In an instant, Jiang Tian activated the Chaos Creation Technique, completely absorbing the spiritual energy within, leaving not a single trace behind.
“What… what just happened?”
Long Gaitian, Zhou Zhenghao, and Dongdong Jie stared at the Buddhist relic in shock, unable to contain their astonishment.
At that moment, the Buddhist light vanished, and the faint chants of Buddhist scriptures disappeared without a trace.
The Buddhist relic, once exuding an otherworldly allure, now turned into a dull, grayish-white piece of ordinary bone, showing signs of decay and cracking.
“I erased the lingering spiritual energy,” Jiang Tian said calmly. “Without the interference of spiritual energy, it’s just an ordinary bone.”
“Master Jiang, I never imagined your abilities were so extraordinary!” Zhou Zhenghao and Dongdong Jie exclaimed, their faces filled with disbelief and admiration.
“Mr. Jiang, no, Master Jiang, it turns out you’re also a master of mystical arts! I was blind not to recognize your greatness earlier. Please forgive my ignorance!” Long Gaitian took a deep breath, clasped his fists, and bowed deeply, his face a mix of fear and reverence.
This young man had effortlessly erased the spiritual energy left by a high monk. Didn’t that mean his magical prowess surpassed even that of ancient monks?
“Ignorance is no crime, Young Master Long. Don’t dwell on it,” Jiang Tian said with a light shake of his head, though inwardly, he sighed.
He had heard there were magical artifacts here and had hoped to find one or two treasures. But all he found were ordinary antiques. Even this Buddhist relic couldn’t be considered a true magical artifact.
The spiritual energy it contained was too limited, not even enough to awaken his divine consciousness for cultivation.
“Mr. Long, I’m feeling a bit tired. Could you arrange a place for me to rest?” Jiang Tian said as he walked toward the door.
“Of course, of course! I’ll take you there right away!” Long Gaitian replied with a beaming smile.
However, just as he reached the doorway, Jiang Tian suddenly stopped, his expression one of surprise. “What’s this…?”
“Oh, Master Jiang, these are some ancient coins. But no one can decipher the inscriptions on them, nor can we determine their era,” Long Gaitian explained, following Jiang Tian’s gaze to a pile of rust-covered coins.
There were ninety-nine of these square-holed, round coins, heavily corroded and in poor condition. The inscriptions were strange, and even experts couldn’t pinpoint their age. They had been purchased for just a few hundred thousand yuan.
“These aren’t ordinary ancient coins. They’re called ‘Evil-Warding Coins,’ magical artifacts specifically designed to vanquish evil spirits and malevolent ghosts. This trip hasn’t been in vain after all,” Jiang Tian said with a faint smile, his celestial eye carefully examining the coins. “I’ll take these coins.”
“Of course! I’ll pack them up for you right away!” Long Gaitian didn’t dare delay or hesitate, quickly gathering the coins and handing them to Jiang Tian.
Afterward, Jiang Tian settled into a guest room within the estate.
Three days passed, and aside from Zhou Zhenghao and Dongdong Jie bringing him meals a few times, Long Wu never came to see him.
It seemed Long Wu didn’t take him very seriously.
But Jiang Tian was a man of simplicity and tranquility, and he didn’t mind. With no one to disturb him, he could focus entirely on his cultivation, further solidifying his second-level Qi Refinement.
On the evening of the fourth day, Zhou Zhenghao and Dongdong Jie hurriedly entered his room. “Mr. Jiang, the enemy is coming tonight!”
“Good,” Jiang Tian said, rising to his feet with a smile.
He had little interest in helping Long Wu, but since his return, he had only fought one martial artist, a mere Iron Body cultivator. He was somewhat looking forward to facing a stronger opponent.
Soon, accompanied by Zhou Zhenghao, Jiang Tian arrived at a quaint, ancient-style pavilion at the back of the estate.
“Mr. Jiang, Xiao Zhou, you’re here. Please, take a seat!” A middle-aged man in a Tang suit sat on a grand chair, not bothering to stand, and waved Jiang Tian over.
The man was lean but had sharp, piercing eyes and an imposing demeanor. He wore a Portuguese IWC watch on his wrist and an antique jade thumb ring. In his hands, he fiddled with a well-polished sandalwood prayer beads bracelet, the very image of a martial arts magnate.
Long Gaitian stood behind him, nodding politely at Jiang Tian.
“Fifth Master!” Zhou Zhenghao and Dongdong Jie bowed deeply, their faces filled with respect.
Jiang Tian simply nodded slightly and took a seat in the corner.
Nearby, a table was set with food and drink, but Long Wu didn’t invite Jiang Tian to join immediately.
He smiled and said, “We’re waiting for another martial arts master. Let’s wait a moment.”
“No problem,” Jiang Tian replied with a nod.
“May I ask which school you belong to, Mr. Jiang, and who your master is?” Long Wu asked, making small talk.
“Oh, I’m self-taught. I have no master,” Jiang Tian said, sipping his tea with a faint smile.
“I see…” Long Wu’s expression showed a hint of disappointment, and he shot Zhou Zhenghao a glare.
Other martial artists had prestigious lineages and guidance from great masters. Being self-taught? That was just a wild, unorthodox path. This Xiao Zhou was really something, bringing in any random person as if it were a game. Wasn’t this just adding to the chaos?
“Master Jiang is truly a master. My men were no match for him!” Zhou Zhenghao quickly explained.
“Ah, so the young are indeed the heroes of our time. A true master…” Long Wu chuckled, though his interest was clearly waning.
Long Wu knew all about Xiao Zhou’s top men, Ah Hu and Dong Yin. They were just some of the best fighters in the secular world, nothing extraordinary. That Jiang Tian could defeat them didn’t prove much.
“Fifth Master, may I ask who this enemy of yours is?” Jiang Tian asked casually.
“Dad, Master Li is here!” Long Gaitian suddenly looked at his phone, leaned over, and whispered into Long Wu’s ear.
“He’s here!” Long Wu immediately forgot about Jiang Tian, springing up from his chair as if propelled by a spring. “Master Li is here! Quick, let’s welcome him!”
Zhou Zhenghao didn’t dare delay either, quickly following Long Wu and Long Gaitian out the door.
“Master Li, you’ve had a long journey! We apologize for not greeting you sooner!”
“Master Li!”
“Master Li, now that you’re here, we can rest easy!”
“Brother Long Wu, my friends, no need for such formalities!”
After a round of greetings, the group escorted a man in his fifties into the room, treating him like a star.
The man wore a black traditional cotton robe and old cloth shoes. His hair was silver, and his tiger-like eyes radiated authority. In his right hand, he rolled a pair of iron balls, his calloused fingers a testament to years of martial arts training.
His breathing was steady, his steps firm, and his aura was full of vitality—clearly a man who had trained his body to its peak.
Behind him followed over a dozen disciples, each one robust and exuding a powerful presence. The man’s entourage was impressive, and his demeanor was one of grandeur.
Seeing this, Jiang Tian couldn’t help but smile faintly. He now understood: in Long Wu’s eyes, this Master Li was the true ace in the hole, while he was merely a backup.
But Jiang Tian’s heart was at peace. He had long since reached a state of equanimity, unshaken by praise or blame, and he remained calm.
“Master Jiang, this is Master Li Zhenwei of the Zhenwei Martial Arts Hall in Foshan. In Lingnan, he’s as renowned as our Tang Lao in Linzhou!” Zhou Zhenghao introduced excitedly. “Master Li, this is Master Jiang from Linzhou. He’s incredibly strong!”
Jiang Tian observed the man’s powerful aura. He was likely at the Internal Strength level, even higher than Tang Lao.
Knowing how difficult it was to cultivate martial arts on Earth, where spiritual energy was scarce, Jiang Tian felt a hint of respect for the old man.
He stood up and clasped his fists. “Junior Jiang Tian greets Master Li.”
“Such a young man, and your stance isn’t even steady. How dare you call yourself a master?” Li Zhenwei glanced down at Jiang Tian, his tone full of disdain. “Some people learn a few tricks and start swindling others. They don’t even care if they’ll live long enough to spend the money they earn!”
Jiang Tian was momentarily stunned, then chuckled softly and sat back down.
In terms of true cultivation, Li Zhenwei wasn’t even worth one of Jiang Tian’s fingers. If he didn’t want to save face, so be it.
“Master Li, please take the seat of honor!” Long Wu, now completely ignoring Jiang Tian, smiled obsequiously and gestured for Li Zhenwei to sit.
“Tang Guozhu? What does he amount to? He’s only at the late Iron Body stage, not even Internal Strength. How can he compare to me? He’s just got some connections with the military, that’s all!” Li Zhenwei sneered, glaring at Zhou Zhenghao before sitting down grandly in the chair of honor.
“My apologies, Master Li. I misspoke earlier. Please forgive me!” Zhou Zhenghao’s face tightened, and he quickly bowed in apology.
“Enough of that,” Li Zhenwei said, not even looking at him. He rolled the iron balls in his hand and said smugly, “Long Wu, don’t worry. With me here today, that Fu Biao won’t stand a chance. He’ll be dead before he knows it!”
“Master Li, Fu Biao has become incredibly powerful! I heard he studied under a reclusive master in the northeast and has reached the Internal Strength level. He’s now known as a martial arts master!” Long Wu said nervously.
“A martial arts master? How powerful is that?” Long Gaitian, who didn’t know much about martial artists, frowned and asked.
“A martial arts master has surpassed the Iron Body stage. Not only are they impervious to blades and bullets, but their punches carry the force of a thousand pounds, capable of killing bears and tigers. They’ve also developed Internal Strength, allowing them to injure others without direct contact,” Li Zhenwei explained leisurely.
“Good heavens!”
“That’s terrifying!”
Everyone gasped in unison, and Long Wu’s face turned pale with fear.
“Then we’re in danger! I’ll have the gunmen on high alert!” Long Gaitian said, panicked.
“Hmph, what do you need gunmen for? They’re just for show! With me here tonight, Fu Biao won’t leave alive!” Li Zhenwei snorted disdainfully, his tone full of arrogance.
“He’s only at the early Internal Strength stage, while I’ve reached the peak of Internal Strength. In my eyes, he’s nothing but an ant!”
“What? Master Li, you’ve reached the peak of Internal Strength?” Long Wu’s face was filled with awe, as if he were looking at a deity.
“What, you don’t believe me?” Li Zhenwei picked up a chopstick and flicked it.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistling sound filled the air.
Thunk!
The chopstick embedded itself halfway into the wall, as if the granite wall were made of tofu.
“Incredible!”
“Master Li is truly a god among men!”
“This is the power of turning flowers and leaves into weapons!”
The entire pavilion erupted in exclamations of amazement, everyone staring in shock.
Even Long Wu was visibly excited, his confidence restored. He smiled obsequiously and said, “Master Li, now I can truly rest easy. Even if Fu Biao studied under a god, he’d still meet his end at your hands!”
“Hmph, now do you see what a true martial arts master is?”
“Some young punk who hasn’t even grown all his hair dares to call himself a master? What a joke!”
“Did you hear that, so-called Master Jiang? With my master here, you’re no longer needed. You can leave now!”
Suddenly, several of Li Zhenwei’s disciples pointed at Jiang Tian, their faces full of scorn as they mocked him.
