The Martial Saint rose to power starting as a substitute bridegroom.

Lanshan Town, Zhou Family Courtyard.

Li Yuan tied the reins of the fast horse.

Lan Jie'er immediately threw herself into Li Yuan's arms.

"Yuan-ge'er, I'm so scared!"

"Recently, someone has been loitering around our neighborhood, acting suspiciously. My dad and I are afraid to go out."

Li Yuan frowned slightly.

After much thought, it couldn't be anyone else but the scum of the Black Tiger Gang.

Qin Biao killed them cleanly and decisively, leaving no room for error.

Presumably, his status as a disciple of the martial arts club was too conspicuous.

In the end, the Black Tiger Gang began to suspect them.

"But the Black Tiger Gang is desperate and capable of anything. I can't rest easy with Sister Lan and Old Zhou here. But... what can I do?"

midnight.

It was late winter, and the night was cool as water.

A crescent moon hung lonely in the sky, casting its cold light, barely illuminating the desolate little place of the Zhou family.

The courtyard wall was mottled, and some miscellaneous items were piled up in the corner. The only thing that showed signs of life was the old poplar tree in the courtyard, whose leaves had almost all fallen.

The bare branches, like gnarled dragons, stretched towards the night sky, making a faint rustling sound in the cold wind.

Li Yuan stood shirtless under the old locust tree.

The cold air caused his skin to break out in tiny goosebumps, but he seemed oblivious to it.

His gaze was calm, his body leaned slightly forward, and his hands formed claws, pressing lightly in front of him. This was the opening stance of the Tiger Form Fist, "Hungry Tiger Emerging from the Mountain".

Although Tiger Style Fist is only a basic move in the Ming Jin stage, it emphasizes momentum and power generation, simulating the ferocity, sharpness and menacing aura of a tiger.

Li Yuan arched his back, like a fully drawn bow suddenly snapping open, and charged out with a fierce, nascent aura.

Its claws tore and ripped at the prey in turn, creating a sharp, whistling sound, like a tiger reaching out with its claws to tear apart its prey.

At first, his movements were still a bit awkward, and his understanding of the "tiger form" remained superficial.

The attack wasn't swift enough, the claws were scattered, and it was more of an imitation of the tiger's appearance than a true display of "tiger might."

After finishing a set of punches, you feel hot all over, but the sweat is more from physical exertion than from the flow of energy.

[Tiger Form Fist (Minor Mastery): 70/100] --> [Tiger Form Fist (Minor Mastery): 80/100]

He didn't stop.

Once, twice.

The cool moonlight and the starlight in the sky were his only audience.

"The tiger's pounce must be fierce, its claws sharp, power generated from the waist and hips, its momentum like thunder..."

He repeatedly pondered the key points in the boxing manual, and began to stop just pursuing the standard of the movements. Instead, he tried to "imagine" himself as a tiger lurking in the mountains, waiting for the right moment to strike.

He adjusted his breathing, allowing the internal energy within his body to circulate with the force of his fist.

Each strike generates power that rises from the soles of the feet, twists through the waist and hips, flows through each joint, and finally flows to the fingertips.

His claws gradually became sharper, and when they sliced ​​through the air, they no longer made a simple sound like the wind, but rather a sharp hiss.

Gradually, his punching style began to change.

The previously scattered sounds of wind breaking began to coalesce, becoming sharper and shorter.

With each swing of its claws, faint white streaks could be seen flashing through the air, a sign of highly concentrated internal energy tearing through the air.

His physique became even more agile, and his movements—pouncing, scissing, lifting, and grabbing—became increasingly fluid, carrying a rhythmic quality like that of a ferocious beast.

Especially when he practiced the "Tiger Roars in the Forest" move, his punches generated wind, and the sound of the air being torn apart was like the roar of a tiger, causing a few stubborn withered leaves on the top of the old locust tree to fall down.

Tonight, the moonlight seems exceptionally bright.

Li Yuan had practiced the entire Tiger Form Fist repeatedly, and although his body was exhausted, his spirit was exceptionally high. He felt the vital energy surging within him, and his understanding of the essence of the "Tiger Form" had reached a critical point.

He took a deep breath of the cold air and assumed the starting stance again.

But this time, his gaze had completely changed. It was no longer the scrutiny of a practitioner, but the coldness and focus of a predator locking onto its prey.

"roar!"

A tiger's roar, far more ferocious and penetrating than ever before, suddenly exploded out, almost drowning out the sound of the wind.

He shot out like an arrow, no longer a simple pounce, but as if he had transformed into a real winged tiger!

With a swing of his claws, Ming Jin (a type of internal energy) condensed and exploded with unprecedented efficiency!

"Swoosh! Swoosh!"

Two clear sounds, like the tearing of cloth, rang out.

Where his claws swept past, two faint, visible, and momentarily distorted traces were left in the air!

At the same time, his blood and qi surged slightly, and a scorching aura naturally flowed out, even causing the thin layer of frost that had condensed on the ground beside him to evaporate into small patches of white steam.

Li Yuan stood still, his chest rising and falling slightly, and the breath he exhaled from his mouth and nose formed long white streaks in the cold air.

He looked at his hands, which gleamed with a bronze hue under the moonlight, and felt the smooth, powerful energy within his body, ready to unleash a fierce strike at any moment. A joyful smile spread across his face.

Tiger Form Fist (Mastery): 0/100

Tiger Style Fist, Mastery!

The feeling was mysterious, as if another version of myself from a parallel universe had been diligently practicing this martial art for twenty years, and then merged with my current self.

The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly over him and over the silent old locust tree.

Kara -

A soft sound came from outside the courtyard wall.

"who?"

Li Yuan's ears twitched slightly, and he sprang up, darting to the wall in a few steps before leaping onto its top.

At the boundary between light and shadow in the alley, a gray-black figure was rapidly disappearing into the distance.

He leaped down and chased after them like an arrow released from a bow.

Before the figure could even run out of the alley, he felt a chill in his back as a strong force pulled him back.

Ah Chuang, a long-time Red Stick of the Black Tiger Gang, was certainly not someone to be trifled with.

Using the momentum, he landed steadily with a backflip.

The moment he landed, he shot out like a fully drawn bowstring, his right arm becoming a blur as his five fingers formed a snake's head, aiming straight for Li Yuan's throat along a tricky arc.

Li Yuan felt a chill run down his spine.

This person's skill and techniques are no less than mine.

He stumbled backward and quickly dodged to the side.

Before he could regain his footing, his opponent's left hand shot out like a venomous snake, his arm springing out like a spring, aiming straight for his waist and abdomen—the penetrating power hidden in his fingertips seemed capable of piercing through copper and iron.

Li Yuan crossed his arms and pressed down to parry the killing move, then used the momentum to leap back and create a distance of about ten feet.

"Snake-like Hand?"

He naturally recognized the Black Tiger Gang's signature techniques, and the other party's identity was self-evident.

But now that the Black Tiger Gang is being chased like rats by the Four Seas Society, how could any expert dare to show up openly?

...Could it be that Qin Biao's death gave him away?

impossible.

Moreover, is it really worth the Black Tiger Gang sending out such a skilled fighter for a low-level gang leader?

"Hand over the item, and I'll spare your life," the other party said sinisterly.

"What is it?"

Li Yuan's thoughts raced, finally settling on the secret manual he had found on Qin Biao.

"Looks like you don't want to live anymore."

A cold glint flashed in A Chuang's eyes, and he moved suddenly!

He moved like a venomous snake slithering through the grass, his steps swift and unpredictable, approaching silently.

With his right hand, fingers joined together like a forked tongue, he thrust it straight at the throat at an even more cunning angle, the speed astonishing. The force of his fingertips ripped through the air, leaving a cold glint in his eyes.

Li Yuan remained calm despite his surprise.

Why would I let the same move work twice?

In the nick of time, he dodged to the side, then used his waist and hips to unleash his right fist like a tiger's tail, sweeping across his opponent's ribs with a fierce gust of wind!

Ah Chuang exclaimed "Eh!" as if he hadn't expected the boy's reaction to be so fierce and his strength so domineering.

"Kid, I didn't expect you to be a Ming Jin martial artist!"

He twisted his body as if boneless, narrowly avoiding the punch, but his left hand, like a venomous snake, cunningly grabbed Li Yuan's wrist joint, crippling his arm!

The narrow road meets the brave to win!

Instead of retreating, Li Yuan advanced, his internal energy surging, transforming a sweep into a chop, his claws tearing through the air with a sharp whistling sound, forcefully clashing with the serpentine claws!

Bang!Bang!Bang!

A series of muffled thuds echoed through the narrow alley, figures crisscrossed, a strong wind swept through, and dust billowed.

Tiger-style boxing is characterized by its expansive and powerful movements. Each move—pouncing, scissing, lifting, and grabbing—contains explosive power, fully showcasing the ferocity and fierceness of the tiger.

The Snake-like Cunning Hand technique is unpredictable and unconventional, often employing unorthodox methods. It uses softness to overcome hardness, either by entanglement or by striking, always targeting the eyes, throat, heart, or groin... It is insidious and vicious, and a slight mistake can result in death or serious injury.

The fierce battle raged on, and the powerful force of the air scraped away the plaster from the alley walls, sending fragments flying everywhere.

Li Yuan became increasingly alarmed as he fought.

The Snake-Shaped Divine Hand lived up to its reputation; its moves were ruthless. The opponent was very experienced, and if it weren't for my Tiger-Shaped Fist being fully mastered and my strength concentrated, I would have already been defeated.

But the ferocious tiger instinct within him was also fully unleashed, and his punches became increasingly violent.

Roar!

With a whistling sound, Li Yuan seized upon A Chuang's slight opening and unleashed "Fierce Tiger Climbing the Mountain," pouncing forward with both claws striking out, the force covering several major acupoints on the opponent's upper body!

Ah Chuang's expression changed drastically, and he retreated hastily. His clothes were still torn in several places by the claw wind, leaving shallow bloodstains on his skin.

He was sent by gang leader Meng San to keep watch, but he didn't expect this kid to notice his movements.

Even more unexpectedly, this young man had already broken through to the Ming Jin level, and his moves were ruthless and skillful, as if he had accumulated twenty or thirty years of experience.

tricky!

How did Ah Shui investigate the intelligence?

They only mentioned that someone in this family practiced martial arts, but made no mention of that he was a Ming Jin martial artist!

Ah Shui ruined me!

If he had known that the opponent was a Ming Jin martial artist, he would never have come alone, especially since the opponent's martial arts skills were at least twenty years of experience!

Sensing the coldness in Li Yuan's gaze, A Chuang gritted his teeth: "It seems today is a fight to the death!"

He leaped backward, creating distance between himself and Li Yuan, and slashed at his waist with his right hand.

A flash of cold light!

A foot-long dagger appeared in his hand, its blade gleaming with a cold, eerie light in the dim light.

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

Even in hand-to-hand combat, he couldn't gain the upper hand, and his opponent even brandished a weapon.

"You've done enough to force me, Ah Chuang, to use 'Wolf Fang'."

Holding a sharp blade, courage arises spontaneously.

A Chuang moved again, his dagger like a venomous snake's fangs, drawing strange arcs, specifically targeting the gaps in Li Yuan's moves.

How can flesh and blood withstand a sharp blade?

Li Yuan's Tiger Form Fist was immediately restrained, and he could only carefully dodge and block, instantly reversing the situation.

scoff!

My sleeve was ripped open, and my arm was burning with pain.

Although it did not injure his bones or muscles, it put him in a more passive position.

Ah Chuang, having gained the upper hand, pressed his advantage relentlessly, wielding his dagger like a silver snake, each strike aimed at a vital spot.

Li Yuan used his tiger-like footwork to maneuver and occasionally force his opponent away with his claws, but he was in grave danger and it seemed that defeat was only a matter of time.

Sweat mixed with blood dripped from Li Yuan's forehead. He was slightly out of breath, but his mind was extremely tense.

He knew he couldn't go on like this.

The opponent's moves became increasingly fierce, each strike aimed directly at vital points, clearly indicating an intention to end the fight as quickly as possible.

The shadow of the Four Seas Society loomed over him like a thorn in his side; the longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would be for him.

It was this impatience that made Li Yuan notice something subtle.

A Chuang thrust his dagger straight at Li Yuangang's heart once more, his timing impeccable: Li Yuangang parried a feint, his old strength exhausted and new strength yet to arise.

At that moment, Li Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted!

He saw it!

In pursuit of extreme speed and cunning, the opponent's arm wielding the dagger exhibited an extremely subtle, unnatural stiffness at the shoulder joint as they generated power—

This is an arm that has been injured before.

It's now!

On the brink of life and death, Li Yuan unleashed all his potential!

He suddenly exerted force in his waist and abdomen, and his body turned slightly to the side at an almost impossible angle!

puff!

The dagger grazed his ribs, leaving a trail of blood. He felt a sharp pain, but it ultimately avoided a vital spot!

At the same time, Li Yuan's long-awaited left claw, like a real tiger's claw, swiftly and accurately gripped A Chuang's right wrist holding the dagger!

The Qi and blood burst forth instantly like a great dragon!

Click!

A sickening cracking sound rang out!

Ah Chuang screamed in agony as his wrist throbbed, and the dagger clattered to the ground.

His eyes were filled with disbelief and terror, and he wanted to back away without thinking.

But would Li Yuan give him another chance?

"die!"

With a genuine, murderous tiger's roar, Li Yuan's right fist, gathering all the internal strength and blood energy in his body, struck A Chuang's temple like a cannonball or a tiger's final, fatal pounce!

"Bang!!"

A dull, resounding crash, like the sound of leather being struck, echoed through the alleyway.

Ah Chuang's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the wall behind him with a dull thud before slid softly to the ground.

His eyes were wide open, a deep fist-shaped indentation appeared on his head, and blood mixed with fragments of internal organs spilled from the corner of his mouth. He twitched twice and then fell silent.

Inside the alley, only Li Yuan's heavy breathing remained. He clutched the wound under his ribs, staring coldly at A Chuang's corpse.

"What a sharp blade!"

He bent down, picked up the "wolf tooth," wiped it clean, and casually put it away.

The other person only had a few coins in their pocket.

However, something is better than nothing.

"Quick, this way!" A group of burly men in black rushed toward the alley, wielding large knives whose blades reflected the cold, white moonlight.

People from the Four Seas Association?

Li Yuan's heart stirred.

Presumably, the Four Seas Society had been searching for the remnants of the Black Tiger Gang and rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

But this is good, at least it saves us the trouble of dealing with the body.

Li Yuan didn't linger; his figure flashed and he quickly disappeared into the shadows of the alleyway.

......

Li Yuan lay on the bed, trying to calm himself down.

The uninvited guests recently were undoubtedly scum from the Black Tiger Gang.

The person Lan Jie'er mentioned loitering and looking around near the Zhou family's courtyard during the day was probably this very person.

Those who come today are far superior to the likes of Qin Biao.

The Black Tiger Gang actually had such a high-level expert hidden within; this was something he hadn't expected.

Sister Lan and Old Zhou live here. As long as the Black Tiger Gang is not eliminated, it will always be a major concern.

But now, it is a time of great turmoil. Under the relentless pursuit of the Four Seas Society, the Black Tiger Gang has reached its end.

Why would they take such a huge risk to care about the life or death of Qin Biao, a mere hoodlum?

It was definitely not for revenge.

Li Yuan touched the "Yuan Sha Gong" hidden in the lining of his clothes.

This is probably the only reasonable explanation.

This skill seems to be very important to the Black Tiger Gang.

On the other hand, does the Black Tiger Gang possess the Pure Heart Jade that can aid in cultivation?

So...

Li Yuan rubbed his face with both hands, his head spinning: "If you can't figure it out, don't think about it. Just do one damn job and that's it!"