Chapter 238: The Old Man Knows a Bit of Fist and Foot

"Li Rui."

Yu Zhiqiu rubbed his aching hand and stared at the shattered pebbles on the ground.

He immediately recognized the old man who had just struck as Li Rui, leader of the Heaven and Earth Alliance.

Fear flickered in his eyes.

'He's stronger than the rumors claimed.'

A single pebble had blocked his full six-tenths power strike—this skill was extraordinary.

"Old man, you're asking for death."

Yu Zhiqiu had a fiery temper; humiliated in front of so many, his rage surged.

Whoosh!

A gale erupted.

Behind him, a massive hammer whipped up a storm; he twisted his body, extended both arms, and swung the hammer roaring toward Li Rui.

A ring of fire enveloped the hammerhead.

"Flame-Cracking Hammer—die!"

Yu Zhiqiu unleashed his full ten-tenths power from the first strike.

Huang Chui, Fei Laosan, and the others gasped in shock, hearts tightening.

Li Rui hadn't even opened his mouth.

The hammer was already slamming toward his face.

A blow of such force and weight, if it landed squarely, would shatter bones and snap tendons.

This was meant to kill him!

Li Rui's eyes turned cold.

His long blade drew!

At his waist hung a heavy sword; in his sleeve, a concealment blade. The heavy sword's thick blade met the hammer head head-on.

CLANG!

Spectators instinctively clapped hands over their ears—the metallic crash nearly split their eardrums.

A jolting numbness shot up the hammer's haft; Yu Zhiqiu nearly lost his grip.

He staggered back several steps, staring in disbelief at the old man before him.

He was a living beast.

Warriors of Divine Weapon Mountain were famed for raw strength, yet now he'd been outmatched in his own domain.

Yu Zhiqiu couldn't accept it.

"Come!"

Li Rui slashed out, expressionless.

It was called a slash.

But it was more like a smash—he didn't use the sharp edge, only the flat back of the blade.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CLANG!

The relentless, terrifying strikes nearly made the onlookers bleed from the eyes and rupture their hearts and lungs.

Yu Zhiqiu stared at the bent, battered hammer haft, silently cursing.

He hadn't expected Li Rui to be this strong!!

'Could the rumors be true? Is he really the Emperor's hidden agent, concealing his true power?'

Earlier, Qinghe had spread tales of Li Rui defeating Qi Ze.

He'd assumed Qi Ze, a pampered scion, was just weak—but now he saw it was this old man who was monstrous!

"Damn, I messed up!"

He'd been struck over a hundred times.

Yu Zhiqiu's arms were broken; he collapsed like a pile of mud, carried away by Divine Weapon Mountain's men.

"Whoa!"

A chorus of sharp intakes of breath echoed at the Heaven and Earth Alliance's gate.

What devil of a muscle-bound old man.

Li Rui had literally smashed a renowned Divine Weapon Mountain master to ruin with the flat of his blade.

For a moment,

the Divine Weapon Mountain warriors at the gate stared at each other.

None dared step forward.

Li Rui glanced sideways at the crowd at the gate:

"Who else?"

His eyes glowed with battle-lust, like a war-mad demon ready to pounce.

Who would dare approach now?

Charging in blindly would only follow Yu Zhiqiu's fate—if Li Rui didn't hold back, death was certain.

"Withdraw."

"You're strong."

The Divine Weapon Mountain men had planned to throw down some threats before leaving—but after thinking long, all they could manage was "You're strong."

The onlookers, seeing the Divine Weapon Mountain crowd disperse, turned away with excited grins.

Today, they'd been thoroughly satisfied—no one could resist this raw, visceral beauty of violence.

"Master."

"Chief."

"Big Brother."

At last, Liang He, Liu Tong, Huang Chui, and the others rushed forward.

Li Rui smiled faintly: "It's over."

From then on, the Heaven and Earth Alliance members looked at Li Rui with pure reverence.

Li Rui had always held great prestige.

But the Heaven and Earth Alliance was a martial sect—true awe came only from power. Today, Li Rui's display stunned everyone present.

They'd heard their Grand Leader was strong, but only through whispers from the Anning Guard.

Now they'd seen it.

Truly ferocious!

Had Li Rui used the blade's edge instead of the flat, that Yu from Divine Weapon Mountain would've been minced meat by now.

This visceral spectacle sent blood boiling through every vein.

Liang He blinked.

He felt today's master was different from usual.

But he couldn't quite say why.

Simply put—he was too showy.

Showy?

A little, but not much.

Li Rui had many ways to defeat Yu Zhiqiu—perhaps a narrow win, a clumsy extra strike—but he chose the most brutal, direct method: blow after blow, flesh against flesh.

Why?

As their business grew, the Heaven and Earth Alliance was no longer what it once was.

Beyond wealth, they needed overwhelming martial might to deter rivals.

Only then could they avoid being preyed upon.

Otherwise, even if he barely defeated Yu Zhiqiu today, Divine Weapon Mountain and other factions in the city would keep rising to provoke him.

As Grand Leader of the Heaven and Earth Alliance, he had to project undeniable strength—so he deliberately acted this showily.

Sometimes, patience and subtlety could solve problems—but sometimes, you had to strike directly.

Besides, he could've killed Yu Zhiqiu with a single flick of his finger; choosing over a hundred blows was already restraint.

Li Rui looked at the blade in his hand.

The excitement in his eyes was real.

Compared to mental calculations, he preferred direct solutions.

But simple solutions usually brought bigger troubles; to prevent future problems, you had to think ahead.

Today, he'd enjoyed every strike.

At that moment,

Ning Zhongtian arrived in haste.

Seeing the matter resolved, and hearing Li Rui's feat from Huang Chui and the others, he marveled.

"No wonder he's the Imperial agent!"

His power was truly terrifying.

The value of Jiang Lin's words continues to rise!

"Did that brat from Divine Weapon Manor come looking for you?"

Tie Kuang spoke while hammering iron.

Though he didn't turn around, he knew Li Rui had entered.

Li Rui: "Senior, I had no choice but to act."

Attacking someone from Divine Weapon Manor won't be easily forgotten—it's a major sect. Even if you won, the troubles that follow will be endless.

To untie a knot, you must find the one who tied it.

Divine Weapon Manor came looking for trouble precisely because of Tie Kuang.

So the moment he left Heaven's Alliance, he came straight to the forge.

Unexpectedly.

Tie Kuang already knew what had happened at Heaven's Alliance.

Probably the disciples from Divine Weapon Manor told him.

With a rapid clanging sound.

Tie Kuang halted his hammer and casually tossed the blade blank into a nearby bucket, producing a hissing sound.

"Yu Zhiqiu's little brat is even dumber than your disciple—I've long wanted to teach him a lesson."

"You hit him? Good. Hit him again."

Tie Kuang tore a cloth from a wooden rack and wiped the sweat from his hands.

"Don't worry—those brats attacked you because of me. This matter is my responsibility."

Hearing this, Li Rui finally exhaled deeply:

"Thank you, Senior."

Tie Kuang looked at Li Rui with a half-smile: "You've hidden yourself well—you've already reached Condensation."

Li Rui bowed: "All thanks to your guidance."

Tie Kuang was a Primordial Martial Artist—he could see through Li Rui's realm.

"Hide if you want. It's none of my business anyway."

"Those fools thought they could suppress you by sending two men."

"Foolish!"

Tie Kuang truly despised their incompetence.

Though he stood with Li Rui in this matter, he had spent his entire life in Divine Weapon Manor. Seeing his own people cut down by Li Rui's blades, he couldn't help but be furious at their weakness.

After speaking,

Tie Kuang walked straight out of the forge.

With Tie Kuang stepping in, things should be settled.

"It's true—great trees attract wind."

But if you want to make money, these things are unavoidable.

In this life, who escapes karmic ties?

Tie Kuang was gone for a full hour.

Li Rui didn't wait for Tie Kuang to return—instead, a line of small text appeared on his panel.

Congratulations, Host! You've completed the "Rise to Fame" beginner plot—"Establish Authority by Fist." There are many paths to fame—through literature or martial prowess. As a prodigy, you, at only ten years old, decisively defeated a renowned warrior, making your name known for ten li. Outstanding performance.

【Task "Establish Authority by Fist" completed. Reward calculation in progress.】

【Task rating: C.】

【Obtained 20 Achievement Points!】

【Name: Li Rui】

【Age: 10】

【Talent: Martial Bone, Extraordinary Comprehension, Insightful Eyes, Dream Wanderer Immortal, Demon-Slaying Victory】

【Cultivation Art: Long Chun Technique, Dragon Soaring Through Nine Heavens Map】

【Achievements: 80/100】

Li Rui's lips curled slightly.

This system truly grants achievement points just for showing off.

=9+book_bar

But he wouldn't blindly force it.

It might feel good for a moment, but the trouble afterward could kill him.

Had he not known Tie Kuang could handle Divine Weapon Manor, he never would've struck back—even kneeling and apologizing would've been acceptable.

A true man knows when to bend and when to stand. He cares only for the final outcome.

The process matters little.

But when victory is certain, he will maximize its impact.

"Today's strike was tainted by personal grudge—I'm still lacking in cultivation. Shameful, shameful."

Li Rui reflected on himself.

He had gone too far with Yu Zhiqiu.

Late night.

"Divine brilliance internalized, life and spirit perfected."

Above the dreamlike Yuntai Mountain.

Li Rui sat in meditation, eyes closed.

For low-level martial artists, comprehension offers little advantage—even if they learn techniques faster, they still can't match the speed of those with superior martial bones.

But once they cross the Dragon Gate,

things change—comprehension begins to show its true power.

At this moment,

Li Rui looked at his own body.

Ordinary.

Especially the immortal qi—he had hidden it extremely well.

With a thought,

a Seek Immortal Stone appeared in his hand—no reaction.

"It worked."

Li Rui's heart leapt with joy.

Ever since acquiring immortal qi, he'd realized he was a walking beacon—wherever he went, Seek Immortal Stones lit up.

This was extremely dangerous.

Others would have racked their brains searching for ancient secret methods to conceal it.

Li Rui chose another path.

He created his own qi-hiding technique.

The advantage of his extraordinary comprehension was fully evident now.

If none existed, he'd create one himself.

"Excellent."

Li Rui had pondered this technique for a long time—only now had he finally succeeded.

Beyond the Ask Immortal Tower, countless hidden sects existed.

Who could say whether someone might eventually trace him?

The sooner he mastered qi concealment, the less risk he faced of exposure.

Days passed one by one.

This time,

Li Rui had just returned home from the Weiheshimao Office. As he pushed open the door, Wang Zhao rushed over, beaming.

"Master! Master! I've entered the ranks!"

Li Rui was startled.

His little disciple had entered the ranks? He'd expected Wang Zhao to need three to five years of training before achieving it.

He laughed heartily: "Little Zhao, well done!"

Now,

all three of his disciples had become ranked martial artists.

It was a cause for celebration.

Li Rui placed his hand on Wang Zhao's shoulder—and immediately, his expression changed.

Demon qi?!

He'd merely intended to check Wang Zhao's internal Xianxuan qi to assess his foundation—but to his shock, he sensed another unique energy within the Xianxuan qi.

It was demon qi.

And it was unmistakably familiar—likely the qi of the Crimson Dragon Horse.

The Crimson Dragon Horse was a hybrid of demon and beast—its possession of demon qi was normal.

But my disciple having demonic energy is highly unusual.

'A human can cultivate demonic energy. Isn't that the path of Wu Kingdom warriors?'

Li Rui was stunned.

He had interacted extensively with the Wu Kingdom envoy, so he knew many Wu Kingdom warriors sought to transform their true qi into demonic beast energy.

Li Rui rubbed his chin.

My disciple seems to have unwittingly walked the path of a Wu Kingdom warrior.

But since it happened naturally, Li Rui had no intention of treating Wang Zhao as an aberration.

The look of shock vanished in an instant.

He encouraged Wang Zhao: 'Little Zhao, keep working hard—your talent is no worse than your two senior brothers.'

Complimented like this by Li Rui, Wang Zhao was caught off guard.

'Master, how could I possibly compare to Senior Brothers?'

Li Rui said firmly: 'No, among the three disciples, I have the highest hopes for you.'

He didn't add any limiting phrases like 'you're better than Liang He and Liu Tiezhu at horse care.'

Teach according to individual aptitude.

Because of his background, Wang Zhao was naturally sensitive and insecure—he needed encouragement, and Li Rui wouldn't withhold it.

Forced praise would backfire; now that Wang Zhao has entered the ranks, praise will be effective.

Wang Zhao stared at Li Rui in disbelief.

He hadn't expected his master to hold him in such high regard:

'Master, I'll work even harder.'

'Good. Very good.'

Li Rui nodded with satisfaction.

What he had just said wasn't entirely insincere—Wang Zhao simply walked a different path; his future achievements might not be lower.

A low starting point and slow progress didn't matter.

The key was steady, lasting progress.

In this regard, Wang Zhao was most like him.

In the blink of an eye,

it was early winter, the temperature had plummeted, and the streets were far less crowded.

For months,

Qinghe had remained peaceful—at least on the surface.

Inside the county government office,

'Director Zhuang, you wanted to see me?'

Zhou Dian Shi bowed respectfully to County Magistrate Zhuang Renhe, his mind suspicious.

Zhuang Renhe smiled and gestured to Zhou Dian Shi:

'I heard you went out on a case late last night—quite exhausting. I thought I'd reward the Fast Class fellows.'

The Dian Shi oversaw public order and criminal justice.

The Fast Class and the Criminal Office were both under the Dian Shi's command.

Of course, in principle, all fell under Zhuang Renhe's authority.

Who was Zhou Dian Shi?

He was an old hand who had served as county magistrate here for over a decade.

Though he had been demoted back to Dian Shi, his rank had actually been elevated.

Zhuang Renhe had never been close to him; today's talk of rewards was clearly about extracting information on that night's visit to the Tian Di Alliance.

Zhuang Renhe smiled sweetly: 'I heard the Tian Di Alliance has had disputes with Divine Weapon Manor. I'd like to ask, Director Zhou.'

Zhou Dian Shi paused to think.

He had long known Zhuang Renhe was close to Divine Weapon Manor—this was about defending a partner.

He frankly recounted everything that had happened that night.

After all, Zhuang Renhe was still his superior; there was no need to hide anything.

'I suspect the Tian Di Alliance has powerful backers behind its business—best not to act rashly.'

'Good. I understand.'

Zhuang Renhe nodded.

Only then did Zhou Dian Shi ask: 'Why are you so concerned about the Tian Di Alliance?'

From their conversation, he had noticed Zhuang Renhe's unusual focus on the Tian Di Alliance.

That puzzled him.

A county magistrate ignored the eight major sects in town, yet fixated on a minor group like the Tian Di Alliance?

Something was clearly off.

Better to ask directly than guess.

Even if Zhuang Renhe lied, he might reveal something; if not, he lost nothing.

Zhuang Renhe sipped his tea: 'Just curious.'

Zhou Dian Shi observed Zhuang Renhe's subtle expressions but detected nothing suspicious.

He lost interest in staying: 'If there's nothing else, Your Honor, I'll take my leave.'

'Fine.'

Having gotten the information he wanted, Zhuang Renhe waved him off casually.

Soon,

the room was empty. He pulled a jade stone from his robe.

If Li Rui were present, he would instantly recognize it as the Seeker's Stone.

He murmured softly:

'Tian Di Alliance—Li Rui.'

(End of Chapter)