Translator: Cinder Translations
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"How is it?"
In the quiet room, several figures were either sitting or standing.
The projection screen displayed a scene where Chen Feng single-handedly defeated four formidable opponents at the third level of the Inner Strength.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment, the wooden floor reflecting the sunlight and shadows from outside the window.
Until the footage ended, the burly figure leaning against the wall with crossed arms shook his head.
"The people from the Bear Style and the Bird Style are all useless. I feel like we haven't seen this person's full strength."
As soon as these words were spoken, they were quickly met with rebuttals.
"Isn't that all?"
"Aren't the core techniques of the Flame Tiger Sect just a few? The Bronze Statue Technique and the Crimson Tiger Force, plus one more Giant Tiger Technique. No matter how high his talent is, could he have any other means?"
The speaker was sitting cross-legged on the ground, with messy long hair and a somewhat thin frame.
His tone was somewhat serious, and after a moment of silence, someone else chimed in: "Then let's compromise and assume he's still hiding twenty percent of his strength."
"Overall, it should be no less than Xiao Wu."
"What do you all think?"
"Tch, you're using me as a reference again."
The young man with messy long hair sitting cross-legged said unhappily, but he didn't argue further.
The burly figure standing with crossed arms pondered for a moment before gently nodding, and the others gradually expressed their agreement.
If they could elevate his combat power by another twenty percent, he would rank fifth among the true disciples.
This was already enough respect from them.
Seeing this scene, the elder outside smiled slightly, quite satisfied with their proactive analysis and planning.
The prosperity of a sect is like this; the Flame Tiger Sect, which has languished for thirty years, dreaming of catching up, is just a fool's errand.
Tap, tap, tap.
Footsteps approached, and a disciple walked up.
"Elder Liu, the senior brother has exited seclusion."
"Oh? What was the result?"
"I saw the True Intent of the Flying Dragon."
---
Step step step!
As the footsteps moved, Chen Feng and the others stood outside a hotel with ancient decor, carrying their luggage.
In the sky, a flying vehicle streaked across, while a black sedan slowly drove away from the street.
Seeing this, Xu Tingxiao could no longer suppress his curiosity and couldn't help but look at Li Tong, asking, "Master, so you had already contacted someone in advance?"
Zhou Zhixiong's arrival was too timely.
He thought it was Li Tong's preparation that resolved the final conflict.
"No, I was surprised too."
However, Li Tong withdrew his gaze and shook his head.
"I'm not familiar with this person; I only heard Elder Chu mention him briefly before."
In a calm tone, Chen Feng beside him seemed to be pondering.
This Zhou councilor's arrival was too coincidental, neither early nor late.
Moreover, if he truly intended to host them, the security personnel at the high-speed rail station wouldn't have ignored them at first.
"Then it seems he was weighing our value."
Zhao Jushan said in a low voice, and Lin Xiaoyun beside him also seemed to grasp the implication.
The group fell silent for a moment, and footsteps gradually sounded behind them.
Turning around, the hotel with ancient decor was quite large, with many lofts and small courtyards inside.
Outside the main entrance was a rockery and fountain, with gray bricks laid on both sides, and figures passing by, many flying vehicles landing and parking.
[The 37th Southern Martial Arts Conference]
The virtual projection text hovered above the entrance, and staff members were busy receiving people from various sects.
As if sensing Chen Feng and the others' arrival, someone's gaze flickered, and soon a young female staff member approached them proactively.
"May I ask who you are?"
"Flame Tiger Sect."
Zhao Jushan's voice was low, and the other party looked somewhat surprised.
Without saying much, she quickly gestured for them to follow her: "Please come with me."
The five of them followed her, during which other sects cast glances their way.
Expressions varied, some surprised, some complex, and others gleeful.
"I didn't expect the people from the Flame Tiger Sect to actually dare to come."
"It's been thirty years, tsk tsk, could it be another battle of dragons and tigers?"
"What are you thinking? Haven't you seen how powerful the Flying Dragon Sect is now? More than a dozen sects in Yun Port depend on it for survival, not to mention it has transformed into the Flying Dragon Group."
"I heard that the Flying Dragon Sect has already sent people to set things up."
"Really? What was the outcome?"
Whispers of discussion arose, but Chen Feng and the others were all at the Inner Strength level, how could they not know.
Xu Tingxiao was somewhat dissatisfied, but soon, seeing that his master and the others were all silent, he had to suppress all his emotions and stepped forward, walking to a small courtyard named Wind Listening Courtyard.
There were some green bamboos planted, a small pond and pavilion nearby, and a few rocks piled together.
"Wind Listening Courtyard has five rooms. Considering that you all have the habit of practicing martial arts, we have closed off some intelligent services that involve privacy."
"If you need anything, just let us know at any time."
The female staff member familiarized them with the courtyard inside and out. After glancing at Li Tong's expression, Lin Xiaoyun gently nodded, signaling her to leave.
The five of them each took a room, and Li Tong didn't say much, just gave a brief instruction.
"Don't overthink it. No matter how much the Flying Dragon Sect is at odds with us, they still have to consider face. They won't act recklessly in this kind of setting."
"Rest if you need to, make friends if you want, and we'll discuss the rest when the conference starts tomorrow."
They nodded, and in the end, only Chen Feng was left behind.
Click!
The door closed, and Li Tong stood by the window, gazing outside.
"You saw everything that happened today, right?"
"Do you regret joining the Flame Tiger Sect?"
He was very clear about his eldest disciple's talent.
If it weren't for the obstacles posed by the Flying Dragon Sect and the past grievances, he would surely be unstoppable.
"Why would I regret it?"
Chen Feng retorted, his tone surprisingly calm.
"In the battle of dragons and tigers, who can predict the outcome?"
"This is just the beginning."
As his words fell, Li Tong turned to look at him.
His burly and tall figure resembled a rock, and the calm gaze beneath his slanted brows inexplicably exuded a hint of the aggression belonging to a fierce tiger.
Their eyes met for several seconds.
"Good!"
With no more worries, Li Tong laughed heartily and soon pulled out a white jade porcelain bottle from his pocket.
"This is the Divine Strength Pill. After taking it, it can help you refine your spirit and accelerate the fusion of your strength."
"As for whether you can break through to the True Intent in the future, I can only help you this far."
Whoosh!
With a flick of his finger, the white jade porcelain bottle landed in Chen Feng's hand.
After a moment of silence, Chen Feng felt the preciousness of this secret medicine.
He had heard from his third master uncle.
To break through to the True Intent, one needed to cultivate the Crimson Tiger Force to the Crimson Tiger level.
It required refining the spirit and resonating with the strength, so that the envisioned Crimson Tiger could be reflected outside the body, transforming into a true intent phantom.
The Divine Strength Pill was meant to shorten this process, the only secret medicine most suitable for the Flame Tiger Sect.
Because the medicinal materials were hard to find and the refining process was complex.
Thus, within the entire sect, only one Divine Strength Pill remained.
"Go ahead."
Li Tong said with a smile, and Chen Feng didn't waste any words.
He bowed deeply, memorizing all the favors firmly.
Then he left the room and returned to his own.
"Divine Strength Pill."
He twisted open the wooden cork, pouring out the only pill from the porcelain bottle.
It was round, about the size of a fingernail.
A light red color, with a very faint scent.
Without hesitation, Chen Feng decisively tossed it into his mouth.
Crunch!
He chewed it and swallowed it.
A wave of heat rose from his abdomen, while a cool sensation spread through his mind.
Not daring to delay, Chen Feng immediately envisioned the Crimson Tiger Flying Through the Sky Diagram while guiding the internal strength to refine the medicinal power.
The heat and coolness intertwined and converged, gradually causing his four-dimensional attributes to begin to rise.
Or more accurately, it was a singular increase in his will attribute.
[Will: 25.6→25.7→25.8]
Time flowed by, until an hour later, dusk was approaching, and the sky was darkening.
Huff!
A breath of turbid air was expelled by Chen Feng as he looked at the data on the panel before him.
[Will: 25.6→27.1]
[Crimson Tiger Force: Burning Mountain (66%)]
"The progress of the Crimson Tiger Force actually increased by 25%."
With a flash of his gaze, Chen Feng could clearly feel that the strength and spirit within him had begun to resonate slightly.
One Divine Strength Pill had saved him at least twelve portions of Limit Breaking Points.
Moreover, this did not even account for the enhancement in will.
"Still a bit short."
Within the panel, there were still two portions of Extreme Martial points.
If he could obtain two more portions and break them down completely, he would be able to break through to the Crimson Tiger level, achieving true intent level.
Aside from that.
His gaze shifted down to the talent section.
[Azure Armor LV3: 45/100]
[Heart of Glory LV1: 90/100]
The former increased by 13 points, while the latter gained another 20 points of glory value.
All of it came from the powerful battle today when he was ambushed at the high-speed rail station.
Seeing this, Chen Feng's gaze flickered.
He knew.
This martial arts conference would definitely allow his Heart of Glory to break through and upgrade.
---
That night.
Li Tong rested early, while Chen Feng and Zhao Jushan went together to the hotel restaurant.
A separate gray building, surrounded by rockeries and green trees.
Following the staff inside, they saw a red carpet laid out, illuminated by lanterns.
Rectangular redwood tables and chairs were arranged in order, with various dishes placed in the serving area.
Emperor crabs, foie gras, roasted whole lamb, beef hooves.
The aroma of delicious food wafted through the air, and many figures had already appeared.
Some wore ancient-style robes, while others were dressed casually.
With ponytails, long hair, and crew cuts, there were youths, middle-aged, and elderly people of all ages.
A rough glance revealed at least a hundred people, all martial arts practitioners from several provinces in the south.
"Just eat something casually."
Zhao Jushan was already hungry, while Lin Xiaoyun spotted a familiar friend from another sect.
"Junior Brother Chen, I'll be right back."
"Okay."
Chen Feng nodded and glanced over.
It was a girl, about the same age as Lin Xiaoyun, and her aura was also at the Inner Strength level.
"That's someone from the Hundred Flowers Sect in Su City, ranked thirty-first in the last martial arts conference."
"That female disciple has a good relationship with Senior Sister Lin and has some private contact."
Zhao Jushan, worried that Chen Feng wouldn't understand, explained proactively.
As he spoke, he walked to the serving area, picked up a large plate, and began to take meat and fruit.
"By the way, Junior Brother Chen, the competition starts tomorrow."
"Your strength is strong, but aside from the Flying Dragon Sect, there are still a few sects you need to be cautious of."
Zhao Jushan patiently pointed out the positions of several sects in the distance.
"The Giant Elephant Sect, you've encountered them before, so I won't say much."
"Ranked fifth in the last martial arts conference, in recent years they produced a master, and now they are a top sect in Ze Province."
Chen Feng nodded at this and looked across.
A group of tall and strong men, and he even saw the two who had come to visit the martial arts school regarding the Pine Crane Sect matter.
"The Golden Flying Eagle Sect and the Sea-Swallowing Whale Sect, these two are top sects in Yun Province and Jiang Province, both have masters stationed."
"Ranked first and second in the last martial arts conference."
"Then there's the Golden Blade Style and the Lion Heart Style, ranked third and fourth in the last conference, but due to rumors of their master aging, their influence has declined in recent years."
After this round of reminders, Chen Feng remembered these five top sects.
He wouldn't underestimate anyone, and in terms of aura perception, the Inner Strength level of these sects was purer and more robust than his previous opponents by a significant margin.
"Jushan, you finally made it."
Suddenly, someone walked up and called out.
A burly figure, muscles stacked, looking to be in his thirties, clearly trained in strengthening techniques.
From the aura perception, he had just broken through to the third level of Inner Strength.
"Oh, Qin Tao, good to see you here too."
Zhao Jushan was slightly taken aback, put down his plate and introduced Chen Feng and the others.
"These are my two junior brothers, personally taught by the sect master."
"Junior Brother Chen, this is Qin Tao, a true disciple of the Myriad Tempering Sect in Luo City."
Hearing this, Chen Feng's eyes moved.
He was still cultivating the core true technique of the Myriad Tempering Sect.
The other party might know this, and with a flicker of his gaze, he nodded kindly at him.
Then he pulled Zhao Jushan away to chat with a few other strong men.
Zhao Jushan left after giving a few instructions, and Xu Tingxiao looked a bit envious.
"Senior Brother Zhao and the others know so many people."
Looking around, hundreds of people were divided into small circles.
Disciples practicing martial arts, masters at the Inner Strength level.
Some were surrounding the five top sects, flattering and crowding around, while others were getting to know each other, deliberately grouping together to exchange ideas.
Those who could appear here were all martial arts experts from various cities in the south, and if they could make acquaintances, it would be a form of networking.
In this regard, Chen Feng remained calm.
As newcomers, they had few acquaintances.
Fortunately, he just held his food and found an empty seat, preparing to eat quietly.
Tap, tap.
Suddenly, footsteps approached, and a large plate of food was placed on the table.
"We meet again."
Looking up, it was a tall, burly young man in a gray hoodie with a buzz cut.
His eyes were bright, and he grinned widely.
"Oh?"
Chen Feng recognized him as one of the true disciples from the Giant Elephant Sect who had come to the martial arts school to relay information.
Zhang Tai.
Looking around, the tall young man named Zheng Shan was still in his previous position, and more and more people from other sects were crowding around him.
"Don't look anymore."
"I hate dealing with people the most; it's much more enjoyable to eat quietly."
He explained proactively and then pointed to the spot he had occupied.
"There's no one here, right?"
"Hmm." Chen Feng nodded, feeling that this person was straightforward and didn't mind sharing a table.
"I heard you made quite a name for yourself today, driving off several sect members."
As Zhang Tai sat down, he eagerly said, "If there's a chance in tomorrow's competition, we should have a good spar."
Chen Feng nodded calmly at this, not too surprised.
On the way here, he had heard people discussing today's events, and it wasn't surprising that the Giant Elephant Sect had learned of the news.
Then he introduced Xu Tingxiao to the other party, and the three chatted briefly.
Just as they were about to continue eating, the next second.
Bang!
A muffled explosion.
The plate shattered into pieces, and two figures stood facing each other, their auras powerful, standing in the center.
(End of the Chapter)
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