Chapter 138 – Heavy Profound Soft Spear
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The deacon senior apprentice brother was a bit sluggish as he watched Lin Ming come out of Wood Puppet Lane. He still hadn’t figured out just what the hell had happened inside a moment ago. Was there a malfunction in the Wood Puppet Lane array? How come the true essence stones were consumed so quickly!?
“Junior… Junior Apprentice Brother Lin, are you alright?” The deacon senior apprentice froze for a long time before he hesitantly asked him. If there was a breakdown in the array formation, then did Junior Apprentice Brother Lin encounter any problems in there?
“Me? I’m fine!” Lin Ming asked, somewhat puzzled, but he didn’t dwell on this much. “Thank you Senior Apprentice Brother. I will leave first; I’ll come by another day and thank you for your hospitality.”
Lin Ming turned around and departed.
The deacon senior apprentice brother was still in a daze. He thought about the possibilities for a while, and then suddenly moved. He picked up his robes and scurried into the Wood Puppet Lane cave that Lin Ming had just been in a moment ago.
This scene left him petrified on the spot!
He only saw scattered parts all throughout Wood Puppet Lane. There were broken wooden puppets everywhere, with hands and feet haphazardly tossed around or pulverized to little splinters. “This… this is… what the hell did Lin Ming do?”
His throat violently spasmed.
This array formation had broken down; this was certainly an array formation breakdown!
But… if… if the wooden puppets were broken like this… could they still be repaired?
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After Lin Ming had reached the Altering Muscle stage, he hadn’t invested too much of his time in cultivating the ‘True Primal Chaos Formula’. Instead, he had focused all of his energy on cultivating the ‘Heretical God Force’ and ‘Pulse Cutting Palm’.
The ‘Pulse Cutting Palm’ was quite simple. This martial skill was only able to deal with opponents with a far inferior strength, or those who had already lost all their ability to resist an enemy. Lin Ming only took a few days to learn this skill.
In short, the ‘Pulse Cutting Palm’ infiltrated one’s own true essence into an enemy’s body, blowing out all of their meridian channels!
Before a martial artist reached the ‘Pulse Condensation Period’, the meridians in their body hadn’t yet opened and connected. But, this did not mean that they had no meridians, only that the meridians were blocked, and body points were dried, thus they showed no effects.
But the ‘Pulse Cutting Palm’ was able to forcefully pour true essence along these depleted meridians, ravaging them as they passed. Eventually, all the meridian channels would be destroyed.
The meridians were the path that a person’s ‘Qi’ flowed. If one did not have meridians for the ‘Qi’ to pass, then they would be called a natural non-meridian born. These non-meridian borns would usually not survive past the age of 25.
The ‘Pulse Cutting Palm’ was able to destroy the meridians and simulate the effect of a non-meridian born. It would cause a martial artist to gradually lose their cultivation, until it was finally all obliterated!
Cultivating the ‘Pulse Cutting Palm’ was simple. However, cultivating the ‘Heretical God Force’ was a completely different level of difficulty.
The ‘Heretical God Force’ was divided into six layers. Lin Ming had cultivated this ability for ten days, but still hadn’t even be able to touch upon the first layer.
“The essence of the ‘Heretical God Force’ is compression of true essence!”
The first layer compressed true essence by 50%. The second layer compressed true essence by 100%. The third layer, 150%. All the way until the sixth layer, where true essence was compressed by three times!
If true essence was compressed, then its power would naturally be multiplied!
The ‘Heretical God Force’ could only compress a portion of one’s true essence, and then store that in the body. In a battle, one could bring out this compressed true essence.
What Lin Ming needed to cultivate, was the ‘seed’ of the ‘Heretical God Force’.
As long as this ‘Heretical God Seed’ existed, true essence would automatically be compressed and confined within this seed. Lin Ming would not need to consciously manage it.
“I’m not in a hurry to cultivate this ‘Heretical God Force’. This is only the end of the second month. I should participate in the Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment first, and take the Heavy Profound Soft Spear.”
The Heavy Profound Soft Spear was a medium-grade human-step treasure; if Lin Ming poured his true essence into it, it would be able to flow through unimpeded. With his Penetrating Rainbow spear, only the spear head was a low-grade human-step treasure. The spear shaft was made from ordinary iron. Although this iron was the dark elastic purple iron, the flow of true essence would still be greatly reduced within.
For ‘Flow like Silk’, Lin Ming needed to pour true essence into the spear in order to display its power.
So if Lin Ming was able to take the Heavy Profound Soft Spear, he would become that much more powerful.
There were only three days left until the Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment. He would attain a top ten spot within the Ranking Stone in one fell swoop, and finish the first reward task from the Seven Profound Martial House and obtain the Heavy Profound Soft Spear. With this spear in hand, he would be much more confident against Zhang Guanyu.
Three days later —
Today marked the fourth month since Lin Ming had entered the Seven Profound Martial House.
Lin Ming had participated in the Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment twice. The first time he had been ranked 126, and the second time he had been ranked 62. The time between these two rankings had only been one month.
During the third Ten Thousand Killing Array Assessment, Lin Ming had been wholly absorbed in preparing for his decisive showdown with Zhu Yan, so he hadn’t participated.
As for the fourth assessment, Lin Ming had already obtained privileges and resources equal to the top three ranks of the Ranking Stone, so he hadn’t felt the need to participate.
But now, this would be the fifth Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment.
For this Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment, there weren’t many disciples attending. In the entire ashlar square, since the sun had risen, there were only a handful more than 20 people.
Moreover, within these disciples, most were ranked below rank 100, and there were only 6 or 7 disciples that were ranked in the top 100. As for the top 50, none of them had come.
This deserted and lonely scene was mainly because the majority of the Seven Profound Martial House’s disciples had planned to attend the next Ten Thousand killing Array assessment.
Next month’s assessment was set to be highly anticipated!
Because that day would mark the third month since the Seven Profound Decree was issued. Lin Ming would definitely challenge the top ten of the Ranking Stone during that time in order to obtain the Heavy Profound Soft Spear. At that appointed time, there would no doubt be countless powers that had their eyes and ears on scene, and powerhouses from all around would converge.
Naturally, one could not miss such a grand event.
But nobody would ever think that Lin Ming would challenge the top ten rankings of the Ranking stone at only the end of the second month!
Since the opening of the Ten Thousand Killing Array, it had only been half an hour. The ashlar square was very peaceful; most of the early arriving martial artists sat in the bamboo grove and meditated. The early morning air was rich with life and energy; it was very suitable for breathing.
Moreover, controlling one’s breath during meditation could assist with adjusting a martial artist’s mental and bodily condition. Of course, all disciples hoped to enter the Ten Thousand Killing Array in their best state, and thus achieve the best result they could.
Because there weren’t many disciples attending this Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment, and those who did were mostly new disciples, the deacon senior apprentice brother responsible for the Ten Thousand Killing Array seemed to lack interest. He strolled around with an air of boredom as he received the true essence stone from the participating disciples. Each disciple that wished to enter into the Ten Thousand Killing Array had to pay a deposit of one true essence stone.
The deacon’s name was Liang Guangfeng. He had already served as a deacon at the Seven Profound Martial House for a long time, and his mind was thinking about his hopeful future promotion to a Human Hall elder.
Of the Seven Profound Martial House elders, there were the Heavenly Abode elders, the Earth Hall elders, and the Human Hall elders. The Human Hall elders had the lowest status of the three. As long as they were a Pulse Condensation martial artist, they could hold this post. Liang Guangfeng was a Pulse Condensation Period martial artist.
Although the deacon of the Ten Thousand Killing Array was of a somewhat higher status than most other deacons, he was still only a deacon after all. A deacon would always be inferior in status to an elder.
“If I can get on good terms with Lin Ming, and he possibly becomes the Martial House Master someday, then it would just be a matter of a few words to become a Human Hall Elder. What a pity that the number of people that wish to befriend Lin Ming are high enough that they can line up into their own army. When would it ever be my turn? Lian Guangfeng ruefully smiled, and shook his head.
But at this moment, he saw a young man wearing black clothes, carrying a dark purple colored long spear on his shoulder, come out from the bamboo grove. Liang Guangfeng’s eyes widened. Mm? Lin Ming!
Did he wish to participate in today’s Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment? This was only the second month!
Not only was Liang Guangfeng surprised, but many of the disciples present noted Lin Ming’s arrival. Lin Ming was the current shining star of the Seven Profound Martial House. Many of the young junior apprentice brothers and junior apprentice sisters of the Human Hall were Lin Ming’s adoring fans. To see Lin Ming was the same as seeing a lifelong idol.
“Look quickly, that’s Senior Apprentice Brother Lin!’
“Senior Apprentice Brother Lin has come!”
Lin Ming would soon reach 16 years of age. In the Seven Profound Martial House, he was still considered relatively young. But, even those older than Lin Ming would still refer to him as Senior Apprentice Brother Lin. Those that cultivated the martial path respected achievements first and foremost. For instance, Ling Sen would always be the elder senior apprentice brother of the Heavenly Abode.
“Does Senior Apprentice Brother Lin want to participate in today’s Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment?”
“No way. This is only the second month. Maybe Senior Apprentice Brother Lin wants to warm up?”
“Che! How could someone like you predict the actions of someone at Senior Apprentice Brother Lin’s level? I think today he will try to enter into the top ten rankings!
“Don’t just wildly guess. Maybe Senior Apprentice Brother Lin is just taking a walk around.”
As the disciples discussed this, a young 15 year old girl timidly edged towards Lin Ming and asked, “Senior Apprentice Lin, may I ask if you are participating in today’s Seven Profound Martial House assessment?”
“Yes.” Lin Ming nodded.
Lin Ming’s reply caused all these low-order Earth Hall disciples to be excited to the point of fainting. Some even took out sound transmitting talismans and quickly relayed messages to their friends to come see this grand event.
Lin Ming’s participation in the Ten Thousand Killing Array assessment was an extraordinary matter! If he could smoothly enter the top ten of the Ranking Stone, then would he be able to defeat Zhang Guanyu in the fourth month, and then subsequently defeat Ta Ku and Ling Sen?
To the disciples of the Seven Profound Martial House, the trio of Zhang Guanyu, Ta Ku, and Ling Sen had acquired too heavy a reputation over the years. To defeat individuals like them… these disciples simply dared not imagine such a scenario.
Moreover, if Lin Ming really could defeat Zhang Guanyu, then the matter of passing the Seven Profound Valleys’ core disciple test could be considered settled!
A local born Seven Profound Martial House core disciple of the Sky Fortune Kingdom had the possibility of becoming a Seven Profound Envoy or the Martial House Master in the future! These were simply legendary figures!
Lin Ming moved towards the Ten Thousand Killing Arrays altar, and took out a true essence stone as payment for entrance.
Liang Guangfeng apologetically smiled, “Junior Apprentice Brother Lin may directly test. It makes no difference whether you place down a true essence stone deposit or not.” The last time Lin Ming had participated in the Ten Thousand Killing Array, he had been ranked 62. Now, after such a long time, his true strength was at least several dozen ranks above that. Even if he paid down a true essence stone, he was sure to take it back.
Lin Ming was expressionless as he said, “Then thank you, Senior Apprentice Brother Liang.”
The urgent news traveled quickly. After some people heard this, they immediately rushed to the Ten Thousand Killing Array. The previously lonely ashlar square was now lively and full of people.
Even several elders had arrived.
“Lin Ming! Haha, do you plan on challenging the top ten positions of the Ranking Stone so quickly?” A hearty voice called out. Lin Ming turned and saw that this person was an elder of the Seven Profound Martial House’s Heavenly Abode, Sun Sifan.
