At the very least, Lu Sheng had never heard of any famed expert capable of nearly killing an Intent Proficiency master with a single palm strike—especially without using any inner force. An Intent Proficiency expert could focus the body’s strength to its limit, accelerating the circulation of Qi and blood in an instant to unleash explosive power, multiplying both force and speed.
The might of an Intent Proficiency expert was said to rival the combined strength of two peak Strength Proficiency masters.
After all, inner Qi merely enhanced strength and speed; it did not distort the very limits of the body as Intent Proficiency could. Thus, even though famed experts who trained both inner and outer forces were stronger on paper, the difference was rarely overwhelming.
After much struggle, the old fogy, Elder Wang, was finally resuscitated. He spat out a mouthful of murky blood as consciousness slowly returned. Surrounded by countless watching eyes, he pushed himself upright with trembling arms, his gaze locking onto Lu Sheng.
“Bloody hell! Wasn’t that the Heart-Shattering Palm!? Which freak taught you this version of the Heart-Shattering Palm!? Tell your father here and I promise I won’t beat him to death!”
Lu Sheng froze in place, completely dumbfounded.
“Heart-Shattering Palm… could it be the Heart-Shattering Palm passed down in Elder Wang’s family???” The crowd fell into a stunned silence, each face carved with disbelief.
“This old man has lost all his face today!!!” Elder Wang roared. Shaking off the hands that tried to steady him, he forced himself upright. “Where did you learn this Heart-Shattering Palm? It’s riddled with errors, filled with mistakes! Even the force was applied wrongly! But that’s not the worst… the worst thing is that you still managed to injure this old man so grievously with a single strike! Bloody hell! Unbelievable!!!”
His voice trembled with frustration and despair, yet his eyes—locked unwaveringly on Lu Sheng—grew increasingly bright, as though he had discovered something rare.
Lu Sheng was inwardly at a loss. The world truly worked in strange ways. He had simply learned the Heart-Shattering Palm from Senior Constable Zhang Xun, never expecting it to be the family heirloom of this eccentric old man. Judging from the reactions around him, Elder Wang’s reputation for the technique had long been established. It was unlikely to be a lie.
“You’re stronger than me! By leaps and bounds!” Elder Wang declared solemnly, brushing Zhao Jie aside as he stood straighter. “I can’t teach you—but my Big Bro definitely can! My Big Bro, he… he absolutely can! With your innate talent and my Big Bro’s strength… perhaps there will be a way, a sliver of hope!”
Lu Sheng blinked, unable to piece together what the old man was rambling about.
The surrounding crowd looked equally bewildered, exchanging baffled glances. Only the middle-aged woman’s eyes sharpened slightly, as though she understood Elder Wang’s implication.
Elder Wang stepped closer to Lu Sheng. “Junior Brother, are you willing to become a member of my Crimson Whale Sect?” Suddenly, he slapped his forehead. “Ah, that’s right—I forgot! You were already here to join the Sect!”
“Elder Wang… you should head back to rest. Leave everything here to me,” the pretty woman said softly.
“That’s fine too. Ningzhi, I’ll leave this little brat in your care for now.” Elder Wang knew he couldn’t delay treating his injuries; he had to return and stabilize his condition.
Lu Sheng had yet to utter a single word. Before he could even react, a group quickly escorted the battered elder away, leaving Elder Ouyang and another group of people in his place.
Everyone in the group regarded him with the same ambiguous, probing gaze Zhao Jie and Elder Xiao had shown earlier, as though trying to see through him.
“Junior Brother Lu, why don’t we head inside to sit and chat?” Elder Xiao suggested.
“Okay.” Only then did Lu Sheng quietly release a breath he had been holding.
He cared little about offending people, but killing an old man he had no quarrel with—and thereby provoking the Crimson Whale Sect—would have been a foolish and unnecessary disaster.
Once Lu Sheng agreed, Elder Xiao approached the middle-aged woman for instructions. With her approval, he led Lu Sheng and Elder Ouyang toward the house. Only the three of them were permitted to enter; people like Zhao Jie were not qualified to hear what would be discussed.
Inside, Elder Ouyang and Lu Sheng took their seats while Elder Xiao remained standing respectfully at the side.
Ouyang Ningzhi appeared to be in her thirties, though she had long passed fifty. Her long legs were smooth and well-shaped, crossed elegantly as she sat. Her chest was full, her posture upright, and her silhouette graceful without being ostentatious. A quiet dignity and refined air surrounded her every movement.
“From what I’ve seen, Brother Lu’s prowess is truly extraordinary. The most suitable position for you within the Sect would be an External Affairs Emissary. However, it is not within my authority to make such an appointment. I can only report to the Sect Master and wait for the Elders’ council to discuss and confirm it.”
“That’s alright,” Lu Sheng replied with a faint smile. “I joined the Crimson Whale Sect to learn and trade for stronger martial arts. The position itself doesn’t matter.”
“When it comes to powerful martial arts, our Sect is second to none in the entire Northern region. The Sect Master is hailed as the number one swordsman in the North. If you seek the strongest martial techniques, then the Crimson Whale Sect will not disappoint. Even the authorities and the yamen cannot compare.” Ouyang Ningzhi’s smile carried both confidence and warmth.
Elder Xiao, still standing respectfully to the side, added his own explanation. “Our Sect Master’s reputation is unmatched throughout the North. Even the Chief Army Commander of Mountain-Edge City would have to address himself as a junior before our Sect Master.”
“Oh?” Lu Sheng raised a brow, genuinely surprised. Though the yamen was ineffectual at times, it had governed this world for ages. For a sect leader to stand on equal footing with a top official spoke volumes—Crimson Whale Sect’s foundations were far from simple.
“These days, supernatural disturbances plague the land, and ordinary people can barely survive. Many of our Sect’s Elders have already gone out to assist the government in stabilizing the districts, so the position of External Affairs Emissary may not be approved anytime soon. For now, I will raise Junior Brother Lu’s rank to Nine-Fish. I hope you can understand,” Ouyang Ningzhi said with a pleasant smile.
“No problem. As long as the benefits stay the same, that’s fine,” Lu Sheng chuckled. Then he asked, “I wonder what contributions are required for me to enter the Sect’s Martial Proclamation Library?”
“Within the Martial Proclamation Library, there is a section of ordinary-level martial arts open to all members, free for those of Five-Fish rank or higher. For Nine-Fish, all martial arts up to the Strength Proficiency level can be browsed freely. Anyone who has reached the Strength Proficiency realm may access both inner and outer force manuals without cost,” Ouyang Ningzhi answered earnestly.
“Even Strength Proficiency manuals?” Lu Sheng’s eyes brightened.
Strength Proficiency was the realm he had achieved with the Black Tiger Saber Technique. According to its manual, that was the highest stage it offered; progressing into Intent Proficiency afterward depended entirely on one’s own insight.
Lu Sheng himself was proof of that—after hearing Zhang Xun’s guidance, he forged his own understanding.
In truth, manuals that directly outlined the path to Intent Proficiency did exist, but such texts were exceedingly rare and precious, detailing specific steps and methods for reaching that elusive realm.
“As for anything higher—such as seeking instruction from Sect experts—you’ll need contribution points,” Ouyang Ningzhi added with a light smile.
After that, she and Elder Xiao explained the general structure of the Crimson Whale Sect.
For instance, the insignias on members’ robes: all ordinary members, whether minor or major leaders, were distinguished by the number of fish symbols on their clothing—ranging from one to nine, with Nine-Fish being the highest tier.
Above them were the white whale emblems, worn by Elders and the Inner and Outer Affairs Emissaries. Higher still was the double white whale, reserved exclusively for the Deputy Sect Masters.
At the apex stood the crimson whale—the symbol of the Sect Master.
After chatting for a while longer, the sky outside had begun to dim; late afternoon was slipping into evening. Ouyang Ningzhi rose first, offering her farewells before taking her leave.
Not long after, Elder Xiao and Zhao Jie invited Lu Sheng to a nearby restaurant, where they held a lively banquet in celebration of his induction into the Sect.
After several rounds of drinks, Elder Xiao leaned back in his seat with a heavy sigh.
“Honestly speaking, this world is filled with danger at every turn. Even within our Sect, the number of casualties is sky-high—that’s why experts are always in demand.”
“Number of casualties is sky-high? What does Elder Xiao mean?” Lu Sheng asked, puzzled. Though he had a few guesses, he chose not to voice them.
Elder Xiao smiled ruefully.
“Perhaps Junior Brother Lu isn’t aware… Mountain-Edge City may look peaceful and prosperous, but countless dangers and threats are being dealt with quietly every single day. Our Crimson Whale Sect is just one of the forces handling these matters—perhaps even the main one. Otherwise, why do you think the government tolerates the existence of so many sects?”
Lu Sheng narrowed his eyes slightly, taken aback by such openness.
“Dangers? What dangers could Mountain-Edge City possibly have?”
Zhao Jie, unable to contain himself, cut in.
“Brother Lu, forgive me if I overstep—but may I call you brother?”
“Why not?” Lu Sheng replied with a relaxed wave.
Zhao Jie continued with a helpless look on his face.
“You really don’t know how dangerous this world is. Every day, more than ten people pass through my hands to join the Sect. Over ten a day—that’s three to four thousand people in a year! So with all these people joining, how is it that we only have tens of thousands of members after so many years? Where did the rest go? Some died, others ended up crippled.”
Elder Xiao sighed deeply.
“And what Zhao Jie said… for the Crimson Whale Sect, this is already considered good. At the very least, those who can no longer work still receive benefits. Other sects and clans have it far worse…”
The lantern light swayed gently, casting shifting shadows across the room. For a moment, none of them spoke.
After a long silence, Lu Sheng finally asked,
“These dangers… what exactly are they referring to?”
Elder Xiao waved his hand.
“Nothing secretive. Most of what we handle are human affairs—hunting down murderers, arsonists, robbers, rapists… Then there are other sects fighting us over territory and resources, as well as our longstanding enemies. All of that falls under human matters.”
He paused before adding,
“Occasionally, we also encounter Black Calamities—strange, abnormal occurrences. For example, not long ago, the second daughter of Squire Wang vanished without a trace in the middle of the night. When she was finally found, she was lying beneath a willow tree by Cypress Pine Lake outside the city… and her whole body had sprouted long, black hair. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it even if I said it myself.”
“This… is this real?” Zhao Jie gasped.
“Yes, as real as it gets. I saw that girl with my own eyes—only eleven or twelve years old, covered head to toe in long black hair. Even her clothes couldn’t hide it. Later, Squire Wang came to our Sect for help. The External Affairs Emissary, Lord Li, personally put the girl down. They say that on the night he did it, loud booms shook the entire courtyard like raging thunder,” Elder Xiao said with a rueful sigh.
“Black Calamities… do these things happen often?” Lu Sheng asked, finally grasping that this was the Sect’s term for the supernatural.
“Not many, but they appear every few months—sometimes even more frequently. Most of the time, if we ignore them, they fade on their own. Those that don’t will remain confined to a single area; they never spread beyond where they first emerged. As long as you avoid that place, you’re safe,” Elder Xiao explained.
Lu Sheng nodded, understanding how ordinary people coped with the unnatural.
Zhao Jie suddenly leaned forward.
“Speaking of which, a peculiar incident happened nearby recently. Brother Lu, have you heard of it?”
“What incident?” Lu Sheng asked.
With a slight frown, Zhao Jie lowered his voice.
“There was a scholar living nearby—Wang Ziquan or something like that. Went out to the pleasure boat late one night and vanished without a trace. Never returned. It caused quite a stir when it happened.”
Elder Xiao nodded in agreement.
“I heard of it too. I even asked the higher-ups whether we should handle it. The disturbance drew too much attention and caused panic, after all. But they simply said to let it be… that the unrest would die down on its own.”
Lu Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly. Deep within, a faint understanding began to form.
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and then Add to home screen.