The bowl-shaped, semi-circular houses gave the solemn atmosphere a strange twist. Dragon King Ba stared intently at Qin Fen, the silent confrontation between them stretching each second into an eternity for onlookers.
After several seconds of standoff, Ba Baiying's chillingly pale face suddenly whipped his arm out. The super soundproof door behind him, which had remained shut, swung open once more, and the piercing shriek of the Little Dragon King, Yang Lie, immediately tore through everything and assaulted everyone's eardrums.
Qin Fen stood rooted to the spot, unshakable, the crimson suns in his eyes faintly holding a trace of a smile—not arrogance, but pride, a pain that transcended the physical and was beyond description.
Ba Baiying gazed at Qin Fen’s smile, which sent a chill deep into his heart, his face twitching in incomprehension as he shook his head repeatedly with a sigh. “You are all a group of lunatics.”
Lunatics? Qin Fen merely smiled, still standing tall like a steel blade. His fists clenched tighter, dark blue veins coiled around his arms; only the blood dripping from his hands made a sound as it struck the ground—a faint splatter too subtle for ordinary ears to catch.
Ferrero suddenly realized he didn't truly understand this incredibly powerful disciple of his. The man, usually as steady as a mountain, harbored a hidden fervor befitting youth. This volcanic vent of passion could only be ignited by a select few, and Yang Lie was one of them.
Di Shitian nodded lightly. His impression of Yang Lie hadn't been favorable. This young genius martial artist who used Dragon Fist had, for a long time, followed Qin Fen's martial path. Such a temperament always lacked a certain autonomy. But seeing this projection today revealed a fiercely independent core within the young man. The moment he stepped into the Zhu Rong system, Di Shitian felt: this was a completely distinct individual self!
Yang Lie’s furious roar was intermittent. Dragon King Ba Baiying fixed his gaze on Qin Fen, gathering an intensely cold, frigid Zhenjin in every part of his body capable of unleashing lethal force.
Every Seat had their unique training system. The first time Dragon King Ba Baiying met the Little Dragon King Yang Lie, he fell in love with the young man at first sight. In his eyes, only Yang Lie could inherit and elevate his legacy.
The same Dragon Fist, the same Ice-Hearted Inner Art, and possessing martial talent rarely seen in others! Dragon King Ba Baiying had thanked the heavens countless times for bestowing upon him such a perfect inheritor to pioneer his legacy.
Ba Baiying was certain that with just ten years, his disciple could certainly surpass the master. He shouldn't have needed to risk everything so frantically in a desperate gamble for a short-term breakthrough to the Fifteen-Star level. He had plenty of time! His greatest assets were his youth and time, coupled with his innate talent!
Ten years! Not yet thirty years old! Capable of surpassing the Seat of the Sacred Martial Hall! When Ba Baiying first met Yang Lie, he had instantly envisioned the triumphant Yang Lie standing on the throne of the Sacred Martial Hall Seat ten years hence.
“A Fifteen-Star Martial Arts Master?” Ba Baiying muttered to himself with a chilling sarcasm, “What of it? Why risk your own life for it? You were certain to surpass me…”
“Qin!”
The sound, like a throat being torn, erupted from within the room. Yang Lie’s fierce roar abruptly ceased. The thick door inside seemed to shatter like a bursting dam, instantly covered in countless cracks, and even coated as if with ice crystals.
A deafening explosion ripped from the door panel. After displaying innumerable fissures, the sturdy door violently burst open in the next instant. Fragments of the door sliced through the air, emitting a shrill whistle, like dozens of young dragons roaring skyward upon emerging from water. A vast, bone-chilling pressure followed these shards, surging forward at immense speed, the friction against the air sounding like the roar of a fully grown giant dragon breaking through the ice layer!
The temperature of the air dropped instantly! Behind this dragon-shaped thrust of Zhenqi, a super-chilling gust of wind whipped up, as if more than a dozen air conditioners set to their lowest temperature were blasting directly at one person.
Qin Fen saw clearly: within the dragon-shaped Zhenqi was a figure. Golden-yellow hair streamed wildly during the charge, flowing muscle lines connected to an indescribable explosive power. The Dragon Sovereign Fist unleashed its power with both fists, the middle fingers jutting out slightly, resembling dragon claws—Fifteen Stars! His boundless aura as a Martial Arts Master descended like the heavens.
When the Little Dragon King moved, it elicited not only praise from Qin Fen’s eyes but also a slight gasp of astonishment from Ferrero. Yang Lie’s movement resembled a yellow dragon rolling in turbulent water, pushing a boat against the current. One couldn't call it world-dominatingly absolute, but it certainly carried the dignity of the Dragon Sovereign.
Joy bloomed in Qin Fen’s eyes. He let out a long, piercing cry that tore through clouds and pierced the sun. He slightly squatted, sinking his weight, and brought his arms up to draw a large circle toward the center, as if forming a great enclosure. Softness and hardness transformed instantaneously; it appeared languid and weak, yet moved faster than lightning.
Seeing this strike, Yang Lie countered with a dragon's roar of his own. As both his fists met Qin Fen’s arms in a grand collision, he felt as if these two dragons were being drawn into a snare, like the reins used to control a dragon.
Divine Fist Art: Vajra Brace!
Qin Fen showed no mercy. Facing a friend who had just broken through a bottleneck, brimming with fighting spirit, deliberately holding back would have been an insult. Only by using his true skill could he show adequate respect.
Yang Lie’s shoulders twitched repeatedly. His two arms twisted and rolled together incessantly, resembling a drill bit being rotated, or perhaps two giant dragons unwilling to be harnessed by this Vajra Brace, struggling to unleash heaven-shaking power. The icy Zhenjin collided and wrestled with Qin Fen’s arms, creating sounds like rolling thunder. The earth beneath their feet became the first casualty of their struggle, countless shards of rock flying up around them like celebratory fireworks.
Qin Fen was slightly startled. He hadn’t expected the Little Dragon King Yang Lie’s Dragon Fist to have improved so much—far exceeding his prior estimation before the clash. The Vajra Brace, calculated based on his projections, was struggling to ensnare this ice dragon!
The power of the Vajra Brace abruptly tightened its pressure, forcing the two dragons’ frantic writhing to be suppressed. Their space to maneuver instantly shrank. Yang Lie’s eyebrows shot up; he simultaneously drew power from his shoulders, back, waist, and legs, attempting to wrench the two dragons free.
If a breakthrough wasn't achieved, he would have to draw back and fight again! Yang Lie was fast, but Qin Fen was faster. The Vajra Brace constantly flickered and pulsed, firmly locking onto Yang Lie’s arms, squeezing his maneuverability until it stopped completely, bringing the battle to a dead halt.
As the fight ended, Qin Fen instantly loosened his grip. The two men directly embraced in a bear hug, their palms striking each other’s backs rhythmically with loud thuds.
“If you hadn't come, I would have gone to kill you.”
The Little Dragon King Yang Lie’s face was alight with a brilliant, happy smile. His powerful hands slapped Qin Fen’s back like beating a drum.
Qin Fen was also smiling, reciprocating the slaps without yielding, “If you had died in there, I would have gone in and killed you.”
Dragon King Ba Baiying’s usually stern face finally softened with a trace of warmth. Watching his most cherished—and only—disciple stake his life to break through, using the extreme heat to compress his inner power against the counter-force training method, forcefully advancing from the peak of the Fourteenth Star to the Fifteen-Star Martial Arts Master in such a short time, he felt an indescribable joy.
Stepping back, Yang Lie turned and bowed deeply before Ba Baiying. “Master, I made you worry.”
Ba Baiying looked at the Little Dragon King Yang Lie. His lean, muscular upper body was covered in black Eastern dragons that coiled around him as if alive. The two golden Eastern dragons on his arms added further grandeur.
“You rascal…”
Ba Baiying pulled Yang Lie into an embrace. Years of cultivating extremely cold inner arts had seemingly frozen the Seat’s emotions as well. This simple physical gesture expressed the master’s deep affection and concern for his disciple.
“Remember to visit when you have time,” Ba Baiying patted Yang Lie’s strong shoulder. “Originally, I intended to pass the position of Seat to you. Now, it seems you might not need it.”
“Master,” Yang Lie took a deep breath. “I will fulfill your greatest dream.”
Ba Baiying’s body trembled slightly, his icy eyes gleaming with gratified light. “Good. I will wait for the day you earn the Divine Beast title. If the fiery Vermilion Bird can achieve it, why can't the frozen Great Dragon seize a Divine Beast?”
“Qin Fen,” Ba Baiying turned his head. “If my disciple…”
“You would kill me,” Qin Fen replied with a rare look of happiness. “However, I won’t give you that chance.”
Ba Baiying laughed. His handsome face, habitually held in an icy sternness, looked almost awkward when curved into a smile. “Yang Lie, I won’t see you off. I hope that everything you staked this time was worth it.” Yang Lie took a step back and once again bowed slowly and solemnly to Ba Baiying.
The Dragon King accepted the gesture calmly, waved his hand, and said no more.
Ferrero nudged Ba Baiying’s arm and whispered, “I’m happy. Do you know why? Because for the days to come, you’ll be just as bored as I am.”
Ba Baiying glanced at Ferrero, shook his head, and replied with a very serious expression, “No, I won’t. I still have a lot of intelligence to collect.”
Without giving Ferrero time to retort, Ba Baiying leaped into the Intelligence Department and shut the door directly, leaving Ferrero no chance to follow. Di Shitian watched the closed door of the Intelligence Department and patted Ferrero’s shoulder. “Let him calm down.”
“That’s true,” Ferrero nodded. “I felt uneasy after Qin Fen left that day too.”
Taking on a disciple comes with this drawback: it always leaves one worried!
Di Shitian did not reply. His silence seemed to indicate deep contentment. To have someone to worry about—wasn't that also a form of happiness?
Qin Fen and Yang Lie walked side-by-side in silence. Some things didn't require many words; too many words would only make them sound cloying and false.
“We still have four days,” Qin Fen looked at Yang Lie. “I suggest you take a trip to the North Pole.”
“The North Pole?” Yang Lie frowned slightly.
“The North Pole,” Qin Fen looked up at the road ahead. “I spent over a month in the Sahara, nearly two months total. Without using martial power, without moving Zhenqi, just walking when awake, and sleeping when exhausted.”
A flicker of understanding crossed Yang Lie’s eyes. Although, as a Martial Arts Master, he couldn't temporarily surpass Qin Fen, he understood the meaning behind Qin Fen’s words. Qin Fen’s fist techniques during their exchange were exquisite, but what was even more astonishing was the imposing aura accompanying his every move—heavy, vast, and immense!
The unit closest to the Intelligence Department was the headquarters of the Outer Sacred Martial Hall, where the Hall Master, Ji Xiang Tian Nü, resided. Solomon had been brought here for special training.
The Sacred Martial Hall possessed extremely vast resources, allowing every Seat to design their living quarters according to their preferences. Ji Xiang Tian Nü, who managed the three departments, had a headquarters shaped in a particularly unique way.
A structure in the shape of a giant sculpture of a woman was the place where Ji Xiang Tian Nü lived, worked, and cultivated.
Qin Fen could clearly see the building shaped like a colossal sculpture from a distance. If the Statue of Liberty from the Americas were placed here, it would look far less magnificent or grand.
Qin Fen couldn't help but marvel at Ji Xiang Tian Nü’s aesthetic taste and preferences; they were truly unexpected.
The Outer Sacred Martial Hall headquarters looked no different than usual today, with occasional people passing by the main entrance.
The only difference from the norm was a young man sitting quietly on the stone steps outside the headquarters. His silver-white hair reflected the sunlight, lending an indescribable sense of serenity.
Solomon sat quietly, as if the building behind him were a massive stone carving, making him a small statue in comparison. Regardless of how people passing by glanced at him, or whatever was happening around him, he seemed utterly oblivious.
Another martial artist walked past the steps, his gaze sweeping over Solomon with a hint of confusion, before settling on the spot beside Solomon, or more accurately, near his feet.
A pile of shattered casings and some electronic components, whose original form was difficult to discern, lay quietly at Solomon’s feet.
Any martial artist could tell that the object, which should have been an expensive mobile phone, was now just scrap metal fit only for recycling. Clearly, it had been forcefully stomped upon to reach this state.
With the advancement of the era and technology, expensive phones were not only exquisite but also significantly sturdier than their lower-priced counterparts. They shouldn't break from a simple fall, and even if an ordinary person slammed them hard, it shouldn't compromise their function. To reduce such a sturdy mobile phone to a state of utter wreckage clearly required a powerful stomp.
In the reception area of the building lobby, a female receptionist kept glancing outside, utterly perplexed. Solomon was truly strange. Why, after receiving a call, did he walk outside the building, remain silent, and then suddenly throw his phone on the ground and crush it with his foot?
Then, Solomon had been sitting on the steps below since yesterday, unmoving even late into the night. Even now, at this hour, he remained seated without stirring.
“Did he suffer a breakup? No way. He’s so handsome, possesses the power of a Fifteen-Star Martial Arts Master, has a powerful family behind him, and an infinitely bright future. Who would ever break up with him?”
The female receptionist couldn’t understand, and the staff members beside her were equally bewildered. They had never seen anyone receive a call, say nothing at all, and then simply discard and crush their phone.
Qin Fen and Yang Lie approached slowly, step by measured step, toward the Outer Sacred Martial Hall headquarters building.
Solomon, sitting on the steps like a statue, suddenly regained clarity in his eyes. He slowly raised his head, looking toward the approaching Qin Fen and Yang Lie in the distance.
Solomon’s statue-like body finally moved. He slowly stood up and walked with steady steps toward Qin Fen and Yang Lie.
Fifteen Stars! Qin Fen could clearly sense that his silent friend possessed the strength of a Fifteen-Star Martial Arts Master. These recent special training sessions had clearly led to significant progress.
In this world, not everyone was lucky enough to have their own destiny! Qin Fen had his own fortune, and Solomon and the others certainly had theirs too.
Solomon remained silent as usual. He looked at Qin Fen, and Qin Fen responded by playfully punching his shoulder.
The original team of two men and one woman had now become three men and one woman.
Solomon bowed deeply toward the colossal, sculpture-like building, then turned and walked with them toward the road on the left.
High up in the building, Ji Xiang Tian Nü, Jennifer, dressed in pristine white martial attire, held half a glass of red wine and looked down. A faint smile touched her sensual red lips. “Mute boy, by violently crushing that phone, you responded to your family’s orders with action. Even though you are the first-in-line heir, even though you carry the title of genius, even though you are the youngest Martial Arts Master in the Federation—your family will not pretend this matter didn't happen.”
Jennifer swirled the red wine in her glass and slightly raised the glass toward Solomon bowing below. “My dear disciple, I hope your choice in this adventure proves to be the correct one.”
The reunited team of three men and one woman walked silently toward the next destination. The remnants of the mobile phone on the ground not far behind them were mostly swept away by a light gust of wind.
Jennifer stretched lazily, her curvaceous, sexy figure emphasized further in that moment. She murmured listlessly, “How boring. I only sent away a quiet, sullen fellow, yet I feel so empty? Qin Fen, what kind of boy are you? To make Solomon, whose heart is like ice and who rarely opens up to anyone, risk everything for a friendship you can neither see nor touch—just for the sake of the word ‘friend’—and express his resolve by deliberately stomping on his phone.”
In the hall of the Outer Sacred Martial Hall, those who had been secretly watching Solomon stared blankly, exchanging looks of mutual incomprehension.
No one had expected that the person Solomon, the chief disciple of Ji Xiang Tian Nü of the Outer Sacred Martial Hall, had waited for over twenty hours to meet would be a man.
Even more incomprehensible was the fact that these observers saw no conversation. Solomon, a genius martial artist inherently proud, simply left with the visitors, so resolutely, so calmly, without a hint of hesitation.
It will be available tonight, yes, only tonight. Being a writer makes tracking days difficult. I only realized today that it’s the May Day holiday. Happy May Day to everyone! While you enjoy yourselves, make sure to rest well too. During the holiday, don't exhaust yourselves; take the chance to truly relax.
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