Chapter 107: Self-Rescue Within the Cultivation Circle

While Zhang Kai was having a grand time in Japan, a piece of news emerged from China that shocked the entire world: China had successfully conquered a Forbidden Zone.

Everyone knew what a Forbidden Zone was by now. Even though some people had become martial artists through the "Earth Home" platform—gaining the ability to scale walls, leap across roofs, and shatter boulders with a single punch—they still lacked the courage to step foot inside one. After all, the more power one attained, the more one realized just how terrifying true gods were. Even if those gods had fallen, they were not beings that mere mortals could provoke.

Yet, China had managed to conquer one. The global population was burning with curiosity: what price had China paid to achieve this?

Zhang Kai was also surprised. According to his projections, it would have taken China at least another year of accumulation to reach this point. How had they managed it so soon? He consulted the Bone-Transforming Dragon and immediately received the definitive answer: the Chinese cultivation community had entered into a partnership with the state.

Compared to martial arts, those with cultivation legacies possessed higher-level powers, more intricate secret techniques, and greater tactical specificity. Furthermore, with the state pouring resources obtained from Earth Home into them, a large number of cultivators successfully achieved Foundation Establishment in a short span of time. This was something Zhang Kai had not anticipated. He had been "fleeced" by the cultivation community.

However, Zhang Kai quickly calmed down. So what if the cultivators were fleecing him? In the end, they still relied on him for their livelihood. This was actually for the best; once they grew accustomed to begging from him, they would develop a dependency. Eventually, the cultivation community would become his lackeys and hounds.

Zhang Kai then turned his attention to which Forbidden Zone had been conquered. It was a rather ordinary one, not the Yin Mountain Forbidden Zone he had participated in earlier—which was of a much higher level and a "trinity" entity that made life and death unpredictable for any intruder. The conquered zone was called the Cloud Mountain Forbidden Zone, also the domain of a mountain god. This mountain god had originally seemed quite formidable, having survived its own tribulations. However, facing the full might of the state machine, the entire Cloud Mountain had been leveled. The Forbidden Zone was exposed to the sunlight and then besieged by a group of cultivators, leading to a humiliating defeat. The treasures within the zone were exchanged for a massive amount of points for the state, and Zhang Kai received a divine position as his share.

It was a win-win. Having tasted success, China prepared to clear out more Forbidden Zones on a large scale and exchanged a vast amount of cultivation resources from Earth Home. Curiously, they did not exchange any cultivation manuals. Zhang Kai wondered if the cultivation community had opened itself up to the state, intending to contribute their own legacies.

Out of curiosity, Zhang Kai left Japan and arrived at Wudang Mountain. Upon his arrival, he was startled to find the place quite lively, with people chatting in small groups, all appearing to be in high spirits. These people included monks, Taoists, and others in retro attire, both old and young, men and women. They all shared one common trait: they had all successfully established their foundations and possessed faint traces of magical power.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang!" A voice called out. A girl walked over, her eyes sparkling.

"Miss Gu?" Zhang Kai looked over and recognized the girl who had previously identified herself as Gu Mingyu.

The girl smiled. "Fellow Daoist Zhang, I explained last time that my name isn't Gu Mingyu. Let's reintroduce ourselves. Li Xiaoxian of the Gu Sect."

Zhang Kai replied, "My apologies, it was just a force of habit. So, is there a happy occasion for Daoist Zhou? Why are so many fellow practitioners here?"

Li Xiaoxian explained, "You could say this is a grand event for the cultivation world. With the sudden rise of martial arts and the dominance of the 'Earth Home' platform created by Ultraman, we cultivators would have no room left to survive if things continued this way. For the sake of our future, the cultivation world has achieved a rare unity to cooperate with the authorities. You should know about the conquest of the Forbidden Zone, right? It was a successful trial. Having gained official recognition and certain rights and status, we intend to establish our own organization and promote the cultivation circle."

Zhang Kai chuckled. "That sounds quite novel, but with so many sects and schools having such long-standing traditions, who will take the lead?"

Li Xiaoxian said, "That is why we are here at Wudang to discuss it. Compared to sitting around waiting for death, this is at least a good start. I was wondering why you hadn't shown up yet, but here you are. Fellow Daoist, you are one of us; you cannot miss this grand event."

Zhang Kai said, "Fellow Daoist Li, you overestimate me. I’m just a bystander. Whoever becomes the leader is fine, as long as they can lead the cultivation world toward a better future and let us share in the benefits, that would be great."

Li Xiaoxian suggested, "You have a good relationship with Daoist Zhou. Since that's the case, why not vote for him?"

Zhang Kai looked at Li Xiaoxian with surprise. During their trip to the Forbidden Zone, they had been plotting against each other. Why was she suddenly campaigning for the old fortune-teller? Were relationships in the cultivation circle always this hot and cold?

"If I have a vote, I will naturally support him," Zhang Kai smiled.

"That's good. Come, fellow Daoist, the others I know are all here. Since we've met, let's go chat together," Li Xiaoxian said, grabbing Zhang Kai's hand and turning to leave.

Zhang Kai was bewildered. Was this girl always this enthusiastic? She certainly didn't seem to treat him just as a "fellow Daoist." As he was pulled along, they soon arrived in a room where he saw several familiar faces: Daoist Chongming of the Blood Refining Sect, Wang Tingting of the Demon Sect, and the youth from the Bone Sect. They were gathered together drinking tea and laughing, looking like old friends of many years.

"Oh, Daoist Zhang is here! Have a seat," Daoist Chongming greeted him warmly, rising with a smile that crinkled his face like a chrysanthemum.

Zhang Kai observed them. These people all seemed to have made significant progress in their cultivation. Wang Tingting, in particular, had entered the path, and the magical power she radiated seemed no less than Daoist Chongming's, giving off the impression that she was catching up fast. *Damn it, they all grew by fleecing me.*

Zhang Kai laughed, "Fellow Daoists, it has been a long time."

"It has been a while. Where have you been making your fortune lately, Fellow Daoist Zhang?" Daoist Chongming asked with a sly smile. A youth beside him stepped forward to pour tea for Zhang Kai. This youth was different from the previous one; clearly, this guy had crafted another blood-refined puppet. What a beast.

"What fortune? With Ultraman stirring up trouble and martial arts shocking the world, I can barely keep up with the times," Zhang Kai replied with a helpless look.

"You're joking. I saw you and a group of wealthy patrons conquering the Yin Mountain Forbidden Zone, really stealing the spotlight. You've even made a name for yourself with the higher-ups; how could you be doing poorly?" Daoist Chongming didn't seem to believe him.

*Pah. So they were secretly spying on me?*

Zhang Kai said, "Haha, just barely scraping by, nowhere near as well as you all."

"I heard the Yin Mountain Forbidden Zone was sealed off and that a statue of Nüwa was discovered. Could you tell us about that?" Wang Tingting suddenly spoke, staring at Zhang Kai.

Zhang Kai pondered for a moment and said, "I only caught a distant glimpse. It felt like the Nüwa statue was being used to maintain the seal. I don't know the specifics. If you are interested, you can go see for yourselves."

"The Yin Mountain Forbidden Zone is a Level 5 zone. I haven't lived long enough yet," Wang Tingting shook her head immediately.

Zhang Kai asked curiously, "What is a Level 5 Forbidden Zone?"

"Do you not know? The United Nations recently established a standard for Forbidden Zones based on their location and threat level. The highest level is Level 9. The one we conquered with the state was only a Level 3, and we still lost quite a few people," Daoist Chongming explained.

"I didn't know that. I've been holed up practicing lately, but I haven't made any real progress, so I came to talk to the old fortune-teller," Zhang Kai replied.

"Then you've come to the wrong person. The old fortune-teller is quite a big shot now. As the representative of the Wudang Internal Alchemy lineage, combined with his profound divination techniques and the state's full backing, he's one of the top candidates to lead the cultivation circle. He probably doesn't look at us small fry anymore," the boy from the Bone Sect suddenly piped up with a mocking tone.