Chapter 105 - 93: Profound Iron Body Refining Skill, Surely No One’s Going to Splash Blood All Over Me, Right?

Chapter 105: Chapter 93: Profound Iron Body Refining Skill, Surely No One’s Going to Splash Blood All Over Me, Right?

The breakthrough in his Spirit granted Zhang Ji more combat techniques, greatly enhancing his strength.

This was especially true for the Spirit Strike.

It could be considered his strongest trump card right now.

Since it was an attack that unified and unleashed the power of his entire body, its energy consumption was actually very low, yet its killing power was immense.

Once the Iron Body Skill advanced, the side effect of self-injury would be eliminated, leaving only a cooldown.

This trump card would make him nearly invincible among the B-level individuals on Origin Star.

He was ’nearly’ invincible because there were a couple of future Saint Kings who could withstand this punch.

But aside from those two, absolutely no other B-level fighter could take a punch like that.

...

「Time passed to May 21st.」

Zhang Ji had also gathered ten Iron Body Skill crystals.

He then performed the synthesis in the Limited Space.

The light from the ten Iron Body Skill crystals wasn’t as dazzling as the light from the True Qi Nourishing Spirit Skill crystals.

It had been synthesized all the way up from a basic martial art like the Iron Shirt Skill. By itself, it wasn’t particularly refined; Zhang Ji had simply forced it to this level with his unique ability.

At this moment, the ten Iron Body Skill crystals gradually merged into one, forming a single, pale blue combat crystal.

[Hint: Successfully synthesized Profound Iron Body Refining Skill (Excellent) Combat Skill Crystal x1.]

The crystal’s color couldn’t even compare to that of the Five Elements True Skill.

However, every art has its own specialty.

Although its overall magnitude couldn’t compare to the Five Elements True Skill, it was definitely superior when it came to Horizontal Training for strengthening one’s physical defenses.

With a flicker of his will, Zhang Ji absorbed the Profound Iron Body Refining Skill crystal into his body.

The next moment, he felt his body undergo another qualitative change, from the inside out. His cellular structure, muscles, and bones all transformed. They morphed into a structure that could better withstand impact and, at the same time, accumulate power more effectively.

Zhang Ji acquired the relevant memories.

Having mastered the Iron Body Skill, his Body Tempering continued, pushing even further.

The word "Refining" in its name was not merely descriptive.

He had literally refined himself with fire.

Leveraging the high-temperature resistance of Dela’s blood, he used intense heat to temper his body while continuously striking it with heavy objects. The combination of these two methods led to a breakthrough, forging his body to be as tough as profound iron and creating the Profound Iron Body Refining Skill.

Snapping out of the memory, Zhang Ji’s expression changed slightly.

He had always assumed that synthesizing new, higher-level combat crystals was simply a matter of extrapolating along the original path.

He thought his own physical state shouldn’t have had any influence on the process.

But now, it was clear that it not only had an influence, but a significant one.

This Profound Iron Body Refining Skill was practically a bloodline-exclusive combat technique.

Tempering the body with ultra-high temperatures and heavy impacts was one thing, but successfully tempering with extreme heat would be incredibly difficult to master without Dela’s blood. The difficulty would be immense.

’So, my own condition can influence the developmental path of the synthesized combat crystal to some extent?’ Zhang Ji murmured, a look of understanding on his face.

’That’s it. There are countless possible paths to the same destination.’

’You can take a plane, a boat, a car, or you could walk, or fly...’

’Different methods lead to different routes and processes.’

’And the results will be affected as well.’

’Take the Profound Iron Body Refining Skill, for example. It didn’t just enhance my body’s resistance to impact, it also made me more resistant to high temperatures.’

’The heat resistance was an additional effect.’

’Under normal tempering, I probably would have only gained increased impact resistance.’

’But now I have an extra effect.’

Understanding this, Zhang Ji had new ideas about synthesizing combat crystals.

’When I synthesize other crystals in the future, maybe I can try switching to different combat crystals and storing the others in the Limited Space. By putting myself in different states, I could aim for specific results.’

’For example, while under the effects of the Five Elements True Skill crystal, I’m enhanced by the Five Elements Primordial Qi and the Five Elements Stances.’

’If the combat crystal being developed is related, it would most likely take advantage of this enhancement.’

’If I want the resulting combat crystal to be more generic and easier to learn, I should probably store all my combat crystals.’

’The crystal I’d get then would probably be one based on a path I could have taken as an ordinary person.’

After making a mental note of these points, Zhang Ji began to test his current condition.

VMMMMMMMMMM~!

He exerted a bit of force, and his muscles instantly tensed. A continuous humming sound emanated from his body, vibrating ten times in a single instant.

He threw a punch!

CRACK~!

A sonic boom erupted. The power of this punch was formidable. While it couldn’t compare to a Spirit Strike, it had reached the B-level standard.

’Charging up is faster! The upper limit of what I can endure is higher, and the execution is smoother. This must be related to the Five Elements True Skill...’

The Profound Iron Body Refining Skill’s performance clearly wasn’t due to it alone.

The Five Elements True Skill also deserved credit.

Without the modifications from the Five Elements True Skill, Zhang Ji’s body wouldn’t have been able to mobilize its power so quickly, nor could he have unleashed it so easily and swiftly.

But more than this Overlapping Waves strike, Zhang Ji valued the increased physical strength granted by the Profound Iron Body Refining Skill.

With a flicker of his will, Zhang Ji’s Spirit particles once again dispersed throughout his body, entering a state similar to Spiritualization.

At this moment, the energy within him was transmitted with the aid of the Spirit particles, almost entering a superconductive state.

"Spirit Strike!"

Zhang Ji threw a sudden punch.

In an instant, all the power in his body converged on a single point before erupting violently.

CRACK! BANG! BOOM!

It was like a cannonball firing. After the punch exploded outward, the powerful recoil instantly shattered the protective shell formed by his Spirit particles. The remaining force slammed back into his physical body, but this time, it caused no cellular damage.

His cellular structure had changed, allowing it to withstand more damage.

The recoil sent Zhang Ji flying over a hundred meters. He then altered his Spirit frequency, and a current of air swirled beneath his feet, gently lowering him to the ground.

’I’m uninjured!’

Although Zhang Ji’s technique was still somewhat lacking, resulting in an incomplete Spirit Strike, his body was now tough enough to nullify the side effects, so it was no longer an issue.

His current Spirit Strike was a case of brute force over finesse; his technique was lacking, but his body was durable enough to handle the raw power.

After landing, Zhang Ji clenched his fist slightly, a wave of joy washing over him.

Now that he could withstand the side effects of the Spirit Strike, he had a reliable trump card.

Based on his current condition, he could unleash a Spirit Strike roughly every thirty seconds.

Most importantly, his body’s durability had also increased. Now, he could take a missile at point-blank range without any protection and, at worst, only suffer minor injuries.

’To escape completely unscathed, though,’ Zhang Ji thought, ’I’m still a little ways off.’

Next, he needed to get the Great Eater Skill. After that, he could return to the Eastern Extreme Country, enter the Vajra Gate’s Ruins Realm, and obtain the Vajra Indestructible Body Divine Skill. Relying on the Ark of Hope Ruins Realm and the boost from the Great Eater Skill, he could practice both techniques simultaneously. At most, it would take one or two months to master both the Great Eater Skill and the Vajra Indestructible Body Divine Skill.

By then, he would have shored up all his weaknesses.

The Eastern Extreme Country’s existing powers would be completely helpless against him.

And then, he could declare that the tide of the era had turned!

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

「Guning Country.」

"The investigation is complete," Hasting reported to the King. "The martial artist named Zhang Ji was in contact with Pretton for some time. He seems to possess an ancestral bloodline of extremely high purity. The Imperial Eye Guard felt the bloodline’s suppression before even getting within a hundred meters. We suspect Robby’s bloodline was successfully transplanted into him."

"Then it’s no wonder Falin hunted him down for desecrating the ancestral bloodline, is it?" Hick said with dawning realization. "We cannot allow the royal bloodline to be lost to the outside..."

"Your Majesty, you may have misunderstood something," Hasting said.

"What do you mean?" Hick asked.

"He may be a descendant of the ancestors’ lost people. It’s only because he underwent some modification that he now possesses a much stronger bloodline," Hasting explained. "The Imperial Eye Guard’s agents found ten other people at a club who also have a diluted ancestral bloodline. Our investigation revealed they are also former natives of Guning Country. Their dialect is a bit dated, and they use their bloodline naturally, which clearly isn’t the result of a modification. Do you remember that desert, Your Majesty? The ancestors decreed that we were not to disturb the peace there!"

"The Zenar Desert... So, Zhang Ji also has the ancestral bloodline, and Pretton just happened to find him? And Pretton modified his bloodline, giving it a purity comparable to the ancestors themselves?" Hick asked, his expression strange.

"There is no other way to explain it," Hasting said. "While Pretton’s Alchemy Skills are indeed superb, the ancestral bloodline is not something an ordinary mortal can bear. Only a descendant from the same root source would have even a slight chance of truly accepting the ancestral bloodline."

Hick nodded slightly. This was indeed the most likely scenario.

He pondered for a long time before finally asking, "What is your recommendation?"

"It has been too long. It is time for Zenar to return to the embrace of Mengtu," Hasting said. "Hatreds can be resolved, especially after so much time has passed. Since Zhang Ji was able to defeat Falin, let him replace Falin. We would gain an even more powerful commander for the Winged Guard."

From a practical standpoint, this was indeed the best option.

"Then send Hypnos. If Zhang Ji does not agree, capture him and bring him back by force," Hick ordered.

Hasting agreed with this.

They could not accept allowing a Demigod Level royal bloodline to wander free.

Therefore, if Zhang Ji refused, they had to capture him—by force, if necessary—and make him the commander of the Winged Guard.

They shared the same bloodline, after all. They could entice him with benefits and appeal to his emotions.

They believed Zhang Ji would eventually understand and agree.

They might even bring all of Zenar back into the royal fold.

This would be a significant boost to the royal family’s power.

As for Falin’s sacrifice?

He had disobeyed a royal command, traveling to Lanz on his own authority to attack one of his own kin. He got what he deserved.

Neither Hasting nor Hick were fools.

Falin hadn’t reported the incident with Zhang Ji immediately, choosing instead to act on his own. They both guessed that Falin had likely developed improper ambitions.

However, out of respect for the royal family’s dignity—and because the man was already dead—they didn’t mention it. They wouldn’t officially treat Falin as a traitor.

......

HISS~!

While checking on the growth of the Yan Fruit and Blue Bamboo inside the Ark of Hope, Zhang Ji suddenly shivered.

An inexplicable chill surged from the depths of his consciousness, making his body tremble involuntarily.

When one’s Spirit realm reaches a certain level, it becomes possible to have premonitions—to sense the autumn wind before it blows, so to speak.

One can vaguely sense when a threatening presence harbors ill intentions, or when disaster is about to strike.

Back when Zhang Ji played games, S-rank and higher NPC martial artists from the Concentration Sect who had mastered specific skills could even predict the future and anticipate their opponents’ moves.

However, Zhang Ji only felt a slight chill. His instincts told him it was just some minor trouble, more of an annoyance than a real threat.

"Someone isn’t planning on committing suicide in front of me and splattering me with blood, are they?" Zhang Ji muttered to himself.