Chapter 249: True Form Obtained

The man in white returned from outside the villa complex, maintaining his characteristic calm, elegant, and almost ethereal demeanor. His eyes were bright and intelligent. While he exuded a scholarly air, there was also an undeniable confidence about him, as if everything was under his control. A faint smile touched his lips as he thought about ambushing Chu Feng soon, orchestrating a situation where Chu Feng would willingly walk into his demise.

Chu Feng had already arrived near the impressive villa, having come early to prepare for his ambush. He moved with great agility, slipping directly into the living room. The door was unlocked, which saved him a considerable amount of trouble. "I hope I can evade his spiritual perception," Chu Feng murmured to himself. Yet, he thought, even if he couldn't, it wouldn't matter; a direct confrontation was always an option.

He concealed himself behind the door, holding his breath, his body tensed, and his pores sealed. He completely merged with his surroundings, becoming like a withered piece of wood, devoid of any vital signs. At this level, his command over his own body was astounding. His spiritual and physical energies fused, making his presence increasingly intangible.

As the man in white walked, each step was perfectly uniform. Anyone observing with a ruler would have been astonished by the precision, down to the millimeter. He seemed to move to a unique rhythm, perfectly synchronized with his breathing. Only individuals at Chu Feng's level could sense that the man in white was extraordinary, even somewhat formidable. Every movement he made possessed an inexplicable grace. Combined with his breathing, he appeared tranquil, yet within him lay dormant a powerful vital essence and formidable life force that, if unleashed, would surely erupt like a catastrophic flash flood.

The man in white entered the living room soundlessly. Though his steps were rhythmic, they landed with extreme lightness. He was contemplating how to set a natural trap, spanning from Shuntian to Jiangxi, to lure Chu Feng to the Flat Mountain stronghold, thereby causing his own demise. A smile appeared on his face as he swiftly refined his plan. Preoccupied with these thoughts, he completely failed to notice anyone behind the door as he entered.

Being so powerful, he feared no adversary. Especially after having just been in the living room with the formidable Three-Eyed Race expert and having only left moments ago, it never crossed his mind that someone would be audacious enough to infiltrate. Furthermore, given his acute spiritual perception, no disturbance, however slight, could elude him; he could sense it instantly. If anyone truly approached, even a peerless master, they would not escape his notice! He paid no heed and gave it no further thought.

However, something unforeseen clearly occurred today, as Chu Feng's current state was capable of eluding even the most powerful kings! Chu Feng's eyes were now narrowed, fearing his intense gaze might alert his opponent. In his left hand, he gripped a weapon, raised high. It was the Purple-Gold Lightning Hammer, not large, about a foot long including the handle. It was exquisitely crafted, and he had no idea what kind of purple metal it was made from. When not activated, it appeared slightly dull, bearing the marks of time and hinting at its ancient origins.

Suddenly, he swung the Purple-Gold Hammer with great force towards the back of the man in white's head. Although his strike was powerful, he did not activate the magical artifact. Without infusing energy into it, it would not unleash lightning; it was simply a cold weapon. In fact, Chu Feng suspected that this exquisite small hammer might once have been an exhibit in a museum, given its pristine condition; ordinary people wouldn't even be able to activate its lightning.

Naturally, this movement instantly alerted the man in white. As a top master who had fully achieved the Twelve True Forms of Xingyi, his talent was truly astonishing. It is well known that many veteran boxers practice their entire lives and can barely master one true form; those who achieve two or three are exceedingly rare. It is said that mastering six true forms of Xingyi Quan qualifies one as a rare prodigy! Yet, this man in white, so young, had successfully cultivated all twelve true forms of Xingyi Quan, a truly extraordinary feat!

The sudden movement behind him instantly triggered his senses. Even though his mind was wandering, preoccupied with other thoughts, his body tensed in a flash, his hand forming a fist seal, ready to retaliate. His reaction was incredibly swift. His spine arched like a mighty dragon, embodying the Dragon Form. His waist and abdomen propelled him forward, while his hand formed the Tiger Seal, poised to strike. Simultaneously, he planted one foot, employing the Golden Rooster, a move from the Chicken Form of Xingyi Quan. He then bent forward to evade the incoming attack, and his other leg snapped backward with powerful flexibility, executing the dominating Snake Form, ready to tear apart the attacker behind him!

This was truly a lightning-fast reaction! In that mere instant, explosive sounds erupted within his body, his bones shifting like popping beans—a truly astonishing display. Even Chu Feng had to concede, this person's reaction far surpassed that of other kings. His adaptability was incredibly rapid; in a single instant, he actually executed the Dragon, Tiger, Chicken, and Snake Forms—four major Xingyi True Forms! This was truly astounding. Most people, let alone simultaneously unleashing four True Forms, would be remarkable if they could perfectly execute just one, even with ample preparation. This individual was absolutely formidable!

However, Chu Feng was faster. He had been lying in wait precisely for this opportunity. One was a prepared assault, the other entirely unsuspecting. The disparity was stark. Furthermore, Chu Feng had already prepared his killing blow. He didn't merely ambush like an ordinary person. His strike was incredibly unusual; he lunged like a flood dragon, leaping up and diving downwards, directly evading the man in white's backward kick and the fierce Snake Form strike.

Every part of Chu Feng's body was capable of attack. Blending the Ox Demon Fist and the Flood Dragon Demon Fist, his waist and back moved like a flood dragon's body, swinging powerfully in mid-air. His forward lunge was incredibly fast, his feet like the hooves of a wild ox, capable of shattering mountains, and his hands like horns, able to tear through anything. Suspended in mid-air, Chu Feng attacked with his legs, feet, elbows, and right hand, quickly landing on the man in white's forward-leaning back. His left hand, meanwhile, brought the Purple-Gold Hammer down with immense force. The instant their bodies made contact, Chu Feng's legs, feet, and elbows landed on his opponent, and the Purple-Gold Hammer successfully struck the back of the man in white's head. The impact was so immense it could have toppled a mountain peak!

In that instant, despite the man in white's formidable power and his instantaneous execution of the four great Xingyi True Forms, he was destined for defeat. This was because his assailant did not attack conventionally; instead of charging along the ground and being hit by his kick, Chu Feng leaped, landing directly on his back. He sustained a heavy blow. With a thud, the back of his head glowed as he attempted to resist with mysterious energy, but it was still insufficient to defend against such a close-range, devastating strike. Concurrently, excruciating pain flared in his back as he suffered severe injuries from Chu Feng's elbows and knees, causing him to cough up blood on the spot. The current Demon King Chu was terrifyingly powerful, daring to contend with anyone. Even if he were to encounter the old lion from the Eastern Expeditionary Army again, he would not hesitate to engage in battle!

The man in white endured such a horrific assault that the immense force caused his white robes to tear apart, leaving them tattered. His body reeled, and the excruciating pain at the back of his head made his vision blur, threatening to make him collapse. However, he forced himself to stay alert, striving to maintain consciousness and counterattack. Yet, a single misstep meant losing the initiative, leading to a cascade of disadvantages. He was now overly passive, his mind clouded, and his reactions significantly dulled.

"Humph!" With a thunderous roar, Chu Feng unleashed a horrifying, lightning-like sonic wave, a fusion of the Ox Demon Sound and the Flood Dragon Demon Sound, imbued with a spiritual attack. This strike instantly dispersed the spiritual energy the man in white had forcefully gathered, exploding beside his ears. His ears rang, his vision blurred with double images, and he felt even more disoriented. During this, Chu Feng, still holding the Purple-Gold Hammer, struck a second time, again targeting the back of his head. The man in white couldn't withstand it; he felt his skull was bursting, and his vision went completely black. When Chu Feng's third hammer descended, his eyes went completely black, and he slumped unconscious to the ground.

With a swift motion, Chu Feng lightly dismounted from his back, landing on the ground. He looked down at the man in white, confirming his unconscious state, and inwardly marveled at his opponent's prowess, speculating he had likely broken six shackles. It startled him to realize when such a peerless master had emerged among humans; he had been completely unaware before! Chu Feng gazed intently, noting that the man appeared to be no older than twenty-seven or twenty-eight, just a few years his senior. A hidden, supreme expert who had remained anonymous until now. This man possessed remarkable self-restraint!

"He's a master of Xingyi Quan, and judging by his profound skill, he could absolutely be called a grandmaster. A young grandmaster, that's truly astonishing!" Chu Feng didn't believe his actions were overly risky this time. Had he truly intended to kill, he would have directly activated the magical artifact, unleashing the Purple-Gold Hammer's lightning. Against an unsuspecting opponent, could anyone possibly react faster than lightning? That would have been far more effective!

Soon, Chu Feng's eyes lit up. This was a Xingyi grandmaster! He had long coveted this boxing style and had even asked Lu Tong to help him find its manuals. So far, he had only managed to practice a few true forms because he simply couldn't gather all the necessary texts. "Does he have a martial arts manual on him?" Chu Feng wondered hopefully, though he quickly dismissed the idea as unlikely. Who would carry a complete set of techniques around with them? He searched him, and as expected, found nothing, letting out a sigh.

Chu Feng lifted the unconscious man and carried him into the spacious living room. As he settled onto the sofa, he noticed the coffee table had shattered into fragments and turned to ash. "Hmm, what's this?!" To his surprise, a yellowed martial arts manual lay on the sofa, instantly catching his eye. A shiver of excitement ran through him, invigorating him at once. With a thud, Chu Feng released his grip, and the man in white dropped directly to the floor.

Chu Feng quickly snatched up the manual and flipped through it. It contained the ancient methods of Xingyi Quan, which differed somewhat from the contemporary versions—they were more complex and profound! "There's a hidden compartment!" He discovered a hidden compartment in the manual's cover and promptly retrieved a very thin piece of animal skin from it, instantly becoming excited. Engraved on the animal skin were the complete Twelve True Form diagrams, each figure remarkably lifelike! Chu Feng was stunned, then he felt like laughing aloud. This was truly unexpected—to discover the ancient Xingyi Quan techniques and the Twelve True Form diagrams right here!

"A young grandmaster of the Xingyi school," Chu Feng mused, looking down at the man in white. It was entirely beyond his expectation that this man would carry such a manual with him. In fact, the man in white had only recently mastered the Twelve True Forms and had also recently broken his sixth spiritual shackle. He was still consolidating his understanding and continually studying the Twelve True Forms, which was why the manual was always with him. He had never imagined anyone could take it from him—such was his confidence.

However, Chu Feng had a sudden impulse today. Upon seeing the man associating with members of the Sea Race, he felt a surge of irritation and promptly subdued him. "My apologies, friend." At this moment, Chu Feng felt a pang of guilt. After all, the other person was human, and though he associated closely with the Sea Race, appearing less than benevolent, Chu Feng had no concrete proof of his ill intentions. Despite his suspicions, he lacked concrete evidence or witnessed any wrongdoing, so the sneak attack still made him uncomfortable. Of course, had Chu Feng known that the man in white was plotting against his parents, aiming to force him into a death trap, he would have likely been consumed by rage.

"The ancient Xingyi Quan methods and the Twelve True Form diagrams are mine—what an unexpected boon!" Chu Feng exclaimed, turning pages of the manual and studying the Twelve True Forms, finding them increasingly extraordinary. His heart raced with excitement. For someone on the path of evolution, this ancient martial art was invaluable, especially as it was a human lineage's manual. "Hm?!" He was somewhat surprised. After only a brief study, he realized that when the Twelve True Forms of Xingyi were linked in sequence, they seemed to conceal a mysterious breathing technique. "Excellent!" His eyes shone brightly, like two miniature suns. He knew this breathing technique was truly significant.

His current breathing technique didn't require prolonged daily practice; exceeding the allotted time offered no further benefit, except during combat or healing, when its application was unrestricted. For genuine self-cultivation and evolutionary purposes, it only needed to be practiced once in the morning and once in the evening, with a very short effective duration. Acquiring an additional breathing technique meant gaining another means of evolution, one that could accelerate physical transformation and extend the effective practice time! The more Chu Feng pondered, the more he realized that the breathing technique concealed within the Twelve True Forms on the animal skin was no ordinary feat—it was truly remarkable! "My path of evolution has broadened significantly!" Chu Feng exclaimed, filled with the joy of his discovery.

He glanced down at the man in white and inwardly thought, "Apologies, old friend, but you're far too close to the Sea Race, and most of them are my adversaries." He promptly tucked the manual and the Twelve True Form diagrams into his pocket, deciding not to return them for now, at least not until he had thoroughly comprehended them. Clearly, he couldn't linger here.

As Chu Feng searched the area, he noticed a tiny scrap of paper near the incinerated coffee table. On it was a name with a red cross drawn over it. "Is this a kill list?" Chu Feng wondered, surprised by the palpable killing intent emanating from the fragment. The name mentioned was Wu Qifeng, a person he didn't recognize. "Associating with the Sea Race and wanting to kill humans—this certainly suggests a dangerous conspiracy." However, Chu Feng truly didn't know who Wu Qifeng was, nor did he possess any other evidence, making it difficult to act against the man in white again. Everything was speculation, without solid evidence. If he killed the wrong person, it would truly be the massacre of an innocent, especially given that this was a young Xingyi Quan grandmaster, poised to become a supreme expert among humans.

"Never mind," Chu Feng decided, "taking his manual is already unfair enough." He turned and headed for the exit. Yet, upon reaching the doorway, he frowned again. His intuition persistently told him that something was amiss with the man in white; despite his refined and handsome appearance, he didn't seem to be a benevolent person. He genuinely didn't know, nor could he have predicted, that this man in white was actually a major adversary who was currently plotting against him. He simply had an instinctive feeling that this man was not to be trusted.

Chu Feng turned back, re-entered the villa, and retrieved the man in white. He carried him outside, and upon spotting a large garbage bin, he promptly tossed him inside, then slammed the lid shut with a clang. "Whatever," Chu Feng muttered. "Even if he is an adversary, so what? I'll give him a chance to fight properly in the future!" Still uncertain and without any concrete evidence, Chu Feng departed. Unconcerned and confident that he feared no opponent, he strode out of the villa complex.

Shortly after, he contacted Lu Tong and initiated a call. "Old man, I'm in Jiangxi. I've done some things recently, and I have a feeling that the hidden orchestrators are constantly plotting, making them hard to guard against. I'm wondering, now that I'm far away in Jiangxi, nothing will happen back in Shuntian, right? Please pay close attention and ensure my parents' safety."

Lu Tong clicked his tongue upon hearing this, convinced that the young man had been up to no good. Otherwise, why would he mention feeling uneasy after his recent activities, and worrying about elusive, hidden schemers? The more Lu Tong, the old man, thought about what he knew of Chu Feng, the more certain he became that the boy had been mischievous! "Are you feeling guilty? Out with it, what kind of unscrupulous, low-down deeds have you been up to?" Lu Tong demanded.

"Nonsense! I've always been straightforward and never do anything immoral!" Chu Feng retorted, his face betraying no flush and his heart no skip. He touched the Xingyi Quan manual and the beast-skin True Form diagrams in his pocket, then glanced back at the large garbage bin in the villa complex. With a whoosh, he vanished from sight!

"Don't worry," Lu Tong replied. "Jiangxi is so chaotic right now, and I knew you were bound to cause trouble and potentially turn the world upside down. I've already moved your parents to an even safer location; yes, the Lord of the Jadeite Palace is there as well. Additionally, an extraordinary couple is temporarily staying at your house."

"Thank you!" Chu Feng said, hanging up his communicator, completely relieved. At the same time, he glanced back once more, and it seemed... his sense of guilt had diminished.