I Have the Martial Arts Heavenly Eye in the Storm Riders

"So...that's how it is..."

Huai Kong gave a bitter laugh, and the overwhelming hatred in his heart instantly dissipated.

Instead, there was an indescribable weariness and relief.

"Miss Luo Xian, she..."

"Don't worry," Bai Ling interrupted him. "Miss Luo has been well protected by the Divine Mother and is unharmed."

Huai Kong finally felt relieved.

He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to the two of them:

"I, Huai Kong, am foolish and have misunderstood you two. I will forever remember your great kindness!"

This bow is a bow to gratitude, and also a farewell to the indecisive self of the past.

From this day forward, there will be no more indecisive fools in the world.

Only those with hearts as firm as a rock—iron-willed and detached.

"But I really did beat Wu Er to this state..." Huai Kong looked at Wu Er's injuries with a face full of guilt.

"Don't give me that!" Wu Er waved his hand dismissively, completely unconcerned.

"My injuries are nothing! They've increased your power in return, a huge win for me!"

As he spoke, he pounded his chest and grinned, chuckling—but halfway through the laugh, he aggravated his wound, causing his face to twitch again, though he managed to suppress a cry.

Bai Ling glanced at him: "Still trying to be tough."

"Who's being stubborn!" Wu Er glared at her, her tone defiant.

"I'm tough as nails, this little injury will heal in a few days!"

Huai Kong remained silent for a moment, then suddenly raised one hand, his five fingers making a grasping motion, and gestured towards the direction of the hermitage—

"Whoosh—!"

A dark shadow burst through the window, swept through the air, and landed steadily in Huai Kong's palm.

It's the unfinished pot of wine in the room.

Wu Er and Bai Ling were both taken aback—this skill had improved by at least one level compared to before!

Huai Kong was slightly taken aback, then a smile appeared on his lips. Without saying anything, he uncorked the pot, took a sip, and then handed the pot to Wu Er.

"drink."

Wu Er took it without ceremony, tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful, wiped his mouth, and let out a long, satisfying sigh: "Good wine!"

"Left by the Mother Goddess."

"Then I've hit the jackpot." Wu Er grinned and took another gulp.

The two men stood there in the swirling snow, passing the wine jug back and forth, taking sips from each other.

No need for further words.

Snowflakes fall on my shoulders, but the warmth of wine warms my heart.

Bai Ling stood aside, watching the two grown men who had just finished fighting drink as if nothing had happened, and couldn't help but smile.

After a moment, she spoke softly, "As long as you can master the Iron Hand technique to avenge my elder brother and master, it will all be worth it."

Huai Kong put down the wine jug, stepped forward, and tightly grasped Bai Ling's hands, his gaze as firm as iron:

"Bai Ling, I understand your good intentions. I will definitely master the Iron Hand technique and avenge my elder brother!"

He turned to look at Wu Er and nodded heavily.

Wu Er took another swig of wine, burped, and chuckled.

They didn't say anything.

But the tacit understanding of entrusting each other with life and death needs no further words.

Outside the courtyard, the long steps stretch endlessly.

A tall figure draped in a yellow robe stood with his hands behind his back in the wind and snow, seemingly having waited for a long time.

Huai Kong paused slightly as he saw the man's back.

The man in the yellow robe did not turn around, but his voice pierced through the wind and snow, reaching Huai Kong's ears clearly:

"Huai Kong, the Divine Mother will be waiting for you outside Lion King's Castle and will lead you into the Heavenly Gate."

"but--"

"If you want to leave Lion King's Castle, you must pass the Lion Worship Ceremony."

"Defeat the Iron Lion Man."

"This is the last test before the Divine Mother leads you into the Heavenly Gate."

Huai Kong's expression remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

"I see."

He stepped into the wind and snow without looking back.

The man in the yellow robe watched his figure disappear into the vast white snow, nodded slightly, and then vanished into the snowstorm.

Bai Ling gazed in the direction Huai Kong had gone, her delicate brows furrowed slightly. After a long silence, she finally couldn't help but speak:

"Wu Er, why are you working for the Goddess?"

Wu Er turned around, a meaningful smile appearing on his rugged face.

A crisp and concise answer:

"It's simple. Because I'm already a member of Tianmen."

"What?!" Bai Ling's beautiful eyes widened, her face full of shock.

"Tianmen... what exactly is this place? What kind of people live there?" Bai Ling asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

Upon hearing the words "Tianmen," Wu Er's originally bold expression instantly vanished.

Instead, there is a deep-seated reverence and solemnity.

He said in a deep voice, "As a subordinate of Tianmen, the first rule is—never to reveal Tianmen's secrets."

At this point, a flicker of fear flashed in his eyes, and he lowered his voice:

"Otherwise, you'll be struck by lightning and die a horrible death."

Bai Ling's heart skipped a beat.

Looking at this usually fearless and tough man in front of her, who spoke of Tianmen with the same piety and fear as if worshipping a god, a chill ran down her spine.

Just how terrifying is Tianmen?

It's amazing that even heroes and valiant men revere it like a god.

The wind and snow intensified, concealing all the secrets of the world.

This also concealed the impending bloodshed.

In the distance, atop a tall building.

The goddess stood with her hands behind her back, her five-colored mask appearing and disappearing in the wind and snow.

She kept watching.

From the moment Huai Kong stepped outside, she stood there, watching his every step as he walked away through the swirling snow.

The wind whipped up her clothes, making them flutter.

She didn't move.

Only after Huai Kong's figure completely disappeared into the vast天地 (heaven and earth) did she slowly lower her gaze and reach out to remove her mask.

Beneath the mask lies an exquisitely beautiful face.

It was Luo Xian.

Her eyes were slightly red, her lips trembled slightly, and she murmured to herself:

"Brother Huai... please take care on your journey."

The sound was so soft that even the wind couldn't carry it away.

She put the mask back on, ran her fingertips along its edge, took a deep breath, and locked all her tenderness back behind the cold mask.

He turned around, his robes fluttering in the wind.

When I came back—

She was once again the aloof and arrogant goddess.

The battle at the Lion Worship Ceremony spread throughout the entire martial arts world.

Huai Kong clashes head-on with the Iron Lion Man in an earth-shattering battle.

In the end, Huai Kong won.

Iron Lion Man was defeated, and defeated decisively.

He slowly stood up from the rubble and dusted himself off.

He was silent for a long time.

Then, without a word, he turned and walked into the snowstorm.

No one stopped him, and no one dared to stop him.

From then on, no one ever saw Iron Lion Man again.

Some say he lived in seclusion in the mountains, while others say he went overseas.

But in any case—

Lion King Castle losing Iron Lion is like a lion having its teeth pulled out.

His reputation remains, but his former vigor has faded.

The once invincible Lion King Fortress gradually declined and never stirred up any waves in the martial arts world again.

But Lion King Castle will not let this get out.

Everyone present—must die.

The fortress gates were tightly shut, and ambushes were sprung up everywhere.

Huai Kong, Wu Er, and Bai Ling stood back to back, fighting their way through the encirclement and finally breaking through the gates of Lion King's Castle.

Outside the door, amidst the wind and snow, a figure draped in a brocade robe had been waiting for some time.

"Go." The goddess said only one word and turned to leave.

The four of them stepped into the vast snowstorm and headed north.

Along the way, the wind and snow intensified, and the temperature dropped lower and lower.

Wu Er rubbed his hands together, hunched his neck, and muttered curses as he puffed out white breath:

"Goddess, did the Heavenly Gate have to be built in this godforsaken place? It's freezing cold!"

The goddess didn't even turn her head: "Go back if you're cold."

"...No, no, I don't mind." Wu Er immediately shut up and obediently followed.

Bai Ling glanced at him, her lips curving slightly, but she didn't say anything.

Huai Kong walked at the front, dressed in a single layer of clothing. His figure was faintly visible in the wind and snow, silent like a sword before it was drawn from its sheath.

The far north ice sheet, at its end.

The four of them braved the swirling snow and finally arrived at a solitary peak perched above a raging sea.

Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the waves crash against the shore, churning up thousands of piles of snow.

The biting north wind, carrying drifting clouds, howled past me, making me feel as if I were standing on the edge where heaven and earth meet.

At the summit of the cliff, an ancient and weathered stone gate stands proudly, as if it has existed here since time immemorial.

Above the door, a huge Tai Chi Yin-Yang diagram is faintly visible, exuding a chilling aura.

The goddess paused, pointed to the stone gate, and looked at Huai Kong:

"You have passed the test. Now, come with me to meet Indra."

"Indra?"

Huai Kong was taken aback. This name exuded an arrogance that seemed to look down on the world and consider himself the only one who mattered.

The goddess turned her head, her gaze sweeping over Bai Ling and Wu Er, her tone icy:

"Indra has only summoned Huai Kong; you two should leave now."

Although Bai Ling was curious, she knew that the rules of Tianmen were strict, so she immediately nodded.

Wu Er didn't say much, just grinned at Huai Kong and patted him on the shoulder:

"Go on, don't embarrass me. Bai Ling and I will go down the mountain to find a place to drink and wait for you!"

Huai Kong took a deep breath, nodded slightly to the two of them, turned around, and resolutely stepped into the huge stone gate.

The stone gate slowly closed behind him, emitting a dull rumble that sent pebbles tumbling down from beneath his feet.

Unconsciously, Bai Ling took two steps forward, reached out her hand, and her fingertips touched the cold stone door surface.

The yin-yang symbol on the door glowed faintly under her fingertips before dimming, as if rejecting any uninvited guests.

She withdrew her hand, wrapped her white fur coat tighter around herself, and turned to look at Wu Er, her eyes filled with confusion:

"Wu Er, Di Shitian... who exactly is he? Can he really help Huai Kong develop an even stronger Iron Hand?"

Wu Er crossed his arms and leaned against a large rock, gazing at the tightly closed stone door.

The wind blew his hair wildly, but he didn't bother to tidy it up.

After a moment of silence, a glint of fanaticism and worship flashed in his eyes, as if he were talking about a supreme god:

"Indra is omnipotent."

Heaven, from beginning to end, has always reigned high above the mortal world, a place that all beings bow in reverence to, yet remains unreachable.

Indra – daring to use "heaven" as his title, he seems to have the power to rule the world.

Who exactly is this deity?

As Huai Kong stepped through the stone gate and looked around, his heart trembled.

The world behind the door is neither god nor demon, but exactly the same as the outside world—

It remains a sheer cliff, a desolate place with raging waves.

Below, the abyss was hundreds of feet deep, with raging waves crashing against the shore, their roar like thunder.

The biting sea breeze, carrying salty, fishy vapor, stung my face like a knife.