Chapter 154: Reduced to Ashes in an Instant

His first battle ended in victory.

After quietly reflecting upon it, Fang Han discovered that his martial will had indeed improved.

"Again!"

Rather than resting, he immediately stepped back onto the arena without pause.

Only when the martial hall closed for the night did he finally stop.

In total, he fought thirteen matches.

Every single one was a hard-fought struggle, and every victory came with great difficulty.

Although they were merely battles between Body Tempering cultivators, winning thirteen consecutive matches without taking a single break gradually caused quite a stir.

More and more spectators gathered around the arena.

"Fang Han, are you fighting again tomorrow?" someone called out as he was leaving.

Fang Han shook his head.

"No. I'm completely exhausted. I've overdrawn myself. I need to rest for a few days."

His answer immediately drew laughter from everyone present.

The world produced so-called geniuses every single day.

Fang Han's unusual performance did not attract much lasting attention and was soon forgotten.

The reason he chose not to continue fighting on the arena was simple.

He had realized that open, honorable sparring had become increasingly ineffective at tempering his martial will.

"First, the Body Tempering opponents are simply too weak for me."

"Second..."

"Matches on the arena always stop short of life and death. They're still lacking something."

So Fang Han changed his approach.

Where there is light, there is always darkness.

In this world of martial arts, the Martial Arts Association stood as the official organization for martial artists.

Hidden beneath the surface, however, countless underground organizations also existed.

The largest underground martial organization in Tianmu City was known as the Black River Society.

Using the vitality-guiding properties of the Azure Wood Vine, Fang Han altered both his appearance and physique.

Under the alias Li Shun, he joined the organization.

"If you want to become an official member of the Black River Society, you must first complete a mission."

"Kill someone."

"Do you dare?"

Fang Han nodded without the slightest hesitation.

That was precisely why he had come.

His decisiveness clearly caught the recruiter off guard.

After giving him a careful look, the man handed over a sheet filled with names.

The listed targets ranged from the Body Tempering realm to the Blood Qi realm.

Some were vicious criminals.

Others were perfectly respectable martial artists.

Fang Han's gaze settled upon the line marked in bright red at the very top.

"I'll choose him."

The recruiter froze.

"Are you sure? Wang Feng is notoriously ruthless. The number of martial artists he's killed has already reached double digits. Rumor has it he's already cultivated Inner Force and is only one step away from breaking through. On top of that, the Wang Family isn't simple either. They have a Astral Qi realm expert overseeing the clan. They're one of the most influential families in Tianmu City..."

The more Fang Han listened, the more suitable the target sounded.

"I'm certain."

"Very well." The recruiter curled his lips. "Hopefully we'll meet again."

Not long afterward, he handed Fang Han a thin booklet.

It contained detailed information about Wang Feng.

His residence.

His daily habits.

Even the martial arts techniques and combat methods he commonly used.

Fang Han accepted the mission and departed.

Two days later.

He returned carrying a severed ear.

The recruiter was instantly dumbfounded.

"How... how did you do it?"

He had already heard the news that Wang Feng had been beaten to death and that one of his ears had been cut off.

Naturally, he thought of Li Shun, who had accepted the assassination mission two days earlier.

At first, he assumed it was merely a coincidence.

Yet...

Fang Han remained perfectly calm.

"I tailed him for two days and two nights. I waited until he was at his weakest and alone before launching a surprise attack."

"Then I killed him."

The recruiter fell silent.

He knew exactly how dangerous it was for a Body Tempering cultivator to kill someone at the peak of the Blood Qi realm.

Yet the young man standing before him appeared to have suffered almost no serious injuries.

'This kid is a true talent.'

'I need to report this to the Society Master as soon as possible.'

Then Fang Han suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, is there any reward for completing this mission?"

The recruiter was speechless.

"Of course there is. Otherwise who would take these jobs?"

"Your reward is the Divine Crane Palm technique, along with one million yuan."

"Divine Crane Palm?"

Just from the name alone, it sounded like some ordinary mass-produced martial art.

Since arriving in this world, however, Fang Han had yet to come into contact with a complete martial technique.

After claiming his reward and restoring his original appearance, he immediately began studying it.

Before even finishing the manual, he tossed it aside.

"Flashy nonsense."

"It isn't even as useful as Basic Fist Arts."

He shook his head.

His battle against Wang Feng had been dangerous, but only barely.

Wang Feng had indeed touched the threshold of Inner Force.

But Fang Han possessed a trump card unique to himself.

Burning his lifespan.

Martial artists in this world also possessed secret techniques that burned their own blood essence to unleash several times their normal strength in an instant.

However, their effects were nowhere near as overwhelming as directly burning lifespan.

Their side effects were also far more severe.

Once Fang Han ignited his lifespan, Wang Feng was utterly powerless before him.

Even Wang Feng's full-powered strike failed to cause Fang Han the slightest sensation of pain.

He was effortlessly crushed.

In exchange, Fang Han merely sacrificed three or four years of his lifespan.

"The puppet is neither alive nor dead. Even so, burning lifespan during battle still lets me experience that overwhelming terror between life and death."

"My martial will has advanced tremendously."

"I'm also not far from breaking through to the Qi and Blood realm."

He had arrived in this world less than a week ago.

He was more than satisfied with such progress.

For the following period, Fang Han continued tempering his martial will through life-and-death combat by carrying out assassinations in this manner.

He originally thought he would continue until breaking through.

Unexpectedly...

One day, when he returned to the house he had recently purchased, he discovered someone already standing inside.

As though waiting specifically for him.

"Fang Han."

"You joined the Black River Society under the alias Li Shun."

"Ten days ago, you killed Wang Feng."

"Am I correct?"

The man appeared to be only in his forties.

Yet every word carried an imposing pressure that inspired instinctive awe.

Li Shun narrowed his eyes.

His body reacted before his mind could.

A needle-like sense of danger pierced every inch of him.

Even his breathing became sluggish.

'This feeling...'

'A Grandmaster?'

'No way...'

The man's next words immediately confirmed his suspicion.

"As a Grandmaster, personally killing a mere Body Tempering cultivator is admittedly beneath me."

"But I have no choice."

"I owe someone a favor from my younger days."

"You should consider it an honor to die at the hands of a Grandmaster."

He sighed softly.

Li Shun knew perfectly well that even if he burned every remaining year of his lifespan, he still would not be this Grandmaster's opponent.

Before dying, he asked several questions in rapid succession.

"Who are you?"

"I thought the Wang Family had a Astral Qi realm expert. Why didn't he come personally?"

"I concealed both my identity and appearance."

"How did you discover me?"

"Did someone from the Black River Society betray me?"

The Grandmaster before him appeared to be rather kind-hearted.

Patiently, he answered each question.

"First."

"My name is Luo Jinghai."

"Second."

"The Astral Qi realm expert you're referring to is Wang Quan."

"He's an extremely cautious man."

"He believes that if he makes a move, he must ensure absolute victory."

"Your background is mysterious, and he wasn't confident of killing you himself."

"So he spent the favor I owed him and invited me to act."

"Third..."

"You've lived in the Martial Arts Association dormitories all these years."

"Then, all of a sudden, you came into a large sum of money, bought a house, and moved out."

"That was simply too conspicuous."

After finishing his explanation, the Grandmaster asked, "Do you have any other questions?"

Li Shun shook his head.

"No."

"Luo Jinghai..."

His expression suddenly became solemn as he assumed a fighting stance.

"Then take this."

"My Basic Fist Arts!"

His lifespan ignited like blazing fire.

His entire body transformed into a streak of light as he charged straight toward the Grandmaster.

A trace of surprise flashed across Luo Jinghai's eyes.

His expression likewise grew serious.

For an instant, Fang Han seemed to see a colossal black primordial beast towering between heaven and earth, throwing back its head in a deafening roar.

...

Great Qian.

Within the Kong Family Grotto Heaven blessed land.

Li Shun, who had been quietly cultivating, suddenly showed the slightest change in expression.

After pondering for a moment, he picked up the Sound Transmission Wooden Token on the table.

"Could you help me find some close-combat body refinement techniques?"

"Preferably ones that can be used regardless of cultivation realm."

A short while later, a reply came through the token.

"Please wait a moment, honored guest."

The Kong Family's efficiency truly lived up to its reputation.

In less than half a day, more than a dozen martial manuals had been neatly arranged in a row upon Li Shun's desk.