Chapter 49: Seven-Tenth Force

“Another helping hand?”

Upon hearing these familiar words, Chen Luo instinctively looked towards his master.

Last time he provided “a helping hand,” Shimei nearly met her demise, causing him to hesitate unconsciously this time.

“Don’t worry, your uncle-master’s prowess far surpasses Shimei’s abilities.” Cripple Ma, sensing Chen Luo’s concerns, reassured him with a smile.

He had unwavering confidence in his fellow Zongshi-level senior brother.

Moreover, Cripple Ma felt it was about time to temper the arrogance of his prodigious disciple, as excessive ease and success at a young age could be detrimental. His own experiences served as the best example.

“Go all out. I’ll remain seated without moving; if you can budge me even slightly, I’ll acknowledge you as a true genius.”

Ruan Jianglong also recognized Chen Luo’s apprehension and echoed with a grin.

Regardless of aptitude, his nephew-disciple displayed commendable character. Unfortunately, having spent too long in a small town limited his exposure, leaving him unaware of the significance of being a ‘Zongshi’.

Ruan Jianglong’s Zongshi prowess had indeed enabled him to establish such a formidable presence in White Dragon City, a provincial-level metropolis.

“You’re really willing to help test my strength?”

“Don’t worry, a Zongshi is far beyond any cultivator you’ve encountered before.”

Seeing both his master and uncle-master assuring him, Chen Luo felt reassured.

The gap between him and Shimei was widening significantly, making it difficult for her to accurately gauge his true capabilities. His uncle-master, on the other hand, was perfect—a Zongshi powerhouse who practiced Black Tiger Fist, exuding immense authority from the start. Even Daoist Lichen, who had pursued him earlier, might not be a match for Uncle Ruan.

With this realization, Chen Luo steadied himself, activating the energy of the Black Tiger Fist within his body. He positioned his hands like tiger claws, bending his legs slightly.

His inner qi surged like a mighty river, transforming his previously ordinary aura into one akin to Ruan Jianglong’s—intense and reminiscent of a tiger’s might. Those facing him immediately sensed this formidable presence.

“Excellent!” Ruan Jianglong expressed surprise and delight.

Regardless of Chen Luo’s proficiency with the fist technique itself, just by mastering this tiger stance, he had already grasped the essence of the Black Tiger Fist.

As Chen Luo channeled his inner qi, his bones crackled like bamboo shoots after rain, emitting a series of popping sounds. Despite initially being at the Bone Tempering stage, upon full activation, a faint blue energy emerged, instantly elevating his aura to that of a Zongshi.

Suddenly, with a tiger’s roar, Chen Luo vanished from view.

“Hm?”

Ruan Jianglong, who had been casually seated, swiftly changed expression and leaped to his feet. He pushed aside his shidi, Cripple Ma, as a black reclining tiger manifested around him. With a powerful punch, he met Chen Luo head-on, causing their energies to collide fiercely.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion sent waves of dark qi rippling outward, stirring up clouds of dust.

Caught off guard, Ruan Jianglong was utterly surprised by his nephew’s ferocity. His hastily unleashed punch was shattered immediately; the black reclining tiger lasted only for a breath before disintegrating. The force struck directly against his chest, propelling him through the air like a charging gray-black tiger, until he finally came to a halt upon crashing into the courtyard wall.

Bam!

With a dull thud, silence fell over the scene. The table and chairs where Ruan Jianglong and Cripple Ma had been sitting were now scattered across the ground. Forget moving just half a step; even the earth beneath their feet was scraped away by that single punch.

“Master, I held back this time, using only seven-tenths of my strength.”

After sensing that Ruan Jianglong hadn’t sustained any serious harm, Chen Luo turned to address Cripple Ma, who still sat stunned on the ground.

Having learned from his mistake during the “lending a hand” incident with Shimei, he consciously limited himself to seven-tenths power this time.

“Oh, this child!” Initially trying to maintain Big Uncle-Master’s dignity, Ruan Jianglong couldn’t suppress his reaction upon hearing this and instantly spat out a mouthful of blood.

His gaze toward Chen Luo now resembled looking at a monstrous entity. This wasn’t merely a genius—it was unmistakably an extraordinary prodigy!

“You! You! You!! Have you broken through to Zongshi rank?!” Cripple Ma was utterly dumbfounded, completely forgetting to help his fallen senior brother.

“Just recently, yes,” Chen Luo replied with an earnest expression.

Technically, he couldn’t be considered a true Zongshi, as the pale blue energy belonged to the realm of immortal cultivation. However, explaining these nuances would have been difficult, so he decided it was simpler to acknowledge himself as having reached the Zongshi level.

“Never mind, you should go rest now.”

Cripple Ma struggled for words, momentarily at a loss on how to respond. The familiarity of this situation made him feel as if he were dreaming.

He couldn’t exactly say, “You shouldn’t beat up your uncle-master like that,” especially since they had both insisted Chen Luo use his full strength. Moreover, Ruan Jianglong himself offered assistance during training, and the young man had even held back significantly, showing considerable respect.

However, when did martial breakthroughs become so effortless? If one could achieve Zongshi status after just months of practice, then all Cripple Ma’s lifelong dedication seemed wasted!

“Alright.”

Chen Luo wasn’t foolish; he understood the need to preserve his uncle-master’s dignity. He stepped outside, found another escort from Tiger Might, asked about the guest rooms, and followed them away.

“Shidi, tell me honestly, has this lad really only been practicing martial arts for over a month?”

Once alone, Ruan Jianglong no longer maintained his facade. Sitting cross-legged, he focused on unblocking his congested energy flow, gradually easing his condition. Chen Luo indeed hadn’t lied; at the last moment, he restrained his strike. Otherwise, Ruan Jianglong’s injuries would have been far more severe than merely spitting blood.

“Truly just over a month. I taught him for half that time, and after the initial few days, he trained mostly on his own.”

Cripple Ma wore a wry smile, aware of what his senior brother was contemplating.

However, even he couldn’t fully comprehend it himself.

“If this is true, I suspect your disciple might possess ‘that kind of aptitude’.” Ruan Jianglong’s eyes flickered, his thoughts becoming animated.

The reason he achieved Zongshi status with Black Tiger Fist was due to a remarkable encounter years ago.

That experience revealed to him that the world was not merely as it appeared. Later, leveraging the reputation of that ‘immortal elder,’ he established a firm foothold in White Dragon City, ensuring no influential figures dared to cross him.

A significant part of Tiger Might Escort Agency’s growth could be attributed to the guidance and favor bestowed by that ‘immortal elder.’

“You mean…” Cripple Ma’s expression shifted, recalling their earlier conversation about this very topic when Chen Luo had arrived.

Cripple Ma’s expression shifted slightly; earlier when Chen Luo arrived, this very topic was what he and his martial brother had been discussing in the courtyard.

“Only such circumstances can explain it. In this world, some people are simply born different from us,” Ruan Jianglong began contemplating how to foster a good relationship with this new martial nephew.

Unlike his junior brother Cripple Ma, Ruan Jianglong had always excelled at leveraging connections since childhood. Despite appearing straightforward and physically robust, he keenly understood the unwritten rules of the Yue Kingdom better than anyone. The true power resided with those “above.”

“It’s just your luck, Shidi.” A hint of envy surfaced on Ruan Jianglong’s face.

Why hadn’t he encountered such a disciple himself?

“What luck? I’m practically crippled now.” Cripple Ma chuckled bitterly, patting his leg.

Only he knew the hardships he had endured over these years.

“Losses in one area may lead to gains in another. Who knows, someday Senior Brother might even rely on your disciple for protection,” Ruan Jianglong said half-jokingly.