Chapter 24: The Kill

On the arena of the martial arts field, Zhang Ji took up a boxing stance, eyeing the female disciple from the Qianshan Sect opposite him.

"Five Forms Sect, Zhang Ji."

"Qianshan Sect, Qin Yi."

Zhang Ji was unfamiliar with the martial arts style of the Qianshan Sect, but based on the information he had gathered, it was clearly a major school no weaker than the Five Forms Sect. Therefore, he did not intend to underestimate his opponent in the slightest.

After a formal salute, the two began their exchange. Qin Yi threw out a palm, and Zhang Ji felt a faint wave of heat brush against his face. A practitioner of the [Yuanqi School]? Although Zhang Ji had practiced the "Dragon Form Fist," he had not even reached the introductory level, so it was naturally impossible for him to project his Yuanqi to form an effective attack. His opponent, however, clearly possessed some level of mastery.

Still, Zhang Ji had no intention of dodging. Channeling his full strength, he countered with a Dragon Form palm strike.

*Bang!*

His palm met a resistance that felt like viscous gas, as if striking into boiling water. The opponent’s Yuanqi was insidious, attempting to penetrate his body to cause internal damage.

*Hum!*

With his blood and energy vibrating, Zhang Ji forced Qin Yi back, clearly feeling a burning sensation near his palm. However, his "Iron Cloth Shirt," trained to sixty-two percent capacity, was no mere show. As he engaged his breathing technique, his surging blood and energy quickly neutralized the sensation, leaving him feeling nothing.

Zhang Ji had already determined his opponent’s strength. Her palm power was decent, but slightly inferior to his own, and while her technique for utilizing Yuanqi was cunning, it failed to break his defenses. In terms of overall capability, he held the absolute advantage.

Since that was the case...

*Boom!*

As soon as Qin Yi retreated, Zhang Ji launched a fierce counter-offensive. His posture was aggressive, and a gust of wind preceded his fists. Faced with this strike, Qin Yi did not meet it head-on; instead, she raised her hands, attempting to deflect the momentum of his punch with technique. She succeeded, pivoting her body and using a light push from her left arm to divert his fist, even seizing the opportunity to land a palm strike on Zhang Ji’s right flank.

However, the effect she imagined did not materialize. Her palm felt as if it had struck a sheet of iron lined with rubber; the force was entirely absorbed. Although her Yuanqi was injected into his body, she felt no impact. A heartbeat later, as Zhang Ji inhaled and exhaled, his abdomen contracted and expanded, and a far greater force rebounded directly into her palm.

*Hum!*

Qin Yi’s palm stung, and she quickly recoiled. But Zhang Ji’s next attack was already upon her. This time, it was Qin Yi’s turn to experience the same agony that Huai Wen'an had suffered during the inner sect’s monthly competition. If she fought, her opponent was like an iron-skinned hedgehog, and she risked injuring herself more; if she didn't fight, he would simply beat her down!

*Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!*

Fists and palms crossed repeatedly as Zhang Ji launched a relentless assault with almost no defense. Although Old Kui had repeatedly told him that the "Iron Cloth Shirt" did not mean he should abandon defense, Old Kui’s level of hard-style training clearly could not compare to Zhang Ji’s. The fighting style Zhang Ji had developed relied on this absolute defense to trade wounds with his opponents. To anyone else, this would be riddled with openings, but for Zhang Ji, it was a style that allowed him to maintain an absolute advantage.

As long as his opponent’s strength didn't vastly exceed his own, he could win.

The spectators clearly saw the disparity. Xiong Mingxu of the Qianshan Sect frowned, his eyes filled with confusion. He could not understand why a disciple of the Five Forms Sect would possess such a formidable hard-style physique. Yet, he secretly made his own calculations. His newly recruited disciple, while only possessing quasi-first-rate strength, practiced the sect’s "Three Yin Ding-Fire Palm." Its Yuanqi was incredibly toxic; once it entered the body, it would rot tendons and corrode veins, and it was notoriously difficult to dispel. Most who had crossed blades with her ended up permanently crippled. By comparison, the outcome of this match was secondary.

On the arena floor, Zhang Ji had gained the absolute upper hand, forcing Qin Yi to the very edge. He could clearly see her movements becoming distorted. Strength and stamina—women were inherently at a disadvantage in these two areas, and since she was from the [Yuanqi School] rather than the [Body-Hardening School] that focused on tempering the physique, it was testament to her talent that she had lasted this long under Zhang Ji’s onslaught.

At that moment, he spotted an opening: Qin Yi’s chest was completely exposed. Relying on this, he could end the match and win with a single blow. But he had other ideas.

Zhang Ji suddenly twisted his body and threw a punch, changing it into a claw mid-air.

"You dare!" Xiong Mingxu roared.

But it was too late. Zhang Ji felt his fingertips meet slight resistance before piercing through the protective layer of Yuanqi, tearing through clothing and flesh, shattering bone, and piercing her heart.

*Puff!*

Her heart was instantly destroyed by Zhang Ji. Following through, he delivered a kick that sent Qin Yi flying off the stage. Blood sprayed across the ground; Qin Yi twitched twice and then went still.

"You brat, you’re courting death!!!"

Xiong Mingxu was incensed, rising to his feet with the intention of attacking Zhang Ji. Li Long stepped forward, gripping Xiong Mingxu’s arm. "Sect Master Xiong, my disciple’s mastery is still lacking. In the heat of a sparring match, it is inevitable that one might lose control. Please accept my condolences."

*Boom!*

The air between Li Long and Xiong Mingxu exploded. One could faintly see the collision of their Yuanqi, and the very ground beneath them began to crack.

"Sect Master Xiong, I told you that fists and feet have no eyes. Alas, this is indeed the negligence of our Five Forms Sect; I truly apologize." Yan Ruifeng also stood up and walked to Xiong Mingxu’s side, his own Yuanqi erupting as he forcibly wedged himself between them.

A fierce glint flashed in Xiong Mingxu’s eyes, but he ultimately reined himself in. "Hmph. My personal disciple is dead; the Five Forms Sect must provide an explanation."

"That goes without saying. We will naturally punish him severely." Li Long turned to Zhang Ji on the arena and scolded, "Zhang Ji, this was merely a sparring match! How could you be so careless? I sentence you to one month of confinement. You are forbidden from leaving your quarters; reflect on your actions!"

"This disciple accepts the punishment."

Zhang Ji saluted and retreated.

"A fine 'severe punishment,' a fine Five Forms Sect!" Xiong Mingxu sneered. He turned to his entourage and said, "Let’s go."

Xiong Mingxu had come to pick a fight, but instead of causing trouble for the Five Forms Sect, he had lost a newly recruited bed-warmer disciple. He was genuinely irritated, though not particularly heartbroken. Unlike the Five Forms Sect, the Qianshan Sect did not hoard their top-tier master-level martial arts. Anyone with a modicum of talent could become a true disciple and be cultivated with resources. They had hundreds of true disciples—they were entirely expendable, and the death of one or two was of no great consequence.

On the contrary, he had successfully probed Li Long’s true strength, which gave him some peace of mind. Li Long’s growth was too rapid; to possess such strength at his age would shock anyone. He was especially uneasy after Li Long had killed Pang Yanyang, whom he had sent to Shanli Island. He feared that Li Long might have mastered "Five Forms Unity," the strongest secret art of the Five Forms Sect. Several centuries ago, that was the stuff of legends—the power of an immortal walking the earth. Even in the current era, such a figure could not be taken lightly.

Fortunately, based on Li Long’s current performance, he appeared to be only in the early stage of a Grandmaster. His Yuanqi was thick, but combined, it was only enough to contend with a mid-stage Grandmaster; he was far from being a threat to him.

...

Inside the Five Forms Sect, Li Long looked at Yan Ruifeng with a grave expression.

"Xiong Mingxu’s strength is greater than I imagined. If I do not use 'Five Forms Unity,' I fear I would be defeated in at most a hundred moves," Li Long lamented.

"His natural talent is not bad. If I were to fight him, I would not be much better than you," Yan Ruifeng said. "However, A-Long, you are still young; it is normal that your internal power cannot compare to his. In three to five years, once you have completely mastered 'Five Forms Unity,' he will not be a match for you in a single exchange. Even if the Qianshan Sect has the support of the Lin family, they will be unable to do anything to us then. Until that time, we must absolutely avoid a direct confrontation with the Qianshan Sect."

"I understand. I will not be impulsive," Li Long replied.

He had not revealed that he had already touched the threshold of "Five Forms Unity" because he feared the Lin family behind the Qianshan Sect. The Lin family was one of the most prosperous clans in the East Pole Kingdom, and the current head of the family, Lin Kang, was a councilor with immense power. They had long been covetous of the Five Forms Sect’s assets, wishing to turn the sect into a tool for their family’s financial gain. As for the Qianshan Sect, to put it bluntly, they were merely a blade in the Lin family’s hand.

The Qianshan Sect had long ceased to be a pure martial arts sect. Even the Five Forms Sect could no longer be considered one; after all, times were changing. A pure martial arts sect could not stand on its own in the current society and would only be destroyed, much like the [Diamond Sect] of the past.

The Five Forms Sect had its own backer: the newly appointed Liu Hetong. The Five Forms Sect had played a major role in his rise to power. But Liu Hetong was new to his position and could not yet stand toe-to-toe with Lin Kang. The act of pulling Li Long out of Shanli Island had been done while the opportunity arose, but it had already offended people, and it was impossible for him to take further major actions for the Five Forms Sect now. Therefore, the sect had to bide its time and keep a low profile.

...

In Zhang Ji’s residence, he had rare guests today: Gu Shuangshuang and Shen Han.

"Junior Nephew Zhang, you truly vented our frustrations today! I don’t know how long I’ve been enduring those people from the Qianshan Sect!" Shen Han exclaimed.

Compared to Li Long, Shen Han was younger—only eighteen—and his age appeared similar to Zhang Ji’s, so his personality was very much that of a typical young man.

"As a disciple of the Five Forms Sect, when the sect is insulted, it is only right that I stand up," Zhang Ji replied with a polite platitude.

"Brother did not misjudge you," Gu Shuangshuang added.

After some polite exchanges, Zhang Ji had officially gained the approval of these two true disciples. Just then, Gu Shuangshuang’s expression suddenly changed. She clutched her throat, her face looking ghastly, and she hurried away to excuse herself.

Zhang Ji looked on in confusion. He had always felt that Gu Shuangshuang was somewhat off—whether it was her weary demeanor or the look of bone-deep hatred she directed toward the Qianshan Sect, it was all quite strange.

"Don’t overthink it. Senior Sister was schemed against by people from the Qianshan Sect and became addicted to a neurotoxic drug. Now, she can only rely on specialized sedatives to suppress it..." Shen Han explained.

Zhang Ji nodded, indicating he understood. Neurological damage was difficult to repair; once damaged, it often meant the end of one’s future. Zhang Ji had seen those on Shanli Island who suffered under the torment of addictive drugs; they were like walking corpses. Because of this, he didn't even touch alcohol and steered clear of anything related to such substances.