Aftermath

Taiyu City's streets and alleys were filled with festive cheer.

In just two or three days, the Old District, that "tumor" attached to Taiyu City, had been thoroughly eradicated.

With the Old District redevelopment project underway, Taiyu City was about to usher in a new era.

Such a massive project could drive the economic growth of the entire city, and everyone wanted to find their own opportunity within it.

In fact,

ever since the Old District residents had moved out, the related markets had already begun to change.

Those with sharp noses had already made a fortune.

Yet unlike the excitement of most citizens, Taiyu City's upper circles were undergoing violent upheaval.

Some people within the Security Bureau had suddenly vanished without a trace. Everyone knew what they had done—they had been summoned by the Investigation Division to give statements.

The Security Bureau's Peace Officers had been "striking everywhere" at night. They appeared in every government department, corporate office, mansion, and villa.

However, the City Government had restricted the spread of related news and videos, keeping the unrest beneath the surface.

By the time the results came out, the news would perhaps only briefly mention that someone had been sentenced for some crime.

The entire ecosystem of Taiyu City was undergoing structural change.

But none of that had anything to do with Qin Annian. Holding a cup of hot coffee with double sugar and double milk, he stood in the break room, yawning repeatedly.

As the heat slid down his esophagus, the sugar and milk kept dopamine flowing. As for the caffeine, it had little effect on a martial artist like Qin Annian.

Qin Annian set down his cup and raised his wrist.

"Miss Ju Zi hasn't issued another mission. I should be about ready to get off work."

Yesterday, he had first gone through a thrilling battle, then spent the entire night arresting people all over Taiyu City.

Qin Annian had not even had time to see how much the number of supporters on the Status Panel had increased.

"I'll go back and get some proper sleep, then upgrade the Iron Man Stance."

"And besides."

Qin Annian looked at the busy traffic outside the window, recalling his battle with that Cyborg.

"That feeling was so strange."

From being stretched thin at the start to handling things with ease later on, it had all been because he entered a mysterious, indescribable state.

Even thinking back on it carefully now, it still did not feel real.

"My mental power didn't change."

"But..."

Qin Annian could not make sense of it either. He could only wait and ask Han Xi later.

After confirming that there were no more missions, Qin Annian clocked out and left work.

After returning home,

he lay down on his bed, and his breathing gradually steadied.

When most of his bodily functions had been reactivated and his mind had become fuller than ever, Qin Annian opened his eyes and looked at the wall clock.

"Four hours of deep sleep, and my body, energy, and spirit have all recovered!"

"It's time to upgrade my stance technique in peak condition."

It was exactly twelve thirty in the afternoon.

After replenishing his nutrients, Qin Annian entered the Practice Room.

His gaze fell on the Status Panel.

[Host: Qin Annian.]

[Number of Supporters: 6.]

[Techniques Eligible for Support: None.]

[Techniques Eligible for Upgrade: Iron Man Stance, Leg Technique: Mountain-Splitting Axe, Willow-Bending Fist, Water-Fire Tempering Technique.]

Qin Annian clenched his fist and swung it once, then said inwardly:

"Upgrade the Iron Man Stance."

[Please select the number of supporters. Minimum: five.]

"Use them all. Six supporters."

[Upgrade Iron Man Stance · Supporters (6/6). Confirm order?]

"Yes."

Immediately afterward,

the familiar sensation appeared. A new memory gradually surfaced in Qin Annian's mind!

Mingguang Dojo.

Xiao Zhen'e, the Tiger-Subduing Arhat and a Titled Martial General, abruptly opened his eyes, his expression becoming exceedingly strange.

"Again?"

After what had happened before, he had immediately gone to see his master.

"There are only a handful of Martial Gods in the world. Who would be bored enough to toy with you?"

"Could it be that your Inner Demons have run rampant, causing you to see such illusions?"

The deeper one's cultivation, the more terrifying the Inner Demons one encountered.

After his master put it that way, Xiao Zhen'e felt that it made sense.

"I have cultivated this Golden Arhat Heaven-Supporting Stance for over three hundred years, and now I have reached a bottleneck where I can no longer advance."

"It would be explainable for such an Inner Demon to appear during my cultivation."

Xiao Zhen'e had assumed it was an Inner Demon testing him. Fortunately, his martial heart had been firm, and he had not doubted himself, so the Inner Demon had ultimately dissipated.

It was precisely because of that

that Xiao Zhen'e felt as though the barrier blocking his cultivation had faintly loosened.

This time,

he had been in seclusion to consolidate his gains, preparing to break through and further increase his Life Development Power.

However,

when that vast will, as though the entire universe had manifested itself, descended upon his place of cultivation once more,

Xiao Zhen'e became completely certain that his previous experience had been an Inner Demon my ass!

There really was an unfathomably powerful being descending here!

"Senior."

Xiao Zhen'e rose to his feet and looked into the empty space before him.

"Is it amusing to toy with me like this?"

That will offered no explanation. It merely unfolded the Golden Arhat Heaven-Supporting Stance he cultivated.

"Hm?"

Xiao Zhen'e frowned. What was this for?

The next moment,

the eyes of this Titled Martial General-level martial artist, whose Life Development Power exceeded ten thousand and whose physical body could cross the cosmos and confront interstellar warships head-on, bulged violently outward!

He saw that the stance technique was quietly changing.

Its mysteries were so profound that even he found them difficult to comprehend.

Yet

an obsession so intense that it made even his soul tremble arose in his mind!

Memorize it!

I must memorize it!

This was an unimaginable, heaven-defying opportunity, enough to change his fate!

A terrifying being with strength like that of an immortal god was actually enlightening him?

And the only requirement was:

"Have me cultivate it right now?!"

After his surprise passed,

Xiao Zhen'e immediately began trying, assuming the improved stance.

Attempt after attempt, failure after failure.

Gradually,

cold sweat covered Xiao Zhen'e's forehead, and his legs actually began to tremble almost imperceptibly!

To become a legend with Life Development Power exceeding ten thousand and earn a title, Xiao Zhen'e's talent naturally needed no questioning.

Yet at this moment, this stance technique had stumped him!

"Wait a moment, wait a moment."

"I'll definitely succeed!"

He gritted his teeth and gave it everything he had.

Countless phenomena continuously evolved around him!

At times, a Golden Arhat Heaven-Supporting Stance rose toward the sky; at times, Golden Lotuses surged from the ground; now and then, phantom figures of gods and Buddhas sat cross-legged...

After figuring out each difficult point of cultivation, Xiao Zhen'e finally got started.

He had just breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that the will was still there. He hurriedly became serious again and began cultivating the Standing Posture with his full concentration!

Only after he had fully explored every subtle wonder within the stance technique

did he finally exhale a breath of turbid air. Xiao Zhen'e beamed with joy and laughed.

"Finally, I did it!"

"Senior, look..."

However,

only then did he realize that the will had long since vanished without a trace.

"Senior, I shall never forget your great kindness!"

Xiao Zhen'e respectfully performed a deep bow, engraving this favor in his heart!

If he could have such an opportunity every time, then let that senior toy with him for ten thousand years!

"What kind of stance technique is this?"

"Why is it so difficult to cultivate?"

As Qin Annian digested the memories in his mind, he marveled inwardly:

"Fortunately."

"The version of me in these memories really has pretty good talent!"