"Master!"
In the inner courtyard of the Gu family, Meng Peng stood with utmost respect. His gaze toward Gu Qingfeng was filled with awe for his immense power.
He had witnessed firsthand the battle outside Bai Shi City. Qin Wei, the elder of the Qin family, and Si Yuanhao, the head of the Divine Power Hall of the Tiegu Gang—two figures well-known throughout Baishidao—had been killed on the spot by Gu Qingfeng. Alone, he had taken on six Blood Refining Realm warriors, with the weakest among them at the middle stage of that realm.
Such strength was enough to place Gu Qingfeng among the top in all of Baishidao.
For a long time, Meng Peng had assumed Gu Qingfeng was merely an ordinary Blood Refining Stage warrior. His initial purpose in joining the Gu family had been to seize an opportunity to learn their mid-level martial arts. Nothing more.
But now, any lingering doubts and resentments in Meng Peng's heart had vanished.
He understood now that with Gu Qingfeng's terrifying power, the rise of the Gu family was not just a possibility—it was almost inevitable.
In these turbulent times, the imperial court's control over local forces was weak. The aristocratic clans formed by powerful warriors often operated beyond the reach of the empire's authority. Meng Peng saw that if he followed Gu Qingfeng faithfully, he could reap great rewards as the Gu family rose to power.
He also knew that betrayal was no longer an option. To cross Gu Qingfeng now would mean having no place left to hide in all of Baishidao. He had seen Gu Qingfeng kill six Blood Refining Realm warriors with terrifying speed and precision, without a single hesitation.
"How are things?"
Gu Qingfeng's voice was calm, but Meng Peng could sense the undercurrent of power behind it.
He quickly replied, "The Qin family and the Tiegu Gang are in a frenzy, searching for the mysterious warrior who killed their men. But for now, no one suspects it's you, Master. Moreover, news of the ambush on Yun Tianxing from the Tianyun Sect by the Qin family and the Tiegu Gang has been exposed. It seems the Tianyun Sect won't let this go."
Gu Qingfeng nodded.
The Tianyun Sect, though not as powerful as the Qin family or the Tiegu Gang, was still a formidable force in Baishidao. Under ordinary circumstances, they might have swallowed the loss, but with the identities of their attackers now revealed, retaliation was inevitable.
Baishidao was destined for chaos.
In Gu Qingfeng's eyes, this chaos would only benefit the Gu family, giving them more opportunities to grow.
More importantly, the recent battle had given Gu Qingfeng a clear understanding of his current strength. Though he was still in the middle stages of Blood Refining, he knew that if he unleashed his full power, he could stand toe-to-toe with even the top-tier Blood Refining masters.
Across all of Baishidao, only a few warriors had reached the pinnacle of the Blood Refining Realm.
Still, the Gu family's foundation was fragile. Despite Gu Qingfeng's own incredible strength, he was the only member of the Gu family to have reached the Blood Refining Realm.
Even with his power, trying to dominate Baishidao alone would be difficult. A powerful outsider like Gu Qingfeng would inevitably attract the attention of the local forces. And no matter how confident he was, fighting against all of Baishidao was a daunting task.
Unless…
Unless he could break through the limits of the Blood Refining Realm and reach an even higher level.
But achieving that was no easy feat. It had taken Gu Qingfeng nearly ten years to progress from the initial stage to the intermediate stage of Blood Refining. Breaking through to the next level would take even longer.
A Blood Refining warrior had a lifespan of about a hundred years. Gu Qingfeng had already lived through a third of that. His current goal was simple: to reach the next level before the age of fifty, extending both his power and his life.
Turning to Meng Peng, Gu Qingfeng said in a deep voice, "You've done well this time. I know why you joined the Gu family. If you continue to serve loyally, I will give you the opportunity to break through the Blood Refining Realm."
With that, Gu Qingfeng took out a scroll from his robes and handed it to Meng Peng.
"This is half of the Gu Family Fist technique. Master it, and I will teach you the rest. With it, you'll have the chance to advance. But remember—this technique is highly valuable. It must not be shared. You know the consequences if you disobey."
Meng Peng's eyes lit up with excitement as he took the scroll with both hands. "I will serve the master faithfully!"
Even though it was only half of the Gu Family Fist technique and did not involve Blood Refining, Meng Peng knew it was a great opportunity. Martial arts at the skin-refining level were hard to come by, and compared to ordinary techniques, the Gu Family Fist was far superior.
"Good. You may go now."
Meng Peng bowed and left. Gu Qingfeng watched him go, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Then, Gu Qingfeng pulled out a golden brocade box from his robe. Inside was a thin manual with bold letters on the cover: Fiery Sun Palm.
This was the first time Gu Qingfeng had acquired a top-tier, mid-grade martial art. His excitement was palpable as he opened the manual and began studying it intently.
As he read, he realized the depth of the technique. It far surpassed the Gu Family Fist or the Iron Body Art in complexity and power.
Half an hour later, Gu Qingfeng set the manual down, his eyes full of wonder.
"The Fiery Sun Palm is truly profound. Even the enhanced versions of the Gu Family Fist and Iron Body Art pale in comparison."
Unlike typical martial arts, which were divided into four stages—entry, minor success, major success, and perfection—the Fiery Sun Palm was divided into nine levels. Each level corresponded to different stages of both the skin-refining and blood-refining realms. The ninth level had already reached the threshold of bone refinement.
AN - Give Power Stones