Hundred Thousand Jin Strength

Inside the hall.

"Not guilty, but rewarded?" Liu Ye mused.

"Yuanhu Mountain Villa was merely a force established by Old Man Yuanhu during the collapse of the Chu Jiang Empire. It has only unified 'Yuanhu Prefecture' for a little over ten years, with a weak foundation, far from comparable to our Hengyun Sect," General Xu said.

As a high-ranking official and a core disciple of the sect, he might not grasp the grand situation of the Central Plains, but he certainly understood the various dynamics within Jiangzhou very clearly.

"Old Man Yuanhu has recruited some experts over the years."

"But their numbers are not large, and it's difficult for them to gain his trust. Those he values and trusts the most are his five personal disciples," General Xu whispered.

"According to our interrogation of the remaining Fierce Tiger Gang members."

"The Martial Dao expert who last fought that mysterious spearman, the one wearing beast hide and wielding dual hammers, should be Old Man Yuanhu's youngest personal disciple—Beast Mountain Hammer Ming Lie!" General Xu stated with considerable certainty.

"First-class Expert Ming Lie? I heard he's under thirty and is Yuanhu Mountain Villa's recognized top genius!" Liu Ye exclaimed, surprised. "He's the one who came?"

First-class Experts were rare. There wasn't a truly First-class Expert in all of Li City.

But looking at an entire prefecture, there were quite a few First-class Experts.

Beast Mountain Hammer Ming Lie was undoubtedly a renowned First-class Expert in Jiangzhou, and for no other reason than his youth!

Youth held infinite possibilities.

"There's a ninety percent chance it's him," General Xu said.

"This Beast Mountain Hammer's sudden arrival must have a very special reason," General Xu whispered. "Investigate!"

"Mobilize all forces and find out the truth."

"From when Jiang Dongque and the others organized a joint impeachment to the message reaching the sect and then dispatching a team to investigate, it will take at least a month."

"Five days."

"If we still can't find anything, compile all clues and traces and report them to the sect. That will count as a merit," General Xu said.

"Yes," Liu Ye replied.

He had followed Xu Shouyi since childhood, was most loyal, and had earned his complete trust.

Jiangzhou, a land where a hundred rivers converged, spanning over ten thousand miles and home to hundreds of millions of people. Though it had seen constant turmoil for a thousand years, the basic structure of the 'Sixteen Prefectures' had been maintained.

Yuanhu Prefecture was the southernmost prefecture in Jiangzhou, located at the junction of three provinces, bordering 'East Province' and 'Chuzhou'.

After the demise of the Chu Jiang Empire, it had been in chaos for over a decade. It wasn't until Old Man Yuanhu established Yuanhu Mountain Villa more than ten years ago that stability was finally achieved.

The headquarters of Yuanhu Mountain Villa was built beside 'Yuanhu Mountain,' which was by the six-hundred-mile-long Yuanhu Lake. Its pavilions and terraces were layered, ancient trees towered overhead, and it occupied a vast area. Numerous disciples practiced and sparred in various training grounds, exuding the aura of a great Martial Dao sect.

Today.

The grandest hall at the highest point of the villa was magnificent and majestic, decorated with simple elegance and generosity, yet without any disciples guarding it.

Inside the hall, a weakened man with a severed arm knelt, his head bowed low to the ground.

An invisible aura enveloped the entire hall.

"The Chu Jiang Token was lost just like that?" A cold voice echoed in the hall. "Ming Lie, you have truly disappointed me, your master."

At the far end of the hall stood a black-haired elder in a red robe!

He was covered in a wide red robe, his face thin, his skin dark, and his eyes narrow, giving him a sinister appearance.

Most striking was his left eye, which was cloudy, clearly indicating he was blind.

He was the master of Yuanhu Mountain Villa, 'Old Man Yuanhu,' and the ruler of millions of people within Yuanhu Prefecture!

"I beg Master to punish me!" Ming Lie, the man with the severed arm, kept his head down, sweat dripping from his face.

"Did you recognize the expert who fought you?" Old Man Yuanhu's voice was cold.

"Your disciple is incompetent," Ming Lie lowered his head. "He used a spear first, then a saber, and wore a bronze mask. The techniques he used were very unfamiliar, and your disciple truly couldn't recognize him."

"However!"

"Your disciple can confirm that his physical condition should not be strong, only at the Fifth-Rank level. But his combat skills are terrifying. He repeatedly displayed 'Extreme Strength' as if it were limitless, and he should have reached the 'Hard and Soft' realm," Ming Lie stated solemnly.

"'Hard and Soft'?" Old Man Yuanhu, who had been calm, had a cold glint flash in his eyes.

"Fifth-Rank physical condition, yet reaching the Hard and Soft realm?"

"Ming Lie!" Old Man Yuanhu's gaze turned icy, and an invisible chill enveloped the hall. "I have taught you for twenty years; when have I ever taught you to deceive your master?"

Ming Lie felt a chill run through his body and couldn't help but shiver.

"Master, your disciple also finds it strange, but what I've said is absolutely true, and I wouldn't dare deceive you," Ming Lie gritted his teeth, keeping his head down.

Old Man Yuanhu looked down at Ming Lie.

His fingertips traced over a string of beads, seemingly lost in thought!

The hall was suddenly filled with a strange atmosphere, making Ming Lie feel increasingly pressured.

Just as he felt he could no longer bear it.

"Ming Lie, I will believe you this one time," Old Man Yuanhu finally spoke, his voice softening slightly.

"Thank you, Master." Ming Lie felt as if he had been granted a great pardon, repeatedly kowtowing.

"Copy down the entire sequence of events you just described, from cause to effect, and present it to me," Old Man Yuanhu said calmly.

"Yes, disciple understands." Ming Lie nodded repeatedly.

This was Yuanhu Mountain Villa's usual practice.

"The loss of the Chu Jiang Token is a minor matter. In truth, what makes me most regretful is that you lost an arm," Old Man Yuanhu's gaze fell upon Ming Lie's severed limb.

"I have disappointed Master," Ming Lie lowered his head, his eyes filled with hatred and unwillingness.

Martial Dao cultivation.

Losing an arm would greatly affect the tendons, bones, and muscles of the rest of the body. Not only would it be difficult to reach higher realms, but even maintaining current strength would be a challenge!

His lifespan would also be affected in the future.

In life-or-death combat, it would create more fatal weak points!

"Martial Dao cultivation is a path where fortune and misfortune are intertwined," Old Man Yuanhu said slowly. "Three hundred years ago, the Earth Ranking Grandmaster 'Song Bo' lost an arm in battle. After thirty years of arduous cultivation, he created the 'One-Arm Immortal Blade' and became a Heavenly Ranking Expert, renowned throughout the world!"

"You lost an arm, which is misfortune. But you are still young, not yet thirty."

"If you can dedicate yourself to the Martial Dao, in the future, it's not impossible for you to reach the same level as your Master," Old Man Yuanhu said solemnly. "You must not become decadent or fall into despair, do you understand?"

"Disciple remembers and will certainly not disappoint Master," Ming Lie said.

"Good, you may go," Old Man Yuanhu said.

Ming Lie's injuries had not yet healed, and there was still bloodstaining from his severed arm. He struggled to stand, bowed, and then slowly exited the great hall.

Shortly after.

Two more figures entered the great hall, one tall and one short. The tall one wore white robes and appeared quite refined.

The short one, however, was clad in iron armor, his muscles bulging as if he were a giant iron ball!

"Master," both bowed simultaneously.

"Your junior disciple found the Chu Jiang Token in Li City, Nanmeng Prefecture, but it was stolen by someone, and he also lost an arm," Old Man Yuanhu's eyes were icy.

"The Chu Jiang Token?" the refined white-robed man exclaimed in surprise.

"Junior disciple lost an arm?" the short, stout man was equally shocked.

Their points of focus differed.

"Later, your junior disciple will write down the detailed account of what happened. You may read it yourselves," Old Man Yuanhu said.

"Yes," the two disciples replied in unison.

"Tang Ru, take some of your elites and head to Li City. Search discreetly. If you find any trace of the Chu Jiang Token, you must retrieve it," Old Man Yuanhu looked at the refined white-robed man.

"Disciple understands," the refined white-robed man said.

"Zhu Shan, take your elites and search outward for five hundred li centered around Li City, to see if you can find any trace of the Chu Jiang Token," Old Man Yuanhu instructed.

"Yes," the short, stout man cupped his hands.

"Remember," Old Man Yuanhu's gaze swept over his two disciples, "This matter is of great importance. The Hengyun Sect might also discover its whereabouts and send experts. Avoid conflict with the Hengyun Sect if possible; act in secret."

"But..."

"If you can ascertain the location of the Chu Jiang Token, then retrieve it at all costs," Old Man Yuanhu declared. "Afterward, I will explain to the Hengyun Sect."

"Yes," their hearts settled.

With their Master's backing, their concerns were largely dispelled.

The Hengyun Sect was powerful, occupying three prefectures, and stronger than Yuanhu Mountain Villa. However, the Great Jin Empire was watching closely, and the two sides were destined not to erupt into full-scale war.

In Li City, within a small courtyard south of the city.

Six days.

Other than returning home twice to report his safety, Wu Yuan had spent all his time hiding in this small courtyard, cultivating the Tiger Leopard Bone Refining Technique with his entire being.

The mysterious liquid in the jade bottle was constantly decreasing, while Wu Yuan's physical condition was transforming at an incredible rate.

"Hoo!"

Wu Yuan, with his arms on the ground, was covered in sweat, a faint mist even rising from his body.

With a slight exertion, he landed silently like a nimble cat.

He sealed his countless tiny pores, took off his soaked upper garment, and wiped himself clean with a nearby towel, revealing muscles chiseled like a sculpture!

Wu Yuan's muscles were not exaggerated, appearing incredibly coordinated visually.

There was a sense of perfection.

"In all things, if they give people a sense of 'beauty' and 'harmony', they are usually correct," Wu Yuan understood this.

A single muscle, or tendons and bones being too strong or too large, might not be a good thing; it could even affect the whole.

"In just six days."

"My physical fitness has improved by over 50%, reaching my current limit. Pushing for further enhancements now would be like trying to pull up seedlings to help them grow." Wu Yuan could clearly feel the extent of the transformation in his muscles and bones.

Unlike training for adults.

Martial Dao cultivation for children and teenagers must be gradual, focusing on 'nurturing,' with stimulating development being key.

Blindly pursuing strength would be counterproductive.

"Some martial artists start pushing their bodies to the limit at seven or eight years old, but their subsequent growth is affected, and they don't grow tall!" Wu Yuan walked towards one side of the courtyard.

Not growing tall from martial arts training?

It's just that their training methods are wrong.

"This body is only fourteen years old. These past few days, I've used the spiritual liquid from the jade bottle not only to train my physical strength but also, more importantly, to replenish past deficiencies and condition my body," Wu Yuan thought to himself. "I'm laying the foundation for the next few years of development. Cultivation must be done step by step."

"I still have four years of golden physical development!"

"Following the natural laws of heaven and earth, once my body develops further and reaches its limit in each stage, my physical fitness will naturally keep improving, eventually reaching a level I never dared to imagine."

"At the very least, I have now surpassed my previous life!" Wu Yuan clenched his fist and threw a punch, his limbs converging their strength. A casual punch caused the air to explode.

Strength! Speed!

Both were present.

Wu Yuan's single-arm strength had already surpassed 30,000 jin! In the human Federation of his previous life, that would make him the top Grandmaster!

What if he unleashed triple Extreme Strength?

"That would be a colossal force of 100,000 jin," Wu Yuan grinned. "If I encounter that mysterious expert from Nine Cloud Mountain again?"

"I can kill him within three strikes!"