There's something wrong with me

This day.

Zhang Feng stood on a mountain peak, seeing a military camp about twenty miles away at the foot of the mountain.

The close-up view allowed Zhang Feng to observe the specific situation inside.

A quick glance.

Except for the people inside the tents, who were not visible.

Zhang Feng roughly estimated that there were about three thousand people patrolling the perimeter and hunting.

General Tao did not bring a large force here.

His troop strength was three hundred thousand, under the command of his younger brother.

Zhang Feng could only say that he was truly bold, handing over military authority directly to his brother, not fearing that his brother would rebel.

Of course, it also couldn't be denied that their brotherly relationship was very good.

As long as there was no rebellion, it was hard to say whether this was good or not.

Pondering, Zhang Feng continued walking towards the military camp.

Lin Daoyou and the other person followed him.

However, as they got closer to the military camp, about ten miles away.

In the forest.

Lin Daoyou, somewhat nervous, asked Zhang Feng, "Dao Brother, are we just going to go over directly like this?"

"Yes." Zhang Feng continued walking, "Since we are seeking justice, we must act honorably."

If it were a few years ago, or at the beginning of a martial arts world story, Zhang Feng would prefer an assassin's approach, quietly wiping out entire families, then running away directly.

But now that his physique had been cultivated, there was no need for that.

"Go directly..." The Daoist felt a flutter in his heart upon hearing Zhang Feng's words.

Even though they had confidence in Zhang Feng before and had followed him, panic was inevitable.

It was like when everyone discussed going to a haunted house as a child, but when it came down to it, and they actually saw ghosts appearing, it was impossible to remain calm.

Not to mention, General Tao had thousands of men under him, and many修士 guards.

Even if a real ghost came, it would be torn to pieces.

Zhang Feng, however, was not afraid; he just walked straight ahead.

The two also knew that their Dao Brother was seeking justice for them, so even if they were terrified, they could only brace themselves and go.

They couldn't possibly let their Dao Brother go alone.

Now, facing these enemies, they felt no hatred, only fear.

At the same time.

Ten miles away.

Inside the central tent of the military camp.

The burly General Tao was bare-chested, wiping his body with medicinal liquid.

'Is what that Lin fellow said true or false? Why have I searched for so many years and found no trace of the Yang Mountain ruins?'

General Tao thought about Yang Mountain while wiping on insect repellent.

He very much wanted to find the 'Yang Mountain ruins from seven hundred years ago'.

Because according to legend, whoever obtained the Yang Mountain ruins would surely be able to 'unify the martial arts world!'

And in General Tao's opinion, this unification of the martial arts world, in the present day, meant unifying the world.

Such a thought, along with secrets about treasures.

He felt the need to diligently search, even if it took year after year.

This was because he currently couldn't defeat the other warlords, and he feared that if he made a move, he would be attacked by the others, which had created a stalemate.

It was also like a balanced situation, without any major breakthroughs.

Under such circumstances, besides searching for treasures, there was no other method.

Of course, he wasn't foolish; he didn't bring a large army to search.

If there truly was nothing, the human and material resources expended would be enough to drag him down.

And now, his younger brother was maintaining the large army.

He was essentially taking time off to find a grand prize.

It was a win-win situation.

And at this moment, as he was thinking about these things.

Two soldiers pressed against the outside of the tent, reporting, "General, Daoist Li and the others are here."

Not long after he finished speaking.

Six修士, as if they had something to report, walked together to the entrance of the tent,

"General."

The six修士 looked at the tent flap lowered at the entrance and cupped their hands in inquiry.

Nearby, over thirty soldiers constantly watched the few people, their hands always resting on their gun handles.

As General Tao's personal guards, they had to ensure the General's safety.

Even if these修士 were the General's retainers, his own people, the necessary vigilance still had to be maintained.

"Come in."

About ten seconds later, General Tao's voice came from inside the tent.

The few people exchanged glances and walked in, accompanied by twelve soldiers.

Upon entering the spacious tent.

The twelve soldiers dispersed around the perimeter.

At the same time, the gray-robed修士, who was leading, said to General Tao, who had just put on his upper garment:

"General, how is this insect repellent?"

"It's from Daoist Li, so it must be good." General Tao said straightforwardly with a forced smile, "Daoist Masters, let's not exchange pleasantries. Why have you come to see me today?"

"It's like this..." The gray-robed修士 pondered for a moment, unsure whether he should speak.

Another修士, seeing this, directly interjected, "General, we have been searching for almost five years now."

As he spoke, he was also accustomed to the General's way of speaking, so he said very directly, "It's not a solution to keep wasting time here."

These few修士 were tired of staying in this deep mountain and old forest and yearned to return to the bustling world.

After all, that was what they sought by pledging allegiance to the General.

But five years of searching was unbearable for anyone.

If it weren't for their fear of General Tao's might, they would have fled long ago.

"I know it's not a solution." General Tao, however, waved his hand impatiently, "I don't want to hear anyone's advice.

I just want to know now, you've taken people and searched in the mountains for another two months, do you have any new news about Yangshan Zhenren?"

"This..." Two修士 exchanged glances, then both shook their heads.

"Perhaps it's false." A修士 dressed in brocade clothes said, "Although Yangshan Zhenren existed in history, perhaps the matter of his ruins is not within this mountain."

The brocade-clad修士 was a relative of General Tao, so he spoke more bluntly, unlike the other修士 who were more subtle.

"That Daoist Lin wouldn't dare to deceive me." The General saw that it was his brother-in-law asking, so he spoke more, "It should be on this mountain.

After all, in these past few years, although we haven't found the ruins, we did find an old temple with Yangshan Zhenren's bamboo scrolls inside.

Although the handwriting had long since blurred, I had people examine it.

They compared it to Yangshan Zhenren's surviving writings, and it is undoubtedly his handwriting."

The General stood up, looking towards a cliff.

"But as for the specific location of the Yang Mountain ruins, it's a pity that Daoist Lin escaped."

"Brother-in-law!" The brocade-clad修士, however, had a different opinion, "Having his handwriting doesn't mean Yangshan Zhenren's ruins are here!"

"What you say also makes sense." The General glanced at him, "Then tell me, do you have a better method? Or other news?"

"I..." The brocade-clad修士 paused, then finally shook his head, "No."

"Then keep searching." General Tao's tone turned cold, "And in the army, don't call me brother-in-law."

"Yes..." The brocade-clad修士, seeing his brother-in-law angry, dared not speak anymore.

"Go." General Tao seemed long accustomed to searching without news, but he still held a glimmer of hope.

But at this moment.

Before the修士 had even taken their leave.

Bang...

Several gunshots suddenly rang out from a distance.

"Monster..."

"He's an immortal..."

Some exclamations followed.

"What..." General Tao heard the gunshots and exclamations, and after a moment of愣, he was about to send someone to inquire when.

Whoosh—

More than a dozen soldiers suddenly seemed to be swept by a strong wind, all tumbling into the tent, breaking the support poles around the tent.

"Watch out!"

While the tent was collapsing.

The brocade-clad修士 and others, upon seeing this, also used their magical arts, forming sharp blades that shredded the tent fabric, maintaining an open view.

But it was precisely when their vision cleared, allowing them to see the surroundings of the tent, that they witnessed a scene they would never forget.

Zhang Feng stood on the open ground outside the tent, with Lin Daoyou and the other person behind him, and dozens of bullets floating around him.

Nearby, a small number of soldiers trembled as they aimed their guns at Zhang Feng, but facing such a miraculous situation, they dared not fire again.

More soldiers, meanwhile, screamed in panic and threw down their guns, fleeing.

Zhang Feng looked at the stunned General Tao and the others, then at the excited Lin Daoyou and the other person behind him,

"I came here today for three reasons: first, to find Yang Mountain; second, to acquire some magical arts.

Third, to seek justice for my two friends."

"Shoot! Kill him!" General Tao, hearing Zhang Feng's words and seeing Lin Daoyou and the other person, knew there was no peaceful resolution, so he decisively chose to fight for his life.

He said nothing about polite words or anything else.

Even if the person who came looked unusual, it was better than standing there waiting to die.

But just as he raised the hand holding his gun, he felt his arm lighten, and his entire forearm was suddenly severed by something.

"Run!" The brocade-clad修士 and others, upon seeing Zhang Feng's miraculous display, chose to abandon the General and flee directly.

...

None of these修士 escaped.

Zhang Feng came here for talismans; how could he let these walking sources of knowledge run away?

From them, Zhang Feng obtained the '1-stroke Fire Snake magical art'.

When fully cast, it forms a fire snake with a very long attack range, considered a long-range magical art.

Overall, it transforms it into a solid 'arrow' and 'arrowhead', thereby providing a longer attack range.

It also 'shrinks' the magical art, further providing kinetic energy.

There was also a 2-stroke magical art called 'Water Gathering Incantation', which could gather water elements and moisture within its range.

As for other cultivation methods, like Wind Blade, Fireball, and so on.

Zhang Feng felt that they 'overlapped in structure' with Earth Thorn, but based on their structures, he could optimize his own magical arts and more quickly deduce 'various thorns'.

Fire Snake, on the other hand, was 'various arrows'.

Water Gathering, 'various gatherings'.

After organizing everything.

Zhang Feng looked towards the previous tent.

Lin Daoyou has already beheaded General Tao, avenging his past grudge.

...

A hundred miles away.

At the true Yang Mountain.

Zhang Feng looked at the three-hundred-meter mountain peak and then at the surrounding traces.

General Tao and his men had actually searched here, but found nothing.

"I think it should be inside the mountain."

Lin Daoyou looked at the mountain peak, but didn't know its exact location.

Because its area was as large as seven football fields, if they were to slowly chisel it, it would take until next year.

As for using explosives, that goes without saying.

If there was something good inside and it was blown up along with it, then all their efforts would be in vain.

Thus.

Both of them looked at Zhang Feng; they knew that he possessed a very peculiar Spiritual Sense that could 'see through' the mountain.

Zhang Feng didn't say much, like he was riding the wind, first circling the mountain peak once.

His Spiritual Sense covered a spherical range, including above and below.

As Zhang Feng searched around the mountain, he not only searched eleven meters above but also looked eleven meters underground.

After completing one full circle.

Zhang Feng then stepped to a spot twenty-two meters up the mountain peak and continued searching.

About half an hour passed.

At a height of forty-nine meters on the southwest side, Zhang Feng saw something inside the mountain.

It was nearly five meters within the mountain body.

This was good news; at least they wouldn't have to chisel the mountain.

Otherwise, it would truly be a massive project.

Zhang Feng estimated that if this entire mountain were to be carefully peeled away bit by bit using spells, it would take at least three or four months to chisel.

While contemplating.

Zhang Feng stood on a protruding rock, his palm touching the mountain body.

Whoosh—

The hard mountain rock, in the next second, under the influence of earth elemental power and resonance, became soft and turned into fine sand, flowing down from the mountain body.

Carefully excavating, about a few minutes passed.

Zhang Feng dug out a five-meter-long tunnel and walked inside.

Only at this moment.

Zhang Feng also discovered that this relic had nothing of high caliber; it was even less grand than the tomb of the reclusive Leader Xun.

Because there was only an unrusted blade, buried straight in the mountain rock.

But the moment Zhang Feng saw it, even though it had no spiritual energy fluctuations.

Zhang Feng knew it was a true 'Spiritual Tool'.

Or rather, a 'Formation'.

Taking it into his hand.

Looking at its surface, the blade was clearly engraved with 'patterns'.

Zhang Feng recognized at a glance that this was a talisman similar to 'Wind Blade'.

Its structure was similar to the water swords of the Tomb Guard and his companions.

But at the 'starting' position of the structure, there was also a very complex structural carving.

Zhang Feng looked at it for a long time before realizing it was '3-stroke'.

And at the beginning of this 3-stroke, there was also a ping-pong ball-sized groove.

It should be for placing something.

Upon seeing the 'talisman, 3-stroke, and groove', the three were linked.

Zhang Feng thought for a moment and, instead of placing anything in the groove, infused spiritual energy into it.

In the next second, the blade glowed with spiritual energy, activating 'blade qi'.

If he were to swing it now, it would be like in a wuxia world, where a swing of his sword would unleash a 'qi'.

This qi was also genuine blade qi.

Unlike the sword qi in his wuxia world.

That sword qi was actually his own Wind Blade spell; he only made the sword-swinging motion for aesthetics and to deepen his control over spiritual energy through physical actions.

However, this Spiritual Tool, under the effect of the '3-stroke conversion structure', could be directly activated as long as there was a Spirit Stone or spiritual energy.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Feng suddenly realized a 'convenience'.

Because even ordinary people holding this Spiritual Tool, as long as it was powered by Spirit Stones, could also achieve the phenomenon of blade qi activation.

Of course, it was better if one had spiritual energy themselves.

Firstly, it could enhance the power of the spell.

Secondly, within the material's tolerance, the higher one's own strength, the greater the activated power.

Thirdly, it could ensure that after the Spirit Stones were depleted, one could still provide energy to the Spiritual Tool and then unleash blade qi.

It could even be said that as long as one possessed weapons with various talismans, they wouldn't need to cultivate any spells; they would only need to have spiritual energy themselves to cast various corresponding spells.

Or, if one had enough money to buy various Spirit Stones, then there would be no need to cultivate at all to use various spells.

But while this was powerful and convenient.

Ultimately, it was not one's own strength.

In case of a sudden situation, for example, if someone was faster and activated their Spiritual Tool quicker than oneself, then it would be a waiting game for death.

Because in Zhang Feng's view, this was equivalent to a 'Spirit Stone version of modern firearms'.

Everything still depended on the person.

However, this Spiritual Tool, or rather 'Rune Weapon', could be mass-produced, which was an absolute advantage.

It also aligned with the legend that 'whoever obtains the Yang Mountain relic can unify the jianghu'.

Zhang Feng had also heard this legend from Lin Daoyou.

And in ancient times, if anyone could have an army of 'Spirit Stone Rune Blades', they could truly sweep everything before them.

This legend was true.

But for this world, it was a bit underwhelming.

Because there were already planes and cannons.

Especially for his own real world.

Zhang Feng also wouldn't mass-produce it.

It had significant limitations in modern warfare, greatly weakening its utility.

Superconducting weapons were far superior to it.

Because the 'main Ling Stone Technology' had not yet fully risen.

So, naturally, this symbiotic 'Rune Technology' also suffered setbacks.

Moreover, Zhang Feng was also afraid that after the birth of 'Rune Technology', many people would no longer want to spend time cultivating spells.

After all, it was too convenient.

But Zhang Feng had traveled too many paths and experienced too many things, knowing that spells were 'essential' for every cultivator.

Because if one only cultivated strength and not spells, then their entire foundation would be 'hollow', and their knowledge would seem empty.

With a hollow foundation and empty knowledge, one could not cultivate to higher realms.

Of course, if one only cultivated the knowledge required for their realm, there was nothing to be done.

It was like someone who could perform Visualization, only opening dozens of meridians, whose physique could also reach 50, reaching a superhuman standard.

Cultivating physique (realm) first in this manner was not wrong.

Although in terms of combat power, they might not compare to those with a solid foundation (learning various techniques) and a physique of 40.

But as Zhang Feng thought of this, he suddenly understood that not everyone was like him, having the time to learn comprehensively.

The vast majority of people in the real world were destined to specialize.

Especially as he promulgated more and passed down more, they would become increasingly specialized and focused.

Human energy is limited, which is unavoidable.

So 'Rune Technology' doesn't seem to need to be 'forbidden'.

Just thinking of people.

Zhang Feng also felt that Yangshan Zhenren was definitely an 'over-standard' specialist, just like Ling Shan Great Immortal and others.

Because his engraved patterns for Spiritual Tools themselves did not conform to the level of this world.

Look at these carvings and the meticulous technique.

Zhang Feng readily admitted that he currently could not achieve such exquisite detail.

'Carving knowledge' and 'proficiency' were too low.

Even with the enhancement of Spiritual Sense, which could make him more precise, it would still take at least decades of practice.

This, too, must be practiced.

Because it could improve his control.

His usual talisman drawing was also a practice of control (carving).

But if he relied on current quantum carving methods, it would be effortless.

Extrapolating from this.

With quantum carving.

Reality now possessed all the conditions for virtual reality.

Theoretically, as long as the '3-stroke conversion formation' and his '1.9 Spiritual Sense network' were replicated and carved onto a Superconductor.

Then, it would be possible to 'bypass' neurology and indirectly achieve virtual reality technology.

Zhang Feng felt there was a chance.

However, this carving needed to be done before the Superconductor formed, not afterward.

So he needed to quickly learn 'Spirit Stone conversion', make a mold in reality as soon as possible, and then start producing carving machines.

Because once the Superconductor formed, with its high-strength material and high-temperature properties requiring over 5000 degrees to melt.

Carving it would entail greater investment costs.

However, just this carving, and carving out a small computing building filled with formations, as well as the players' spiritual energy equipment.

This completely inconceivable 'new Rune Technology' was something reality was encountering for the first time.

Especially since every component had to have a formation carved on it, and all formations had to be perfectly connected.

This sounded like a headache.

Problems were bound to arise in between.

This could be foreseen as a major technological engineering project.

But once achieved, when players' neural operation information was collected and mental information also became literal data.

Not only could reality achieve another technological leap.

Zhang Feng could also better research psychology and Spiritual Sense-related topics.

All of this was complementary.

To learn, to get data, required significant investment.

So, for the remaining time, he would first thoroughly understand the 'Spirit Stone conversion' of the 3-stroke.

And realize 'Rune Technology' in reality.