My cultivation method shines upon all heavens.

Within ten breaths, Zhang Wanjun will exit the state of communion with heaven and earth. 10, 9, 8...

The countdown is like a silent hourglass, slowly running out of sand.

Lu Ming looked at the small figure in the white dress fluttering in the wind—

Her dance became increasingly graceful and ethereal, with silver light flowing around her like water, as if she were about to step onto the moon and depart at any moment.

"use!"

He did not hesitate.

Above the scroll, the white mist suddenly surged and evaporated, the celestial center point returned to zero, and countless new characters rippled out like waves:

[The author used Heavenly Heart Points to imprint Zhang Wanjun with the state of ancestral rebirth...]

[Zhang Wanjun witnessed the ancient white snake crossing water and ascending to heaven, transforming from a snake into a dragon within her bloodline, and comprehended the way of the dragon lurking in the abyss and swallowing the clouds in the mist...]

[Zhang Wanjun observed the form of "The White Snake Crossing" and comprehended the transformation of "The Hidden Cloud Dragon." Is this a link?]

Lu Ming chose "yes" without hesitation.

In an instant, his vision abruptly shifted away.

The moonlight, the shadows of the osmanthus tree, and the astonished faces of Shen Ru and Aunt Zhang all vanished, replaced by a vast and chaotic world.

"Boom—!"

Dark clouds filled the sky, thick as ink, converging from all directions and pressing the entire sky low as if it were about to collapse.

Countless electric snakes darted and weaved among the clouds, each flash illuminating the vast, boundless marshland below.

Amidst the vast marshland, ripples began to rise.

The shimmering water surface, with its gentle ripples, gradually transformed into surging waves.

"Whoosh—!"

A dark shadow suddenly burst out of the deep swamp, its hundred-foot-long snake-like body standing upright.

The pure white scales shimmered with a crystal-clear light under the electric light, like a flowing jade mountain range stretching between heaven and earth.

The white snake raised its head to the sky, its golden vertical pupils reflecting the rolling lightning among the clouds.

"Splash—!"

The rain poured down, and the raindrops pounded on the water's surface, splashing up countless droplets.

The white snake roared to the sky, its tongue flicking in and out of the air like a crimson ribbon.

The next moment, a bolt of blue lightning as thick as a human arm crashed down, landing squarely on its back.

The flesh was charred and bloody, scales flew everywhere, and a scorching, fishy smell filled the air.

The white snake remained dignified and fearless.

Its body suddenly tensed up, and then, like a white lightning bolt, it snaked straight into the sky!

The enormous serpentine body appeared and disappeared in the torrential rain, seemingly both real and illusory, its speed so great that even the lightning bolts that struck down hesitated for a moment.

In the blink of an eye, the white snake disappeared into the clouds.

The thunder roared in fury, and countless bolts of blue lightning struck down from all directions simultaneously, weaving together to form an impenetrable electric net that enveloped it layer by layer.

"hiss--!"

A deafening roar came from the depths of the clouds.

The white snake's body writhed and rolled in the clouds, yet it never retreated.

Each time it is struck down, it rises again with its head held high; each scale is blasted away, and a new scale grows in the lightning.

Gradually, changes began to occur.

When the blue lightning struck its body, its scales were already instinctively able to deflect and guide the flow.

The electric light glided along the patterns on the scales' surface, leaving no trace.

The remaining energy was absorbed by its body and used to forge its own shell, making every inch of its scales even more dazzling.

I don't know how much time passed.

The wind above the vast marsh grew stronger and stronger, and the clouds grew thicker and thicker.

Lightning flashed from the heavens, thunder roared across the land, and the entire world trembled.

"hold head high--!"

A long and clear dragon's roar broke through the clouds, piercing through the thunder and rain.

A white dragon burst through the clouds and soared into the sky.

The dragon's body was a hundred feet long, its scales were as white as snow, its five claws were in the air, and its head and horns were majestic.

Amidst billowing clouds and pouring rain, its majestic aura soars to the heavens, as if the entire sky is making way for its birth.

The white dragon circled in the air for only half a turn before its figure suddenly vanished into thin air.

When we saw it again, it was already a hundred miles away on the horizon, leaving only a blurry white shadow that flashed by.

"Gather your energy like a deep pool, a hidden dragon should not be used; circulate your energy like clouds, movement and stillness should complement each other..."

"When hidden, it lies dormant in the abyss, its traces unseen by all things; when revealed, its aura soars to the heavens, its power undiminished by a thousand mountains..."

Countless profound truths flooded into Lu Ming's mind like a torrent, imprinting themselves deep within his consciousness.

His blood and energy surged suddenly, like the churning of rivers and seas;

Large tendons meander beneath the skin, like giant dragons soaring through the clouds, supple and long, yet containing explosive power.

He clenched his fist lightly, his explosive power like a dragon emerging from the abyss; when he relaxed slightly, a gentle breeze seemed to swirl around him like clouds, without any effort whatsoever.

He felt light and ethereal, as if he could soar to the heavens with just a tap of his toes.

He subconsciously looked down into his eyes:

[Martial Arts: Cloud Dragon Concealment (Low-grade Earth-level Technique; Mastery 12000/30000)]

"As expected of someone with a bloodline that has reverted to its ancestral form... the experience points gained are even more than those gained from Xu Lingxian's enlightenment."

Before his smile could fully bloom, his expression suddenly changed.

"uh-huh!"

A muffled groan escaped his lips involuntarily.

There was a momentary disharmony between the muscles and skin throughout the body when the force was exerted.

It's like two tides from different directions colliding head-on at a narrow river mouth, creating a sharp, stinging sensation.

Although he returned to normal in the blink of an eye, Lu Ming's brows remained furrowed for a long time.

"Green Ox Transformation... Cloud Dragon Concealment... Are there any conflicts?"

His face darkened, and the joy of his breakthrough vanished almost instantly.

"What's wrong, big brother?"

A concerned voice came from in front of me.

Lu Ming looked up and saw Xiao Wanjun standing prettily in front of him, her head slightly tilted back, her dark eyes filled with worry.

The moonlight fell upon her, making her skin appear as white as jade, with a faint silver sheen.

Even he, a martial artist at the Bone Forging Realm, could vaguely sense a threat from this little girl who hadn't even stepped into the Skin Tempering Realm.

"It's alright, Xiao Wanjun is great."

He suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and gently rubbed the top of her head.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanjun's eyes narrowed into two crescent moons, and she rubbed her hand comfortably against his palm.

Shen Ru and Aunt Zhang watched this scene with eyes full of smiles and satisfaction.

……

The next morning, in the alley.

The morning light slanted in from the alley entrance, illuminating two naked, wounded corpses.

Wang An stood in the middle of the alley, looking down at Wang Chenghu's face, which was frozen with fear and resentment, his face as dark as ink.

The prodigy of the Wang family died just like that!

And in such a tragic and undignified way.

"Sir, we've found it."

Liu San hurried in from the alley entrance, his body tense as he bowed to reply:

"The Yellow Turban rebels broke out here on that day. Some people saw the rebels rush into this place, and even the Taoist priest of the Taiping Dao appeared here."

Lin Susu and Hong Sanyuan followed closely behind.

The two lowered their heads, their eyes fixed on the tips of their shoes, their hearts pounding with anxiety.

Wang An suddenly turned around, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Lin Susu and the other person:

"You're saying Cheng Hu chased after Lu Ming that day?"

There was no trace of a smile on his face anymore; his usually round face now looked as if he wanted to devour someone.

Lin Susu and her companion shuddered violently, involuntarily taking two steps back before speaking tremblingly:

"Yes...yes, Chief Squad Leader."

The alley suddenly fell silent.

Wang An's face turned from red to green, then from green to white, and finally settled into a blank expression.

Without saying a word, he strode out of the alley with a flick of his sleeve.

"Bang--!"

He kicked away Liu Tiezhu's corpse, which was blocking his way, and his murderous aura was no longer concealed.

His robes fluttered without wind, and every step he took on the bluestone slabs felt as if they weighed a ton.

Just as he was about to step out of the alley, a figure suddenly appeared from the side, blocking his way.

Wang An paused, and after recognizing the person who had approached, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Young Master Lian, what is the meaning of this?"

Lian Feng gently waved his feather fan, his face bearing a perfectly appropriate expression of sorrow, and raised his hands in a respectful bow.

"Chief Wang, please accept my condolences. But before we have solid evidence... we must not act rashly."

"ha--"

Wang An almost laughed out of anger.

When has the government ever asked for evidence when it handles matters?

If they could really handle something that requires so much technical skill, why would they need to practice martial arts?

He stared coldly at the other person, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes.

"Boom boom boom—!"

The immense pressure suddenly erupted, and the air throughout the alleyway exploded with countless loud bangs.

So what if they are among the top talents listed on the Dragon and Tiger List?

He was once on that list too.

Even though their ranking is lower than the other side, the years of accumulation have not been wasted.

As Lian Feng felt this overwhelming momentum, a bitter smile appeared on his face. In his heart, he had already cursed Liu Zhiyuan eight hundred times.

No wonder it's someone that even that old fox wouldn't dare to underestimate.

There was indeed a reason why they tried so hard to prevent him from taking the position of Registrar.

With such strength, if he were to gain an official position, Liu Zhiyuan might truly be unable to control him.

His mind raced, and starlight spontaneously surged across his body, like a thin blue veil covering his entire body, gradually relieving the pressure that was coming at him.

He remained motionless, his wry smile unchanged, and bowed apologetically, saying:

"Squad Leader Wang, think it over."

His words were gentle, but he did not yield an inch.

Wang An looked at him coldly.

A powerful gust of wind surged between the two, their invisible auras colliding and producing a low hum.

Lin Susu and the other two felt their legs trembling and their hearts filled with terror.

It's one thing that Wang An is terrifying, but how come a young man who is about the same age as them can be just as terrifying?

In an instant, the sense of superiority they had painstakingly built up over the common people vanished.

"Oh--"

After a long while, Wang An suddenly chuckled softly.

"Very well. As expected of 'Strategist of the World' who ranks thirtieth on the Dragon and Tiger List... Young Hero Lian, I will give you this face today."

After saying that, he turned and left.

In the instant he turned around, his steps faltered almost imperceptibly by half an inch, but no one noticed.

Lin Susu and the other two hurriedly followed.

Lian Feng stood at the alley entrance, watching the group disappear around the corner, and quietly tucked his slightly trembling hands into his sleeves.

His expression returned to calm, and he spoke slowly:

"The chessboard is set up. Lu Ming... let's see if you can help me make this amazing move."

He then shook his head slightly, as if sighing over something, and turned to leave.

These roughnecks struggled for half their lives, trying to defy fate and change their destiny, but little did they know that everything was already predetermined.

They are destined to be pawns, manipulated by others; that's just their fate!

……

On the other side, Wang An had just turned out of the alley when he stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head and glanced at Hong Sanyuan: "Come here."

Hong Sanyuan was taken aback, but then understood and quickly stepped forward to listen.

Wang An whispered a few words in his ear, like the flicking of a snake's tongue: "Do you know what to do?"

Hong Sanyuan bowed quickly, his voice trembling:

"I understand. I'll take care of it right away."

After saying that, he hurried away and disappeared around the street corner.

"I never expected that... that wolf cub would dare to bare its teeth at me when I wasn't paying attention."

Wang An's face hardened, and his hands clenched tightly.

"Bang--!"

A loud bang exploded in his palm, and Lin Susu and the other person beside him turned pale and took a step back.