The Child Was Still Young, So Just One Palm Strike

"Um?!"

When the sun was high in the sky, Zheng Tianchang was still in the inner palace when he suddenly awoke with a start.

Wrapped in a bright yellow silk robe, revealing his bare chest, Zheng Tianchang's skin was as Ruyu, with clearly defined features.

With black hair, deep-set eyes, and slightly blue pupils, his thick, curly beard revealed that he had some Western Regions blood.

In an instant, he was completely awake from his drowsiness. Hearing the sounds outside, his face immediately revealed a hint of ferocity.

"Where did this rude fellow come from, spouting such nonsense in my royal city?!"

Zheng Tianchang stood up, strode out of the palace gate, and threw off the robe that the eunuch beside him had brought him.

He didn't even glance at the guards who rushed over. His body suddenly blurred, and he had already crossed the entire square, appearing on the roof of the main hall of the palace.

Only then did the sound of tearing fabric fill the air.

A faint white line rapidly expanded, and the airflow churned to both sides.

In Zheng Tianchang's mind, the so-called guards and imperial guards were nothing more than servants used to handle trivial matters, because they were quick and efficient.

When it truly concerns one's own safety, how could one possibly rely on these lackeys?

Only he himself can be relied upon, for he is not only the ruler of the Great Kingdom of Tianchang, but also the Uncrowned Plain King.

The title "Plain King" was first mentioned in the book Zhuangzi.

It refers to those who possess the virtues of an emperor but do not hold the position of emperor.

Later, during the Han Dynasty, some Confucian scholars believed that Kongzi, who wrote the Spring and Autumn Annals and promoted education, could also be called Plain King," which made this title widely known.

Ninety years ago, there was a peerless master in a prominent military family in Huaixi who broke through to a profound realm where mountains were no longer mountains and water was no longer water.

One can see the primordial energy of heaven and earth deep within the mountains and rivers. Once swallowed, it is immediately absorbed by the body, causing the muscles and bones to undergo a complete transformation.

He therefore proclaimed himself the number one person in the world, and referred to this level of martial arts as "The Plain King".

Although, after this man was filled with pride, he went to Chang'an to challenge Hai Donglai, but was killed on the spot by three consecutive palm strikes!

However, the title "Martial Plain King" still circulates.

His physical movement is faster than Lei Yin's; he can handle cannonballs with his bare hands, violently cross rivers on foot, and traverse the desert with only a water jug...

In the past century, more and more people in the world who have cultivated to the level of the Plain King have demonstrated extraordinary feats.

They indeed possessed the martial virtues of emperors.

Zheng Tianchang's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all Qingping Official in the Kingdom of Nanzhao.

He began his martial arts training at the age of eight, learning a set of basic boxing techniques that could directly lead to the "Plain King" realm.

From a young age, he received medicinal baths, medical equipment, internal and external medications, and massage training, which laid a very solid foundation for him.

To consolidate his power, he also personally led troops into battle, and finally, at the age of forty-five, he attained the status of "Plain King".

Cheng Xin, that old bastard, roamed the martial world in his early years, and later joined the army to fight, suffering countless hidden injuries, but never reached the realm of the Plain King.

As long as he doesn't use a knife, Cheng Xin poses no threat to Zheng Tianchang whatsoever.

Apart from Cheng Xin, Yang Zhenyi was originally a retainer of the Zheng family and was loyal to Zheng Tianchang. They were of similar temperament.

Many of the ways to display royal majesty and relieve boredom were devised by Yang Zhenyi.

Tubo had already fragmented and declined, the Great Tang accepted tribute, and the other neighboring countries were all small states.

In the past few years, Zheng Tianchang has not encountered any more unpleasant things.

That's the voice that was shouting and cursing at him in the royal city today.

It not only enraged him, but also aroused a sense of novelty in him.

Upon reaching the highest rooftop of the palace, he could see the empty long street of the inner city.

I saw the only person standing in the middle of the long street.

Chu Tianshu was still several miles away from the main hall of the palace. The person on the roof of the hall was not a giant, but a normal person.

But Chu Tianshu was the first to notice the person's appearance and looked up slightly.

His young face, fully exposed to the sunlight, had jet-black hair, a smooth forehead, and bright, handsome features. His aura was completely free of any gloom.

A young man stood alone on the long street, seemingly in harmony with the sun in the sky.

No one feels that the sun is alone.

On the contrary, anyone facing the sun will feel that they are the only one who is truly alone.

Zheng Tianchang's heartstrings trembled violently.

He considered himself to have the claws of the entire city and the servants of the entire country at his beck and call. Although he felt extremely noble, he never felt lonely.

However, upon seeing this person, he felt as if he were the lone traveler who had just entered the city alone.

What shocked him even more was the man's appearance.

Many people know about Hai Donglai Duan Zhong, but few know that it was not Hai Donglai who killed Duan Zhong in that battle.

While Zheng Hui was alive, he kept this a secret, but he did create a painting of it himself.

When Zheng Tianchang was four years old, Zheng Hui died.

However, given his current martial arts level Plain King, he can still recall it clearly.

At that time, my great-grandfather was very old and loved to reminisce about the past. He would hold him on his lap and let him look at that painting.

"... This was the most unforgettable young friend in my life, a true friend despite the age difference, a righteous and extraordinary man. If it weren't for him, the Tang People in Nanzhao would certainly have experienced a great upheaval back then."

"Ha, when I named you back then, the word 'Tianchang' immediately came to mind. I guess it was because of him that I hoped you would continue to walk the path with integrity, unafraid of power, yet gentle and lively."

"Hai Donglai is good, but he's still a bit too individualistic."

"By the way, the person in this painting is called Chu Tianshu..."

This was just a very insignificant little fragment in Zheng Tianchang's memory.

He never imagined he would meet the person in the portrait.

Of those people from over a hundred years ago, besides Hai Donglai, how many are still alive and kicking today?

But the person on the long street not only looked exactly like the one in the portrait.

That aura was far beyond what ordinary masters could match.

"Could it really be the same person?"

Zheng Tianchang murmured to himself.

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly saw Chu Tianshu float into the air on the long street.

With robes fluttering in the wind, the figure resembled a small sail, a kite, billowing in the wind.

It was like a cloud rushing in through a long wind.

The person traveled several miles without ever touching the ground, floating directly to the top of the main hall.

Zheng Tianchang showed no surprise.

Although those who are skilled in martial arts are not good at flying, if they reach the Plain King realm, it is not difficult for them to run a few steps on the wind.

Moreover, the world also possesses the Weapon Soul Art, which allows people to float, so it's not surprising.

"You are Zheng Tianchang?"

Chu Tianshu glanced at him. "I heard that your nineteenth son, at the age of eleven, went hunting and accidentally shot a peasant girl. After returning to the palace, he was filled with anxiety and unease."

"I've come up with a plan: have palace maids wear deerskins and accompany you and your son on the hunt."

"After dozens of people died, your young son actually adapted and clapped his hands in delight?"

Zheng Tianchang's eyebrows twitched slightly.

This was his proudest achievement, something even the imperial physicians were helpless against. With a simple trick, he dispelled the child's fear and made him brave and fearless from then on.

But as soon as he heard Chu Tianshu's tone, he knew something was wrong.

"Did you perhaps kill my youngest son?"

That child died when he was eleven.

Chu Tianshu sighed softly, "As for just now, there was indeed a little beast who was turned into mincemeat at the palace gate."

Upon hearing this, a piece of flesh on Zheng Tianchang's cheek trembled, and he suddenly made his move.

He reached out with his hand, his palm like a spear, tearing a ghastly white line through the air.

The white marks were much clearer than when he moved his entire body earlier.

Directly in front of him, the air that hadn't yet escaped was instantly compressed into his fingertips, forming a dense, turbulent white wave of air.

He could already detect the obvious killing intent in Chu Tianshu's words.

Even if it really was that person from back then, and he displayed such an impressive aura, Zheng Tianchang would only feel apprehensive, not afraid.

If it's a matter of killing each other, there will be no hesitation.

This sudden movement created the imposing force of palms joined together as if they were spears.

The sensation was so intense that everyone in half of the palace in the direction Chu Tianshu was located felt a chill run down their spines and their hair stand on end.

In the Heart and Blood Martial Dao, the heart comes before the blood.

While a surge in vital energy is fundamental, a powerful mental state is just as essential as the fuse of a powerful explosive.

Chu Tianshu felt no fear whatsoever, but the force of the aura caused his brows to twitch involuntarily.

Every single eyebrow hair on the brow bone seemed to twitch instantly, becoming even more distinct.

His left hand, fingerprints, fine hairs, and the sheen of his nails also became incredibly clear at the same time.

With fingers pointing like a sword, he suddenly thrust upwards, aiming for Zheng Tianchang's elbow.

This is the manifestation of Sword Intent flowing through the fingertips.

With the mind guiding the energy, the speed of the sword finger was more than enough to deal with the opponent's attack.

However, Zheng Tianchang's figure suddenly disappeared!

Chu Tianshu felt the magnificent hall beneath his feet sink a little.

In the instant before he disappeared, Zheng Tianchang exerted force with his foot, not damaging the roof, but causing the entire hall and even its foundation to sink slightly.

The speed that can be generated by the borrowed reaction force has definitely reached the limit of what he can do.

But this speed, surprisingly, didn't make anyone notice any unusual fluctuations.

The surrounding environment remained unchanged, and there was no sign of hostility.

A martial artist who cultivates to the level of the Plain King can control his blood with his heart and conceal his heart with his blood. It's like tempered steel mixed with extraterrestrial iron, instantly forged into Taiyi refined gold.

Although it only lasted for a fleeting moment, in that instant, it was impossible for outsiders' senses to detect any trace of him.

Even among those who are both "Plain King," when they clash in this state, they often rely on inspiration and luck rather than actually being able to see each other's movements clearly.

Unable to predict the landing point of the move, unable to capture the trajectory of the thought.

Break free from spiritual awareness, Fist Beyond the Mind.

Chu Tianshu raised his right hand, and in a flash, his right hand seemed to form a peacock-like handprint.

It also seems like just an illusion.

After the handprint flashed, Chu Tianshu's right hand was clearly spread out with all five fingers, pushing out with all his might.

The Qian Character Seal" is the fastest, not only moving forward without hesitation, but also seemingly knowing the future.

Ninety percent of the palm force, passing through that peacock-like handprint, was concentrated in the palm.

This palm strike did not change direction; it was still aimed directly forward.

Sure enough, a tremendous force, like stars flying away and the moon disappearing, or a meteorite crashing into a mountain, slammed into the palm of the hand.

It was as if a barrier had been broken.

The immense force revealed itself to be Zheng Tianchang's fist.

A hint of surprise finally appeared on Zheng Tianchang's face.

That's right, when he threw the Fist Beyond the Mind, he didn't actually go around to any other direction.

It retreated for a moment, then suddenly charged forward.

He actually stepped on the roof ridge twice, each time only causing the entire hall to sink by half a point, so that together it only sank by one point.

It is this retreat and advance that, when combined, form a powerful punch.

Although he was always directly in front of Chu Tianshu, in the state of using "Fist Beyond the Mind," his aura was completely blocked, detached from spiritual senses, and could not be detected by the human eye at all.

The disparity in all aspects makes this move's finishing power reach its peak.

But Chu Tianshu caught it, his eyes gleaming like wheels, and countless clear and subtle fluctuations emanating from all parts of his body.

When Chu Tianshu interrogated the prisoners, he asked them everything he could. Before entering the palace, he even used his Heavenly Eye to observe the palace.

He knew about the concept of Fist Beyond the Mind, but he was still surprised when he actually experienced it.

For a fleeting moment, Zheng Tianchang's spiritual senses almost completely failed him.

If it were Chu Tianshu before he completed his foundational transformation, he would probably be in a state similar to nearsightedness, hastily taking that punch.

While they could block it, they couldn't achieve anything more.

And now...

Buzz!!!

A very low, but extremely far-reaching hum.

The sound first erupted from the point where their fists and palms collided, traveled along their bodies, reached the main hall beneath their feet, and then reached the ground.

Using the entire ground as a medium, the sound diffuses instantaneously, seemingly much faster than sound traveling through the air.

In an instant, people within a radius of several miles felt a sound travel from the soles of their feet to their ears, deep and long.

Zheng Tianchang suddenly realized that all the strange fluctuations emanating from the other party's body had a common point of convergence.

That was also the point of greatest force, hidden in Chu Tianshu's palm.

By the time Zheng Tianchang realized it, that point had already entered his body through the collision of fist and palm.

A faint green dot pierced straight through Zheng Tianchang's fist.

When it's lit, his entire arm seems to disappear, as if flesh and clothes don't exist, and you can see the skeletal frame directly.

In the dark, you can see his arms swelling.

The light only went completely dark when it passed through the shoulder and entered the right chest.

At this moment, the right half of Zheng Tianchang's body was already bulging and pitted.

It was as if hundreds of tumors had grown out in the blink of an eye.

The left half is still a normal person, but the right half is a monster formed from a mass of fleshy growths.

He felt that his own vital energy, which he was so proud of, had actually become a catalyst for the rapid growth of these tumors.

"What's this?!"

Zheng Tianchang, who thought himself fearless, showed surprise and staggered backward.

With his skills, he was now finding it difficult to stand steadily on this rooftop.

"This is my internal energy cultivation technique."

Chu Tianshu blew out a wisp of smoke from his palm.

"You've been hit by my internal martial arts palm strike. You have three seconds left."

Zheng Tianchang felt a sense of foreboding. "What three seconds? What does 'second' mean?"

"Two."

Zheng Tianchang shouted, "Wait! Senior Chu, my great-grandfather..."

"One."

BOOM!!!

All the tumors on Zheng Tianchang's right side of his body exploded open.

All flesh and blood were gone; only the skeleton remained on the right side, and the skeleton was greenish.

In this light, it actually looks more harmonious with the left side of his body.

"No, no..."

Zheng Tianchang knelt on the roof, his left eyeball twitching as he looked at Chu Tianshu, a lingering voice of resentment still echoing in his throat.

"So you knew that Zheng Hui and I were old friends."

Chu Tianshu placed his hands behind his back and looked towards the city.

"I'm here to correct you on behalf of an old friend!"

(End of this chapter)