A thunderous explosion, perfectly synchronizing with a crack of lightning from the dark clouds above, shook the earth. It kicked up a cloud of dust and smoke, transforming into a visible shockwave that rapidly expanded outward.
The shockwave from the collision plunged into the ground, causing the dirt to spiderweb with cracks before shattering and sinking. Swept up by the expanding blast, the debris formed a miniature sandstorm that ravaged the surroundings. It took quite a while before it gradually settled, the dirt and rainwater mixing into a rolling, murky torrent.
Another moment passed before the dust and smoke finally cleared.
Within their sight sat Li Yiran, collapsed on the ground. His mental resolve had been completely shattered, and his pupils were filled with nothing but shock and terror.
On the other side stood Wang Ping, a hint of surprise on his face.
And between him and Li Yiran, another person had appeared out of nowhere. His expression was fierce, and as he breathed, his parted lips revealed teeth as sharp as blades.
It’s him…
Wang Ping instantly recognized the man. He was one of the two Imperial Retainers members who had given him the 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】 the other day. His name was Xu Dog, right?
“Good fist technique…”
Meanwhile, Xu Dog, who had blocked Wang Ping’s fist by a hair’s breadth, felt an indescribable, agonizing pain radiating from his palm. His heart was filled with absolute shock.
Only by truly facing this punch head-on could one understand the magnificent power contained within Wang Ping’s seemingly simple strike. After all, with his martial arts physique, bolstered by a signature technique and protected by an armor of internal force, he had actually been injured, failing to completely block the punch.
Not far away, the other Imperial Retainers member, Shen Monkey, was even more astounded.
Because not long ago, he had personally witnessed Wang Ping’s strength. While it couldn’t be considered weak, it was only at an average level, far from being considered strong.
But what the hell was this now?
Killing Xu Bingzheng, a Titled Martial Master, with one punch was one thing. But he had actually managed to injure Xu Dog.
“Three times? Five times? No, this is an increase of at least ten, maybe even dozens of times. Did he eat an immortal pill? How could he possibly improve so fast!”
The next second, under the incomprehensible and shocked gazes of Shen Monkey and Xu Dog, Wang Ping withdrew his fist. Yet, there was no joy on his face; instead, he let out a regretful sigh:
“There truly is always someone better, and a sky beyond the sky.”
That punch just now, though it appeared straightforward, definitely wasn’t just brute force. It genuinely utilized many of the techniques and methods he currently possessed.
The force originated from the ground, channeled through the spine, and permeated through his bones. It was a unified, cohesive strike. Although it looked like a single punch, it actually concentrated the power of his entire body into the knuckles. If not for the assistance of his spiritual sense, reaching this realm would have required at least twenty years of bitter training.
Unfortunately, he lacked internal force.
With his current physique, if he could extract internal force, its quality would undoubtedly be exceptionally high. If he then unleashed it with full power, it would be impossible for Xu Dog to block his fist.
Furthermore, with an internal force cultivation body, I would be able to execute the Heavenly Demon Disintegration.
By then, his strength would skyrocket once again.
The future was promising.
Of course, besides this, he still had trump cards.
For instance, the 【Spirit Snatching】 art he had just learned in his last life had many uses. It was just a pity he hadn’t cultivated spiritual power yet, so he couldn’t unleash its true might.
Wang Ping silently reviewed the exchange in his mind, weighing his gains and losses. He then looked at Xu Dog before him. After confirming he at least possessed the ability to escape, he cupped his hands and said:
“Greetings, Senior…”
Before he could finish, Shen Monkey walked over. Using divine intent voice transmission, he cut straight to the chase: “You’ve mastered the 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】?”
Wang Ping was taken aback, then nodded.
Seeing this, Shen Monkey sucked in a deep breath. Just as he suspected, this Cavalry Guard was also an 【Extraordinary Talent】, born with an innate ability, possessing strength far beyond a mortal.
Thinking of this, he grew even more excited and hurriedly pressed:
“How many arts?”
“…” Wang Ping blinked.
Seeing his reaction, Shen Monkey urged impatiently, “Don’t be afraid, just tell me honestly. One art? Two arts? Surely it can’t be three, right?”
Wang Ping: “?”
Wait, is this martial art really that difficult?
I didn’t notice when I took out the loan.
For a moment, Wang Ping was plunged into rare doubt. After pondering for a moment, he came to a decision. Looking at Shen Monkey, he also used divine intent voice transmission:
“One art.”
“What?” Shen Monkey was stunned upon hearing this, subconsciously shaking his head: “Impossible. With a mere single art, how could you possibly deliver such a ferocious punch…”
His voice came to an abrupt halt.
A moment later, a look of horror slowly surfaced on his face: “One art, one art… You’ve mastered all thirteen arts of the 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】?”
Wang Ping nodded.
“Really?” Shen Monkey gritted his teeth: “I don’t believe it.”
If this guy had truly mastered the complete 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】, with his powerful divine intent, how could he possibly not see it?
Hearing this, Wang Ping silently deactivated the concealment of the 【Thief of Life】.
Rumble!
In an instant, Shen Monkey felt heaven and earth spin. The divine intent locked onto Wang Ping suddenly transmitted a burning sensation, like looking directly at the sun during midday.
It was a full fourteen soaring colors of light—a bronze head and an iron forehead, arms capable of lifting thousands of pounds, standing firm like a Vajra, a hundred-step divine fist, splitting monuments and cracking stones, stepping on land and piercing through steel, elbows heavy as mountains, knees like copper walls, a belly hard as armor, fingers piercing metal and stone, a throat locking steel blades, the golden spear never falling, bones of iron and sinews of steel, and the Indestructible Vajra Body.
“…”
At this moment, Shen Monkey fell into unprecedented bewilderment. For a moment, he even forgot what heaven and earth were, suspecting he was dreaming.
He had practiced martial arts for nearly thirty years.
From catching the Chief’s eye and being selected into the Retainers Hall, to ten years of bitter training, and finally claiming the position of 【Shen Monkey】 in a single battle—he had always been a heaven-sent genius in everyone’s eyes.
He had once thought that practicing a mere 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】, an unorthodox martial art, would be a piece of cake. But this “piece of cake” ended up taking him thirty whole years, and he had only barely managed to master nine arts. Reaching ten arts felt impossibly out of reach.
Yet now, a kid from who knows where…
He received the cultivation method yesterday, and mastered it today. And it was a great perfection of all thirteen arts—an achievement no one besides the Chief had ever accomplished…
What was this?
His thirty years of bitter cultivation couldn’t compare to someone else’s single night?
For a moment, Shen Monkey felt that the fourteen colors of light before him were incredibly dazzling and beautiful, yet the more he looked, the more his nose stung.
Am I not a genius?
Shen Monkey found it hard to stop himself from thinking this way. After all, compared to him, the young man before him was the true peerless genius, the lucky one favored by the martial path.
“Hiss!”
The next second, Shen Monkey sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. Swaying slightly on the spot, he barely managed to steady his state of mind before forcing a stiff smile at Wang Ping.
“I believe you. Little brother, your talent is truly exceptional, a cut above even my own.”
Only then did Wang Ping withdraw the anomaly.
As the 【Thief of Life】 resumed operation, the soaring, colorful light vanished once more, and Wang Ping reverted to his previous unremarkable appearance.
Seeing this, Shen Monkey felt somewhat reluctant. After all, he dreamed of having those fourteen colors of light. For a moment, he desperately wished Wang Ping would perform it for him one more time.
“Shen Monkey?”
On the other side, Xu Dog was still somewhat confused, as Wang Ping and Shen Monkey had communicated entirely through divine intent voice transmission—an encrypted conversation. He hadn’t heard a single word.
However, his call immediately snapped the absent-minded Shen Monkey back to reality. Shen Monkey then glanced at the crane-feather Black Cloak on Xu Dog’s body, representing his status and position in the Retainers Hall. As if remembering something, he suddenly spoke: “Little Dog, don’t you see it’s still raining heavily?”
Xu Dog blanked: “Huh?”
Before he could react, Shen Monkey continued: “The weather is cold right now. Hurry up and drape that cloak of yours over little brother Wang’s shoulders.”
Xu Dog: “…”
For a moment, Xu Dog thought Shen Monkey was recalling their earlier conversation and making a joke, until Shen Monkey actually reached out his large hand toward him.
The next second, Shen Monkey pulled the Black Cloak right off Xu Dog’s back and affectionately draped it over Wang Ping. His face was filled with the gentle warmth characteristic of an elder: “Little brother Wang, some matters are more urgent than others. Let’s put the Longxing County mission on hold for now. We’ll head back to the capital first. The Chief definitely wants to see you.”
Wang Ping blinked: “I am here under an imperial decree.”
“Special circumstances call for special measures.” Shen Monkey waved his large hand. “Trust me, right now, you are more important than anything else. His Majesty will understand when he finds out.”
“That won’t do.”
Wang Ping shook his head, his expression serious: “I am the Emperor’s personal guard, a Gilded Cavalry Guard, and my family has received imperial grace for generations. Now that I am here under decree, how can I abandon my duty halfway?”
“What are you trying to say?” Shen Monkey frowned.
“…You need to add more money!”
Wang Ping finally revealed his true intentions, whispering, “This 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】 should have a subsequent, corresponding internal force cultivation diagram, right?”
“Oh? You want the 【Martial God Illustrated Record】?”
Shen Monkey was taken aback, but didn’t agree immediately. Instead, a look of difficulty crossed his face: “It’s not that I can’t give it to you, but the version I have is a simplified one.”
“It’s only suited for someone like me… um, someone whose talent is slightly inferior to yours.”
“Since you’ve completely mastered the 【Thirteen Grand Protectors Body-Tempering Art】, you should logically learn the complete 【Martial God Illustrated Record】. But only the Chief has that…”
At this point, Shen Monkey said helplessly:
“So, you still have to go to the capital with us and see the Chief first.”
“Forget it then.”
Wang Ping shook his head: “Pay the deposit first… I plan to slaughter this guy. Just don’t stop me.”
With that, Wang Ping looked back at Li Yiran.
The man had lost all the pride and elegance of the Human List martial master 【Landscape Brush】. Covered in mud and rainwater, he looked utterly miserable and disheveled.
Seeing Wang Ping walking toward him, panic filled his face.
However, the next second, Shen Monkey stepped in front of him again, whispering, “Killing one as a warning to others is enough. Killing another would be taking it too far.”
“The Imperial Academy will not allow such a thing to happen, and our side is not prepared for a direct conflict with them. Since things have already reached this point, it’s better if both sides take a step back. Let Xu Bingzheng’s death go; you will temporarily assume the duties of County Magistrate, and Li Yiran keeps his life, but he must return to the capital.”
“What do you think?”
Shen Monkey felt that Xu Bingzheng’s death was already a blow to the Imperial Academy. If Li Yiran also died, it would be pushing things too far and detrimental to the big picture.
Moreover, the Retainers Hall and the Imperial Academy were both part of the imperial court.
If relations became too strained, it would be difficult to handle affairs in the future. Although the Imperial Academy definitely couldn’t defeat the Consecrated Hall in a fight, if they really wanted to cause trouble, it would be very difficult to deal with.
“I agree!”
Li Yiran spoke first, lowering his head with utmost submissiveness, devoid of any arrogance. “My Imperial Academy has lost this time. I will report this to Master Cheng.”
“The Imperial Academy concedes defeat. Let this matter end here.”
“After all, Xu Bingzheng is insignificant. If he’s dead, he’s dead. He doesn’t come from a major aristocratic family, so no one would be willing to offend the Retainers Hall over him.”
“…”
Wang Ping didn’t respond.
Although Li Yiran’s words sounded very nice, his 【Desire Realm Deva】 allowed him to capture the emotions and thoughts of others. At this very moment, he could sense it clearly—
【Anger】.
Beneath his seemingly submissive exterior lay a towering inferno of rage. Wang Ping had no doubt that if he let Li Yiran live today, retaliation would inevitably follow.
“…When cutting weeds, one must remove the roots. What if I must kill this person?”
Wang Ping asked flatly.
As soon as he spoke, Shen Monkey’s expression shifted slightly. Xu Dog showed a hint of disgust and couldn’t help but say: “As an Imperial Retainers member, you must prioritize the big picture.”
“Are you really going to let the relationship between the Retainers Hall and the Imperial Academy sour just because you’re afraid of retaliation? If that happens, the Retainers Hall will simply abandon you.”
“Is that true?” Wang Ping looked at Shen Monkey.
“Uh…” Shen Monkey opened his mouth. He thought about the aptitude of this peerless genius before him, then about their Chief’s style, before shaking his head:
“It won’t go that far. They’ll still protect you. You’re different from Xu Dog.”
Xu Dog: “…?”
“But he’s right about one thing. We Imperial Retainers members shoulder the weight of the realm. In our actions, we must strive to consider the big picture.”
“I understand,” Wang Ping nodded happily.
“Understand? Understand what?”
Shen Monkey was taken aback, then seemed to realize something. His expression changed drastically, and he lunged forward to block Li Yiran again, but he was too late.
Before he could act, Wang Ping had already activated the 【Spirit Snatching】 art. His spiritual sense vibrated, forming an invisible hand that forcefully grasped at Shen Monkey and Xu Dog.
The two were suddenly thrown into a daze, standing frozen in place, seemingly forgetting what they were supposed to do. Then, Wang Ping’s fist landed lightly on Li Yiran’s head.
“You!?”
Li Yiran’s eyes went wide. He couldn’t believe what Wang Ping had done, nor could he understand how he did it, but he clearly realized one thing.
He was going to die.
Leaving aside the fact that he had just fought his way through the 【Black Armor Battalion】 and his stamina and energy were not at their peak—even if he was at his peak, he likely wouldn’t have been able to block this punch.
I… I…
For a moment, Li Yiran’s eyes were filled with despair and unwillingness. But even pushing his divine intent to its limits only slightly slowed down the flashback of his life flashing before his eyes.
Bang!
With a soft thud, Wang Ping’s fist pierced clean through Li Yiran’s skull. As the force erupted, his sinews and bones were pulverized into a muddy pulp.
“Wang Ping!”
The next second, Shen Monkey and Xu Dog snapped back to reality. Xu Dog was furious and nearly attacked on the spot, but was stopped by a complicated-looking Shen Monkey.
“Why?” Xu Dog turned back, glaring angrily.
Shen Monkey’s answer was simple:
“He’s already dead.”
A dead man holds no value. Since Li Yiran was dead and conflict between the Imperial Academy and the Retainers Hall was inevitable, protecting this excellent seedling was far more important.
In other words—
“Imperial Retainers members must prioritize the big picture… Senior is absolutely right.”
Wang Ping withdrew his fist, took a very respectful step back, and bowed: “However, looking at the current situation, the big picture on my side seems to be a bit more important.”