Chapter 33: It’s Time for You to Leave

Over the past year, the progress of Zhang Shen’s physical level had been slow. Innate spiritual beast meat was hard to come by, and he hadn’t hunted many Acquired spiritual beasts. He had to rely on cultivating martial arts techniques and gaining experience points to improve. At this pace, he realized it would take many years to reach the True Core stage.

“Should I use up Hongyuan City’s reserves? Or consume all the spiritual beasts around?” he pondered.

The thought was tempting but ultimately he dismissed it. “The resources in Hongyuan City and its surrounding spiritual beasts are low-end. They’re not entirely useless, but to make a noticeable difference, I’d need a massive amount. If I were to consume everything, what would be left for others in Hongyuan City?”

Could he grow stronger, then seize resources from the other five cities to bolster Hongyuan City? Possible, but the risk was too great. The other cities would soon notice such a substantial consumption, making it impossible to conceal.

Before he could convert all the resources into strength, the combined assault of the five cities might already be underway. It wasn’t like the beast tide, where killing more beasts wouldn’t raise suspicions. Relying on the enemy’s stupidity was foolhardy.

Zhang Shen preferred to view his adversaries as smarter, more challenging. He wanted to make ample preparations rather than take hasty risks.

Just when he had settled on a decade-long plan to gradually raise his strength to the True Core level, his grandfather, Zhang Tianlong, summoned him.

Expecting a routine meeting, Zhang Shen was caught off guard when asked, “Have you ever thought about leaving Hongyuan City for training?”

This question genuinely surprised Zhang Shen. While he had considered leaving for human territories or even other places for experience, his cautious nature had led him to wait until he had maximized his current potential before seeking opportunities elsewhere.

“Grandfather, what’s wrong? What’s happened?” Zhang Shen asked. He knew that Zhang Tianlong wouldn’t have posed such a question without reason.

Zhang Tianlong appreciated his grandson’s astute perception. “The five cities have been trying to find an opportunity to eliminate you recently. You must be aware of this.”

“Yes,” Zhang Shen acknowledged.

Zhang Tianlong continued, “They say, ‘One can be a thief for a thousand days, but one cannot defend against a thief for a thousand days.’ The cities’ constant harassment will eventually wear you down, and you’ll slip up. Even if your will is unyielding, it will delay your cultivation. Furthermore,” he said, looking at Zhang Shen with grave concern, “if you remain in Hongyuan City, you won’t break through to the Innate stage for decades. If you do manage to break through while your potential is still limitless, the other five cities, fearing you, will join forces to eradicate us early. But if you forgo higher realms for the family’s sake, it would be a tragic waste of your talent.”

Zhang Shen couldn’t help but marvel at his grandfather’s insight into the situation. Or perhaps all thirteen Innates in Hongyuan City now saw it this clearly.

He felt fortunate that he had never underestimated the wisdom of the previous generation. If he had revealed his physical strength earlier, Hongyuan City might have been besieged and destroyed by the then-existing six cities, even before the beast tide.

Zhang Tianlong’s voice trembled with emotion. “I cannot allow Hongyuan City’s future to wither away like this. So, my dear Shen, leave this place, leave the Endless Wilderness. Go to the human territories. With your innate talent and intelligence, you are destined to make a name for yourself there.”

In the past, Zhang Tianlong often worried about Zhang Shen’s wisdom and character. Young people can sometimes be naive, and their actions and thoughts tend to be superficial.

However, from the time of the beast tide, when Zhang Shen proposed diverting the crisis by leading the monsters away, to his recent concealment of his strength–only revealing that he had reached the Acquired 9th Layer to save his comrades–it became clear that Zhang Shen’s wisdom was on par with the elders.

Although, as a grandfather, he was somewhat anxious about his grandson venturing out into the world, his worry only went so far. He believed that Zhang Shen’s temperament would prevent any mishaps.

So, what could Zhang Shen say at this point? Could he explain that he had a special innate concealment technique, so that even if he broke through quietly, no one would notice? That wasn’t possible. The resources consumed to add one more Innate powerhouse before and after a breakthrough were not on the same level.

Would the other five cities really fail to notice?

Zhang Shen could enhance his physical level by gaining experience without those resources. But how could he explain to his family that he didn’t need them? Whether he told the truth or a lie, neither option appealed to him. So, what more was there to say?

Leaving Hongyuan City to journey into the human territories seemed the right path.

Zhang Shen prepared in three days. The leaders of Hongyuan City planned to offer him the resources necessary to break through to the Innate stage, but he declined.

Instead, he took with him handwritten copies of the martial techniques from the Zhang, Lin, and Ye families. These were what he truly needed.

“In as short as ten years or as long as twenty, I’ll return before the next beast tide,” he promised.

He bid his parents, the two little ones and his grandfathers farewell. 

With the early morning light, Zhang Shen left Hongyuan City’s gates. Noticing hidden glances cast from the shadows, the corner of his mouth curled into a smile, but he paid them no mind.

Taking out the map, Zhang Shen set off toward the human territories. He didn’t walk very fast, and it took him half a day to leave the territory of Hongyuan City. As he passed through a green meadow, he stopped.

“Come out. Your killing intent has already leaked. What’s the point of hiding anymore?” he called.

Three people emerged from the small forest nearby.

“Wang Jing, Wang Kun, so it’s you two,” Zhang Shen said, his voice tinged with amusement.

“You’re at death’s door and still so relaxed? Disgusting,” Wang Kun spat, glaring at Zhang Shen and touching his severed arm.

Wang Jing stood silently to the side, eyeing Zhang Shen with disdain. To him, Zhang Shen was not worth his attention, even if he was a genius. What was an Acquired 9th Layer to him?

“Feel honored,” Wang Jing sneered. “To deal with you, I, an Innate, will take action personally. Not just any Acquired martial artist receives this treatment.”

Without further ado, Wang Jing’s palms surged with true Qi. Upon reaching the Innate stage, internal energy became true Qi, ten times more destructive, something no Acquired martial artist could match.

Wave Palm, Overlapping Waves!

Wang Jing didn’t hold back, aiming to kill Zhang Shen with one decisive strike.

Zhang Shen appeared unaffected, standing motionless with his Cold Moon Blade in hand.

‘He’s as good as dead,’ Wang Kun thought, relishing the scene, the grudge from a past encounter still fresh in his memory.

But then a flash of blade light swept past, slicing through the wave, severing the palm, and killing Wang Jing. Split in half, Wang Jing fell to the ground, never knowing how he had died.

Wang Kun and another member of the Wang family stared at the scene in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Zhang Shen’s figure flickered, and he moved past the two men without a word.

The two were sliced into several pieces, the cuts hissing through the air.

“Ah, this scene is truly gruesome,” Zhang Shen exclaimed. “As compassionate as I am, I must admit I’m not well-suited to such bloody surroundings.”

With that, his left palm heated up, sparks bursting forth. Crimson Flame Palm!

“Although it’s merely an Acquired mid-grade martial art, it’s quite handy for cleaning up the battlefield,” he mused. “Even though I always carry bone decay powder and corpse rotting liquid, one can never have too many methods for eradicating evidence.”

Gazing into the distance towards Jiuchuan City, Zhang Shen’s thoughts added, “I hope you’ll appreciate this gift of mine.”

Once the Wang family discovered Wang Jing, Wang Kun, and the third person were missing, they would certainly grow more cautious of Zhang Shen. But with him no longer in Hongyuan City, this caution would likely translate into hesitance to move against the city.

No one knew the level of cultivation Zhang Shen would possess upon his return.

If he were an ordinary martial artist, the people of the five cities might not give it a second thought. But for a genius who had already exceeded their wildest imaginations, this was a consideration they couldn’t ignore.

What if they obliterated Hongyuan City, only for Zhang Shen to return triumphant and regal? Those who had acted impulsively would find themselves at a loss.

By refraining from action, they left open the possibility of surrendering to preserve their families, even if Zhang Shen were to return as a ruler, seeking to unify the region.

As for the discomfort of bending the knee to someone they had once eagerly sought to kill? Zhang Shen scoffed at the notion, recognizing it as typical human behavior. In the name of survival, there was no shame.

Zhang Shen was keenly aware that if he stayed hidden for ten or twenty years, it would be manageable. Beyond that, the wariness of others would diminish over time.

“Ten or twenty years, that’s enough,” he thought to himself.

During this time, he had the confidence that his physical body could ascend to the True Core stage.

“Moreover, after leaving Hongyuan City, I’m no longer constrained. I can act freely.”

As he proceeded, Zhang Shen’s muscles and bones quivered. How could he traverse the Endless Wilderness appearing as himself? A disguise was necessary.

In no time, he transformed into a mature uncle with a face that seemed etched with a myriad of stories.

“By adopting this disguise, I can utilize my body’s power without restraint,” he mused. “After all, what does a mere Acquired 9 Layer novice like me have to do with this disguise?”

He even had a name for this new persona, Lin Fanyun. A name that echoed with grandeur. Anyone who heard it would surely praise it as a fine choice. It was reminiscent of those legendary names that once sent shockwaves through the heavens.

“Not bad, not bad at all. This name complements my disposition quite perfectly,” Zhang Shen decided, quite satisfied. With this name alone, he knew that his new identity would be something extraordinary.

Several days later, Zhang Shen crossed the vast wilderness on the edge of the human domain. To avoid wasting time on pointless paths, he took to the air, flying most of the way. Whenever he encountered beasts, he would dispatch them with a single punch, stowing their remains in his storage bag. Such efficiency brought him to the borders of the human realm in just a matter of days.