Chapter 692: Sixth Rank
Chapter 692: Sixth Rank (Extra Chapter for Subscriptions)
Chapter 692: Sixth Rank (Extra Chapter for Subscriptions)
South City Gate.
A figure was leaving the city.
"Black Tiger is actually here... There's definitely something fishy!"
Chen Lao Liu, wearing a bamboo hat, was preparing to leave as quickly as possible. "Over the past three years, I've been a bit careless with Black Tiger's provisions and my own attempt to break through to the Sixth Rank."
He felt a twinge of regret. "No matter what, I can't drag Black Tiger into this!"
Ever since his attempt to break through to the Inner Strength stage failed a year ago, Chen Lao Liu knew he wasn't destined for it!
If he wanted to climb the martial path, he had to rely on his son!
Before today's transaction, he felt something was off, and then he spotted his son in this small town.
Out of caution, he didn't approach him but continued to observe, immediately discovering the trap!
So, he tricked a tomb raider into taking the bullet for him.
If everything went smoothly, the identity of Howlcloud Hound Gou San would be dead after today...
After leaving the city gate, for some reason, Chen Lao Liu felt not relief but an increasing heaviness in his heart.
"Gou San!?"
Suddenly, a soft but powerful voice rang out.
Chen Lao Liu's body trembled, and he knew it was bad.
"Ha... Found you."
On the city gate tower, Jade Instructor swooped down like a large bird, heading straight for Chen Lao Liu!
She couldn't identify the real Howlcloud Hound, but by guarding the South City Gate, which was closest to the incident site, she could observe each martial artist.
If she spotted a suspicious one, she would shout to scare them.
Martial artists were vastly different from ordinary people in every aspect, and it was easy to tell them apart at a glance.
Unfortunately, during this period, only Chen Lao Liu was a Seventh Rank martial artist leaving through the South Gate.
"Damn it!"
Chen Lao Liu rolled on the ground, performing a clumsy but effective roll.
Although the move was awkward, it helped him dodge Jade Instructor's swift and precise strike, like a rabbit evading a hawk.
"Hmm?"
Jade Instructor was already a Sixth Rank Inner Strength expert.
After landing, she increased her speed and blocked Chen Lao Liu, delivering a light but powerful palm strike.
This palm looked ordinary, but it gave Chen Lao Liu an inescapable feeling.
He roared, his arms bursting with a golden glow as he blocked the strike.
Slap!
Upon contact, Chen Lao Liu felt as if thousands of steel needles were piercing his arms, forcing him to retreat and spitting out blood at the corner of his mouth.
"It's Inner Strength!"
He felt bitter. If he hadn't reached the peak of Hard Skill, his arms would have been crippled with just one move.
"Howlcloud Hound Gou San, encountering me is just your bad luck."
Jade Instructor's tone was matter-of-fact, as if she were stating the most normal thing in the world.
Chen Lao Liu's heart sank. He reached into his chest and gripped a dagger.
He was preparing to fight like a cornered beast and, at the crucial moment, disfigure himself to avoid implicating his wife and son.
"Hmph!"
Jade Instructor sneered.
The difference between Sixth Rank Inner Strength and Seventh Rank Golden Thread was not just one rank; it was even greater than the gap between Seventh and Eighth Rank!
Once one achieved Inner Strength, they could be considered a formidable force in the martial world, even if they ventured out directly.
If they had a clean record and were young, they could even join the Five Beasts Sect directly!
This gap was so significant that even a weapon couldn't make up for it.
Sure enough, after just three exchanges, Gou San was at a complete disadvantage.
Puff!
His dagger flew high, and he was struck in the chest, collapsing to the ground, feeling utterly hopeless.
"I want to see what secrets you, a chicken-calling, dog-stealing scoundrel, are hiding."
Jade Instructor stepped forward, ready to lift Chen Lao Liu's bamboo hat...
...
A moment earlier.
Inside the inn.
"Is Master Brother feeling better?"
Ye Fengchun helped Chen Hei Hu onto the bed, concerned.
"Better, but I need a good rest. Don't call me for dinner."
Chen Hei Hu said.
After Ye Fengchun left, he closed the door and looked out the window.
"That was indeed a heavy blow..."
Chen Hei Hu winced as he tore open his shirt, suddenly shuddering.
The wound on his chest was healing rapidly...
From excruciating pain to a minor injury, and then to no impact on his movement...
This was one of the Twelve Ancient Martial Body Enhancements: the Water Bear Body!
It could heal wounds at an incredible rate, with effects that were nothing short of miraculous.
"From the information I gathered from Heroic Instructor, my time is running out..."
"Then... break through!"
Chen Hei Hu sat cross-legged, his bones cracking.
His skin, a deep bronze, seemed to merge into one, like a bronze statue!
The bronze color deepened, eventually forming a golden glow!
Swish!
Inside his body, his blood and qi boiled, propelled by the powerful force of Qilin Blood, coursing through his entire body.
Chen Hei Hu's surroundings grew slightly warmer, as if he were sitting next to a furnace.
—Blood and Qi like a furnace!
If Wei Chigang or Situ Yanyan saw this, they would be amazed.
They were scions of noble families, having consumed countless tonics, yet they were far from reaching this level.
But Chen Hei Hu, a commoner's son, had achieved this so easily?
At this level of cultivation, he could have already broken through to Inner Strength, but Chen Hei Hu had been patient, aiming to build the strongest foundation possible.
But at this point, he was no longer willing to hold back!
Whoosh!
A layer of golden and silver light emerged from his bones, intertwining to form threads of gold and a web of silver!
This network of gold and silver continuously extended, enveloping his entire body, gradually forming the concept of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Twelve Regular Meridians.
"Water overflows when full, and energy manifests when abundant!"
At this moment, as Xun Heihu pushed his Hard Skill to its peak, he seemed to sense some indescribable presence in the void.
His pores greedily opened, and his skin frantically absorbed the essence of heaven and earth, converting it into Inner Strength!
The newly generated Inner Strength wildly circulated through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Twelve Regular Meridians, finally converging in the Dantian behind the Bronze Gate!
Drip! Drip!
Xun Heihu seemed to hear the sound of flowing water in his ears.
He could feel the Inner Strength in his Dantian growing thicker and more violent...
"Is this... Sixth Rank Inner Strength?"
He reached out to touch the redwood furniture in front of him, sensing that with just a thought, the Inner Strength in his Dantian would surge out like gunpowder meeting a bullet, shattering the wooden table into pieces!
"My Inner Strength... is indeed extremely destructive!"
Xun Heihu muttered to himself, "What is my current cultivation level among the Sixth Rank?"
"Upper Sixth Rank!"
Fang Xing replied, "If you add the assistance of ancient martial arts, those instructors shouldn't be a match for you... but if Taiyi Hand is nearby, it would be a different story."
"Even so, I must take action."
Xun Heihu growled inwardly, his Inner Strength flowing into his legs, making his body light as a swallow as he floated out of the window.
Inner Strength had many effects, especially when used to enhance lightness skills in the legs.
He had already changed clothes in the room and now wore a mask over his face.
"South City Gate!"
Xun Heihu dashed out of the city gate and saw Jade Instructor.
Her palm techniques were incredibly refined, and she had just knocked a hooded figure to the ground.
"Ah!"
His eyes turned blood red, and his skin color and physique subtly changed.
Twelve Ancient Martial Body Enhancements—Bamboo Joint Skin!
...
Jade Instructor was about to remove the hood of Howlcloud Hound when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.
Without hesitation, she turned around, her hand swinging out, Inner Strength surging forth.
Bang!
The two palms met, and the sensation was of wrinkled, hardened skin; it seemed the other person had cultivated some esoteric martial technique!
Not only that!
A powerful and burning Inner Strength, carrying a fierce fire, was already surging towards her!
Jade Instructor retreated several steps, staring at the newly arrived masked figure. "Who are you?"
This new Sixth Rank expert's martial arts were absolutely superior to hers!
Not only was his Inner Strength extremely dominant, but what left a deeper impression on Jade Instructor were his blood-red eyes!
—Qilin Blood!
When the Qilin Blood activated, it not only made Xun Heihu's Inner Strength more violent and his muscles bulge, but it also turned his eyes blood red!
He pounced without a word, emitting a fierce aura.
Jade Instructor suddenly felt suffocated.
Facing this expert, she felt like she had been thrown into the wilderness, alone and facing a wild beast!
Slap!
In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged three moves. Xun Heihu's elbow descended, striking horizontally!
Jade Instructor retreated several steps, her face flushed, and suddenly opened her mouth, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Xun Heihu's bloodshot eyes glanced at Heroic Instructor, who was rushing over, then he picked up Howlcloud Hound Gou San and turned to leave.
Whoosh!
Heroic Instructor came to Jade Instructor's side. "Are you alright?"
"Where did this expert come from? On our side, only Dean Zhang could match him..."
Jade Instructor spat out another mouthful of blood and glared at Heroic Instructor. "You were here early, why didn't you step in?"
"I was just supporting you, 'Jade Asura,' right?"
Heroic Instructor said innocently, "Besides... even if I joined, we probably wouldn't be a match for him, and we would just lose more miserably."
"Does he still have reserves?"
Jade Instructor was startled and somewhat puzzled. "From his martial arts, he seems to be extremely brutal and savage, but his techniques are somewhat crude... This is... an expert of the ancient martial arts! Investigate! Find out! There aren't many ancient martial arts experts in Chuzhou, and even fewer at the middle ranks. Such an expert must leave some traces!"
...
Whoosh!
After dumping his father in an uninhabited place, Xun Heihu did not reveal his identity and instead sped back to the inn.
Only when he slipped through the window and saw the door latch undisturbed did he breathe a sigh of relief.
After dispelling the Bamboo Joint Skin and Qilin Blood, he instantly transformed from a fierce giant into a refined young man.
"Never thought... I would actually beat the instructor."
He muttered to himself and immediately lay back on the bed, pretending to sleep.
One must be thorough when acting!
He pretended to sleep while reviewing the battle in his mind. "Hmm... as the senior said, I am indeed a strong Sixth Rank expert after breaking through. If I combine the enhancement of the Twelve Ancient Martial Body Enhancements, perhaps I can challenge a Fifth Rank?"
...
The next day.
Xun Heihu got up and went to the dining hall for breakfast.
Ye Fengchun approached him mysteriously, lowering his voice. "Did you hear? Jade Instructor and Heroic Instructor went to surround Howlcloud Hound yesterday, and they were beaten to their knees, spitting blood and begging for mercy..."
Xun Heihu: "???"
(End of Chapter)
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