Chapter 97: Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Sun Rises in the East

Bai Lang roared wildly, transforming his Internal Force into a terrifying giant claw that pierced the gorilla's body, while he himself forcibly rushed into the gorilla's body, erupting from within and clashing with the gorilla's organs—fists could also form inside the body, though still only four, yet the yin-cold force coming from all directions truly made Bai Lang's life flame flicker.

However, the gorilla wasn't doing well either—Bai Lang's desperate, explosive strikes caused the gorilla's whole body to reveal cracked lines, from which golden light burst forth. The gorilla seemed only capable of a ferocious grin, unable to communicate, unreasonable, obsessed with fighting Bai Lang. Even in this state, the gorilla kept beating Bai Lang inside its body, ignoring its own injuries—everyone's situation seemed similar, Bai Lang's condition was poor, and the gorilla looked about the same.

However, if things continued like this, it would be more advantageous for the gorilla—because the yin-cold qi in this space kept replenishing the gorilla's losses—Bai Lang was actually fighting the space itself.

Anyway, it's worth a try—Bai Lang still hasn't run out of steam; he gathered his last Internal Force into his forehead—his other arm is also injured, the gorilla's sturdy flesh clashing with his fist's counterstrike has rendered that arm useless as well. So now he'll use his head as a hammer—Bai Lang exerts force from his shoulders, back, and waist, heavily smashing his forehead, bursting with his last Internal Force, into the gorilla's already broken chest.

The gorilla collapsed backward cleanly, and Bai Lang also fell headfirst to the ground. He once again tried to mobilize his empty dantian qi sea to reforge the Golden Bell Shield. His Internal Force had vanished, the Golden Bell Shield could no longer maintain even a broken phantom, yet Bai Lang's fighting spirit remained—come on, the gorilla still looks alive; if his will dissipates, he'd truly die. Bai Lang absolutely does not want to die!

In the exhausted dantian, guided by Bai Lang's faint thoughts, a boundless surge suddenly rose from the originally depleted spot—creation from nothing, with force preceding intent; isn't that what martial arts Internal Force is? The minuscule Internal Force in Bai Lang's meridians, the residual traces circulating in the acupoints that normally go unnoticed, the Internal Force he overlooks and doesn't fully control—all are now drawn out from their original resting places.

Now these Internal Forces flow like droplets through the meridians, seeping into those blocked by yin-cold qi; much of the Internal Force and vitality are devoured by those blockages, yet much gradually gathers into the twelve primary meridians and the eight extraordinary vessels—droplets converge into trickles, trickles into streams, streams into rivers, and the rivers become the great Yangtze rushing straight into the sea.

The dantian qi sea actually burst forth, the Golden Bell Shield's fourth stage was instantly passed, Bai Lang's bones all cracked with popping sounds, and this vibration even improved his condition considerably—the vibration aligned his fractured bones on its own, then Internal Force forcibly re-fixed them; as long as his Internal Force holds and Bai Lang endures the pain, he is once again a fine fellow.

This time the reforged Golden Bell Shield completely became a large, semi-transparent bell with extremely clear patterns; the original Sanskrit inscriptions were all replaced by colorful tiger-and-man-eating motifs, the bell knob remained a bronze tiger pattern, and this bell can now be freely displayed or concealed, its power far surpassing the third stage. Bai Lang now, having mastered the Thirteen Tai Bao Golden Bell Shield, possesses definite rebound force—whatever strength the opponent strikes with, it rebounds with slightly less force.

The viscera meridians also gained stronger Internal Force protection, becoming extremely tough and hard to injure. The yin-cold qi inside his body was also shattered and dispelled by the reforged bell's chime. Bai Lang's combat power has recovered considerably; he once again stands before the gorilla struggling to rise. Although blood still stains his body and his bones ache terribly, Bai Lang laughed, looking at the gorilla before him and said, 'Good kid, Daddy's coming to love you! Damn it, old man, go die!'

This guy directly turned into a tiger—indeed, after breaking through the Golden Bell Shield, the tiger's aura can now condense into form. Bai Lang punched the gorilla's huge head into the ground, then a tiger's claw tore open the gorilla's wounded, broken chest in a great flaying. 'I recall this being called Bahu Nü? Or something else?' Nevertheless, tearing and beating the gorilla lying on the ground is quite an eyesore.

Every strike Bai Lang now makes is full of spirit and vigor, his Internal Force obeying his will like an arm directing a finger; the Golden Bell Shield's suppression and the tiger's power to break evil and devour ghosts run rampant, completely tearing the yin creature before him back to its original form—just a dry skeleton. When Bai Lan's final strike, a punch, hit the gorilla's skull, the golden tremulous force vibrated the bell, issuing a roar; then the gorilla's whole body shuddered, its black flesh turned to black mist, blasted from its body, revealing a withered yellow skeleton underneath, and the black mist dissolved into nothingness in the golden light.

Bai Lang's strike, that golden light even like a sword, directly pierced the 'space' before him, and the inn's ruins peeled away in sheets before his eyes... 'The lines are distorted! Must be using beauty filters to deceive people! Completely Photoshopped!' The yin-cold qi rapidly dissipated amid Bai Lang's cursing; its destination was clearly downward—'Damn it, just how troublesome is this underground? This shoddy city is actually built on such a troublesome thing; how fearless are the people here?'

The incident occurred at the third watch, but Bai Lang felt he'd spent at most half an hour inside; his fierce battle with the giant serpent and gorilla was actually only about a quarter hour? In a life‑or‑death fight, a quarter hour already feels long. How could that half‑hour feel like, upon exiting, the sky is reddened and dawn is about to rise in the east? Bai Lang looked around; the night‑scene scenery shattered piece by piece, turning into faint black qi that sank into the ground, and all he saw was himself sitting at the side of the inn—exactly where he had slain the gorilla, not unlike a beggar's appearance.

The toilet‑squat method made Bai Lang resemble a hooligan, yet his clothes were ragged, his body covered in blood and grime, with at least seven or eight bones broken—such a hooligan is truly miserable. Even the dignity of Bai Shaobao is gone.