The God of the Human Realm!

Chapter 24 Entering the Realm, The Wandering Swordsman (5k)

The autumn wind was bleak, and the withered yellow leaves fell with a rustling sound.

The three corpses lying in the courtyard had all died from having their throats slit; blood was still gushing from their throats, and their faces showed signs of intoxication. They died silently, demonstrating the swiftness of the killer's technique.

These three rascals were the first to be killed by Hong Yuan, after all, Hong Yuan had just landed lightly from the roof when he saw them urinating and defecating on the ground.

Is this still available?

If they dare to urinate and defecate anywhere today, they'll dare to kill, set fires, rape, and plunder tomorrow... Oh! It seems they've done these things all along, then they deserve to die even more.

pat!pat!
Hong Yuan grabbed one corpse in each hand and quickly tossed them into the blood-soaked room.

At this moment, the group of hooligans inside the house could no longer disturb the peace. They were all sleeping peacefully, motionless, in perfect sleeping postures.

Seeing that the embers in the small stove on the floor were still burning and some rolled-down embers were still burning, Hong Yuan immediately took a kettle and poured water on it. After confirming that all the fire sources were extinguished, he smiled with relief, gently closed the door, and stepped into the courtyard where leaves were fluttering.

Unlike the scoundrels in the house, he was a decent and virtuous gentleman who only killed people, not set fires!
The whole commotion took no more than a quarter of an hour. Killing some hooligans and even defeating Meng Yue took less than ten breaths. The rest of the time was spent interrogating him.

Although it caused some commotion, firstly, the place was secluded, and secondly, the nearby residents all knew that the courtyard was occupied by a group of hooligans who were always drunk, causing trouble, and fighting each other. Ordinary people would avoid them like the plague, so why would they bother with their business?

Hong Yuan did not leave immediately, but pondered to himself.

Yan Tieshan, known as "Third Master Yan" by the local thugs in Yangquan County, was a notorious figure. He controlled the livelihoods of many laborers in the fishing market and docks, exploiting them to the bone. His ruthless actions earned him the nickname "Dock King" behind his back.

Putting aside the possibility that Yang Erhu might have had a grudge against Yan Tieshan, Hong Yuan couldn't possibly let go of the fact that Yan Tieshan had accepted the mission to assassinate him.

Moreover, Hong Yuan had just interrogated those hooligans and learned that Yan Tieshan's core henchmen numbered only twenty or thirty, all of whom had honed their strength over the years and practiced some fist, foot, and sword skills.

There were still a few dozen vassals left who went up to freeload and were usually hooligans who followed Yan Tieshan's orders to fight and beat people. Although they were all young and strong, they could only fight when things were going well. If they encountered a master, they would probably only kill a few or a dozen before scattering.

In total, Yan Tieshan had only about a hundred thugs under his command.

That night, Yang Erhu probably killed or injured more than a dozen people. Hong Yuan had killed nearly twenty people earlier, which was almost half of them. It could be said that Yan Tieshan's forces were at their weakest at this time. Why not take this opportunity to kill him?
Hong Yuan didn't want to wait.

He also wanted to take this opportunity to assess the extent of his own combat capabilities.

Three days ago, he had a firm grasp on his qi and blood, and that night he found Yang Erhu for a real fight. Yang Erhu did not use his killing moves, and Hong Yuan did not use his full strength either, but within a few breaths of exchanging blows, he beat Yang Erhu so badly that he had to admit defeat with a wry smile.

In Yang Erhu's words, even when he was in his prime, his skills might not have surpassed Hong Yuan's current level.

That statement does carry some weight.

The Great Yin Dynasty had thirty-six states. When Yang Erhu was young, he traveled through seven of them and fought against many famous masters. Very few of them could truly defeat him.

Surely there can't be another map outside these seven states, where people can fly and hide, and where demons and monsters emerge and run rampant?
That doesn't make sense; it's not like the world has changed.

It was precisely because of Yang Erhu's evaluation that Hong Yuan was confident enough to act alone without always being suspicious and feeling that he was different from others. He thought that he could encounter a terrifying existence that would shatter his worldview as soon as he stepped out of the door. Wasn't that also a kind of arrogance?
If the [Tai Sui Blessed Land] could be opened now, wouldn't it be better for Hong Yuan to sneak into the blessed land and cultivate on his own over a long period of time?

However, he was merely a blank [Blessed Land Lord], possessing only the title but unable to actually take charge of the blessed land. This made it impossible for him to remain inactive. If he were to continue in this precarious state, he feared that by the time he died, his goals of achieving both power and martial prowess would be a distant dream.

At that time, there will be nothing but regret.

Not having the means to survive doesn't mean Hong Yuan will act recklessly.

"Yan Laosan must be killed, but before killing him, let's first unleash our true energy!"

Three days ago, Hong Yuan had just grasped the essence of Qi and blood, and he felt that even if he went all out in one go, the chances of success were very high.

Now, in this fierce battle, though not exhilarating, there was a sense of clarity in his mind. Hong Yuan vaguely felt that this was the best time to channel his energy, and that he was certain to succeed.

Some novels like to arrange for the protagonist to break through his cultivation level and overcome difficulties in the midst of fierce battles, in order to create climax and suspense.

Hong Yuan didn't need that kind of suspense; he preferred the crushing pleasure of bullying the weak.

Walking to a sycamore tree in the courtyard, Hong Yuan closed his eyes and instantly entered a meditative state, sensing the flow of qi and blood throughout his body and directing it to follow his will.

Hong Yuan's breathing rhythm also changed. With each inhale and exhale, his breath became long and deep, which was the 'Tiger Roar Breathing Method'.

His breathing rhythm slowly resonated with the blood and qi flowing through his body, like a most skilled military commander, deploying troops in an orderly and unhurried manner.

The body's Qi and blood are originally scattered and disordered, like scattered soldiers acting independently. However, with the command of the "Tiger Roar Breathing Method," Hong Yuan's Qi and blood quickly condense, and the command and dispatch are all as desired.

Suddenly, Hong Yuan opened his eyes, exerted force with his feet, and the blue bricks on the ground shattered with a 'crack'. He leaped up like a tiger, reaching a height of over two meters. While still in mid-air, he naturally assumed the stance of the Tiger Subduing Fist.

The next moment.

Hong Yuan's fist suddenly transformed into a palm strike, an incredibly fast strike that subtly created a whistling airflow, easily landing on the thick trunk of the nearby sycamore tree.

With a crisp 'crack', Hong Yuan's palm strike seemed to pierce through rotten mud, easily leaving a deep palm print on the paulownia tree, reaching all the way to his wrist.

Although the wood of the paulownia tree is relatively light and soft, the deep palm print left by such a strike is enough to shock and leave one speechless. If such a strike were to hit a person, it could easily break bones and tear flesh apart.

Hong Yuan landed firmly on both feet, without panting or his heart racing. He sensed his own condition and did not feel exhausted or weak. He only felt a slight stagnation of qi and blood, but he could recover in a few breaths and still maintain his formidable fighting strength.

Hong Yuan clenched his fist, and with a slight breath, he felt the blood and qi flowing in his arm, and he understood.

"Once one enters the state of internal energy, controlling one's qi and blood becomes much easier, and one's strength and reaction speed also increase significantly. Even disregarding the killing move of unleashing true energy, the advantage of a martial artist who has entered this state over ordinary people is greatly amplified simply by their own strength and reaction speed. No wonder they can fight ten or even dozens of people single-handedly."

Of course, this does not include some exceptionally gifted freaks.

Some people are born different from others. They can run fast, jump far, or even have superhuman strength. Even without practicing martial arts, they can fight against a martial arts master and even dominate them!
Fortunately, Hong Yuan is also one of these oddballs, although he achieved his success through external means and hard work.

"The combination of the Tiger-Taming Fist and breathing techniques produces the Tiger-Taming Power. As the teacher said, after entering the state of power, the focus is on the variations in force."

"There are three changes. The first level is the initial stage of mastering the skill, which is my current level. Because the true energy is violent and difficult to control, a punch thrown out is like a dam bursting with water; closing it again is beyond human power."

Therefore, a martial artist who has just entered the realm of internal strength often only has the power of one punch when he unleashes his true energy. After that punch, his vital energy is completely depleted, and he himself is exhausted.

'Such martial artists rarely use their true strength in actual combat; they only unleash a desperate attack in the most critical moments.'

Only through long-term training can a martial artist gradually control the gate and unleash true power multiple times—three, nine, twelve, or even more.

In Yang Erhu's description, in the realm of martial arts, this is called the Three-Layer Waves, the Nine-Layer Mountain, the Twelve-Layer Tower...

There's no need to describe anything above twelve.

Being able to unleash twelve bursts of true power in a short period of time without losing strength indicates that the control over true power has reached an extremely high level, and one is gradually entering the second level of power transformation - free control of power!
Yang Erhu was once considered a master of "freedom of control," but as he aged and his physical strength declined, his control over his strength decreased, and now he has degenerated to the level of just entering the true strength stage. He can still control his qi and blood and has the power to strike.

In a few more years, I'm afraid I won't even be able to control my blood and qi anymore.

It was precisely because Yang Erhu served as an 'example' in front of him that Hong Yuan realized even more clearly that he could not afford to be complacent!
"However, I used my true strength in that palm strike just now, and only felt slightly uncomfortable. I feel that I could easily strike three, nine, or even twelve more times. There's absolutely no 'weak period' of difficulty controlling the attack or like releasing a floodgate!"

Hong Yuan knew that this was because his innate talent was too good.

Upon entering this world, I was transformed by the "transmigration benefits," and at that time, I was probably already a top-tier talent in the world.

This is still the initial state.

From the 'Azure Phoenix Wonderland' until now, four more strands of innate talent have been added, and it seems that each addition is not a linear improvement. Whether it is innate talent or comprehension, Hong Yuan has long been extraordinary.

"With a little more practice, I might be able to reach the level of 'controlling and releasing power at will,' but the third level of power transformation, 'subtle mastery,' is a bit difficult..."

Before reaching the level of subtlety, a martial artist, regardless of what kind of kung fu he practices, can only express true strength through changes in the two natures of hardness and softness.

Therefore, a martial artist of this level can fight dozens or even hundreds of strong men, but once they encounter some elite armored soldiers, even ten of them will have to deal with them carefully, either by moving quickly and fighting or by retreating directly.

Because neither hard nor soft force can penetrate armor!

After reaching the "microscopic level", things change. Martial artists who reach this level can control their strength with exquisite precision, and can perform many fancy tricks with their strength. This has led to the development of techniques such as spiral strength, bone-penetrating strength, and air-penetrating strength.

Many of the ingenious uses of force were even developed by masters of subtlety specifically to deal with armored soldiers.

This is why many prominent and prestigious families, once they discover a lone martial artist who has reached the level of microscopic mastery, will spare no expense, use beautiful women and power to lure the person to join their side.

Even if you can't win over experts of this caliber, you wouldn't want to easily become their enemy.

A master of microscopic perception possesses immense physical strength and incredible speed. It's simply unrealistic to mobilize an army to surround and kill one person; the opponent would flee at the first sign of trouble. If only a few dozen people are deployed, it would lack any deterrent effect and might even result in the opponent turning the tables and killing them.

Moreover, such enemies lurk in the shadows like venomous snakes, waiting for their chance to strike. Unless the powerful and wealthy never leave their homes again, everyone would have to be wary of them.

The biggest problem that Hong Yuan found difficult to achieve "entering the subtle" was that he did not have the corresponding secret techniques for generating internal energy.

With his comprehension, he should be able to figure out similar power techniques after spending some time. But since there are ready-made ones in the world, why should he waste time figuring it out himself?

Once he has gathered a sufficient number of subtle-level internal energy techniques, wouldn't it be better for him to combine the strengths of various schools?
Thinking about these things now is a bit too far off. Hong Yuan put aside his distracting thoughts, took a few big strides, leaped over the wall, and left the small courtyard.

He didn't go directly to the Yangquan County dock, but instead wandered through the streets of the county town. When he passed a tavern, he bought a jug of wine, took a sip, felt the slightly spicy taste in his throat, pursed his lips, took another sip, and then hung the jug on his waist.

With a long sword at his right, a wine gourd hanging on his left, a bamboo hat on his head, and a black, close-fitting outfit, his slightly messy hair cascading down, he was the perfect image of a lone swordsman wandering the martial world.

Hong Yuan traveled all the way, but ended up on the upstream riverbank a few miles away from the Yangquan County wharf.

At this time of year, the green willow branches along the shore have faded, and the yellow leaves sway in the wind. A flock of egrets plays in the center of the lake, and several awning boats shuttle on the Jade Belt River, with fishermen wearing straw raincoats standing on the boats.

Several covered boats were moored along the riverbank. The boat owners were not dressed as fishermen; a few young men or tourists were talking to one of the boat owners, discussing the price of a ride.

Hong Yuan walked toward a covered boat, attracting the attention of a group of men who were haggling with the boat owner. One of them said, "Young master, are you also going to take a boat trip on the lake? Why don't we go together and save some money?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his companion subtly tugged at his sleeve, gesturing for him to look at the knife hanging at Hong Yuan's waist.

In this day and age, although the spirit of chivalry is prevalent, most people really don't want to associate with chivalrous individuals.

Hong Yuan smiled and waved his hand, saying, "No need, I prefer to cruise the lake alone!"

As he spoke, he glanced around and called out to a boat owner who was lying on the riverbank weeds with his legs crossed, "Boatman, I'll charter your boat for today."

His current task is to kill someone, and he doesn't want to implicate others. Although after he kills Yan Tieshan, even if some escapees are caught, he might not care whose boat they are on. But since it can be avoided, it's okay to be a little careful.

Just now, he glanced around the riverbank and noticed that the boat owner had shifty eyes and kept glancing at the pockets of the young men. His eyes were darting around, clearly indicating that he had ill intentions.

The boat owner, who had been sitting with his legs crossed, scrambled to his feet. He was a man in his thirties with a thin face. When he saw Hong Yuan's extraordinary clothes and demeanor, his eyes lit up. But when he saw the knife on the other's shoulder, he immediately abandoned his thoughts and simply said with a smile, "Alright, honored guest, please board the boat."

Hong Yuan boarded the boat unhurriedly. As the boat rocked, the boatman rowed and asked with a smile, "Where would you like to go for a visit, esteemed guest?"

"Just enjoy the scenery along this stretch of river, all the way down to the Yangquan County Wharf."

Even murder requires strategy.

Hong Yuan wouldn't be foolish enough to directly raid Yan Tieshan's lair.

Yan Tieshan is not Wei Zhenzhu. Despite her filthy appearance, Wei Zhenzhu comes from a prominent family, and her 'Azure Phoenix Wonderland' will not have many traps or mechanisms.

Yan Tieshan was different. According to Hong Yuan, he was a dockworker who made his fortune by virtue of his strength and daring to fight.

Yan Tieshan came from a humble background. If anyone were to fight their way from the outside to Yan Tieshan's gambling den, they would encounter countless traps and schemes. Those thugs would never fight openly with their opponents.

If you rush in rashly, not to mention the hidden weapons and traps, what if a bucket of excrement is thrown at you? Do you dodge or not?
If you don't dodge, the excrement will drench you, making you so disgusted that you'll vomit up your dinner from the night before, reducing your fighting strength by at least half. If you do dodge, you might step into other traps.

Although Hong Yuan was confident in his own strength, he would not underestimate anything; that would be too foolish.

Even Zhou Botong, a master of the Five Greats level, could fall victim to the fishing net formation in the Valley of Heartbreak.

Yan Nantian, known for his divine sword, whose sword wind could be felt ten miles away with a single swing—whether that's an exaggeration or not, he was a top master of his time. Yet, even he fell victim to various poisons, hidden weapons, and traps in the Valley of Villains.

With too many precedents, Hong Yuan has no choice but to be cautious.

Fortunately, he didn't need to personally storm Yan Tieshan's lair. There were quite a few ways to force the other party out. Hong Yuan could think of at least nine in a flash!

The awning boat swayed gently downstream, and even though the boatman didn't row much, the speed was still quite fast.

Hong Yuan stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat, his posture as upright as a pine tree. The river breeze fluttered his clothes, giving him a bit of the spirited and ambitious air of a young knight-errant.

Only the brim of his straw hat was pulled low, covering half of his face; otherwise, he should have attracted the attention of the girls strolling along the shore.

As the dock came into view, a salty, fishy smell wafted over, accompanied by bursts of noise and commotion. Four cargo ships were docked at the dock, while a large ship slowly approached.

The large ship, flying a flag bearing the character "Tao," sailed in, cutting through the waves. People on the dock saw it from afar and immediately exclaimed in surprise, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary vessel.

"The Tao family's boat has arrived! Hurry up and make room! Damn it, get the goods moving!" A fat man with unusually thick arms jumped up and shouted.

This man was the foreman Yan Tieshan had sent to the dock. As he shouted, more than ten burly thugs in short-sleeved uniforms brandished clubs and yelled, "Hurry up, you bunch of dogs, what are you dawdling for? Trying to slack off? Then you can forget about getting paid today!"

Snapped!
One of the henchmen swung his stick and struck a laborer on the back, making the latter shudder, but he gritted his teeth and dared not make a sound.

On the other side, a dark-skinned, thin laborer in his fifties was panting heavily. His foot slipped on the wet dock, and the cargo container he was carrying fell over instantly.

The crate contained cloth. When it hit the hard ground, the crate cracked and the cloth rolled out immediately, becoming covered in a salty, fishy smell.

The old laborer's face changed drastically, and he was so frightened that his legs trembled. He hurriedly knelt down to pick it up, but several thugs had already seen this scene, and immediately two of them surrounded him with grim faces.

The old laborer quickly begged for forgiveness: "Sir, I was wrong, my hand wasn't steady enough, I'll pick it up right away!"

"Unsteady hands? Go to hell, haven't you eaten? Why don't you go eat shit?" One of the thugs cursed and kicked him to the ground, while swinging his wooden stick at the old laborer's arm.

"stop!"

Just then, a clear shout rang out, followed by a blue stone flying from the river, striking the thug's hand squarely. A cracking sound rang out as the bone broke, and the thug let out a scream.

The awning boat slowly docked at the pier. The shifty-eyed boat owner stared in disbelief as Hong Yuan threw out a stone he had used to weigh down the boat, then leaped onto the pier and roared righteously, "In broad daylight, under the clear sky! How dare you bully the old and weak like this? Is there no justice or law left?"

　(Strengthening the body and nourishing the blood) are both processes of cultivating strength, building a strong physique, and replenishing qi and blood. They are carried out together. Afterwards (entering the state of "jin" – the scattered qi and blood are twisted into a real and genuine force, true force), it is not something like "transformation" or "hidden force"...

　　The first stage of this book is currently limited to these two levels: low-level martial arts and high-level martial arts. Although there are differences in skill level after entering the realm of internal strength, they are merely variations in internal strength and are essentially still at the same level.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)