Lord Shenxiu

[Hundred Refinement Martial Arts: Level Five]

[Musical Skill: Third Level]

[Chess Skill: Third Level]

[Calligraphy and Painting: Fourth Level]

[Spirit Turtle Breathing Skill: Level One]

[Profound Yin Soul: Level One]

[Azure Dragon Cloud-Exploring Hand: Level One]

[Heavenly Show Points: 0 (88%)]

...

"I've been drawing a bit too much attention lately, I'm afraid I'm going to incur some resentment…"

Looking at the attribute column of the Heavenly Show System, Zhong Shenxiu pondered in silence.

"And… the attribute column seems a bit cluttered… Need to streamline a bit; otherwise, it's dizzying to look at."

With a thought, he tapped into the quirky system, and more information surfaced:

[Detected mergeable options, merge Musical Skill, Chess Skill, and Calligraphy and Painting?]

"Yes!"

[Musical Skill, Chess Skill, and Calligraphy and Painting merged!]

[Musical Chess Calligraphy and Painting: Third Level]

[Detected Hundred Refinement Martial Arts can be integrated with Azure Dragon Cloud-Exploring Hand, merge?]

"Yes!"

[Azure Dragon Cloud-Exploring Hand upgraded!]

[Azure Dragon Cloud-Exploring Hand: Third Level!]

...

After this series of operations, Zhong Shenxiu suddenly felt much more comfortable.

In fact, the merging and integration of skills in the Heavenly Show System were one of its features, but he just hadn't bothered to do it before.

"Musical Chess Calligraphy and Painting should indeed be merged, and it remains at the third level, which is determined by the majority of levels."

"As for the Hundred Refinement Martial Arts, it can be considered the accumulation of my practice from my previous world, turned into experience and integrated into the Azure Dragon Cloud-Exploring Hand, which has raised it by two levels."

Zhong Shenxiu inwardly sensed this.

The Azure Dragon Cloud-Exploring Hand at this time could already be considered an instinct of his body, every movement, every gesture, was in tune with nature, with infinite power.

Furthermore, the Primordial Qigong was also devoured by the better Spirit Turtle Breathing Skill.

The traces and roots of his past life had been completely concealed.

Zhong Shenxiu felt a flicker of joy in his heart and began to meditate and practice the Spirit Turtle Breathing Skill again, attempting to break through his acupoints.

The Spirit Turtle Breathing Map showed a total of thirty-six acupoints, corresponding one by one to the thirty-six acupoints of the human body. If he could unblock them all, he would reach the pinnacle of the Innate realm.

Within the Ten Directions Beast Skill, in addition to the Spirit Turtle Breathing Skill, there were several other cultivation techniques, which were also part of the Innate Qi Refining Skill.

However, if he cultivated all of them to the peak, although it would still be the limit of the Innate realm, he would possess the power of dragons and elephants, the energy of turtles and snakes, and the body of a vajra, with boundless benefits that could forge the most profound Dao Foundation.

Moreover, it was a prerequisite for cultivating the Ten Thousand Beasts True Body.

Although Zhong Shenxiu had some thoughts about this, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. He thought of first practicing one inner strength technique, one move, and reaching the peak of the Innate realm before anything else.

As for what came after, that would be a concern for later.

Immersed in his practice, a night quickly passed by.

On the second day, Zhong Shenxiu donned a suit of dark iron armor to meet Feng Xixi.

This set of iron armor weighed over a hundred pounds, which ordinary people could hardly bear to wear, only a martial artist of great acquired skill could move freely in it.

Of course, the protective power of this set of armor was also extraordinary, comparable to the defensive capability of the Xuanwu Hundred Refinement Armor refined to the third or fourth level.

If confronted with a common martial arts master in battle, it was not known how much of an advantage it could provide.

Zhong Shenxiu, now an innate expert who had refined true qi, wore the armor as if it were everyday clothing, gracefully heading to the commander's tent to pay his respects to Feng Xixi.

Feng Xixi, however, was not in armor but clad in a light teal silk dress, her demeanor exuding the delicate beauty of a willowy woman. With a jade-like hand, she held a writing brush, her brow furrowed in concentration over the documents spread out on the desk.

"Your subordinate pays respects to the Colonel!"

Zhong Shenxiu took the initiative to salute.

Feng Xixi looked up at him, her face breaking into a smile as warm as a spring breeze, causing flowers to seemingly burst into bloom, "You really have forgotten me…"

Zhong Shenxiu feigned confusion, "I wonder if the Colonel has some past acquaintance with my Su Family?"

"I once visited the Su Family with my grandfather," Feng Xixi set aside her brush, "You were just a member of a collateral branch, standing amongst the crowd along the path, offering respects. I only caught a glimpse of you; it's normal that you don't remember… Not long after, I heard the Su Family got into trouble, and the main lineage was executed…"

Inside, Zhong Shenxiu was as placid as an ancient well, but before his eyes, he seemed to see the scene from that day unfurl.

The fierce and powerful cavalry of Yan Han, brazenly breaking through the estate, shouted, "By decree, we are to search and seize the Su Family's property. Any resistance will be met with death!"

Even in the sky above, there were all sorts of forbidden arts and cultivators engaging in combat with brilliant auroras...

'Great families help each other out, and the Su Family was once a prestigious one, wiped out in an instant, getting involved in a heaven-shaking affair… it is said to have something to do with the Prince's struggle for power…'

Zhong Shenxiu sighed internally.

Logically, the Su Family should not have been so foolish, but sufficed with greed and ambition, a lowly house seeks to become a noble one, a noble house schemes to rise to prominence, and a prominent one aspires to become a great clan…

Under normal circumstances, even a thousand years of accumulation may not bring success, attaching oneself to a dragon or phoenix was a shortcut.

Of course, the consequences of failure were utterly devastating.

Even more so, Zhong Shenxiu vaguely felt, the Su Family wasn't at the core; they just got slightly involved, becoming an unfortunate casualty or a warning to others.

Otherwise, he, being from a side branch, would likely not have survived.

At this point, realizing the gravity of the situation, he began acting, his lips quivering, his face paling, and his eyes reddening.

"Enough… There's no need to speak of the past."

Feng Xixi waved her hand dismissively, "That you can meet with me is also a piece of fortune. Do well in your duties this time, earn some merit, and you may be absolved from your criminal status… In the future, you might even find a way out, but do not harbor thoughts of restoring your family."

"I dare not entertain such thoughts."

Zhong Shenxiu, of course, could only respond thusly.

Although he was determined to shoulder the karmic responsibilities left by Su Daoshi, this man's relatives were nearly all dead.

As for revenge, it was not something he could seek at the moment.

"I don't care if you're sincere or not, I'll take it as truth,"

Feng Xixi said, "I am tasked with investigating the remnants of the Felix Family. This Black Mountain region is of utmost importance. We must have iron cavalry patrols daily, especially around the Great Rift and the ritual altar remains... I've had divinations done, and in two months' time, it will be the Blood Moon Night. The Earls of Heisting love to offer sacrifices to the Evil God at that time. If those scoundrels are to act, that will be when they do it… You are familiar with the terrain, so strive to make contributions."

"Your orders will be strictly followed!"

Zhong Shenxiu bowed respectfully, yet his heart sank.

'Just over two months until the Blood Moon Night? Sooner than I anticipated… My time is running short…'

The monster within his body, which on ordinary full moons already clamored for his soul, would surely be more relentless on the Blood Moon Night.

'However… Capturing the remnants of the Felix Family? That family… I'm quite familiar with them!'

The Earls of Heisting had long been destroyed, and the secrets of this enigmatic family had been buried in the annals of history.

But Zhong Shenxiu was different; within him resided an ancestor of the Felix Family, many secrets of whom were laid out by his hand.

If he could slightly manipulate or even use small tricks like peering into memories, perhaps he could indeed gain quite a few advantages!