Translator: Cinder Translations
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"Brother Cao?"
As they left the training room and entered the elevator, Chen Feng's doubts grew deeper.
Was he called away because of Wu Tian?
"Don't worry, it's not about Wu Tian," Cao Tong seemed to read his mind, pressing the button for the basement floor and smiling as he spoke.
"Do you remember the night before yesterday?"
Chen Feng thought back to the night he encountered the Serpent-man.
"That was one of the Evil God Cult factions, the Serpent Spirit Sect."
"And by coincidence, our martial arts hall has a longstanding feud with the Serpent Spirit Sect."
His tone was light, and as the elevator descended, Cao Tong explained further: "I mentioned that incident to the elders in the hall, and the martial arts hall decided to give you a reward."
"Do you understand?"
The elevator door opened, and Chen Feng was relieved when he saw Cao Tong's expression, which wasn't as ominous as he had feared.
"I thank you, Brother Cao."
Chen Feng sincerely expressed his gratitude, knowing full well that this was something Cao Tong had actively helped him secure.
"No big deal."
Cao Tong waved it off with a smile.
He took large strides as they left the elevator, with Chen Feng following closely behind.
Soon, they reached the basement floor, which looked quite different from the main areas. It was a heavy, metallic pathway with metal walls of the same color on both sides.
The sound of footsteps echoed as they walked for a while, coming to a doorless entryway.
Inside was dim and spacious, but as they approached, Chen Feng could smell the faint scent of herbal medicine.
"Third Elder."
Cao Tong respectfully called out from the doorway.
"Come in," came a clear yet elderly voice.
Chen Feng's heart stirred, and following Cao Tong's signal, he walked in.
The lights flickered on automatically, revealing the interior. Several wooden cabinets neatly displayed herbs, with a few ventilation holes and temperature control devices on the metal ceiling, keeping the temperature around zero degrees.
It was cold, and Chen Feng, still in a short-sleeved shirt, felt the chill, his skin breaking out in goosebumps.
By contrast, Cao Tong seemed completely unaffected, his face still flushed and healthy.
A few quick steps took them past the cabinets to the inner area, where a brown wooden reclining chair sat.
Lying there was an elderly man in a gray robe, with white hair and a wooden hairpin, dressed like someone from ancient times.
"Third Elder, I've brought him."
"Ah."
The elderly man opened his cloudy eyes and gave Chen Feng a quick scan. In that instant, Chen Feng felt an overwhelming sense of danger, as if a real, fiery red tiger had appeared before him, towering above him with blazing power.
His vision was filled with the fierce eyes of the red tiger, its cold breath filling the air.
The immense pressure made it hard to breathe, and Chen Feng felt his blood flow slow, almost as though he couldn't endure it.
At the critical moment, he focused his mind, and his powerful will surged to life again. He cleared all negative emotions from his heart, and his gaze became unshakable.
This display surprised Cao Tong, while the Third Elder gave a slight nod of approval.
"He's a good seed."
As the old man's words fell, the illusions in Chen Feng's mind dissipated immediately.
Before Chen Feng could react, a small brocade box was thrown towards him, landing in his hands.
"This is a secret medicine, the Tiger-Embrace Pill."
"Go and practice well," the Third Elder said, and Chen Feng immediately understood that he had been given a benefit, so he clasped his hands in gratitude.
The Third Elder nodded lightly and then closed his eyes to rest, no longer paying attention to him.
"Third Elder, we'll take our leave now," Cao Tong said, and they left the room.
The sound of their footsteps echoed as they walked down the hallway, the cold air blowing behind them.
Chen Feng realized that his back was already soaked with cold sweat. He knew it was from that intense encounter with the Third Elder.
This Third Elder was the strongest person Chen Feng had ever encountered, even more so than the silver-gray cyborg in terms of pressure.
"Brother Cao, what level is the Third Elder?"
Curious, Chen Feng asked once they were back in the elevator.
"Above professional level," Cao Tong answered simply. "Or, in our martial arts circles, we'd say it's above the 'Entry Level' level."
"Entry Level?" Chen Feng was surprised, having never heard this term before.
"The distinction between amateur and professional levels comes from the Platinum Federation," Cao Tong explained. "It's more in line with the current era and has become the standard for measuring individual strength on the Earth."
He paused before continuing: "As for 'Entry Level,' it's a term used in our country's martial arts circles, passed down from ancient times."
"Below that, there are three other levels: Body Training, Bone Training, and Organ Training."
"The first one is roughly equivalent to amateur level, while the latter two correspond to professional level."
Chen Feng thought for a moment and then remembered the three levels of the Flame Tiger Stance: Tiger Form, Tiger Roar, and Tiger Might.
These three levels matched the martial arts stages Cao Tong had mentioned, which refined the skin, bones, and organs.
"Well, this isn't a secret; you can find some of it online," Cao Tong said. "As for other things, once you become a formal disciple of the martial arts hall, you'll gradually learn more."
Chen Feng nodded quietly.
To become a formal disciple was the real goal of the martial arts hall. Only after reaching that point would he be qualified to know many of the true secrets of martial arts.
The requirements to become a formal disciple had already been explained by Cao Tong during the first martial arts class in the core class.
The minimum standard was to pass the Flame Tiger Stance assessment within three months in the core class.
Alternatively, if a student performed exceptionally well, the hall might make an exception and enroll them as a formal disciple ahead of time.
Chen Feng's mind stirred as he considered his chances. He believed that with the Limit Break Light Orb, he would have no problem becoming a formal disciple.
Soon, they returned to the second floor, where Cao Tong glanced at the brocade box in Chen Feng's hand.
"The Tiger-Embrace Pill is an ordinary secret medicine, but its effects might be a bit overpowering for you."
"I recommend you take it in the meditation room, where I can protect you in case of any accidents," Cao Tong advised.
Chen Feng thought for a moment and nodded, expressing his thanks.
He was soon led to the martial arts hall's meditation room, where he stood on a wooden floor and opened the brocade box.
It was small, about the size of half a palm, wrapped in yellow silk, with a white pill the size of a fingernail in the center, emitting a faint fragrance.
"When taking it, stand and visualize, so that you can absorb the medicine's effects fully," Cao Tong instructed.
Chen Feng nodded, took the pill, and put it into his mouth.
He chewed twice, feeling a slightly soft texture, but the bitter, unpleasant taste of traditional medicine made him frown. Despite the discomfort, he swallowed it down.
"Stand and visualize!" Cao Tong's reminder came again.
Chen Feng immediately entered a calm state, pushing away all distractions.
Soon, the image of the red tiger with four flaming limbs appeared in his mind.
His legs moved into the stance, and Chen Feng soon entered the state of standing meditation for martial arts practice.
As he focused inward, he could clearly feel the pill rapidly dissolving in his stomach.
Waves of warmth spread throughout his body, gradually sinking into his skin, bones, and muscles.
Gradually, Chen Feng noticed a change.
The panel floated up, showing an unprecedented sight.
[Strength: 10.8 → 10.9 → ...]
[Agility: 10.2 → 10.3 → ...]
[Constitution: 10.6 → 10.7 → ...]
Chen Feng's physical attributes—strength and constitution—were beginning to rise slowly.
At the same time, the progress of the Flame Tiger Stance was also growing rapidly.
[Flame Tiger Stance: Tiger Form (14% → 15% → 16%)]
(End of the Chapter)
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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.