In the ancient city, a middle-aged man with an ordinary face walked slowly through the bustling streets. The city before him was lively, much more so than other places.
"The peace of Baishi City won't last long. Once King Shenwu's army arrives, this calm will be shattered. I only hope the Gu family shows some sense, so Baishi City might be spared from the war... otherwise—"
A cold glint flickered in the man's eyes as he thought of the consequences.
This man was Si Tian.
After receiving orders from King Shenwu, he had rushed to Baishi City without delay. However, Baishi City fell under the jurisdiction of Guangyang Prefecture in Taishan County, where the governor strictly monitored the Black Xuan Guards. To enter the city unnoticed, Si Tian had paid a steep price.
Now, as he walked through Baishi City, the stability here stood in stark contrast to the turmoil of Danyang County, where war had sparked fear among the people. The bustling city life felt like an illusion, a fleeting calm before chaos.
This peace, Si Tian knew, wouldn't last.
The world was in disarray, and there was no true stability anywhere. Once King Shenwu's army reached Baishi City, the entire Taishan County would be swept into the flames of war. Si Tian had no qualms about this. To him, the Taixuan Dynasty was corrupt and a new ruler should rise to power.
As night fell, Gu Qingfeng was hard at work, honing his muscles and bones. He was practicing the Hunyuan Iron Shirt, a unique martial art of the now-defunct Tiegu Gang. The Hunyuan Iron Shirt was a top-tier, mid-level technique designed to polish a warrior's skin, tendons, bones, qi, and blood. Those who mastered it could reach the peak of blood refining, achieving near-invulnerability to water and fire.
The technique, like the Fiery Sun Palm, was divided into nine levels, with perfection marking the completion of the blood refining stage. As a Bone Refining Realm warrior, Gu Qingfeng had progressed rapidly, already mastering the first level and approaching the second in just a few days.
But despite his progress, Gu Qingfeng knew that mid-level martial arts wouldn't bring significant improvement to his current Bone Refining stage. True change would come only after he advanced past the fifth level of the Hunyuan Iron Shirt.
In the dim light, several Blood Refining Realm guards took turns striking Gu Qingfeng with iron rods. His upper body, bare and muscular, absorbed the blows without flinching. Despite the force of their strikes, which could split rocks, they left only faint white marks on his skin.
After a long session, Gu Qingfeng's energy surged, repelling the iron rods and sending the guards stumbling backward.
"That's enough. Thank you for your efforts," Gu Qingfeng said with a faint smile. His Hunyuan Iron Shirt had just broken through to the second level. Though he hadn't reached his limit, he had pushed the guards as far as they could go.
"Meng Peng!" he called.
"I'm here," Meng Peng replied.
"Reward each of them with ten taels of silver for their hard work," Gu Qingfeng ordered.
"Understood," Meng Peng clasped his fists and accepted the command.
The guards smiled in gratitude. Ten taels of silver might not seem like much to a Blood Refining Realm warrior, but for a single day's work, it was a generous reward. Over a month, that would amount to 300 taels, and in a year, over 3,000—far more than they could typically earn.
As the guards retreated, Gu Qingfeng calmly began dressing.
"You've been watching for a while," he said. "Why not come out and show yourself?"
A shadow emerged from the darkness.
"Who would've thought the mighty head of the Gu family had surpassed the Blood Refining Realm and reached the Bone Refining Realm!" Si Tian said, stepping forward.
Gu Qingfeng's expression remained indifferent. "Who are you, and what do you want here?"
"Why don't you take a guess?" Si Tian replied with a smirk.
"Guess?" Gu Qingfeng's smile turned cold. In the next instant, he vanished, his iron bones shaking as he released a surge of qi and blood. He attacked Si Tian with a palm strike powerful enough to split mountains.
Caught off guard, Si Tian barely managed to defend himself as their fists collided. The impact sent Si Tian stumbling back, his face contorted in shock.
"With such meager strength, you dare come to my Gu family and act so brazenly? Who gave you the courage?" Gu Qingfeng sneered, preparing to strike again.
Si Tian hurriedly spoke up. "I am a captain of the Black Xuan Guards under King Shenwu's command. I am here on his orders—"
But before Si Tian could finish, Gu Qingfeng launched another barrage of attacks, giving him no chance to explain. Each strike was fierce, and Si Tian found himself struggling to keep up.
The more they fought, the more fear gripped Si Tian. He had been in the Bone Refining Realm for years, with bronze bones and even a few tempered silver bones, marking him as one of the stronger Bone Refining warriors. Yet, Gu Qingfeng was overpowering him completely.
Gu Qingfeng's attacks were relentless, his energy fierce and scorching. It invaded Si Tian's body with each blow, building up inside him like a time bomb.
"Boom!"
Gu Qingfeng's Fiery Sun Palm exploded with power, and Si Tian spat out blood. His defenses faltered, and Gu Qingfeng seized the opportunity, landing a heavy palm strike on his chest, sending him flying.
Si Tian crashed to the ground, coughing up more blood, severely injured. The commotion had drawn the attention of the Gu family's guards, but Gu Qingfeng barked at them, "Leave! This doesn't concern you."
The guards retreated as ordered.
Gu Qingfeng approached Si Tian, bent down, and in one swift motion, dislocated all the joints in his limbs with a precise strike. Si Tian's face paled, cold sweat pouring from his brow as agony overwhelmed him.
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