Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 197 - 191: A Written Challenge

"So, what are you planning to do?"

The old headmaster asked.

"The waters here run deep, but what does that have to do with me? What does the conflict between the Changhe Martial Arts School and the Northern Martial Alliance have to do with me?"

"I'm just a young man who recently achieved Saint Awakening. I came here merely to experience the Martial Dao of the Northern Three Prefectures. All I'm doing is paying a visit to one person after another. Today it was you; tomorrow, it will be them."

"Of course, when practitioners spar, some injuries are inevitable. If I happen to strike too heavily and a few opponents are injured for a month or so, that would seem perfectly reasonable. As for what might happen within that month, or what might happen after it, well, that has nothing to do with me."

"If anyone is dissatisfied, they are welcome to seek me out for a spar in the future. I couldn't ask for more and will await them at any time."

Zhou Yuanjue said, his expression calm.

Although he had agreed to the Chief Commissioner's request, he had no intention of holding both sides' hands and resolving their grudges. A person's body could be easily conquered, but their Spirit was difficult to change in a short amount of time. Furthermore, the Northern Martial Alliance and the Changhe Martial Arts School had numerous entanglements behind them that could not be easily resolved.

What he had to do was, just as the Chief Commissioner had said, remain impartial—at least on the surface. He would apply equal pressure, suppressing both sides for the time being. As for what the future held, that was not his concern.

Hearing Zhou Yuanjue's words, the old headmaster was briefly stunned, then a smile appeared on his face. "A month or so will be more than enough time."

Right now, what the Changhe Martial Arts School lacked most was time. Once the disciples who had been transferred away returned, many of their problems would be readily solved.

"So, you know what to do?"

Zhou Yuanjue said, glancing at the old headmaster.

"Of course. Next, I will spread the news that the newly ascended Saint Awakening, Zhou Yuanjue, came to the Changhe Martial Arts School to spar and discuss the Dao with me. I was no match for him and suffered heavy injuries, requiring a period of secluded meditation to recover..."

A smile touched the old headmaster's lips.

And the rest would be up to Zhou Yuanjue.

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At the combat training hall, the Wang Family Martial Artist Wang Zhenwen, who had been injured by Yang Sheng, was carried out. The Wang Family members took him and left Changhe Town as quickly as possible, returning to Changqing City, the capital of Tianyang Prefecture, and back to the Celestial Yang Wang Family's residence.

The Wang Family Patriarch, Wang Lin, who was also ostensibly the family's strongest member, sat in his study reviewing documents. He wore a crisp, well-fitting suit. He had deep-set eyes and a high-bridged nose, and his gaze was as sharp as a ferocious hawk's, exuding an astonishing aura with every movement.

He appeared to be only thirty, but his actual age was fifty-three. There wasn't a trace of old age about him; he even seemed more vibrant than some men in their mid-twenties. No one would ever think he was a man approaching sixty.

But only Wang Lin himself knew that the years had indeed left their indelible mark on him.

He was over fifty, and though his physical abilities seemed to be at their peak, he knew that reaching this age without breaking through that final shackle meant that Saint Awakening was hopeless for him in this lifetime.

Once, his Talent had been exceptional and his confidence boundless. He believed Saint Awakening would be merely a starting point for him. At twenty-two, he achieved Mastery of Fist Techniques and thought he would break all historical records to become the youngest Saint Awakening in history. He never imagined that this one barrier would hold him back for over thirty years.

Saint Awakening was a great chasm, the end of the road for countless prodigies.

He was not resigned to this fate. He refused to believe he would stop here. 'There must be another way…'

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Just then, a knock on the study door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

He said with a frown.

A disciple from a collateral branch of the Wang Family entered, approached his ear, and whispered softly.

"A Wen is seriously injured? Who did it? The Changhe Martial Arts School still has an expert of that caliber?"

Wang Lin's expression hardened as he asked in a low voice.

"It was Yang Sheng, an advanced instructor from the Changhe Martial Arts School's external branch." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

The Wang Family disciple said quietly. Outside, he could act arrogantly by relying on his Wang Family Bloodline, but in front of Wang Lin, he was like a chick before a hawk, not daring to overstep in the slightest.

"Yang Sheng? The external branch instructors at Changhe Martial Arts School should only be at the level of Mastery of Fist Techniques. Where did this Yang Sheng come from? Could he have broken through to the realm of Holy and Bright?"

Wang Lin said with a frown.

"No, that's not it. We found it very strange as well. At the time, Brother Zhenwen caught him by surprise with a Heart's Desire Bursting Out. He had clearly stunned his opponent and was about to finish him off, but for some reason, the opponent suddenly recovered from the daze, his power erupted, and he knocked Brother Zhenwen down instead. We checked the Data; that Yang Sheng should indeed only have the strength of someone with Mastery of Fist Techniques."

The Wang Family disciple also spoke with a puzzled expression.

'Could that old geezer have helped him in secret?'

Wang Lin was suspicious. He knew that although the old geezer hadn't been able to break through to Saint Awakening, as long as he was within the Changhe Martial Arts School, he could wield some profound and mysterious abilities. It seemed to be a peculiar path, different from that of a normal Saint Awakening, which was also why Wang Lin was wary of him.

'It's a pity I can't obtain his method, otherwise…'

TAP TAP TAP!

However, before their conversation could finish, another set of hurried footsteps echoed from outside the door, and another Wang Family member walked in.

"Patriarch, our spy inside the Changhe Martial Arts School just received news. The school's old headmaster, Feng Chuan, was injured while sparring with an expert and has officially announced he is entering secluded meditation to recover."

This Wang Family member said in a low voice.

"What? An expert? What expert?"

Hearing this, Wang Lin's pupils contracted slightly. He knew how terrifyingly powerful that old geezer was within the confines of the Changhe Martial Arts School. Who on earth could injure him badly enough to force him into seclusion?

"According to the news, it was that newly ascended Saint Awakening who has been causing such a stir recently—Zhou Yuanjue."

The Wang Family member said quietly.

"Zhou Yuanjue…"

Hearing this name, a stunned look appeared in Wang Lin's eyes.

'That guy… didn't I hear he'd taken a position with the Secret Inspection Bureau? How could he appear in the Northern Three Prefectures so silently? And he even sought out Feng Chuan and injured him in a spar?'

'This doesn't make sense…'

As the Wang Family Patriarch, Wang Lin naturally had a vague understanding of the strange circumstances surrounding the Changhe Martial Arts School.

'Something's wrong. Very wrong.'

Wang Lin's eyes narrowed. 'A Wen's bizarre injury, Zhou Yuanjue secretly infiltrating the Changhe Martial Arts School, and Feng Chuan subsequently claiming to be injured and going into seclusion…'

'Could it be…'

Wang Lin seemed to have understood something.

TAP! TAP! TAP!

Yet another series of footsteps rang out as a tall young man hurried into the study, apparently holding a card in his hand.

"Patriarch, someone delivered a calling card! They said they wish to pay a visit soon to experience the profundities of our Wang Family's Formless Eagle Claw Skill."

The young man crossed the room in just a few long strides, came before Wang Lin, and handed him the calling card.

'Just as I thought…'

Wang Lin already had a suspicion in his heart. He took the card and, sure enough, saw the signature written in three large characters:

Zhou Yuanjue.