Xiao Yufan felt his body in an extremely subtle state. It was an incredibly exhilarating sensation, as if every pore of his body was breathing.
Continuously pondering the old man’s words, Xiao Yufan clicked his tongue in amazement. There were so many things he didn’t know. At least before this, he had never encountered a martial artist skilled in internal energy.
“There’s always a higher sky beyond the heavens, and stronger people beyond oneself. It seems it’s time for me to change my perspective!”
Although he had not yet truly entered the凝气 realm, Xiao Yufan could feel that his current strength had increased several times compared to before. Cultivating the body and training the physique—just a single step forward, yet the difference was like heaven and earth.
(Note: “凝气 realm” seems to be a term from a cultivation or fantasy context, often translated as “Ning Qi Realm” or “Condensed Qi Realm.” If you’d like a polished version with the proper term rendered in English, let me know.)
According to the old man, Eastern Yanran, that little enchantress, was also somewhat strange. It seemed less like his sudden opening of another door was a natural progression, and more like it had been guided by that little enchantress.
“It seems that doing ‘that’ more often not only benefits physical and mental health but also enhances one’s strength…”
Thinking this, someone’s lustful eyes fixed directly on Eastern Yanran’s delicate frame.
The underground training ground of the Dark Gate had been particularly lively these past couple of days. With Qing Long, a battle-obsessed warrior, joining in, the three desperately hungry wolves immediately set their sights on him.
As a result, all the brothers of the Dark Gate became spectators. In their eyes, Tian Yi, Xiao Dao, and Wang Wei ranked just below Xiao Yufan. They could learn a lot by watching these three in action.
“Who wants to go first?”
Looking at Xiao Dao and the others, Qing Long’s eyes burned with fierce battle intent.
He had already sparred with Xiao Dao and the others yesterday. Their strength left his heart itching with excitement. He knew that following Xiao Yufan was truly the right decision.
In Shanxi, he had encountered no real opponents. Even the Solitary Wolf was merely a one-strike adversary. A true master feels lonely without challenges, so what he longed for most was a worthy rival.
Now, suddenly appearing before him were three people of equal strength—how could Qing Long not be thrilled?
His voice was arrogant, yet Xiao Dao and the others showed no signs of annoyance. They clearly understood that this man’s strength was more than a match for theirs.
“I’ll go first. This old body hasn’t had a good, hearty fight in a while. I hope you won’t disappoint me!”
Wang Wei stepped forward first, his gaze burning as he stared at Qing Long. Among the four, he was the oldest, and naturally carried a tone of seniority in his voice.
“Of course not…”
Qing Long took his stance, slightly crouching his body as he looked at Wang Wei, a proud arc forming at the corner of his mouth, with a hint of joy on his face.
In the past few years in Shanxi, he probably hadn’t smiled this much in a single day. For a true warrior, constant battle and sharpening oneself was the only way to grow stronger.
Almost simultaneously, the two let out low growls and instantly collided. Both their strength and speed were at their peak, so the resulting explosion was naturally intense.
Wang Wei had spent a long time in the special forces, constantly walking the line between life and death. His strength had thus naturally become terrifying. Moreover, faintly within his aura, there was a deadly, killing intent.
As for Qing Long, who had always followed Chen Jiamin, how could he possibly be inferior? If it weren’t for Qing Long’s existence, how could Chen Jiamin have become the local emperor of northern Shanxi?
Although their attacks seemed simple, when combined with their terrifying speed, they became nearly impossible for ordinary people to withstand. Moreover, this was just a sparring match—the two clearly weren’t holding back, but neither were they using their full strength.
“Exciting! Let’s go again!”
“Don’t worry, this is just the beginning!”
Their legs collided powerfully in midair, both being flung back two meters. Their voices rang out again, and the blood of everyone present seemed to boil.
“This is a true battle between experts!”
This was the thought rising deep within everyone’s hearts. If they hadn’t known the two’s actual strength, the Dark Gate members would have certainly believed they were watching a movie.
“Xiao Dao, who do you think is stronger between Brother Wei and Qing Long?”
Tian Yi, watching from the sidelines, glanced at Xiao Dao, who was watching intently, and asked with a smile.
“Qing Long is very strong. I don’t think Brother Wei has the advantage. So I’d say Qing Long is slightly stronger.”
Xiao Dao honestly expressed his thoughts, licking his lips slightly. He was already looking forward to his upcoming match against Qing Long. No matter how strong the man was, he would never admit defeat.
“That’s not necessarily true. Sometimes appearances can be the most deceptive…”
Tian Yi’s perception had always been sharp. He vaguely sensed that Wang Wei’s aura was subtly changing. This transformation had only recently begun to manifest.
“Maybe it’s just my illusion.”
Feeling Xiao Dao’s confusion, Tian Yi merely smiled and shook his head. He himself didn’t know why he had this feeling. Before, his strength had been slightly superior to Wang Wei’s, but now he couldn’t quite read him anymore…
A few minutes later, the two were still locked in an intense stalemate. Dust continued to rise from the battlefield, prompting astonished exclamations from the Dark Gate members.
As the saying goes, the experienced watch for techniques, while the inexperienced just enjoy the spectacle. They only knew that the fight was spectacular—more exciting than watching TV dramas.
Of course, the one most astonished was Qing Long himself. Initially, he thought that although Wang Wei was formidable, he himself was no pushover. Gaining the upper hand shouldn’t be too difficult…
But soon he realized he was wrong. Wang Wei’s attacks weren’t particularly fierce, but they were extremely precise and tricky. Moreover, it felt as if some kind of energy within his body was resisting Qing Long’s force.
“It should be ending soon!”
A voice drifted over. At the same time, Tian Yi and Xiao Dao turned their heads and saw Xiao Yufan had just arrived.
Observing the situation on the battlefield, a mysterious smile curled Xiao Yufan’s lips. Wang Wei had indeed surprised him. With just a single glance, he saw through part of the truth—Wang Wei’s strength was also undergoing a transformation, evolving toward the realm of self-cultivation…
“No more fighting, no more! This isn’t fair!”
Before Tian Yi and Xiao Dao could speak, Qing Long’s voice rang out again. At this moment, he looked somewhat disheveled, and the battle-obsessed warrior had actually admitted defeat.
“Ga…” Xiao Dao’s jaw nearly dropped. What the hell just happened? Could it really be that Tian Yi was right? When had Brother Wei become this strong?
“Why stop so suddenly? I haven’t had a proper, unrestrained fight with you yet!”
Wang Wei laughed, showing no arrogance. He seemed to have anticipated this outcome all along. Then, the two noticed Xiao Yufan’s presence and walked over together with Qing Long. The young master’s status had already been deeply rooted in their hearts…
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