Level Up in Martial World

"Put qi in the lighter, and it will fire up from the hole that you see at the upper right." Elv saw Lu Zhen\'s clueless expression as she paused. "Well, water qi or some other attributed qi which contradicts fire shouldn\'t be able to light it up."

"I forgot this era is the era of monkeys with all brawn and no brains," she thought to herself.

"Oh, how convenient," Lu Zhen replied, pretending to be unaware of the lighter\'s function. As he channelled his body\'s wood qi into the device, a green light flickered through the intricate mechanisms within the lighter. Gradually, the device began to emit an eerie, bone-chilling green flame.

Lu Zhen meticulously used his heightened senses to monitor the transformations occurring within the lighter as his wood qi coursed through it. This energy traveled through a complex mechanical system within the device, ultimately manifesting as a vibrant green fire that emerged from the opening on the lighter\'s surface.

The eerie and bone-chilling green flame surged forth from the device, instantly illuminating their surroundings.

"Eh young master, What are you doing?" Xiao Yu questioned in a hurried manner, narrowing his eyes as the intense light filled his vision.

Lu Zhen, however, proceeded without hesitation. "But first..." He granted a painless release to the little girl before setting all the lifeless bodies ablaze.

Xiao Yu\'s eyes widened in shock as he observed Lu Zhen extinguishing the girl\'s life and initiating the fiery end for the corpses.

"Oh poor thy soul may you rest in nothingness…" Lu Zhen closed his eyes and offered a quiet prayer. In his view, the concepts of heaven and hell were merely tales wielded by the powerful to control the masses in ancient times, based on his experience in his previous world which acted as an invisible law for the people.

In this world, there was no belief in the existence of heaven or hell, reinforcing Lu Zhen\'s perspective.

In an abrupt motion, Lu Zhen unleashed a punch to his right, unveiling a perplexing creature. It bore the body of a man but a girl\'s head, with a woman\'s hands that had sharp beasts like nails and a boy\'s legs, culminating in the tail of a furry animal. To complete this bizarre assembly, the little girl\'s head featured beastly fangs and a snout.

This peculiar mixture of forms was nothing short of grotesque.

The creature\'s semi-transparent form collided with Lu Zhen\'s outstretched fist, causing his eyes to widen in astonishment as his punch, carrying the force of at least five tons, effortlessly passed through the figure as if it didn\'t exist at all. Unfazed, the creature responded by launching its fang-like, nail-based attack against him.

Lu Zhen, however, remained in his spot, bearing the assault with an almost indifferent air. The creature\'s efforts barely scratched him, and any damage inflicted healed within a matter of seconds.

Turning his attention to Elv, Lu Zhen inquired, "Do you know what this is?" His gaze remained fixed on the semi-transparent creature.

Elv provided an explanation, "They are anomalies born from the depths of resentment itself."

Lu Zhen was taken aback, his eyes studying the peculiar semi-transparent creature with heightened scrutiny.

Lu Zhen inquired, "How do you kill it then?"

Elv responded, "Simple, you have to use qi. These small anomalies are no match for martial artists; they\'re primarily composed of mortal beings, and although their numbers are substantial, they still can\'t reach the level of Ghost Captains, who are third-stage martial artists."

Lu Zhen considered this, musing, "Ghost Captain? So they use a power system similar to that of beasts, huh..." He casually generated a whirlwind by slicing his hands through the air like a saber, gathering a bit of wood qi.

With a swift "swish," the ghostly figure was torn to shreds and subsequently vanished.

Lu Zhen examined the area but found no trace of the ghost or anything it dropped.

He remarked, "How convenient," though he couldn\'t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

Xiao Yu, on the other hand, was growing increasingly uncomfortable in the smoke-filled air. Despite his obvious discomfort, he hesitantly asked, "Umm, young master, can we leave here?" His face displayed a mix of concern and reluctance as he addressed Lu Zhen.

"Alright, let\'s go then," Lu Zhen said, having noticed the smoke. His enhanced body, including strengthened organs and lungs, allowed him to endure this much smoke, almost purifying the air he breathed in. However, Elv didn\'t fare as well, still inhabiting a mortal girl\'s body.

As the trio hurriedly left the dungeon and the mage base, they emerged in the pond, leaving their clothes soaked.

"Here, young master," Yu Bai provided new clothes for Lu Zhen and the others, including Elv.

Lu Zhen had strictly ordered Yu Bai to stay in the carriage as he remained with the old man. While Yu Bai was a third-stage peak martial artist, Lu Zhen\'s strength had long surpassed this level, and his physique now appeared to have broken through the second-stage martial realm.

If that was indeed the case, Lu Zhen possessed the raw physical strength of a second-stage martial artist, making Yu Bai\'s strength appear like that of a child, rendering him more of a burden. It was better for him to guard the horses if they ran like last time although the reins were stronger now but you never know what could happen.

Lu Zhen reflected, "It was quite the wild run," as he sat on a rock after changing into his new clothes.

"I will deal with Elv later," Lu Zhen thought to himself as he observed the girl whose eyes had transformed from their usual white pupils to a void-like black colour, and her entire demeanour had shifted.