Chapter 168: Chapter 168: Dark Night Assassination
Chen Ping’an stood in his courtyard, as straight and unyielding as a pine tree.
Looking at the panel floating in the air, Chen Ping’an focused his mind.
’Break through!’
RUSH~
The Experience Points on the panel churned like a raging sea, transforming into starlight that flowed into the space between his eyebrows.
"This palm is fierce and profound, its power immense. Its momentum is like a Vajra, and when striking..."
An epiphany slowly surfaced in Chen Ping’an’s mind.
Chen Ping’an closed his eyes, silently absorbing the insight.
Every time he broke through with a Martial Arts Technique, the resulting epiphany benefited him greatly. It wasn’t just about the martial arts moves themselves, but also a wealth of insights and applications for actual combat. It was as if he had personally experienced it all and gained the understanding himself.
At the Small Success Level, the Great Vajra Palm already possessed terrifying power.
A single palm strike could shatter metal and break jade.
It could break an ordinary blade with a swing of his hand.
For an ordinary Inner Qi practitioner, reaching the Minor Success Realm in the Great Vajra Palm would require more than ten years of bitter cultivation. If one’s talent was lacking, or if they didn’t have enough Major Medicines and Secret Medicines, it was normal to train arduously for twenty or even thirty years.
Haaaah!
Chen Ping’an let out a long breath.
’Celestial Rain Falling on the Crown, Perfection!’
With such a Realm, combined with his many Martial Arts, his claim to be able to dominate the Inner Qi Realm was no empty boast.
By the time Chen Ping’an finished his practice, the night was already deep. He gave himself a quick rinse with fresh water, then entered his room to rest.
Chen Erya had to attend school the next day, so she had gone to bed early.
Lying on his bed, Chen Ping’an was too excited to fall asleep right away.
He was thinking about the Profound Light Realm.
The Inner Qi Realm involved opening up a Dantian Qi Sea within the body to store Inner Qi, allowing one to unleash ferocious power in combat. The Profound Light Realm, however, was different. It required using the Inner Qi Power to condense a Seed of Profound Light. One’s Divine Intent would then merge with the Profound Light to achieve Spiritual Clarity’s First Illumination, after which they would strengthen the Profound Light by Devouring Spirit and Refining Fiend.
This was the path of Cultivation in the Profound Light Realm!
Compared to the Inner Qi Realm, the Profound Light Realm was far more of a Profound Mystery. It was reaching a point that could only be understood intuitively, not explained with words.
Although the Inner Qi Realm was difficult to achieve, given the massive population base, the number of such practitioners was still considerable.
But this number dropped drastically when it came to Profound Light Realm Cultivators.
It could be said that stepping into the Profound Light Realm meant truly crossing the threshold to becoming a Powerhouse.
In the eyes of some established factions, a Profound Light Realm Cultivator was considered a true Martial Arts Master. In any faction, they were considered part of its foundational strength.
’Using Spiritual Clarity Divine Intent to interfere with reality... this Profound Light Realm is truly a profound mystery!’
’For a man to live in this world and reach such a Realm, it must be an incredibly liberating feeling!’
...
Chen Ping’an’s mind raced with thoughts of the future.
With the Golden Finger Panel, he would eventually be able to step into the Profound Light Realm.
And from the looks of it, that day was not far off; in fact, it was probably just around the corner.
As long as either his Flying Star Swordsmanship or his Great Vajra Palm reached the Great Success Realm, he would be qualified to attempt a breakthrough to the Profound Light Realm!
An incredibly faint footstep sounded.
’Hmm?’
Still lying in bed, Chen Ping’an’s ears twitched slightly.
Having cultivated to the peak of the Inner Qi Realm, his hearing had long since reached an astonishing level.
’Someone’s on the roof!’
Chen Ping’an rose to his feet without a sound.
’Who would come at this hour?’
’Is it someone from the Fang Family? Or...’
Chen Ping’an silently approached the door, his mind racing as he guessed the intruder’s identity.
Outside, another faint sound was heard.
Clearly, the person had come down from the roof and was now in the courtyard.
’Doesn’t matter who they are. I’ll capture them first and ask questions later!’
BANG!
Chen Ping’an’s figure blurred, lunging out of the house like a divine dragon descending upon the world.
A dark figure stood in the small courtyard, their face masked, their features obscured.
The shadowy figure had been stealthily approaching the house, trying to locate his assassination target. He never expected someone to suddenly burst out of the room.
’He found me!?’
The assassin’s heart tightened, startled by Chen Ping’an’s sudden appearance.
He thought he had been careful enough, yet he had still been discovered.
’How is this possible?’
His shock was followed by disbelief.
The one thing he was most proud of was his Concealing Technique. He had, of course, researched the target he was sent to assassinate tonight.
Qi Blood Six Layers Perfection!
Logically, someone at that Realm should have been completely incapable of detecting him while he was intentionally hiding.
But now...
’Why?’
Startled as he was, the assassin reacted quickly.
’So what if he found me!’
’In a direct confrontation, as an Inner Qi Realm expert, why would I fear him?!’
Seeing Chen Ping’an close in, the dark figure lashed out with a kick.
Shadowless Leg!
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The air crackled with successive explosions.
The kick was powerful and fierce, combined with a speed that was impossible to defend against.
"Die!"
Beneath his black mask, the assassin’s face twisted into a cruel smile.
He had already mastered the Shadowless Leg technique to the point of perfection. A single kick was enough to shatter a massive boulder, let alone a body of flesh and blood.
BAM!
His kick landed solidly on his opponent’s chest.
The smile on the assassin’s face widened.
But in the next moment,
the expression on his face froze.
Despite taking a direct kick to the chest, Chen Ping’an’s body remained as steady as a mountain, not moving an inch. He raised a hand, grabbed the man’s leg firmly, and then drove his elbow down...
’How is this possible!?’
Before the surprise could even register on his face, it was replaced by agony.
CRACK!
The leg bone snapped.
"Argh!"
The assassin screamed in pain. But his seasoned combat experience allowed him to remain rational. He tried to shift his body, wanting to break free from Chen Ping’an’s grip.
But...
The strength coming from the other side was beyond his imagination.
Like a reed swaying in the wind, his entire body was lifted and then slammed violently onto the ground.
THWACK!
The solid impact left him completely dazed and confused.
If not for the protection of his Inner Qi, that single blow would have likely caused internal injuries.
THWACK!
He was slammed down again!
"You’re pretty tough," Chen Ping’an remarked.
Before the man could react, he tossed him into the air.
And then...
BAM!
He slammed a fist into the man’s body.
PFFT!
His Inner Qi was thrown into complete chaos. The assassin vomited a mouthful of blood and fell to the ground like a kite with its string cut.
"Tell me, who sent you?" Chen Ping’an asked, slowly walking toward the man.
He hadn’t used the Great Vajra Palm for that last blow, because he knew that if he had, the man would already be dead.
The assassin didn’t answer. Just as Chen Ping’an was about to reach him, he flipped over and threw a punch.
BAM!
CRACK!
Chen Ping’an twisted and broke the man’s arm, then slowly leaned down.
"You still have some fight left in you."
"Come on, tell me. Who sent you? I’ll give you a quick death."
The assassin lay on the ground, blood soaking his chest, his gaze toward Chen Ping’an filled with terror.
’This is Qi Blood Six Layers Perfection?’
’What a joke!’
’The man toyed with him as if he were a child!’
’Initial Qi Sea Transformation?’
’Purification and Rejuvenation?’
’No!’
’He must be at least at the Celestial Rain Falling Realm!’
"Not talking?"
Chen Ping’an smiled, grabbed one of the man’s fingers, and snapped it with one hand.
"AAARGH!" the assassin cried out.
SNAP!
Another one!
"Still not talking?"
SNAP! SNAP!
Chen Ping’an broke every finger on the assassin’s hand.
"After I’m done with your fingers, I’ll start on your teeth. When all your teeth are gone, I’ll start on your ribs. After the ribs...
Don’t worry, I won’t let you die. Step by step, I’ll be sure to give you that quick end I promised."
Chen Ping’an’s grim expression shattered the man’s psychological defenses.
The assassin was not a Death Warrior, after all. He had no such loyalty or resolve.
"I’ll talk! I’ll talk! It was the Young Master! Young Master Fang Rui!"
"Fang Rui?"
BAM!
With a single punch, the assassin died on the spot.
’Fang Rui!’
Chen Ping’an stood up, a murderous glint flashing across his face.
