Chapter 155: The Qian Emperor's Heaven Piercing Fist

"Eight Breaking Slashes, Mountain Shatter, Armor Piercer..."

"All of them are battlefield killing arts once practiced by the armored soldiers of the various kingdoms."

"As for this Imperial Fist Manual..."

"It is the standard cultivation art currently used by the Great Qian Black Armored Army. Legend has it that the Qian Emperor personally created this technique, allowing even ordinary Great Qian soldiers to unleash combat strength capable of crushing the armies of the other seven kingdoms."

Li Shun carefully flipped through the manual, thoroughly satisfied.

"The name may be somewhat plain, but in terms of battlefield lethality, it far surpasses techniques like the Divine Crane Palm."

Three days later, the puppet Fang Han had fully recovered and was once again able to enter the Martial Dao World.

This time, while the Xuanhuang Qi was weaving together his destined identity, a thought flashed through his mind.

'I want to descend into Tianmu City again. Somewhere nearby would also be fine.'

The Xuanhuang Qi seemed to pause for the briefest instant before actually granting his request.

'So it can work like this...'

Fang Han pondered thoughtfully.

When he descended into the Martial Dao World once more, his name was still Fang Han.

Identity: Young Master of the Fang Family in Tianmu City.

Cultivation: Body Tempering realm.

Fang Han quickly sorted through the memories belonging to this body.

The Fang Family was a clan of above-average standing within Tianmu City.

Although it could not compare to the overwhelmingly powerful Wang Family, it had managed to maintain its position thanks to a single Astral Qi realm expert within the clan.

That pillar supporting the entire family was none other than Fang Han's grandfather, Fang Dian.

However, Fang Dian was already eighty years old and could pass away at any moment.

Aside from him, the Fang Family possessed no other Astral Qi realm experts.

The moment Fang Dian died, the Fang Family's influence would collapse almost overnight.

Its situation could only be described as hanging by a thread.

Toward the younger generation, especially his eldest legitimate grandson Fang Han, Fang Dian had always placed great hopes.

Unfortunately, Fang Han had been pampered since childhood and simply could not endure hardship.

Despite pouring countless resources into him, his cultivation remained stuck in the Body Tempering Realm.

Left with no alternative, Fang Dian reluctantly abandoned his hopes for him and instead placed the future of the family upon Fang Han's younger brother, Fang Lie.

Fortunately, Fang Lie lived up to expectations.

Not yet twenty years old, he had already reached the Blood Qi realm.

Although the two brothers had never become outright enemies, the bond between them had inevitably grown distant.

After understanding his new identity and background, Fang Han once again began by tempering his body with the Azure Wood Invocation.

Already thoroughly familiar with the process, it took him less than half a day to completely cleanse and transform this body's meridians.

'As expected of someone raised on countless precious tonics.'

'Using the same infusion of heaven and earth's life force, I can clearly sense that this body's innate potential far surpasses my previous one.'

Li Shun stretched his limbs before standing in the center of the bedroom and beginning to practice the Imperial Fist.

Though both were fist techniques, the Martial Dao World's Basic Fist Art focused on laying a solid foundation through steady progress.

The eighty-one forms of the Imperial Fist, however, pursued only a single purpose.

To slaughter every enemy standing amid thousands of soldiers.

As Fang Han's fists opened and closed with overwhelming force, an invisible yet ferocious killing intent gradually condensed throughout the room.

Only after practicing the entire set six times to his heart's content did Fang Han finally withdraw his fists.

Closing his eyes, he slowly restrained the murderous aura overflowing from within.

At the same time, he exhaled a long breath.

Buzz...

That stream of breath resembled a razor-sharp sword, forcibly piercing through the air.

"What an incredible fist art."

"Even among the secret arts of this world's so-called Innate Grandmasters, very few can compare to such a pure killing technique."

Fang Han could clearly feel that merely practicing this fist art continuously strengthened his Martial Dao will.

"At least until reaching the Inner Force realm, I won't need to deliberately seek out opponents."

The private villa belonging to the Fang Family's eldest young master occupied an enormous estate while remaining secluded and tranquil.

For the next half month, Fang Han never stepped outside, devoting himself entirely to secluded cultivation.

With the assistance of the Azure Wood Invocation, he had refined the Imperial Fist to the point of perfection.

"However, the Imperial Fist is ultimately a killing art."

"Practice alone isn't enough."

"I'll start with the Wang Family."

A cold gleam flashed through Fang Han's eyes.

Under the cover of night, he altered his appearance and headed straight for the Wang Family estate.

The Wang Family truly deserved its reputation as one of Tianmu City's greatest clans.

After the direct heir Wang Feng had been killed, they had swiftly selected new successors.

Even more impressive was how cautious the family patriarch Wang Quan proved to be.

He had appointed six successors in a single stroke.

It was easy to imagine that even more hidden heirs remained concealed in secret.

'No matter.'

'I'll kill them one by one.'

That had originally been Fang Han's plan.

However, after observing in secret for some time, he was forced to temporarily abandon it.

Every one of those successors was accompanied day and night by a personal guard at the True Qi realm.

An Inner Force realm martial artist was still someone Fang Han had the confidence to challenge with his life on the line and ultimately defeat.

But against a True Qi realm martial artist...

He stood absolutely no chance.

"The Inner Force becomes further compressed and refined until it transforms into True Qi, circulating endlessly through the meridians. True Qi can be projected several zhang beyond the body, forming a protective qi barrier. Ordinary fists and kicks cannot even hope to break through its defenses."

"These True Qi Realm martial artists aren't members of the Wang Family. The Wang Family isn't powerful enough for that."

"Wang Quan is really this cautious?"

"That shouldn't be possible. Every True Qi realm martial artist is qualified to establish their own martial school. Unless Wang Quan paid an enormous price, none of them would willingly serve as bodyguards."

Now Fang Han was genuinely intrigued.

"Interesting."

"So, True Qi realm..."

He changed direction and headed elsewhere.

Back when he had worked for the Black River Society, he had secretly memorized quite a number of targets.

As luck would have it, one suitable opponent happened to be nearby.

Luo Yu.

Thirty-three years old.

An Inner Force realm martial artist.

The moment Li Shun entered the man's residence, Luo Yu immediately noticed him.

In the darkness, their eyes met across the room.

No words were needed.

The mutual intent to kill until only one remained alive was instantly understood by both.

"Die!"

The two figures collided like bolts of lightning streaking through the night.

After a series of dull impacts echoed through the room, Fang Han's body was sent flying backward like a kite with its string cut.

Luo Yu sneered.

"I thought you had been hiding your cultivation. So you're really only at the Blood Qi realm?"

"How arrogant."

"You're simply courting death!"

Fang Han wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and replied calmly, "You're mistaken."

"I'm not in the Blood Qi Realm."

"I'm in the Body Tempering Realm."

"A Body Tempering martial artist can still kill someone at the Inner Force realm!"

Before his words had fully fallen, Luo Yu suddenly felt his mind buzz violently.

His vision blurred.

In that instant, the world before his eyes transformed.

An endless army clad in iron armor swept across the battlefield like an unstoppable tide.

Their earth-shaking battle cries resounded through heaven and earth as they trampled mountains and rivers beneath their feet, charging directly toward him.

By the time Luo Yu regained his senses, several deep wounds had already appeared across his body without him noticing.

Each strike had landed upon a vital point.

His throat.

His groin.

His heart.

"What kind of fist technique is this?!"

Luo Yu shouted in both shock and fury.

Fang Han remained silent, immersing himself completely in the life-and-death struggle.

"Weak..."

"You're far too weak!"

"An Inner Force realm martial artist, and this is all you're capable of?"

"You've truly disappointed me!"

His voice grew increasingly cold.

The more disappointed he became with Luo Yu, the fiercer and more violent his punches became.

Every strike was aimed solely at taking a life.

Some time later, the battle finally came to an end.

Fang Han stood over Luo Yu's lifeless corpse.

The Azure Wood Invocation circulated once more.

The life force of heaven and earth surged toward him like a great whale drawing in water, repairing every deep wound on his body, even those where bone had been exposed.

"Reaching the Blood Qi realm in half a month."

"The progress isn't bad."

"Once I've consolidated my cultivation a little further..."

"It'll be time to meet those True Qi realm martial artists of the Wang Family."