"Gulp! Gulp!"
Su Hao took two swigs of ginseng wine. It wasn't strong; on the contrary, it was incredibly mild and smooth, sliding down his throat and into his belly before turning into a warm current that coursed through his limbs and bones, making him feel as though he had strength to spare!
Taking advantage of the wine's medicinal effects, Su Hao began practicing Bear Form Fist.
The hallmark of Bear Form Fist lay in its control of strength. If one could make this seemingly clumsy style appear nimble and graceful, lifting a heavy weight as though it were light, one had reached the minor mastery stage. To progress further, returning to simplicity and making a light, nimble style feel as heavy as a mountain—that was great mastery. The force cultivated by this style was called Bear-Grizzly Force.
The final style, Deer Form Fist, was renowned for its footwork. It excelled at dodging and shifting over short distances, like a nimble deer threading through the forest without touching a single leaf. Its force was called "Deer Creek Force." Though it wasn't a style focused on killing, it could deflect and borrow force, making it incomparably profound.
"Boom! Boom!"
With the support of Blood Ginseng Wine, Su Hao pushed his fist techniques to their utmost limits. His sinews and bones rang and trembled, producing the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound as he tempered his internal organs and strengthened his bones and sinews, building up the force within him. His punches combined lightness and heaviness: at times as light as a feather, his fists darting swiftly without making a sound; at others, as heavy as a giant bear's swipe, accompanied by a rumbling crash.
There was a beauty to Su Hao's all-out training, a harmony of power and technique, body and mind united!
With Blood Ginseng to aid him, Su Hao could cultivate without restraint, with no need to worry about depleting his body. It also healed the hidden injuries in his body, making his foundation more solid and bringing it closer to perfection!
"The Mortal-Shedding Bead... its energy is already more than half accumulated. Perhaps it won't be long before it's full. I wonder what it does. The words 'mortal shedding' must be the key..."
As he practiced Five Animals Fist, Su Hao also observed the Mortal-Shedding Bead at night while meditating to temper his mental strength. The blood-red energy within it had already filled more than half the bead.
Su Hao was looking forward to seeing what the Mortal-Shedding Bead could do!
Life settled into a peaceful routine for Su Hao, and he made rapid progress. Two months later, he had opened some of his meridians, and a fourth force—Bear-Grizzly Force—had formed within him. Bear Form Fist had returned to its peak!
Four months later, the last of Su Hao's meridians had been opened, and Deer Form Fist's Deer Creek Force flowed freely, unobstructed!
At last, Five Animals Fist had reached perfection!
In his previous life, Su Hao had spent twenty or thirty years achieving this. In this life, he had taken less than a year!
Of course, the main reason was Su Hao's experience. His realm had remained intact; all he had lacked was a capable body. As long as his body was strong enough to open the meridians that carried force, he could naturally master it.
At noon, with the sun high overhead, Su Hao stood quietly in an open space behind the mountain. He seemed calm, but inside him, streams of force flowed. Each of the five forces was different—some fierce, some sharp, some nimble, some heavy, some gentle. They represented the five forces Su Hao had cultivated through Five Animals Fist after reaching its pinnacle!
"The moment... has finally come!"
Su Hao felt a little excited. Ever since he had crossed into this world, his body, once that of a Master of Transformation, had become that of a frail boy. He had lost all his strength and felt no real sense of security. Now, he had finally opened every meridian in his body and was about to return to his peak!
Composing himself, Su Hao focused and began to "look within." In his inner vision, he "saw" wisps of invisible force coursing through his body. Each had different qualities: the fierce Tiger Gallant Force, the nimble Crane Cry Force, the changeable Ape Agility Force, the heavy Bear-Grizzly Force, and the gentle Deer Creek Force...
They were clearly distinct. Even for others who practiced Five Animals Fist, bringing all five forces together was a major hurdle that could take years to overcome. But Su Hao, who had already experienced it once, found the process familiar and easy.
At the movement of his thoughts, the various forces seemed to receive an invisible command. They began to flow at high speed, counteracting and reinforcing one another as they intertwined and fused.
"Rumble!"
The rapidly flowing force set Su Hao's internal organs, sinews, and bones ringing in unison, producing a series of low, thunderous booms. If his physique had been too weak, the process of merging the five forces would have damaged his internal organs!
As the forces collided and flowed within him, they were accompanied by the roars of tigers, the calls of deer, the growls of bears, the cries of apes, and the calls of cranes. Su Hao sat cross-legged as the sounds intertwined, forming an invisible shockwave that cracked the ground within two feet of him and sent sand and stones flying.
The five forces within him gradually merged into one, no longer distinct. They began to run through the great dragon of Su Hao's spine and spread to every inch of his body, reaching even his teeth, fingernails, and hair.
The force formed by the merging of the five underwent a qualitative change, combining the traits of all five. It filled every inch of Su Hao's body and answered his will. It could be both hard and soft: hard as steel, invincible and unstoppable; soft as a spring breeze and drizzle, seeping into every gap!
Half an hour later, everything settled. Su Hao slowly opened his eyes, and a streak of invisible light seemed to flash through them before vanishing.
"Finally... I've recovered the peak state of my previous life as a Master of Transformation!"
A smile of uncontainable relief and joy appeared at the corner of Su Hao's mouth.
With the fortune he had obtained from Su Lie and that Blood Ginseng, Su Hao had made a thousand-mile journey in a single day, achieving an almost miraculous feat in the shortest possible time and returning to his peak!
Su Hao rose to his feet, eager to experience the mysteries of transformation once more!
"Crack, crack, crack!"
Su Hao stood motionless, yet his body seemed to weigh a thousand catties. The ground beneath his feet sank a full inch. This was the nature of Bear-Grizzly Force: it could produce an effect like the Thousand-Catty Drop, changing his weight. The heavier his body, the heavier his punches!
In the next instant, the invisible force hidden throughout his body erupted. It surged forward, section by section, from the great dragon of his spine, gathering into an immense force as Su Hao followed through with a punch from his right hand.
"Boom!"
The punch made an astonishing noise, like a speeding vehicle hurtling through a narrow alley. Su Hao's fist compressed, shoved, and crushed its way through the air in front of it!
The punch's force swept up great quantities of dead branches and fallen leaves on the ground and crushed them forward with a rumble, like a galloping steed charging at full speed. Anyone who dared stand in its path would have their bones broken and flesh torn apart. The force of the punch only gradually faded after traveling ten feet.
The sheer ferocity and dominance of that punch made one's scalp crawl. It was almost impossible to imagine that a body of flesh and blood could produce such force!
Su Hao then turned hardness into softness. He picked up the gourd of wine and gave it a light pat. The wine inside sprang into the air. A force of attraction arose in Su Hao's palm—soft force, guiding the stream of wine so that it gathered without dispersing, circling and dancing along with his hand.
After playing with it for a while, Su Hao opened his mouth and swallowed the wine in one gulp, without wasting a drop!
"This is transformation: hardness and softness in harmony, power reaching all four extremities, spreading through every inch of the body and released at will. Not even a feather can settle on me!"
A faint smile appeared on Su Hao's lips. He pointed at a large tree and pressed down lightly. He used very little force, yet his finger pierced straight into the solid trunk with a hiss, like a hot knife through butter.
Su Hao felt light and relaxed all over. During this time, he had kept his nerves taut, wasting not a moment and devoting every second to cultivation. Now, at last, he had mastered transformation and returned to his peak!
"But this still isn't enough. I've only just begun. My next step is to break through to the Grandmaster of Elixir Force realm, which I failed to reach in my previous life. Besides that, I must also devote myself to studying this world's Blood Energy martial path. I still have a long road ahead."
But Su Hao soon reflected on his own shortcomings. He didn't let his current achievements make him proud or complacent.
The Grandmaster of Elixir Force realm was one he had failed to reach in his previous life. In this life, he was only fifteen or sixteen, with plenty of time and energy to start over. He believed that achieving his goal was not far off!
As for this world's martial system, Su Hao was no stubborn traditionalist. He didn't look down on or reject the martial arts of the Eastern Land World just because he practiced the Five Animals internal style. By learning from others and making up for his own shortcomings, constantly refining his martial path and making progress, he could reach even higher realms!
"Still, reaching the Elixir Force realm won't be easy. According to Master, achieving Elixir Force requires not only profound force but also a certain level of spiritual attainment... The mind can only be tempered slowly."
Several days later, Su Hao had spent some time consolidating his gains. His studies of the Elixir Force path in his previous life hadn't been in vain; he already had a general understanding of it. All he needed to do was build up his foundation and temper his mind. In time, he would take that final step.
"As for cultivating Blood Energy, that requires resources. The effects of that Blood Ginseng were nearly exhausted a month ago; I used every last bit of it... It seems that if I get the chance this year, I can visit the Martial Academy."
Blood Energy cultivation, like body tempering, required a great deal of secret medicine—far more than practicing internal martial arts. Su Hao therefore wanted to visit the Martial Academy in Longshan City if he had the chance. The world there was much broader, and it offered resources that Su Family Fort couldn't provide!
While Su Hao was cultivating, a major event also took place in Su Family Fort.
"Su You, that's really what they said?"
Inside the main hall of the Su Family Fort council, Patriarch Su Yun frowned deeply as he looked at the man before him.
The man hurriedly replied, "Patriarch, that band of bandits attacked our Su family's caravan and seized several clansmen and the goods. They said you must personally bring a thousand taels of silver to ransom them, and that you should know where to find them."
Su Lie and the other family elders all looked grim.
"The Flying Cloud Gang... It must have been the Flying Cloud Gang! And they're demanding that the patriarch bring silver to ransom them? Outrageous!"
One elder, furious beyond measure, slammed his palm onto the table.
Everyone else fell silent. They all knew about the feud between the Flying Cloud Gang and the Su family. Su Yu, an elite martial artist of the Su family, had fought a bloody battle with the Flying Cloud Gang and killed many of its members.
But grudges should be settled with those responsible. If Su Yu were still in Su Family Fort, it would be understandable for the Flying Cloud Gang to come after him. But the Su family didn't know where Su Yu was, nor had it sheltered him. Why, then, had the Flying Cloud Gang targeted the Su family?
Yesterday, one of the Su family's caravans had been attacked by bandits. Several Su family disciples had been captured, and the bandits had released Su You to return and deliver their message. Their intentions were obvious!
"Patriarch... This whole matter was caused by Su Yu. Why not have Su Hao go and apologize..."
A Su family elder said cautiously. In his view, this was a matter involving Su Yu's family. Since they had caused it, they might as well sacrifice Su Hao to satisfy the Flying Cloud Gang and settle the grudge!
The moment he said this, everyone's expression changed.
Su Yun glared at him and scolded him sternly. "Elder Su Jiu, we are all members of the Su family, descendants of the same ancestor. Even if Su Yu caused trouble, we should do everything we can to protect his family. Trading a young boy to settle the Flying Cloud Gang's grudge—if word got out, how could our Su family hold its place in Su Family Fort? You and Su Yu had a bit of a feud in the past, but that was many years ago. I don't want you using this as an excuse to stir up trouble!"
"Exactly. Besides, one Su Hao may not satisfy the Flying Cloud Gang. They're using this as an excuse to squeeze benefits out of our Su family!"
Su Lie also agreed with Su Yun's decision. He understood that even if they offered Su Hao as a bargaining chip, the Flying Cloud Gang likely wouldn't back down without getting enough out of it!
And as Su Yun had said, the Su family had been able to establish itself in Su Family Fort through the unity of its clan. If they sold out one of their own, it would inevitably sow division within the family!
Elder Su Jiu coughed awkwardly. "I was only making a suggestion... Just a suggestion... Let's discuss it further."
"Then what should we do? The Flying Cloud Gang has seized a shipment of our goods and several of our clansmen..."
Someone frowned deeply, bringing them back to the issue at hand.
Su Yun took a deep breath and spoke solemnly. "I'll go to Longshan City first and ask Lord Zhao for help. Then I'll go to the Flying Cloud Gang with Lord Zhao's men. We'll pay to make this trouble go away... If we can settle our feud with the Flying Cloud Gang, it'll be worth it!"
In the end, Su Yun made his decision: he would personally visit the Flying Cloud Gang. But first, he would ask a prominent figure he knew in Longshan City to send people to accompany him. With them there, the Flying Cloud Gang would have some misgivings and likely wouldn't go too far!
"Let's hope... everything goes smoothly."
Su Yun sighed inwardly. He knew this crisis was no small matter. All he could do was hope that, as the family patriarch, he could do everything in his power to negotiate and help the Su family weather this storm.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
"Hmm? Someone's watching me?"
Su Hao was thinking about his plans for the future as he walked along a narrow street in Su Family Fort when he suddenly frowned.
Internal martial arts involved not only practicing fist techniques but also tempering the mind, allowing one to perfectly control every inch of one's muscles and every bit of force. Masters of internal martial arts could even sense a cicada before the autumn wind stirred. Su Hao's senses were just as sharp!
He could clearly feel someone watching him. But he didn't let it show. Acting as though he hadn't noticed anything unusual, he calmly walked away.
"That kid is Su Hao?"
At that moment, inside a noodle shop by the street, a man dressed in hemp cloth like an ordinary villager was slurping down a bowl of noodles, completely absorbed. He seemed no different from the other customers. Without drawing attention, he watched Su Hao's departing figure, quietly pondering something.
"Check, please."
After finishing his noodles, the man in hemp gave a satisfied burp, took out a few copper coins, paid, and ambled away.
Only after leaving Su Family Fort and looking around to make sure there was no one nearby did the man in hemp suddenly burst into motion. He moved with the agility of a leopard, springing away in a few bounds before disappearing into the wilderness.
Only after the man in hemp had left did a figure slowly emerge from behind a large tree.
It was Su Hao!
"This man's martial cultivation is not weak, yet he disguised himself as an ordinary villager and deliberately watched me. Could he be with the Flying Cloud Gang?"
Su Hao watched the man in hemp disappear into the wilderness and frowned slightly, already guessing who he was.
"Let's head home first. As for the Flying Cloud Gang... It seems it's time to go and investigate."
A chill rose in Su Hao's heart.
He and the Flying Cloud Gang were already mortal enemies, and he had never shown his enemies any mercy. To pull up the grass and get at the roots, wiping out the Flying Cloud Gang altogether was the simplest solution!
Before you continue