117: Chapter 117 The Cosmic Beast 'Sky-Piercing Ape'

"Correct."

"It's extremely powerful; it can allow a martial artist's mental power and physical fitness to briefly increase by a significant margin."

Bai Shiwei had an excellent memory, and in the Martial Arts Undergraduate program, she had scored full marks in the Federal Martial Aspect Encyclopedia course.

"This combat Innate Divine Ability is not the least bit weaker than the nine kinds of Superior Martial Aspect recorded by the Federation. The reason 'Twin Pupils' is only classified at the intermediate level is because it doesn't grant the martial artist an Innate Divine Ability in the early stages, and the cultivation speed is relatively slower."

"This Takeuchi Miko's combat power boost isn't low. If she uses the Innate Divine Ability granted by 'Twin Pupils', could it threaten you?"

Bai Shiwei was unsure.

Her husband's combat power boost was high enough, one could even say it was abnormal! But his Life Level was only at level 43, after all.

He was already two levels behind, and there was a certain gap in physical fitness. Once the opponent used their Martial Aspect Innate Divine Ability, the gap in basic strength and speed would become even larger.

"It won't."

Fang Zhuo said confidently.

"Husband, are you planning to use your Martial Aspect then?"

Bai Shiwei felt a faint sense of anticipation and excitement.

She knew that Fang Zhuo's Superior Martial Aspect was not within the scope of the Federation's records, and furthermore, in the days of their past cultivation, she had already learned of one of his Innate Divine Abilities.

Because Fang Zhuo would occasionally help purify the pill toxins in her body.

This cultivation Innate Divine Ability was very strong!

As for the other Innate Divine Ability granted at the Transcendent stage, she assumed it was a combat type; she wondered about its strength.

Bai Shiwei was curious, but she had never asked Fang Zhuo.

"No, when the competition starts, my Life Level will be able to leap to level 45. By then, relying solely on Body Control and secret manual cultivation, I will be able to crush them."

Fang Zhuo smiled. He didn't mention that he was already at level 45, fearing that Bai Shiwei would be too shocked.

This was indeed the case. Less than a month had passed since he became a Transcendent Martial Artist, and his Life Level had suddenly leaped to level 45—how exaggerated!

A large amount of civilization points contributed to this, but the second Innate Divine Ability granted by his Martial Aspect, 'Devour', was equally crucial.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to absorb so much source energy in such a short time.

"I see..."

"Then in this Ocean Gathering, the Transcendent Martial Artists in the Legendary Group are really out of luck to encounter you, husband. Especially this Takeuchi Miko; based on the competition standards from ten years ago, her chances of reaching the top are very high."

Bai Shiwei did not doubt Fang Zhuo at all when he said this.

She thought of Fang Zhuo's Innate Divine Ability 'Purification'; if he practiced diligently for two months, it really wouldn't be difficult.

...

Over the next month or so.

There was nothing else in the group to disturb Fang Zhuo; it seemed the higher-ups did it intentionally so that he could fully prepare for the Ocean Gathering and represent the Xia Kingdom in the competition.

Fang Zhuo was happy with this. Every day, he would eat, sleep, and cultivate with Bai Shiwei, and occasionally they would go out to play outside the group.

There were many fun places in both the inner and outer cities of Starry Sky Base City.

In the blink of an eye, it was January 30th. On this day, the sky was a bit gloomy and overcast with dark clouds, looking like it would rain heavily at any moment.

Inside a narrow street in the outer city.

"Husband, hurry up~"

Bai Shiwei's delicate oval face was glowing with a rosy flush as she turned back to call out to Fang Zhuo.

She was wearing a pure white shirt, her chest appearing even more voluptuous after marriage, with the hem of the shirt tucked into a black pleated skirt.

It accentuated her slender waist, making it look especially dainty.

Her long, round, and shapely legs were visible, and her fair, delicate calves were stepping forward in a pair of round-toed leather shoes as she trotted ahead.

"Shi Wei, it's about to rain. Should we go back to the group to cultivate instead?"

Fang Zhuo was still in his training suit, a look of helplessness on his face.

Over the past month, the sixth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade, which he had thought was a sure thing, had unexpectedly hit a bottleneck.

"If this continues, I might still be able to master the sixth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade before the Ocean Gathering, but I won't have time to cultivate the secret killing move 'Thunder Fire Echo' contained within the sixth stage."

"After the Legendary Group matches are over, if I jump my Life Level directly to level 49 and then go to the Peak Group, I definitely won't be Brother Wang's match."

Fang Zhuo calculated in his heart.

Back on Blue Star, Wang Jinhua had killed the peak Transcendent Gu Ming with a single strike, and he had used the secret killing move 'Thunder Fire Echo' from the sixth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade!

Besides, he had no clue how to break through his Body Control into the Heaven-Reaching level either.

Should he just fight in the Legendary Group during this Ocean Gathering and leave the first place in the Peak Group to Brother Wang...?

Fang Zhuo was just thinking about this.

Bai Shiwei stopped, looking at him with a resentful gaze. After a while, she puffed out her cheeks and said, "We agreed to come out and relax together today!"

"Alright, alright, alright."

Fang Zhuo had no choice.

"Husband, just burying your head in hard cultivation isn't the solution either. How many level 49 peak Transcendent Martial Artists haven't mastered the sixth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade? Its difficulty is evident!"

"You're only level 43, and mastering the fifth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade is already very impressive! Give yourself a day to relax~ There should be a balance between tension and relaxation; maybe you'll have an epiphany when you go back."

Bai Shiwei pulled Fang Zhuo along and continued walking deeper into the alley.

Seeing Fang Zhuo nod, she smiled and said, "I heard that this Starry Sky Exotic Beast Shop in the outer city recently acquired a cosmic exotic beast from somewhere, called the Heaven-Reaching Ape."

"Heaven-Reaching Ape? What's its strength?"

Fang Zhuo asked curiously.

Cosmic exotic beasts specifically refer to exotic beast species from outside the Federation; their strength varies, and they aren't necessarily powerful.

"This exotic beast's strength isn't high, its Life Level is only in the 30s, comparable to us Advanced Martial Artists, but it has a special talent—it learns various secret manuals extremely quickly!"

"I've already scrolled past several short videos of it in my spare time these past few days!"

Bai Shiwei raised her eyebrows, eager to see this internet-famous Heaven-Reaching Ape.

"Husband, hurry up~!"

"Okay."

Fang Zhuo became interested.

If this cosmic exotic beast, the Heaven-Reaching Ape, really has this talent, I wonder if it can learn the Thunder Fire Blade?

If I let it learn on the spot, could I get some inspiration from it...?

Fang Zhuo thought, and couldn't help but quicken his pace.

Bai Shiwei pulled him along, quickly entering the depths of the alley, and at the end, they turned into a shop built of giant stones.

"Two guests, are you here to buy an exotic beast or to observe our cosmic exotic beast species?"

The front desk customer service of this Starry Sky Exotic Beast Shop was a woman dressed in ancient Xia Kingdom Hanfu, and she looked enthusiastically at Bai Shiwei and Fang Zhuo, who had entered holding hands.

But at this moment, a deep voice came from inside the courtyard:

"Fang Zhuo."

A man dressed in luxurious clothing walked over and looked at Fang Zhuo, saying, "I am the owner of this little shop. Welcome; please forgive me for failing to welcome you properly!"

"Hello, Boss. Do you know me?"

Fang Zhuo was somewhat surprised.

After coming to the group, he had almost stayed in the headquarters building and hadn't gone out much. Previously, when he went out to kill Ding Nan, it was in the Wilderness Area.

Strictly speaking, he had only appeared once before in the Civilization Arena and had made a move in front of people.

"Ordinary people wouldn't recognize you, after all, you are relatively low-key, but for those of us running shops in Starry Sky Base City, how could we not do our homework."

"You are the Starry Sky Group's custom contract genius; you became a Transcendent Martial Artist just over three months after signing! It would be hard for me not to know."

After the shop owner praised him with a smile, he said, "I suppose you and your wife are here to see the cosmic exotic beast, the Heaven-Reaching Ape, right?"

"That's right."

Fang Zhuo nodded.

"Follow me. This monkey has just eaten and drunk its fill, and we've served it well. It hasn't started business for today yet."

The owner led Fang Zhuo and Bai Shiwei into the courtyard and then turned into a separate courtyard.

Inside the separate courtyard, birds were singing and flowers were fragrant. On a rockery, there was a black monkey with thick fur all over its body, its bottom red-circled, and it was currently sitting with its legs crossed, gnawing on a fruit.

When it saw the owner bring people in, it immediately threw the fruit pit it had prepared in its other hand, then turned a somersault and went behind the rockery.

Bang!

The fruit pit hit the owner's head accurately.

"Excuse the behavior. This Heaven-Reaching Ape is both naughty and greedy. If you want it to cultivate a secret manual and then perform it, it will cost a little something."

The owner rubbed his forehead and smiled, "What secret manual do you want it to learn?"