Blackstone City.
In an uninhabited desolate mansion.
Fang Xi stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the unconscious Linghu Yang who had been put under the spell of 'Confusion Technique'.
This person's memories were truly a great treasure.
Not only the true strength of the 'Five Thunder Hand' martial artist!
There was also the method of 'Demon Seeding into the Body', as well as various secrets of Yuanhe Mountain, all of which made Fang Xi feel greatly enlightened.
"Unfortunately... the so-called 'Demon Seeding into the Body', using a martial artist's essence and blood, can only suppress it slightly... in the end, it will still turn into a completely irrational monster."
"Linghu Yang is like this, just a desperate move, or... trapped in the Demon Realm, completely hopeless, forced to fight to the death, right?"
"This person's determination to seek the Dao is firm, but unfortunately, luck is not on his side..."
Fang Xi fell silent, flicking a spark with his finger.
The spark landed on Linghu Yang, instantly turning into a fierce flame, engulfing him entirely, turning him into ashes...
Fang Xi paid it no mind, walking into the courtyard to start roasting Tai Sui meat.
While eating, the secrets of the 'Five Thunder Hand' from Yuanhe Mountain became clear in his mind like pearls, appearing vividly.
"The Five Thunder Hand, the main martial art of Yuanhe Mountain, even Linghu Yang only obtained a fragment... and through his description, I find it difficult to grasp the complete essence diagram, lacking the most fundamental - intent!"
The essence diagram of the Five Thunder Hand was naturally not on Linghu Yang, nor in Blackstone City, but in Yuanhe Mountain, closely guarded.
At this moment, Fang Xi was far from reaching that level.
However, he did not feel at a loss.
After all, his foundation was not the authentic martial arts of Yuanhe Mountain!
Relying on continuous mixed martial arts training, practicing other third-rate martial arts, he had barely covered his whole body with true strength, refining it to the bone!
Originally, it would take months or even years to generate true strength on its own.
At this moment, he only needed to accelerate this process.
Therefore, some of the tricks in the Five Thunder Hand were still useful.
"Stimulating different acupoints with true strength can accelerate the birth of true strength... ingenious!"
Fang Xi recalled a secret technique, his eyes brightening.
"Only at the peak of true strength can one attempt to cultivate it. A slight mistake could lead to paralysis or even death... I wonder how many people Yuanhe Mountain has killed in creating this secret technique..."
He devoured the Tai Sui meat, then stood up suddenly.
Rumbling!
Layers of techniques circulated around Fang Xi, terrifying true strength covering his whole body, making his joints crack like popping beans, his body gradually growing taller, as if transforming into some terrifying monster...
"At the peak of true strength, I have long since reached it..."
"Five Thunder Transformation, Big Dipper Refinement!"
Fang Xi shouted lowly, his right hand flicking several special parts of his body like dancing butterflies.
Suddenly.
His face turned blood red, feeling the acceleration of true strength within his body to a terrifying extent.
Even Fang Xi's body was slightly unable to bear it, blood seeping out from his pores.
"If Mu Canglong were to try this cruel training method, he would probably have trained himself to death halfway, because his foundation is insufficient!"
Fang Xi thought to himself, his spiritual consciousness inspecting internally, controlling the true strength throughout his body with ease.
He had an advantage over martial artists, being able to manipulate his body at the most subtle level, reaching the realm of 'micro-control', a convenience that even Yuanhe Mountain martial artists found hard to enjoy.
Moreover, Fang Xi had also taken Blood Qi Pills, breaking through the limits of the human body, causing his blood and Qi to surge again, a genius in the path of Qi and blood martial arts!
With these favorable factors stacking up, he could ignore many restrictions, progressing at a speed that even Linghu Yang would be amazed by.
As time passed by.
Half an hour, an hour, three hours later...
Fang Xi suddenly shook all over!
A layer of scabs fell off, revealing his white and delicate skin.
"True strength... achieved!"
His eyes lit up, feeling a special power emerging from his internal organs and bone marrow.
This power was a mixture of White Cloud Palm, Red Snake Leg, Iron Armor Technique, Heavenly Vision and Earth Listening Technique, and a small part of the true strength of the Five Thunder Hand, but completely different.
And... its intensity far surpassed true strength!
It carried a mysterious... vitality!
"No... not vitality, but the difference between true strength and true power. True strength can carry special attributes!"
Fang Xi looked at his right hand, circulating true strength and pressing it against a wall.
Crash!
The entire wall collapsed in an instant, the broken part twisted and tinged with a hint of black...
"The true strength cultivated by the Five Thunder Hand is called - Thunder Force. When struck on an enemy, it can slightly paralyze them, and even after reaching mastery, it can intimidate demons and monsters!"
Thinking of Linghu Yang's description, Fang Xi realized that what he had cultivated was definitely not Thunder Force.
"By mixing third-rate martial arts, achieving the status of a true strength martial artist, there are probably very few in the world... After becoming a martial artist, my true strength merges into true power, carrying the effects of various true strengths."
From the collapsed wall, Fang Xi saw the twisting force of the Red Snake Leg, the poisonous force of the White Cloud Palm, and even a hint of thunder force...
"In one strike, multiple effects can be carried!"
"This force shall be named - Mixed Element Force!"
Fang Xi nodded lightly, naming his new martial arts: "So... my current technique can be named Mixed Element Thunder Strike... well, let's call it 'Mixed Element True Technique'!"
He could clearly feel that under the Mixed Element Force, his originally somewhat fragile internal organs and bone marrow had undergone a new round of strengthening.
At this point, he could already compare to a second level Refiner, that is, a mid-stage Qi Refiner.
"At this stage, even Ling Farmer's spells cannot break through my defenses, and ordinary early to mid-stage Qi Refiner spells may not even be able to kill me with a direct hit... greatly increasing my survival ability."
"Finally... I can start crossing borders and trading with unscrupulous merchants."
Fang Xi's eyes reddened, almost shedding tears.
He practiced the Longevity Technique every day, but the progress was as slow as a snail.
However, Fang Xi was well aware that there was no future in martial arts, and he had to cultivate immortality!
Now practicing martial arts was just to quickly gain strength to secure resources for cultivating immortality!
"The fact proves that my choice was completely correct... practicing martial arts for only a few months, and I have gained strength comparable to the mid-stage Qi Refiner!"
"If I didn't practice martial arts, and focused solely on diligently practicing the Longevity Technique every day, I would still be at the third level of Qi Refinement, with limited progress!"
"Moreover... in the Southern Wasteland cultivation world, to advance to the second level of Refinement, you need at least hundreds of spiritual stones, how could I possibly afford that?"
"Now it's like earning hundreds of spiritual stones in a few months, a cause for celebration, a cause for celebration!"
Fang Xi looked up at the towering demon tree, his face gradually calming: "It's time to leave..."
If he waited for the demon tree to advance, it would truly be a disaster.
Thinking of this, Fang Xi did not hesitate, activating his body technique.
Swoosh!
With a light leap, he crossed five or six zhang in distance, landing on a rooftop.
"My body technique has improved significantly compared to before!"
Fang Xi nodded lightly, determined his direction, and headed towards the market area at the west city gate.
...
West City Gate.
After some time had passed, the environment here seemed even worse.
Every passerby looked like a skeleton, as if they would collapse at any moment.
Fang Xi covered his face, entered the market area, and saw the rising prices once again.
His heart remained calm as he arrived at Han Fatty's shop and pushed the door open.
"Brother!"
The shrinking mountain of flesh actually looked somewhat human.
Han Fatty wailed, as if he wanted to rush over and cling to Fang Xi's thigh, his voice tinged with a sob: "If you hadn't come, Old Han would have to resort to cannibalism out of hunger!"
"Hold on!"
Fang Xi waved his hand, somewhat surprised: "Didn't I trade a large batch of food with you before? How did it end up like this?"
"You're well-fed and don't know the hunger of others..." Han Fatty poured out his grievances: "I've already cut down to eating only five meals a day... and the key is that I still have a Tai Sui, I have a group of subordinates and family members to feed, this is the main expense!"
"Oh!"
Fang Xi nodded thoughtfully.
It made sense, Han Fatty alone couldn't support a trading shop in the black market.
Moreover, he didn't have the ability to cross over, not suddenly appearing in this world, so he must have family and friends to take care of.
"Brother, have you come... I have eight martial arts manuals here, all of them are top-notch, and there's also the 'Swallowing Heaven Technique' that Old Han himself practiced... I've brought out everything hidden away, each one only costs eight hundred, no, five hundred jin of food!" Han Fatty waggled five fingers, looking pitifully at Fang Xi.
However, Fang Xi shook his head: "I don't need any more true strength manuals now."
"What?"
Han Fatty was thunderstruck, his huge flesh mountain slumping back down, causing a small earthquake, dejectedly saying: "What do you want then? Even if you want my six concubines, we can discuss it!"
"Your concubines?"
Fang Xi sneered at Han Fatty, while secretly admiring him.
Some people, even in the apocalypse, can live very comfortably.
"My concubines are all like flowers and jade... especially Little Peach Blossom, she was once a renowned beauty in Blackstone City, I only need a thousand jin of food, this deal is a bargain." Han Fatty seemed interested, quickly introducing.
"Old Han."
Fang Xi's voice became calm and serious: "Let's skip the jokes and make a deal... do you want to leave?"
"Leave? Leave this Demon Realm?" Han Fatty's eyes narrowed, squeezed by the surrounding fat to only a slit.
But from that slit, a dangerous light shone: "You can leave? Is it through that swindler Linghu Yang's channel? What do you want?"
"Don't worry, I'm not Linghu Yang." Fang Xi secretly admired Han Fatty's well-informed nature.
He only found out that Linghu Yang was a swindler after putting him under the Confusion Technique.
Even with his transformation into a half-demon due to Demon Seeding, the chances of leaving the city were only fifty-fifty!
"I just want something from you, and I'll take you out!" Fang Xi's gaze sharpened: "It's... the Tai Sui!"
"Bold, daring to ask for Old Han's lifeblood!"
Han Fatty roared, a terrifying blood aura rising.
The entire flesh mountain moved, turning into a fist like Mount Tai pressing down!
(The end of this chapter)