A short while later, the True Martial Boxing Hall disciple who had reported to Chen Shanhe spoke up. "It’s getting late. Everyone should get some sleep. We’ll continue searching for him tomorrow."

The disciples’ expressions soured at his words, but they still accepted the order respectfully.

They then filed back into the surrounding thatched huts...

Qin Fang waited until the very last disciple had entered a hut before he slowly walked into the valley.

His expression was calm, his gaze locked on the thatched hut as he heightened his five senses to their absolute limit.

He could hear a heartbeat from within—extremely slow, yet powerful and strong.

He held his breath, suppressed his own heartbeat to the bare minimum, and slowly approached the hut. He drew three Poisonous Thorns with his left hand and gripped the Poisoned Long Saber in his right.

He stared at the hut. Though he couldn’t see inside, he could clearly pinpoint the location of the person within.

In an instant, he raised his hand, and the three Poisonous Thorns shot out.

At the same time, he exploded forward, rushing toward the hut at a speed nearly matching that of the Poisonous Thorns!

BOOM!!

A deafening crash echoed through the air!

...

The very instant Qin Fang raised his hand, Chen Shanhe, who had been meditating inside with his eyes closed, sensed the attack and his eyes snapped open.

And in the instant his eyes opened, Qi Force erupted from his body. With three sharp TINGS, the three Poisonous Thorns were barely deflected.

His expression changed instantly.

But in the next instant, a figure was upon him, a saber slashing down at his head!

The speed and power of the strike were so great they made his heart pound in alarm!

"Huajin?!"

He let out a low roar, his eyes shining so brightly it was as if they could illuminate the dark room!

At the same time, he raised his right palm, leaned in, and shot his hand toward Qin Fang’s wrist with pinpoint accuracy, intending to seize it!

But while Chen Shanhe’s reaction was fast, Qin Fang, also at the Huajin Realm, responded just as quickly. The moment his opponent raised a hand, he had already predicted that if he continued to slash downward, his wrist would be caught.

He instantly halted his slash, drew his right hand back slightly, and then pressed downward again...

’The saber is poisoned. As long as I wound him, it’s a victory!’

Chen Shanhe, however, saw through this change in tactics almost instantly.

But his expression remained unchanged. ’His opponent’s saber is just an ordinary weapon. Not factoring in any kind of Force like Anjin, its sharpness alone could probably barely scratch the skin of an Anjin Martial Artist, let alone a Huajin expert like myself.’

He had a thousand ways to disarm his opponent.

So he continued his grabbing motion, merely cupping his palm into a loose grip. He intended to use the strength in his fingers to shatter the blade outright.

’Even if the other guy is a Huajin, how many years have I been steeped in this realm?’

’They say the Huajin Realm has no early, middle, or late stages, but in reality, how could that be true?’

’The Realm may not have levels...’

’But strength certainly does!’

In the blink of an eye, Qin Fang’s saber and Chen Shanhe’s hand collided.

Qin Fang’s expression remained unchanged, but Chen Shanhe’s face twisted in sudden shock.

A chilling sense of dread had surfaced without warning the instant his fingers were about to touch the long saber!

Without a moment’s hesitation, aghast, Chen Shanhe instantly reacted and changed his move. He shifted to the side and, with an incredibly deft twist of his right wrist, managed to let the long saber pass.

The long saber whistled downward. Seeing his opponent’s exquisite dodge, Qin Fang’s expression darkened, but before the blade could strike the ground, it instantly froze in place!

’He had put all his strength into that last slash, yet he could bring it to an instant halt with a mere thought!’

This was the Control over one’s own power that defined the Huajin Realm!

He immediately shifted from a slash to a thrust, driving the long saber straight toward Chen Shanhe’s abdomen.

Chen Shanhe had anticipated this and immediately retreated, his body crashing right through the wall of the hut.

But Qin Fang had predicted this move as well and surged forward in pursuit...

...It all happened with astonishing speed.

In fact, from the moment Qin Fang broke in, to their exchange of blows, to crashing through the hut into the open space outside, the entire process had taken no more than the span of a single breath!

And yet, the two Huajin Powerhouses had already engaged in several rounds of tactical exchanges!

...This was the power of a Huajin Powerhouse!

They perceive their own bodies with perfect clarity, using that awareness to mirror their opponent, allowing them to comprehend every instantaneous change in both themselves and their foe!

But Qin Fang was the aggressor and held a sharp weapon, while Chen Shanhe had been forced to respond hastily and was unarmed. As a result, Qin Fang held a slight advantage.

Qin Fang pressed his advantage relentlessly. No matter how quickly Chen Shanhe reacted, he could match it instantly. For a moment, the Poisoned Long Saber became like a shadow latched onto bone, never straying far from Chen Shanhe’s body.

Chen Shanhe was a step behind. His opponent’s Physique and strength were also astonishingly great, making him hesitant to block any attacks head-on. He could only parry each move as it came, retreating again and again.

In the process, he finally saw Qin Fang’s face.

"It’s you?!"

Chen Shanhe’s pupils contracted. "You’ve reached the Huajin Realm?"

Advancing from the Anjin Realm to the Huajin Realm wasn’t a simple matter of honing the physical body. More importantly, one had to comprehend ’True Intent’!

The fact that an opponent who was merely in the Late Anjin Stage just a dozen days ago had suddenly broken through to the Huajin Realm left Chen Shanhe utterly aghast.

’Don’t tell me the Treasure Fish can also grant enlightenment?’

The speculation couldn’t help but surface in his mind.

Even as Chen Shanhe spoke, his responses didn’t slow in the slightest. And though Qin Fang pressed him relentlessly, he showed no signs of defeat.

"Weren’t you looking for me? I’m here now, and all you can do is dodge? You weren’t like this last time... What, does the great True Martial Hall Master only know how to bully people with brute force?"

Qin Fang’s tone was level, laced with a faint mockery, but his offensive grew faster and faster.

The Gale Saber Technique was all about speed and ferocity!

Naturally, Chen Shanhe would not be provoked. But now that he had a clear look at his assailant, a flicker of greed appeared in his eyes.

"For the Treasure Fish to end up in your stomach is a colossal waste... I was looking for you, and to think you’d deliver yourself right to my door."

Despite clearly being at a disadvantage, Chen Shanhe sneered coldly.

Qin Fang was about to speak when a sudden sense of dread washed over him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he abruptly withdrew his saber and retreated, simultaneously raising his arm to block.

BANG!!

With a dull thud, Qin Fang felt an immense force crash into his right arm, causing him to stagger.

Looking back at Chen Shanhe, he saw that the man had just swept out with his left leg. It was that kick that had forced Qin Fang back.

But what made Qin Fang’s heart race was...

’...he hadn’t predicted that kick at all!’

Qin Fang’s heart sank...

’As expected... Huajin masters have their own Leaf Skill!’

’And a Leaf Skill unique to the Huajin Realm... does it allow a Huajin Powerhouse to attack without any obvious tells?’