Han Zheng returned home, and the first thing he did was activate the Taotie Furnace to prepare for entering it to cultivate.
On his way back from the Spirit Medicine Plantation until now, Han Zheng had managed to open some more acupoints, breaking through to a total of 240, but he did not open more meridians.
Although Feng Yuan from the Sanhe Gang wasn't in the Innate Realm, if he had opened twelve meridians and was at the Postnatal Perfect Warrior level, Han Zheng's strength would be far behind.
To strike first for an advantage, one needed enough strength to bolster one's confidence.
The 30 points of Hunger Level Han Zheng had saved were immediately put into the Taotie Furnace to begin his cultivation.
Li Feng said that Han Zheng had a solid foundation, so in fact, he could be even more aggressive in his cultivation.
The most direct way to increase strength wasn't through opening acupoints, but by impacting the meridians!
During the first twenty-nine days, Han Zheng had been focused on opening acupoints.
With a profound foundation and the Dragon Elephant Wisdom as his support, Han Zheng's cultivation this time was exceptionally aggressive.
His Inner Strength surged crazily, his Qi and blood roiled, and sometimes he even impacted two acupoints at the same time.
Other martial artists would see such behavior as courting death, but Han Zheng, with his deep foundation and support, could completely withstand such impacts.
The results of such aggressive cultivation were remarkable.
In those twenty-nine days, he directly opened sixty-five acupoints, averaging more than two per day.
On the remaining day, Han Zheng used it to impact the meridians, opening two in one day.
This act would also seem extremely reckless to other martial artists.
Opening acupoints was one thing; failing meant only a futile expenditure of Inner Strength, and one could simply try again.
However, failing to impact the meridians could have severe consequences, and most martial artists needed to be extremely cautious, fearing any complications.
Moreover, the intense pain from impacting the meridians was not something every martial artist could endure.
Impacting once required a long recovery before a second attempt could be made.
It was only because Han Zheng had a profound foundation and lacked a sense of pain that he dared to act so recklessly.
With his Hunger Level completely depleted, Han Zheng left the Taotie Furnace and checked his current attributes.
[Name: Han Zheng
Cultivation: Postnatal Vein Opening Realm (opened three hundred and five acupoints, ten meridians.)
Martial Arts Skills: Postnatal "Iron Elephant Skill" Perfect, Postnatal "Vajra Fist" Perfect.
Innate "Dragon Elephant Wisdom" Skill Level 17%, Innate "Vajra Demon Suppression Seal" Skill Level 10%, Innate "White Ape Extended Arm Fist" Skill Level 3%, Postnatal "Blood Slaughter Saber Technique" Skill Level 5%.
Current Status: Lack of pain sensation, abundant Qi and blood]
Having opened ten meridians, the Postnatal Perfect Realm martial artist was not far away, the gap in strength was there, but it wasn't as vast.
Plus, Han Zheng had several Innate Martial Arts skills, he was fully capable of striking above his weight.
He changed into a deep cyan outfit, took his Yanling Blade, and covered his face with a black cloth. Blending into the night, he lurked in an alley near the Zuihua Brothel, watching it intently without blinking.
Time in the Taotie Furnace was frozen; from killing Liu San to changing clothes and arriving at Zuihua Brothel, the whole process took less than fifteen minutes, Feng Yuan should still be on his way.
Since Han Zheng didn't know what Feng Yuan looked like, he could only use the tedious method of elimination, trying to identify each visitor to the brothel as Feng Yuan.
The likelihood of mistaking someone else for Feng Yuan was low.
Because in Black Stone County, there was only this one sizable brothel; the others were just small brothels in poor areas with half-closed doors.
Thus, those who could afford to drink in Zuihua Brothel were notable figures within Black Stone County, and those who achieved the Postnatal Perfect Realm were even fewer, making them easy to distinguish.
Han Zheng waited for half an hour, during which three groups of visitors arrived at the Zuihua Brothel—all were not martial artists but rather major merchants from Black Stone County.
One of them was even Guo Mingyuan's father, who had personally brought Guo Mingyuan to the martial arts academy before.
Then a man dressed in blue, his face stern and lean, with deep lines etched into his features, walked toward the Zuihua Brothel.
At the entrance, a madam with a thick layer of white makeup, a mouth wide open with a feigned smile, immediately brightened up.
"Master Feng, you've arrived, please come inside quickly. Will it be the usual today?"
This guest was a big spender at Zuihua Brothel, visiting twenty-eight out of thirty days in a month.
Moreover, he would only do two things: sleep with the girls and eat, then leave after sleeping while paying for an overnight stay—very particular about things.
"It's the usual, no warm wine this time; too many matters in the gang, not suitable for drinking."
Han Zheng immediately locked his gaze on the man, who was most likely Feng Yuan!
His surname was Feng, and judging by his vigorous Qi and blood, he was definitely either in the Late Stage or Perfect Realm of the Postnatal level.
Moreover, he mentioned having many matters in the gang; there were only three gangs in Black Stone County.
If the man left in the middle of the night, it would undoubtedly confirm that he was Feng Yuan.
Watching Feng Yuan enter the Zuihua Brothel, Han Zheng stared intensely at the entrance from his spot in the alley.
While Feng Yuan was ensconced in the warmth and fragrance of the brothel, Han Zheng stood outside, enduring the cold wind, a stark contrast.
About an hour and a half later, Feng Yuan walked out of the Zuihua Brothel, his face clearly displaying a hint of fatigue.
Han Zheng was momentarily stunned. That quick?
Discounting the time for eating, that didn't seem like much time spent in bed.
Was Feng Yuan a quick shooter?
Setting aside these messy thoughts, Han Zheng concealed his presence to the utmost, slowed his pace, and followed in the shadows of the alley behind Feng Yuan, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
As they reached a narrow, deserted alley, Han Zheng gripped the handle of his Yanling Blade, a hint of killing intent involuntarily seeping out.
Feng Yuan abruptly stopped, turned to look behind at the pitch-black alley, and sneered, "Is it the Black Tiger Gang or Sky Eagle Gang? Come out, stop hiding."
"You bunch of mongrels also dare to target me? You're simply seeking death!
"Pang Heihu and Qiu Tianying coming would be more like it!"
For many years now, the three gangs of Black Stone County had been clashing over territory, but by now, the situation had mostly stabilized.
Sanhe Gang was the strongest, forcing Black Tiger Gang and Sky Eagle Gang to join forces just to hold their ground.
But even as allies, each harbored their own schemes, so even their combined efforts could not overcome Sanhe Gang.
By now, gang leaders hardly ever engaged in fights themselves, leaving the lower ranks to struggle for dominance.
Feng Yuan was a high-ranking figure in Sanhe Gang, second only to the gang leader. He had thought it was some audacious hoodlums from the other two gangs, ignorant of their limits, trying to kill him to secure a prosperous future.
Han Zheng quietly heaved a sigh of relief in hiding.
He had previously killed Wang Xiong, slain demons, and even clashed with Song Tianqing and others.
But only Feng Yuan, with his extensive experience in the Martial World and countless battles, had such exceptionally keen senses.
The mere leakage of a trace of killing intent had been caught by him.
Since hiding was no longer an option, then he might as well not hide at all!
The next moment, Han Zheng swiftly drew his blade, and amid the darkness of night, a bright slash of sword light suddenly appeared, directly striking at Feng Yuan!
"Postnatal Perfect Realm!?"
Feng Yuan had thought it was just a minor character, but the imposing power of the attacker was startling; if not Postnatal Perfect Realm, it was very close.
The next moment, with a slight move of his hand, a bright silver short spear, the length of an arm, slid from Feng Yuan's sleeve.
With a fierce flick of the long spear, accompanied by a resonant clang of metal, Han Zheng was suddenly struck by a massive force and repelled.
Han Zheng's gaze intensified.
The worst had happened.
Feng Yuan indeed was at the Postnatal Perfect Realm, just one step away from shedding the mortal body and achieving the Innate Realm!
From the other sleeve, a segment of the spear was flung out by Feng Yuan, aligning with another segment, 'click' clanking twice as it locked, and a fine iron bright silver spear emerged in Feng Yuan's hand.
Pointing the spear at Han Zheng, Feng Yuan furrowed his brow and asked, "Which gang are you from?"
After so many years of fighting among the three gangs of Black Stone County, someone of Postnatal Perfect Realm level must be high-ranking, and there was no reason for him not to know them.
But he was indeed unfamiliar with the opponent's build and strength attribute.
"I'm here to take your life!"
Han Zheng, lowering his voice, let out a shout, the Blood Slaughter energy spilling forth, his Yanling Blade carrying a chilling fierce wind as it slashed toward Feng Yuan.
The Skill Level of the Blood Slaughter Saber Technique wasn't high, but it was the only saber technique Han Zheng had at hand.
Yet, as a demonic technique, the Blood Slaughter Saber Technique's attribute was extreme lethal power, with rapid efficacy.
As long as Han Zheng mastered the technique of condensing Evil Qi, the Blood Slaughter Saber Technique, used in an explosive fierce manner, enveloped Feng Yuan in dazzling saber light almost instantly.
The fine iron bright silver spear in Feng Yuan's hand swirled, blossoming spear flowers circling and clinking violently on the Yanling Blade.
His spearmanship was not military but a standard Martial World's style, complex and fancy, yet its power was formidable.
The fine iron bright silver spear, weighing twenty to thirty pounds, was wielded air-tight by him, preventing Han Zheng's blade from advancing any further.
"Hahaha! So you are not Postnatal Perfect!"
After exchanging more than a dozen moves, Feng Yuan roughly gauged Han Zheng's strength.
Although strong, Han Zheng was evidently still a distance from reaching Postnatal Perfect Realm.
With a roaring shout, Feng Yuan's spear trembled wildly, striking like a spirit snake into Han Zheng's saber glow, aiming directly at his throat!
Han Zheng's eyes hardened, his blood boiling tumultuously as he maxed out the power of the Dragon Elephant Wisdom.
Instead of retreating, Han Zheng twisted and swung, his left hand like the White Ape Arm Shaking, smashing toward the fine iron bright silver spear!
With the body clashing against the iron spear, a boom resonated.
Han Zheng's blow skewed Feng Yuan's spear, but the Yanling Blade in Han's hand followed the spear closely, sparks flying, and aimed directly at Feng Yuan's neck!
"White Ape Extended Arm Fist!"
He instantly recognized it, the signature technique of Li Jingzhong from Zhenwei Martial Arts Academy.
But Feng Yuan had no time to ponder why someone from Zhenwei Martial Arts Academy would want to kill him.
Blood Slaughter converged, the chilling cold causing Feng Yuan to instantly break out in goosebumps.
Gripping the tail of the spear, Feng Yuan gathered all his strength for a forceful toss!
Inner Strength burst forth, the bright silver spear may have flung Han Zheng's Yanling Blade aside but it slipped from his hand as well.
Before Feng Yuan could get relieved, Han Zheng had already interlaced his hands, forming a somewhat strange Fist Seal, crashing down from above!
The wailing gust approaching, Feng Yuan subconsciously crossed his arms in front, but was instantly met with fractured and torn arms under the impact of that seal!
With a painful scream, the second seal from Han Zheng came crashing down, Vajra Fury, Demon Suppression Evil Extermination!
Blood spurted from Feng Yuan's mouth, his face filled with utter terror.
Innate Martial Arts! This man actually possessed two Innate Martial Arts!
As this thought barely crossed his mind, Han Zheng's third seal incorporated with the ultimate power of Dragon Elephant Wisdom was smashing down from above.
Bam!
With a muffled thud, Feng Yuan's head burst open like a watermelon, brains and blood splattering everywhere.