The colossal surge of fist energy exploded repeatedly in the air, transforming into a massive ** shape, countless tendrils of energy expanding and unfurling like primeval beasts, each petal radiating an astonishing nineteen-star level Earthly Astral Qi.

The fist energy reflected in Qin Fen’s pupils grew rapidly; his mind was still caught in that moment of looking back at Earth from space, as if oblivious to this grand manifestation. The true energy within him shifted subtly, an experience profoundly strange yet indescribable in words.

He swiftly raised both arms, interlocking his ten fingers to clamp his palms tightly together, hoisting them high above his head to concentrate the power into his fists, forming something akin to a colossal mountain-splitting axe, which he brought down heavily upon the epicenter of the ** fist energy.

Rumble! Explosive force scattered in all directions, the ** petal-shaped fist energy dissolving into blades that were nearly tangible, striking Qin Fen’s lower abdomen, shoulders, feet, and arms—a barrage of attacks dense as rain, violently pouring over every inch of his body.

“Your enemy will not grant you the luxury of enlightenment on the battlefield,” the voice of the King of the Underhanded, Zeng Yicheng, held a rare severity. “Even if you seek enlightenment, it shouldn’t take that long. The Human, Earth, and Heaven Astral Qi levels signify mastery, yet no one, using his theories, could produce visual aids for you. Every person’s Martial Way is different; the way they manifest Earthly Astral Qi is unique. The more straightforward the Martial Way, the easier it is to form Earthly Astral Qi. Take Turbulence Lord, for instance, whose path is sheer brute force; he pursues only raw power, so his entry into the Earthly Astral realm was relatively simple. As for being underhanded…”

Tch. Zeng Yicheng shook his head repeatedly. “Being underhanded appears simple but is far too complex. Theoretically, my path to the Earthly Astral realm is more difficult than Turbulence Lord’s. Aside from that Zong Jue Lü, the complexity of my Earthly Astral manifestation is the closest to yours, which is why I appeared. Your so-called Divine Fist Path sounds impressive, but the difficulty in forming its Earthly Astral Qi is vastly higher, especially since your internal cultivation technique is the Universal Compendium of Martial Arts…”

Zeng Yicheng simply shook his head and spoke no more. Qin Fen floated in the sky, quietly observing the damage inflicted upon his body—the result of a single, non-full-power punch from Zeng Yicheng. A nineteen-star martial artist was terrifying enough, but coupled with Earthly Astral Qi, the destructive power left one utterly incapable of retaliation.

In the dark void, Zeng Yicheng’s luminescence gradually faded, replaced by Turbulence Lord of the (Gāng Měng - Fierce Force) Martial Way. Seeing Qin Fen, Turbulence Lord, radiating an aura of steel dominance, was instantly delighted. He strode through the air to stand before Qin Fen and, without uttering a word, raised his right arm. Zheng, zheng, zheng—

The Earthly Astral true energy erupted continuously along Turbulence Lord’s right arm. That already thick arm seemed to inflate like a balloon, expanding ceaselessly. In the blink of an eye, it was fully twice the girth of his left arm, as if what sprouted from his shoulder was not an arm, but a massive steel pillar.

Turbulence Lord took another step forward, fierce energy pouring out from his fists and arms! Qin Fen saw the light radiating from the eyes of this Grandmaster of the Fierce Force Martial Way—it was like two genuine mechanized armors. His arm, thick as an iron column, slammed down from above, whipping up a fierce gale!

Qin Fen’s contemplative pupils suddenly flared with clarity, snapping back to awareness. This descending punch was his own Feng Shen Bang (Investiture of the Gods List)! When used by Turbulence Lord, the punch lacked the sweeping grandeur of 'The Heavens and Earth Contained in One Fist,' yet it gained a measure of overarching, raw fierceness, like a million rhinoceroses stampeding across the plains at high speed simultaneously.

This strike, the Feng Shen Bang, was unleashed by Turbulence Lord while operating at the eighteen-star Earthly Astral Qi state. Having sparred with Qin Fen for half a year without a full engagement, it seemed as if the momentum and power accumulated over six months erupted in this single moment, bearing a resemblance to the first punch Little Dragon King Yang Lie threw on Mount Everest.

Faced with the sudden appearance of the Feng Shen Bang, Qin Fen’s nerves instantly sharpened. At this moment, he had no intention of dodging. The muscles along his back writhed rapidly like dragons and pythons; the eighteen-star Human Astral Qi similarly flooded his right arm. Differences in internal cultivation caused his arm to bloom once more with a light akin to an electric bulb. The Feng Shen Bang, laced with the spirit of the Sahara accumulated over millions of years, carrying the iron-blooded spirit of a soldier who fights because retreat means death, roared as it met the utterly fierce and unyielding Feng Shen Bang.

The variations and techniques of the Feng Shen Bang held no secrets between them; any modification became pointless. Qin Fen was eager to test the Earthly Astral Qi again. The collision occurred without either side evading in the slightest.

Upon impact of the Feng Shen Bang, Turbulence Lord’s lips curled into a smile as he watched Qin Fen’s body falter. Then, utilizing the reciprocal force generated by the clash, he instantly reconstituted the shattered Human Astral Qi, shaking his shoulders without pause, and threw out the Feng Shen Bang again, laden with that vast momentum.

Turbulence Lord stood rooted like an ancient pillar, swinging his arm—as thick as a house column—in another Feng Shen Bang.

Bang… Qin Fen felt as if all his internal energy was threatening to fly apart. Turbulence Lord’s Fierce Force Martial Way had reached an apex. His own Divine Fist Path no longer seemed like a flawless, completed form before it; the Human Astral Qi, on the verge of disintegration, instantly replenished, allowing him to launch a third attack against Turbulence Lord!

With the third punch, Qin Fen’s body shuddered violently, yet he did not retreat a single step. He flicked his arm, which had rebounded from the shockwave, and gathered the Feng Shen Bang once more.

Turbulence Lord’s eyebrows twitched; he was astonished by Qin Fen’s ability to coalesce his Human Astral Qi. Among martial artists below the Earthly Astral realm, who else could withstand his attacks? Eighteen-star Earthly Astral Qi fighting Human Astral Qi—it was instantly shattered, only to be immediately reformed by Qin Fen. This kid’s progress was faster than apparent. Not only had his control over Human Astral Qi reached the true pinnacle of perfection, but the endurance required to shatter and instantly reassemble three times was beyond any ordinary Human Astral Qi martial artist. Fourth strike… Fifth strike… Sixth strike…

On the one hundred and thirty-second strike, Qin Fen’s body vibrated so violently that he finally flew backward, the speed at which he gathered his Human Astral Qi noticeably slower than before. The one hundred and thirty-third Feng Shen Bang struck again.

Turbulence Lord’s figure instantly vanished into nothingness. Standing before Qin Fen was a martial artist of somewhat slender build, with an utterly ordinary appearance. His arms seemed to possess no inherent strength, yet he moved them in conjunction with the flow of the punch, kneading his hands inward until they were completely sealed toward the center line. It was like a willow catkin landing on a careening truck—unable to impede its progress at all.

Qin Fen, however, felt something different. His Feng Shen Bang was meant to be a net capable of trapping any opponent, but now he had encountered an even larger, incredibly adhesive net.

Hui Yi Chan? Qin Fen instinctively attacked, but then suddenly regained his clarity. The vast power of the Feng Shen Bang shifted, his two arms intertwining as they moved toward the soft clinging embrace of Hui Yi Chan’s technique.

To deal with Hui Yi Chan, Qin Fen and the Master had discussed it: either you are stronger and can shatter his technique with force, or trying to win quickly is nearly impossible; one must calm the mind and engage in a protracted battle. Entwine, coil, twist, tear!

Within that simple technique, Chan Mian Fei Fei (Lingering Affectionate Entanglement), lay the ultimate meaning of four characters. Qin Fen was more accustomed to engaging in this mutual entanglement with Chan Yi Chan. What seemed like a harmless struggle, like children wrestling, was fraught with immense peril; one slip, and an arm could be seized, then entangled, twisted, and torn until it was ruined.

The Master called it the gentlest, calmest, yet most brutal battle for life and death! Zeng Yicheng had dismissed it with a snort, calling it a perverse struggle toward death.

Regardless of the assessment, all descriptions ended with the same four words: ‘Battle for Life and Death.’

Entwine, entwine, and entwine again…

After over ten minutes of mutual entanglement, Qin Fen suddenly understood something from Hui Yi Chan: Earthly Astral Qi operated under a different standard than previous martial cultivation measurements.

Whether it was Reborn Through Blood Exchange True Innate, Marrow Exchange Nirvana Great Innate, Condensing Qi into Astral, True Astral Entering the Body, or Qi Returning to Origin Human Astral True Qi, these were all unified standards; if one practiced according to this framework, the chances for refinement were significant. But Earthly Astral Qi was different—completely different!

Earthly Astral Qi was not merely condensed true energy; it was the infusion of one’s Martial Way into their Human Astral Qi. The Martial Way was no longer just the Martial Way, and Astral Qi was no longer just Astral Qi; they had to fuse—that was the true Martial Way!

To cultivate the Martial Way to the Earthly Astral realm was to truly step inside the door! Whether it was Zeng Yicheng’s Earthly Astral Qi, Turbulence Lord’s, or Hui Yi Chan’s, each manifestation of Earthly Astral Qi was unique!

“Let me show you something even Zeng Yicheng has never seen—the second technique of the ‘Entwine’ move, which I specially developed to counter Zong Jue Lü!” Hui Yi Chan’s voice was faint, but upon reaching Qin Fen’s ears, it sounded like a clap of thunder.

Whether it was Zeng Yicheng, the Master, or other Black Hole-level experts, their assessment of Hui Yi Chan was unanimous: One move that covers the heavens, one move that can spawn countless variations.

Second technique? Qin Fen had never heard any Super Grandmasters mention it. Wasn't the Chan technique the pinnacle? How could there be a second technique? A second technique meant to counter Zong Jue Lü—that super expert who cultivated a heaven-defying Martial Way, known as the Heaven-Shattering level? “Lingering Fatal Embrace.”

Hui Yi Chan’s words were soft, as if drifting from beyond the heavens. His arms, palms, and wrists—even the fine hairs upon them—seemed to undergo a dramatic transformation in that instant. The Earthly Astral Qi appeared to possess life. His body twisted and coiled forward, looking less like Qin Fen’s arms wrapping around Hui Yi Chan, and more like Hui Yi Chan’s own body was enwrapping Qin Fen’s arms.

Realm! Qin Fen had to admit, after Hui Yi Chan unleashed this Chan Mian Qian [Lingering Entanglement]!!!, it felt as if the entire space wanted to entangle with him; it was far more powerful than the previous entanglement! In this state of Lingering Fatal Embrace, the Earthly Astral Qi was truly like millions of massive pythons wrapping around a person’s body.

In an instant, Qin Fen’s pores stood on end, feeling as though his hair had instantly turned into quills. If he continued to tangle with Hui Yi Chan like this, he would become a cocoon in seconds. The entangling will to fight abruptly changed. The indistinct, chaotic, and unrivaled Divine Fist Path rushed back into his body. Hui Yi Chan’s lips curved into a smile of appreciation.

Lingering Fatal Embrace vanished instantly! Qin Fen suddenly felt like a full-power punch had struck only air.

In the darkness, a flash of electric light disappeared abruptly not far from Qin Fen’s eyes. A fierce attack surged from behind.

Extreme Speed Martial Way Tian La Sen! Qin Fen’s Thunder Step, Electric Step, and Lightning Step were all inspired by Tian La Sen’s Extreme Speed Martial Way.