Chapter 213: Secret Gu Martial Arts: Heaven Demon Divine Skill

Ximen Yue still left, but Chen Xiyi could see he wasn’t willing to go.

He said he was a branch member, claiming not to care about the Ximen Family, but he also knew his wealth and status all relied on the Ximen Family. Without it, he might still live comfortably, but his standing would fall far down.

As for whether he planned to run like Chen Xiyi suggested, or had other ideas, that really had little to do with Chen Xiyi now.

This matter was no longer important to Chen Xiyi anyway.

“These injuries were done by an expert. Either find a Divine Doctor to heal you, or master some mighty martial arts to cure yourself,” Chen Xiyi said, looking at Ling Hu. “Forget about finding a Divine Doctor. If you were a beauty, or had one at home plead for you by offering herself, you might live. But clearly, you don’t meet that condition.”

“So, your only choice is master mighty martial arts. But mastering such skills step-by-step at your age would take forever. Speed is key.”

“Therefore, you need secret martial arts lore.”

As he spoke, Chen Xiyi pulled a pill from his robe. “Secret martial arts lore. Heaven Demon Divine Skill. Don’t let the name fool you; it’s a proper Buddhist technique.”

Saying this, he shoved the pill into Ling Hu’s mouth.

“There. Wait for it to take effect.”

Ling Hu looked utterly confused. ‘Wait for it to take effect’? He felt nothing at all!

There were many questionable things about Chen Xiyi’s actions. Why would a Divine Doctor require a beauty to offer herself? Was he a healer or a pervert?

“Mr. Chen,” Ling Hu finally asked, unable to hold back, “does this Heaven Demon Divine Skill come with any chants or a manual… anything?”

“No. That pill is called the Heaven Demon Divine Skill. You just ate it.” As one of the Secret Gu Martial Arts techniques, the Heaven Demon Divine Skill naturally followed the principle of Gu Insect Symbiosis. You ate it, and that was all. Training wasn’t needed.

“……”

Honestly, if not for the burning pain inside him slowly being covered by something cool, he would never have believed it.

Crack… Crack…

Crisp cracking sounds echoed as Ling Hu’s bones began to reform. Fine sweat beaded on his forehead.

The terrible pain he had just escaped came back with a burst of agony. His entire skeleton was being reshaped piece by piece.

He had been crippled before, his bones and meridians shattered. To restore him, they naturally had to be fixed all over again.

This was nothing new. It could even restore a Dantian, let alone bones and meridians.

A Gu Martial Artist’s ability to heal was truly beyond strong.

Amidst the horrible pain, Ling Hu felt the slow return of sensation. He could twitch his fingers slightly.

Chen Xiyi glanced at him and then tossed him into the Underground Shelter without a second thought.

Why? Because a second group of people had arrived.

Quite a number too— at least twenty or thirty men, clearly some kind of special forces.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Heavy blows hammered against the door. They were clearly not here to be nice.

Chen Xiyi opened the door to see several dozen burly men dressed in special forces gear, holding guns, their faces cold.

“Move. We’re arresting a suspect,” the leader said, scanning the room with a dismissive tone.

“Do you have a warrant?” Chen Xiyi asked, stepping to the side to let them in.

The leader ignored him, gesturing for his team to rush past him into the building. They spread out, searching each room.

A few minutes later, everyone came back out empty-handed.

“Captain, nothing here.”

“Nothing on my side.”

“…”

Report after report said the same thing.

“Where did you hide him, punk?” The squad leader raised his gun, pointing it straight at Chen Xiyi, his voice icy.

“Him? Who? I don’t mind you looking for a suspect, but you can’t just frame someone,” Chen Xiyi replied calmly.

“Captain,” a fierce-looking squad member cut in, “this guy won’t talk unless we really show him. Let him see what the War Tiger Squad is capable of.”

The War Tiger Captain held up a hand to stop him. “Ling Hu. We saw Ximen Yue bring him here ourselves. Hand him over. We’ll just break both your legs as a lesson for offending someone you shouldn’t have. Otherwise… watch yourself when you reincarnate.”

“???” Chen Xiyi looked genuinely baffled. Usually, they’d let things go after getting what they wanted. Instead, they’d break his legs as a ‘lesson’ after handing someone over? They were utterly ignoring the law?

Then he thought better of it. Made sense. This place was basically a feudal kingdom disguised as a modern society.

“I figure,” Chen Xiyi said slowly, “you never planned for me to leave here alive to begin with. Let me think… As special forces, you can’t leave your posts without official orders. And since I saw you do exactly that— whether or not I hid your so-called suspect Ling Hu— I’d have to die anyway.”

Chen Xiyi eyed the situation. Definitely, they’d been called out here by Chu Ge as a personal favor.

The whole thing was like the Protagonist being framed and locked up, only to have his old team roll up in tanks to bust him out. As for afterward?

They’d probably just get a symbolic slap on the wrist.

Especially old special units like theirs— probably held “licenses to kill.”

When Chen Xiyi said this, cold light flashed in the War Tiger Captain’s eyes. Chen Xiyi was right. Hunting suspects wasn’t their job at all. Chu Ge had asked for a favor. As the ex-God of War, helping with a small matter was easy, so they agreed right away.

They’d come here to arrest Ling Hu and also eliminate Chen Xiyi for daring to treat him. The sheer nerve of crossing them!

“Hah. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, hand the man over immediately, and this ends. Otherwise…” The War Tiger Captain smiled grimly, clearly running out of patience.

“To be honest,” Chen Xiyi retorted, his tone mocking, “you burst in saying you were searching for a suspect, and despite having no warrant, I let you search. You claim to be some special forces unit, but from start to finish you haven’t produced a single valid ID or official authorization.”

“I have every reason to suspect you’re not an official organization at all. Just hired killers who slipped in from abroad, or bandits operating inside the country.”

The War Tiger Captain’s expression grew colder as Chen Xiyi spoke. They definitely were the real deal, but they were also definitely AWOL. Things like this, once stated out loud, they couldn’t admit.

“Since there’s nothing here, fine. Too bad Ling Hu will starve down there. Heh. Do it,” the War Tiger Captain growled, lifting his gun with murderous intent and firing towards Chen Xiyi. His squad raised their guns to shoot.

But the next second, every single one stood frozen. Their fingers rested on the triggers but wouldn’t press down. Their eyes were totally lifeless and blank.

Chen Xiyi had extracted all their memories, scanning through them.

“Calling it an ‘official organization’ is just covering it. Really, they’re the Noble Family’s white glove. But this Noble Family is way at the top of the power structure, so it’s still effectively official work,” Chen Xiyi mused.

The War Tiger Captain’s memories revealed many units like theirs. They all officially belonged to state departments, sounded official, yet answered directly to, and fought solely for, their Noble Family.

It looked like an official unit. In truth, they were a family’s personal soldiers.

Their ex-God of War, Chu Ge, had been forced to retire after hitting their boss – one of the Noble Family’s officers.

Organizations built around titles like God of War, Asura Lord, Dragon King, Divine General… there were loads of them. Some were local, some were central government assets. The War Tiger Squad served the Hidden World Clan in Yanzhou and the regional government body directly.

“So clichéd,” Chen Xiyi couldn’t help muttering. “The powerful Ximen Family looks like an ant before Yanzhou’s real Hidden World Clan. Now this? Are you layering it up? Will there be a Hidden World above this Hidden World Clan?”

He sighed. It also explained why these men were so cocky.

So what if they got exposed?

Rules were just paper to Hidden World Clans. If not caught: Nothing. If caught: Maybe docked pay or extra drills— trivial punishment with no real consequences.

“But these guys seriously lack brains. Helping the ex-God of War? What will the current God of War think?”

“How will the Noble Family officer Chu Ge punched take this?”

“Huh. Thinking just some docked pay and extra drills will get you past it? Think again.”

Their heads were filled with muscle. Trained under Chu Ge, they’d learned to charge headfirst with him— safe with a God of War around. Without him? They still charged headfirst without thinking.

Chen Xiyi knew that going back meant, at best, suspension. More likely, they’d become the fall guys.

He carelessly stuffed them into the Prison cells within the Underground Shelter to be experimental fodder, then started planning his next steps.

Chen Xiyi began shaping paper cutouts. He filled them with flesh and bones, gave them Human Qi and Yang Qi, then cast an Illusion Art over them.

Thus, a freshly made War Tiger Squad appeared, carrying the “paralyzed” Ling Hu.

“Done. They drive into the city, then… blow them all to pieces.”

With that, the whole affair was over. What followed? None of his concern.

He had no doubt they’d come for him next. He’d just insist they took Ling Hu away.

If they played by official rules? Fine. Case closed. If not? Then he’d turn the whole of Yanzhou into Nourishment Resources without a second thought.

Innocent people caught in it? Don’t kid him. If he didn’t make it brutal, they’d think he was soft.

What’s wrong with a Player killing a few NPCs? When those NPCs got cocky and attacked first, why should he negotiate nicely?

This? Chen Xiyi had plenty of experience.

The group of paper men, manipulated by the System, drove towards the city area. The explosion later was bound to cause a huge stir.

Everyone would then see how tough Chu Ge’s connections and influence really were.

The hidden white-glove squad of a Noble Clan, mobilized via Chu Ge’s string-pulling, had been wiped out entirely. The fallout was predictable.

“But knowing Noble Families, they might still try to pin it on me after this,” Chen Xiyi considered.

Judging from the War Tiger members’ memories about their bosses— likely stubborn and protective.

Meaning: Their guys were dead. Why should Chen Xiyi, who saw them, still be breathing?

Chen Xiyi would probably love that kind of loyal toughness in an ally. Protective friends are great to have.

As enemies though? A nightmare. People like that turn into rabid mad dogs.

Besides, the War Tiger Squad represented combat power and interests. Losing them was a big blow.

Training that type of force required tons of money and Time.

“So, even if they blew themselves up, I could get dragged in as collateral damage?”

“No big deal. Let Chu Ge take the initial heat. If he isn’t enough, add Qin Tian to the list. If necessary, bring in Ye Fan too.”

With that, a plan started forming in Chen Xiyi’s mind.

“Looks like I need to fast-track that embryo development,” he murmured. “The show afterward will be worth the rush.”

His perspective shifted. This Hidden World Clan might actually provide the perfect opening.