The Almighty Ring

Jiang Fei was tortured mercilessly by Han Tianyu. As they were in the game and Han Tianyu was barehanded, coupled with Jiang Fei’s rather solid defense, not much harm was done. Every so often, he simply needed to chug down a Health Potion.

When they started, players of The Aristocrats occasionally ran up to entertain themselves with the sight of Jiang Fei getting manhandled like a crash test dummy. Were these tycoons too bored of the game, or what?!

Ten hours later, as Jiang Fei staggered from yet another blow, the players glanced it off like it was nothing. They had quickly grown accustomed to the sight.

The current Jiang Fei had already squeezed his eyes shut. They were completely useless to him when it came to trying to read Han Tianyu’s punches.

After ten hours of training, Jiang Fei’s progress was visibly significant. Although he still could not accurately predict Han Tianyu’s attacks, he would flinch whenever Han Tianyu’s attacks closed in. It was as if he could already tell if danger was approaching!

“That’s interesting! You have pretty good senses!”

Han Tianyu laughed.

“Then, when can I start blocking or avoiding your attacks?” Jiang Fei asked.

“I can’t tell for sure. Well, if you are beaten up by me for ten hours a day, you would be able to roughly predict the direction of the attacks in about half a month. However, blocking it would be a matter of your reflexes. Something that can’t be practiced in-game!” Han Tianyu said.

“Just what kind of grandmaster are you?”

This question had been hanging on the tip of Jiang Fei’s tongue. He had considered Chen Xi to be tremendously strong, for lack of a better word. After all, if the Japanese ninja had ambushed him at Chen Xi’s speed, Jiang Fei might have been dead before even reaching for his potion! However, now that he had seen Han Tianyu’s skills, Jiang Fei finally understood the meaning of true power!

“Right! I can explain that to you. Martial artist grades are split into three types and four levels…” Han Tianyu explained while continuing to attack Jiang Fei. His combat prowess was not diminished by his coherent speaking by the least.

According to Han Tianyu, martial artists were categorized into three types: Skill Attack Method, External Toughness and Inner Qi. They were not hard categories. A martial artist could learn a single type. They could also learn all three types simultaneously. However, a person’s mental energy was limited. Very few could train in all three at the same time!

In simple terms, Skill Attack Method was a technique. Many people practiced it, including those who trained External Toughness. Only very few who focused mainly on Inner Qi would not train in it. According to Han Tianyu, powerful martial artists like Chen Xi with a military background had only just made the cut in the Skill Attack Method. After all, martial arts classes in the military was open to everyone, regardless of their talents. However, a true martial artist trained one-to-one with his master. In fact, a master would be very picky when it came to the disciple’s talents. No master would take in hundreds or thousands of disciples!

External Toughness training was more complicated. It also required some natural talent. Not everyone made the cut. It was said that when one truly mastered it, neither guns nor swords could pierce through the person. Breaking apart rocks or boulders would be a piece of cake. Some people could even catch a bullet with only two fingers! When Jiang Fei had ignored Mao Tian’s blade with the help of the defensive potion, the mysterious old man had misinterpreted Jiang Fei as a trained martial artist!

The natural talent required for training the Inner Qi was even greater. Many strong Inner Qi masters on their deathbeds had been unable to find a disciple who could inherit their legacies. One could tell how stringent the requirement was from that alone! According to Han Tianyu, a true expert in Inner Qi could not really fly or dig through the ground. However, with the help of the Qi in their body, they could easily climb up houses as if they were walking on flat land. They could even reach through a person’s ribcage and grope about said person’s inner organs. A truly capable expert could even hurt a person without ever touching him!

“Brother Yu, have you been reading heroic novels?”

Jiang Fei rolled his eyes after listening. This was way too surreal. He could still accept abilities like being bullet or swordproof. But right now, you’re talking about bloody Qi. Hurting someone without even touching them. Isn’t that a little too far-fetched?

“Hehe, looks like you’ll have to see it to believe it!”

Han Tianyu shook his head. He stopped speaking, but his attacks grew more frequent and aggressive!

After a few more hours of being beaten up, it was time to go offline. Jiang Fei returned to the city with Han Tianyu and the rest. They then left the gaming world.

After he had exited from the game, Han Tianyu took a bath and asked lazily, “How was the investigation?”

“Master! Jiang Fei and the fourth son of the Tokugawa family got into a bit of conflict at school. However, that young Tokugawa brat actually sent a ninja to assassinate Jiang Fei. Luckily, he was saved by the old man Hai from the alliance!” Ah Long said.

“Hmph! The Japanese are getting cocky now, aren’t they?”

Han Tianyu snorted coolly. His facial expression turned sour.

“Tokugawa Shingi has already been exiled from the country!”

Ah Long knew that Han Tianyu had been angered and was prepared to spill some blood, which was why he had hastily slipped in the last sentence.

“Hmph! Consider himself lucky for getting away! Have some people pay him close attention. From today onwards, if any of the martial artists from the Tokugawa household enter Huaxia, kill them, no matter what!”

Han Tianyu frowned slightly. He seemed a little unhappy that the alliance had sent this Japanese boy out of the country.

“Yes! Master!”

Ah Long nodded. He knew that his master was famous for being somewhat of a Robin Hood figure. Fortunately, Jiang Fei had not been hurt. Otherwise, his master would have done something drastic in the heat of the moment!

“Also, teach the Tokugawa household a lesson. We should get involved in the North African markets. Let the Tokugawa household have a taste of their own medicine!” Han Tianyu added.

“Master, please reconsider. That is an important source of economic gain for the Tokugawa household. Such a move would anger them!” Ah Long said.

“That’s true! Send the Third Army over. If the Japanese people intend to start something, have them join forces with the opposition and remove the Japanese from power!” Han Tianyu said coldly.

“Yes!”

Ah Long siad nothing more. The Third Army was the Manda Group’s main force. They were always out battling and clearing obstacles in Manda Group’s military arms trade, especially in the African areas. Since he is moving them there, it seemed that the master was determined to teach the Tokugawa household a memorable lesson!

Jiang Fei did not know that Han Tianyu had made these arrangements. On his way home, Jiang Fei kept having flashbacks of what Han Tianyu said. He had thought that after wearing his improved equipment, the only difference between him and the experts would be their technique and experience. However, if what Han Tianyu said was true, even with a full set of equipment that could withstand guns and blades, he was still not invincible!

After all, those so-called Inner Qi experts were capable of attacking his inner organs without direct contact. Mere armor would not stand in the way of that.