Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

"When did it become anyone else's place to discipline my disciple, Li Chengyue's disciple?"

Everyone turned around abruptly.

A person was leaning against the doorway.

He was wearing a dark blue cloth jacket, his hair was messy and hastily tied up with a wooden hairpin, he was holding a wine gourd in his hand, and his eyelids were half drooping, looking like he hadn't woken up yet.

It was Li Chengyue.

He leaned loosely against the door frame, the long spear wrapped in coarse cloth at his waist casually resting on his shoulder.

"Master, Master?" Su Derong was the first to react and exclaimed in a trembling voice.

Li Chengyue ignored him.

He slowly raised his eyelids, his eyes, which were always hazy with drunkenness, now as cold as a deep pool, as they slowly swept over the tense crowd in the courtyard.

Finally, it fell on Zhao Mingyuan.

"Master Zhao," Li Chengyue began, his tone calm, "bringing so many people to block my disciple's courtyard... what's the meaning of this?"

Zhao Mingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed.

He was certainly aware of Li Chengyue's reputation.

After all, this drunken master had a cultivation level of Transformation Realm and was once quite prestigious.

But that's all in the past.

In Yilin County today, martial artists with the Transformation Realm are certainly experts, but which of the five major families in the inner city doesn't have several Transformation Realm experts in charge?

The Zhao family has two ancestors at the peak of the Transformation Realm, and another who is said to have one foot in the "Gang Realm".

What can one Li Chengyue do?

Thinking this through, Zhao Mingyuan composed himself, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Master Li, this matter is a private debt between the Zhao family and the Su family. According to the rules of the martial arts world..."

"The rules of the martial arts world?" Li Chengyue interrupted him, then suddenly laughed.

The smile was faint, yet it sent a chill down Zhao Mingyuan's spine.

"The rules of the martial world dictate that debts must be repaid; it's a matter of course." Li Chengyue picked up his wine gourd, took a swig, and wiped his mouth. "But even the rules of the martial world have a sense of 'reason.' Your Zhao family first used exorbitant interest rates to force repayment, then condoned your disciples' sneak attacks, and finally tried to bully the few with numbers—Zhao Mingyuan, do you think my disciples don't have elders to back them up, or do you think the reputation of my Xingyi School has become so rotten that it can be trampled on at will?"

Before he finished speaking, the long spear wrapped in coarse cloth on his shoulder suddenly trembled slightly with a "hum".

The coarse cloth that had been wrapped around the wound tore apart inch by inch and fell down in a rustling sound.

A long spear revealed its true form.

The spear is seven feet two inches long, dark in color, neither gold nor wood, with faint, fine dragon scale patterns spiraling upwards.

The moment the gun appeared, the temperature in the courtyard seemed to drop by three degrees.

Just then, a long, aged laugh suddenly rang out.

"Li Chengyue! It's been many years, but the murderous aura of your 'Hidden Dragon Spear' hasn't diminished in the slightest!"

Li Chengyue glanced at him, a smirk playing on his lips: "Who do we have here? It's Zhao Kun, the 'Iron Hand' of the Zhao family. What, is the Zhao family out of talent that they have to send out an old man like you to put on a show?"

Zhao Kun's face darkened: "Li Chengyue, stop trying to win with your words! The Zhao family is in the right today. If you know what's good for you, take your disciple and leave. Don't make things worse for yourself! Otherwise—"

"Otherwise what?"

Li Chengyue interrupted him and suddenly stepped forward.

Just that one casual step.

"Crackling sound—"

On the blue brick floor of the courtyard, spiderweb-like cracks suddenly spread three zhang (approximately 10 meters) from the center of his toes!

There was no preparation, no exertion of strength; it was just a casual step.

But that overwhelming pressure, like a mountain collapsing or a raging sea, suddenly enveloped the entire courtyard!

Zhao Kun's pupils constricted sharply, and he cried out in disbelief, "You—!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Chengyue made a move.

He didn't even look at Zhao Kun, or anyone else.

He casually raised the "Hidden Dragon Spear" in his hand, the tip pointing at Zhao Kun's brow.

Then, hand it over gently.

This shot was straightforward, simple, and without any fancy moves.

There was no piercing shriek tearing through the air, no strange phenomena stirring up the wind and clouds, and even the afterimage was blurry and indistinct.

It's like meeting an acquaintance and casually extending your hand.

But Zhao Kun's expression changed drastically, as if he had seen a ghost, and he retreated rapidly!

He retreated extremely quickly, his feet carving two deep furrows in the blue bricks. His gray cloth robe billowed like a sail, and he unleashed both palms, exploding his full power to create layers of air walls in front of him.

"boom--!!!"

The moment the air wall made contact with the gun tip, a dull, thunderous roar erupted.

Zhao Kun grunted and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the courtyard wall!

"Bang!"

The courtyard wall, built of blue bricks, collapsed in a loud crash, filling the air with smoke and dust.

When the smoke cleared, everyone was horrified to see Zhao Kun kneeling amidst the rubble, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his sleeves torn to shreds, and his exposed skin covered in fine bloodstains.

He raised his head, staring intently at Li Chengyue, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock: "Gang... Gang Jin... You actually... have reached the Gang Jin realm?!"

The entire venue was deathly silent.

You could hear a pin drop.

Gang Jin!

In martial arts training, the visible force can split stones and shatter monuments, the hidden force can destroy hearts and sever meridians, and the transformative force can control the entire body—all of these are applications of one's own strength.

Gang Jin is a realm above Hua Jin!

Its power, when released outwards and condensed like a fierce aura, can injure people from a distance and protect the body like a shield.

The Zhao family's patriarch, who was at the half-step Gangjin level, had already secured the Zhao family's position among the top five families in the inner city, granting them immense power.

But Li Chengyue, this seemingly decadent and slovenly old man who spends his days with a wine jug and guards a dilapidated martial arts school, is actually a true master of Gang Jin?!

"Now," Li Chengyue sheathed his spear, casually propping it up on the ground, and turned his gaze to Zhao Mingyuan and Li Tian, ​​"can you speak properly now?"

Zhao Mingyuan's lips trembled, and his hand holding the knife shook slightly uncontrollably.

Li Tian was deathly pale, with a damp patch seeping from his crotch, and his whole body was trembling like a leaf.

"Master..." Zhao Mingyuan's voice was hoarse. "For the sake of our past relationship, today... it was this disciple who was offended. Since the Su family has already returned the principal, the interest... can be postponed for three months."

"Postponed for three months?" Li Chengyue raised an eyebrow, as if he had heard something interesting. "I think I just heard that someone wants to cripple my disciple's cultivation?"

He paused, his gaze falling on Li Tian: "And some people say that my Xingyi Sect is a dilapidated martial arts school?"

Li Tian was terrified and scrambled to Li Chengyue's feet, kowtowing repeatedly until blood instantly streamed down his forehead: "Master! Master, spare me! I was blinded by greed! I know I was wrong! Please, Master, consider the past... consider the fact that I once served you tea and water..."

"Past? Friendship?" Li Chengyue scoffed and lightly nudged him with his foot.

Li Tian tumbled out like a rolling gourd, looking utterly disheveled.

Li Chengyue looked at him, his eyes showing no anger, only indifference:

"Back then, you were frozen stiff in the snow, almost dying. I picked you up, gave you clothes to wear, fed you, taught you martial arts, and hoped you would grow up."

He slightly turned the spear tip, pointing it at Zhao Mingyuan: "Zhao Mingyuan, you have great talent and high aspirations. I will teach you everything I know, hoping that you can carry forward Xingyi Quan and make your talents worthwhile."

He paused, then said, "People strive for higher positions, just as water flows downhill. I don't blame you for climbing higher branches and wanting a better future. In this world, no one has it easy."

Li Chengyue's voice suddenly turned cold: "But today, you two treacherous and ungrateful bastards, bringing outsiders and relying on your numbers, have dared to bully my disciple, trying to destroy his foundation and take away his livelihood... Do you think I, Li Chengyue, am too old to wield this spear?"

As the last word was uttered, a sudden gust of wind arose in the courtyard!

An invisible pressure, like a mountain collapsing, enveloped the entire area.

The Zhao family's elite guards were all pale-faced, struggling to breathe, and their legs were weak, almost collapsing to their knees.

Even Zhao Mingyuan, a peak expert in internal energy cultivation, felt as if a huge rock was pressing on his chest, and his blood and qi circulation was sluggish.

Li Tian coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggered backward, and collapsed to the ground.

Only Chen Wanglong stared intently at Li Chengyue, his eyes filled with resentment, and hissed, "Old man, how dare you..."

"Noisy."

Li Chengyue didn't even look at him, and flicked his sleeve behind his back.

An invisible burst of energy struck Chen Wanglong's face from a distance.

"Snapped!"

A crisp, loud slap.

Chen Wanglong was sent flying through the air, tumbling halfway before crashing heavily to the ground. Half of his cheek swelled up instantly, and teeth mixed with blood and foam spurted out. The rest of his curses were swallowed back down his throat, leaving only a painful groan.

Li Chengyue then strolled over and looked down at him.

"Young man," Li Chengyue stared at him, his eyes icy, "who gives you the right to interrupt when your elders are speaking? Deal with your Chen family's petty problems behind closed doors. If there's a next time..."

He paused, leaned down, and said in a voice only Chen Wanglong could hear, "I don't mind disciplining this arrogant 'Qilin grandson' on behalf of your master."

Chen Wanglong trembled all over, and the resentment in his eyes was finally overwhelmed by boundless fear. He shut his mouth tightly and dared not make a sound.