[Heaven rewards diligence; there is always something to show for it!] [Name: Chen Han] [Lifespan: 20/110] [Skill: Mountain Breaking Fist (Minor Achievement) 95/100] [Skill: Taiji Health Cultivation Technique (Mastery) 1/500]
During the time Chen Han had spent in seclusion, he had advanced the Taiji Health Cultivation Technique to Mastery, successfully reforging his sinews and bones and undergoing a complete transformation. This was no ordinary recovery, but an unprecedented strengthening of his body.
He had long known this martial art was no simple thing. Now, it seemed its true potential went far beyond what it appeared to be on the surface.
Next was the Mountain Breaking Fist.
The Beginner, Minor Achievement, and Mastery stages corresponded to Bright Force, Dark Force, and Transformation Force.
Chen Han had originally been unable to throw a punch comparable to one delivered by a Transformation Force expert. But after the Health Preservation Technique had strengthened his body layer upon layer, he now needed to exert only ninety-five percent of his strength to deliver such a punch.
Old Steward beamed, his face breaking into a broad, delighted smile. He was overflowing with satisfaction.
Chen Qiuyu, standing to the side, had a face ashen with anger. Her beautiful, frosty features looked especially grim at that moment.
"This... Chen Han, come with me."
Clan Head Chen Feng had some things he couldn't ask about in front of everyone. A cripple whose bones had been shattered had now become a powerhouse capable of throwing a punch comparable to one from a Transformation Force expert. The secrets this young man carried were surely no simple matter.
"All right. But, Clan Head, could you first arrange for my family to be settled somewhere?"
Chen Feng waved a hand and said to Old Steward, "Uncle Zhang, sorry for the trouble. Please make the arrangements. From now on, they're members of the Chen Family, so they must be treated well."
"Of course, I understand."
Old Steward answered, then gave Shen Yue and the others a kindly smile and a nod. He turned to Chen Han with a look of satisfaction.
Chen Han nodded in reply.
Just as he was about to leave, Shen Wan'er hurried over to him. "Husband, do you remember the wife of that scoundrel next door?"
Chen Han thought of the frail woman who was beaten from time to time by her perpetually drunk, fat husband.
"I remember. What about her?"
"While you were away, she helped our family a lot. She's a good person. But yesterday, that scoundrel sold her to the Black Mountain Gang. I thought we have some spare silver now, so I'd like to buy her back."
Chen Han's lips curled up. My wife really is beautiful and kindhearted.
"Do as you like. I'm not what I used to be—I'm not short of a few taels of silver."
As he said this, Chen Han couldn't help reflecting on how powerful he had become. At twenty, he was already a martial artist comparable to a Transformation Force expert.
How could he possibly be short of silver?
In the past, he would only have dared to dream of this. Now, it had all become reality.
His wife no longer had to spend all day wielding a huge cooking pot, and his younger sister would never again have to eat coarse rice until her voice turned hoarse. If Shen Wuren hadn't died, perhaps Chen Han could even pull some strings and bring him back.
And all of it was because he had grown strong.
In this world that devoured people alive, if he had amounted to nothing, if he had lost heart after narrowly escaping death that time, the Shen family might already have been torn apart by the Black Mountain Gang—with some dead and others sold off.
"You don't need to go yourself. Tell the servants about it tomorrow, and let them handle it."
The Chen Family had plenty of servants who did the martial artists' laundry and cooking. And now Chen Han was the family's most prized treasure, so his relatives would naturally have servants assigned to look after them.
Hearing this, Shen Wan'er—who had been a commoner—didn't understand at first.
Chen Han chuckled softly, then turned and followed the Clan Head away.
In a private chamber, Chen Han and Chen Feng sat facing each other.
"Chen Han, tell me—what exactly happened?"
Chen Han had nothing much to hide. Being excessively cautious might only backfire. As long as he didn't reveal the proficiency panel, he would be fine.
Then Chen Han gave a general account of his martial arts training during his time away from the family, deliberately omitting everything about the proficiency panel and crediting it all to his talent.
In short, I'm a peerless prodigy with extraordinary talent. You'd better nurture me well from now on.
"So that's how it is. I never imagined this so-called Taiji Health Cultivation Technique could have such heaven-defying effects. As Clan Head, I've been too narrow-minded."
The Clan Head sighed.
"By the way, Clan Head, I have something to take care of tonight. I'm going out."
"What is it? Do you need me to send someone with you?"
Chen Han wore a faint smile. "No need. I'm just going to kill someone..."
Chen Feng knew Chen Han was going after Hou Chun of the Black Mountain Gang.
Though worried about Chen Han's safety, he also knew that a man who had climbed out of such a desperate predicament must have a mature temperament and a state of mind beyond that of ordinary people.
Besides, martial arts were techniques for killing. Without tempering oneself through combat, how could one grow?
"Do as you wish. But remember, the Black Mountain Gang is powerful, so be extremely careful. And remember what I taught you: if you're going to do it, do it cleanly. Leave no survivors."
The Clan Head was only a second-step Martialist, one major realm and two minor stages above Chen Han.
The strongest person in the Chen Family was the previous generation's Clan Head, a first-step Martial Master!
To them, this was no more than a petty squabble. Even if the Black Mountain Gang really came knocking, it wouldn't cause much of a stir. The family could pay some silver, apologize, and be done with it.
It was just like when Hou Chun had bullied Chen Han. Old Steward, who was practically family, might have cared a little, but he couldn't have made much of a fuss; at most, he could have issued a verbal warning.
As for someone at Chen Feng's level, he might not have considered it worth a second thought. He wouldn't even spare you a glance, much less help you get even.
That was simply how things were. That was the sorrow of the little people at the bottom.
"This brat naturally understands..."
At that very moment, in a small Black Mountain Gang outpost in the outer city—
"What!"
Hou Chun cried out, his lips trembling. "Black Blade and Death Blade are both dead! One had Bright Force, the other Dark Force... Have you found out who killed them?"
"I... I don't know. Their bodies are still lying in the street. I could tell they were beaten to death with the Mountain Breaking Fist."
"The Mountain Breaking Fist?"
Hou Chun remembered that, a few days earlier, the subordinates of Black Blade and Death Blade had come looking for him and asked about that kid Chen Han.
Back then, when Hou Chun heard them say that the kid had stormed into their outpost and killed several of their brothers, he had laughed uproariously, mocking them for believing that a mere commoner could pull off such a thing.
He followed the clues and thought of someone. His hand suddenly went limp, and the bowl of wine he was holding fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.
"Master Bear! He was also beaten to death with the Mountain Breaking Fist!"
Although Chen Han had staged the scene to make it look as if Xiong Li and the other man had killed each other, an ordinary person might be fooled by those injuries, but a martial artist wouldn't be.
"Master Bear used to be in charge of that area..."
"A coincidence! Yes, it's a coincidence. Chen Han isn't the only one who knows the Mountain Breaking Fist."
"No!!!"
He suddenly shuddered, terror flashing in his eyes. "The Mountain Breaking Fist's derived move—the Two Yang Finger!"
Someone among Xiong Li's group had died to that move. And, just as it happened, the day Chen Han moved into the inner city, one of Black Blade's men had also been silenced by the same move.
It all added up!
"Someone, prepare the carriage!"
Hou Chun reacted swiftly and immediately thought of fleeing. Just then, a figure smashed through the door like a cannonball and crashed heavily into the wall. It twitched weakly twice, then went still.
His heart lurched, and he turned to look.
Outside the door, everything was in disarray. Several of his men lay sprawled across the ground, blood and brains scattered everywhere. The wind carried a thick, suffocating stench of blood straight toward him.
At the same time, he saw a figure. The person's face was hidden behind a black veil, making their features impossible to see. They walked toward him slowly, their pace unhurried.
"It's you!"
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