Chinese Martial Arts: My Super Beast Clone

Meanwhile, at the Black Dragon Hall.

In the tranquil Japanese-style room, a censer of sandalwood incense is lit.

Haruno Munehide knelt on the ground, his head bowed, his hands resting flat on his knees, motionless.

Sitting opposite him was a middle-aged man wearing a loose black kimono. The man had short hair, a stern face, and a long samurai sword rested across his lap. He was carefully wiping the blade with a piece of white silk.

This man was none other than Yagyu Shinichi, the swordsmanship master of the Beichen Dojo and a master of the Transformation Realm.

"Does it hurt?" Yagyu Shinichi asked.

Haruno Munehide bowed his head deeply. "The physical pain is nothing. It is because of my lack of skill that I not only lost to a Chinese person who had only reached the Strength Refinement stage, but also tarnished the reputation of the dojo. Please punish me, Master."

Shinichi Yagyu stopped wiping his knife and placed the silk aside.

"Where did you go wrong?" Yagyu Shinichi asked.

"I underestimated my opponent's strength." Haruno Munehide recalled the heavy punch, his body involuntarily shrinking back. "His physique far surpasses that of ordinary people, and his moves are simple and direct. My dual-sword style cannot withstand his power."

"Foolish," Yagyu Shinichi uttered.

Haruno Munehide lowered his head even further.

"In a samurai duel, victory or defeat can be decided in an instant. If he has great strength, use speed. If he has strong defense, find an opening." Yagyu Shinichi picked up his sword, the tip pointing at Harano Munehide. "But you lost. Since you lost, face the consequences of your defeat. Self-pity is the behavior of a weakling."

Yagyu Shinichi sheathed his sword, returning it to its original sheath with a soft click.

"There's a Chinese saying, 'Strength can overcome technique.' In the Strength Refinement stage, the limits of the body determine victory or defeat. That young man named Lin Hai does have some skill. But this is ultimately just a duel at the Strength Refinement stage; neither of you understands the mysteries of the changes in force." Yagyu Shinichi stood up. "Zongxiu, your accumulation in the Strength Refinement stage is already sufficient, and your swordsmanship is already proficient. What you lack is just that one layer of understanding."

Haruno Munehide raised his head and looked at his teacher.

"Starting tomorrow, you will go to the meditation room in the guild hall for seclusion." Yagyu Shinichi looked down at him. "Go and feel the power within your body, listen to the voice within your bones. When you reach the Ming Jin stage, that's when you'll emerge."

"Yes, teacher!" Haruno Munehide's eyes rekindled with fighting spirit.

"Once you've reached the Ming Jin level," Yagyu Shinichi turned his back to him, "take your sword, go to that Fuhu Martial Arts School, and chop that Chinese brat in half with one strike. Use his blood to wash away your shame, understand?"

"I understand! I will never let my teacher down!" Haruno Munehide replied loudly.

……

As night fell, a light rain began to fall in Yangcheng.

Lin Hai, with three redwood boxes containing century-old blood ginseng tucked into his arms and a cloth bag of pills in his hand, sat in a rickshaw. The driver, wearing a straw raincoat, jogged along the flooded street, splashing water everywhere.

Lin Hai paid the fare and pushed open the gate to his own yard.

The room was dark, and the eldest sister, Lin Wan, and her younger brother, Lin An, should already be fast asleep.

Lin Hai tiptoed back to his room and bolted the door. He placed the blood ginseng and pills on the bedside table and took off his slightly damp outer clothes.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, and with a thought, gave an order to his Earth-Splitting Crocodile Dragon clone, which was far away in the wilderness outside the city.

"return."

As the command was given, the enormous creature roaming the Chishui River slowly opened its cold, vertical pupils.

The Earth-Splitter Crocodile followed the Red River, stealthily heading towards Yangcheng. The river was swift, but for the Earth-Splitter Crocodile, it provided excellent cover.

Just as it was swimming past the entrance to a forked tributary, a flash of golden light suddenly appeared in the rushing river.

Ok?

The Earth-Splitter Crocodile Dragon's instincts were instantly triggered. It wasn't the reflection of an inanimate object, but rather the light of a living being brimming with pure life energy!

It immediately changed direction and chased after the place where the golden light was shining.

It was a precious fish, about three feet long, its entire body covered with fine silver scales, except for a pure gold line along its back that ran from its head to its tail fin. Its head was slightly raised, shaped like a lion's head, and its two eyes were exceptionally bright and lively.

Lionhead Golden Backfin Fish!

A rare treasure fish, born in places where the spiritual energy of the water veins converges, feeding on the essence of aquatic plants, and containing pure energy within its body. Because its head resembles a lion's head, it is commonly known as the "Lionhead Fish".

The lionfish clearly sensed the danger. With a flick of its tail, it streaked across the water like a golden lightning bolt, darting upstream at breakneck speed.

The Earth-Splitter Crocodile Dragon let out a silent roar, its four limbs slashing violently, its massive body bursting with speed in the water that was completely disproportionate to its size, relentlessly pursuing the enemy.

Two shadows, one gold and one black, engaged in a life-or-death chase in the narrow tributary.

The lionfish was incredibly agile, constantly using the complex terrain of the riverbed to evade danger, but the brute force and endurance of the Earth-Splitter Crocodile were superior. It completely ignored obstacles such as wooden stakes and reefs in the riverbed, directly smashing through them with its head and body, charging headlong along its path.

After chasing for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the river ahead suddenly opened up.

In its panic, the lionfish plunged headfirst into a secluded little lake. The lake was small and surrounded by dense reeds, making it exceptionally hidden.

This is the end of the river, a dead end.

The massive body of the Earth-Splitter Crocodile followed closely behind, plunging into the lake and stirring up large amounts of silt.

The lionfish frantically circled in the lake, trying to find a chance to escape. However, its struggles were futile in the face of overwhelming power.

Seizing an opportunity, the Earth-Splitter Crocodile Dragon opened its massive jaws wide, swung its huge tail, and increased its speed dramatically, swallowing the Lionhead Fish whole!

Meanwhile, Lin Hai, who was far away in his room, saw a string of floating information on the panel.

[Consuming the 'Lionhead Goldenback Fish' grants 60 evolution points and 15 spirit essence points.]

[Current Spiritual Energy: 37/100.]

……

As night deepened, the rain gradually stopped. The water accumulated under the eaves flowed down the tiles, dripping onto the bluestone slabs in the courtyard with a monotonous pattering sound.

Lin Hai sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes slightly closed, his mind constantly focused on his clone outside the city.

Because of its pursuit of this creature, the Lionhead Golden-spined Fish and the Earth-Splitting Crocodile Dragon deviated from the main channel of the Chishui River and took a large detour.

It wasn't until late at night that the Earth-Splitting Crocodile Dragon slithered back into the underground courtyard of Lin Hai's house.

He rolled out of bed, put on a short jacket, picked up the heavy cloth bag full of pills from the table, and pushed open the door to walk into the courtyard.

The air was damp after the rain, carrying a slight earthy smell.

Lin Hai stood in the center of the courtyard, remaining silent for a moment. He closed his eyes and slowly released his synesthetic talent, carefully examining the surrounding movements.

All around was quiet. Inside the room, the eldest sister, Lin Wan, could be heard breathing evenly, while her younger brother, Lin An, occasionally turned over, mumbling incoherently in his sleep. The neighboring families were also fast asleep, and there were no unusual footsteps or noises in the streets.