Chapter 40: Momentum, Intent, and Heart!

Returning home, Luo Zhou let out a long sigh.

Why is life so difficult?

He had finally killed all the Moth Demons, and it was supposed to be over, but now this business of searching for the Holy Son had cropped up.

When would it ever end? He hadn't even grown up yet; he was still just a child. He wished life wouldn't toss him around so much.

This time, there was no takeout; he had to cook for himself.

He got five pounds of the best clean pork ribs and one pound of bok choy.

There was no need for elaborate preparation for pork ribs and bok choy. He chopped the ribs into pieces, blanched them in water, and then started simmering them over high heat.

Once they were cooked until tender, he added the bok choy. The rib soup turned as white as milk!

Five pounds of ribs was nothing to Luo Zhou; if he really wanted to feast, he could finish seven pounds.

Luo Zhou looked at the delicious bok choy and pork rib soup, ready to dig in.

Unexpectedly, someone came knocking at his door.

The visitor was Cheng Wanli.

"Captain, why are you here?"

For Cheng Wanli to come at this time, something was bound to be happening. Since he had become the Sect Leader, Luo Zhou hadn't even been able to see him!

"Xiao Zhou, I've come to say goodbye."

"Ah, what? Goodbye?"

"Xiao Zhou, something happened to me a while ago. After I became the leader of the Dragon Fang Gang, I made it a point to befriend the Second Steward of the City Lord's Manor. We intended to join forces to open a restaurant and seize control of the lucrative crocodile dragon meat trade. Everything was going well, without any issues. We were suppressing all the other factions selling crocodile dragon meat. But unexpectedly, Princess Fang Ningshuang of the City Lord's Manor suddenly regained consciousness during her final moments. In that half-day of clarity, she acted with great force, purging the long-standing grievances of the City Lord's Manor. She directly beat the City Lord's two concubines to death and crippled the corrupt Second Steward. Because of this, I lost my backing, and the other crocodile dragon meat factions retaliated against me. Fortunately, the City Lord remembered my goodwill and helped me out. However, my Dragon Fang Gang has already disbanded, and I must leave Cuiling City."

Back then, when Cheng Wanli had stopped selling crocodile dragon meat, Luo Zhou had sensed that something was wrong. He just hadn't expected it to turn out like this...

Fang Ningshuang had done a lot of things in that half-day of clarity!

"Captain, where are you going after this?"

"The City Lord showed me kindness and arranged for me to work for the Fengtian Fang family in the provincial capital. Most of the brothers from the gang have left with me. Before leaving, I came to see you and say goodbye!"

"Lu Yue, Zhang Chuan, Uncle Cheng Yu—they're all going with you?"

"Yes, we live and die together!"

Luo Zhou nodded. After a moment of thought, he took out ten spirit stones and handed them to Cheng Wanli.

"Captain, safe travels. This is just a small token of my appreciation."

"No, no need, I only came to say goodbye..."

"Captain, we are family; there's no need to be so formal. I only give what I have!"

Cheng Wanli wanted to say something, but finally let out a long sigh and accepted the ten spirit stones.

The two chatted for a while longer and shared a meal of pork ribs and bok choy.

After eating their fill, Cheng Wanli cupped his hands in farewell and departed. This parting might mean they would never meet again for the rest of their lives!

Once Cheng Wanli had walked far away, Luo Zhou returned to tidy his room and discovered a small pouch on the table.

It was made of gray cloth and looked very ordinary. However, Luo Zhou frowned and picked it up to examine it closely.

A Qiankun Bag!

A type of storage bag specifically designed for Body Tempering stage cultivators.

While standard storage bags require a Qi Refining stage cultivator to input true qi to open them, a Qiankun Bag does not. It can store items using a verbal command, making it perfect for Body Tempering stage cultivators who lack true qi.

The command was written directly on the bag, visible at a glance.

Looking at Cheng Wanli's return gift, Luo Zhou was overcome with emotion.

He tried reciting the command: "Dragon Fang."

Instantly, the Qiankun Bag opened. Feeling it carefully, he sensed a small storage space inside. It was a space measuring three feet in length, width, and height.

Though the space wasn't large, such bags couldn't be bought in the Cuiling City spirit markets; one had to go to the markets in the provincial capital, Fengtian, where they cost at least ten spirit stones.

Luo Zhou tested it repeatedly and liked it very much.

In truth, the people he had killed all carried storage bags, but Luo Zhou hadn't dared to touch them, fearing trouble. With a Qiankun Bag, he finally felt like a true cultivator.

He took out all his spirit stones and placed them in the bag. He currently had thirty-one spirit stones left; he had spent quite a lot on talismans recently and on the stones he gave to Cheng Wanli. He also had three thousand five hundred broken spirit fragments and one hundred thirty taels of silver.

He also put in two sets of clean clothes, dry rations, a water gourd, and some essential daily necessities.

After thinking for a moment, he went to Old Wang's house to retrieve his thirteen Dragon Slaying Spikes and placed them in the Qiankun Bag as well. He couldn't bear to part with them, and since he had already inspected them, they should be safe inside.

Once everything was settled, he began his cultivation.

He first practiced the Five Great Body Tempering Methods of the Great Zhou, followed by the River-Turning and Sea-Treading Fist and Palm.

After finishing the Five Great Body Tempering Methods, Quan Zhi suddenly spoke

"Luo Zhou, I have found a problem with your Body Tempering methods."

Luo Zhou was startled and asked, "What problem?"

"They possess form, but lack essence. When you practiced the River-Turning and Sea-Treading today, you didn't break through a bottleneck; you didn't even approach one. I will need to observe for a while longer before I can perceive the bottleneck of the Body Tempering methods. However, I have a suggestion!"

"What suggestion?"

"I perceive that the so-called White Yang is the White Ape. The Azure Profound is the Azure Python, the Purple Cloud is the Vermilion Bird, the Brown Scale is the Earth Dragon, and the Black Nether is the Black Tortoise. You can buy a green snake to simulate the Azure Python; buy a sparrow to mimic the Vermilion Bird; buy a lizard to mimic the Earth Dragon; and buy a turtle to mimic the Black Tortoise. As for the White Ape, try to see if you can buy a monkey. The more similar the imitation, the faster you will cultivate and the stronger your power will become."

Luo Zhou nodded and said, "I understand!"

He was a man who took advice; if it sounded reasonable, he acted on it immediately.

"What happened with my breakthrough of the River-Turning and Sea-Treading bottleneck today?"

"To break such a bottleneck, you must first understand its technique—every strength and weakness of the River-Turning and Sea-Treading Fist and Palm must be in your heart. Then, you must master its method, practicing until you have reached a level of true proficiency. Finally, you must merge it with your body; once you have complete mastery, you must erase the traces of artificial training so that the movements and patterns become perfectly suited to you. Only then can you feel the bottleneck! Only by feeling the bottleneck can you break it. After breaking a bottleneck, you gain three layers of benefits: Momentum, Intent, and Heart. I can confirm that you have already obtained the Combat Momentum of the River-Turning and Sea-Treading Fist and Palm!"

"What is Combat Momentum?"

"Breaking a bottleneck allows you to control its momentum! After breaking through, you can faintly form a momentum of heaven and earth. Every palm and fist feels like an inevitable force of nature that cannot be resisted; this is called controlling the momentum. To use the terms from your previous life's games, it is like having a status buff applied to you, increasing your power by thirty percent to infinity compared to normal! It is not just fists and palms that have Combat Momentum; spellcasting has Spell Momentum, and sword control has Sword Momentum."

Luo Zhou nodded and performed the River-Turning and Sea-Treading Fist and Palm once more. Indeed, he could vaguely feel a powerful, irresistible momentum within his strikes.

"Quan Zhi, what are the Heart and Intent you mentioned?"

"I have not yet mastered Heart and Intent. I need you to accumulate knowledge so that I can perceive them. I can currently master certain types of knowledge through external channels such as Heavenly Knowledge, Earthly Knowledge, Life Knowledge, Death Knowledge, Divine Knowledge, Spiritual Knowledge, Heart Knowledge, Perception, Cognition, and Awareness."

"Understood! We will work hard together!"

The next morning, Luo Zhou got up and headed straight for the Flower, Bird, Fish, and Insect Market.

Once he arrived, he got to work.

First, he bought five birds and four lizards. Then, he bought five small turtles, and finally, six green snakes.

Having bought them, Luo Zhou didn't know how to raise them. He would need to feed them and clean up their waste, so he hired a small worker from the market. The worker would be paid six hundred copper coins a month to visit Luo Zhou's house three times a day to feed the pets, clean their waste, and tend to them.

Luo Zhou would pay for the pet food separately; he would simply observe them to comprehend the mysteries of the Five Great Body Tempering Methods.

Unexpectedly, while he was buying the pets, a commotion broke out at a nearby shop.

A husband and wife were arguing incessantly. In truth, it wasn't an argument, but the husband hitting his wife. It was unclear what the issue was, but the man was striking the woman, who was wailing loudly. However, he wasn't using any real strength; calling it a fight was an exaggeration—it looked more like flirtatious bickering.

Luo Zhou glanced over and noticed the surrounding merchants seemed quite used to it.

Suddenly, he heard a mental cry

"Sigh, why are they making a scene again? A bunch of ants, making such a racket every day, it's so annoying!"

The market was crowded; he had no idea whose telepathic voice that was!

Luo Zhou's eyes lit up. Free merit!

He strode over and let out a roar: "Stop it!"

"In broad daylight, under the clear heavens, how can you hit someone like this!"

He didn't hold back and grabbed the man. The man tried to resist, but Luo Zhou held him down firmly as if in a dream, and then delivered a kick to his backside.

Luo Zhou wanted to say more, but unexpectedly, the woman being "hit" picked up a broom and started swinging it at him.

"Where did this brat come from, daring to hit my old man!"

Luo Zhou casually snatched the broom away and gave her a gentle push.

Both the husband and wife had been dealt with; the act of punishing evil was complete!

Luo Zhou asked hesitantly, "Was he hitting you again?"

"I was helping you!"

"I was willing! Now, let my old man go immediately."

"If you hurt my old man, I won't let you off!"

Luo Zhou let go and kept backing away.

The nearby merchants watching the spectacle burst into laughter.

"Children are just children, they don't understand. They were just flirting!"

"A hit is a sign of affection, a scolding is a sign of love! This is hilarious!"

Luo Zhou put on a look of confusion and turned to leave.

As he turned, he smiled. No matter what they thought, he had secured a piece of merit!

It was a pity there were too many people and he couldn't find the person who had sent the mental message; otherwise, he might have been able to utilize them.