Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

at the same time,

On the vast grasslands in the northern part of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Amidst the tranquility, the occasional neighing of spirited horses brings a touch of life to the desolate grassland.

Rows of brand-new yurts stood guard, surrounded by heavily armed soldiers patrolling on horseback.

The falcons in the sky sang loudly, their calls carrying for miles.

"General Guan, the 'Northern Guan Army' wants to cooperate with the Japanese and the Russians. What are your specific plans?"

“Simon Hall occupied the capital, and Prince Qian, Chen Jie, did not seize the opportunity to declare himself emperor. Instead, he assisted the Crown Prince Li Heng in succeeding to the throne. I know that the soldiers of the ‘Northern Pass Army’ were very dissatisfied.”

"Everyone was holding their breath, wanting to return to the capital and seize the throne of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"However, Commander Guan, you know how formidable Chen Jie, the Prince of Qian of Ximen Hall, is. How easy is it to fight your way back to the capital?"

“I believe you know better than anyone that cooperating with the Japanese and the Russians is like asking a tiger for its skin, and it will not benefit the ‘Northern Pass Army’ at all.”

Inside a luxurious tent.

Guan Qilin, the commander of the 'Northern Pass Army', was sitting at the tea table, leisurely drinking tea.

Although he had arrived at the northern grasslands, his habits from Jinling remained unchanged; he preferred to drink tea quietly and disliked drinking horse wine.

Sitting next to him was Situ Diewu from the Hongmen.

After Chen Jie killed Situ Wushang, the leader of the Hongmen, his adopted daughter Situ Diewu and his disciple Hua Tianlong, along with other key members of the Hongmen, went their separate ways.

Situ Diewu defected to Guan Qilin of the 'Northern Pass Army'.

"Even Buddhas fight for a stick of incense, and people fight for a breath of air! What everyone really wants is not to seize the throne of the Great Qian Dynasty, but to be driven out of the capital by Ximen Tang. Everyone harbors resentment!"

Guan Qilin put down his teacup, looked up at Situ Diewu, and said calmly:
“All the generals of the ‘Beiguan Army’ are brothers who have followed me for many years.”

"After they arrived on the grassland, perhaps the change of environment inspired everyone's competitive spirit."

“The Russians have considerable influence here. Our brothers in the ‘Northern Pass Army’ are all martial artists and have had many conflicts with the Russians.”

"We have always underestimated the people of Northern Russia. We didn't expect that there are so many experts in their forces. Some of their major forces are no less powerful than the Hongmen and the Brotherhood."

"Now, many top-tier experts have joined the 'Northern Pass Army,' and after hearing that 'Prince Qian' Chen Jie has become the number one expert in the Great Qian Dynasty, many people want to challenge him."

"Especially Li Runzhe of the Northern Dynasty, this guy led the Northern Dynasty army to form an alliance with my army, and he is eager to have a life-or-death battle with Chen Jie."

Upon hearing this, Situ Diewu exclaimed in surprise, "Li Runzhe wants to challenge Prince Qian, Chen Jie? This madman, is he tired of living?"

She was very familiar with Chen Jie's combat capabilities.

While in Hankou, Chen Jie actually reached the Blood Pill Realm, transforming his sword energy into a dragon. He integrated the power of heaven and earth into his swordsmanship and killed her adoptive father, Situ Wushang.

Chen Jie's martial arts have now broken through to the Great Perfection of the Meridian Opening and Qi Strengthening Realm, and he has single-handedly thwarted the Japanese's "Destroy Qian" plan.

Such a terrifyingly powerful and invincible figure is a death sentence for anyone who challenges him, unless they are someone like Miyamoto Musashi.

Situ Diewu took a deep breath and continued:
"Does Li Runzhe not know the fighting strength of Prince Qian, Chen Jie? He probably doesn't know about Prince Qian's feats in Jinling, does he?"

"Just a few days ago, the four strongest 'indestructible' experts from the East and Song Zhong, the leader of the Brotherhood, joined forces to assassinate Prince Qian, Chen Jie. In the end, they were killed by Prince Qian, and none of them escaped."

"Finally, the Qian King also issued a public notice to the world, ordering the Japanese ambassador to go to Xuanwu Square in Nanjing to collect the body."

"The major gangs in the Jianghu of the Great Qian Dynasty, as well as the major martial arts families in Japan, are now making a great fuss."

"Just yesterday, major martial arts families in Japan held a gathering to bury the bodies of four super strong individuals at the foot of Mount Fuji."

"The major martial arts families of the East have sworn a blood oath to fight the Great Qian Dynasty to the bitter end and never back down."

"Miyamoto Musashi has accepted the challenge from Prince Qian, Chen Jie, and the time is set for three months from now. At the same time, he has canceled the East Sea battle with the Sword Master of Jingyun."

Guan Qilin nodded slightly, his face solemn.

"The news that five super strong men attempted to assassinate Prince Qian but were ultimately killed in the process has spread throughout the martial arts world!"

"However, the Japanese have actually sworn a blood oath to fight the Great Qian Dynasty to the death. It seems they are preparing to launch a full-scale war. This matter should not be underestimated."

"Given the Japanese nature of 'undeclared war,' given the delayed decisive battle by Miyamoto Musashi, the Kwantung Army should launch a full-scale attack on the Daqian Dynasty within three months."

"No! I need to go and discuss with the North Koreans how to cooperate with the North Russians to maximize our benefits."

finished,

He stood up and said to Situ Diewu:

"By the way, Li Runzhe is sparring with someone at the training ground. Why don't you go and see him?"

“Back then, Li Runzhe spent a year in the Hongmen of Guangfu City and had a good relationship with Situ Wushang. You two had dealings with each other. Although we haven’t seen each other for many years, he has mentioned you to me several times.”

“Li Runzhe dares to challenge Qian Wang Chen Jie, and he has the confidence to do so.”

"Over the years, Li Runzhe has had some kind of extraordinary encounter, and his strength has increased dramatically, reaching an unfathomable level. Even I can't see through him."

“A few days ago, this guy fought a duel with Alexander Zolovsky, the youngest Golden Knight in Northern Russia, and killed Zolovsky in just a few moves.”

Upon hearing this, Situ Diewu's eyes suddenly lit up, and her gaze flashed.

"The Golden Knight of the Alexander family!? I know him. He has extremely high talent and terrifying strength."

"I didn't expect Li Runzhe to defeat Zolovsky so easily? Has he become that strong?"

finished,

She took a deep breath and said:
“I will go to Li Runzhe and, no matter what, I will persuade him to give up challenging Prince Qian, Chen Jie.”

"No matter how strong his combat power becomes, he will surely die if he challenges the Qian King."

“I remember that Li Runzhe was proficient in hard qigong. No matter what level he had reached in his hard qigong, even if he had condensed an external avatar, he could not possibly defeat the Qian King.”

"He has no idea how terrifying Qian Wang Chen Jie's combat strength is!"

-

It was already late September, and the climate on the grasslands was beginning to turn cold.

After leaving Guan Qilin's tent, Situ Diewu followed a road to an open area of ​​grassland.

really,

On a makeshift training ground, a tall, burly man was sparring with four martial artists.

"General Li, you just said that you can unleash the peak combat power of hard qigong without circulating your innate qi, and integrate hard qigong into your offensive killing moves. How exactly did you do that?"

"Furthermore, if one circulates internal energy throughout the body, how can one integrate it with hard qigong?"

"After you circulate hard qigong, your body becomes as hard as iron, impervious to swords and spears. How can you withstand the blows of a sword with your body?"

"Teach me! I want to learn hard qigong too!"

A martial artist in his fifties, whose martial arts skills had broken through to the Blood-Moving Pill Force realm, spoke to the burly man with an expectant look on his face.

The four martial artists in the training ground all held battle swords in their hands.

Clang, clang, clang—!
The swords flashed, a strong wind whistled past, sharp, fierce, and domineering.

Although their martial arts level was only at the Blood Pill Force level, their swordsmanship was extremely strong. Each strike could unleash terrifying sword energy, making them incredibly lethal.

In particular, their aura was menacing, their blood energy was extremely strong, and they were clearly warriors who had fought their way through the battlefield, not ordinary martial artists who could only move blood pills.

The killing intent was palpable!
They are all battlefield warriors who have honed themselves through bloodshed and killing intent, and each of them is a formidable fighter.

The tall, imposing middle-aged man, shirtless, looked like he was cast in bronze, as tough as steel.

Each strike that landed on his body emitted a golden light.

Hard Qigong!
This is a hard qigong technique on par with the "Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training," a "divine strike" technique!
This middle-aged man looked to be only in his thirties, giving the impression of having extremely vigorous life potential.

However, Situ Diewu was very familiar with Li Runzhe, and she knew that he was over seventy years old.

However, his mastery of hard qigong is extremely high, which makes him look much younger.

A very obvious characteristic of hard qigong practice is that the higher the level of practice, the more one's appearance will gradually reverse, and one will become younger.

Situ Diewu looked Li Runzhe up and down for a moment, and was amazed.

"No wonder he dared to challenge Prince Qian, Chen Jie. It turns out he had indeed mastered the ninth level of hard qigong." "Even Commander Guan couldn't see through him. I never expected him to become so powerful after all these years."

"It is rumored that if someone can cultivate 'Hard Qigong' to the ninth level, they can reverse life and death and will surely break through to the realm of 'Martial Saint'."

"What kind of extraordinary encounter did this guy have? Did he receive the inheritance of a Martial Saint?"

She lowered her head and pondered for a moment, a slight doubt in her heart.

She has seen many people practice 'hard qigong', but currently, only Li Runzhe has been able to practice hard qigong to the ninth level.

"Unite your internal energy! The core of cultivating hard qigong is actually tempering yourself!"

"Come on, cut me again, and watch how I circulate my inner energy to my skin."

When Li Runzhe heard the questions from his warriors, he stood still and let them slash at his body with their swords.

Upon hearing the order, a warrior suddenly raised his sword, exerted force, and slashed down from mid-air.

This is the most common downward slash on the battlefield, and the most ferocious killing move when fighting on horseback.

The moment his broadsword whistled down, it was aimed directly at Li Runzhe's ribs.

Like chopping wood, he actually thought of cutting Li Runzhe in two with one stroke.

The two sparred, but they showed no mercy, their attacks were ruthless and vicious, and every move was deadly.

Bang!
A deep, muffled sound rang out.

Li Runzhe remained completely still the moment his broadsword came down.

At the same time, a golden light flowed across his body, causing him to shudder violently as he met the battle blade.

Clang——!
The sword struck his ribs, producing a metallic clang.

It was as if he had struck steel; the immense recoil instantly shattered the warrior's sword in two.

Then the martial artist's body flew backward and crashed heavily more than ten meters away.

Throughout the entire process, Li Runzhe did not move an inch.

Wow——!
Everyone around couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

too strong!
He used his bare body to withstand the sword, which shattered and sent his opponent flying.

The key point is that this martial artist is no ordinary person, but a top expert at the Blood Refining Pill Realm.

Just as everyone was horrified, several other swords simultaneously slashed at his arms, back, and legs.

Clang! Clang!
The battle blade shattered, creating a terrifying shockwave that sent several martial artists flying and crashing to the ground.

boom!
next moment,
Li Runzhe finally made a move.

He stood still, then slammed his fist into the ground with immense force and unparalleled ferocity.

With a loud bang, the ground shook violently, and a storm swept through the area.

Innate Qi, Qi Force Unified!

"To master hard qigong, you must be beaten frequently. After being beaten several times, you will be able to comprehend the profound meaning of 'unifying qi and energy'."

"The 'divine strike' in hard qigong, with its Vajra body protection and the invocation of spirits, is actually a state of mind!"

"Legend has it that during the Qin Dynasty, the martial saint Jiang Jiu mastered hard qigong to the extreme, and was able to shatter mountains with a single punch and kill people from a hundred miles away."

After saying that, Li Runzhe said to the people in the training ground, "Alright, you can explore on your own. The master can only lead you in; the rest is up to you. Whether you can master it or not depends entirely on yourselves."

Next,
He turned and left the training ground, walking towards Situ Diewu.

"Miss Butterfly Dance, it's been so many years! I didn't expect you to have come to the northern grasslands!"

Li Runzhe's eyes lit up when he saw Situ Diewu.

This Persian woman is so beautiful!

Unexpectedly, over the years, her figure has become increasingly stunning, and her temperament has become more and more charming.

"That good-for-nothing Situ Wushang isn't very good at anything else, but I never expected him to be so successful at adopting a goddaughter!"

Li Runzhe took a deep breath, thinking to himself.

"General Li, I heard that you want to challenge Prince Qian before the great battle between Prince Qian Chen Jie and Miyamoto Musashi?"

Situ Diewu looked at Li Runzhe in front of her and asked directly.

Li Runzhe smiled calmly and said with boundless pride:
"That's right! I've heard that this young man, Prince Qian, Chen Jie, is currently enjoying immense popularity."

"Rumors in the martial arts world say that he replaced the 'Sword Master of the Shocking Clouds' of the Great Qian Dynasty and is known as the number one expert in the Great Qian Dynasty."

"However, my desire to challenge him is not for the empty title of the number one expert."

"The world's martial arts encompass everything, and there are countless masters. Who dares to claim that they are invincible? Even Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest swordsman in the East, would never dare to call himself the best in the world!"

Situ Diewu said in a deep voice:
"General Li, my godfather once told me that you are a martial arts genius unlike any other in the world, and that your future achievements will surely surpass his!"

"But over the years, I have seen countless geniuses, and there has never been a genius who can surpass Prince Qian, Chen Jie!"

"Anyone who challenges him will only face one outcome—death!"

"I don't want you to go and die!"

She was telling the truth. Who could cultivate martial arts to such a terrifying level in just over two years?

This can no longer be described using the word 'genius'.

"Miss Butterfly Dance, are you concerned about me?"

Upon hearing this, Li Runzhe smiled calmly.

He stared at Situ Diewu's body, looking her up and down.

Gurgle—!
For some reason, he couldn't help but swallow hard.

but,

He quickly calmed down and carefully considered Situ Diewu's words.

Just then, a rich aroma of roasted mutton wafted from not far away.

It turned out that several generals of the "Northern Pass Army" were having a barbecue, with the mutton sizzling and dripping oil from the charcoal fire.

Li Runzhe waved to Situ Diewu, signaling her to eat something first.

When the generals of the Beiguan Army saw Li Runzhe arrive, they quickly offered him a seat and tidied up the surrounding area.

After Li Runzhe sat down, he did not use a meat cutter to cut the mutton.

He bent down and picked up a piece of burning coal from the campfire with his fingers.

call--!
After exhaling, he stood before Situ Diewu's shocked gaze.

Lee Yoon-cheol actually put the hot coals into his mouth.

Click—click—!
next moment,
He actually started chewing on the burning embers, crunch—crunch—!
The sound was crisp and crackling, like eating popcorn.

"You—you eat hot coals!?"

When Situ Diewu saw Li Runzhe eating the charcoal with such crunchy texture, she felt a chill run down her spine and her throat felt like it was on fire.

Eating raw coals!

Won't the mouth and throat be burned to a crisp?

However, Li Runzhe clearly didn't take it seriously; he chewed while exhaling air.

It looks like,
He seemed to enjoy the sensation of the hot coals stimulating his mouth and throat.

He chewed the charcoal until it crumbled, then swallowed the charcoal fragments along with the charcoal pieces.

The still-burning embers traveled down the throat into the stomach.

call--!
Li Runzhe exhaled a breath and actually spat out a burst of flames!
hiss--!
Situ Diewu gasped, her face filled with shock! (End of Chapter)