the entry for Hunyuan Zhuang gradually became blurred and slowly dissolved.

As a result, the proficiency level of the Guixu Zhenhai Gong skill increased significantly.

[Proficiency in the "Return to the Void and Suppress the Sea" skill +4026]

【The Art of Returning to the Void and Suppressing the Sea - Volume 1 (Minor Completion) 3226/4000】

Seeing these figures, Chu Hong secretly did some calculations.

Since he started practicing Hunyuan Zhuang, he has accumulated a total proficiency of about 5,500 over time.

However, after conversion and recalculation, the result is only slightly over four thousand.

In other words, a single repair job resulted in the loss of over a thousand points of proficiency.

Although the specific procedures are unknown, the resulting physical transformation is visible to the naked eye.

Chu Hong felt that after transforming into the Guixu Zhenhai Gong, his breathing became longer and deeper.

His muscles and bones were also subtly tempered and hardened, making his defense even stronger when combined with the Iron Body Technique.

What is most striking is the energy and blood throughout his body.

After a series of repairs, Chu Hong's originally nearly perfect Qi and blood seemed to have evaporated by more than half out of thin air.

However, upon closer inspection, it can be seen that his blood and qi are more refined and mellow, which is quite different from before.

He clenched his fist and found that his strength was much greater than before.

Chu Hong then understood why Xiong Zhen said that superior cultivation techniques had a stronger foundation for combat power and even recommended that he change his foundation as soon as possible.

The improvement was so powerful.

Thinking of this, Chu Hong felt deeply grateful to Xiong Zhen and Gu Jin.

Without their guidance and help, I would inevitably be constrained in every way if I went to the prefectural city, due to my shallow foundation.

At that time, finding such a method again would be even more difficult.

Even their own development will be affected as a result.

After a short while, Chu Hong calmed himself down and opened the "Seven Styles of Overlapping Waves" that Xiong Zhen had given him, and studied it carefully.

This sword technique is inspired by the waves of rivers and seas, with each move building upon the previous one, accumulating power layer by layer, making each move stronger than the last.

If one can combine all seven techniques into one, one can be so powerful that one can destroy mountains and split seas.

Its level is far above martial arts such as Nine Forging Fist and Cold Light Leg.

After studying it, Chu Hong's eyes were opened.

Only now did he understand why Song Yue had said that the geniuses of Qinglong Prefecture regarded the various counties as a wasteland of martial arts.

Because the top-tier martial arts foundation of Qinglong Prefecture is far superior to that of the surrounding counties.

They practice top-tier martial arts, so naturally they look down on the lower-level counties.

And because of this, they looked down on martial artists from county towns, considering them all to be peasants.

Chu Hong pondered for a moment, calmed his mind, and prepared to go into seclusion for intensive cultivation.

In the days that followed, he practiced standing meditation, boxing, and swordsmanship every day without fail.

His martial arts proficiency increased day by day.

-----------------

At the same time, Yunxi County also ushered in a major reshuffle.

Two days after Xiong Zhen left, he secretly returned.

The Commander-in-Chief, in conjunction with the Yunxi Army, launched a comprehensive crackdown on families, martial arts schools, and other forces colluding with the Wuyou Sect, based on previously verified leads.

The Zhao family and Wang family in the inner city, the Qin family in the outer city, the Songhua Martial Arts School, the Black Tiger Gang, and many other forces were all eradicated without exception.

This battle completely reshuffled the power structure in Yunxi.

During this period, forces such as the Song family, Dawei Escort Agency, and even the Sanhe Gang seized the opportunity to expand and devour, reaping huge profits and becoming increasingly powerful.

Many previously unknown individuals also seized this opportunity to rise to prominence.

For example, Tang Sinian used his position as a secret agent to obtain a legitimate official position, which greatly increased his family's status, and he even married three wives and concubines.

The Chu family also benefited from this.

Chu Jianghe had a long-term vision; he had been making preparations ever since Chu Hong quietly revealed the information.

Once the big event occurred, he immediately used Chu Hong's fame and achievements to open a large pharmacy in the inner city.

He also single-handedly unified three pharmacies that had been raided, creating a powerful and highly profitable operation.

Meanwhile, the Chu family moved into a large mansion and bought servants to serve them, living a peaceful and worry-free life.

However, amidst such tremendous opportunities, a heavy worry weighed on Chu Hong's mind.

After obtaining his official title, he asked Magistrate Huang to mobilize resources to find his elder brother, Chu Tian.

If my elder brother were still alive, he could be brought back home by virtue of his achievements, so that I wouldn't have to suffer outside.

However, the results of Magistrate Huang's investigation were disheartening.

The conscription order was not issued by Yunxi, but by Qinglong Prefecture.

Furthermore, the conscription officer was also from the Azure Dragon Army, and Yunxi was not allowed to obstruct him in the slightest.

That's fine as it is.

However, on their way back, the conscription team was attacked by masked forces at night and abducted a group of able-bodied soldiers.

To cover up their crimes, the conscription officer lied and claimed that everyone had died of illness.

Since the number of soldiers captured was within the death limit, the authorities did not investigate the cause and simply attributed it to natural attrition.

Chu Hong's request became the trigger under these circumstances, even alarming Xiong Town and the Sky Patrol Division.

Upon tracing the source, it was discovered that this was not an isolated case, but rather occurred in various counties of Qinglong Prefecture.

The conscription officers sent to various places all encountered such "robbery" incidents. Some were openly traded with them for a price, while others were genuinely robbed.

However, since it was within the limit, they all tried to conceal it, thinking it was better to avoid trouble.

Although each team had few people, the total number of people robbed was quite large.

But when asked about the identities of those people, the recruiting officers stammered and none of them knew who they were.

Thus, the forces behind the scenes remain hidden, and Chu Tian's whereabouts are even more of a mystery.

This not only shocked the Azure Dragon Prefecture, but also cast a shadow over the Chu family.

The mother fell ill from worry, and it was only after Chu Hong comforted her for more than ten days that she gradually recovered.

Father Chu Jianghe became silent and withdrawn all day long, no longer as cheerful as before.

Although they had long believed that Chu Tian had died on the battlefield, there was still a glimmer of hope.

Now that the news has arrived, it is not what they expected at all; on the contrary, it is even more confusing and has made them anxious again.

Chu Hong saw all this and felt very distressed.

Although he had never actually met his elder brother, he was extremely close to his parents and couldn't bear to see them depressed because of it.

His resolve grew stronger.

"Once I get to the Azure Dragon Prefecture, I will definitely use the power of the Sky Patrol Division to investigate this matter thoroughly. I must find my elder brother's whereabouts no matter what."

"Whether I live or die, I must let my parents know something, so that they won't worry all the time."