Chapter 693: Sixth Rank (Bonus Chapter — Request Subscription)

South City Gate.

A figure was leaving the city.

‘Hei Hu is here… It’s a trap!’

Xun Lao Liu wore a bamboo hat, preparing to leave the place as soon as possible: ‘For three years, to secure Hei Hu’s supplies and for my own breakthrough to sixth rank… I’ve been careless.’

He felt a flicker of regret: ‘No matter what, I cannot drag Hei Hu down with me!’

Since failing to break through to internal strength a year ago, Xun Lao Liu knew he lacked the destiny for it.

To climb the martial path, he must rely on his own son!

Before today’s transaction, he had sensed something was off—and then he spotted his son in this small town.

Out of caution, he did not approach to identify himself, but continued observing—and immediately spotted the trap!

So he tricked a grave robber into taking his place as bait.

If all went well, after today, the identity of Xiao Tian Quan Gou San could die…

After stepping beyond the city gate, for some reason, Xun Lao Liu’s heart grew heavier, not lighter.

‘Gou San?!’

Suddenly, a sharp feminine cry rang out.

Xun Lao Liu’s body trembled, then he cursed inwardly.

‘Ha… found you.’

On the city gate tower, Jade Instructor leapt down like a giant bird, hurtling straight toward Xun Lao Liu!

She could not recognize the real Xiao Tian Quan, but she had stationed herself at the South City Gate, closest to the crime scene, observing every martial artist who passed.

If someone seemed suspicious, she would shout to startle them.

Martial artists and commoners differed in every aspect—easily distinguishable at a glance.

Unluckily, among those leaving through the South Gate during this period, only one seventh-rank martial artist existed: Xun Lao Liu.

‘Damn!’

Xun Lao Liu rolled onto the ground—clearly using the Lazy Donkey Roll.

Though ungainly, it was like a rabbit dodging a hawk, evading Jade Instructor’s empty-handed strike.

‘Huh?’

Jade Instructor was already a sixth-rank internal strength expert.

After landing, she twisted her foot, accelerating instantly, blocking Xun Lao Liu’s path, and delivered a light, floating palm strike.

The strike looked ordinary—but to Xun Lao Liu, it felt utterly unavoidable.

He roared, both arms exploding with golden light as he blocked.

Crack!

The moment contact was made, Xun Lao Liu felt thousands of steel needles piercing both arms; his body was violently thrown backward, blood trickling from his lips.

‘Internal strength!’

He felt bitter inside—if not for his peak hardening cultivation, one strike alone would have ruined both his arms.

‘Xiao Tian Quan Gou San, meeting me is simply your bad luck.’

Jade Instructor spoke flatly, as if stating the most ordinary fact.

Xun Lao Liu’s heart sank; he reached into his robe and gripped a dagger.

He prepared for a final desperate fight—and, if necessary, to slash his own face to prevent implicating his wife and son.

‘Hmph!’

Jade Instructor sneered.

Sixth-rank internal strength and seventh-rank golden silk may seem only one rank apart—but the gap is greater than between seventh and eighth rank!

Once internal strength is achieved, even a novice stepping into the martial world counts as a formidable force.

If one’s background is clean and age is young, one can even be directly admitted into the Five Animals Gate!

This gap cannot be bridged even with a weapon.

Indeed, after just three more exchanges, Gou San was utterly overwhelmed.

Puff!

His dagger flew high into the air; another palm struck his chest, sending him collapsing to the ground, despair flooding his mind.

‘Let’s see what secrets this thief and scoundrel is hiding.’

Jade Instructor stepped forward, reaching to lift Xun Lao Liu’s bamboo hat…

…

Moments earlier.

Inside the inn.

‘Brother, are you feeling better?’

Ye Fengchun helped Xun Heihu onto the bed, concerned.

‘I’m fine. Just need a good rest—don’t call me for dinner.’

Xun Heihu said.

After Ye Fengchun left, he shut the door and stared out the window.

‘That strike really hurt…’

Xun Heihu winced as he tore open his clothes, then suddenly shuddered.

His chest wound was healing rapidly…

From excruciating pain, to mild injury, then completely gone—no hindrance to movement…

This was one of the Twelve Extraordinary Forms of Ancient Martial Arts: the ‘Water Bear Body’!

It restored injuries with astonishing speed.

‘From indirect hints from Xiong Instructor, my time is running out…’

‘Then… break through!’

Xun Heihu sat cross-legged, his bones trembling.

His entire skin turned bronze, merging into a single surface—like a bronze statue!

The bronze deepened, eventually forming a golden glow!

Whoosh!

Inside him, his blood and qi boiled, propelled by the immense power of the Qilin blood, surging through every inch of his body.

The temperature around Xun Heihu rose slightly, as if he sat beside a furnace.

—Blood and Qi Like a Furnace!

If Wei Chi Gang or Si Tu Yanyan saw this, they would be stunned.

Both were noble heirs, raised on countless tonics, yet far from reaching this level.

But Xun Heihu, a commoner’s son, achieved it so simply?

His cultivation had long surpassed the threshold for internal strength breakthrough—but he had held back, to forge the most solid foundation possible.

But now, he refused to wait any longer!

Shhh!

On his bones, layers of golden and silver light emerged, intertwining into golden threads and silver networks.

This ‘golden-silver’ network extended, wrapping his entire body, gradually forming the concept of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Twelve Regular Meridians.

‘When full, it overflows; when qi is full, it manifests!’

In that instant, Xun Heihu, pushing his hardening to its peak, sensed something inexplicable in the void.

His pores opened greedily, absorbing heavenly qi through his skin, transforming it into internal strength!

The newly formed internal force surged wildly through the Eight Extraordinary and Twelve Regular Meridians, converging behind the Bronze Gate into his dantian!

Drip. Drip.

Xun Heihu seemed to hear the sound of flowing water.

He felt his dantian’s internal strength growing thicker,

More violent…

‘Is this… sixth-rank internal strength?’

He reached out and touched the redwood furniture before him—feeling that with a single thought, the ‘internal strength’ in his dantian would explode like gunpowder meeting a bullet, shattering the table into splinters!

‘My internal strength… its destructive power is immense!’

Xun Heihu murmured to himself: ‘Where does my current cultivation stand among sixth-rank martial artists?’

‘Top-tier sixth rank.’

Fang Xing replied: ‘With Ancient Martial Arts aiding you, the instructors shouldn’t be your match… but if Taiyi Hand is nearby, it’s uncertain.’

‘Even so, I must act.’

Xun Heihu roared inwardly, channeling internal strength into his legs, his body light as a swallow, soaring out the window.

Internal strength has many uses—especially when channeled into the legs, it enhances lightness techniques.

He had already changed clothes in the room; now he fastened a face mask over his face.

‘South City Gate!’

Xun Heihu burst through the city gate and saw Jade Instructor.

The opponent’s palm technique was exquisitely refined, having knocked down a man wearing a bamboo hat.

“Ah!”

His eyes turned blood-red; his skin tone and physique underwent subtle changes.

Twelve Bodies’ Difference — Bamboo Skin!

……

Master Yu was about to remove the hood from Xiaotianquan when the hairs on her back suddenly bristled.

Without hesitation, she spun around and flung her hand out, unleashing a torrent of internal energy.

Boom!

Their palms collided; the touch was wrinkled and hard — the opponent had cultivated some esoteric martial art!

Worse still!

A terrifyingly fierce internal energy, burning with fiery force, surged toward her!

Master Yu retreated several steps, staring at the newly arrived masked figure: “Who are you?”

This newly appeared sixth-rank expert’s martial skill was undoubtedly superior to hers!

Not only was the nature of his internal energy brutally fierce, but what impressed Master Yu most were his blood-red pupils!

— Qilin Blood!

When Qilin Blood activated, it not only made Xun Heihu’s internal energy rage uncontrollably and his muscles swell, but also turned his pupils blood-red!

He said nothing, merely lunged forward, radiating a savage intent

that filled the air.

Master Yu suddenly felt suffocated.

Facing this expert, she felt as if she had been cast into the wilderness, alone against a ferocious beast!

Slap!

In an instant, they exchanged three blows; Xun Heihu dropped his elbow and swung it horizontally through the air!

Master Yu retreated several steps, her face flushed crimson; suddenly, she opened her mouth and spat out a jet of essence-blood.

Xun Heihu’s crimson eyes flicked toward Master Xiong as he arrived, then seized Xiaotianquan Gou San and turned to leave.

Swish!

Master Xiong arrived beside Master Yu: “Are you alright?”

“Where did this expert come from? On our side, only Director Zhang could possibly match him…”

Master Yu spat another mouthful of blood and glared fiercely at Master Xiong: “You were here all along — why didn’t you intervene?”

“I was just guarding your back, ‘Jade Asura’,”

Master Xiong said innocently: “Besides… even if I joined, we still wouldn’t be his match — we’d only lose more disgracefully.”

“He’s still holding back?”

Master Yu was startled, then puzzled: “His martial style is brutally savage, full of wildness, yet the techniques seem

crude… This is… an Ancient Martial Stream expert! Investigate! Find out! There are few Ancient Martial experts in Chuzhou, even fewer among the middle ranks — such an expert must leave traces!”

……

Whoosh!

After dumping his father in a deserted place, Xun Heihu did not reveal his identity but raced back to the inn at full speed.

Only when he slipped through the window and saw the bolt undisturbed did he finally exhale in relief.

After shedding the Bamboo Skin and Qilin Blood states, he instantly transformed from a monstrous brute into a slender, refined youth.

“I never thought… I actually hit a teaching master.”

Muttering to himself, Xun Heihu immediately lay back on the bed and feigned sleep.

If you’re going to act, act fully!

As he pretended to sleep, he mentally reviewed the fight: “Hmm… Just as the elder said — as soon as I broke through, I became a strong sixth-rank. If I combine it with the boost from the Ancient Martial Stream’s Twelve Bodies’ Difference, perhaps I can fight a fifth-rank?”

……

The next day.

Xun Heihu rose and went to the dining hall for breakfast.

Ye Fengchun approached mysteriously, lowering his voice: “Did you hear? Master Yu and Master Xiong went to ambush Xiaotianquan yesterday — they got beaten to their knees, spitting blood and begging for mercy…”

Xun Heihu: “???”

Xun Heihu: "???"