Volume 2 Chapter 40: Night Intrusion - Martial God

Chapter 40: Night Intrusion The moon cast a grayish white hue over the courtyard, and stars dominated the entire night sky. There was an indescribable stillness in the manor, a heavy silence akin to the slow passage of time. He Yiming sat in his room, his thoughts lingering on the three visitors from the Fan family the day before. Fan Haoyue was not within his range of concern. This person, slightly older than He Yiming's eldest brother, also seemed to possess a level of inner power slightly superior to his brother's. Although he hadn't reached the pinnacle of the Seventh Layer, he was still a figure of note among the younger generation. Even though He Yiming hadn't traveled extensively, he had encountered many young talents, especially from the four great families of the Huoluo Kingdom, where exceptional individuals were abundant. Yet, those who reached seven strata before the age of twenty-five were extremely rare. People like Lin Taoli, who reached the ninth layer of inner power at under forty, were even rarer. However, after his experience at the Xie estate, He Yiming understood that Lin Taoli must have consumed numerous elixirs to reach such a state. Apart from the ultimate elixirs that help break through limits, there are also vitality elixirs that increase energy rapidly, allowing conversion to inner power. If someone claims Lin Taoli achieved his current prowess without these, He Yiming would never believe it. Therefore, individuals like He Yiming and Fan Haori, who rose from ordinary families, were considered exceptional talents if they reached the Seventh Layer peak before turning thirty. Of course, He Yiming was an exception. After his fortuitous encounter at the lake, his progress could no longer be measured by conventional standards. Yet, while Fan Haori was noteworthy, he wasn’t at the forefront of He Yiming’s thoughts. He was more concerned about the two mysterious brothers who accompanied Fan Haori. Their prowess was outstanding, especially with those intriguing armguards. But what truly piqued He Yiming’s interest was their incredible footwork technique. Ever since the duo left, He Yiming had secluded himself, striving to replicate this technique, hoping to integrate it with the cloud and rain techniques Lin Taoli demonstrated, forming his light-footed martial art. He had this inkling that if he could create such an art, it would undoubtedly be an innate skill. However, crafting an innate skill is no small feat. Even with He Yiming's extraordinary experiences and having witnessed similar yet diverse abilities, it wasn’t an easy task. With a long sigh, He Yiming finally opened his eyes. His gaze sparked with clear intent, pondering whether capturing those brothers would compel them to reveal their innate footwork skill. Yet, this thought was fleeting; he had not descended to such ruthless extremes. Suddenly, He Yiming's head tilted slightly, his face etched with surprise. If he wasn’t mistaken, an expert had stealthily scaled the wall of the manor under the cloak of night. Without He Yiming, a cultivator at the innate realm, present, no one would have detected the slightest disturbance. Certainly, he was sure that his uncle, He Quanxin, was oblivious to it. However, the next moment, He Yiming’s expression turned to one of delight. He recognized the footwork of the intruder, remarkably similar to that of the mysterious brothers. Yet shortly after, He Yiming was certain this person couldn't possibly be one of those brothers. This intruder's inner power wasn't at the ninth layer but had already reached the pinnacle of a postnatal expert with a tenth layer. Although newly advanced, it vastly surpassed the ninth layer of inner power. Besides, while the intruder's movement bore resemblance to the innate footwork skill, it merely shared similarities and lacked the essence. With a moment's thought, He Yiming understood. This individual likely had connections to the mysterious brothers but lacked their innate martial comprehension, thus unable to grasp the innate footwork fully. Indeed, innate skills are formidable, demanding exceptional talent beyond normal capacities. Even for a tenth-layer postnatal expert, learning an innate skill of the same type wasn't guaranteed. He Yiming’s mind spun, a cold smile forming. Since the intruder was here, he ought to welcome him properly. Silently, he opened the door, his true energy controlling it so even the faintest sound was absent. Through increased use, He Yiming became increasingly adept at controlling his true energy. In combat, channeling substantial amounts into weapons could unleash immense power. However, not all weapons could withstand this infusion; without being reinforced by special mineral blends, powerful energy could melt even the strongest metals. Particularly in battle, channeling energy into standard weapons could obliterate them before harming an enemy. Yet, in everyday life, harnessing tiny amounts of true energy sufficed for assistance without damaging surrounding items. As time passed in the innate realm, his dependence on true energy only grew stronger. His body moved, He Yiming taking large strides, his steps seemingly heavy but silent as if stepping on thick cotton, or like a cat's stealthy paws. Though never formally trained in light-footed arts, achieving silence with true energy was effortless. Just as He Yiming exited his courtyard, his steps abruptly stopped, a curious expression crossing his face. It was unclear whether the night's intruder was lucky or profoundly unlucky. As the intruder moved towards the manor's interior, his uncle He Quanxin also abruptly awoke and stepped out. He Yiming was puzzled—could it be that his uncle had detected the intrusion? Moments later, He Quanxin opened his door, and at that instant, noticed a shadowy figure. Almost simultaneously, the figure turned, eyes meeting He Quanxin’s in the air. These were eyes prepared, harboring a sinister sharpness and aggressive momentum. Though the intruder's face was obscured by a black cloth, his body stood straight as a post, unbending. Instantly, He Yiming and He Quanxin understood that this person hadn't sneaked in under the cover of night for thievery or skulduggery, but to openly confront He Quanxin. He Yiming sighed inwardly, having underestimated this individual. A tenth-layer postnatal peak expert indeed possessed his dignity, conducting matters by night without being underestimated. He Quanxin’s gaze tightened, sensing the immense aura exuding from his opponent. This was an expert of equal standing, an expert not inferior to him. Facing such an equal, a fervor rose within He Quanxin, his blood seemingly boiling. Since ascending to the tenth layer, he hadn’t faced a worthy opponent. In He Family Manor, neither Old Master He Wude nor He Yiming, the prodigious nephew, would engage in life-and-death battles with him. Even the formidable brothers from the previous day weren’t tenth-layer experts; facing them lacked fulfillment. Yet now, before him, stood an equal opponent, sparking the excitement within He Quanxin, renowned as a martial fanatic of the He family. Sensing He Quanxin’s fighting spirit, the masked man took a sudden step forward, bridging the gap in an instant. With his advance, an intense heat emanated, his palms striking like branding irons. He Yiming felt a twinge of anxiety—this was a fire-based martial art, elevated to the tenth layer with formidable power. Among the five elements, fire arts might not lead in sheer destruction, but in aggression, they undoubtedly ranked first. Unleashing a fire-based art to the extreme surged a momentum akin to volcanic eruptions. “Whoosh…” The surrounding air reacted, becoming dry and scorching. The path the intruder crossed left the small flowers and grass withering instantly. He Quanxin’s eyes blazed, refraining from shouting, opting for a silent counterattack instead. His hands pushed forward as if attempting to move a towering, insurmountable mountain. However, this movement emanated an overwhelming sense that even such a colossal barrier would crumble under his force. The essence of earth-based martial arts—weight, stability, and gravity—was executed perfectly at that moment. It is in this kind of unrestrained, direct confrontation that one can unleash their full potential. At this moment, He Quanxin felt a sense of clarity and his energy surged to its peak. "Boom..." A tremendous clash erupted from their palms meeting. The masked man advanced suddenly but then retreated, his previously reddened palms now showing signs of paling. He Quanxin’s feet were planted firmly, sinking a few inches into the ground. A red glow shimmered over his body, leaving his outer garment slightly singed, but he otherwise remained unharmed. Though the exchange appeared evenly matched, He Yiming, as an onlooker, realized his uncle's inner power was slightly superior. The anxiety in his heart dissipated. In battles among equally skilled experts, even the smallest margin could decide the victor. Should the masked man lack any exceptional techniques, his chances of winning were slim. If one of the mysterious brothers had reached the tenth layer, He Yiming might have worried for his uncle. After all, they possessed an innate light-footed skill. A post-natal practitioner with innate techniques is unmatched within their rank. Yet, this individual was different—he had not mastered the innate skill. With a rudimentary version of the light-footed technique, he couldn't possibly defeat He Quanxin. After all, He Quanxin wasn’t a novice; he had honed his martial skills for decades, earning acclaim even from the venerable He Wude as the He family’s martial prodigy. Particularly, his mastery lay in the most steadfast element of the five: earth-based techniques. Their core trait is solidity and balance. Unless countered by a clashing technique, in combat, if slightly weaker, defeat is likely. But with even a marginal advantage, losing becomes difficult. Like a stubborn, stinky rock in a latrine, such is the true nature of earth-based martial arts. "Who is it..." "An intruder..." "Catch the thief..." In an instant, cries echoed from every corner of the manor. The clash between two tenth-layer experts was thunderous, enough to ensure no sleep for those nearby and awaken those in neighboring courtyards. The masked man cast a deep look at He Quanxin, then burst into loud laughter, "Impressive skill, earth-based at the tenth layer. Remarkable." With that, he moved like a quivering black flame, retracing his path in a flash. He Quanxin lifted his foot to pursue but halted, watching the vanishing figure in thought. With his perceptiveness, he knew the opponent’s light-footed skill surpassed his own; chasing would be futile. Thus, rather than making a public spectacle, conserving energy was wiser. Within Yuan Manor, night watchmen quickly arrived after hearing the commotion, only to find He Quanxin alone, with the so-called intruder having vanished without a trace. Among the gathering figures, Yuan Chengzhi appeared, his face adorned with suspicion and anger. Someone causing trouble within the Yuan Manor was a blatant provocation, infuriating him. "Brother He, who was it?" He Quanxin shook his head slightly, "Masked, exchanged a palm strike, then retreated." Yuan Chengzhi was taken aback, a chill running down his spine. To trade blows with He Quanxin and withdraw unscathed—a feat even he couldn’t achieve. "Brother He, was that person hurt?" Yuan Chengzhi asked, clinging to a glimmer of hope. He Quanxin shook his head again, "No, their inner strength matched mine." Yuan Chengzhi's face turned ashen. A tenth-layer expert in their midst? Fortunately, it was He Quanxin they encountered. Had it been him... Yuan Chengzhi shook his head, unwilling to dwell on it further. "Brother He, it’s a good thing you detected them early. Otherwise, the manor would have been in peril," Yuan Chengzhi acknowledged, forcing a smile through his worries. He Quanxin returned a wry smile, "Brother Yuan, you flatter me. I was merely seized by an urge to practice when I encountered this person. I believe they came specifically for me." Yuan Chengzhi hesitated, "Do you know who it was?" With a slight wave, He Quanxin suddenly asked, "Brother Yuan, you mentioned Fan Shuhe practices water-based martial arts, correct?" Yuan Chengzhi nodded immediately, "Correct, his specialty is water-based arts." His expression tightened, asking, "Was it Fan Shuhe?" He Quanxin sighed, "It wasn’t Fan Shuhe; this person used a fire-based skill at the tenth layer." Yuan Chengzhi was speechless, unable to fathom who else would choose this night to intrude Yuan Manor, seemingly seeking He Quanxin specifically. However, the notion of this person having no connection to the Fan family was simply unbelievable. He Quanxin pondered for a moment, "Brother Yuan, while this wasn’t Fan Shuhe, their light-footed skill bore some resemblance to the mysterious brothers from yesterday." Yuan Chengzhi's face turned pale—such was the power of the notorious brothers, almost equivalent to a tenth-layer expert together. If another tenth-layer expert joined them, their challenge in ten days would seem laughable. Seeing Yuan Chengzhi’s expression, He Quanxin quickly added, "Brother Yuan, it was merely a fleeting look in the dark, not necessarily accurate. Don’t worry too much." Yuan Chengzhi forced a smile, yet relaxation eluded him. He Quanxin’s skill and judgment wouldn’t lightly claim such, indicating a likely connection to the mysterious brothers. Though overwhelmingly troubled, Yuan Chengzhi, seasoned by experience, understood he must remain composed. After directing everyone to return to rest, he departed to discuss matters with the Elder Yuan. Returning to his room, He Quanxin was met by He Yitian. However, He Yitian's usual composure was absent as he softly said, "Father, Yiming is missing." He Quanxin was startled, "What?" "I haven’t seen Yiming since, so I checked his room. Surprisingly, he's gone, leaving only a replica of him with the guandao under the covers," He Yitian said, smiling wryly. A surge of realization hit He Quanxin—He Yiming must’ve pursued the masked man. "Father, Yiming is likely chasing that man. What should we do?" He Yitian asked anxiously. He Quanxin shook his head slightly, "Don’t worry about him. Let’s go back to sleep." He Yitian was stunned, "Father, aren’t you concerned? That man is a tenth-layer expert." Patting his son’s shoulder, He Quanxin reassured, "Relax, Yiming’s skill matches mine. While he may not win, he can certainly protect himself." A smile crept upon his face, "Besides, he should stand on his own now." Watching his father leave with a smile, He Yitian was filled with mixed emotions, wondering when he might hear such praise himself...