Muye City had a population of three hundred thousand, and its foremost lineage was the Ji Family!
The Wang Family and Zhang Family could stand on equal footing with the Ji Family, though their overall strength was slightly inferior.
These three were all considered first-rate lineages in Muye City!
Each had an expert at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer presiding over it.
There were also three second-rate lineages: the Xiao Family, Bai Family, and Lan Family! Their strongest cultivators were only at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer!
Wherever there were people, there would be competition, and Muye City was no exception.
Competition in Muye City centered on two things: a large iron mine outside the city, and the operating rights to the city's southern and northern markets!
After entering through the northern gate, Ji Wuchang immediately stepped into the bustling northern market.
The northern market was indeed prosperous, lined with shops and thronged with merchants.
In his previous life, after losing to Xiao Fan in their match, Ji Wuchang had slunk away to the Longevity Sect. For the rest of his life, he had never set foot in this place that had broken his heart.
There was another reason for this: the Ji Family's attitude toward him had changed drastically.
The head of the Ji Family had taken Ji Wuchang in; he was not his biological child.
Without blood ties binding them, Ji Wuchang and the Ji Family had gradually drifted apart.
Watching the bustling crowds, Ji Wuchang fell into a daze once more, his eyes filled with memories!
Bang!
Not paying attention, Ji Wuchang collided with someone, instantly jolting him out of his memories and back to reality!
"It's you!"
They spoke almost in unison! Then a cold glint appeared in both their eyes!
[Ding! The system has detected the low-grade Profound-tier combat technique Thunder Explosion Fist cultivated by Xiao Fan. Copying requires 100 Fortune Points. Copy?]
Just then, the system's voice rang out in Ji Wuchang's mind, making his eyes light up.
As coincidence would have it, the person who had just collided with Ji Wuchang was none other than Xiao Fan.
Xiao Fan had just emerged from a shop and was thinking about how to explain his experiences over the past two years to his parents once he returned to the Xiao Family.
He had not noticed Ji Wuchang, who was also lost in thought, and the two had collided head-on!
The instant they saw each other, both recognized who the other was.
Xiao Fan had returned this time with only one goal: to defeat Ji Wuchang and let the Xiao Family hold its head high.
Of course, Xiao Fan also intended to use Ji Wuchang's reputation as an inner disciple of the Longevity Sect to pave his own way!
At that moment, Ji Wuchang's heart churned like an overturned sea. For the past two days, he had been wondering how to deal with Xiao Fan's Thunder Explosion Fist.
Although Thunder Explosion Fist was only a low-grade Profound-tier combat technique, it was no worse than an ordinary mid-grade Profound-tier technique!
When Thunder Explosion Fist was unleashed, faint lightning flickered over the fists, giving it extraordinary power.
With his memories of his previous life, Ji Wuchang naturally knew quite a few combat techniques.
But many of those techniques could not be used casually in public, and with his current cultivation, he should not possess such techniques either.
Once he used them, he would inevitably bring considerable trouble upon himself!
On the Heavenly Chen Continent, every sect guarded its combat techniques and cultivation methods strictly.
He currently practiced only two combat techniques: Wind-Breaking Palm and Azure Cloud Sword Art.
He had selected both from the library pavilion when he became an inner disciple of the Longevity Sect.
Neither was an explosive combat technique. Naturally, they posed no problem when dealing with someone whose combat strength fell below his own.
But against someone whose combat strength matched his, he would be at a disadvantage!
In his previous life, Ji Wuchang had used Wind-Breaking Palm against Xiao Fan's Thunder Explosion Fist and had been utterly suppressed!
As the saying went, only magic could defeat magic!
Someone had delivered a pillow just as he grew sleepy. Ji Wuchang's eyes shone as he silently commanded, Copy!
[Ding! Copy successful. 100 Fortune Points consumed.] [Consume 4 Fortune Points to reach minor attainment in Thunder Explosion Fist, 8 Fortune Points to reach major attainment, or 16 Fortune Points to reach perfection!] [Master, would you like to consume Fortune Points to cultivate?]
The system's voice sounded again, leaving Ji Wuchang somewhat dazed.
To be honest, although he had obtained the system several days ago, he was only familiar with its check-in function and knew little about its other functions.
He had originally planned to spend a few days studying Thunder Explosion Fist after returning, hoping to cultivate it to minor attainment.
He had never expected there to be a cheat as well. What was there to hesitate about?
"System, consume 16 Fortune Points!"
[Ding! 16 Fortune Points deducted. Congratulations, Master, on reaching perfection in Thunder Explosion Fist. Transmitting insights!]
As the system finished speaking, countless insights into Thunder Explosion Fist flooded madly into Ji Wuchang's mind.
At that moment, Ji Wuchang felt as though he had practiced Thunder Explosion Fist for decades. His understanding of it was even deeper than his understanding of Wind-Breaking Palm!
All of this seemed to take a long time, but in truth, only about two breaths had passed!
Xiao Fan and Ji Wuchang looked at each other, each seeing the hostility in the other's eyes.
Then both turned their heads away, refusing to look at each other. Neither wanted the other to see what lay hidden in his eyes!
Xiao Fan could not help looking back. For some reason, he felt as though he had lost something, and an inexplicable trace of worry arose in his heart.
But Xiao Fan soon put it all out of his mind. He had tempered himself fiercely over the past two years, and he feared no one at the same cultivation level.
Watching Xiao Fan's departing figure, Ji Wuchang's eyes flashed with murderous intent.
In his previous life, when this fellow had forced him to the edge of the arena with Thunder Explosion Fist, Xiao Fan had suddenly drawn on a trace of power from the bone of a Soul Splitting Realm expert within his body.
Xiao Fan had driven that trace of power into Ji Wuchang's body, shattering his meridians.
In this life, Ji Wuchang would not give him that chance!
Ji Wuchang glanced at the system panel. Only 1 Fortune Point remained, and he could not help shaking his head with a bitter smile.
The system was powerful, but unfortunately, he lacked Fortune Points!
Once this match was over, he would sever his ties with the Ji Family.
By winning this match for the Ji Family and ensuring they would not have to worry about resources for twenty years, he, Ji Wuchang, would have done right by them.
Ji Wuchang had already been ten when he entered the Ji Family. Its current head, Ji Ping, had taken a liking to his root bone and brought him back.
Three years later, the Longevity Sect had come to Muye City to recruit disciples. Ji Wuchang had passed the root bone test and been taken into the Longevity Sect.
Now five years had passed, and Ji Wuchang had turned eighteen!
Put plainly, Ji Wuchang had only stayed with the Ji Family for three years! Thus, he had no particularly deep feelings for them!
The Ji Family's actions in his previous life had chilled Ji Wuchang's heart. In this life, he did not want too many entanglements with them.
Winning this match for them would count as repaying the Ji Family for raising him for three years!
Five years had changed Ji Wuchang greatly. He looked like an entirely different person from when he had left.
"Xiao Fan, when I use Thunder Explosion Fist to break your Thunder Explosion Fist, I wonder how you'll feel?"
Ji Wuchang murmured to himself, a trace of anticipation appearing in his eyes!
In all honesty, Ji Wuchang truly wanted to see the other man beside himself with rage!