Zheng Pandao Returns Home

"Neutralizing Power!"

In the small courtyard, Li Chengfeng sensed the brand-new comprehension of a skill surging up in his heart, divine light blooming in his eyes. He could not help swallowing an elixir pill, fully restoring the qi and blood he had exhausted in his morning cultivation.

Then his figure moved, and he began turning the great spear with a brand-new, profound method of circulating power, executing forms as he slowly tempered Hidden Power and qi and blood of an entirely new quality into his organs.

Throughout the entire process, it was as if he were stretching and moving his inner organs like a dangling cicada. Strands of qi and blood slowly poured into his five viscera and six bowels in the process, while his force seemed like a pair of great hands, massaging those organs and continuously kneading the qi and blood into them.

As he circulated his skill and moved his power, his five viscera and six bowels seemed to be infused with fresh vitality. A feeling of being utterly renewed, of his entire body growing light from the inside out, welled up naturally.

"Whew~"

A mouthful of turbid air involuntarily poured from Li Chengfeng's mouth. Then his expression flickered, and the strength of his bones, sinews, flesh, and organs erupted in unison as he struck out with a palm.

"Boom~!"

A thunderous explosion rang through the air. A force incomparably fierce and unyielding, yet possessing extremely strong penetrating power, blasted from his palm in an instant. A wooden pole ahead of him was smashed into powder with a single blow!

At the same time, as his lungs and organs were activated, Li Chengfeng felt as if all the force throughout his body had naturally fused into one. Without needing to actively trigger it, it could react on its own.

The Clear Power and Hidden Power inside his body seemed, at this moment, to have formed a circle, ceaselessly rotating within him. As this current of force flowed, no matter where even the slightest hostile energy touched him, it would automatically respond and counterattack.

"Bzzzz~"

Just then, a mosquito flapped its wings and came buzzing over.

Li Chengfeng's expression stirred, and he sensed it in an instant. Yet he did not move. Instead, he watched it land on his arm.

"Smack~"

With a crisp sound, Li Chengfeng did not actively make any response, but the instant it landed on his arm, a surge of force rushed out and smashed the mosquito into powder!

"Not even a feather can land; no mosquito or insect may touch the body!"

Divine light bloomed in Li Chengfeng's eyes. Afterward, he could not help letting out a long breath. Seeing that there was still some time before noon, he settled his heart again, shook the great spear, and used his force to temper his five viscera and six bowels, fusing qi and blood into them and making his inner organs grow ever more surging and powerful.

"Splash, splash~"

After one round of the great spear slowly finished circulating, Li Chengfeng's gaze stirred when he came to a stop.

Taiji Fist proficiency +1

"One round of the Taiji Great Spear only increases proficiency by one point now."

Li Chengfeng sensed the proficiency that had slowly increased after one round, breathed out, and frowned slightly.

With so much proficiency required, if one round could only increase it by one point, when would he be able to raise Taiji Fist to the stage of great accomplishment?

"Perhaps I should switch to another training method."

Thoughts flickered through Li Chengfeng's mind. He looked at the long spear in his hand and slowly pondered.

From cultivating Clear Power to the present Neutralizing Power, this Taiji Great Spear had already been practiced by him until his skill was as pure as a furnace fire. But clearly, at his current level, the Taiji Great Spear alone no longer seemed enough.

In that case...

"Tomorrow, I'll go to the blacksmith's shop and order a large iron ball, then look for stone balls as well. Holding them with both hands and slowly practicing Taiji may perhaps benefit my current cultivation of Neutralizing Power."

Li Chengfeng thought of those figures from his previous life who had stood at the ceiling of martial arts, the scenes of true grandmaster-level experts practicing their skills. After pondering for a moment, he decided to try it.

However, now was naturally not the time. He immediately breathed out, temporarily set the matter aside, continued shaking the long spear, slowly cultivated Taiji skill, and comprehended the mysteries of early-stage Neutralizing Power.

He kept practicing until Liu Yuniang finished making lunch and called him to eat, only then slowly stopping.

"Whew~"

Li Chengfeng stood after withdrawing his skill, breathing out a mouthful of turbid air. He felt his surging organs, powerful muscles, resilient bones, and the Neutralizing Power slowly circulating inside him, and his gaze flickered.

"Qi and blood temper the body; strength can drag an ox."

Li Chengfeng's brows and eyes flashed. "I wonder, compared to this Neutralizing Power of mine, which is stronger and which is weaker?"

As the thought moved in his heart, his palm seemed to ripple like flowing water, slowly sweeping past in front of him from left to right, carrying the extremely supple Neutralizing Power within his body.

Four ounces deflect a thousand catties!

Sensing this brand-new core force of Taiji after cultivating to Neutralizing Power, brilliance flickered in Li Chengfeng's eyes.

"..."

After cultivating Neutralizing Power, aside from eating, drinking, and relieving himself, Li Chengfeng did only one thing the entire time: experiencing Neutralizing Power and stabilizing his foundation.

By noon the next day, Li Chengfeng had already become proficient in grasping the wonders of Neutralizing Power.

That day, Li Chengfeng was cultivating in the courtyard when Zhao Lie strode over. Just as he arrived outside the courtyard, he heard waves of sounds like the calls of toads coming from within.

His figure shook, and he turned his head to look. It was Li Chengfeng cultivating and practicing there.

Between his movements, his body was supple to the extreme, revealing a strange sense of rounded harmony. At the same time, strange cicada-like cries echoed within his chest cavity.

"Could this be a body-tempering technique?"

Zhao Lie thought of what Li Chengfeng had said two and a half months ago, then looked at Li Chengfeng's current performance, and his heart trembled slightly.

He did not dare move rashly. He kept watching Li Chengfeng until it seemed that one round of practice had finished and Li Chengfeng had withdrawn his skill and stood still. Only then did his eyes move, and he hurriedly raised his head and called softly:

"Brother Chengfeng, that Zheng Pandao brought his men back to the city!"

As soon as Zhao Lie's words fell, he saw Li Chengfeng turn his head to look over, as if electric light flashed through his eyes, and Zhao Lie's gaze stirred at once.

"Gang Leader Zhao."

Li Chengfeng had already sensed Zhao Lie approaching while he circulated his cultivation technique. Seeing that Zhao Lie had not interrupted his practice, but had instead waited here until he finished one round before speaking, a smile appeared on his face. He first raised his hand in a cupped-fist salute, then narrowed his eyes, stepped forward, opened the courtyard gate, and welcomed him in with a smile.

"Brother Chengfeng, just now, while I was outside the courtyard watching you circulate your technique and cultivate, it seemed as if there was the low cry of a golden cicada. May I ask if it is some profound body-tempering method?"

Zhao Lie walked into the courtyard and gave Li Chengfeng a courteous smile. Then he signaled a greeting to Liu Yuniang, who was by the inner room's doorway picking vegetables and preparing the meal, before looking back at Li Chengfeng in front of him. His eyes flickered, and he could not help but speak.

"Hahaha, Brother Zhao's eyes are as bright as torches."

Hearing this, Li Chengfeng laughed heartily. Then a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes, and he asked Zhao Lie, "Brother Zhao, you said just now that Zheng Pandao has returned to the city?"

"Exactly. Two and a half months ago, I dispatched disciples from the gang to set up sentry posts outside the city and keep watch. Just now, a disciple from my gang came to report that Zheng Pandao has already been seen leading his men back."

Hearing this, Zhao Lie's eyes gleamed. He could not help but cup his fists toward Li Chengfeng and ask, "May I ask whether Brother Chengfeng has already broken through to the Body Tempering Realm?"

"Brother Zhao has good eyes. Mm, I have indeed been tempering my body for some time, but as for whether I have truly reached the Body Tempering Realm, I am not entirely certain."

A smile appeared on Li Chengfeng's face, but then he tightened his grip on the long spear in his hand and narrowed his eyes. "However, even so, if that Guard Leader Zheng Pandao comes here without reason, why should I fear a battle!"

"Brother Chengfeng, what spirit!"

Zhao Lie had also heard what Li Chengfeng said. His gaze focused slightly, then after a moment's hesitation, he took the initiative to speak. "However, if he truly comes, how matters will turn out is still unknown. To be honest, I am also at the Body Tempering Realm. If Brother Chengfeng does not mind, why not exchange a few moves with me first and feel the strength of the Body Tempering Realm?"

"That way, as to whether you can fight that Guard Leader Zheng Pandao, you will have a measure in mind."