Congling has long been a place of bitter cold, silent for years, but today many organizations have gathered here, some with quite impressive identities.
Inside an interstellar spaceship, the number of seated individuals wasn't large, but they were all heavyweight figures discussing, trading, and negotiating.
"Mo Hai has lost." Someone tapped the table, signaling others to look at the big screen.
The spokesperson for the New Techniques spoke calmly: "The the New Techniques have just begun, while the Old Techniques have come to an end. One is like the rising sun, the other like the setting sun. The the New Techniques have limitless potential; anything is possible. The the Old Techniques have only Old Chen left, and he is also on the verge of death. The old path is rugged, and it's nearly over in this era."
It was a pity that no one from the Old Techniques realm had the qualification to sit here.
Someone interrupted the spokesperson, coldly noting that over the years, significant resources had been allocated to the New Techniques.
Everyone present had substantial backgrounds, having unearthed incredible things underground, capable of continuing the severed old path.
They initially had a plan ready to unfold, but it had been changed right from the start.
"Last time, the secret medicine intended for several the Old Techniques experimental classes was suddenly redirected to the New Techniques instead."
This statement cooled the atmosphere, as it was a joint investment and decision by all parties.
The the New Techniques realm had sent shocking news at that time, demanding resources be skewed in their favor. That "new achievement" instantly altered all previous resolutions from every side.
It could be said that the Old Techniques had been cut off dramatically!
…
On another super battleship, the grand master of the New Techniques, Chen Kai, was adopting a low profile mainly to get a look at the golden bamboo slips.
So far, only two complete sets of golden bamboo slips had been unearthed!
One of them was in the hands of the wealthy Zhong family present before him.
However, the old man, Zhong Yong, was incredibly tough to deal with, taking substantial benefits from Chen Kai yet refusing to yield.
Chen Kai sighed inwardly; if the circumstances were different, he would have acted long ago. Unfortunately, this was a spokesperson for a super financial group, and if he dared to take action, both he and his organization would be uprooted.
Not to mention anything else, just the appearance of a super battleship was enough; training multiple grand masters wouldn't help if they were locked onto—it would lead to their swift demise!
Thus, the grand master was eager to grow stronger, hoping to step into the realm of myth.
"We have put in a great effort, truly drawing blood and boiling marrow, to gather a life-extending medicine for you. This is all we can do at present. It takes time; as we grow stronger and uncover more secrets, we can naturally extend your life. Don't think of just twenty years; if we advance further, we might be able to harvest earth immortal herbs for you, possibly extending your life by two hundred years or even more. Right now, keeping the golden bamboo slips will only let them gather dust. It would be better for us to study them; perhaps we can decipher their deeper meanings."
Zhong Yong lifted the mythical beast skin off his legs, stood up, and stretched before looking at grand master Chen Kai with a serious expression, saying, "I'm not letting you see them for your own good. Why are you digging into the roots of the Old Techniques while pursuing the New Techniques?"
Chen Kai replied, "History is a guide to understand rise and fall. By looking at the Old Techniques, we can glimpse the future of the New Techniques. Moreover, we acknowledge that the Old Techniques were exceptionally brilliant during the pre-Qin period, but the path to the immortal realms was severed in later generations. We wish to verify this; perhaps it could aid in the revival of the Old Techniques in the future."
The old man shook his head. "It's useless; you, who follow the New Techniques, will never understand the engravings on the bamboo slips. As for the text, don't even get me started. I've hired the most renowned scholars and professors at great expense to decipher them, and they haven't managed to extract a single word. Would you understand if I showed them to you? I believe your linguistic and cultural foundation still falls short compared to theirs."
The grand master of the New Techniques fell silent, inwardly cursing the old man for being so stingy, clutching the golden bamboo slips tightly while mocking their cultural depth.
He realized that unless he could extend this old man's life by another ten or twenty years, negotiations would be exceedingly difficult, as he was dealing with someone incredibly "hard to talk to."
He stood up to take his leave, deciding that letting things sit for a while might yield better results.
For now, while the New Techniques could extend life, the process was incredibly arduous. However, mastering this capability was like holding the strongest weapon—eventually, everything could be negotiated, including acquiring more resources and cooperating with relevant departments from the Old Earth to take over exploration organizations.
On the frozen ground of Congling, Old Chen's chest heaved violently until a faint white light emerged, followed by strands of crimson clouds accompanied by thunder. Only then did he gradually calm down.
With nothing more to say, he signaled to Xia Qing, and the two directly engaged in battle.
Though Xia Qing was a woman, she was tall, and her every move was accompanied by a gust of wind, sending surrounding stones and gravel swirling into the air. She leapt gracefully, covering over ten meters, and aimed a kick at Old Chen's chest.
Her entire body radiated light; her the New Techniques focused on physical resilience, with all her pores shining with brilliance, making her appear enveloped in flames—powerful and imposing.
Old Chen struck down on her sweeping foot with a palm, creating a blinding explosion of light. Xia Qing's body was propelled backward in mid-air, crashing to the ground and creating a deep pit in the frozen earth.
This showcased her formidable strength; just moments earlier, opponents hit by Old Chen's palm had either burst apart or been reduced to pieces—unable to withstand it.
Xia Qing was worthy of being a grand master; her body's strength was somewhat outrageous, and coupled with the light enveloping her, she possessed extraordinary combat power.
In an instant, her radiance intensified, and from a distance, she resembled a golden sun, her flesh blooming with sacred light.
She and Old Chen engaged fiercely, their fists and palms colliding with thunderous roars, unleashing blinding brilliance—truly a realm beyond humanity.
The gray-brown frozen ground was littered with rocks, including boulders several meters high. When struck or touched by Xia Qing, these immense stones shattered into pieces or exploded.
It was evident how incredibly strong her physique was, enveloped in dazzling light!
In the distance, Wang Xuan's expression was grave; Old Chen's condition seemed off, his breathing rapid. He felt anxious and could barely hold back as he stepped forward.
Boom!
Suddenly, Old Chen switched from palm strikes to fists, unleashing a technique resembling the Great Vajra Fist!
With a thunderous crash, Xia Qing was sent flying, her alloy armor partially shattered, including the helmet protecting her head, which exploded into fragments and fell to the ground, her golden hair cascading down.
Her slightly bluish pupils rapidly contracted; the immense force inflicted excruciating pain throughout her body, her arms went numb, and her right hand was fractured, leaving her terrified.
Old Chen advanced, his chest heaving, the technique surpassing the Great Vajra Fist perfected in under half a month, used for the first time today.
Here's the translation:
A faint mist enveloped him as he approached his opponent with heavy, powerful steps. Xia Qing evaded his attack, feeling as if the divine fire of the sun burned around her, radiating brilliance from her pores, enhancing her flesh and blood to resist Old Chen. In the ensuing collisions, Old Chen erupted with unstoppable force; after several clashes, Xia Qing coughed up blood, her right arm hanging limp, broken in three places.
Boom!
Old Chen's speed broke the limits, and despite Xia Qing's dodging, she was forced to take a direct hit, which caused her excruciating pain and several bones to break within her body. Harnessing the dazzling brilliance, she seemed to flow like fire across the earth, ready to escape, but Old Chen was faster, pursuing her and striking at her back.
With no choice, Xia Qing spun to confront him, but she couldn't block the punch; her left arm twisted and deformed, nearly severing. With a loud bang, the alloy armor over her chest exploded as a fist pierced through, leaving her bloodied and propelled backward, crashing to the ground.
Bright light surged as Grandmaster Mo Hai intervened to stop Old Chen from killing Xia Qing, sending seven white light chains to bind Old Chen's limbs. Old Chen turned and punched out, shattering the seven chains with a sonic boom, leaping over ten meters to attack Mo Hai.
Mo Hai resisted with all his strength, but with a loud thud, the white light around him was dispersed. Though he reacted quickly, avoiding as best he could, his left shoulder armor still shattered, leaving half his body damaged and bloodied as he was knocked back to the ground.
Both Grandmasters from the New Technique realm were severely injured and could not rise, suffering irreversible damage with nearly twenty broken bones and their bodies pierced through. Old Chen seemed to have serious issues as well; he stopped, clutching his chest and gasping for breath. Those on the New Technique path were both shocked and horrified; Old Chen single-handedly defeated two Grandmasters, showcasing terrifying power.
Some couldn't help but want to step forward, unwilling to watch the two Grandmasters be killed, while others noticed Old Chen's condition and were eager to act. If they could kill the last prominent figure of the Old Technique realm now, that path would be closed forever!
Wang Xuan stepped forward, and those on the Old Technique path also moved, unwilling to let Old Chen face this alone.
"Old Chen, stop it. Let's end this today," said the elderly man in Tang suit, Chang Heng, his expression complex with regret and sighs. He knew that after today, he would likely never see Old Chen again; his internal issues had been triggered.
At the same time, he understood that the two Grandmasters likely wouldn't survive, as Old Chen's character wouldn't allow them to live.
"Chang Heng, are you going to intervene?" Old Chen gasped, questioning him.
Chang Heng's heart raced; having known Old Chen for years, he understood him well. Seeing the cold glint in Old Chen's eyes, Chang Heng said nothing more and turned to board a ship.
"I practice the New Technique to strengthen my body; I'm now only doing theoretical research," he said, calling familiar faces onto the ship.
Old Chen spoke, "Old Wang, do you see? Those who remain are filled with murderous intent, fearing me and wishing not to see the Old Technique rise again."
Everyone froze; he was speaking to someone. Who was Old Wang? People speculated it might be an elder from the Old Technique faction. Only Wang Xuan and Qingmu understood who he was addressing.
Old Chen continued, "Old Wang, remember these people; be cautious. Kill when you can. This is a group that harbors deep hatred for the Old Technique, including those who once practiced it but achieved little, now turning to the New Technique."
Wang Xuan noted each person down, feeling uneasy; Old Chen seemed to be making arrangements for something final.
"Who is Old Wang?" Wu Yin, standing beside Wang Xuan, asked quietly.
Wang Xuan was stunned, wanting to say, "Big Wu, are you looking for trouble?" but he could only respond blankly, "I don't know."
"I thought he was your relative," Wu Yin said, as they shared the same surname.
Wang Chenglin chuckled, "Must be an old guy among those practicing the Old Technique next door."
Wang Xuan remained silent, thinking, Old Wu, I'll remember you! I'll settle the score later.
At this moment, Old Chen's chest rose and fell heavily, but he drew the black sword stuck in the frozen ground and began to step toward the two Grandmasters.
"Old Chen, stop. Everything should end today," Chen Kai said, approaching with astonishing speed that sent chills down spines.
Everyone understood; this was another Grandmaster!
"I've been waiting so long; I figured you'd arrive soon," Old Chen said, holding the dark long sword, his breathing steadying slightly.
In the distance, Wang Xuan's heart raced. What was Old Chen up to? He usually loved fishing; could today be a bait for himself?
Grandmaster Chen Kai spoke, "Old Chen, don't push yourself. We both know your condition is bad. I've arranged the best medical team; they'll treat you immediately."
"Don't be hypocritical," Old Chen, wearing a silver mask, raised the black long sword, saying, "You three Grandmasters showing up together is to trigger my old ailment, right? What's there to discuss about treatment?"
This statement caused an uproar; everyone was shocked, many unaware of the underlying situation, even Qingmu turned pale.
"I deliberately didn't kill those two; I was waiting for you. I know you wouldn't let me kill the two Grandmasters without a trade. That's your bottom line, isn't it?" Old Chen said with a sneer, "Unfortunately, you underestimated me. This time, I will kill all three of you Grandmasters!"
Old Chen's killing intent soared!
Although his chest rose again, the contemptuous aura he exuded was incredibly sharp, instilling fear in everyone.
At this point, Old Chen turned to the New Technique faction, coldly stating, "And you, since you've stayed and harbor hatred against me and the Old Technique, there's no need for you to live. Today, I will kill all of you!"