Martial Arts Mastery

Tap.

Mercenary Tao landed from high in the air as lightly as a cat touching down.

The ultimate conversion of speed and strength sent an inexplicable chill down one's spine.

He was a human Martial Artist who had perfected control over his own body.

"Tang Badan said all my trials were complete. Why are you the only one here?"

Mercenary Tao stood with his eyes closed, his braid wrapped around his neck, deliberately asking what he already knew.

Bai Cangshu carried several crates of money he had prepared in advance out of the house one by one, smiling as he said,

"Those missions have all been completed. This is the reward."

Bai Cangshu skirted the important details. He knew that Mercenary Tao's so-called trial truly had only two purposes.

First, to receive payment.

Mercenary Tao was a powerful man deeply obsessed with money. As the World's Number One Assassin, he charged one hundred million for a single job and even had a habit of saving money. This could be seen from when Son Goku's grenade had nearly blown him to death, forcing him to spend all his savings to transform himself into a cyborg.

Second, to ensure that only "one person" remained after completing the trial.

This had been revealed by his deliberate declaration that he would only teach the person who earned the highest bounty reward. If he taught only one person, then only one person could win in the end. No matter how many missions the others completed, it would be useless.

Mercenary Tao liked worldly things such as money and fame, yet he also followed rules to a certain degree. He was not a completely chaotic and evil character.

Thus, there were many ways to fulfill the requirements of his trial.

Perhaps if the original eight people had immediately paired off and fought to the death, leaving only one survivor, then given Mercenary Tao a sum of money, they might have received his instruction as well.

Bai Cangshu and that twin-blade wielder had understood this. One chose to directly kill his employer and seize the money, while the other directly killed the driver before returning to the mountain to wait for his prey.

Both were certain that as long as only one person returned to the mountain in the end, Mercenary Tao's requirements would be met.

Mercenary Tao opened his eyes and looked once more at the thick-browed, big-eyed man. Since he had not fought for any of those missions that day, he had probably already planned to kill the others.

"Hmph. Not a bad prospect."

Your actions have earned Mercenary Tao's appreciation. Mercenary Tao's impression of you has improved.

Current: Friendly (15/100)

Not only was Mercenary Tao not displeased by Bai Cangshu's actions, he instead felt that this was what a truly talented young man should be like.

With his hands behind his back, he walked through the broad plaza atop the mountain. In some sense, this place was also his training ground. Every year, he held similar selection events, though not to take disciples, but to raise his own reputation.

Mercenary Tao paced about, occasionally studying Bai Cangshu.

Bai Cangshu still wore a smile, but the corner of his eye remained fixed on the mission timer.

Time remaining until Team 64323 enters this world: 81 hours 30 minutes

There were just over three days left before the reincarnation team capable of carrying out the mission to kill Mercenary Tao descended. Bai Cangshu's time was actually quite tight.

"Do you know what kung fu is?"

Mercenary Tao spoke.

Bai Cangshu answered naturally.

"It is the art of killing."

Mercenary Tao nodded in satisfaction. What he despised most were the hypocritical airs of those who called themselves martial arts masters. Even his own older brother, Master Shen, was putting on an act in his eyes. Clearly wanting to act through force, yet pretending to be a venerable master of virtue.

"Correct. Kung fu is meant for killing!"

"Conversely, anything that can kill is naturally kung fu."

Mercenary Tao had his own understanding of martial arts as well. He too had forged his own path.

"Humans are so fragile!"

"This hand of mine can kill."

Mercenary Tao casually threw a punch through empty air. A dull tearing sound immediately rang out as the air swelled and spread outward like a Shockwave. Bai Cangshu's breathing caught, and his hair was blown loose.

"These feet of mine can kill as well."

Mercenary Tao stomped down again.

Boom!

As the ground shook violently, the earth beneath Bai Cangshu abruptly rose up and launched him into the air.

Caught off guard, Bai Cangshu adjusted his center of gravity in midair. Every muscle in his body tensed, yet his knees bent smoothly with the momentum, cushioning his landing.

Tap. The sound was light, and his movement bore a striking resemblance to Mercenary Tao's earlier landing posture.

Mercenary Tao watched the scene with cold eyes, then continued.

"This breath of mine can likewise... kill!"

Mercenary Tao suddenly took a short breath, then exhaled sharply at Bai Cangshu.

"Hah!"

At that instant, Bai Cangshu felt his entire body stiffen. A terrifying blast of qi erupted from Mercenary Tao's mouth. Though this move was certainly not as fearsome as his Divine Finger Technique (Dodon Ray), Bai Cangshu still felt as though he were being targeted by a modern firearm.

His muscles stiffened, his heart sank endlessly, and every hair on his back stood on end. The searing pain gave Bai Cangshu an unprecedentedly clear feeling—this was what it felt like when death drew near.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart began pounding rapidly and violently. Massive amounts of adrenaline were secreted, while his heart pumped blood into every corner of his body.

Bai Cangshu's body swelled slightly and reddened from the surge of blood, while his eyes began to roll white without his noticing.

At the same time, Bai Cangshu did not waste thought on pointless questions such as what Mercenary Tao was trying to do or why he was trying to kill him when he had clearly completed the trial.

Everything in Bai Cangshu's vision seemed to freeze at that moment. Even the sight of Mercenary Tao opening his mouth as golden qi burst forth from within slowed down as if time itself had become bullet time.

Bai Cangshu's whitening pupils trembled constantly. Mercenary Tao's earlier movements appeared in his mind: that seemingly casual swinging punch, and the scene of that stomping foot.

Without question, from the most primitive perspective, martial arts had always been the art of killing.

And this art of killing was simply the act of pushing every innate human ability to its limit.

Once speed and strength were both pushed to their extremes, even simple movements possessed the most terrifying destructive power.

The various stances practiced by Martial Artists were likewise meant to better unleash the energy within the body.

Under the immense pressure, the image of Mercenary Tao raising his foot and stomping down played in slow motion within Bai Cangshu's mind. At the same time, he raised his own right foot high, then stomped down fiercely.

Boom!

With that stomp, the raised ground beneath Bai Cangshu shattered explosively, and broken stones shot in every direction.

At the same time, the qi from Mercenary Tao's mouth erupted as well.

Pop!

With a crisp sound, a streak of golden qi instantly pierced through the ground.

Huff... huff...

Bai Cangshu gasped for breath. The muscles throughout his body still twitched faintly as if in spasms.

You have completed Special Trial · Mission One: Mercenary Tao's Trial

You have obtained the special talent, Martial Arts Mastery Lv. 1

Martial Arts Mastery Lv. 1: Your control over your muscles has greatly increased. You can exert force through unimaginable movements and sense the traces of qi.

Mercenary Tao stood where he was and slowly relaxed his stance. He had merely intended to demonstrate the use of qi, but he had not expected this fellow to possess some genuine talent. Not only did he have a special ability to explosively draw out his body's potential, he could even imitate and exert force through a move he had seen only once.

"Hmph. You do have some talent. Fine, I'll take you under my wing and teach you a few things!"