Chapter 203: The Four Kings

In a small courtyard in Xinlu, Jiang Qing wore her training outfit. Her fine, slender arm shot out like a steel whip, tearing through the air.

This was the whip force from Feng Lun’s Saint Ancestor’s Free Hand. On one side of the training ground, Feng Lun, Gao Guanglu, Xing Xuan, and Jiang Tianzheng watched Jiang Qing practice this force technique repeatedly.

Feng Lun clearly had the most satisfied expression, nodding his head from time to time. “Good, good, good. I didn’t expect her to achieve this level of skill with the whip force in just five days.”

Jiang Tianzheng stood to the side and also nodded, but he had different thoughts inside. Although Jiang Qing’s aptitude was good, her rapid progress during this period was very much related to her own hard work. Especially after she returned from outside with Zuo Zhicheng, it was as if she had been stimulated somehow, spending over ten hours every day on martial arts training.

If it weren’t for the continuous supply of Psychic Energy Fruit dug up by the Shadow Corps from the Ruins, she would probably have already trained her body to the point of collapse.

Ever since Zuo Zhicheng left Xinlu for Haijing, after the Psychic Energy Fruit was collected from Dog Head Mountain, a portion was delivered to the Haoran Martial Hall and the Sea Dragon Gang. It was managed by Jiang Tianzheng, Song Hao, and others.

However, because of the Innate Primordial Breath and a general lack of personnel, only Jiang Tianzheng, Song Hao, and Jiang Qing consumed the Psychic Energy Fruit for the time being. Not only that, these three also received instruction from Zuo Zhicheng in part of the Northern Peng Hanging Heaven Style martial arts.

Zuo Zhicheng hoped they could break through to the Grand Completion of Qi Training, giving him a few more useful people under his command. As for the Human Aspect, aside from Jiang Tianzheng whose realm was sufficient, he did not have high hopes for the others. The requirements for aptitude and temperament for the Human Aspect were simply too high; not just anyone could achieve it.

Just as these few were instructing Jiang Qing’s training, A Fei suddenly walked in, looking somewhat excited. “Master, big news! Something major happened over in Haijing.”

“What happened?” Jiang Tianzheng asked. Feng Lun and the others nearby also listened intently. Jiang Qing over on the training ground also stopped her practice, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and pricked up her ears to listen to the conversation here.

“The entire Southern Bay martial arts world is buzzing. The Dharma King Zhuan Lun, the Dharma King of Destruction, and the Dharma King of Daoyu from the Dìyù Gate surrounded and attacked our senior brother. The result was one dead, one injured who fled. Later, senior brother and a man named Qingyue Yang led the Tiger Wolf Cavalry of Haijing, wiped out a Dìyù Gate stronghold, and killed the Dharma King of Destruction and the Dharma King of Daoyu.”

“What!” Jiang Tianzheng and the others were greatly shocked, clearly very startled by this news. They indeed knew Zuo Zhicheng was strong, but they never thought he could actually kill experts of the Dharma King level from the Dìyù Gate.

They still didn’t know the true strength of the Dharma King of Destruction and the others; otherwise, they would likely find it even more unbelievable.

Over there, Jiang Qing clenched her fist, her eyes shifting, as if thinking about something.

A Fei caught his breath for a few moments, then continued. “Right now, all sorts of rumors are flying everywhere, but senior brother is now considered the number one in the Southern Bay martial arts world. Together with Qingyue Yang, Qingyue Ying, and He Zizai from the Shadow Corps, they are called the Four Kings!”

Everyone present knew about Zuo Zhicheng and He Zizai, but they weren’t very clear about Qingyue Yang and Qingyue Ying. After all, the latter two were previously hidden figures within the Shadow Corps.

The reason this news came out now was because Zhu Yuwen wanted to use this victory to completely lift their spirits, pushing both the Shadow Corps and the Four Kings into the spotlight. He aimed to build them up as the protective umbrella for the entire Southern Bay, and then suppress most of the former Southern Bay martial forces, led by the Dìyù Gate.

However, one could imagine that Zhu Yuwen’s next plan was definitely to downplay Zuo Zhicheng’s role a bit, and let the other three appear more frequently, in order to maintain balance among the Four Kings.

“The Four Kings?” Feng Lun chewed over the name, thinking aloud. “I’ve met He Zizai. That man’s martial arts are probably not inferior to the Hall Master’s. However, he is extremely arrogant and self-conceited, never deigning to interact with others. As for the other two, I haven’t heard of them. But if they possess strength close to Master Zuo’s…” The Hall Master Feng Lun mentioned naturally referred to Zuo Zhicheng.

Although nominally Jiang Tianzheng was the Hall Master of the Haoran Martial Hall, almost everyone had become accustomed to Zuo Zhicheng being the Hall Master. After all, Zuo Zhicheng was the strongest here, and the one who provided the venue, funds, and work.

Gao Guanglu chimed in from the side. “As long as they are all as powerful as the Hall Master, then the fame of the Four Kings and the Shadow Corps will probably quickly soar with this victory, and the subsequent purges of major martial forces like the Dìyù Gate. It will break through the shadow the Dìyù Gate cast over Southern Bay these past years.”

“They will become like the former Dìyù Gate, possessing formidable strength and prestige. The Four Kings, in particular, will have extreme deterrence, just like the Dharma Kings of the Dìyù Gate.”

In Gao Guanglu’s tone, there was a sense of relief, relief that he had chosen the right future this time.

A Fei added excitedly from the side. “Now senior brother is the leader of the Four Kings, called the Heavenly Serpent King.”

“Heavenly Serpent King?” Xing Xuan sighed. “It really is fitting.” He thought of the Underworld King Snake by Zuo Zhicheng’s side, and the cold, cruel feeling the man sometimes gave off unintentionally.

After hearing all this, Jiang Qing on the training ground wiped her sweat and left.

“Xiao Qing, aren’t you practicing anymore?”

“Mm, that’s enough for today.” Jiang Qing left without looking back, a look of loss flashing in her eyes. It was just like when she saw Zuo Zhicheng’s lonely, cold back on Pirate Island.

She felt the gap between herself and him was growing wider and wider. The man who used to follow behind calling her senior sister seemed like he would never appear again.

“Absolutely not.” Jiang Qing clenched her fist, a flash of determination in her eyes. “Even if it’s just a little bit, I want to get closer to you. At least enough to be able to help you… and not be a burden anymore.”

The only method she could think of was to train even harder in martial arts, to make her own strength a bit closer to Zuo Zhicheng’s.

“At that time, you should turn your head and look at me again, right?”

Leaving the training ground, Jiang Qing went straight back to the secret chamber and began practicing the Authentic Transmission Martial Art, the Northern Peng Hanging Heaven Style. Starting from that day, apart from eating, sleeping, and using the toilet, she devoted almost all her time to martial arts. Jiang Tianzheng, watching from the side, felt both happy and worried.

…

Far away in Haijing, Zuo Zhicheng went the next day to the place where the Shadow Corps kept its confidential files.

Passing through countless guards and hidden sentries, walking deep within the underground passage, Zuo Zhicheng finally arrived at a massive secret vault. Dozens of rows of bookshelves were neatly arranged before him.

A guard at his side handed him a register, saying with a respectful face, “Heavenly Serpent King, sir, this is the catalog. Please take a look.”