There's something wrong with me

Chapter 198: A 'Heavenly Dao Talisman!' Swallowed a Gold Core into the Belly!

'What are you looking for me for?'

Zhang Feng couldn't just directly drive her away.

Seeing that her scales were covered in dust, he knew she had struggled along the way and hadn't even had time to clean herself.

However.

Just as Zhang Feng was looking at her scales, she frantically used water-attribute spiritual energy to clean herself, feeling a bit embarrassed.

First, she felt like she was just like a mud monkey and would probably be disliked by Zhang Feng.

Second, 'bathing' in front of a strange man, although their species were different, she still felt embarrassed.

Zhang Feng didn't think that much about it, nor did he have the mind to ponder.

But after seeing that her spiritual energy was depleted, she still insisted on bathing.

Zhang Feng felt she was quite amusing, so he used a spell to take some dirt from the ground and instantly burned it into a basin.

The next second, water attributes gathered around, forming a 'water tank' that could be considered decent.

It was similar in shape to a washbasin.

'Come in.'

Zhang Feng placed the water tank on the ground.

She looked a bit hesitant, gesturing back and forth with her fins.

She was very moved in her heart, even feeling that the Daoist priest was giving her a 'warm home'.

It was a 'love token'.

Such a scene made her understand what romance was in human relationships.

It was just that more and more people were watching, and although she was a fish, she also knew what a woman's proper reserve should be.

Zhang Feng, however, didn't understand fish language at all, nor did he know she could misinterpret it this way. Instead, he directly used spiritual energy to pick her up and place her in the basin, then soared dozens of meters into the air amidst the villagers' exclamations, heading straight towards the distant mountain forest.

The Little Carp looked at Zhang Feng 'infatuatedly' from the basin.

About one minute.

Twenty li away from the village.

Zhang Feng arrived at a small lakeside,

'The nearby demon beasts have already been cleared out by me, you can cultivate here.

Also, deep at the bottom of the lake, there are spiritual method secret manuals carved by me, taught through Spiritual Sense formations.

I wish you success in your cultivation soon.'

This secret manual was originally intended by Zhang Feng to be like the large Buddha at the bottom of the sea, for a 'fated person to discover'.

But now there's a spiritual little fish, so it's a bargain for her.

After finishing all of this.

Zhang Feng left directly.

He had raised demon creatures before, plus there was a lot of neurology and the like from the virtual world.

So there was no need to waste energy raising demons again.

In Zhang Feng's plan, this effort and reward were not proportional.

...

In the blink of an eye, a year later.

There were no changes in the outside world.

But every morning, in this small village, a group of people sat cross-legged in meditation.

And in front of them.

Zhang Feng sat cross-legged on a large bluestone, gazing at the rising sun, his breathing and absorption of spiritual power seemed like he was absorbing 'Purple Qi of the Rising Sun'.

But in reality, Zhang Feng had not reached such a 'refined spirit' realm and could not directly swallow the essence of the sun and moon.

Especially since there was no 'Purple Qi' in this world either.

As for what Purple Qi was, Zhang Feng couldn't say right now, but he definitely felt it was a more advanced type of spiritual energy.

After all, since he couldn't see it now, it must be higher.

It was calculated using a very simple method of elimination.

And during this year's time.

Zhang Feng appropriately practiced, meditated, taught disciples, and then daydreamed every day while ensuring his strength steadily improved.

Relaxing the inner demons was like this.

Simply put, it meant not studying anymore, nor sorting out the knowledge obtained in the original Superconducting world.

That process of dismantling and analyzing, thoroughly understanding, and integrating it into spells, this complex problem-solving process required too much mental effort, far exceeding normal cultivation.

He was currently cultivating nearly ten systems simultaneously, and his daily inner demons only increased by 0.01%.

But if he dismantled knowledge, it was 0.1% daily.

If he encountered large calculations, such as his previous flying and Spiritual Sense talismans.

That kind of large-scale architecture and major problem could reach a level of 0.5% daily.

But as long as he didn't study, his daily inner demons were reducing at a rate of 0.02%.

From a normal perspective, as long as he endured for ten thousand days, which is about thirty years.

Then the inner demons would naturally drop to 0%.

There was no need to deliberately seek enlightenment.

This was the 'Visualization Perception Effect' that Zhang Feng had realized after multiple enlightenments.

It completely 'copied' the 'natural feeling' of enlightened inner demons.

This allowed him to have continuous small enlightenments every day, constantly reducing his inner demons daily.

But this kind of copying was not natural perception after all, so its effect was definitely not as good as that natural relaxation.

This was unavoidable.

Because this kind of natural law, in Zhang Feng's opinion, should belong to a special type of rule-based targeted therapy.

It also meant it was targeted, precise, and effective.

However, Zhang Feng also knew that he still didn't know enough, otherwise he should be able to analyze this simple inner demon perception.

As long as it could be analyzed.

He would basically enter a state without inner demons.

Zhang Feng was confident because he could now apply it in practice, which proved that this perception could be analyzed and was a relatively low-level rule system.

After all, although it was a natural perception brought about by external forces, it ultimately caused changes within himself.

Then there was a principle to follow.

It was like taking poison would harm the body, but if he first made himself look like he had been harmed by this poison, then he could simulate the effect of the poison.

As long as it acted upon oneself, there must be a solution.

Except for text and text items, that was a completely 'peripheral' architecture.

Although it ultimately acted upon himself, it could not be simulated.

Zhang Feng felt this was probably to prevent him from 'cheating'.

...

In the blink of an eye, another year passed.

The news that Zhang Feng was teaching disciples in the village, someone had spread it.

This caused the nearest village to also hear about what was happening here.

They were twenty li away from here.

But facing the fact that there was a Da Fashi (Great Mage) teaching disciples, this was not a problem.

However, after Zhang Feng learned of this news, he specifically came to this village and used a spell similar to malevolent energy to block the memories regarding this place.

Because the village was not very powerful yet, and he was not a master.

So this kind of early exposure had no style.

They were all shrimp soldiers and crab generals, not worth mentioning.

Also on this day.

Zhang Feng also knew how the news had leaked.

It was quite a coincidence.

Actually, it was someone from his own village who went hunting in the mountains. He had some martial arts foundation and had also learned spiritual energy tempering, thus agilely killing a large wild boar.

Afterward, the people from that village were not actually surprised by this person's skill; instead, they wanted to buy this wild boar, so a few of them came to his village to negotiate the price.

But upon arriving, they saw that the villagers were all sitting cross-legged in meditation, looking like a secluded cultivators' sect.

Finally, they caught a person who was leaving and asked, and also learned that there was a Da Fashi (Great Mage) in the village.

The person who spoke also said it casually while thinking about a problem on his way home.

After saying it, he regretted it.

He remembered that Master Zhang didn't allow it to be said.

But by the time he reacted, the people from the other village had also gone back.

Everything was very coincidental.

It just so happened that he let it slip while thinking about a problem.

Coupled with the fact that Zhang Feng had been wandering in the mountains for those few days, the news managed to spread out.

Thus.

He spoke to the villagers a little more, saying that if there was no need, they shouldn't go out.

The village's land was large and could also achieve 'daily sustenance' by planting spiritual herbs.

There were quite a few spiritual herbs in this world, and they were also easy to plant.

As a planting expert, Zhang Feng was also proficient in spiritual energy, soil science, and climatology, making the transplantation of these spiritual herbs relatively simple.

It wasn't like complex dismantling and optimization.

As for analysis, that would be discussed later.

...

Another year passed.

The spiritual plants were successfully transplanted.

Zhang Feng also felt that the village could achieve secluded, closed-off living.

Because they had his guidance, and living in this world with the nourishment of spiritual energy, their cultivation was inherently fast.

Then, when they entered the Qi Refining realm, they could achieve the 'Qi Consumption' of ancient Qi Refiners.

Meaning, without eating grains, they could maintain their physical body's functioning.

Before entering this realm, they could rely on spiritual herbs to maintain their vitality.

...

Ten years of complete secluded cultivation allowed Zhang Feng to understand the cultivation of this world more and more deeply.

Coupled with everyone serving as 'cultivation specimens'.

Zhang Feng could also compare and perfect, pushing the Foundation Establishment realm to an extremely high level.

Just like now.

In the thirty-second year since coming to this world.

Although Zhang Feng's realm was still at the peak of Foundation Establishment, his physique had reached [571].

And he achieved flight with this physique, reaching a speed of 323 meters per second.

Any higher, Zhang Feng felt it would be a bit difficult.

Because the faster the speed, the greater the resistance.

Not to mention his own weight of one thousand jin, with such mass and density, if he reached the speed of sound.

Even if he didn't use any techniques, just using speed plus his body.

It would already be equivalent to the strike effect of a small missile, enough to destroy sturdy buildings or military targets.

To be more specific, this impact kinetic energy is equivalent to about 15 jin of explosives.

Smashing into a concrete ground could generate a hundred-meter shockwave, shatter surrounding glass, and also overturn some objects.

It was like a regular train, directly snapped in half.

It could also penetrate normal reinforced concrete buildings with a single hit.

At that time, even without using spells, he was a walking missile.

But how to break through the 'shackle' of the sound barrier?

Zhang Feng felt that with his current knowledge, it was likely unattainable.

He could only see if the data of the Gold Core could break through this shackle.

Then, he could reverse-engineer the principle of the speed of sound within it.

...

It was also in the seventh year that Zhang Feng was pondering the speed of sound and the Gold Core.

He was forty years old.

Because Zhang Feng didn't use any spells to repair himself, his appearance had visibly developed wrinkles.

Long periods of cultivation and teaching, although they didn't increase inner demons, were still very taxing on his mind and spirit.

Zhang Feng felt this was the mark of growth, proof of his efforts in this world.

Including the villagers and others, they didn't seem surprised when they saw Zhang Feng showing slight signs of aging.

In this world, Gold Core cultivators, even with a lifespan of four to five hundred years, would still age.

This was because when they achieved the Gold Core, most of them were already white-haired and frail, aged between 100 and 180.

And in the process of the Gold Core breaking through the lifespan limit.

Their appearance generally reverted to around 60-100 years old.

Of course, if they wanted to look younger, they could use spells to modify their 'surface appearance', but cultivators of the same realm could see through it at a glance.

This also led many cultivators to maintain their natural appearance.

It was also for this reason.

In the villagers' eyes, the Da Fashi (Great Mage) was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and only forty years old, so he was still very young.

And Da Fashi (Great Mage) was a general term, commonly used to refer to experts, similar to the word 'Senior'.

Zhang Feng also knew about this and understood that the people previously referred to as Da Fashi (Great Mage) had varying levels of strength.

Just another year passed.

Zhang Feng found that he had grown white hairs. White hairs at the age of forty-one proved that he had worked even harder.

Maintaining his cultivation while continuously reducing inner demons.

This in itself was a very taxing process on his mind and spirit.

Because he had to constantly maintain the conceptual framework of 'reducing inner demons'.

But on this day.

While Zhang Feng was analyzing spirit herbs in his house, a Foundation Establishment villager came from outside to report that an old acquaintance had arrived and brought news of a secret treasure in the distant mountains.

Hearing this, Zhang Feng activated his 1200-meter Spiritual Sense and walked out the door.

The old acquaintance had already reached his doorstep.

It was a young girl wearing a sky-blue light gauze dress.

Her features were as beautiful as a painting, her skirt fluttered gently in the wind, her slender fingers brushed the hair on her shoulder, and her skin was fair and smooth.

To a normal person looking at her, this girl was definitely beautiful, so beautiful she didn't even look real.

Zhang Feng also knew that she was indeed not a real person, and looking at her bare white feet, he swept them with his Spiritual Sense, seeing through the illusion.

It was a Little Carp struggling to maintain her illusory form.

"Brother Zhang..." Seeing Zhang Feng look over, she also spoke in human language, her voice as pleasant as the echo of clear water.

At the same time, the girl in the illusion lowered her head with a slight blush.

That is, the Little Carp lowered her head, blushing.

The girl was her human form, so her actions were naturally consistent with hers.

If she transformed into a human, she would indeed look like this.

Because in the aesthetics of fish, she also had the appearance of a fairy.

Zhang Feng was also looking at her true form at her feet. Perhaps due to successful cultivation, her fish body was long and slender, her scales orderly and exquisite, like something carved from beautiful jade.

And when the Little Carp saw Zhang Feng continuously looking at her, although 'a woman adorns herself for her admirer', she still shyly said, "Brother Zhang... you... you... why are you always looking at my feet..."

"Remember to wear shoes." Zhang Feng was speechless. "I was looking at your true form just now, don't talk nonsense.

Looking at you today, your cultivation hasn't fallen behind.

And you can even transform into a human form, not bad."

"Thank you for your praise, Brother Zhang!" The Little Carp was very happy and immediately wanted to link arms with Zhang Feng.

Zhang Feng instantly retreated several steps.

Seeing this scene, the Little Carp suddenly pouted angrily, then, as if she thought of something, she suddenly ran away.

About less than ten seconds later.

She came back with a rustic basin that was completely out of character for her and said shyly:

"Brother Zhang, I have always kept the token of love you gave me back then..."

'??' Zhang Feng's inner demons almost went berserk upon hearing this. What token of love? He was trying to be a reclusive expert, how did it suddenly turn into a romance scene before they even finished a few sentences?

To be honest, Zhang Feng genuinely disliked talking to quirky girls.

Especially when the other party was literally a 'spirit monster', whose speech and behavior were completely off-the-wall.

Zhang Feng didn't take it seriously at all and didn't believe that a fish would think of him for over twenty years.

"It was just a basin." Zhang Feng also directly denied it. "I just saw you were too tired back then and told you to rest."

"Then... Brother Zhang, do you like my outfit today?"

Seeing Zhang Feng deny the token, the Little Carp wasn't angry. Instead, she spun around in place, her clothes fluttering in the wind.

This scene, like a fairy dancing gracefully, left several villagers in the distance stunned.

But remembering that the other party was a monster, they lowered their heads a little in fear.

But... a monster isn't necessarily bad.

The premise is that she likes you, otherwise, you'll become a ghost before you even die among the peonies.

"Let's go, find the treasure." Seeing the Little Carp causing trouble for the village, Zhang Feng picked her up and left.

Her clothes were an illusion created by spiritual energy, they had a physical substance and were very durable.

Zhang Feng carried her several miles through the air, and with his spiritual energy reinforcing them, they weren't damaged in the slightest.

"Brother Zhang, you're so amazing..." The Little Carp was completely relaxed as Zhang Feng carried her, her eyes shining brightly as she looked at the forest below.

"If you talk again, I'll seal your mute acupoint." Zhang Feng just wanted to find the treasure quickly and didn't want to talk to her so much, otherwise, with her curious nature, it would probably take three or four days to finish.

Then.

A minute later, they arrived at the treasure location she mentioned.

Zhang Feng didn't know what to say.

Because this was a simple ancient wedding scene.

This was something the Little Carp had secretly learned from nearby villages and built herself.

There were no guests at the moment, just the Little Carp standing there prettily, fidgeting with the corner of her dress, and occasionally stealing glances at Zhang Feng.

"Brother Zhang, you said that after my cultivation succeeded, I could come find you...

I... I have now transformed into a human form, let's...

Let's... get married!"

"When did I ever say that? You..."

Zhang Feng wanted to say something, but seeing her innocent look, ready to act unreasonably and spoiled at any moment, he suddenly laughed.

This laugh was the laugh of utter speechlessness.

It was the first time Zhang Feng had seen such a 'person'.

But it was precisely this laugh, a relaxed laugh, that caused the last of his inner demons to vanish into thin air in an instant.

Zhang Feng suddenly felt the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surging towards him.

In an instant, the liquid spiritual energy flowed through his limbs and bones, gathering in his heart, forming a round object invisible to the naked eye.

And as the spiritual energy continuously integrated, the sphere slowly solidified, as if materializing from the intangible substance of spiritual energy.

Originating from the same source, it could easily move through his internal organs, but finally stopped in the center of his chest, connecting the upper, middle, and lower Dantians into a single line.

The upper Dantian's Spiritual Mind commanded the three parts, stimulating the spiritual energy in the lower Dantian.

The spiritual energy, under the operation of the Gold Core, then spread throughout his limbs and bones.

In the next second, in an invisible and uncontrollable natural change, the telomeres of the DNA genes that control human lifespan gradually grew.

Their shortening is one of the signs of aging.

Because as telomeres shorten, cells gradually lose their ability to divide and enter unavoidable decay.

But at this moment, within the spell rules of the Gold Core, within the unique microscopic changes belonging to the Gold Core.

The telomeres were greatly modified, gradually extending, forcibly rewriting the lifespan logic on the genes.

Zhang Feng also suddenly had some realization, that rather than saying the Gold Core was a 'realm'.

It was better to say that he might be a vessel, and the Gold Core was a special 'rule talisman' inscribed upon him.

At this moment.

Also under the astonished gaze of the carp girl who covered her mouth.

The wrinkles on Zhang Feng's face disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye, his white hair naturally fell out, and black hair grew like ink, replacing the white hair.

In an instant, Zhang Feng clearly made no movement and did not repair himself, but he naturally underwent a complete transformation, returning to his youthful prime.

Returning to the peak of his physical function.

Reverting from the acquired to the innate.