Chapter 31: Rushing Off? Not Staying for Dinner?

Zhang Shen strode away with unabashed swagger and defiance. He found his performance, which had shocked everyone, highly satisfactory. In his view, it was an act that could win an Oscar.

After his departure, the small command post in Hongyuan City burst into a fervent discussion.

“What on earth did he mean by all that?”

“Cooperation? Should we actually consider joining forces with him?”

“Well, first, we need to verify whether this is a trap specifically set for us.”

“Ridiculous! We only have until the Snake hour tomorrow. How can we determine that in time?”

“Wait. We could opt out of cooperating and just watch him battle the spiritual beast Bear. At most, we won’t play the role of fishermen hoping to profit from their strife.”

“Right, right, if we can survive this crisis, that’s good enough. We can’t afford to be greedy and risk making another enemy.”

“We can’t afford to add another enemy to our plate.”

“Hold on, let’s be rational about this. Think calmly. This man’s strength is unfathomable. He might indeed be able to deal with the spiritual beast Bear. But remember, the beast horde isn’t made up of just a spiritual Bear.”

“When that man eliminated the surrounding spies, it probably indicated that he is not yet strong enough to vanquish everything unopposed. His plan is to settle everything before others can respond.”

“This gives us a clue. He didn’t attack us probably because he isn’t confident about dealing with us swiftly. He doesn’t want to squander his strength on us and jeopardize his chances of confronting the Innate beast.”

“Right, I want to add that although he’s formidable, taking on the late-stage Innate Bear and the rest of the horde single-handedly is likely a stretch for him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have proposed cooperation. This allows us to gauge his strength to some degree.”

“He’s probably at the later layers of the Innate Stage, powerful but not yet at the stage of crushing dominance.”

“At this level, our combined strength could give us some degree of resistance. Given this, we should start contemplating the question of whether to cooperate or not.”

At the crack of dawn the following day, the imposing figure of Zhang Shen stood confronting the beast horde. He unleashed his unrestrained aura, resonating with the late-stage Innate Bear within the swarm. Both sensed each other’s presence, resulting in an invisible clash of formidable auras.

“The beast seems to be on par with a creature at the Innate 7th Layer. Given its inherent species advantage, it may be a match even for a warrior at the 8th Layer. Furthermore, there are six other beasts at the Innate Stage. This won’t be an easy fight. If I confront it directly, my odds of winning aren’t great,” Zhang Shen sighed, though not devoid of hope.

The Strongest Physical Body System

Host: Zhang Shen

Physical Level: Innate Stage 7th Layer

Progress: 1.2%

At this crucial juncture, Zhang Shen’s physique had ascended to Innate Stage 7th Layer. This significant progress gave him the strength to face the spiritual Bear head-on.

The cost was the complete depletion of all the Innate Stage beast meat gathered over the previous months. Only such a meal could provide him with enough experience points in this short period, enabling his physique to advance to the latter layers of the Innate Stage.

“Hmm?” Zhang Shen’s lips curved into a smirk.

Behind him approached thirteen individuals at the Innate Stage from Hongyuan City, accompanied by nearly a hundred warriors at the Acquired 9th Layer.

In the end, they decided to band together, staking the fate of Hongyuan City on this impending battle.

Zhang Tianlong, Lin Wanfeng, Ye Shuang, and the others had a clear consensus. This stranger, who had suddenly appeared, indeed possessed formidable strength. Yet, they surmised that with his current power level, dealing with the late-stage Innate Bear and its horde was far from a guaranteed victory.

If they stood by while this man fell in battle, leaving the Bear undefeated, could Hongyuan City ever hope to see a new dawn? When an opportunity like this arose, it was essential to seize it with everything you have.

This was the most promising choice, far better than a doomed battle to the death or a one-in-ten chance of starting anew.

“Excellent. You’ve made the right decision,” said Zhang Shen, his arms folded and an air of arrogance about him. His fierce and menacing face gave the impression of a humanoid beast, yet surprisingly offered a sense of security.

“Per your request, we’re here. Now, what do you need us to do?” asked Zhang Tianlong, acting as their spokesperson.

“It’s simple. Leave the late-stage Innate to me, the other beasts are yours,” declared Zhang Shen, his fighting spirit aflame, his entire body radiating with fervor. The spiritual Bear, nearly a kilometer away, sensed his determination and responded with a resounding howl.

Both sides ratcheted their fighting spirit and momentum to the limit. With everyone assembled, Zhang Shen held back no longer.

“Follow me,” He roared, launching himself into the sky toward the horde.

Zhang Tianlong and the other warriors at the Innate Stage quickly followed suit. Below them, the warriors at the Acquired 9th Layer deployed their light body techniques, charging toward the horde of beasts.

Given their speed, a kilometer was traversed in an instant.

Zhang Shen led the charge, diving from the sky to engage the formidable Bear.

The confrontation of two late-stage Innate combatants known for their physical prowess sent shockwaves across the landscape.

The Bear roared, its massive paw lashing out at Zhang Shen. Undaunted, Zhang Shen met it with a powerful punch.

The continuous crash of impacts echoed around them, a testament to a primitive clash of flesh against flesh. The earth-shaking noise resonated deeply with those watching.

Seeing the scar-faced man fight with such ferocity, any lingering doubts in the minds of Zhang Tianlong and the others were erased.

They all descended and plunged into battle with the Spiritual Beasts at the Innate Stage.

Without the restraint of the late-stage Innate Bear Spiritual Beast, the six remaining Innate Stage beasts were no match for the thirteen warriors at the same stage.

Two warriors teamed up against each beast, aiming to eliminate it as quickly as possible. The remaining Innate Stage warrior began a bloody onslaught against the surrounding Acquired Stage beasts. While these beasts were relatively weak, they could still pose a threat in large numbers, just as ants could bring down an elephant. If allowed to gather, they would become troublesome.

Nearly a hundred warriors at the 9th Layer of the Acquired Stage, who had rushed in from the perimeter, formed a line and started slaughtering these beasts from the outside in.

In such a situation, common beasts and low-level monsters couldn’t halt the warriors’ advance. They were beaten to a pulp with every punch and palm strike. Those warriors who had mastered area-of-effect killing techniques were even more destructive. With every swing of their swords, they brought down large numbers of enemies.

In an instant, the ground was awash with blood and scattered with bodies.

Zhang Shen was in the midst of an intense battle with the spiritual Bear. With his physical strength fully unleashed, he suddenly surged to a height of two and a half meters. Although he was still somewhat shorter than the beast, he held his own in their face-to-face confrontation.

The Bear boasted incredible strength and resilience, its paws covered in sharp spikes, its claws and teeth deadly. Each swipe could rip off a chunk of flesh. Yet, Zhang Shen stood unflinching. Every improvement in his physical strength represented a comprehensive increase in his capabilities, with no weak points in defense, recovery, stamina, or raw power.

The flesh torn away regenerated in the blink of an eye.

“Roar!” The Bear, enraged and stirred by the smell of blood, roared. Its roar echoed for miles around.

Zhang Shen tasted sweetness in his throat and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Damn it, this Beast actually knows how to use sonic techniques.”

His body was incredibly resilient, with his internal organs just as tough. Yet he had actually sustained an injury from the sonic technique, which momentarily disrupted his strength.

The Bear slammed its paws together and hit Zhang Shen hard, forcing him to the ground. It continued to strike, rapidly creating a pit two meters deep. The persistent shaking of the ground bore testament to the bear’s overwhelming power.

Just when the onlookers from Hongyuan City were standing agape, fearful that they’d made a dire mistake, a pair of bloodshot eyes snapped open.

“Enough!”

A roar accompanied the emergence of a blood-soaked hand that pierced through the rain of palm strikes to seize the bear’s massive face.

The muscles in his arm tensed, the flesh quivering as he unleashed a sudden surge of strength that far surpassed the bear’s. He held down the beast, flipped over, and swung his fist.

‘Tenfold Power Strike – Tenth level!’

This superior Acquired martial art technique was more suited to pure physical application than his internal energy. Given Zhang Shen’s own strength, the bear simply couldn’t match up.

The battle had been raging from the hour of the Snake all the way to the hour of the Monkey*. The people of Hongyuan City had already dealt with the other beasts and were standing by, awaiting the final outcome.

“Squelch!”

A hand pierced through the bear’s throat, skewering it. His other hand encircled its head, and with a sudden yank, he ripped out its spine, head and all.

“You’ve certainly lived up to your reputation as a beast known for physical strength, managing to fight me to this point. However, it’s a pity for you that I have the upper hand.”

Bathed in blood, Zhang Shen, with his grim countenance, uttered these incredibly arrogant words. But no one dared to counter him. Everyone watched the scene with a sense of exhilaration, feeling a wave of relief washing over them.

In relatively good condition, Lin Wanfeng, feeling relaxed, was preparing to invite this formidable man for a chat. Though their acquaintance was brief, they had fought alongside each other. Shouldn’t they cultivate some camaraderie?

But Zhang Shen wasn’t in the mood for further conversation. He gathered up the corpse of the late-stage Innate beast and promptly vanished.

People like Zhang Tianlong, Ye Shuang, and others from Hongyuan City were left dumbstruck.

What just happened? Why did he leave so hastily? Did he think we were going to betray him? While it’s true he was in a weakened state after such a strenuous battle and quite vulnerable, would we stoop that low?

The people of Hongyuan City were left with a sense of regret. An opportunity to befriend a late-stage Innate expert had slipped through their fingers.

‘Damn it, what a scoundrel! Uses us and then leaves without a trace, not even giving us a chance to foster a connection,’ they lamented.

On his end, Zhang Shen had no intention of lingering. His condition was deteriorating.

After the grueling fight, his physical strength was drained. He had no energy left to heal himself, and his wounds continued to bleed.

Having slain the beast, he found himself severely injured. But having removed a significant threat to Hongyuan City, it all seemed worth it.

He managed to fly only a short distance before he was forced to land.

“The injuries to my body are more serious than I anticipated. At this moment, I can’t even muster the strength of the first layer. If I didn’t have the system, these injuries would take a toll on my current body,” Zhang Shen reflected.

The experience points earned from the The Strongest Physical Body System were perpetually strengthening his physical body. The stronger his body, the faster his injuries would naturally heal.

With this in mind, Zhang Shen touched his empty stomach, took out a piece of monster meat to eat, and set off toward the Sixth Squad.

*Hour of the Monkey – 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM