White-Robed Chief

Chu Li sincerely wanted to learn from Zheng Yanwu. He thought that the level of Zheng Tianhe’s White Tiger Power was too low. By contrast, Zheng Yanwu was a hundred-year-old hidden master and he must have a high mastery of White Tiger Power. If Chu Li could learn something from him, it would be enough for him to cultivate for the time being.

Next time, he would seek another opportunity to obtain the key points of White Tiger Power.

If he was lucky, Zheng Yanwu might have achieved the highest boundary of White Tiger Power. Chu Li could then save some time and effort.

He refused to fight Zheng Yanwu directly as he wanted to observe the latter’s cultivation of White Tiger Power. Otherwise, had they fought and Zheng Yanwu died, Chu Li would no longer have the opportunity to learn the White Tiger Power.

However, when Zheng Yanwu arrived at the Roaring Tiger Clan, he meditated instead of cultivating White Tiger Power. Chu Li, who was preparing himself for the big battle of the night, was dismayed. Yet, he could not do anything about it. It would be absurd for him to head there and force Zheng Yanwu to cultivate that technique.

He was at his wit’s end, and the only thing to do was to wait.

Time passed by slowly. Half a day was spent and Chu Li had been busy perfecting his Single Slice of the Universe. He kept compressing and polishing it, causing all of the blade energy in his Dantian to coalesce into a single slice.

This process was extremely taxing on his energy.

Last time, he filled his Dantian with the blade energy of the Single Slice of the Universe and managed to release twenty or so slices. Nowadays, to compress these twenty or so slices into a single slice, he needed ten times the energy that he used up earlier.

This one slice was particularly harmful to his meridians. Once he released it, he would not have any energy left to release the second slice.

Without resuming his identity as Chu Li and with his current cultivation level as Zhao Dahe, the only way to defeat Zheng Yanwu was to depend on this very slice.

From noon to afternoon, Zheng Yanwu sat as still as a statue on his bed. Although someone from the Roaring Tiger Clan came in to serve him lunch, he did not touch his food and meditated on his bed instead.

The calm and stability displayed by Zheng Yanwu impressed Chu Li. Sitting still, refraining from cultivating inner energy and focusing one’s senses were too challenging for the average martial artist. Most martial artists preferred to move around to stimulate their senses and lift their spirits.

Chu Li was able to do this as he was proficient in meditation.

It was late afternoon and when Chu Li realized Zheng Yanwu still had no intention of cultivating White Tiger Power, he knew there was no hope left.

He went to a residence and found Li Ruolan and Lu Zhen chatting in the courtyard.

“Has Zheng Yanwu arrived?” Li Ruolan asked.

Chu Li gave a slight nod and sat down in the gazebo. “Senior Sister Li, Senior Sister Lu, both of you should leave.”

Li Ruolan regarded him with furrowed brows.

Lu Zhen asked, “Don’t you need our help?”

Chu Li shook his head. “Both of you are unable to help me. You might even burden me!”

“Junior Brother Zhao, what’s the meaning of this?!” Li Ruolan was annoyed. “Are you trying to make us leave since you have a slim chance of defeating Zheng Yanwu?”

Chu Li said, “He has a hundred years worth of martial arts expertise. Think about it. If the average person cultivates for a hundred years, his abilities would be impressive enough. Imagine the same thing done by a genius like Zheng Yanwu. You’d be digging your own grave if you fought him!”

“We still have to try although we have never fought him before. It’ll be a good idea to distract him,” Li Ruolan suggested, “It’ll be easier for you to use your Light Blade.”

The Light Blade was the only thing that could kill Zheng Yanwu. Other martial arts techniques were useless.

Chu Li shook his head in disapproval. “The White Tiger Sect’s techniques are immune to getting surrounded by enemies. Your presence or lack thereof won’t change a thing!”

“… Fine.” Li Ruolan nodded slowly. “Are you confident you don’t need our help?”

“Yes.” Chu Li nodded.

Li Ruolan pouted her red lips.

Lu Zhen asked, “What tactic are you going to use?”

“An ambush,” Chu Li replied, “A one-hit-kill!”

Lu Zhen shook her head and chuckled.

Li Ruolan said impatiently, “Don’t you know that Grandmasters aren’t afraid of ambush? Why would you resort to an ambush when they can sense danger around them?!”

Chu Li muttered, “I’ll just give it a try.”

He looked at the two women with a frown and spoke helplessly, “Seriously, the both of you won’t stand a chance against him. Fighting him will spell death for you!”

He read the minds of both women.

They had no intention of leaving and were adamant about lending him a helping hand. If Chu Li disagreed, they would fight Zheng Yanwu first to tire him out so that Chu Li would have an easier time tackling his opponent.

“If that spells death, then so be it!” Li Ruolan said calmly, “After all, both of us owe you our lives. We shall return the favor!”

Chu Li looked at her, then at Lu Zhen.

Lu Zhen said, “Junior Brother Zhao, you don’t have to persuade us anymore. We won’t leave!”

“Sigh…” Chu Li shook his head. “You two are so silly. It’ll mean actual death… He will be extremely quick, and you won’t be able to catch up with him. Before you could even react, he’d have landed punches on you. What would this mean, if not death?!”

“That sounds ridiculous!” Li Ruolan exclaimed. “We shall use our secret techniques!”

“Junior Brother Zhao, instead of thinking of ways to make us leave, why don’t you think of how we can work together to chase away or kill Zheng Yanwu?!” Lu Zhen stared into Chu Li’s eyes with a crease between her brows.

She looked demure on the outside, but her blood was boiling. It was evident that she was already impatient.

Chu Li gave in. “Alright, the two of you shall fight first. I’ll hide somewhere nearby to avoid him, or else one hit of his White Tiger killing technique will end all of us. I can control his mind by not being in front of him!”

“This is a great idea!” Lu Zhen nodded approvingly. “We’ll fight first and you’ll observe the situation. If it doesn’t look good, leave. After all, he wants to kill you and not us.”

Chu Li shook his head. “Don’t assume that. He will kill you!”

He understood Zheng Yanwu’s thoughts. Whoever obstructed him would die. His urge to avenge his son’s death had driven him mad.

Chu Li sighed. “It’s all set then. You’ll fight and I’ll hide somewhere and seize an opportunity to deliver a fatal strike!”

“Alright!” Both women agreed.

…

Basked under the rays of sunset, the Radiance Clan looked like it had been covered with a layer of red, glowing light.

Chu Li and the two women arrived at the Radiance Clan and summoned all of the clan’s disciples.

Thirty or so experts, including Hu Ya, appeared in the hall and looked at Chu Li, Li Ruolan and Lu Zhen who were standing on the top of the staircase.

Chu Li scanned the members and announced in a low voice, “I summoned all of you today to introduce you to my two Senior Sisters, Li Ruolan and Lu Zhen.”

He pointed at both women. “Zheng Yanwu is here. Soon, he will come here again. As disciples of Gale Branch, will you just step inside and watch him find trouble with me?”

Everybody looked at him suspiciously.

Chu Li spoke, “Next time, when Zheng Yanwu arrives, all of you will gang up on him and eliminate him! …No one is allowed to bully Gale Branch, no matter how powerful he is!”

“Yes!” Hu Ya and the men answered in a dispirited manner.

Chu Li said, “Do not fear Zheng Yanwu and just fight him as usual. Even if he kills you, I can save everyone!”

As he spoke, he removed two jade bottles and tossed them to Hu Ya. “These are our Light Pills. Should anyone die, he can still be saved as long as no more than an hour has passed!”

Suddenly, everyone’s spirits lifted and they directed their attention to Hu Ya.

Hu Ya opened a jade bottle and emptied a shiny white pill on his palm. As it was sunset, the pill seemed like it was dyed red by the sunglow and sparkled.

Chu Li asked, “Hu Ya, are you familiar with this pill?”

“It is a Light Pill!” Hu Ya nodded hastily. He regarded Chu Li in surprise. “Branch Leader, are these really for us?”

“Of course!” Chu Li said proudly, “I don’t have other items except for spirit pills. As long as everyone puts in the effort, I will treat all of you well. If you manage to kill Zheng Yanwu this time, I shall reward everyone with two extra Light Pills each!”

“Thank you, Branch Leader!” The crowd cheered jubilantly.

Light Pills were famed spirit pills in the martial arts world. Each pill could save a life. They did not expect their Branch Leader to be so generous.

Chu Li said in a low voice, “If there are any deserters, they shall be executed!”

“Yes!” The crowd roared.

“Zhao Dahe!” A cry pierced through the noise. Zheng Yanwu was already outside.

Chu Li waved his arm. “Go now!”