Chapter 28: Direct Heir to Ancient Martial Arts

Zhao Kuijiang suddenly realized.

Jiang Yunhan led a few people away quickly, putting distance between them and the Tianyi Storage group, where something had gone terribly wrong.

"The flash is very close now. Chen Xiao, Zhao Kuijiang, come with me to the left."

"Huang Shan, Yu Zhu, Zhang Xusheng, the three of you go to the right."

This time, no one raised any objections. The two teams bypassed the scene of the internal strife at Tianyi and began their final sprint toward the light. As they ran, Chen Xiao could even hear the sizzling sound of thunder behind him, channeled through his [Dragon Breath]. It seemed that Second Master Lin was tougher than he looked; he was still alive.

"Boss Jiang, our numbers are already so low—why split the team?" Zhao Kuijiang asked after a long pause.

Jiang Yunhan replied coldly, "Because I can only confirm that you two are real."

Chen Xiao looked surprised. "Oh? I’m real?"

Jiang Yunhan said, "Of course. From the moment you kicked Second Master Lin, it was confirmed. Those things aren't that volatile; they wait for the perfect opportunity..."

Zhao Kuijiang shuddered at the thought of the Second-in-Command Lu Xingji’s gruesome death. "Then what about me?"

Jiang Yunhan continued coldly, "You ask too many questions."

Zhao Kuijiang was confused. "How does asking many questions prove I’m real?"

Suddenly, it dawned on him. He shut his mouth.

Seeing that he had grasped the point, Jiang Yunhan sighed. In truth, he had wanted to question Yu Zhu and Zhang Xusheng to verify their identities as well. Since those two were naturally taciturn and had remained silent the entire journey, he had had no way to test them. But every time he thought of Lu Xingji’s death, cold sweat broke out on Jiang Yunhan’s brow. Those things were too cunning; a single strike could instantly kill an S-rank talent holder. He didn't dare to gamble, and he didn't want to. If they were real, he could only pray for their good luck.

"Someone’s there."

In the midst of their mad dash, Chen Xiao suddenly spoke up.

Jiang Yunhan was surprised. "You actually have a sensory-type talent?"

"No, my sixth sense is just very sharp."

"..."

Jiang Yunhan was speechless, but moments later, he heard it too! It was right in front of them!

"I can't believe someone is faster than us!" Zhao Kuijiang was astonished. He knew the difficulty of climbing to the peak. Of the fifteen members in the vanguard, only the three of them were left. After the internal strife at Tianyi, with Second Master Lin surely dead and the group leaderless, their strength was severely diminished. Yet, ahead of them, there was quite a commotion.

Chen Xiao gestured for the two to stay quiet. Just then, several bright beams of light shone onto Chen Xiao’s face. They were the beams of four or five flashlights.

"What are you doing here so late?" A resonant male voice called out, devoid of any malice.

As they drew closer, Chen Xiao and the others finally saw the group clearly. They were dressed in matching black uniforms that looked quite stern. Most importantly, each of them was equipped with a rifle and a handgun. As they closed in on Chen Xiao’s group, it was clear that their movements were swift and orderly—they were obviously well-trained professionals. The answer was obvious: they belonged to a military organization.

Jiang Yunhan counted them—five people in total, their clothes covered in dirt. They looked energetic, yet a profound fatigue showed on their faces. Like his own group, they had braved the brutal mountain path. Perhaps the reason the summit was so safe was thanks to them.

"Jiang Yunhan, founder of Nancheng Storage."

Jiang Yunhan, showing no fear, extended his right hand despite the rifles strapped to every one of their backs. The leader of the group, a middle-aged man with a standard square jaw and an air of integrity, shook Jiang Yunhan’s hand.

"Jiangbei Military Base, Liu Chang'an."

Chen Xiao hadn't heard the name, but he noticed Zhao Kuijiang flinch. Curious, he nudged Zhao Kuijiang and whispered, "Who is this?"

Zhao Kuijiang replied quietly, "Who can fight in the Huaxia Martial Arts Extreme? Only Liu Chang'an of Jiangbei!"

The Martial Arts Extreme was a globally broadcast reality show promoting the traditional martial arts of various nations. Huaxia’s Hunyuan Taiji, Tongbei Quan, and Mantis Fist had all gained international fame on this program. As he thought of this, Chen Xiao’s memories seemed to gradually awaken. In his past life, there had indeed been a man called the Martial God of Chang'an! He was the first [Ancient Martial Arts Successor] to step onto the world stage! He had never revealed any talent abilities, relying solely on his raw, inherent power. He had defied the odds to break into the global combat power rankings—at nineteenth place!

Of course, Chen Xiao hadn't paid much attention to such things in his previous life because they felt too distant. Only fragmented memories were being stirred now. As for whether the ranking was accurate, he couldn't guarantee it. He was just a chicken, content to live comfortably in Jiangbei and earn the title of "Chicken Overlord."

However, Chen Xiao suspected that this Liu Chang'an could not be the Martial God of Chang'an. Under the scrutiny of his [Dragon Breath], the man’s energy fluctuations were only slightly stronger than Jiang Yunhan’s! Chen Xiao squinted, considering another possibility—unless the man could hide those fluctuations... but that seemed unlikely.

"I’ve heard much about you." Jiang Yunhan wasn't lying; he had heard of Liu Chang'an since he was a child.

Liu Chang'an waved his hand with a smile. "Let’s skip the pleasantries. You came to the summit for that, right?"

Following Liu Chang'an’s finger, one could see a flash of light on a platform to the side. Chen Xiao had seen the "Opportunity for Evolution" before; it was identical to this flash.

"Feel free to take a look." Liu Chang'an didn't block them; instead, he generously let Chen Xiao and his group step forward.

Jiang Yunhan was suspicious, but since they had come all this way, wouldn't it be a wasted effort to leave without looking? As they approached, the light grew brighter. The three of them touched the light, and it responded instantly:

[Opportunity for Evolution: 8/10]

Chen Xiao understood immediately. No wonder these people hadn't taken the opportunity yet—they were waiting right there. It turned out they didn't have enough people! Between their five and his three, they still weren't enough to meet the activation requirement.

It was Jiang Yunhan’s first time encountering this, and he found the sensation magical, repeatedly pulling his hand away and touching it again.

"Boss Jiang, should we keep waiting?" Zhao Kuijiang felt a sense of dread as he watched Liu Chang'an waiting patiently on the sidelines. He had heard many rumors about Liu Chang'an—that he was a man who would devour you without even spitting out the bones.

"We wait." Jiang Yunhan pulled his hand back, stopped talking, and waited on the spot.

Three o'clock in the morning.

A rustling sound came from the mountain path below, rousing the group from their fatigue. They looked up to see three people approaching. The people from Tianyi Storage had arrived.