The final day of the Three Rivers festival, an extra chapter! Hurry with your collections and recommendations!

Liang Si'an’s disappearance finally caused an uproar. Several direct disciples had vanished in succession, particularly those under General Lu. Liang Si'an, once the foremost disciple among the third generation and a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had vanished without a trace. Even the military strategists of Dragon Tiger Mountain, who valued practical application in training their disciples, could no longer afford to ignore it.

But no matter how they searched, there were still no leads. Feng Zikang heard from Gu Ya, who had come to visit, that several monks had been frequently passing through the Small Bamboo Grove lineages these past few days. Rumor had it that there were remnants of the Demonic Path stirring about, so they had invited several eminent monks from the Chan Sect to investigate.

However, it seemed the Buddha offered little assistance, and life in the mountains gradually settled back into a semblance of peace.

After Liang Si'an’s matter subsided, Feng Zikang entered a state of semi-seclusion. Among the third-generation disciples now, the first disciple, Huo Zhongguang, was firmly in his camp and would never oppose him. As for Liang Si'an, Miao Yuchun, and Xiao Gao’s faction, Feng Zikang had killed the leaders of their alliance, effectively dissolving it, so he no longer worried about them posing a threat.

There was also Meng Qinglu, whom Feng Zikang had disliked from the first glance, but his foundation was too weak. Rumor had it he apprenticed under Elder Li Hu’er, who held a minor post, and kept a low profile; he shouldn't cause any trouble for Feng Zikang either.

The urgent matter now was to rapidly advance his own cultivation.

He was not in a rush to break through to the fourth level of Qi Induction. Firstly, drawing too much attention was never a good thing. Secondly, once he entered the fourth level of Qi Induction, it marked the beginning of the Path of Inquiry. Although he knew his will was firm, his inherent demonic nature was intense, leading to moments of excessive rigidity and willfulness. He had heard that during the Path of Inquiry, one’s true heart could not be feigned; he needed to cultivate a Dao Heart that appeared exquisitely transparent and flawless first.

Therefore, during these days, besides cultivating the Formless Celestial Demon Heart Method, he frequently studied military classics, contemplating the wisdom and principles embedded within the words of the ancient sages.

After his injuries healed, Huo Zhongguang also entered seclusion, striving for the perfect integration of the Qi Induction stage and practicing several formidable techniques before taking on a merit mission for Foundation Establishment.

As for Luo Lianxin, there was still no news. Feng Zikang had gone to the Earth Element Cavern to practice occasionally, but he never encountered her again.

Gu Ya and Meng Qinglu, however, visited frequently. Gu Ya was an indefatigable youth, and it was rare for him to find a kindred spirit in Feng Zikang. Every few days he would come to Eight Trigrams Mountain to gossip about the local affairs: how Senior Brother Li’s pursuit of Senior Sister Yang ended in failure, causing him to enter ten years of strict seclusion in anger; how Senior Brother Yin went out into the mortal world for practice and became utterly bewildered after being seduced by a fox spirit, ultimately being expelled from the sect; or how his master recently calculated a reversal in heavenly secrets, predicting that within a few decades the world would be ruled by women.

Feng Zikang had no idea where the boy sourced these tidbits of gossip.

Of course, Gu Ya never forgot to boast about his art of stargazing. Ever since Liang Si’an’s disappearance, he had been bragging that he was a veritable prophet, yet apart from that one previous instance, Feng Zikang couldn't recall any of Gu Ya’s other predictions ever proving accurate.

Meng Qinglu’s visits, on the other hand, had a very clear purpose: he was clearly trying to befriend Feng Zikang. After all, as the successor of the Small Bamboo Grove lineage, Feng Zikang’s standing far surpassed his own at Sunset Peak.

Feng Zikang maintained a civil distance with him. While the man’s conversation was gentle and felt like a spring breeze, he was too deeply calculating for Feng Zikang to develop any genuine warmth towards him.

Once the initial furore died down over several days, Feng Zikang began sorting through the spoils gained from eliminating the disciples of Sunset Peak.

Xiao Gao’s storage pouch held little of real value, save for the Wuwang Divine Halberd, which was decent—a Yellow-Grade Rank Three magical weapon, possessing the sixth level of the "Calm the World" Divine Ability, quite useful in mass combat. Feng Zikang couldn't use it himself, but it could fetch a handsome price.

Liang Si'an, worthy of being General Lu's sole disciple and the senior-most among the third generation, had a storage pouch filled with true treasures.

The Jinjin Chainmail was undoubtedly the finest item. This black armor offered solid defense and came with the eighth level of the "Immovable as a Mountain" Divine Ability, allowing for the slow restoration of physical energy and true essence during sustained combat. As a Yellow-Grade Rank Five armor, it would sell for an astronomical price at the Flying Cloud Mirage Market.

His replica Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, while having mediocre practical effects, was undeniably magnificent in appearance and would not sell cheaply.

There was also a black banner that could increase the speed at which Divine Abilities manifested physically—for instance, the demonic figure manifesting from the Chi You Breaks the Army Evasion Technique, or the barbarian giant summoned by Luo Lianxin's Ten Thousand Barbarian Soldiers Slash. Having this banner nearby would enhance the power of such manifestations to some degree.

There were many methods for physically manifesting Divine Abilities, making the banner quite versatile. Feng Zikang initially paid it no mind, intending to sell it off casually. However, the moment he grasped it, his spirit jolted with a peculiar sensation. Intrigued, he kept it with him for the time being.

Aside from these, there were thousands of spirit stones and talismans, plus several unique small items, particularly a strange, emerald-green stone of peculiar shape whose use remained unknown. He stored all these away in his own pouch.

Fortunately, the storage pouch made from the skin of the East Sea Thornless Fish offered immense space, so he did not need to worry about running out of room immediately.

Once everything was organized, he took a trip to the Flying Cloud Mirage Market to dispose of items he didn't need or those that were too conspicuous. Although he now had the Veil Spell for protection, one could never be too cautious; there was no need to risk discovery for a mere few artifacts.

He didn't intend to buy anything this time. He simply tossed the Wuwang Divine Halberd, the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade, and the Jinjin Chainmail onto a stall, set an exorbitant price for each, and returned to his residence.

A few days later, he checked back and found everything sold out.

This time, he had truly amassed a small fortune.

Two hundred and thirty thousand spirit stones.

Huo Zhongguang toiled tirelessly for years and likely hadn't scraped together even a fraction of that amount. It seemed murder and plundering were indeed the fastest ways to wealth...

Feng Zikang smiled faintly. Carrying so many spirit stones was inconvenient, so he deposited them at the management office in the Flying Cloud Mirage Market; retrieving them could be done anytime.

He didn't need these external possessions right now. The most crucial thing was to temper his Dao Heart, ensuring he could successfully pass the challenge of the Path of Inquiry so his cultivation could swiftly break through to the fourth level of Qi Induction!

In the Small Bamboo Grove, aside from the locations designated for cultivation, he spent most of his time reading and seeking enlightenment in his thatched hut.

Thus, a year passed. * * *

"The origins of warfare are fivefold: first, the struggle for fame; second, profit; third, the accumulation of grievances; fourth, internal strife; and fifth, scarcity due to famine."

Feng Zikang softly recited the classic words of the sage. The military arts, all struggles for dominance—whether for fame and fortune, jealousy, material desire, power, or mere survival—involved harboring a grand will to contend while employing unexpected maneuvers. This was the Dao Heart that possessed the true intention of the military strategist!

He laughed out loud, the barriers in his heart dissolving completely. His Dao Heart became clear as flawless glass.

It was at this very moment that the internal energy circulation of the Yangming Stomach Meridian was successfully established, a natural progression!

Qi Induction Level Four, the Path of Inquiry!

He had finally reached it!