Chapter 21: Into the Mouth

For Zhang Shen, there were many ways to accumulate experience points. However, he hadn’t utilized the original method of gaining experience by eating in a long time. The spiritual medicine he ingested was usually refined to enhance his cultivation level. By doing so, he could gain experience points in the process, killing two birds with one stone.

“But I can’t afford to rely on this slow method anymore,” Zhang Shen murmured, frustration glinting in his eyes.

Directly swallowing and digesting the spiritual medicine with his physical body was far quicker than refining the medicine into internal energy. The speed of gaining experience points was much faster, yet this method didn’t offer significant benefits for his cultivation, thus reducing a potential harvest.

“Beast tide, you’ll regret the day,” he grumbled under his breath.

With a calm heart, Zhang Shen returned to the classroom and informed the family descendants who were self-studying about the situation.

Regardless of the upcoming clan competition or the subsequent demon tide, they could not avoid these events. There was no point in keeping them in the dark.

“Understand this. If you don’t want to die, prepare for battle in the following period,” he instructed them. “Even if hard work may not guarantee success, it at least enhances your chances of survival.”

Zhang Shen’s words left Ye Kuang and the others with heavy hearts. But they weren’t delicate flowers. Faced with the impending storm, they burst forth with a passion far exceeding their past, racing against time to use their methods to strengthen themselves. Zhang Shen was no different.

On the second floor, he activated a preset defensive formation. He took out the four pieces of White Jade Lotus Root he had stored in his bag.

“This is an Innate grade White Jade Lotus Root, a spiritual medicine that enhances the body. It’s exactly what I need right now.”

He sliced a piece and placed it in his mouth. It melted immediately, and a warm current flowed straight into his internal organs. His entire body quivered in delight as it grew stronger. On his panel, the progression of his physical strength rapidly increased.

After half a day, Zhang Shen had fully assimilated the slice of lotus root. The other data on the panel remained largely unchanged, but his physical body progress increased by 2%.

The speed of his progress was absolutely staggering. Without any delay, Zhang Shen sliced another piece of the lotus root and consumed it.

“Two pieces a day, these white jade lotus roots will last me two months.”

Ten days later, his physical cultivation had advanced to 80% of the Innate 1st Layer. A breakthrough was on the horizon.

However, Zhang Shen had to select five students to participate in the competition in which, as their teacher and a powerful figure in the family, he also had to be present.

Of course, the main person in charge of this matter was the family’s Third Elder, Zhang Wei, an Innate 2nd Layer practitioner. The event revolved around the allocation of spiritual stones, and without an Innate cultivator presiding, they risked being taken advantage of.

Fortunately, Zhang Shen’s method of consumption, ingesting and digesting, did not require him to meditate and convert the medicinal power into internal energy, which meant that it did not interfere with his daily activities.

In addition to the five students–Ye Kuang, Ye Ji, Lin You, Lin Fei, and Zhang Ta–that Zhang Shen brought along, the three families collectively dispatched twenty descendants to participate in this grand clan competition.

“Do not be negligent, show no mercy. It’s better to cripple your opponent than to find yourself in a coffin,” Zhang Shen cautioned them prior to the competition.

He had long observed that, despite being older than the current him, these individuals were somewhat naive in certain respects. Perhaps their lack of hardships made them less cautious, often leading them to be overly complacent.

In this regard, those like Ye Kuang, who had been beaten by Zhang Shen, fared better. The other dozen or so were somewhat lacking.

“That’s brutal,” he murmured, standing on the sidelines, watching as blood and flesh splattered across the stage. One competitor’s face was mangled, falling onto the stage, while another’s hand was severely damaged, with broken bones jutting out through the skin.

Yet, they continued their fierce battle, as if they were intent on not stopping until the other was dead.

“Do you see? Every contender in this competition harbors an intense desire for victory. They all aspire to attain glory by trampling others, hoping to receive the family’s reward and thereby enhance their chances of survival in the impending demon tide,” Zhang Shen remarked.

The sight of bloodshed didn’t deter Ye Kuang, Lin You, and the others. Instead, it seemed to stoke their ferocity even further.

Faced with such an enormous crisis, anyone who wasn’t a coward would naturally be filled with high spirits. The descendants of the seven families fought like frenzied dogs, causing the casualty rate to skyrocket.

Hongyuan City was no exception. After several intense bouts, one contestant was already dead, his head severed from his body. The other competitors had also sustained injuries. Even Lin You’s slender arm had a large chunk of flesh missing, exposing the pale bone within.

Suddenly, Zhang Shen’s expression hardened. “Old man, you dare,” he yelled.

His sword shimmered brightly as he executed the Full Moon Slash and rushed onto the stage.

Zhang Ta was about to render his opponent’s arm useless when a pair of old, withered hands lunged at him. The sudden attack sent a chill down Zhang Ta’s spine. He felt as if he was on the verge of being killed.

The sword rang out as Wang Kun, who had initially planned to resist the slash and kill Zhang Ta, sensed danger and moved to defend himself.

“Too late!” Zhang Shen exclaimed.

His Cold Moon Sword was raised high, and with a swift movement, an arm was severed. The bit of Qi used for defense was utterly futile against the Full Moon Slash.

“Die!” Zhang Shen’s chilling killing intent was palpable. If he hadn’t been keeping a close eye on the situation on the stage, the old villain would have succeeded.

Zhang Shen raised his Cold Moon Sword high and executed the Missing Moon Strike, a concentrated and sharper slash coming down.

“Stop!” Wang Jing, an Innate practitioner of the Wang family, shouted from the high platform. He was about to intervene with a palm strike when he heard a thunderous sound of a fist slicing through the air.

“Wang Jing, do you think Hongyuan City is without defenders?” Lin Sanjue, an Innate from the Lin family who had arrived with Zhang Si, blocked Wang Jing’s path.

But this palm strike still managed to save Wang Kun.

Zhang Shen, in a swift move, deflected Wang Jing’s long-distance attack with his blade and retreated about ten steps, ensuring Zhang Ta was safely behind him.

“What a subtle sword technique, and such solid foundational skills,” the Innate Stage practitioners from the Seven Cities praised.

Although it was a hurried palm strike from an Innate stage cultivator, he was able to resist it effortlessly. This wasn’t something an average late-stage Acquired practitioner could accomplish.

“He appears to be only at the 7th Layer Acquired Stage,” someone commented coldly.

“He’s the famed young genius from Hongyuan City,” another person added.

Some people exchanged glances secretly, a hint of wariness flashing in their eyes. However, Zhang Shen paid them no mind.

He had mentally prepared for such a scene. He knew it was only a matter of when it would happen.

“Wang Jing, your family shows such audacity, disrupting the normal proceedings of the grand tournament,” Zhang Si was the first to speak.

It was clear to everyone that it was Wang Kun, the old man from the Wang family, who first intervened in the normal duel on the stage. Since he dared to meddle, wasn’t it justly deserved for his hand to be severed?

Wang Jing glanced left and right, the other six clans also shared this sentiment. No matter what they were thinking right now, they all expressed their dissatisfaction with the Wang family at this time.

‘What, everyone else didn’t interfere, but you did, are you special?’

No one was attempting to mediate for them.

The matter of the Pure Lotus Leaves and the Twenty Petal Life-Sustaining Lotus Flowers had offended more than half of the people here. The remaining individuals naturally didn’t mind fanning the flames. If they could squeeze Jiuchuan City out of this fruit-sharing event, it would be more beneficial for them.

But how thick-skinned must a person like Wang Jing be? He would never give up on this spirit stone distribution just over this minor event. After all, the allure of benefit surpasses all.

“Very well, you’ve done well. From Hongyuan City, right? We’ll settle this score at a later date.”

Wang Jing’s eyes were icy cold, and he made a mental note of Zhang Shen.

“Aren’t you going down yet? Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?”

Wang Kun picked up his severed hand sullenly and left the stage. As his eyes met Zhang Shen’s, they were filled with nothing but hatred.