Transformation Diagram: Starting as a Skinny Dog

In the backyard of Divine Martial Mountain, within a small courtyard, although the layout was compact, everything was complete.

Zu Dengfeng and Ying Yunqian both stepped inside and bowed towards a painting hanging in the living room:

"We, your subordinates, have an urgent matter seeking Governor's appearance for decision-making."

The painting depicted an elderly man in golden armor and helmet, standing tall on a cliff.

On one side of the painting, there were four written words.

The Pillar of the Southwest.

The writer of the inscription was none other than Zhang Xiaoting, the Cabinet Chief of Daji Dynasty.

"This matter concerns the Shura Arsenal and Fighting God Palace."

Seeing no response from the painting for a long time, Zu Dengfeng spoke again, holding the scroll of Shura Arsenal above his head.

Swish~

The figure in the painting unexpectedly moved, causing ripples akin to lake waves on the paper.

Soon after, primordial qi emanated from the painting.

It was Li Shentong, Governor of Yuan Yue and Primordial Yang Provinces.

He stepped out from the painting.

"Shura Arsenal?"

Clad in golden armor, he reached out and accepted the scroll of Shura Arsenal handed over by Zu Dengfeng. After unfolding and looking at it, he slightly furrowed his brows and asked Zu Dengfeng:

"Explain in detail."

"As ordered."

Zu Dengfeng and Ying Yunqian supplemented each other's explanations, detailing everything about Chen Ku and the Five Elements Land of Fighting God Palace to the Mountain Master of Divine Martial Academy.

After listening.

Li Shentong looked at Zu Dengfeng and asked, "What do you think about this Shura Arsenal?"

Zu Dengfeng replied, "I believe this diagram is very likely genuine, but we cannot exclude any schemes by the Heavenly Demon King. Besides, this diagram is located far within Yuan Country's territory..."

Li Shentong said solemnly, "Then send some spies to explore around Nether State first."

"That's my thought too." Zu Dengfeng nodded.

Currently, Ji and Yuan countries are at war, and both have infiltrated each other's territories with numerous spies.

Even within Divine Martial Mountain, Zu Dengfeng could feel the presence of spies from Yuan Country.

There couldn't be none; Divine Martial Academy is such a significant matter, attracting the focus of all nations.

If it were Ji Country itself, they would also send people to infiltrate.

However, after investigating privately for a long time, he still hasn't found anyone suspiciously linked to Yuan Country.

"Regarding this student Chen Ku, Governor, how do you think we should handle him?" Zu Dengfeng asked tentatively.

Li Shentong pondered for a while, then smiled and said, "Chen Ku is a student I have a deep impression of; he is among the most talented and qualified in this cohort of Divine Martial students. He even proactively offered the Shura Arsenal to the Imperial Court. Such a patriotic and talented young man, if we don't focus on cultivating him, who else would we focus on?"

Zu Dengfeng also nodded and smiled, "I agree, and Chen Ku, this student, is currently in the Ninth Realm, First Layer Heaven cultivation level. At his current cultivation speed, I believe by the end of this term of Divine Martial studies, he is likely to attempt a breakthrough to the Tenth Realm. Eventually, becoming a legendary military leader is just a matter of time."

"Don't wait until he joins the military to reward him; just for offering this map of Shura Arsenal, we should reward him now." Li Shentong decided, "In my name, grant him 'Second-Class Military Merit' and a 'Divine Martial Order.'"

Zu Dengfeng nodded.

Such a reward is fitting for Chen Ku at the moment.

It's important to note that military merits in Daji Dynasty are divided into ten classes, generally requiring feats like 'First Ascending', 'General Slayer', 'Flag Capture', 'Breakthrough' for a Second-Class Military Merit.

Chen Ku hasn't graduated from Divine Martial Academy yet and has already attained merit comparable to 'First Ascending General Slayer' level.

But Zu Dengfeng doesn't feel this merit is too high.

If the map of Shura Arsenal is genuine, its value alone would be worth a city.

If successful in uncovering treasures within the Arsenal.

A Shura Arsenal's worth could be equivalent to dozens of cities.

Compared to that.

The Divine Martial Order isn't a merit but holds higher practical value. With this order, one can freely access all training lands within Divine Martial Academy, including Martial Temple terrains in Dragon Abyss Province, without paying any martial destiny.

Ying Yunqian had no issue with the reward for Chen Ku either.

His concern was:

"How do we handle Fighting God Palace?"

An inheritance spanning a thousand years, even older than the dynasty's history, and the last generation's Fighting God held a record of one win and one loss against the former Champion Marquis.

This generation's established Fighting God, Hua Yuexian, is among the top three prodigies in the entire Daji world and the leading talent among the young generation in Dragon Abyss.

Three years ago, he could battle the Thirteenth Realm.

Now his younger brother is dead, and he likely won't rest until satisfied.

"Hmph!"

However, Li Shentong merely snorted coldly and said:

"In my Daji Dynasty, the Martial Arts Holy Land is acknowledged by the Imperial Court, only then is it a Martial Arts Holy Land. If they want to trouble Chen Ku, let them come; naturally, I will stand by Chen Ku."

Zu Dengfeng and Ying Yunqian both breathed a sigh of relief.

Because the Governor's title of 'Pillar of the Southwest' is not mere empty talk.

This sealing territory governor, who currently commands the military of two provinces, once followed the Grand Ancestor, conquering east and west, battling north and south as a founding general.

If he weren't so experienced, how could he be appointed as the King of Southwest, overseeing one-fifth of Daji's territory?

......…

Soon, these two great rewards were delivered to Chen Ku's residence.

"Second-class military merit?"

Chen Ku was astonished as he looked at the item placed in front of him on a tray, resembling a 'Red Book Iron Certificate'.

If he remembered correctly, within the Daji military, a second-class military merit was sufficient for a Fourth Rank general to risk life and death on the battlefield.

"The matter of the Shura Martial Treasure requires confidentiality for now, so your awarding of merit cannot be widely announced, but the Mountain Master has already recorded your achievement in the military department. Once you graduate and join the military camp, it will be credited to your record." Zu Dengfeng personally delivered the reward to Chen Ku.

And said, "There's also the matter of the Fighting God Palace, no need to worry as long as you're staying on our Divine Martial Mountain, where the Mountain Master is stationed."

Chen Ku clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Disciple understands."

"Then I'll take my leave. Your most crucial task now is to focus on your academic studies within the academy," Zu Dengfeng said. "The Mountain Master has high expectations for you."

"Disciple understands!"

Chen Ku bowed.

Then he saw off this former Martial Arts Top Scholar.

He lowered his head to look at the two items.

The symbolic significance of second-class military merit is substantial, but Chen Ku still felt that the Divine Martial Order was even more useful.

"The Eighth Layer of the Huntian Overlord Body has already been mastered, the next step being the Ninth Layer 'Sun Decision', only by mastering the Sun Decision can I achieve Yin Yang Balance and reach the domain capable of mastering the 'Life Destruction Forbidden Technique'."

Chen Ku at this moment looked at the Evil Summoning Banner in his Transformation Diagram and said:

"Also, I need to find a way to meet the cultivation conditions of the Ninth Layer of the Evil Summoning Banner."

Cultivation conditions for the Ninth Layer Incantation of the Evil Summoning Banner: Peerless Genius, Ninth Realm Cultivation, Ten Ninth Realm Evil Qi.

"Peerless Genius?"

Chen Ku muttered, "It seems I must continue to enhance the Green Dragon Transformation, which means I need to at least obtain one Ninth Realm or even Tenth Realm 'Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune'."

After four months, he wondered how things were with Yang Xi's incarnation in the capital.

After all, to obtain Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune, it must be with people related to the nation's fortune.

The Yang Xi family is a royal family, with unresolved conflicts over the Hero King Treasure with himself.

Although now Yang Xi's incarnation stabilizes things there, and he himself has the status of Divine Martial Academy.

But Chen Ku still felt that if he had the strength, he should definitely eliminate that Feather King.

It would both protect himself and possibly allow him to obtain Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune.

"Besides, are there other ways to obtain Dragon Qi of the Nation's Fortune?"

Chen Ku pondered in his heart.

He thought of some possibilities.

Undoubtedly, the best way is to go to the battlefield to assassinate the royal family of enemy nations; their nation's fortune also counts as nation's fortune, doesn't it?

Or…

Go to the world's largest country, "Great Fortune Dynasty," for trials.

It's said that the Great Fortune Dynasty fully inherits the ancient structure and cultivation system of the Ancient Emperor's period.

It is a dynasty cultivating through nation's fortune and Qi fortune.

"Moreover, the Pure Yang Body also needs to be supplemented, otherwise there's no way to cultivate the Ninth Layer 'Sun Decision'."

Chen Ku looked at the 'Divine Martial Order' in his hand, muttering to himself:

"Currently, the Pure Yang Body can be prioritized for action. First, look for it in the Martial Training Camp, and then try my luck at the Martial Arts Heaven and Earth in Dragon Abyss Province."

...

With the experience from last time.

Chen Ku went straight to the Martial Training Camp and directly found the student who previously provided him with Sang Hensong's information, stating his intention.

"Senior Brother Chen, I heard you have already grasped the secret of that Iron Tree in the Destruction Hall; truly a frightening talent and qualifications," the student exclaimed.

"This is also, thanks to your help last time, without the Martial Arts Mark materials you provided, I wouldn't have quickly comprehended the Pure Yin Energy from Senior Sister Sang's martial arts."

Chen Ku smiled and said:

"This time, it's the same purpose; I need to find someone who practices Pure Yang Martial Arts to verify my comprehension, do you have any information on this?"

"Pure Yang Martial Arts, of course, we do."

The student immediately said:

"In our nine great halls, all the students on 'Primordial Yang Mountain' study Pure Yang Martial Arts."

Chen Ku smiled.

He also enrolled in the Primordial Yang Hall, how could he not know about the Pure Yang Cultivation Technique there, but what he required was the Pure Yang Body, which he couldn't directly say, then said:

"Then please introduce, is there anyone practicing Pure Yang Martial Arts, cultivation above the Ninth Realm Martial Arts Mark?"

After all, if someone has practiced Pure Yang Martial Arts above the Ninth Realm, their physique surely cannot be inferior.