Chapter 117: The Martial Realm, Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow

When they looked again, Li Chao’s hand was already resting on Zhou Laosan’s shoulder.

Then, with a forceful flick—*snap!*

Zhou Laosan’s body flew through the air, slamming hard against the wall.

"Damn it!"

Zhou Laosan spat out a mouthful of blood, reached into his coat, and prepared to pull something out.

But at that exact moment, something was already pressed against his throat—a pen!

It was a perfectly ordinary pen that had been sitting on the table, and the one holding it was none other than Li Chao.

Zhou Laosan sneered. "Are you fucking stupid? You’re threatening me with a pen?"

Li Chao chuckled and tossed the pen aside.

*Thwack!*

The pen buried itself deep into the wall like a sharp arrow, sinking in by a third of its length!

Seeing this, a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Zhou Laosan’s forehead. He had never believed the legends about experts who could kill with a leaf, but this man before him…

If he had used that kind of force to strike him instead, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The others who were seeing Li Chao for the first time were equally stunned. They had not expected this seemingly unremarkable young man to possess such astonishing strength.

Zhou Laosan’s Adam’s apple bobbed a few times before he finally bowed his head. "Impressive! I’m convinced! Please, take a seat."

Afterward, he asked with some confusion, "Didn't Mr. Liu say you were a divine doctor? What’s going on here?"

Li Chao sat in the empty seat next to Zhou Laosan and smiled. "Medicine is my profession, but in my spare time, I also practice martial arts as a hobby."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was unsettled. They never imagined that Li Chao was not only a master of medicine but also a formidable, hidden martial artist. Such strength forced them to re-evaluate this seemingly ordinary young man.

Liang Meng, in particular, felt his old face flush with embarrassment. He thought to himself, *Brother, you're laying it on a bit thick! If you're this incredible and call it a hobby, what does that make professionals like us?*

After that brief display, Li Chao sat back down. Now, not a single person dared to voice any further doubts.

After a few dozen seconds of silence, Liu Zhenhua tapped the table gently and spoke. "We are all on the same side. I invited you here today for one reason: to deal with Howard!"

"As far as I know, this guy has gathered a group of people behind him and intends to carve up Huaxi City again! If that happens, it won’t just be me—everyone here will be implicated. I was nearly assassinated not long ago."

The hot-tempered Zhou Laosan immediately slammed his hand on the table. "Has this guy lost his mind? Does he not know his own worth, trying to come here and snatch turf? I’ll go and finish him off right now!"

There were many powerful figures in Huaxi City, and while they had their own disputes, those were internal matters. But Howard trying to bring in outsiders to carve up Huaxi’s resources meant touching everyone’s interests, which they would never allow.

Liu Zhenhua shook his head. "I’ve checked many sources; Howard is not as easy to deal with as you might think. Behind him, there is likely Sha Pojlang!"

At the mention of that name, the expressions of everyone in the room changed significantly, as if the name itself carried immense weight.

Li Chao asked Zhou Laosan, who was sitting next to him, "Who is Sha Pojlang?"

Zhou Laosan’s eyes held a trace of undisguisable fear. "He was the number one ruthless character in Huaxi City back in the day! He committed many heinous acts before being collectively taken down by everyone. After that, he disappeared. I thought he was long dead, but I never expected him to resurface now!"

*Sigh*, who didn't know the legendary figure of Huaxi City, Sha Pojlang? Back in the day, he was the city's most feared man; just hearing his name would make anyone’s heart skip a beat.

It was no wonder the atmosphere today was as tense as a pulled bowstring. Even Liang Meng’s expression turned solemn. He couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Liu, what do we do now? Are we going head-to-head with Sha Pojlang?"

Liu Zhenhua waved his hand gently, smiling with complete composure. "Don't be anxious. Sha Pojlang is currently hiding; he only sent Howard to test the waters. He’s probably trying to see how much weight we carry. If we can't even handle Howard, Sha Pojlang will likely ride into Huaxi City bold as brass."

"So, we either don't move, or we strike with the speed of lightning, leaving Howard no time to react. If he dares to reach his hand in, we’ll chop it off, letting Sha Pojlang know this isn't a place for him to run wild."

Truth be told, Liu Zhenhua hadn't originally intended to call Zhou Laosan or Liang Meng. But hearing that Sha Pojlang might be behind Howard made him take it seriously. Back in the day, Sha Pojlang had ruled Huaxi City with an iron fist, leaving everyone in a state of terror, and it had taken everyone’s combined efforts to finally bring him down.

This was no longer just the Liu family’s private business; it concerned the safety of everyone in Huaxi City. If Sha Pojlang returned, everyone present would suffer.

Upon hearing this, everyone understood the gravity of the situation. After a silence, someone asked, "When do we move?"

Liu Zhenhua stood up, his eyes narrowed, looking completely confident. "Procrastination leads to trouble. Since everyone is here, I think the sooner the better."

"Everyone, prepare yourselves. We move tonight to resolve Howard’s problem once and for all! Consider it a warning to Sha Pojlang: even if he is a powerful dragon, he cannot suppress the local snakes of Huaxi!"

Liu Zhenhua’s words carried an indisputable sense of determination; the majesty of the city's wealthiest man was on full display. The others nodded and dispersed to gather their strength, preparing to follow Liu Zhenhua against Howard.

Li Chao didn't leave; he had nothing to prepare. Liang Meng also stayed behind; as a martial arts master, he alone was worth a small army.

Liu Zhenhua cupped his hands toward Li Chao and Liang Meng, saying politely, "Howard has also recruited many people. We can handle the usual trouble ourselves, but if we encounter experts, I will have to rely on Master Liang and the young divine doctor! I will reward you handsomely afterward!"

Liang Meng smiled and said generously, "Mr. Liu, you are too kind! I, Liang, am at least a mid-level Yellow Realm practitioner; I can handle the ordinary thugs. Not to mention having an expert like Mr. Li sitting here with us!"

Li Chao, hearing this, asked with some confusion, "What does 'Yellow Realm' mean?"

***

Liang Meng and Liu Zhenhua were both stunned, clearly not expecting Li Chao to ask such a thing. They exchanged looks, and after confirming Li Chao wasn't joking, Liang Meng said with astonishment, "Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow—these are the four major realms for cultivators. When you dealt with that assassin, the Butcher, the strength you displayed should have been at the peak of the Yellow Realm. How could you not know these basic concepts?"

Li Chao scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "I’ve always practiced on my own and haven't had much contact with the outside world. So, I really don't know much about these things!"

Listening to this, Liang Meng’s mouth twitched, clearly surprised by Li Chao’s answer. He suddenly understood what Liu Zhenhua had said earlier about Li Chao having a reclusive master. If Li Chao had truly been raised in a mountain village as a secret disciple, it made sense that he was unaware of the outside world. Little did Liang Meng know that Li Chao had no master at all—it was all a misunderstanding!

Since there was still time, Liang Meng saw that Li Chao didn't understand the basics of cultivation, so he sat beside him and began to chat.

Through Liang Meng’s patient explanation, Li Chao finally gained a general understanding of the world of cultivators. It turned out that modern-day cultivators were similar to the knights in martial arts novels; they studied techniques, tempered their bodies, and roamed the world.

A century ago, there were many such cultivators, and they were admired by many. However, with the advent of firearms, they suffered a fatal blow. Imagine working hard for over a decade, only to be killed by a handgun. This reality caused the status of cultivators to plummet. In today’s society, although they still existed, the loss of techniques and the lack of resources made it difficult to improve. In just over a hundred years, many sects and factions had either gone into hiding or vanished.

Those like Liang Meng, who still operated a martial arts school in public, were a rare minority. Therefore, the term "cultivator" was slowly being forgotten. Most modern practitioners were simply stronger and faster, barely having entered the door. An expert like Liang Meng, at the mid-level of the Yellow Realm, was already a rare find.

As for the realms, one had to first develop *Qi* to form a faint luster on the skin to enter the threshold of the Yellow Realm. Don't underestimate the Yellow Realm; in all of China, those who could reach it were few and far between. According to Liang Meng, in a place as large as Huaxi City, there were only about ten people who had reached the Yellow Realm.

The next level up was the Profound Realm. Those who could reach this level were local titans and prominent figures in the cultivation world. As for the Earth Realm, that was even more extraordinary—these were the "Grandmasters." Once one reached this level, they could establish their own sects, a realm every cultivator dreamed of.

As for the Heaven Realm, heh, when Liang Meng mentioned it, his body couldn't help but tremble. It was a level of awe comparable to a commoner looking at an emperor! It was beyond the reach of normal cultivators.

***

Time flew, and by evening, everyone had finished their dinner and was well-rested.

Liu Zhenhua said to Li Chao and Liang Meng, "Young divine doctor, Master Liang, everyone else is ready! Should we head out?"

Li Chao and Liang Meng stood up. Liu Lele walked them to the downstairs of the company and whispered to Li Chao, "Be careful! You must come back safely!" She had to stay behind to stabilize the Liu Group and couldn't join them.

Li Chao nodded with a smile, looking calm and composed.

***

Liu Zhenhua, Liang Meng, and Li Chao sat in one car, followed by three others. The convoy started slowly and drove off into the distance.

In the car, Liu Zhenhua, sitting in the passenger seat, looked back at Li Chao and said, "Now that there are no outsiders, I’ll speak plainly! A lot of people will likely die in this battle! Young divine doctor, you need to prepare yourself mentally!"

In the eyes of ordinary people, this was a society governed by law, where even hitting someone was forbidden, let alone killing. But what many didn't know was that in the dark corners, murder and arson were common occurrences. To the wealthy, money was omnipotent, and rules or lives could be solved with it. Look at the successful people standing at the top; which one didn't climb up stepping on countless bones?

This was reality—cruel and cold.

The convoy drove on, with new cars joining along the way, like a surging, unstoppable flood. Li Chao looked out the window, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He remembered a saying: *Life is a journey from the womb to the grave, and the road in between is the footprint we leave behind.* Some are wealthy and powerful, walking smoothly; others are destitute, struggling with every step. The rules we think are absolute often bend before money and power.

Tonight, it was truly going to be a bloodbath.

The convoy headed straight for the outskirts of Huaxi City. Liu Zhenhua looked ahead and narrowed his eyes. "Howard has been living in a detached villa in the White Cloud Villa complex for some time now, and his people are gathered there! A conservative estimate is three hundred people! This strike will wipe them all out!"

Li Chao raised an eyebrow. Over three hundred people! Plus the men Howard had brought, this battle could truly be called a rare, large-scale melee. Yet, for some reason, Li Chao felt no fear—only a growing sense of excitement.

***

Before long, the convoy arrived at the White Cloud Villa complex. The mountain road outside had stairs; everyone got out of their cars and split into small teams, surrounding the villa!

Liu Zhenhua, Li Chao, Liang Meng, and Zhou Laosan walked at the front. Soon, they reached the front of the villa.

This villa had clearly been specially modified, with high walls, electric fencing, and surveillance equipment.

Liu Zhenhua looked around and shouted, "Charge! Ten million in cash to whoever kills Howard!"

These words were like a shot of adrenaline, making the eyes of the followers light up. They gripped their weapons and roared as they charged forward. The objective had been made clear on the way; there was no time to waste—it was time to fight!

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

They smashed their weapons against the gates. The noise was deafening, and soon the gates were shattered, and they swarmed inside! A bloody battle had begun.

At that moment, in a room on the top floor of the villa, three people were watching the movement outside. One of them was Howard. He held a cigar, stared at the surveillance screen on the wall, and sneered, "Liu Zhenhua has brought everyone he could call from Huaxi City! He really thinks highly of me!"

He turned to the side and continued, "It’s a good thing you came, or this would have been a real problem."

In the direction of his gaze, a sallow-faced man sat on the sofa. His eyes were half-closed, his left hand pressing down on his right, and his palm resting on an unsheathed sword. Under the light, the blade gave off a chilling glint.

The sallow-faced man said calmly, "This is just right! It saves us from having to hunt them down one by one! We’ll just wipe them all out here!"

Howard laughed and agreed, "Indeed! They think they can hunt me, but they don't know that this villa is a net itself! Who will be the prey remains to be seen!"

Actually, Howard hadn't wanted to make it this bloody. He had intended to finish off Liu Zhenhua with schemes, even using Wang Lan to deal with Liu Lele, and he had secretly orchestrated the Butcher assassin team. But it failed. Later, he tried to use radioactive materials to assassinate Liu Zhenhua, but that hadn't worked either. Upon realizing Liu Zhenhua was suspicious, he had no choice but to call for reinforcements.

Then, the sallow-faced swordsman, Di Shitian, had arrived with his men under orders. Di Shitian was the top expert under Sha Pojlang. Howard had once witnessed Di Shitian kill ten people with a single sword strike; it was godlike. Because Di Shitian was there, Howard felt at ease.

Now, he only needed to wait for Liu Zhenhua and his people to walk into the trap.

Di Shitian stroked his sword hilt and raised an eyebrow, looking at the fat man sitting nearby eating a chicken leg. "Stop eating! Get to business! Clean this place up so we can welcome the Master’s return!"

The fat man opened his mouth, shoved the rest of the chicken leg inside, and pulled it out, leaving only a bone. He threw it on the ground, wiped his hands on the sofa, and picked up the large hammer at his feet before heading downstairs. The sound of his footsteps was like rolling boulders—he was clearly an expert.

As the fat man went downstairs, the battle outside was already in full swing. Liu Zhenhua’s side had more people, about double Howard’s, but they belonged to different factions, so their coordination wasn't as tight as Howard’s men, making it a grueling stalemate.

Blades flashed, clubs swung, and people were hit, coughing up blood and collapsing, only to be replaced by others. It was a close-quarters bloodbath.

Liu Zhenhua and his group stood at the back, watching with heavy expressions. They knew this battle was much tougher than they had imagined.

However, just then, a sharp killing intent swept in from afar. A dozen figures were sent flying as if hit by a speeding car. When they looked again, a shirtless, obese man wielding a round gold-plated hammer walked over. Wherever he passed, people were tossed aside; none could withstand a single blow.

The man fought with wide, sweeping motions, carving a bloody path through the battlefield straight to Liu Zhenhua and his group. He looked at Liu Zhenhua and chuckled, "You must be the leaders!"

Liu Zhenhua and his group stiffened, knowing the arrival of this fat expert would change the tide of the battle. They had to be extremely careful, or they wouldn't escape tonight.

"Smash them all!"

"Don't interrupt my eating and drinking!"

Before the fat expert finished speaking, he flicked his wrist and swung his heavy hammer toward the spot where Liu Zhenhua stood. The wind howled, and dust flew from the ground. The power of that blow was such that even a boulder would have been shattered, let alone a human.

However, just as the hammer was about to land, a figure leaped out from in front of Liu Zhenhua. It was Liang Meng. He curled his fingers into a fist, wearing steel-reinforced brass knuckles.

*Boom!*

The knuckles collided with the heavy hammer. It looked like a bare fist clashing against steel. But using a clever flick of force, Liang Meng actually deflected the hammer to the side.

Li Chao chuckled from the side. He had thought Liang Meng was truly invincible with his iron fists, but seeing this, he realized he needed to use external force too!

The two began to grapple. The hammer-wielding fat man clearly followed the path of brute strength, his palms glowing with a faint yellow light, swinging his hammer with tremendous force. Liang Meng, meanwhile, relied on agile footwork, dodging attacks while looking for an opening.

The two were evenly matched.

Liu Zhenhua leaned in and whispered, "Young divine doctor, who do you think will win?"

Chen Shan smiled and replied confidently, "Three moves at most! Master Song will definitely win!" His eyes revealed a firm trust in Song Wan's strength. Clearly, he was well aware of Song Wan's skill and combat experience.