Chapter 70: The Emergence of the True Body from the Flesh

As two more months passed, Li Zhi and the others frequently visited to check on the situation, but the green-clad puppet persistently barred entry, steadfastly guarding the Shanshui Residence.

On a day marked by clear skies, within the confines of the cloud and fog formation, the gigantic flesh orb began to dry up at a rate perceptible to the naked eye, transforming into sand.

As this sand of flesh dispersed, a hundred-meter-tall giant emerged within the formation. Its hand, still outstretched, held a sphere of life force extracted from the orb of flesh.

“From True Core to Law Manifestation, this transformation has exceeded my expectations,” Zhang Shen mused, reveling in the boundless strength coursing through his now exposed body.

Standing at such a colossal height, the surrounding mountains seemed mere hillocks in comparison.

He felt certain that a single punch could level these hillocks, and with his full might, he could reduce the entire expanse of the Ancient Covenant to ashes in mere moments.

“True Core nurturing Law Manifestation, the flesh birthing a true form. I had assumed reaching the Law Manifestation stage physically would manifest a Law body. This, however, is astonishing.”

Basking in this newfound, exhilarating power, Zhang Shen’s giant form gradually shrank, returning to his original stature.

“Thank heavens for the divine technique of Body Manipulation. Without it, handling such an enormous physical form would have been a problem,” Zhang Shen contemplated. 

This fundamental body manipulation technique, his initial and most crucial insight, had once again proven its immense value.

The Divine Body Manipulation, his core technique, was pivotal in his complete mastery over his body, enabling the development of his technique for Tenfold Burst.

His ability to harness life force was another facet of this bodily control, albeit not yet elevated to the status of a divine technique but still a significant skill.

This breakthrough, aside from the dramatic alteration in his physical form, also led to a deep, intuitive understanding as he connected with the cosmos during this pivotal moment of transformation.

Besides advancing his two primary physical divine techniques to the Law Manifestation stage, Zhang Shen had also mastered an entirely new physical divine technique. Like the others, this new technique was a further development of his control over his body.

He named it the Blood and Flesh Clone. 

This technique was exceptionally ingenious, crafted by Zhang Shen during a moment of profound insight, specifically tailored to his existing skill set.

“Getting accustomed to the new strengths of my body and this divine technique can wait. First, I need to sort out the turmoil that has happened in my absence.”

Retrieving a transmission talisman brimming with unchecked messages, Zhang Shen reflected.

“My unexpected absence seems to have worried them considerably.” 

He felt warmth in knowing others cared about him, far from being irritated by their concern. He meticulously perused the messages. 

“Their inner fear,” he softly muttered, storing away the talisman.

This was an aspect Zhang Shen had not predicted. His physical breakthrough hadn’t caused significant fluctuations in spiritual energy, but he hadn’t anticipated this kind of adverse effect. He recognized that their fear stemmed from his powerful presence impacting the environment, causing people to sense a shift in the natural order and respond with anxiety.

“I’ll need to be mindful of more than just spiritual energy fluctuations in my future breakthroughs.”

Zhang Shen exited the cloud and fog formation, leaving the green-clad puppet to watch over the disordered Shanshui residence.

***

Back at the Ancient Covenant headquarters, Zhang Yu, burdened with heavy responsibilities, had dark circles under his eyes. As he managed the Covenant’s affairs, he pondered deeply.

“If Shen’er faces issues in his cultivation that can’t be swiftly resolved, and we encounter True Core enemies from outside, we might have to resort to using the rough puppet. But that should be a last resort.”

Zhang Yu understood that a puppet, regardless of its strength, could never truly compare to a True Core warrior.

Once the news that the Ancient Covenant possessed a True Core puppet became known, those yearning for such a powerful asset would undoubtedly descend upon them like a swarm of bees to nectar. Such a puppet would be far more alluring than any True Core magical artifact, spiritual fruit, or herb.

“We should only use the rough puppet in the most desperate of circumstances,” Zhang Yu pondered. “If even the puppet proves inadequate in resolving the situation, we’ll be faced with a tough decision.”

A flicker of complexity crossed Zhang Yu’s eyes, a sign that he lacked the unyielding resolve characteristic of Zhang Tianlong.

“What’s troubling you, Uncle? Is there a difficult decision you’re wrestling with?” a voice suddenly broke through his contemplation.

Pausing for a moment, Zhang Yu’s furrowed brow relaxed as he raised his gaze to the man with tousled hair approaching him.

“It was indeed a hard decision, but fortunately, it’s been resolved,” Zhang Yu replied with a smile, choosing not to divulge the details. 

Zhang Shen sensed there might be more to the story, but he refrained from probing further. The two exchanged pleasantries, primarily discussing recent developments within the Ancient Covenant.

Everything appeared to be progressing smoothly. The recent settlement of two migrating families had stabilized, with the construction of their own town underway, albeit under the Ancient Covenant’s oversight.

Upon receiving the news, Li Zhi, Zhang Tianlong, and other senior members of the Covenant quickly gathered. Seeing Zhang Shen unharmed and in good spirits, their anxiety was finally alleviated.

“Don’t worry, I was just tackling a challenge in my cultivation and had gone into deep seclusion. It wasn’t a major issue. Such situations may become frequent in the future, so it’s better to become accustomed to them,” Zhang Shen explained.

Yet, Zhang Tianlong, Li Zhi, and the others seemed to take his words differently. They perceived that even with the resources of Hongyuan City, the Ancient Covenant, and the legacy from Li Yan, the reach was only up to the True Core stage.

Thus, after attaining the True Core stage, Zhang Shen found himself navigating uncharted territory, each step forward a journey of self-discovery and exploration. 

This path was fraught with dangers. The journey of cultivation resembled a trek through darkness, where each step was laden with innumerable hidden perils, and any slight error could lead to catastrophic consequences, either death or the complete annihilation of one’s cultivation path.

They were unable to persuade Zhang Shen from venturing further along this perilous path. In the life of a warrior, the quest for power was an unending one.

And in Zhang Shen’s case, this endeavor was not solely for his personal gain, he was also trailblazing a path for them and for the future generations of the Ancient Covenant. This realization inspired a mix of deep respect and a spurred sense of ambition, driven by their own feelings of inadequacy.

Unbeknownst to the sharp-witted Zhang Shen, they, including Li Zhi, harbored their own interpretations of his actions.

His physical abilities had always been enhanced by the system, and any requisite knowledge had naturally come to him as his physical strength increased.

In terms of martial arts, Zhang Shen’s journey had been bolstered first by his family, then by the teachings of Li Yan, and later by the secrets of the Vanishing Mountain Sect. He had always been progressing on the shoulders of giants, without the fear of missteps.

Unaware of why his grandfather and disciples suddenly seemed so resolutely driven, Zhang Shen nevertheless saw it as a positive development.

“It’s not often we’re all gathered like this,” Zhang Shen said with a smile, signaling a significant announcement. He produced a jade slip.

“This is the Three Qi Enlightenment Scripture, a mid-grade True Core technique I acquired after killing Sun Xing. It’s potent enough to support cultivation up to the sixth layer of the True Core stage.”

At this revelation, all present, save for Li Zhi, displayed a look of eager anticipation.

“I’ve dealt with Sun Xing’s aftermath, so there will be no further issues. This technique can be incorporated into the Ancient Covenant’s Heritage Hall. Alongside our existing Bright Moon Nine Heavens technique, the Ancient Covenant now possesses two True Core stage inheritances.”

Zhang Shen continued, addressing the assembly, “I plan to remove certain restrictions, categorizing these two techniques into three sections, Acquired, Innate, and True Core. They will be made available for the Ancient Covenant’s loyal members to acquire and practice.”