Inner Strength, Transformative Strength, Dan Strength, Innate Gang Strength.
These were the martial arts realms that Xuanjizi told Jiang Fei about. They were what he knew and also the highest realms commonly known in the current martial arts world. As for what realms lay beyond and what kind of power they would bring, even Xuanjizi himself was completely unclear; he was constantly exploring.
“How come there are no records or classics about this throughout history? Is it that martial arts cultivation reaches its ultimate limit at Innate Gang Strength, with no path forward, only able to stop at this step? Or have some people broken through Innate Gang Strength, but then left not a single word behind?” Jiang Fei asked curiously.
Xuanjizi shook his head and said, “I can’t give you a definite answer either. However, based on my speculation, and according to the conjectures of the ancient sages and predecessors, theoretically speaking, there should be another realm after Innate Gang Strength. It’s just that breaking through Innate Gang Strength is too difficult. Even I have no certainty that I can break through.”
Jiang Fei shrugged, his gaze becoming a bit distant. He tentatively asked in a soft voice, “After Gang Strength, could it be… shattering the void?”
Xuanjizi glanced at Jiang Fei with deep meaning, a very profound look, and finally sighed, “Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.”
Jiang Fei, who had been full of hope, couldn’t help but complain upon hearing this answer, “That’s the same as saying nothing.”
Xuanjizi neither blushed nor felt embarrassed, saying matter-of-factly, “That’s just how it is. I told you, I know nothing about the realm beyond Innaᛏe Gang Strength either, I’m just constantly groping in the dark. Asking me is useless.”
Wearing a white bathrobe and having run out of the hotel without underwear for who knows how many miles, Jiang Fei had learned a bit of what he wanted to know. But thinking carefully, it was actually useless. Just as Jiang Fei was considering how to get some real benefits from this nominal master, Xuanjizi was ready to leave.
“Alright. Today I just came to see your match against Yagyu Munenori. Now it seems the result is even better than I imagined. You won, so I’m relieved. I’m off.” Xuanjizi said with a very free and easy smile, as if to say, I came quietly just as I leave quietly, waving my sleeves without taking a single cloud.
However, just as he turned around, Jiang Fei, who hadn’t even had time to say goodbye, suddenly changed expression and quickly caught up, shouting, “Master, wait a moment!”
Xuanjizi turned back, puzzled, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Fei’s eyes widened, quite shocked as he looked at the position under Xuanjizi’s arm near his ribs, pointing at a spot and saying, “You… before you came to find me, did you fight someone?”
Xuanjizi was startled, then pulled his Daoist robe forward to look, quickly understanding why Jiang Fei asked.
Because his blue Daoist robe had been slashed open, and it was clearly not an accidental tear, but cut by a very sharp weapon.
Xuanjizi shook his head helplessly and said, “Originally, I didn’t want to tell you. But I forgot about this and you’d discover it yourself. Alright, before I came to see you, I did indeed fight someone.”
Hearing the affirmative answer, Jiang Fei was even more shocked.
There really was someone who fought Xuanjizi, and it seemed they had achieved a partial success, with the final result perhaps not being a one-sided situation.
What kind of person could possess such strength?
Although masters at the Dan Strength level like Yagyu Munenori and the Lion King were incredibly powerful, in Jiang Fei’s view, they weren’t even qualified to spar with his nominal master Xuanjizi. Even if they used their strongest killing moves, it would be difficult for them to gain any advantage in a fight with Xuanjizi.
Even he himself, after the initial meeting and test, Jiang Fei didn’t think he could achieve victory anywhere.
So, who could this master be, capable of cutting Xuanjizi’s robe during their fight and gaining the upper hand?
Most likely, it was also a super-high-level master who had surpassed the Dan Strength level and reached the Innate Gang Strength level.
Could it be the Wild Grass Taoist from the foot of Mount Lu, who heard about his match against Yagyu Munenori on Mount Emei’s Golden Summit today and secretly came to watch the excitement, only to be seen by Xuanjizi? Did they spar a bit?
Besides that Wild Grass Taoist, Jiang Fei couldn’t think of anyone else with the strength to spar with Xuanjizi and even tear his robe.
“Who did you fight, Master? Was it that Wild Grass Taoist who has already entered the Innate Gang Strength level?” Jiang Fei quickly asked.
Xuanjizi shook his head and said, “Although the Wild Grass Taoist and I aren’t familiar, we’re not enemies either. There’s no reason for us to fight. This person was not from the Chinese martial arts world. I’ve beaten him back, and they probably won’t dare enter China for a long time.”
“Not from our China?” Jiang Fei’s eyes widened, even more shocked. “From what country? Could it be that besides Yagyu Munenori, others came from Japan this time, and this person is even stronger than Yagyu Munenori?”
“It’s not a Japanese person. It’s a Westerner,” Xuanjizi explained seriously. “Today, when I came to find you, I could have arrived before you and Yagyu Munenori started. But on the way, I encountered this person and was delayed, which is why I only arrived now.”
A Westerner?
Hearing this, Jiang Fei’s mind immediately started working rapidly, considering the possible origins of this person.
Almost instantly, Jiang Fei suddenly thought of that previous lesbian Christina from the Vatican’s church, who looked a lot like Black Widow. This woman’s background was extremely mysterious, and he still couldn’t figure out her actual situation, but he could feel she wasn’t to be trifled with.
Moreover, this woman had indeed kept her word today, coming to Mount Emei’s Golden Summit to watch his duel with Yagyu Munenori. And Jiang Fei also noticed that this woman now had an additional red-clothed follower. If Jiang Fei wasn’t mistaken, this person was the legendary Red Robe Bishop of the church!
Most importantly, Jiang Fei could sense that this Red Robe Bishop’s combat power was much stronger than that Bishop Frank. Even if he wasn’t quite at the level of Dan Strength masters like Yagyu Munenori and the Lion King, he could probably put up a fight!
If even the accompanying personnel, equivalent to bodyguards, could be this powerful, how strong must Christina’s identity be?
And how powerful was this so-called Vatican church?
“Was it someone from the Vatican church?” Jiang Fei voiced his guess.
Xuanjizi was stunned. The usually unflappable man was somewhat surprised this time, saying, “That’s right, it was a true ascetic master from the Vatican. How did you know? Have you already dealt with people from the church?”
Jiang Fei quickly recounted his interactions with Christina.
To be honest, Jiang Fei didn’t actually have much sense of identification with this nominal master, but he felt that this nominal master could be truly trusted.
Because Xuanjizi’s cultivation had reached such a high level, he was almost omnipotent, and Jiang Fei had nothing worth his scheming.
“A princess of the church has come to China. No wonder. I was thinking that we in the East and those Westerners usually leave each other alone, with little interaction. So that’s the reason,” Xuanjizi nodded. “However, I think an ascetic master coming to China couldn’t be just to protect a princess. It seems there might be another purpose.”
Jiang Fei narrowed his eyes at this and nodded, “I don’t think that princess is much of a concern, but these church clergy types are all strange! Their cultivation methods are completely different from ours in the East. It seems they also have a method similar to our Qi Men Dun Jia for perceiving many things.”
“These people are indeed not simple. Their astrological studies also have similarities with our Yijing and Bagua. Just be cautious in the future,” Xuanjizi said. But he quickly smiled again, saying, “Of course, after I taught that ascetic master a lesson, he won’t come to China for a long time. And given your current strength, even if that ascetic master personally attacks you, I believe you can retreat unscathed.”
Hearing this, Jiang Fei felt much more at ease.
It seemed this church ascetic wasn’t as powerful as he had imagined, nor was he an extraordinary figure who could match his master. With his current level of cultivation and strength, he could be considered relatively safe.
Finally, Xuanjizi gave Jiang Fei another meaningful look and said with a sigh, “You kid, restrain yourself a bit too. Don’t let your luck with women run too rampant, lest it turns into a romantic disaster…”
After speaking, Xuanjizi turned and strode away. Each step was small, but he quickly disappeared from Jiang Fei’s sight, as if using the divine power of shrinking the ground!
“Luck with women? Romantic disaster?” Jiang Fei touched his nose, watching the departing Xuanjizi, and said helplessly, “This old man, could he possibly think I’m interested in that Christina? He really underestimates me. I’m not the type to want to sleep with every beautiful woman I see…”
However, when Christina’s cold and proud face, with its undeniable charm, so reminiscent of Black Widow, surfaced in Jiang Fei’s mind, and he thought about the possibility of her and Qiao Yiyi getting together someday…
Jiang Fei quickly shook his head, feeling he couldn’t think about it anymore.
Wasn’t this old man just too perceptive?
By the time he returned to the hotel, the sky was almost brightening. Jiang Fei slipped into bed, and even without a fragrant woman’s body to warm it, he quickly fell asleep.
On a normal day, with Jiang Fei’s robust physique and spirit, staying up all night, or even several nights, wouldn’t be a problem.
But last night was different. First, he had a life-and-death battle with Yagyu Munenori, nearly dying and suffering severe injuries. Later, his master Xuanjizi tricked him into going out, running who knows how many miles, and withstanding one of the most ferocious and domineering sword techniques. Even an iron body couldn’t handle that; he really needed a good sleep to restore his spirit.
So, it wasn’t until around 3 PM the next day that Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan left Mount Emei to return to Jincheng. Arriving in Jincheng two hours later, the sky was already darkening.
“Where are you going? Back to Daocun?” Ye Yuanyuan asked while driving.
Usually, when a man and woman travel together, the man drives and the woman sits in the passenger seat. But with Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan, Jiang Fei never got the chance to drive. Only on the long drive from Jincheng to the capital, when Ye Yuanyuan needed rest, did Jiang Fei occasionally take over.
Ye Yuanyuan, with her violent tendencies, was hard to see as a woman needing protection, even after her chest had filled out.
“No. Just drop me off at my rental place,” Jiang Fei said.
Qiao Yiyi’s vacation was over, so she had naturally left Daocun. Lin Moli, the strong woman, now rarely had the chance to return to Daocun to rest, so going back tonight or not was the same.
Ye Yuanyuan didn’t say anything, just changed the route towards Jiang Fei’s rental apartment.
Recently, Jiang’s Medical Hall and Jiang’s Pharmaceutical Company had been flourishing, bringing in money daily. Even with current housing prices, Jiang Fei could afford to buy an apartment in downtown Jincheng instantly, but he hadn’t. He still lived in his original rental, the place upstairs from Xia Xiaozhi’s home.
About half an hour later, Qiao Yiyi’s Hummer drove into Jiang Fei’s residential complex. She was already familiar with the place and asked coldly, “Why don’t you just buy a new place now?”
“Why buy a place? Don’t I have Daocun?” Jiang Fei replied.
“I think you just can’t bear to leave here,” Ye Yuanyuan said.
Jiang Fei didn’t deny it, nodding, “A little bit, yeah. I’ve lived in this apartment for several years, grown attached to it. I’ve even considered buying it from the landlord, even if the price is a bit high.” Saying this, Jiang Fei looked at Ye Yuanyuan with a smile and asked, “I’m still a pretty nostalgic person, aren’t I?”
But Ye Yuanyuan wasn’t buying it, sneering, “You’re not nostalgic about this apartment; you’re nostalgic about the person here, right?”
Hearing Ye Yuanyuan’s sarcastic tone, Jiang Fei found it funny, “What do you mean?”
“There’s an invincible young high school beauty here. She’s completely obedient to you, lets you take advantage of her anytime, and is always clinging to you. How could you bear to move away?” Ye Yuanyuan said.
“You…” Jiang Fei’s eyes widened in indignation. “Your thoughts are too impure! I’m not going to argue with you.”
“I’m the one who can’t be bothered to argue with you,” Ye Yuanyuan curled her lip, parking the car, ready to follow Jiang Fei upstairs for a meal.
Speak of the devil.
Before they could even get out of the car, a girl with a mushroom haircut, not wearing a school uniform but dressed with youthful vitality, her figure already well-developed, suddenly dashed over from the side, happily saying, “Uncle, Sister Yuanyuan, what brings you both here together today…”
