Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Fusing Martial Arts! Breakthrough to Transforming Force
Bai Ling’Er was terrified beyond belief, her fur standing on end. Hot tears welled in her eyes as she struggled desperately underwater, only to find it was completely useless.
Chen Xuan’s large hand was unyielding, like an iron band clamped tightly around her ankle, dragging her toward the bottom. All her strength, all her resistance, was utterly useless against his immense power.
"Spare... GLUG GLUG... Spare me... GLUG GLUG..."
Bai Ling’Er screamed in terror underwater, but she only let out a stream of bubbles.
CRACK!
A large hand reached up and grabbed her by the neck. Without a shred of compassion, he crushed it on the spot. Fear filled Bai Ling’Er’s eyes as she frantically coughed up blood, dyeing the water’s surface red and attracting a swarm of fish.
Chen Xuan dragged her slender body to the very bottom, found a stone weighing several hundred pounds, and used it to pin her there before swimming away.
...
SPLASH!
On a nearby riverbank, a sturdy, well-built figure emerged from the water, his clothes soaked through and his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Satisfying."
’There are always people who think too highly of themselves and court death.’
’In that case, I could only oblige them.’
Chen Xuan looked at the panel again and suddenly broke into a smile.
Retribution Points: 5125.
’This trip was well worth it!’
’I can bring my Red Fiend Palm to the Perfection realm now.’
A glint in his eye, Chen Xuan took a porcelain bottle from within his robes. He uncapped it, poured out the last two Qi and Blood Pills, and with a glance, tossed them into his mouth and swallowed.
’Retribution points, put them into Red Fiend Palm!’
[Ding! You have consumed 1000 retribution points to continue advancing Red Fiend Palm. Detecting the potent medicinal effects within you, you have gained a 30x Cultivation Speed. Your Red Fiend Palm is rapidly improving...]
[You feel a powerful energy within you, as if a sea of hellfire churns in your veins. Countless sinister flames intertwine as your palms glow as red as branding irons, emanating an aura that can melt gold, corrode steel, burn meridians, and sever arteries...]
[Finally, through your unyielding efforts, your Red Fiend Palm has successfully reached the Perfection realm, creating the ultimate technique: Red Fiend Burning Heart!]
BOOM!
Vast waves of powerful, fiery energy surged through Chen Xuan’s body, coursing through his limbs. At the same time, countless movements and profound insights flooded his mind.
It was as if he had gained seven or eight years of cultivation in a single instant.
Even his muscles and skin began to flicker with a fiery red glow, as if they had become red-hot branding irons.
When he channeled the technique, the power in his palms became immense and scorching hot.
’The three techniques are all at the Perfection realm. It’s time to fuse them. I hope the resulting Cultivation Technique won’t let me down.’
Chen Xuan stared at his palms, a glint in his eyes.
’Why go through all this trouble allocating points?’
’It was all to break through to the Transforming Force realm in one go!’
’Only those who reach the Transforming Force realm are true masters.’
’Retribution points, fuse the three high-tier, mid-grade martial techniques!’
Chen Xuan chanted inwardly.
[Ding! You have consumed 1000 retribution points and begun fusing the martial techniques. Empowered by the Qi and Blood Pill, your qi and blood are boiling. The three martial techniques have become like three untamable flood dragons, rampaging and tearing through your body, bringing you waves of agony.]
[At times, your skin glows with a bronze light. At others, it flashes with a sharp, blackish-blue glint. Then your palms turn red-hot like branding irons. You have faintly begun to grasp the key.]
[You have consumed another 1800 retribution points. Under your powerful will, the three flood dragons are being forced to fuse. The ferocity of Vajra Fist is gradually forming a framework, the sharpness of the Eagle Claw Skill is slowly integrating into your fingers, and the sinister heat of the Red Fiend Palm is spreading through you like scalding blood...]
[A new, more powerful and perfect system of strength is arduously taking form within you.]
[You have consumed another 1200 retribution points to consolidate and perfect this power!]
[Congratulations, Host! You have broken through to the Transforming Force realm!]
[New Martial Art acquired: Vajra Raging Sun Art (High-Tier, Mid-Grade)!]
RUMBLE!
A roar echoed within his body, as if a great explosion had occurred.
Waves of power spread rapidly through him.
All conflict, all impurities, vanished without a trace.
A new power—whole and harmonious, balancing hard and soft, yin and yang—surged through every inch of his body like a warm tide.
A broad smile spread across Chen Xuan’s face. He stretched his limbs, feeling his qi and blood flow, and had the overwhelming urge to roar at the heavens.
’I did it!’
’I actually did it!’
’Fusing three high-tier, mid-grade martial techniques really created a new one!’
’And it let me break through to the Transforming Force realm all at once.’
WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
Chen Xuan immediately assumed a stance and practiced a set of fist techniques in this deserted corner.
As expected, things felt different after reaching the Transforming Force realm.
His strength, speed, and agility had all increased dramatically.
’It’s like I have a deeper understanding of ’force’.’
’Where force comes from, how to neutralize it, how to deflect it, how to apply it...’
’All the secrets became clear in my mind.’
In the blink of an eye, he finished the set of fist techniques.
Chen Xuan stood quietly and exhaled again. The breath shot out like an arrow of air, traveling ten to thirteen feet.
Sensing closely, he felt as if his body was shrouded in an invisible net of energy.
Even a freshly fallen leaf was suspended before him, unable to move in the slightest.
Gazing at the yellowing leaf, Chen Xuan flicked a finger.
SWISH!
PFFT!
The leaf, now infused with power, shot out like an iron dart, tearing through the air and embedding itself in a large tree over twenty feet away.
With a loud thud, the entire tree shook violently, sending countless leaves fluttering to the ground.
Outwardly, the trunk appeared undamaged.
But inside, it had been turned to powder.
’Transforming Force... The ability to harm someone with a simple leaf is now a reality!’
His heart surged with emotion as he looked at the panel again.
Name: Chen Xuan
Heart Method: None
Martial Arts: Vajra Raging Sun Art (First Layer), Blast Palm (Perfection - Soul-Severing Palm), Black Evil Palm (Perfection), Thunderbolt Step (Perfection)
Cultivation: Transforming Force First Layer
Talents: Innate Divine Strength, Bronze Skin and Iron Bones (A new talent can be unlocked with each increase in Renown. Current Renown: Minorly Famous)
Retribution Points: 125 (Can be used to advance Martial Arts)
...
’Next, I just need to cultivate step by step. I wonder what realm the Gang Leader and Left Protector have reached...’
A glint appeared in Chen Xuan’s eyes.
He then headed back toward the docks.
...
「Meanwhile.」
The entire dock was still in a state of chaos.
A cacophony of wails, screams, and shouts filled the air.
Countless people had died horrible deaths.
Even the various stalls and buildings the Red Sand Gang had set up at the docks were in complete shambles.
Over a dozen criminals, their chains now broken, let out wild, deafening laughter as they rampaged about, slaughtering constables and residents.
Many members of the Red Sand Gang were also caught in the fray and were killed or wounded.
Bodies were sent flying everywhere.
The entire dock had seemingly descended into a lawless wasteland.
"Oh god, this is a disaster..."
Terrified, Jia Gui fell to the ground and scrambled away, crawling and rolling as he fled.
The stench of blood was everywhere.
"Pillage the docks! Kill everyone! Leave no survivors!"
A burly, recently freed man with disheveled, shoulder-length hair let out a gleeful roar. His eyes were filled with a crazed bloodlust, and he looked eager to slaughter everything in sight to unleash his violent urges.
"Hahaha!"
The other water bandits cackled maniacally as they charged in every direction.
"Don’t linger! Watch out for Red Sand Gang reinforcements! Just set everything on fire and let’s go!"
A leader from the Thirteen Golden Dragon Fortress shouted.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
Soon, wine jars were smashed, and an immense fire erupted, spreading rapidly.
The docks descended into even greater chaos.
People screamed endlessly.
"Let’s go!"
"Things are getting hot, let’s scram!"
A group of water bandits, leading the newly freed prisoners, shouted as they sprinted away.
Several Chief Constables, their faces ashen, were all heavily injured. With mouths full of blood, they were powerless to give chase.
