The Tianquan acupoints, located three inches beneath the armpits, are the "Dragon Gates"âthe very hubs of Qi and Blood for the upper limbs.
Once these acupoints are opened, Qi and Blood can flow through the entire arm without obstruction, reforging the very texture of the muscles and causing an earth-shattering surge in arm strength!
As two consecutive rumbles echoed from within Su Yuâs body, the acupoints in his left and right arms simultaneously transformed into two black hole-like vortexes.
An endless torrent of Qi and Blood, like surging ocean waves or a stampeding army of ten thousand, rushed madly toward his arms.
Su Yu immediately felt waves of intense pain radiating from his arms, as if countless tendons were being torn apart, only to be instantly healed and regenerated by the endless nourishment of his Qi and Blood.
Destruction and rebirth intertwined!
The regenerated muscles grew tighter and denser, with every inch beneath the skin seeming to harbor dormant, explosive power. The once-supple muscle fibers now writhed and coiled like steel rebar forged a thousand times, carving perfect, brutally beautiful lines across the surface of his skin.
This nearly inhuman transformation lasted for almost an hour. Only after the muscles in Su Yuâs arms had been torn apart and reconstructed twice did the violent metamorphosis finally subside.
"Hah!"
âIs it over? This explosive strength in my arms... itâs simply inhuman.â
Su Yu threw a simple, straight punch.
BANG!
The crack of displaced air echoed across the Martial Arts Arena. The power of this simple punch was so astounding that it generated a visible white shockwave.
What was even more terrifying was the domineering gust of wind from his fist. It shot out, its momentum unabated, and snapped a shrub in a corner several yards away clean at its roots!
A punch like a cannon blast, a gale that shatters wood!
âThe Flesh Refining Realm is truly focused on increasing strength. Just the Tianquan acupoints increased my arm strength by at least fifty percent! No wonder itâs so difficult to fight those in a higher realm!â
âBut based on my experience, there shouldnât have been two transformations. Was it because of my innate constitution and bloodline?â
âPerhaps this is what it means to be a genius. No wonder Iâll be stronger than others in the same realm!â
âNow, I might be able to fight across realms without even using the Ape Shadow Swift Wind. If I faced that Cao Xuanshan again, I could crush him with pure strength alone!â
At long last, Su Yuâs true foundation was beginning to reveal itself! His innate constitution, comprehension, Cultivation Technique... he lacked for nothing!
âNext, before the Martial Arts Federationâs Dinglong Association, Iâll break through to the mid-stage of the Flesh Refining Realm! And Iâll achieve Greater Mastery in the Black Stone Body Forging Skill!â
âAnd I canât neglect my Breakthrough Points. Iâll see if I can save up two!â
...
ăPast noon.ă
Su Yu took a short nap. Upon waking, he was by the lotus pond, feeding his bonded koi.
[Telepathic Beast Taming Art Experience +2]
[Telepathic Beast Taming Art Experience +2]
"My Lord, someone from the Public Security Bureau is here to report!"
Li Da rushed into the backyard, followed by a panting, formidable manâit was Su Yuâs subordinate, Zhao Tie.
Su Yu brushed the fish food crumbs from his hands, turned, and frowned slightly. "Whatâs happened, Zhao Tie?"
Zhao Tie immediately reported, "Lord Su, thereâs trouble on Jade Street, in our jurisdiction! Some Martial Arts experts are brawling in the street. Brother Song Mirror has already taken some men to suppress them, but he sent word that he canât get the situation under control. He told me to come and ask you to take charge!"
Upon hearing this, Su Yuâs gaze turned cold. With the Security Guards managing the cityâs major districts, the primary directive was to prevent any chaos that the Black Lotus Sect could exploit.
If trouble broke out in his jurisdiction, his superiors would undoubtedly hold him responsible.
He immediately ordered Li Da to prepare a carriage and strode toward the main gate. "Who are the two sides," he asked as he walked, "and why are they fighting?"
"Lord Su, one side is Young Master Xu Pingyang of the cityâs Xu family. The other is a faction from Yun Jin City in Liangzhou, called Linglong Pavilion. Apparently, Xu Pingyang took a fancy to one of the women from Linglong Pavilion and made some lewd remarks. The woman has a fiery temper and struck him, injuring him."
âThe Xu family?â
Su Yuâs expression tightened. The Xu family was a major clan with a hundred-year history in the city, their business being brothels and houses of pleasure.
He recalled that a Vice Commander in the Public Security Bureau named Xu Pingshan was supposedly one of their own.
"And what kind of faction is this Linglong Pavilion?"
They hastily boarded the carriage waiting at the entrance. Zhao Tie pulled a file from his robes and handed it over.
"Lord Su, this is the intelligence file on Linglong Pavilion that Song Mirror put together."
Su Yu took it and began to read through it quickly.
In Yun Jin City, Linglong Pavilion had been a renowned faction. Most of its members were women, and it was rumored to have been established with the personal backing of the Yun Jin City Lord.
Later, when the Black Lotus Sect conquered Yun Jin City, the City Lord was killed, and Linglong Pavilion fell apart.
Some members of Linglong Pavilion managed to escape with their lives and made their way here to Black Stone City.
The current leader of Linglong Pavilion is a woman named Yu Linglong, who is said to be a former Vice Pavilion Master with the formidable strength of the Muscle Forging Realm Perfection.
According to rumor, Yu Linglong escaped with some of the pavilionâs treasures. Though the exact amount is unknown, it is believed to be a considerable fortune.
The carriage sped over the stone-paved road, soon arriving at the chaotic scene on Jade Street.
As soon as Su Yu lifted the curtain and leaped from the carriage, he heard the roar of clashing Qi and Blood from up ahead.
In the center of the wide street, two Martial Artists were locked in a fierce battle.
One was a young woman in a verdant green martial uniform. Her swordsmanship was sharp, and she exuded the powerful aura of the Third Acupoint realm. Her looks and figure were both Upper Grade, so it was no wonder she had attracted Xu Pingyangâs covetous gaze.
Her opponent was an elderly man in grey robes. He was impressively at the Skin Tempering Realm Perfection, and his ruthless moves kept the green-clothed woman steadily on the defensive.
The surrounding shops and stalls were caught in the crossfire. Struck by the gales from their clash, the ground was now littered with shattered tables, chairs, and scattered produce.
Outside the circle of combat, two opposing groups stood watching.
On the Linglong Pavilion side stood seven or eight graceful women, all holding sharp swords with their faces obscured by light veils. Their leader wore a pink gauze dress, cinched at the waist with a simple white sash. Though her features were hidden, she exuded a cold, aloof air that warned others to keep their distance.
âThis must be the Muscle Forging Realm expert, Yu Linglong.â
On the other side, a lavishly dressed young nobleman clutched his chest, shouting in pain, "Uncle Liu, break that little bitchâs legs and take her down! How dare she injure me in Black Stone City! Iâll make her regret it!"
Just then, Song Mirror, who had been standing helplessly on the sidelines, spotted Su Yuâs carriage. He let out a long sigh of relief and hurried over with a dozen Security Guards.
"Lord Su! Youâre finally here. Both of these groups are tough customers. My brothers and I are too weak; we canât get this situation under control," Song Mirror said, wiping away a bead of sweat with a wry smile.
Su Yu gave a slight nod, his cold gaze sweeping across the scene before he gave Song Mirror a pointed look.
Song Mirror understood. He immediately took a step forward, Qi Sinking into his Dantian, and roared, "Captain Su Yu of the Public Security Bureau has arrived! Everyone, cease at once!"
This furious roar, laced with Qi and Blood Power, instantly overwhelmed the sounds of the fight.
However, the woman in the pink dress, Yu Linglong, merely shot Su Yu an indifferent glance. Her expression remained unchanged, and she showed no intention of ordering her subordinate to stop.
Xu Pingyang of the Xu family clearly recognized Su Yu, and his eyes flickered. The Public Security Bureauâs fearsome reputation was spreading, as they were making examples of anyone who stepped out of line, and even the Xu family didnât dare to cross them.
But seeing that the woman from Linglong Pavilion had no intention of stopping, he couldnât afford to lose face, so he gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Seeing this, the veins on the back of Song Mirrorâs hand bulged as he gripped the hilt of his blade.
Su Yuâs expression turned completely glacial.
"Song Mirror, all military-issue armor-piercing crossbows, draw! Surround them. All of them."
"Yes, Lord Su!"
Song Mirror roared the command, and with a collective RUSTLE, the Security Guards behind him unslung the standard-issue heavy crossbows from their backs.
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICKâ
A series of synchronized, grating clicks echoed through the street as the mechanisms were wound. A dozen armor-piercing heavy crossbows, glinting with a cold light, instantly formed a semicircle, their sights locked onto everyone present.
These were heavy weapons, custom-made for the Great Xia military!
Anyone below the Flesh Refining Realm caught in a concentrated volley from these at close range would be instantly riddled with holes like a hornetâs nest.
This iron-willed, murderous display finally made both sidesâ hearts leap into their throats.
In the next instant, Su Yuâs figure blurred, reappearing directly in front of the two combatants.
A roar of Qi and Blood suddenly exploded in their ears.
"Demonic Ape Drums!"
Su Yuâs arms blurred into a storm of violent afterimages, enveloping both combatants in a web of fists!
"This is bad!"
The old man from the Xu family and the green-clothed woman were both horrified, feeling a deathly shadow descending upon them like a collapsing mountain.
The old man from the Xu family was highly experienced. He hastily crossed his arms, trying to block the blow with the full force of his peak Skin Tempering Qi and Blood.
BANG!
The instant their arms met, the old man felt as if heâd been struck head-on by a rampaging siege beast. A sickening CRACK echoed from his arms, and he was sent flying like a kite with a cut string, spewing blood.
The woman in green let out a piercing scream. "Damn youâ" *PTUI!*
The relentlessly fierce force of the punch slammed into her shoulder, sending her flying like a rag doll.
"Junior Sister!"
From the Linglong Pavilion group, two sword-wielding women cried out in alarm, their figures flashing forward to barely catch the green-clothed woman as she hurtled through the air, vomiting blood.
Once she was steady on her feet, the green-clothed woman clutched her agonized shoulder, her beautiful face contorted with venomous hatred. She glared at Su Yu, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back, and shrieked,
"You dog of an official! Who the hell do you think you are, daring to injure me?"
The old man, by contrast, didnât dare utter another word. Enduring the excruciating pain in his arm, he obediently retreated to Xu Pingyangâs side.
Hearing the womanâs shrill curse, Su Yu tilted his head slightly, a bone-chilling killing intent flashing in the depths of his dark eyes.
He slowly, deliberately, raised his right hand.
WHOOSHâ
Without the slightest hesitation, the surrounding Security Guards swiveled in unison. A dozen fully-drawn military heavy crossbows changed their aim.
Cold, tri-bladed arrowheads glinted in the sun, now locked unerringly onto every single person from Linglong Pavilion.
Killing intent hung heavy in the air, ready to explode at any moment!