Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 97 Taking Office (Please subscribe! Wishing all my godfathers a Happy New Year and non-stop good luck!)

The next day, at the first light of dawn.

Chen Jianghe picked up his gun and went out, stepping through the thin mist in the mountains, heading southeast towards the Qingyan Mountains.

Twenty miles of mountain road was nothing to him now. He used the Shadow Step technique and his figure sped through the rugged mountain path. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the familiar valley entrance came into view.

The cliffs on both sides are still steep, the wooden fence at the entrance of the valley is still sturdy, and the simple wooden house next to the fence still stands there.

But things have changed.

Chen Jianghe paused for a moment—it was here that he first met Sun Hongyao.

The arrogant female steward of the Golden Pivot Academy, along with two disciples, bossed him around and made things difficult for him in every way.

Later, she died in Black Wind Cave.

Chen Jianghe withdrew his gaze and walked towards the wooden house.

As you approach, you'll see four figures already lined up in front of the wooden house, waiting for you.

The four of them were all dressed in their respective department's uniforms. When they saw him approaching, they all clasped their hands in a fist and bowed, their expressions reserved and showing a hint of awe.

The leader was a man in his early thirties, with a stocky build, dark complexion, and bulging muscles in his arms. He wore a Yan Chen Academy outfit and had a thick-backed cleaver hanging from his waist.

He stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Wang Tiesheng, a disciple of Yanchen Academy, has reached the Great Perfection of the Transformation Realm. Greetings, Deacon Chen!"

The man to his left behind him was also dressed in the Yan Chen Academy attire. He was slender with a sharp face, but his eyes revealed a certain composure. He then clasped his hands in greeting and said, "Liu Qingshui, a disciple of the Yan Chen Academy, has reached the Great Perfection of the Transformation Realm. Greetings, Deacon Chen!"

Standing to the right was a woman, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with delicate features. She wore the simple yet elegant attire of the Cangming Academy, a sword at her waist. As she clasped her hands in greeting, her sleeves fluttered slightly, revealing a section of her fair wrist: "Li Yumei, a disciple of the Cangming Academy, has reached the Lesser Completion of the Transformation Realm. Greetings, Deacon Chen!"

The last person was the youngest, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He had a dignified appearance, wore a Jinshu Academy uniform, and carried a standard-issue long spear. His posture was slightly stiff when he clasped his hands in greeting, and his voice was a few decibels lower: "Zhou Xiaowei, a disciple of Jinshu Academy, has achieved the minor stage of Transformation Realm. Greetings, Deacon Chen."

The four stood ramrod straight, and when their gazes fell upon Chen Jianghe, they all carried a hint of restraint and an undisguised sense of awe.

They were naturally aware of the young deacon's record.

When he reached the Great Perfection of Transformation Realm, he escaped unscathed from being pursued by a Gang Realm bandit leader in Black Wind Cave. At the Caohe Ferry, he single-handedly killed six Transformation Realm members of the Caohe Gang with his spear. At the Martial Arts Training Platform, he defeated five peak Transformation Realm members of the Golden Pivot Academy in thirty breaths. After a year and a half of training, he progressed from the Lesser Perfection of Transformation Realm to the Gang Realm.

Any one of these achievements would be enough for an ordinary disciple to boast about for a lifetime.

The person in front of me is only nineteen years old.

Wang Tiesheng secretly weighed the weight of his own mastery of the Transformation Realm, his Adam's apple bobbing as his attitude became increasingly respectful.

Chen Jianghe glanced at the four people and nodded slightly: "You've all worked hard."

These four simple words brought a collective sigh of relief to all four of them.

Wang Tiesheng smiled and stepped aside to lead the way: "Deacon Chen, you must be tired from your journey. Please come in and rest! Hot tea has been prepared inside; it's all wild tea from the mountains. Although it can't compare to the refined tea from the sect, it's still refreshing and helps you relax."

"No rush." ​​Chen Jianghe interrupted him, his gaze passing over the wooden house and landing on the dense cedar forest deep in the valley. "Tell me about the situation here first."

Wang Tiesheng was slightly taken aback, then quickly nodded: "Yes, yes, the steward is right."

He cleared his throat and said seriously, "Steward, you may not know this, but this hunting ground, number seven of the Bing class, has been empty ever since—ever since that incident. The sect only lifted the ban last month and it was put back under the jurisdiction of the Mission Hall. Precisely because it is a reopened hunting ground, the sect's rewards are 30% more generous than elsewhere, which is why we took the initiative to request a transfer here."

He paused, then gave a wry smile: "But after I got here, I realized that this job wasn't so easy."

Chen Jianghe looked at him without saying a word.

Wang Tiesheng continued, "Our No. 7 field is next to No. 6 (C) on the east and No. 5 (C) on the west."

The steward of Arena Six is ​​Senior Brother Feng Yan from Yan Chen Academy, a beginner in Gang Jin (罡劲); the steward of Arena Five is Senior Brother Song Qi from Cang Ming Academy, also a beginner in Gang Jin.

He lowered his voice, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes: "These two senior brothers are both veteran stewards, each having managed their businesses for many years. We're new here, so we're bound to have to endure some hardship—"

He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was clear.

Chen Jianghe's expression remained unchanged.

He had seen this kind of thing many times before. Within the sect, factions were everywhere, and there was open and covert struggle between the various departments. Even these hunting grounds, medicinal fields, and mines had become battlegrounds.

It's perfectly normal for a newcomer to be overshadowed by a veteran.

"There's one more thing," Liu Qingshui interjected, his brows furrowed. "In the past two weeks, strange things have happened one after another at venue number seven and the neighboring venues number five and six."

Chen Jianghe's gaze fell on his face.

Liu Qingshui said, "The strange beasts kept in the enclosure are getting frightened frequently for some reason. They're alright during the day, but at night, they roar from time to time, crashing into the fence and breaking through the boundary markers, causing a huge disturbance. The four of us take turns keeping watch at night, and in the past half month, we haven't had a full night's sleep."

"How badly damaged?" Chen Jianghe asked.

"The fence has been repaired three times," Li Yumei said softly, her voice gentle but tinged with weariness. "Especially in the east area, it was repaired three times last month, but each time it was repaired, it was torn apart again within a few days."

She paused, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes: "It's strange, when those beasts are frightened, they always charge at the fence in the east section. The west section, on the other hand, is quiet and hasn't caused a single disturbance."

Chen Jianghe's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

The East District was the place where he captured the fourth and fifth of the five Black Mountain bandits.

Just then, footsteps came from below the mountain path.

Two figures, one after the other, stepped onto the valley entrance, their feet glistening with morning dew.

The man walking in front was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a slender figure. He wore a crimson outfit from the Yan Chen Academy, had a cold and stern face, and his brows revealed a hint of arrogant condescension.

The person following behind him was of similar age, wearing a blue robe from the Cangming Academy. He had a gentle face and a faint smile on his lips, but his eyes were sharp and discreet, and he looked at people with a scrutinizing gaze.

As the two walked to the wooden house, their eyes fell on Chen Jianghe simultaneously.

"Oh, so this is the newly appointed Deacon No. 7 of the C-class?" The man in the Yan Chen Academy's martial attire spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying a natural arrogance, "Junior Brother Chen Jianghe? It's an honor to meet you."

He clasped his hands in a perfunctory manner, a half-smile playing on his lips: "Feng Yan of Yan Chen Academy, Deacon No. 6 of the C-class. Congratulations, Junior Brother Chen, on taking up your post. This No. 7 venue has been vacant for a long time; finally, someone dared to take it on. Junior Brother, you have quite the courage."

He emphasized the words "finally, what courage!"

The man from Cangming Academy also clasped his hands in greeting, his smile gentle and polite, but the light in his eyes held a hint of something indescribable: "Song Qi of Cangming Academy, Steward No. 5 of the Bing class. Junior Brother Chen is young and promising, having broken through to the Gang Jin realm in just one and a half years. Such progress is something I have never heard of in my twenty years in the sect. If there is any need in the Seventh Arena in the future, please feel free to ask. We are neighbors, and we will naturally look after each other."

Chen Jianghe looked at the two men, his expression unchanged, and returned their greeting with clasped hands: "Senior Brother Feng, Senior Brother Song, you're too kind."

Feng Yan raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by his humble yet assertive attitude.

He stepped forward, his gaze passing over Chen Jianghe and landing on the dense forest deep in the valley. Suddenly, he asked, "Junior Brother Chen, have you heard about the recent disturbances caused by the strange beasts?"

Chen Jianghe nodded: "I just heard it from my fellow disciples."

Feng Yan hummed in agreement, his tone casual yet carrying a condescending air of "advice": "This matter is not simple. For the past half month, on the 5th, 6th, and 7th, every night there have been roars and collisions of strange beasts. My brother and I have investigated several times, but we haven't been able to find out anything."

He paused, then turned to look at Chen Jianghe, his smile deepening: "Now that Junior Brother Chen has arrived, we finally have all three of us responsible for the hunting grounds. If there are any further developments in the future, we'll need Junior Brother Chen to lend a hand and share the burden."

Song Qi also laughed and said, "Senior Brother Feng is right. The seventh arena is in the center, right in a crucial position. If any villains cause trouble, the seventh arena will be the first to be hit. Junior Brother Chen is young and promising, and has entered the realm of Gang Jin. I think he will definitely be able to protect this small area."

The two of them were speaking in unison, clearly using venue number seven as a shield.

Chen Jianghe looked at them, his expression calm as still water.

"Don't worry, senior brothers," he said slowly. "Now that I've taken on this role, I will do my best. I'll handle the matter at venue number seven."

Feng Yan and Song Qi exchanged a glance, a hint of surprise flashing in their eyes.

They had assumed that the young man would be apprehensive, make excuses, or beg for their help.

After all, he was new to the place, and anyone would feel intimidated facing two veterans.

But this kid is so calm and collected?

"Alright." Feng Yan withdrew his gaze, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Then I, your foolish brother, will wait and see what Junior Brother Chen is capable of."

He turned around and strode down the mountain path.

Song Qi turned around as well, took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back, his smile still gentle and courteous: "By the way, Junior Brother Chen, if I may be so bold as to offer a word of advice: the beast's fright was probably no accident. Be extra careful when patrolling tonight."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Chen Jianghe, his smile deepening: "After all, people have died in this place, Field No. 7."

After saying that, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the morning mist.

Chen Jianghe stood there, watching the two figures disappear.

Wang Tiesheng stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying, "Deacon Chen, please don't take it to heart. Those two have always been like that."

Liu Qingshui nodded, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes: "They talk a good game, all about neighborly support," but when something actually happens, they run away faster than anyone else. Last time the fence in the west area was breached, we went to ask for help, but Senior Brother Feng claimed that there was also a strange beast attacking Field Six and he couldn't get away; Senior Brother Song was even more ruthless, simply refusing to see us."

Li Yumei said softly, "With Deacon Chen around, we'll have someone to rely on."

Zhou Xiaowei stood on the far side, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't speak.

Chen Jianghe glanced at him.

The young disciple of the Golden Pivot Academy remained silent throughout, his eyes seemingly concealing something.

But he didn't ask.

"Let's go." Chen Jianghe picked up the Dingyuan Spear. "Inspect the fence."

The East District Fence. This is a place Chen Jianghe visited before. Back then, he was on patrol with Xu Tian and Liu Yu when they were ambushed by the Black Mountain Five Bandits. Now, revisiting this place, his feelings are completely different.

Chen Jianghe walked slowly along the fence, his gaze sweeping over the thick pieces of hardwood. Most of the fence was still intact, with only a few places showing signs of loosening.

Just as he was about to continue forward, Li Yumei suddenly spoke up: "Deacon Chen, look here."

Chen Jianghe looked in the direction of the sound and saw Li Yumei squatting in front of a fence, her slender fingers pointing to the base of a wooden stake.

There were several deep claw marks, stretching from the outside of the fence to the inside, tearing the hardwood in several places.

Chen Jianghe crouched down and examined the wounds closely. The claw marks were extremely deep, almost tearing the wooden stake in half. But strangely, the edges of the claw marks were uneven and varied in depth. Some of the claw marks had edges that were too neat, unlike the marks of an animal's claw tearing; instead, they looked more like...

Chen Jianghe squinted and gently touched the marks.

The surface was smooth to the touch, without the rough edges that would inevitably come from a beast's claws tearing through it. A thought flashed through his mind, but he remained silent.

"When was this fence repaired?" he asked.

Li Yumei replied, "Reporting to you, it was three days ago. I personally made it up."

Was anything unusual at the time?

Li Yumei thought for a moment, then shook her head: "No. I checked it carefully when I was repairing it, and there's nothing wrong with either the inside or outside of the fence. It's just..."

'

She paused, then pointed to the claw marks: "But these claw marks, I remember clearly, were from inside the direction at the time. Looking at them now, several seem..."

'

She didn't finish speaking, but Chen Jianghe already understood.

The claw marks have changed direction. Several of the original inward-facing claw marks are now pointing outwards, as if something tore the fence apart from the inside, and then something else came from the outside...

Chen Jianghe stood up and looked towards the deep, dense forest inside the fence. The forest was silent, with only the occasional chirping of birds.

He paused for a moment, then turned and walked towards the cabin: "Tonight, take turns on watch. Report any unusual activity immediately."

It was late at night. Chen Jianghe sat cross-legged in the wooden house, the Dingyuan Spear held horizontally in front of his knees.

He didn't sleep. The claw marks from earlier that day kept haunting him—those overly smooth marks, those claw marks that had changed direction...

"roar-!!!"

A deafening roar suddenly came from the direction of the East District!

Chen Jianghe suddenly opened his eyes!

He grabbed the Dingyuan Spear, pushed open the door, and went out! Outside the wooden house, four disciples who were stationed there also rushed out, their faces pale and their hands trembling as they held their weapons.

"Deacon Chen!" Liu Qingshui's voice trembled. "It's Ironback Bears! Judging from their roars, there are at least four!"

Wang Tiesheng's face turned ashen: "And they're all comparable to the peak of the Transformation Realm! Four Ironback Bears at the peak of the Transformation Realm, combined, are comparable to the beginner level of the罡劲 (Gang Jin) Realm! We...we..."

'

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

I dare not go.

Chen Jianghe did not look at them.

He picked up his gun and strode towards the East District.

In the darkness, the figure in green exuded a captivating sharpness. The four exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and followed him with braced eyes.

East District Fence.

The gap we inspected earlier today has now been completely torn apart, and four enormous creatures are squeezing in through it!

Each one is over ten feet tall, covered in jet-black stiff fur, with a raised back like cast iron, and two thick, pillar-like front paws whose claws gleam with a cold, eerie light under the moonlight!

Adult ironback bears have thick skin and immense strength. When all four heads work together, even beginners in the internal energy cultivation stage must temporarily avoid their attacks!

At this moment, they squeezed through the fence, but did not rush out. Instead, they stood at the gap, their pair of eerie green beast eyes fixed on the figure in blue robes rushing towards them!

A low growl rolled out from deep within his throat, revealing an indescribable restlessness and madness!

Chen Jianghe stopped ten feet away.

He gripped the Dingyuan Spear, his gaze sweeping over the four giant beasts.

Behind him, four disciples on guard arrived, panting, but stopped thirty feet away, not daring to take another step forward.

"Deacon Chen..." Zhou Xiaowei's voice trembled, "It's too dangerous! Let's retreat first! Go back and report to the sect, and ask the senior brothers of the Gang Jin realm to come..."

""

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Jianghe moved. He took a step forward, and the Dingyuan Spear rose like a venomous snake, its tip pointing directly at the nearest iron-backed bear!

The iron-backed bear roared and, with all four legs exerting force, its enormous body pounced like a black lightning bolt!

At a distance of thirty zhang, the Ironback Bear arrived in an instant, its right paw raised high, slamming down towards Chen Jianghe's head.

Before the claws even arrived, the wind had already risen!

The force of that claw is enough to shatter gold and split rocks!

Chen Jianghe neither retreated nor dodged, and suddenly raised his Dingyuan Spear!

"clang-!!!"

Gun and claw clashed, sparks flying!

The enormous impact sent the ironback bear's right paw flying high into the air, its entire forelimb trembling violently!

It let out a roar of shock and anger, staggered back two steps, and fear finally flashed in its eerie green eyes!

Chen Jianghe remained unmoved.

His arm muscles bulged, and his internal energy surged violently within him!

"die!"

The third move of the Heavenly Pivot Formation-Breaking Spear – Meteor Chasing the Moon!

The spear's light surged three feet, tearing through the air and emitting a piercing shriek!

The iron-backed bear didn't even have time to dodge before the spear tip was already at its face!

"Pfft—!"

The spear's edge pierced through his body, entering from his jaw and exiting from the back of his head!

Blood mist exploded!

The enormous body swayed and then crashed to the ground!

The other three ironback bears roared in unison, but dared not pounce again. Instead, they all retreated several steps!

Chen Jianghe drew his gun and flicked away the blood droplets from the tip.

His gaze swept over the three colossal beasts, and he slowly said, "Get lost."

The three iron-backed bears growled repeatedly, but ultimately dared not advance.

They turned and fled frantically through the gap, quickly disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.

Chen Jianghe holstered his gun and stood there.

Thirty feet behind them, the four disciples on guard stood frozen in shock.

They stared at the figure in blue, at the iron-backed bear's corpse lying dead on the ground, and at the three colossal beasts fleeing in panic...

Wang Tiesheng's lips trembled, and after a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a few words: "One...one shot...killed?"

Liu Qingshui swallowed hard, unable to speak.

Li Yumei's clear eyes were now filled with shock and awe.

Zhou Xiaowei's hand holding the gun was trembling, not from fear, but from excitement.

"罡劲...this is罡劲..."

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