Chapter 98: Such a Genius

Night had fallen, and beneath the glow of the lamps, the trees cast dense, layered shadows.

Suddenly, a figure moved with an astonishingly swift and precise speed—no wasted motion—delivering a straight, thunderous punch. The crackling sound of air being shattered reverberated sharply.

Li Jun’s punch embodied a perfect harmony of spirit, energy, and intent. It bore no formal technique, yet it had already reached the realm of a master’s fist.

Zhang Xiaofan’s gaze grew serious. Instantly, he channeled his spiritual power, concentrating it entirely into his fist.

Then, to Li Jun’s renewed astonishment, Zhang Xiaofan met the strike head-on.

Clash of strength against strength!

Li Jun had expected Zhang Xiaofan to dodge or perhaps deftly deflect some of the force, as he had done moments before. But never had he imagined the young man would stand firm and collide directly.

What audacity! What confidence!

Or perhaps, as a Void-Breaker Realm expert, Li Jun’s presence no longer intimidated this mid-Spiritual Awakening Realm youth.

Beside them, Feng Zhuyue’s heart was gripped by shock. Though powerless against Zhang Xiaofan himself, now that his master had stepped in, this boy had already withstood two blows. And now, against his master’s full force on the third strike, he dared to meet it head-on—was he courting death?

A late Spiritual Awakening Realm martial artist had once been felled by a single punch from Li Jun; how could a mid-stage Spiritual Awakening Realm youth hope to survive?

Had Zhang Xiaofan been before him under normal circumstances, he would never have dared. But just moments ago, his state of mind had risen to a new level. Thus, even when confronted with Li Jun’s full power, he dared to endure it. If he would not die, what was there to fear?

Moreover, it was under such tremendous pressure that he could refine himself and grow stronger.

“Boom!”

The impact of the two fists colliding sent forth a powerful shockwave that swept the fallen leaves and stirred the dust.

In that instant, Zhang Xiaofan felt an overwhelming force crashing against him, as if his arm would shatter. His blood surged violently, and he spat a mouthful of fresh blood.

His body was uncontrollably thrown backwards like a kite cut loose, finally coming to a harsh stop against a large tree.

The bones in his arm were dislocated from the sheer force, and the blow had severely damaged his internal organs.

A Void-Breaker Realm master was indeed formidable!

Though Zhang Xiaofan was inwardly humbled, his desire for strength only grew stronger.

Qin Tianyu was a Void-Breaker, and he himself was still far from that level.

“Xiaofan…” Lin Siyu rushed forward, embracing Zhang Xiaofan anxiously. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Zhang Xiaofan smiled weakly. With Lin Siyu’s support, he stood up. Then, with his other hand, he grasped his dislocated arm, pushing and pulling sharply until it snapped back into place.

Facing Li Jun, he said, “Thank you, senior, for showing mercy. Otherwise, I’d likely be bedridden for a while.”

Indeed, at the last moment, Li Jun had restrained the full force of his punch—Zhang Xiaofan estimated that at least half of the power was held back.

A punch executed with perfect unity of spirit and energy was truly overwhelmingly powerful.

“I simply did not want you to suffer lasting harm. Such a talent must not be destroyed by my hand,” Li Jun said, his admiration clear, especially in this era of declining ancient martial arts.

“In any case, thank you again, senior,” Zhang Xiaofan replied. “I have drunk the blood of the Spirit Wild; if you ever need it, I can share some.”

“No need. That Spirit Wild is like a friend between me and my younger brother. If you achieve greatness in the future, I hope you will look kindly upon the Beast Taming Sect,” Li Jun said. He did not merely flatter Zhang Xiaofan; given his age, strength, and talent—especially being from Dragon Soul—his future was boundless.

“You flatter me, senior. How could I compare to such a hidden sect’s greatness?” Zhang Xiaofan responded earnestly.

“All right, no more modesty. You’ll understand in time. For now, better return with your young wife and recuperate. Don’t let any latent injuries develop,” Li Jun advised.

“I will take my leave then,” Zhang Xiaofan said. Li Jun was right; his internal organs still throbbed with pain and required proper care.

He was grateful to have encountered someone as upright as Li Jun. Had he met a jealous, petty man, it would have been a very different outcome.

Lin Siyu supported Zhang Xiaofan, her concern evident as they walked step by step.

After Zhang Xiaofan left, the look of astonishment in Li Jun’s eyes gradually faded. He turned to his disciple and said, “Tomorrow, you’ll come back with me. Look at him—much younger than you, yet his strength is far greater. You’re here to train, not to cause trouble.”

Feng Zhuyue, feeling scolded, muttered, “His master is stronger after all…”

Hearing this, Li Jun’s temper flared. He slapped Feng Zhuyue’s head loudly, like beating a drum. “So you’re saying I’m not good enough, you little brat? You’re getting too arrogant and reckless.”

Realizing his mistake, Feng Zhuyue slapped himself and pitifully said, “Master, it’s my fault. I’ll train diligently after we return!”

“Good. Since you’ve come to your senses, arrange something nice for Master tonight. You know this place better—get some seafood or something,” Li Jun’s tone softened. His disciple was talented, just outshone by Zhang Xiaofan’s brilliance.

“Um… senior, I’ve already made arrangements…” Zhao Kai spoke cautiously nearby, clearly intimidated by Li Jun, who was a martial arts master straight out of movies and TV.

“Good. Since you’re so polite, I’ll help you with your little problem,” Li Jun said with a meaningful smile.

“Ah… thank you so much, senior!” Zhao Kai was overjoyed.

The first time he met Zhang Xiaofan, the young man had pointed out his own personal issue. When Li Jun arrived, Zhang Xiaofan openly spoke of it again. Facing such a master, Zhao Kai had no embarrassment and revealed everything in detail.

Now that Li Jun offered to cure him, how could he not be delighted? It wasn’t just one meal, but ten meals’ worth of gratitude.

With a look of eagerness, he led the two masters to dinner.

...

At the Lin Group parking lot, Lin Siyu took the driver’s seat. With Zhang Xiaofan injured, there was no way she would let him drive.

Once on the road, Zhang Xiaofan said, “Let’s find a Chinese herbal medicine shop. I need to buy some ingredients.”

Though his injured internal organs would slowly recover through cultivation, the process was too slow. Using herbs to assist treatment was far better.

Lin Siyu nodded. Having worked here for years, she knew where to find such a shop.

“Let’s go to Huichun Hall,” she said.

Huichun Hall was the largest and most renowned traditional medicine shop in Jinghai City. Its owner was a famed Chinese medicine authority, known as a miracle healer.

Zhang Xiaofan nodded without hesitation and closed his eyes to meditate.

Lin Siyu’s driving was decent, though she glanced at Zhang Xiaofan repeatedly, nearly causing several rear-end collisions.

After more than nine o’clock, they finally arrived at the destination—an ancient street in the southern district. The wooden plaque bore the flourishing characters of “Huichun Hall.” Two stone lions guarded the entrance to ward off evil spirits.

The building was sizable—a five-story structure made entirely of redwood. The owner’s wealth was undeniable.

Though it was late, a long queue still stretched outside, and over a dozen luxury cars were parked nearby.

Clearly, Huichun Hall’s business was thriving, attracting many wealthy patrons seeking treatment.

Inside, there were counters for selling herbs and consultation rooms for diagnosis. Compared to the bustling clinics, the herb counters were less crowded.

Though Zhang Xiaofan said it was unnecessary, Lin Siyu still helped him inside.

“Are you here to buy medicine?” a voice soon asked from behind the counter.

“Yes, I want to buy some ginseng. Do you have any?” Zhang Xiaofan inquired.

He sized up the man speaking. The man was about thirty-something, his complexion ruddy, eyes sharp and bright, and features reasonably handsome—except for a large black mole on his brow that marred his appearance.