At these words, Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

’Weng Xiaolin is in their hands?’

He immediately realized something was terribly wrong.

The Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall hadn’t done anything to offend the Giant Spirit Army. If this was because he had been drawing too much attention, the Martial Arts Association might have tried to suppress him, but they would never go so far as to deploy soldiers for a full-blown raid.

The only other possibility was his senior brother in the army, Zhang Hongyun.

He was the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall’s patron in the army. Their fates were intertwined; if one prospered, so did the other, and if one fell, the other would fall with it. If Zhang Hongyun got into trouble in the army, the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall would inevitably be dragged down with him.

His expression instantly darkened as he realized the gravity of the situation.

If this involved an internal power struggle within the army, the danger would be beyond imagination. The entire Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall would be implicated—not just Weng Xiaolin and himself, but also Liu Changfeng and the other disciples far away in Celestial Sea Prefecture, and even Zhao Qin. All of them would face disaster.

Quickly, he reigned in his emotions, his expression returning to a state of calm.

He slowly pulled two black gloves from his pocket and slipped them onto his hands.

The gloves didn’t look thick or heavy; they were soft, light, and elastic.

They were protective gear made from a rare type of Rare Beast Spider Silk. Their toughness was comparable to steel wire, yet they possessed extreme flexibility. Able to resist the slash of a sharp blade, they were an excellent material for crafting Soft Armor.

This pair of gloves was a new "weapon" Zhao Xuanqi had commissioned through the National Salvation Association. Though they only covered his hands, the cost of the materials had consumed nearly all the income he had earned from five city blocks over the past six months.

He walked down the stairs to the first floor, one step at a time.

The scene in the first-floor hall came into view.

Several towering Giant Spirit Army soldiers and five men in different martial arts uniforms stood in the hall, flanking a man and a woman.

Zhao Xuanqi recognized the man and woman in the lead; he had seen them before at the Martial Arts Association.

It was Zhou Lie, a True Inheritance disciple of the Giant Spirit Sect, and the Caucasian woman who had been by his side.

He also recognized the other five men in their various martial arts uniforms.

Yu Dafeng of the Mountain and River Palm, Du Zhan of the Radiant Star Sword, Chen Pingguang of the Longming Skill, Nie Hong’an of the Turtle and Snake Hand, and Qi Shurong of the Hongyan Fist.

Every single one of them was a Martial Arts Expert who had placed in the top eight of the recent Martial Arts Association tournament.

As for the soldiers, although he didn’t know their exact histories, Zhao Xuanqi could roughly tell that they were all beyond the Cross-Training realm. The breathing and movements of two of them were exceptionally synchronized, a clear sign of experts who had grasped the Profound Technique of Inner Cultivation known as Rong. He just couldn’t tell if they had also completed Internal Organ Tempering.

"So, a True Inheritance disciple of the Giant Spirit Sect has come in person. You’ve gathered quite the roster of experts. You truly flatter me," Zhao Xuanqi said calmly to Zhou Lie, the leader of the group. "I wonder what crime the Xiaolin Martial Arts Hall has committed to warrant such a mobilization?"

"Zhao Qi, there’s no need to hide anymore," Zhou Lie said coolly. "Your senior brother, Zhang Hongyun, has already fled to escape justice. His capture is only a matter of time. We’ve also apprehended your master. If you know what’s good for you, hand over the Doumu Primordial Soul Needle Secret Transmission and cooperate. On account of your considerable talent, I might consider sparing your life, provided you pledge it to my service."

’Zhang Hongyun... The Doumu Primordial Soul Needle...’

Though he didn’t know the specifics, Zhao Xuanqi was beginning to understand what had happened.

’Senior Brother Zhang Hongyun is in trouble. It involves some kind of Martial Arts Secret Transmission, and it’s likely tied to old conflicts between certain schools.’

The involvement of the Giant Spirit Sect meant this could not be resolved peacefully. If he were captured, he would lose all control of his fate—an outcome he would not allow.

"And if I refuse?" Zhao Xuanqi replied calmly.

"You’re not in a position to refuse me," Zhou Lie stated flatly.

TAP!

The moment he finished speaking, Yu Dafeng, Du Zhan, and the others took a step forward in unison. The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.

"Just cooperate, Zhao Qi," Yu Dafeng said in a low voice, his palms also covered in custom-made gloves. "I know you were holding back during the Martial Arts Association tournament, but you can’t possibly escape this situation. Your chances of winning are practically zero. A wise man knows when to yield."

"That’s right. As long as you cooperate, Senior Brother Zhou can ensure your safety. Besides," Du Zhan’s gaze was sharp, his hand resting on a three-foot Cyan Peak sword that glinted coldly, sending a chill through the air, "don’t you care about what happens to your master?"

"You have no chance, Zhao Qi," Chen Pingguang added. "We all respect you as a formidable man. A true man knows when to be flexible. Don’t bring about your own ruin!"

"My master’s safety? Even if I go with you, I can’t guarantee he’ll be safe. I’m the kind of person who prefers to keep his fate in his own hands. If my master dies... I will kill every last one of you to avenge him."

"As for my strength..."

Zhao Xuanqi’s expression grew even calmer, and the corner of his mouth curled into a chilling smile. "How could any of you possibly understand the true extent of my power?"

THUMP! THUMP!

In the next instant, everyone heard the powerful thumping of a heartbeat emanating from within Zhao Xuanqi’s body.

His body began to undergo a terrifying transformation.

First, a terrifying Qi Surge enveloped his arms, chest, and back. His muscles bulged violently, stretching his clothes taut.

Then, the Qi Surge flowed downward, spreading to his waist and abdomen. His entire upper body seemed to be lifted by the surge, and he grew taller by a good dozen centimeters.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

The Qi Surge continued to spread!!

His hips, thighs, calves...

...until his entire lower body had swelled, completely covered by the Qi Surge.

He, who had originally stood a little over six-foot-three, had now, with the expansion of the Qi Surge, grown to nearly seven feet tall. His physique was so broad and terrifying that no one else present could even compare!

Within six months of his reincarnation into this world, he had already elevated Zhao Qi’s body from the level of Four Sounds to the Cross-Training realm, manifesting Qi Surge in both arms. He had accomplished this while his standing in the martial arts hall was low, forced to climb the ranks step-by-step just to acquire resources.

But now, his position was secure. He had the income from five city blocks, a trade partnership with the National Salvation Association, and a steady supply of Rare Beast Materials to create the Secret Medicines of the Hundred Beasts Sect. With few worldly affairs to distract him, and aided by his powerful digestive talent, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to his training.

’So, after a full six months of that, how could his progress possibly be limited to just an upper-body Qi Surge and the completion of the Fierce Form Pile Skill?’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’For him, increasing his physical strength during the Cross-Training stage was the simplest thing in the world, as long as he had enough Secret Medicine and sufficient time!’

’If he didn’t have some strength hidden in reserve, how would he have dared to perform so spectacularly at the Martial Arts Association tournament?’

’Qi Circulation Throughout the Body?!!’

For a moment, Yu Dafeng and the others could only stare, horrified, at Zhao Xuanqi’s terrifying transformation. The dreadful pressure radiating from his eyes and his very being surpassed anything they could have imagined.

"I’d like to see if you lot truly have what it takes to stop me!!"