72: Chapter 72 Who needs your business...

Zhenguo Marquis Mansion, Side Courtyard.

Chen Shanzhi stood in the center of the courtyard, shirtless.

The muscle lines all over his body were extremely smooth.

On the surface of his skin, a faint dark-golden luster flowed, as if he had skin of copper and bones of iron.

For the past few days, Chen Shanzhi hadn't left the Marquis Mansion for a single step.

He had been Cultivating the second transformation of the "Nine-Turn Golden Body Art of the Witch God."

Unfortunately, after crossing the threshold of the first transformation...

the Cultivation of this second transformation no longer required the assistance of Tang Xiaowu's pure Wu Clan Bloodline.

Therefore, while Cultivating, there was significantly less joy.

Chen Shanzhi casually grabbed a spear from the nearby weapon rack, specifically used by Martial Artists for Physical Body Cultivation.

This spear was pitch-black all over, made from a special kind of stone.

This stone had no other purpose but one: heavy.

Although the spear appeared to be the same size as an ordinary one, it weighed a thousand jin.

"Buzz!"

As Chen Shanzhi brandished the spear, it easily whipped through the air, creating a piercing sound of breaking wind.

Without using a single shred of True Essence, he relied purely on Physical Body strength!

Just from this single move, it was already far beyond the power a Xuanguan Eight Apertures Martial Artist could possess.

Chen Shanzhi took the spear and practiced a set of Military Spear Techniques.

Only then did he pant slightly and put the spear down.

Then, he casually grabbed a brocade robe to drape over himself, pushed open the courtyard door, and strode toward the Dining Hall.

These past few days, besides consolidating his improved cultivation, he had mostly been Cultivating this second transformation.

As for Tang Xiaowu...

Ever since that day, this girl had been staying indoors all day, not even showing her face.

Only when it was mealtime would she come out punctually to eat.

Chen Shanzhi also knew that while this girl looked weak and easily bullied on the outside, a total softie...

deep in her bones, the pride of being the Saintess of the Witch Clan was always there.

Without the need to help him Cultivate the first transformation, Tang Xiaowu naturally lost her excuse for self-deception.

So, she had been avoiding him lately.

Chen Shanzhi naturally knew what Tang Xiaowu needed.

Not to mention that this game was originally a harem-oriented one.

Just considering he had finally undergone Transmigration, with a vast forest to explore, why would he choose to hang himself from a single tree?

Furthermore, according to the game's original plotline...

didn't Tang Xiaowu eventually compromise and accept sleeping in the same bed with the other female leads?

So, to deal with a girl who was weak on the outside but proud on the inside...

all it took was one word: wait.

Wait for an opportunity to completely shatter that little bit of pride she had.

Then he could, just like in the game, hehe, hehehe.

...

Inside the dining room.

Tang Xiaowu was sitting with her head down, holding a chopstick and absentmindedly poking at the white rice in her bowl.

Her beautiful big eyes would glance toward the door from time to time.

Hearing footsteps, her body suddenly stiffened, and she quickly looked away, pretending to be focused on eating.

Chen Shanzhi walked over casually, pulled out the chair next to her, and sat down with a thud.

"Oh? Do you have a grudge against the rice today? You've poked it into a honeycomb."

Tang Xiaowu's pretty face flushed, and she gave him an annoyed glare.

"Who wants you to care." Though her voice sounded tsundere, it was soft and lacked any real sting.

Chen Shanzhi didn't waste any words and reached out, grabbing her left hand that was resting on the table.

"You... what are you doing!"

Tang Xiaowu, like a startled little rabbit, tried to pull back as if she'd been electrocuted.

But Chen Shanzhi's hand was like an iron pincer, firmly holding her soft hand.

His thumb even gently rubbed the delicate back of her hand twice.

"Your hands are so cold; your Qi and blood must be deficient."

Chen Shanzhi's tone was natural, as if he were merely discussing a medical issue.

Then, he used his other hand to pick up a piece of braised pork with both fat and lean meat and placed it directly into Tang Xiaowu's bowl.

"Eat more meat to nourish yourself.

Lest you go out and say our Zhenguo Marquis Mansion mistreated you."

Tang Xiaowu bit her red lip, her eyes starting to mist over.

This guy was always like this!

He clearly refused to give her a commitment, yet he always made such intimate gestures!

She took a breath, suddenly pulled her hand away, and said with a hint of stubbornness:

"I'm full!"

After saying that, she stood up to leave.

"Stop."

Chen Shanzhi leaned back in his chair; his voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.

Tang Xiaowu's footsteps halted, and she bit her lip hard, her back toward him.

Chen Shanzhi stood up, walked behind her, and leaned down slightly, his warm breath hitting her earlobe.

"Four Seas Academy starts today; let's go together in a bit."

"At the end of the year, the academy's Secret Realm will open. I will help you then."

Tang Xiaowu's body trembled slightly, but she just curled her lip and said nothing.

"Remember to pack your things; we'll meet at the gate later.

After all, I must take care of my Xiaowu's matters."

Having said that, Chen Shanzhi strode out of the dining room.

Leaving Tang Xiaowu standing there alone.

Feeling the lingering warmth on her earlobe, her peach-like face instantly turned beet red.

"Who... who wants you to care..."

She muttered softly, but the corner of her mouth unconsciously curled into an extremely tiny arc.

...

At the same time.

In that secluded small courtyard in the east of the Capital.

"Boom!"

An extremely icy aura suddenly erupted from within the room.

Thick white frost instantly formed on the wooden door and windows of the room.

Tang Liu suddenly opened his eyes!

Deep within his pupils, a flash of icy blue light flickered and vanished.

"Xuanguan Eight Apertures!"

Tang Liu clenched his fists tightly, feeling the True Essence surging like a river within his body, his eyes filled with ecstasy.

This Bottleneck that had stuck him for several months had finally shattered!

Although his "Divine Turtle Art" was a gold-swallowing beast, requiring ten times the True Essence of an ordinary Martial Artist for each Breakthrough...

this tenfold accumulation definitely traded for invincible combat power among those of the same rank!

Tang Liu slowly raised his right hand.

True Essence surged within him, and a light blue Protective Astral Qi instantly appeared in his palm.

"Crack, crack..."

Along with a faint sound of freezing, on the surface of that light blue Protective Aura...

tiny ice beads actually condensed at a speed visible to the naked eye!

"What overbearing Yunze Water!"

Tang Liu looked at the Protective Aura in his hand, a cruel smile curling his lips.

Thanks to that bottle of Yunze Water he had scavenged from Tang Xiaowu's room.

Not only did it allow him to break through to the Xuanguan Eight Apertures in one go...

but it also caused his True Essence to undergo a slight mutation, gaining a freezing property!

Once the Protective Aura enters the body, the opponent's Meridians would be instantly frozen.

Their True Essence circulation would slow down, leaving them at his mercy!

But at the thought of Tang Xiaowu, the ecstasy in Tang Liu's eyes instantly cooled.

Replaced by an extremely intense gloom and killing intent.

"Xiaowu, you'd rather hide this kind of treasure away to rot than give it to me, your brother..."

"It seems you've been completely brainwashed by that playboy Chen Shanzhi!"

"But it doesn't matter."

Tang Liu withdrew his Protective Aura and strode out of the room.

"Once I trample Chen Shanzhi under my feet on the Martial Arts Arena of Four Seas Academy in front of everyone..."

"I will let you see clearly with your own eyes who the real Genius is and who is worthy of you!"