Chen Clan Entanglements, Vajra Subdues the Enemy

"Oh!"

The old man in yellow robes sneered, set down the green jade teacup in his hand, and looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

Under the lamplight, his terrifying face was revealed.

The owner of that hoarse voice had a single eye, a wide mouth, and protruding ears—a face that warned strangers to keep away.

Especially beneath his pitch-black sheepskin coat, his arms were as thin as reed stalks, yet his skin bore an eerie metallic sheen.

Dark as ink-gold, heavy as the Celestial River.

This man was Chen Clan's current Second Elder, Chen Xuanfeng. He had stepped into the first realm of martial arts, the Fetal Breath Realm, more than sixty years ago.

"Ever since the Clan Chief left White Light City twenty years ago to travel through the vast lands of the other races, there has been no word from him to this day. Our clan cannot remain a flock of dragons without a head!"

"Now that turmoil rages both within and without, with the situation murky and complex, how much longer must we cling to old rules?"

"How can someone from the main branch who has not even reached the Fetal Breath Realm possess the strength to be a candidate for the future Clan Chief?"

Silence. A suffocating, soundless pressure dragged the entire meeting into the depths.

No one present was a fool. How could they fail to understand the meaning behind his words?

Traditionally, every Clan Chief candidate came from the eldest branch. But with the current unrest, he refused to accept that clan rule.

"Heh—"

The old man in yellow laughed softly, his gaze gradually turning cold and sinister as he swept it across the people seated around the sandalwood table.

Those swept by his vicious, gloomy gaze all looked away, wearing expressions of hanging high what did not concern them.

"Is this your opinion alone, or theirs as well?"

"First Elder, what difference does it make whether it is my opinion alone or that of the others?"

Chen Xuanfeng made no attempt to conceal the mockery in his expression as he stared straight into the man's eyes.

"Second Elder, do you intend to defy the clan rules?"

The old man in yellow forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart, his voice carrying a hint of rebuke.

"Enough, enough. Stop harping on about clan rules. At a time like this, you still want to cling to old ways?"

"First Elder, you should know that you became the Chen Clan's First Elder only through seniority and years. To put it bluntly, you merely started practicing martial arts a few years before I did!"

Bang!

A thunderous boom erupted from the sandalwood table. Then, with a crack, the entire table became covered in spiderweb-like fissures.

The old man in yellow flared with rage and spat out several consecutive "Good!"s. His sleeves billowed without wind as powerful streams of azure qi clung to his body like swarming ants.

The azure True Martial Qi was as fine as wheat awns, thread after thread spiraling wildly. It brimmed with vigorous life, yet concealed an overbearing sharpness.

If one counted carefully, there were more than thirty strands of qi.

In an instant, the candles in the hall dimmed. Swords were drawn, bows were bent, and killing intent bared its fangs.

"What is it, First Elder? Do you want to make a move? Are you trying to show me what you are made of?"

"I entered the Fetal Breath Realm only three years after you. Do you truly think I would fear you?"

Chen Xuanfeng tore off his sheepskin coat in one motion, revealing arms as thin as poles. With a slight movement, they produced a rapid crackling like beans frying in a pan.

The next instant, countless patterns layered themselves across his arms. Black radiance gathered around them as both arms thickened visibly.

His arms hung to his knees. In that moment, his entire body seemed like a sharp sword ready to pierce the blue heavens.

Strand after strand of black True Martial Qi emitted an overbearing aura of annihilation, like a furious flood dragon in the clouds, glaring with whiskers and eyes spread wide—majestic and awe-inspiring, capable of shattering cities and sweeping aside all resistance!

In one stroke, he suppressed the yellow-robed elder opposite him, Chen Clan's current First Elder, Chen Xuanjing. As his aura surged forward, the latter staggered back several steps.

Behind him, Chen Linger and the other person squeezed their eyes shut as if awaiting death beneath that aura, their bodies producing bone-grinding cracks that set teeth on edge.

With a sweep of his sleeve, Chen Xuanjing scattered the qi pressure before the two of them. His eyes remained nailed to Chen Xuanfeng, his expression one of shock.

"You... you actually refined fifty strands of True Martial Qi!"

The moment those words fell, everyone in the hall except Chen Feng erupted in uproar. They looked at Chen Xuanjing with utter disbelief in their eyes!

"Phew~~"

Wang Xuance slowly breathed in and out beneath the stage, the power of his qi and blood steadily recovering.

He glanced at the increasingly fierce battles on the stages. Most challengers had already defended their stages four times, while more than a dozen Two-Knock Blood Pass martial artists like himself lay below, their arms broken as they groaned in agony.

That alone showed how dangerous the stages were—far beyond his expectations.

"Still, now that I have True Martial Qi, I must fight for a place in this arena!"

The thought arose, and his Martial Dao Template surfaced in his mind.

[Wang Xuance]

[Martial Dao Talent]: Inferior bones.

[Dragon Elephant Grand Stance]: 100/3000 (Beginner).

[Tortoise-Snake Great Stance]: 0/6000 (Mastery).

[Crane Form Grand Stance]: 1800/3000 (Proficient).

[Vajra Fist]: 900/4000 (Proficient).

[Great Arm Scripture]: 0/2000 (Beginner).

[True Martial Qi]: 380.

"Advancing my stance techniques will certainly bring about unusual changes in my qi and blood. With crowds everywhere around me now, that naturally will not do!"

"In that case, I should consider advancing Vajra Fist or the Great Arm Scripture, which can greatly increase my strength!"

After pondering briefly, Wang Xuance decided to advance Vajra Fist's martial progress.

The Great Arm Scripture was just like the Dragon Elephant Grand Stance—twisted, difficult, and obscure.

When he advanced the Dragon Elephant Grand Stance that day, a single strand of True Martial Qi had increased it by only ten points. Since the Great Arm Scripture was on the same level, its deductions would likely require no less.

"Better to advance Vajra Fist directly. With three hundred and eighty strands, I can raise it straight to Mastery. It should make up for my lack of sustained power in qi and blood!"

"But in the battles to come, I will have to end things quickly."

No sooner said than done. Wang Xuance poured every strand of True Martial Qi into Vajra Fist in one breath.

Wave after wave of profound insight flowed through his heart. Beneath his broad black robes, faint golden threads circulated over his palms, while rings of Vajra Sanskrit appeared at their centers.

Wang Xuance clearly felt the joints of his fingers slowly growing thicker. The violent, forceful sensation of power made him itch to trade blows with someone.

Then a thunderous sound like a great bell reverberated in his ears!

[Dong!]

[Host's Vajra Fist has reached Mastery. Bestowed Vajra Fist's fourth form: Vajra Demon-Breaker.]

"Fist force transforms into aura; strength reaches the meridians. Wound enemies with fist force, destroy enemies with Fist Aura!"

Battle intent surged in his heart. Wang Xuance clenched his hands, and whenever his abundant qi and blood flowed through his palms, a dull thump, thump sounded.

"Phew~~ Since Vajra Fist has reached Mastery, there should be a place for me in this arena."

A fierce fighting spirit shone from his deep eyes. Catching sight of the lone blue-robed woman with a longsword on the sixth stage, he flickered forward and landed upon it.

"Eh, isn't that the kid who fought Li Mingyu of Flying Fish Martial Hall earlier? Why is he going up again?"

"Tsk, tsk. This kid really knows how to pick them. That blue-robed woman is Hua Ruoxi, the youngest personal disciple of the White Ape Martial Hall's master!"

"I hear this woman's talent is extraordinary. She is unquestionably blessed with superior bones, and her talent in the sword is especially heaven-gifted. This kid truly does not know the immensity of heaven and earth."

"He already made a name for himself by fighting Li Mingyu, yet he still wants to show off. At this point, everyone who has faced Hua Ruoxi on the stage has had their heads picked off by her sword. Not one survived."

Wang Xuance taking the stage again inevitably drew discussion from the crowd below. After all, he had fought Li Mingyu of Flying Fish Martial Hall and emerged unscathed. Once today was over, his name would surely resound far and wide.

Why did he need to return to the stage and fight again?

Though the martial tournament did not prohibit those who stepped down from taking the stage again, each appearance was an act of walking along a sword's edge. One misstep, and death would claim them on the spot.

Yet those drawn to his actions were not merely the common people below watching the spectacle.

At White Ape Martial Hall's encampment, its master Mo Wushuang, dressed in blue brocade robes, stroked his beard without speaking. His bright, piercing eyes remained fixed on Wang Xuance, whose face was covered by a green mask, as if deep in thought.

Most of the disciples around him were focused on the gruesome battle unfolding on another stage, where White Ape Martial Hall's chief disciple Sun Wei was fighting Lin Mutong of Red Armor Martial Hall to the death with savage ferocity.

In the viewing stands, General Li could not help but feel a trace of interest as he watched Wang Xuance take the stage again.

"Tsk, tsk. What an interesting kid."

His gaze shifted to the stage where the black-robed youth stood, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Buddhist martial arts? What a remarkably gifted kid!"

Wang Xuance went alone to the meeting and stepped onto the stage once more, facing the woman's chilling, murderous gaze.

This woman had fought several matches in succession. The qi and blood within her had surely declined, and she could no longer compare to her peak state.

"You shall be the first person to fall beneath my Vajra Fist after it reached Mastery."

Within Wang Xuance's sleeves, golden light flickered faintly over his fists. The power of qi and blood circulated rapidly through his body, and a towering aura flowed from his entire frame.