89: Chapter 89 Minor Success in Fire Fist

Seeing Hall Master Lie Fentian finally yield, a low, hoarse laugh came from beneath The Black-Robed Man's mask, like the cry of a night owl, filled with the satisfaction of controlling everything.

"Hall Master Lie is a smart man." He said slowly, a ghostly light flickering in his blood-colored eyes, "Since you have joined our Sacred Sect, you are one of our own.

Next, I need the Hall Master's assistance to handle a major matter—integrating all the martial arts forces in Heishan City!"

"Integrate martial arts forces?" Hall Master Lie Fentian was shaken in his heart, vaguely guessing that the other party's plot was no small matter.

"Correct." The Black-Robed Man stood with his hands behind his back, his voice carrying an unquestionable tone, "Using your Liehuo Martial Arts Hall as the Foundation, take the lead in establishing a 'Little Martial Alliance'. Issue Heroic Invitations widely, inviting other martial arts halls in the city, families of all sizes, and even Loose Cultivator Martial Artists with a certain level of strength to join. The alliance needs unified command, shared information,

and more importantly... to gradually take over and integrate their business channels, farmlands, shops, and most crucially—Cultivation resources!

Medicinal Pill, Ore, Medicinal Pill, weapons, and even potential clues to ancient ruins, all must be brought into the alliance for unified distribution."

He paused, his tone turning cold, carrying a naked aggressiveness: "Once the livelihoods and cultivation futures of most Martial Artists in Heishan City are firmly in our hands, the Martial Artists of Heishan City will be under the control of our Sacred Sect!

At that time, using this as a base, developing in secret, and cultivating forces, we can attack or defend as needed. A mere border city can be grasped in the palm of our hand!"

Hall Master Lie Fentian listened, his heart pounding with fear. The appetite of this demonic sect and the madness of their ambition far exceeded his imagination! This was hardly a simple "alliance"; it was clearly a plan to boil a frog in warm water, gradually devouring and controlling the entire martial arts lifeline of Heishan City,

turning it into private soldiers and a resource base raised by the demonic sect!

"This... is likely not easy." Hall Master Lie Fentian suppressed the shock in his heart and said in a deep voice, "Although my Liehuo Martial Arts Hall is ranked among the three major martial arts halls, the Qingfeng and Baiyun halls have deep Foundations. Hall Master Chen Qingfeng and Master Bai Song are both Rank 3 Martial Artists, and their strength is not weaker than mine. Why would they easily submit and hand over their Foundations?

Many families in the city also rely on these two halls or have their own backers. If my Liehuo Martial Arts Hall were to raise the banner alone, I fear there would be few responders, and we would instead immediately become the target of public criticism."

"Hehe, Hall Master Lie is being too modest." The Black-Robed Man chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of playfulness and coldness, "This is precisely where the Hall Master's methods come into play.

Coercion, inducement, division, wooing... I believe that having managed the martial arts hall for many years, you are no stranger to these methods. Of course, since our Sacred Sect has invited the Hall Master to work with us, we naturally will not stand idly by."

As he spoke, he flipped his wrist, and a black jade bottle appeared in his palm. The bottle was cold to the touch, with blood-colored patterns faintly flowing on it. "This is the 'crimson flame demon pill'. It is of the same origin as the 'burning blood demonic pill' I bestowed upon Constable Lie Ming, but its medicinal potency is milder and more lasting.

When a Martial Artist takes it, within ten days, their Qi-blood will rapidly increase, and there is a high probability of breaking through a small Bottleneck.

Of course, every medicine has three parts poison; this pill also has the drawbacks of damaging one's Foundation and overdrawing potential. Furthermore, after taking it, one will develop a dependency and must regularly take the special antidote crafted by our Sacred Sect to harmonize it, otherwise, the Qi-blood will backlash, causing even greater pain."

He tossed the jade bottle to Hall Master Lie Fentian: "There are thirty pills in the bottle. The Hall Master can select a batch of loyal, reliable Disciples who are stuck at the First Grade Peak Bottleneck and bestow this pill upon them.

In as short as three days, or as long as ten, your Liehuo Martial Arts Hall will have twenty or thirty more Second Grade Martial Artists out of thin air!

At that time, the mid-level strength of your martial arts hall will skyrocket, and suppressing the Qingfeng and Baiyun halls will be effortless. With strength, your words will carry weight, won't they?"

Hall Master Lie Fentian caught the jade bottle; it felt cold to the touch, as if holding a piece of ice, yet also like holding a cluster of burning charcoal. He instantly understood how Constable Lie Ming had been dragged into this.

This demonic sect first used demonic pills to induce and help people break through, then used pill dependency to control them, binding them firmly to their war chariot. The methods were sinister and ruthless, yet extremely effective!

His heart grew colder, but looking at the "demon pill" in his hand that could create a large number of Second Grade Martial Artists in a short time, and then thinking of the Incomplete Manual "Blood Flame True Gang Diagram", a flash of struggle passed through his eyes, finally turning into a deep, gloomy darkness.

"I... understand." Hall Master Lie Fentian nodded slowly, clutching the jade bottle tightly.

"Very good. I will await the Hall Master's good news." The Black-Robed Man said no more, his figure flickering like a ghost as he merged into the night outside the window and disappeared.

After The Black-Robed Man left, Hall Master Lie Fentian sat alone in his private room, looking at the bottle of "crimson flame demon pill" in his hand, his expression uncertain. After a long while, he sighed, and the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was replaced by determination.

"There is no turning back once the arrow is shot... Constable Lie Ming, you wretch!" He cursed hatefully, then immediately called for his trusted Elder and gave secret orders.

Over the next few days, internal changes began to quietly occur within the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall. Hall Master Lie Fentian personally screened ten loyal, long-time Disciples who had been stuck at the First Grade Peak for years with no hope of advancement, as well as several young key members with decent talent but ruthless Heart-Nature who were extremely loyal to the martial arts hall.

He used the excuse of "secret transmission from the Hall Master to aid in Breakthrough, requiring a blood oath not to disclose it," to distribute the "crimson flame demon pill".

These Disciples held the Hall Master in awe and had long been trapped by their Bottleneck. Seeing the hope of Breakthrough right before them, almost no one hesitated; they all took the pill after taking the oath.

Once the pill entered their stomachs, the effects were immediate. A scorching and slightly violent medicinal power dissolved within their bodies, pushing their long-stagnant Qi-blood to begin surging and growing.

In just three days, five people had Qi-blood surging throughout their bodies, successfully breaking through the barrier and stepping into the Second Grade Martial Artist Realm!

The others also had their aura significantly strengthened, just a step away from breaking through.

In just three days, the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall had gained five Second Grade Martial Artists out of thin air, and its overall strength instantly leapt up by a large margin!

Moreover, as time passed, it was almost certain that the remaining few would also break through.

This news was strictly sealed within the core layer of the martial arts hall by Hall Master Lie Fentian, but that suddenly emerged, solidified aura belonging to Second Grade Martial Artists could not be completely concealed, causing a wave of undercurrents and speculation within the martial arts hall.

Meanwhile, because of the incident at Tingtao Villa, Heishan City was on high alert.

Jinyiwei Centurion Shen Lian was seriously injured and unconscious, and nearly half of his elite forces were lost. The remaining personnel contracted their defenses, fully guarding against potential attacks from the demonic sect,

while also stepping up efforts to treat Shen Lian and interrogate the Wang Family prisoners, leaving them overwhelmed and temporarily unable to attend to other matters. The West City County Yamen was even more tightly guarding its gates, conscripting militia, and living in constant fear.

This unprecedented tension and power vacuum gave the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall the perfect opportunity to secretly accumulate strength and quietly lay out its plans.

Compared to the surging undercurrents of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall, the backyard of the Lin Family Mansion in the east of the city was a scene of dull and determined hard cultivation.

With Centurion Shen Lian seriously injured and the Imperial Guard severely weakened, the situation in Heishan City had taken a sharp turn for the worse.

Lin Tian felt the immense pressure of the coming storm more clearly than anyone else.

The demonic sect had bared its ferocious fangs, and its strength far exceeded previous estimates. Constable Lie Ming and the black hand behind him had not yet been eliminated, and now surrounded by strong enemies, one's own strength was the Foundation for survival in chaotic times.

He no longer went out, declined all unnecessary social engagements, and even reduced the number of times he went to the Imperial Guard office to check in,

devoting all his time and energy to frantic cultivation.

The goal was clear and urgent—to reach a Breakthrough to Rank 3!

Every day at the Yin hour, before dawn, Lin Tian would rise.

Without fail, he would first stand in the Five Elements Stance for an hour.

As the Perfection Realm stance technique operated, the vigorous Qi-blood in his body was combed and hammered by an invisible great hand, flowing endlessly along mysterious trajectories,

condensing and strengthening with every cycle. When tired, he would take a sip of the diluted spiritual liquid from the "red blood vermilion fruit" in his gourd,

or take a portion of qi-blood powder, the pure medicinal power quickly replenishing his consumption and even pushing his Qi-blood to climb to higher Peaks.

After the stance technique, it was Fist techniques.

The Gold, Wood, and Water Element Fist techniques had reached Perfection, with no further room for improvement, so he only needed to practice them slightly every day to maintain his Fist Intent.

He focused his main energy on the "Fire Element Fist".

The Fire Element Fist was violent and scorching, aggressive as fire. As the fist momentum unfolded, the temperature in the small courtyard faintly rose, and wherever the fist wind passed, the air emitted subtle explosions.

He immersed his mind in it, carefully experiencing the explosive, rising, and all-consuming Concept of "Fire", and cross-referencing it with the already perfected sharpness of Gold, the yielding toughness of Wood, and the penetrative nature of Water, pondering the subtle possibilities of the transformation and mutual generation/restriction of the four elemental forces.

"Fire Element Fist proficiency + 1"

"Fire Element Fist proficiency + 1"

"Fire Element Fist proficiency + 1"

With every serious practice, the numbers on the System panel jumped steadily.

He had no distracting thoughts, practicing the Fire Element Fist over fifty times every day, until his arms were sore and numb, and his Qi-blood was surging, only then would he stop.

After the fist techniques, it was Saber techniques.

The Xiuchun Saber Technique (Basic Style) had reached Major Achievement,

he spent more time practicing the ultimate move, "Wind-Facing Slash".

Recalling the day before yesterday in the mountain forest, when he instantly killed Lie Yun, who had taken the demon pill and forcibly elevated his strength to the Second Grade Middle Stage with this move, the Concept of condensing essence, Qi, and spirit while pursuing extreme speed and explosive power, combined with his own perfected footwork and vigorous Qi-blood, was indeed astonishingly powerful.

He constantly pondered and improved the angle of his blade, the timing, and the instantaneous control of Qi-blood eruption, striving to hone this "one-hit kill" ultimate move until it was like an instinct.

"Wind-Facing Slash proficiency + 1"

"Wind-Facing Slash proficiency + 1"

Likewise, over fifty times of hard training every day, sweat soaking his clothes, and even as his arms trembled, he did not stop.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye amidst his diligent cultivation.

In the quiet room, Lin Tian slowly withdrew his stance and regulated his breathing. He immersed his mind:

Name: Lin Tian

Cultivation: Second Grade Martial Artist (Late Stage)

Martial Arts:

Xiuchun Saber Technique (Major Achievement 500 / 1000)

Fire Element Fist (Minor Achievement 100 / 300)

Wind-Facing Slash (Minor Achievement 105 / 300)

Fire Element Fist and Wind-Facing Slash had both entered the "Minor Achievement" Realm! Their power and control had improved once again!

Driven by both the residual medicinal power of the red blood vermilion fruit and high-intensity training, his internal Qi-blood became increasingly vigorous and condensed, steadily advancing towards the Second Grade Peak.

"Still not enough... The door to Rank 3 remains blurry." Lin Tian's gaze was calm, without the slightest complacency.

He knew that from Second Grade to Rank 3, it was a critical step where "Bright Energy" moved from outside to inside, penetrating the whole body. It required an opportunity and a deeper understanding, which could not be achieved solely by the accumulation of Qi-blood.

But he was not in a hurry, only taking solid steps forward, one by one.

Just as Lin Tian was concentrating on his cultivation, the storm brewing at the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall finally began to sweep through Heishan City.

In just a few days, relying on the "crimson flame demon pill", the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall successfully added a full ten Second Grade Martial Artists!

Although the aura of most of them was slightly superficial and their Foundation was unstable, Second Grade was still Second Grade, enough to crush the vast majority of First Grade and become the backbone of the martial arts hall.

Added to the existing Second Grade Martial Artists, the mid-level strength of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall instantly expanded to a staggering level.

Hall Master Lie Fentian felt the time was ripe and no longer hid it.

He first issued invitations widely, in the name of "discussing the future of Heishan City's martial arts and responding to the demonic sect crisis", inviting all the affiliated families under the martial arts hall, as well as some heads of small and medium-sized families with whom he had decent relations or who were weaker, to gather at the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall.

In the main hall, guests were seated, but the atmosphere was subtle. Many Family heads had vaguely heard the rumors and were anxious in their hearts.

Hall Master Lie Fentian sat high in the main seat, his red hair like fire, his face dignified, and he got straight to the point: "Everyone, the demonic sect is rampant, Centurion Shen is seriously injured, and Heishan City has reached a critical moment of survival!

At this juncture, if we Martial Artists remain a scattered sand, each fighting our own battles, we will sooner or later be picked off one by one by the demonic sect, and our Family businesses will be destroyed!

To preserve our Foundations, unite our strength, and resist the demonic sect, I propose the establishment of the 'Little Martial Alliance'!

Anyone who joins the alliance must register their Family business, farmland, shops, and even part of their cultivation resources, to be uniformly dispatched and distributed by the alliance, concentrating our strength to prepare for the unexpected!

At the same time, the guard Martial Artists of each Family must also accept the unified dispatch and training of the alliance! I wonder what you all think?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole hall was in an uproar!

"Unified dispatch of business resources? This... isn't this asking us to hand over our Family's lifeline?"

"Guards must also be under command? Then what autonomy do our families have left?"

"Hall Master Lie, this move... is it not a bit too coercive?"

"Yes, although the demonic sect is fierce, the imperial court is still here, and the Imperial Guard still exists. Is this too much..."

Voices of questioning and opposition rose everywhere.

Handing over core interests and listening to others' commands was equivalent to tying the Family's future to the war chariot of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall; any Family head with a brain would not easily agree.

Hall Master Lie Fentian had anticipated this, his smile unchanged, but his eyes gradually turned cold: "Oh? It seems that you all have many objections to my proposal? Do you think that our Liehuo Martial Arts Hall does not have the ability to lead everyone to preserve our Foundations in these chaotic times?"

As his voice fell, the side door of the main hall was kicked open with a bang! Ten figures filed in, each with condensed Qi-blood and sharp eyes. Although their auras were slightly uneven, without exception, they were all Second Grade Martial Artists!

They silently lined up on both sides of Hall Master Lie Fentian, like ten evil gods, their cold gazes sweeping over everyone present. An invisible pressure instantly permeated the room, stifling the breathing of those opposing Family heads and turning their faces pale.

Ten newly promoted Second Grade Martial Artists! Plus the existing ones in the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall... This strength was already faintly showing signs of surpassing either the Qingfeng or Baiyun halls!

"This... this..." Many Family heads gasped, fear appearing in their eyes. Since when did the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall have so many Second Grade Martial Artists?!

"Family Head Liu, Family Head Zhao," Hall Master Lie Fentian turned his gaze to the two who had the loudest objections, his voice flat but carrying bone-chilling coldness, "The two of you seem to have the deepest doubts about the alliance? Do you feel that our Liehuo Martial Arts Hall is not worthy of leading you all?"

Family Head Liu and Family Head Zhao, whose strongest Family members were only at the Second Grade Early Stage, faced ten newly promoted Second Grade Martial Artists and the pressure of Hall Master Lie Fentian, a Rank 3 Martial Artist. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, their faces turned pale, their lips trembled, and they were unable to speak for a moment.

"It seems that you two need time to think it over carefully." Hall Master Lie Fentian waved his hand, his tone turning cold, "Someone, escort Family Head Liu and Family Head Zhao back to their mansions to 'rest'. Remember, you must 'protect' them well."

Immediately, four fierce-looking Second Grade Martial Artists stepped out, two in a group, and without a word, "invited" the ashen-faced Family Head Liu and Family Head Zhao out. The action seemed polite, but in reality, it was no different from escorting prisoners.

"Who else needs time to think it over?" Hall Master Lie Fentian scanned the whole room. Wherever his gaze fell, everyone lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Since you all have no objections for the time being, then this matter is settled." Hall Master Lie Fentian smiled again, but it was even more chilling, "The specific regulations will be sent to your mansions later. Within three days, you must submit the preliminary rosters and account books. I hope you all... know what is good for you."

A gathering that was called a "consultation" but was actually coercion ended hastily. Among the participating families, no matter what they thought in their hearts, on the surface, no one dared to openly oppose it again.

However, the thunderous methods of the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall did not stop. Because of their "unclear attitude", the Liu and Zhao families were attacked by unidentified Martial Artists the next day, several shops were smashed, goods were looted, and many capable members of the clan were injured.

At the same time, several business deals that the two families had already negotiated were inexplicably intercepted, and the partners suddenly breached their contracts.

In just two days, the Liu and Zhao families suffered heavy losses, their industries were damaged, and people were in a panic. Immediately after, the Liehuo Martial Arts Hall sent people to "visit and show concern", hinting in their words that if they did not "know the current times" again, the next time might not be as simple as losing money.

Under military threats and interest attacks, the Liu and Zhao families finally yielded, trembling as they handed over a list of some of their industries, indicating their willingness to "join" the alliance.

The news quickly spread throughout Heishan City, and the entire martial arts world was in an uproar!