188: Chapter 188 Soaring Combat Power

"Heaven-Reaching Major Achievement in Body Control gives a 36-fold combat power boost, and the seventh stage of the Thunder Fire Blade gives a 5.8-fold boost..." Bai Shiwei calculated, her beautiful eyes rolling upward as she wiped the sweat off Fang Zhuo.

"Hubby, your combat power boost is over 200 times now! 208.8 times."

"Do you think that Small Island Nation's leading Flying Sky will still be a match for you at the Ocean Gathering?"

Bai Shiwei asked curiously.

Nakamura Yuki?

Master Shouchong had complained to him in private about that old boy several times.

With a Life Level of Rank 52 and a combat power boost of only 139.2 times, he was someone Fang Zhuo could take out with a single slash now.

"No."

Fang Zhuo shook his head, showing no signs of complacency.

He knew very well that his current opponent was not anyone within the Federation, but came from the Civilization Assessment!

The Flying Sky Martial Artists in the assessment had combat power boosts of over 400 times!

"Hubby, you're already this strong?"

Bai Shiwei was astonished.

She had assumed Fang Zhuo's Life Level was only Rank 50.

"It's a good thing we had the babies early, otherwise it would have been difficult later. Oh, by the way, you said to postpone the babies' full-month banquet, but quite a few relatives still gave me congratulatory gifts a few days ago."

"Just keep them all."

Fang Zhuo didn't care. When he first got into the Martial Arts Junior College, no relatives came to visit. After he signed the contract with the Starry Sky Group, some started popping up. And after he became famous in the Ocean Gathering, even people who had absolutely no connection to them were trying to get close.

He looked at Bai Shiwei and smiled. "You mentioned before that you wanted to open a Martial Aspect Research Institute. Have you decided to do it?"

"Yes."

Hearing this, Bai Shiwei's beautiful eyes lit up, and she nodded quickly.

"I've made up my mind. My talent in practicing Secret Manuals and Body Control isn't very high, so it would be difficult for me to become a Martial Artist with strong actual combat power. Instead of forcing it and distracting you in the future, I might as well become a research Martial Artist."

"Didn't you tell me before that the Future Group has a martial image instrument that can stimulate, strengthen, and develop a Martial Artist's Divine Ability?"

"I want to make one too!"

"And even make a better one!"

Bai Shiwei was full of fighting spirit.

After becoming a Transcendent Martial Artist and giving birth to two children, she had found a new pursuit.

This martial image instrument is not that easy to make... It's a product of a higher civilization. If it were really that easy to make, those research companies under the Future Group would probably have replicated or reverse-engineered it long ago, Fang Zhuo muttered to himself.

But he still encouraged her, "Alright, I believe in you. It just so happens that I can transfer all the money I exchanged from civilization points to you."

Doing martial arts research couldn't be done alone. Only by recruiting people, building a team, and starting a company would there be any hope of researching something, and all of this required federation currency.

Conveniently, federation currency was of very little use to him now that he was at the Peak of Flying Sky. At this level, most transactions for cultivation resources were conducted via bartering or settled with civilization points.

The over two hundred billion federation currency he had previously exchanged from civilization points would all be left for Shi Wei to start her research company.

"200 billion... Isn't that a bit too much?"

Bai Shiwei felt a little uneasy.

"It's not much. Besides, federation currency isn't very useful to me since it can't buy the resources I need. Save where you should, and spend boldly where you must," Fang Zhuo laughed heartily.

"Then... alright. I will work hard to achieve some results."

"Yes, keep it up. I'm looking forward to your research results, Director Bai."

"Hmph, I'm going to sleep in the guest room with the babies tonight!"

Bai Shiwei rolled her eyes at Fang Zhuo, her expression full of charm.

Fang Zhuo laughed, patted his wife's hand, and strode toward the Martial Arts Arena.

Cultivation!

Next, he would initiate himself into the Secret Technique Jade Shatter Divine Annihilation, and then master the eighth stage of the Secret Manual Thunder Fire Blade!

...

Seven days later.

Inside the Bamboo Forest Martial Arts Dojo.

Only Fang Zhuo was left. Jiang Chen, Wang Jinhua, and Takeuchi Reina had all temporarily gone into the bamboo forest.

The Martial Arts Arena's effect of calming the mind and inspiring insights for practicing Secret Manuals could only be activated when a single person was present.

During the special training period, the three of them mainly practiced Body Control and the Secret Technique Jade Shatter, so they didn't have a high demand for the Martial Arts Arena.

During this time, Fang Zhuo basically had the Martial Arts Arena all to himself.

"Well, this is the tenth thunder-fire source crystal. If I still can't master the eighth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade, I'll have to find a way to chase them away...!"

Fang Zhuo stood holding his blade, his gaze sweeping over the few people in the nearby bamboo forest.

Among them were Chairwoman Zhao Nianzhen and Minister Chu Jiang.

Speaking of the thunder-fire source crystals, they were given to him by Director Zhao. There were ten in total, and now he had used all ten right under her nose.

"Although he still had over 130 crystals left, he couldn't use them under Director Zhao's nose anymore, otherwise it would be hard to explain their origin."

Thud!

Fang Zhuo shook his head. Suppressing his thoughts, he instantly entered a state of mind as tranquil as still water. With a flick of his wrist, he drew his blade and struck the drum with the hilt.

The war drum of the Martial Arts Arena immediately let out a strange sound, like the cry of dragons and elephants.

There it is, now!

Fang Zhuo took a step forward and slashed out with his blade.

Boom!

A sound of heavenly thunder exploded.

Sizzle!

The sound of burning flames crackled.

Fiery red blade shadows spread all over the Bamboo Forest Martial Arts Dojo.

"The eighth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade!"

Jiang Chen, Wang Jinhua, and Takeuchi Reina all stopped their secret technique cultivation and turned to look at Fang Zhuo inside the arena.

The three of them looked at each other, and then the other two stared at Wang Jinhua together.

Who said Fang Zhuo would be stuck on his combat power boost for a while?

What a reverse jinx...!

"This is a good thing!"

Wang Jinhua understood their looks and smiled, "If his talent is truly terrifying and his combat power boost reaches 355.2 times during the Civilization Assessment, wouldn't we have one more option for our combatants?"

"That's true."

Jiang Chen nodded, but still felt something was off.

Takeuchi Reina said, "You're right, but does he really have no Bottleneck in his cultivation?"

"It's not as exaggerated as you think."

Chairwoman Zhao Nianzhen explained at this point, "Fang Zhuo used the thunder-fire source crystals. Thunder-fire source power Body Tempering has a wonderful effect on practicing the Thunder Fire Blade, especially when combined with the Martial Arts Arena."

"Furthermore, his Life Level is already at Rank 59, which is ahead of yours, and his Mental Energy level is not low either. With such a high vantage point, it's normal for him to quickly master the eighth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade. However, the ninth stage won't be that simple."

Only then did Jiang Chen and the other two feel a bit better.

Since the thunder-fire source crystal was a Universe-class treasure, its miraculous effect wasn't that hard to accept.

"I've finally mastered it. It still took some time, which was a bit different from the expected three days..." Fang Zhuo sheathed his blade, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"The eighth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade gives a 6.6-fold combat power boost. Counting the 36-fold boost from the Heaven-Reaching Major Achievement, my current combat power boost has reached 237.6 times!"

But... it was still not enough!

With less than a year left, at the very least, he had to raise his Body Control to Heaven-Reaching Perfection and master the ninth stage of the Thunder Fire Blade to reach a 355.2-fold combat power boost!

Only then, by using the Divine Ability 'Flame' and stacking the Secret Technique Jade Shatter Divine Annihilation, would he have a fighting chance against a Martial Artist with a 400-fold boost in the Civilization Assessment.