Chapter 18

Name: Su Changkong (16 years old)

Lifespan: 75 years

Potential Value: 11 points

Martial Arts Mastery: Five Animal Frolics (Tier 6, Reach the pinnacle 1%), Iron Cutting Blade Technique (Tier 5, Stand out 7%), Turtle Breath Technique (Tier 4, Mastering Stage 2%)

Skills Mastery: Forging (Tier 5, Stand out 4%)

Su Changkong opened his attribute panel, and indeed, the Five Animal Frolics had broken through from Tier 5 to the Reach the pinnacle realm of Tier 6!

In terms of lifespan, the breakthrough of Five Animal Frolics, along with the Turtle Breath Technique practiced until True Qi naturally generated, and the combination of Health-preserving Fist and Health-preserving Fist Qi Skill, brought about such an improvement that Su Changkong’s lifespan had increased by a full 15 years compared to a year ago, and his potential value had broken through the significant threshold of 10 points, reaching 11 points!

Su Changkong could feel that his mind was clearer, his thoughts more agile, and his senses had astonishingly enhanced to an incredible degree. Even as fine snowflakes drifted down from the sky, Su Changkong could distinctly sense the trajectory of each flake falling with his eyes closed.

The breakthrough of Five Animal Frolics, stepping into the Reach the pinnacle realm, induced a certain metamorphosis in Su Changkong’s body!

The most direct change was that Su Changkong’s appetite had greatly increased!

“I’m so hungry… My appetite has more than doubled from before!”

At mealtime, Su Changkong took a steamed white bun and, with a bowl of vegetable soup, took big bites and swallowed voraciously.

The noticeable increase in his appetite was immensely satisfying for Su Changkong!

Fortunately, at Black Iron Manor, meals were included three times a day, and the food was decent, with soup, rice, and a certain amount of meat provided!

After all, the members of Black Iron Manor engaged in physical labor and wouldn’t have enough energy if they didn’t eat well.

After eating his fill, Su Changkong let out a comfortable groan and then entered the workshop to start a new day’s work.

“Clang, clang, clang!”

Su Changkong swung his hammer, beginning the forging process on the steel in front of him.

“My strength… has increased by a significant margin!”

Su Changkong’s expression shifted subtly, as he could feel that his physical fitness, which had been stagnant for quite a while, had grown noticeably!

This feeling was as if his body had entered a developmental growth spurt again—he had a ravenous appetite, and naturally, his physical fitness grew accordingly.

“Divine Strength Realm, I must have stepped into the Divine Strength Realm!”

Su Changkong rejoiced in his heart.

The Turtle Breath Technique’s manual contained an introduction to the realms of a martial artist.

According to the manual, the third level of the Body Refinement Realm is the Divine Strength Realm!

Upon reaching this level, one’s physique would grow once more, and their strength would rise sharply, reaching an extreme that surpassed the average person by two or three times!

The third chief of the Black Cavalry Gang, Chen Zhuang, who could smash open the heavy gates of Black Iron Manor with a sledgehammer, had the strength of the Divine Strength Realm or above!

Reaching this stage, ordinary people would seem as fragile as children in front of them—a single punch or kick could easily cause their bones to break and tendons to tear, making one an absolute elite among martial artists!

Su Changkong’s appetite had greatly increased, and his body had entered a phase of rapid growth, where his own strength was visibly improving every day.

This growth persisted for a month.

A month later, in the courtyard where Su Changkong lived, a two-hundred-tael stone pedestal was placed, which he had gotten previously to test and train his arm strength.

Su Changkong grabbed the iron handle of the stone pedestal with one hand and lifted forcefully. The two-hundred-tael stone pedestal was effortlessly raised, feeling as easy as an average person lifting a backpack full of books.

Huff!

With a swing of his arm, Su Changkong tossed the stone pedestal two or three meters into the air and then caught it with his hand, placing it back on the ground steadily. Such strength seemed inconceivable for a human body!

“My strength has almost doubled compared to a month ago!”

Su Changkong clenched his fists, his heart filled with amazement.

Now that his body had passed through the period of rapid growth and had begun to slow down again, Su Changkong, compared to before, had undergone earth-shattering changes. In terms of physical quality, there was nearly a twofold difference, similar to the gap between an adult man and a child!

The current Su Changkong could easily crush the version of himself from a month ago.

This is the Divine Strength Realm, where the body undergoes metamorphosis, and divine power is astonishing, strong enough to contend with cauldrons!

“With my current strength, I wonder how I would fare against the third boss of the Black Cavalry Gang,” Su Changkong mused about his own power level.

In terms of realm, Chen Zhuang had stepped into the Divine Strength Realm earlier than Su Changkong. However, Su Changkong’s advantage was his dual cultivation of both internal and external arts. Not only did he step into the Divine Strength Realm in terms of physique, but he also cultivated True Qi through the Turtle Breath Technique, achieving considerable mastery. Moreover, his Iron Cutting Blade Technique had reached the 5th level and stood out amongst the rest.

If there were a real fight with Chen Zhuang, it was not certain that Chen Zhuang would be able to beat him!

Of course, Su Changkong had no intention of provoking the local tyrants of the Black Cavalry Gang; he was focused on low-profile cultivation and strengthening himself.

A new day, as usual, Su Changkong entered the workshop to begin his forging.

To Su Changkong’s surprise, the workstation next to him was empty, the one that belonged to Yang Chao.

“Did Master Yang Chao take a day off today?” Su Changkong felt slightly surprised. In the several years that Su Changkong had been at Black Iron Manor, he hardly remembered Yang Chao ever being late or taking leave.

But Su Changkong didn’t pay too much attention to it, simply assuming that Yang Chao had taken leave for some reason.

However, this was not an ordinary matter!

The time came to the next morning, during Director Liu’s usual roll call.

“Haven’t Yang Chao and Li Erlang arrived yet?”

Director Liu frowned tightly, as two people were missing from roll call—Yang Chao and Li Erlang, both Forging Masters from Black Iron Manor who had disappeared since yesterday, without a single word!

Based on Director Liu’s understanding of the two, it was unlikely that they would be absent without good reason.

“Yang Chao and Li Erlang are missing? This is no ordinary situation! Everyone, pay attention! I will have someone check their homes! If anyone gets any news, tell me immediately!”

This matter also attracted the attention of Manor Lord Mo Tie, who informed everyone with a word.

“I hope nothing has happened to Master Yang Chao,” Su Changkong silently wished in his heart, praying for Yang Chao, who had taught him forging.

Even with the disappearance of Yang Chao and Li Erlang, Black Iron Manor did not stop operating, and everyone else worked as usual.

And in the evening, there was no small stir at Black Iron Manor!

“Ah! There’s a dead person! A dead person!”

A frightened cry rang out, drawing everyone’s attention.

“What happened?”

Su Changkong knit his brows tightly and set down his hammer, heading out of the workshop.

By this time, the entrance of Black Iron Manor was already crowded with people, all showing faces of fear.

Peering through gaps in the crowd, Su Changkong could see the scene at the center.

On the ground, there were pristine snowflakes, and atop the snowy ground lay a bloody human head!

The head belonged to a man in his thirties or forties, with disheveled hair, wide eyes, and a twisted, bloodied face—truly horrifying, leaving everyone pale!

Most people had never seen a dead body, let alone a blood-soaked head with eyes staring in death, something that could give ordinary people nightmares.

“It’s Li Erlang…”

As for Su Changkong, whose hands were stained with several lives, he was no longer the naive young man who would be scared by such a sight. He looked closely and recognized the face of the head, which surprised him.

It wasn’t just anyone’s head; it was Li Erlang’s, one of the missing people from Black Iron Manor. And now, he had met with a violent end!