Chapter 201 - 199: Have You Practiced It? How Dare You Spout Such Nonsense

Chapter 201: Chapter 199: Have You Practiced It? How Dare You Spout Such Nonsense

Fu Juemin watched the two men in the room with a smirk, especially relishing the expressions on their faces.

The Gratitude Sensing Realm master he was chasing, nicknamed the "Corpse Bat King," was indeed fast, but not fast enough to escape the detection of his Yao Ling.

He had followed the man’s trail all the way here, never expecting—

That it would lead him straight into Zhao Jigang’s home.

He had been waiting for days for a threat from Luo Zhengxiong, but nothing had happened. He never expected Zhao Jigang’s retaliation to come first.

That slap on the Xuanwu Platform had ensured there could be no peaceful resolution between them. Furthermore, Zhao Jigang was an incredibly deep schemer, like a venomous snake or scorpion lurking in a dark corner.

Fu Juemin had already planned on eliminating this thorn in his side. As luck would have it, today was the perfect opportunity.

At this moment, the air in the study seemed to freeze. The atmosphere was terrifyingly oppressive.

Zhao Jigang and the Corpse Bat King were rooted to the spot, completely motionless.

The Corpse Bat King’s already deathly pale face was now so white it was nearly transparent. He stared fixedly at Fu Juemin, his expression one of pure horror. His Adam’s apple bobbed ceaselessly as his gaunt frame trembled uncontrollably.

He had already taken a palm strike from Fu Juemin and suffered heavy injuries. He had also personally lived through the era overshadowed by the fearsome reputation of the "Demon Elephant." To be cornered in a small room by the Demon Elephant himself and not lose his composure entirely was a testament to his unusual courage.

Zhao Jigang was putting on a much better front. A closer look, however, would reveal the fine beads of sweat constantly forming on his temples. He was clearly just forcing himself to remain calm.

’Uncle Tong’s fearsome reputation was truly notorious,’ Fu Juemin thought. ’To think it still holds such power after all these years.’

As this thought crossed his mind, he let his gaze wander casually around Zhao Jigang’s study.

When his eyes swept over the desk and fell upon the paper under the lamp—covered in the single, thickly-inked, dripping character for "Death"—he couldn’t help but chuckle, shattering the silence.

"Nice calligraphy."

Fu Juemin’s gaze shifted to Zhao Jigang. He smiled. "And quite... fitting for the occasion."

The words had barely left his mouth when Zhao Jigang’s expression contorted. In a flash, he let out a low roar: "Attack!"

BOOM!

The full aura of a Great Martial Family master of the Gratitude Sensing Realm erupted from Zhao Jigang without reservation!

Instantly, the air in the room became a violent vortex. Sheets of paper scattered like snowflakes, and the bookshelves groaned under the pressure.

Almost simultaneously.

CRASH—

A loud bang.

Zhao Jigang, his robes whipping wildly in the turbulent air, snapped his head toward the sound. He saw a large hole in the nearby window. The spot where the Corpse Bat King had been standing was now empty.

He’d shouted for them to attack together, but the Corpse Bat King had fled instantly without a word!

Zhao Jigang was so furious he could have coughed up blood. But before he could even begin to curse, a piercing shriek—like the cry of a dragon and the roar of an elephant—tore through the room, making his scalp tingle with fear.

WHOOSH—

With a casual motion, Fu Juemin unleashed a Sea Covering Seal. His terrifying arm strength, combined with immense Vitality, generated an unparalleled pressure. As the Palm Wind swept past, the vases, ornaments, tables, and chairs on either side exploded as if struck by an invisible sledgehammer!

The palm aimed directly for Zhao Jigang’s head, but the latter made no move to block it. Instead, he executed a Body Technique and retreated with blinding speed.

Fu Juemin’s palm strike seemed simple, a flat push that swept through everything, its Palm Force sealing off most of the room.

But Zhao Jigang had not held the position of President of the Shenghai Martial Dao Association for so many years for nothing. Pinned by Fu Juemin’s Palm Momentum, he was forced to maneuver at the very limit of his abilities within the cramped study. In the end...

BOOM!

Fu Juemin’s palm struck the center of the room. The heavy huanghuali wood desk at the head of the room exploded on impact, spewing countless wooden fragments everywhere. Amidst the fluttering papers bearing the character for "Death," Zhao Jigang could be seen plastered to a corner of the ceiling like a giant bat, his face ashen with lingering fear.

’He must have learned the Corpse Bat King’s Body Technique.’

Though his expression remained impassive as his palm strike missed, Fu Juemin couldn’t help but sigh internally.

’Although the massive surge of Qi Blood from my 40 points in [Attack] has qualitatively transformed my reflexes, nearly erasing the gap in Anticipating the Enemy’s Move between me and a typical Gratitude master, I’m still only at the Tongxuan Realm. I haven’t reached the Gratitude Sensing Realm, so I’m missing that crucial step: Refining Perception.’

’On top of that, my Dragon Elephant Seal Technique hasn’t been enhanced with any points. I may have comprehended it, but my execution is still too crude. It lacks the refinement and subtlety that can only be achieved through painstaking practice.’

’With the Great Success of Dragon Elephant, I thought my strength in my normal state could match someone in the Gratitude Sensing Realm. But after two real fights, I’m finding that’s not the case. A little lacking here, a little off there... it all adds up. Every move I make falls just a hair’s breadth short of the result I want.’

’And in a duel between masters, that hair’s breadth is often the only thing that matters!’

’This guy learned the Corpse Bat King’s Body Technique. If I keep dragging this on, he might just get away.’

’And if I don’t finish this cleanly, he might start having doubts about my identity as the Demon Elephant...’

At this thought, Fu Juemin decided to stop holding back.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK—

Amidst a series of CRACKS, like some great machine winding tight, Fu Juemin’s already large and well-built frame began to expand rapidly. Orange-red lines of light spread like ancient totems beneath his skin, glowing brightly...

In the blink of an eye, he entered the [Demon Body] state of Three Souls in One Body.

A tyrannical, scorching, and chaotic aura erupted like a volcano, instantly flooding every inch of the study. His body now filled nearly half the room, casting a shadow as thick as ink that completely enveloped the cowering Zhao Jigang in the corner of the ceiling.

Zhao Jigang stared, dumbfounded, as Fu Juemin finished his transformation. He felt a terrifying pressure wash over him, like that of a primordial beast, and froze for an instant.

He suddenly pointed at Fu Juemin’s ferocious, demonic form and cried out, "That’s... that’s not Dragon Elephant Wisdom—!!"

"Nonsense!"

From within the deep shadow, Fu Juemin’s ink-black demonic eyes flashed. He let out a savage grin. "Have you ever practiced the Dragon Elephant Skill? What gives you the right to make such a shameless claim?"

"This is clearly the orthodox Buddhist Sect’s supreme body-strengthening art—the All-Merciful and All-Compassionate Dragon Elephant Wisdom Seal!"

With that, he attacked.

This time, there was no deafening dragon’s cry, no elephant’s roar. There was only a shriek suppressed to its absolute limit, accompanied by visible, twisting ripples of dark energy.

Zhao Jigang’s pupils shrank to pinpricks. He had no time to react....

BOOM—!!

A massive, muffled BOOM echoed as something heavy pierced the wall. It was mixed with the gruesome sound of shattering bones and pulped organs. The entire study shuddered violently, and dust rained down from the ceiling.

When the dust settled, Zhao Jigang’s entire chest—and the wall behind it—had been completely run through by a thick, inhuman arm.

"You..."

He was pinned firmly to the wall, feet dangling in the air. Bloody froth gurgled from his mouth, his eyes filled with boundless shock and disbelief.

He raised a trembling finger, seemingly wanting to say something.

Just then, a piece of the paper on which he himself had written the character for "Death" fluttered down, landing gently on his face. His head slumped to the side, and he fell silent forever.

"Huu—"

Fu Juemin let out a long breath and slowly withdrew his arm from Zhao Jigang’s chest.

At the same time, he reverted from the [Demon Body] state, returning to his "Demon Elephant" persona.

Killing Zhao Jigang tonight, albeit by a strange twist of fate, and also overhearing his secret collusion with that "Black Tower" and Nan Xiangcheng... this trip had not been a waste.

CLANG!

Suddenly, a faint clang of metal hitting the floor caught Fu Juemin’s attention.

He looked down and saw a gleaming gold bar.

Looking in its direction, he realized his last punch had not only pierced Zhao Jigang but also shattered the wall, exposing a hidden compartment within.

This compartment was most likely where Zhao Jigang hid his valuables. He casually brushed aside the rubble and saw it was filled with gold bars, jewels, antiques, and jade artifacts, as well as a stack of thread-bound booklets.

Fu Juemin ignored the wealth and picked up the stack of booklets.

They felt substantial in his hands. A quick scan revealed two words on the cover: "Boxing Manual."

He didn’t have time to examine them closely. He stuffed them into his robes and strode out of the study.

The Corpse Bat King, who was in cahoots with Zhao Jigang, had escaped. ’That coward is a disgrace to his Gratitude Sensing Realm strength,’ Fu Juemin thought, ’but it would still be best to catch him and tie up this loose end.’

With this thought, Fu Juemin yanked open the door to the study....