Chapter 109: Chapter 108: Speculation
Guangdong, Yan Mansion.
This sprawling estate was heavily guarded. Soldiers in Giant Spirit Army uniforms, all tall and imposing, stood vigilant watch over the grounds, maintaining the highest level of security at all times.
This was the residence of the central figure of the entire Giant Spirit Army—Yan Fu, its Military Commander and also the Sect Leader of the Giant Spirit Sect.
Inside the magnificent study of the Yan Mansion, the decorations and furniture at first glance seemed no different from any other room. But upon closer inspection, one would find that every item—from the decor to the furniture to the personal effects—was on a completely different scale.
It was as if a Giant Spirit, far surpassing any ordinary person, dwelled within this room.
TAP TAP TAP!!
The sound of footsteps echoed from outside the study, followed by a knock on the door.
Feng Zheng, who had rushed back to Guangdong overnight, now waited respectfully outside. Beside him stood the head steward of the Yan Mansion.
"Come in."
A voice, as vast and resonant as that of a deity, emanated from within the study.
The head steward pushed open the door, leading Feng Zheng into the room and over to a massive desk.
Behind the desk, on a custom-made, oversized chair, sat a man in casual clothes whose frame was impossibly broad and massive.
It was impossible to judge his exact height from his seated posture, but he was surely at least two and a half meters tall.
Feng Zheng, himself a towering two meters tall with a brawny build, seemed like just another average person off the street in this man’s presence.
The man’s physique had far surpassed the limits of a normal human. If placed in a crowd, he would be like a mythical Giant Spirit, a being from a different race altogether.
And this was merely his physical state under normal conditions. One could only imagine how terrifying he would become when channeling his Secret Transmission.
Beyond all reason, utterly divine.
The Military Commander of the Giant Spirit Army, Yan Fu.
Across the entire Divine Land, he was one of the absolute top-tier experts of the Martial Dao.
The normally cold and detached Feng Zheng was respectful to the extreme, not daring to show the slightest bit of carelessness. The terrifying pressure emanating from that immense frame made him feel as if he were facing not a man, but a true god of mountains and rivers.
He knew this was only because the Military Commander was deliberately restraining his martial aura. ’Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be qualified to stand before him.’
Feng Zheng knelt on one knee. "Military Commander," he said to Yan Fu in a low, heavy voice, "I have failed my mission. I was unable to capture the target; he injured me and escaped. I await your punishment!"
"Oh? A mere Cross-Training practitioner, and even you couldn’t handle him?" Yan Fu’s voice held a faint hint of surprise.
"The man’s Secret Transmission is bizarre—it’s not the Doumu Primordial Soul Needle," Feng Zheng said in a low voice. "He’s not only achieved an All-Body Extreme Breakthrough, but when he uses his Secret Technique, his body transforms dramatically, like a man turning into a Fierce Beast. The power he unleashed was at least at the level of Five Qi Tongxuan. He claimed his Secret Martial Dao is called the Hundred Beasts Fist. My own knowledge is limited, so I came to report this directly to you, Military Commander!"
"Hundred Beasts Fist?" Yan Fu leaned back in his chair and asked the head steward beside him. "Have you ever heard of it?"
"Legend has it that in the primordial past, when Rare Beasts roamed the land, the ancient sages of the Divine Land observed the forms of the myriad beasts to create the very first Secret Martial Dao. It developed step by step into what we have today. Therefore, Beast Form Fist is the ancestor of all fist techniques. After the ancient era, four styles of Beast Form Fist were passed down—the Secret Transmissions of the Four Saints Sect—and for a thousand years, they have been considered the apex of the art."
"However, according to ancient Martial Dao texts, there is actually an even stronger Beast Form Fist that ranks above the Secret Transmissions of the Four Saints Sect. That is the true ancestor of all fist techniques. The Secret Transmission of our Mountain and River True Spirit Palm is already at the pinnacle of this age. Although Feng Zheng is not the best within our sect, he has achieved Five Qi Tongxuan and mastered his Heart and Liver Qi. For a mere Cross-Training practitioner to be able to injure him is nearly unbelievable."
"Other than that one Fist Technique that surpasses the Four Saints Sect, I can find no other possible explanation."
The head steward of the Yan Mansion spoke calmly. Though his hair and beard were white and he looked advanced in years, the man had the youthful complexion that belied his age. His body was still nimble, his strength extraordinary. He was a true elder of the Mountain and River True Spirit Palm lineage and had once been a commanding figure in the Divine Land, possessing vast experience and knowledge.
"A Fist Technique that surpasses the Secret Transmissions of the Four Saints Sect?" Yan Fu’s expression remained calm as he listened to the head steward, showing no great change.
At his realm, having nearly reached the pinnacle of the Mountain and River True Spirit Palm, he saw beyond the mere inheritance of a so-called Fist Technique. He had already forged his own path upon the foundation of the original art; otherwise, he never could have reached the level he was at today.
Therefore, an even stronger Fist Technique would only pique his interest, not inspire fear.
For those who could not reach his realm, even the strongest Fist Technique was nothing more than a passing cloud.
He had transcended the bounds of mere Fist Technique.
"A chaotic era appears, and the dragons and snakes rise together. How many Secret Transmissions from ancient texts have resurfaced in the Divine Land? The Primordial Dragon Emperor’s ’Primordial Dragon Secret Technique,’ the National Salvation Association’s Divine Martial Department’s ’Immortal Divine Will,’ the Ancient Overlord’s ’Celestial Dragon Extreme Breakthrough’... and now, we add the ’Hundred Beasts Fist’ to the list."
"In this age, who will control the currents of fate?" Yan Fu muttered to himself.
...
...
「Elsewhere.」
In Guangdong, a young man dressed as a commoner carried his luggage on his shoulder, looking for all the world like he was heading into the city.
The Giant Spirit Army soldiers guarding the city gates kept a tight watch, having set up a checkpoint to strictly inspect everyone who entered or left.
Soon, it was the young man’s turn. A soldier held up two black-and-white photographs, scrutinizing the young man’s face, while another soldier was ordered to inspect his luggage.
The young man was extremely cooperative, bowing and scraping, even attempting to slip the soldier a bribe.
Soon, the young man was waved through. Once inside the city, his fawning smile vanished, and his expression turned grim.
’This level of security... But it seems my junior brother hasn’t been captured?’ the young man muttered to himself, quickening his pace as he headed deeper into the city.
The Tan Family Residence.
The Tan Family was a major clan in Guangdong, having been established there for over two hundred years. They were prominent and well-respected local gentry.
More than a decade ago, the Tan Family had been allies of the Southern Heaven Su Family. But after the Su Family was annihilated, the Tans had no choice but to align themselves with the Giant Spirit Army. In recent years, because of their former ties to the Su Family, their businesses and status had been suppressed by the Giant Spirit Army, causing their influence to steadily decline.
Zhang Hongyun arrived at the Tan Family residence. With his skills, he infiltrated the estate with ease and made his way to the study of the family patriarch, Tan Honghua.
"Who are you?!"
Tan Honghua’s pupils contracted as he stared at the stranger who had suddenly appeared. He watched as the man reached up to his own face, gave it a light tap, and a dozen silver needles fell away. The man’s features began to twist and contort, the muscles subtly readjusting until he wore the face of Zhang Hongyun.
"Uncle Tan, what’s the situation with the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall?" Zhang Hongyun asked, getting straight to the point.
