Chapter 150: Super Expert (2)

Everyone in the crowd felt a sudden jolt of alarm, snapping their heads up to stare into the sky. Those with poor eyesight could barely make out anything at this point, and Xiao Tianci could only see a tiny black dot continuously descending.

In his heart, he knew something was terribly wrong. With figures like Vajra and Cheng Gong around, how could an enemy get right above them without anyone noticing? Yet, that altitude was simply... Could it be... Xiao Tianci suddenly realized that this person had to be an enemy. There was no way someone would just wander around up there for no reason—dropping down from an airplane was too absurd. For the guards to rappel down a dozen meters or so was nothing, and needless to say, for people like Vajra, it was even easier. Tang Bing could practically glide, and Xiao Tianci vividly remembered the sensation of Huofeng lowering herself down on Tang Bing like someone descending slowly on a steel wire.

Although he had never inquired about it in detail, Xiao Tianci believed that no one here could jump straight down from an airplane without relying on any external tools.

What seemed slow was actually extremely fast. In the blink of an eye, it confirmed Xiao Tianci's suspicion—the figure was indeed descending from above without any external aid. By this time, Xiao Tianci could clearly make out a human silhouette, though the body appeared hazy, as if surrounded by a shroud of black vapor, and the facial features were completely indistinguishable. As the distance closed, everyone felt a tremendous wave of pressure pressing down upon them.

When the figure reached a height of a dozen meters in the air, his descent suddenly slowed down, as if he were being held up by an invisible force. A wide cloak billowed behind him, and as he drifted slowly downward, it only heightened his aura of looking down upon the entire world. His cloak was different from Tang Bing's long coat. The attire he wore was actually that of an ancient warrior from the Zhao Dynasty. If not for his overpowering aura that caused people's bodies to tremble involuntarily, Xiao Tianci would have thought this was all a stage performance.

What kind of person was this? Such attire, such overwhelming presence! As the man descended, Xiao Tianci felt as if his body was being pressed down by a giant, formless hand, compelling him to drop to his knees in submission.

"Hah...!" Cheng Gong suddenly let out a deafening roar, several times more powerful than the shout he had released back at the Grimaldi family estate. His fighting spirit surged tumultuously, resembling a colossal pillar holding up a collapsing sky.

"Ah...!" Vajra also let out a mighty roar, directly leaping past his limits into his third transformation. The immediate change in the two men instantly caused the pressure felt by everyone to ease, and Xiao Tianci let out a long, ragged breath. His hands were actually trembling slightly—the kind of trembling caused by excessive exertion.

Cheng Gong's roar rolled forth like a wave.

Yet, when it reached the vicinity of this mysterious man, it seemed to part and flow around him, having not the slightest effect on him. However, the transformation of Cheng Gong and Vajra successfully held back the man's towering momentum.

Initially, the man's eyes had been filled with supreme disdain, like an almighty deity looking down upon lowly mortals, or a supposedly superior human looking at an insignificant ant—as if his mere descent should force everyone present to their knees. Seeing the changes in Vajra and Cheng Gong, no one could read his expression, but a faint "Oh..." was heard. The soft sound carried a hint of unexpected surprise and delight.

Huofeng muttered in a daze, as if talking to herself, "Externalizing Qi... Externalizing Qi... Such masters truly exist."

At this moment, Vajra and Cheng Gong stood fully alert in front of Xiao Tianci and the others, their fighting spirit blazing. Vajra's massive build, in particular, shielded the younger people behind him like a giant adult protecting a toddler.

Hearing Huofeng's self-talk, Xiao Tianci hurriedly asked, "Huofeng, what is this 'externalizing Qi'? What does it mean? Do you know this person?"

Huofeng shook her head hastily upon hearing this. "No, I don't know this person. But I once heard my older brother mention that when martial arts are practiced to a certain level, one can achieve the externalization of Qi, allowing them to remain suspended in the air for short periods without any external support. Someone who has reached this realm is already approaching the use of the natural forces of heaven and earth; their boundary of power is boundless, and their might is terrifyingly astonishing. My brother said that there are probably no more than three to five people in the entire world today who possess such power..."

Damn it. Xiao Tianci glanced at the Fatty. Didn't you spend money to have people investigate this? The Fatty lowered his head in shame. At a time like this, Xiao Tianci wasn't really blaming him; he just wanted to figure things out. "Fatty, don't you know who this person is?"

The Fatty smiled bitterly. "He... he should be Tamaki Aotian, the old patriarch of the Sakura Group. But he's over sixty years old now, and for the past decade or more, his son, Tamaki Junshu, has been managing the Sakura Group. Later on, I heard his son was heavily injured, and only in the past year or so has he reappeared in public. Because his residence is so heavily guarded, I didn't dare make a move. The intelligence files only stated that he is a martial arts master; I never planned to cross paths with him, and I certainly didn't expect..."

Although he had witnessed the prowess of martial arts masters, the Fatty had never imagined that this old bastard would be this freakishly powerful. He practiced martial arts himself; his Maitreya Belly and Maitreya Qi had attained a certain level of mastery, and even Huofeng and Tang Bing would find it difficult to defeat him. Naturally, he understood far better than anyone else what the presence of such a master signified.

Although Tamaki Aotian's descent had been extremely slow, he had now touched the ground. Once a master of his caliber landed, the pressure intensified even further. Faint wisps of genuine Qi were now visibly flowing over the bodies of Vajra and Cheng Gong, discernible to the naked eye.

"Ha... ha... Ha..." Tamaki Aotian suddenly threw his head back and laughed heartily, sounding extremely joyful and liberated. Though his features were obscured, his laughter bore no trace of an old man.

"Very good. I didn't expect that after not stepping out for over a decade, the very first day I come out, I encounter two such outstanding young men. Not bad. It seems this trip was worth something after all." As he spoke, he first looked at the massively built Vajra. "Hmm, the Vajra Transformations consist of five stages. You have reached the third stage, which is already quite impressive. You must be only the second person in nearly a hundred years to reach this level. Junshu did mention you a few years ago as one of the most outstanding young men of the past decade—Vajra."

Then, his gaze shifted to Cheng Gong. "The God of War Qi. You have reached the sixth layer, though you haven't yet formed the armor of genuine Qi. Junshu has also mentioned you—Cheng Gong."

Tamaki Aotian spoke aloud, identifying the martial arts practiced by Vajra and Cheng Gong not by relying on intelligence reports, but by seeing through them at a single glance. Neither Cheng Gong nor Vajra had ever been under such intense pressure before; they unleashed their genuine Qi to the absolute maximum, barely managing to hold their ground against Tamaki Aotian's overwhelming momentum.

Cheng Gong said coldly, "Tamaki Aotian, former patriarch of the Sakura Group. Thirty years ago, you were already the undisputed number one figure in Japan, leading the Sakura Group to become the premier underworld organization in Asia."

Vajra knew this as well, having heard it mentioned back when he was still following the Phantom. Among the few people the Phantom held in deep apprehension was this very Tamaki Aotian. Under his leadership at the time, the Sakura Group had not only consolidated its position at the pinnacle of Japan's underworld, but within a few short years, had dominated the entire Asian underworld with completely irresistible force. Afterward, he expanded his reach into Europe and all other Asian countries. However, a little over ten years ago, he suddenly passed the position to his son, who was only twenty years old at the time, and went into seclusion. From then on, no one ever heard any news of him again.

At that time, not only did he expand his underworld empire at a rapid pace, but he also challenged top martial arts masters across the world, leaving countless experts dead at his hands. Countless versions of legends surrounded his sudden retirement, but the true reason remained unknown to anyone.

Never had they expected that today, this old monster would be provoked into showing himself.

"Fatty, you really have a lot of guts, daring to raid my Sakura Group..."

It seemed the world had truly forgotten the might of the Sakura Group. His gaze was like a bolt of lightning, locking directly onto the Fatty.

Though his aura was terrifying, Vajra and Cheng Gong stood in front, and the Fatty himself was a martial arts master. He had felt deeply guilty toward Xiao Tianci and his brothers just moments before, but hearing Tamaki Aotian's words, he flashed forward and stepped directly in front of Vajra and Cheng Gong.

"Screw you, you old ghost! What kind of big shot are you pretending to be? We're all in the underworld business. You dared to muscle in on my territory, so I dared to come and smash your stronghold. Other people might be afraid of you, but I couldn't give a damn!"

Tamaki Aotian did not get angry upon hearing this; instead, he nodded and said, "Correct, well said. People in the underworld ought to have this kind of spirit. Ha... ha... Little Fatty, I really like your style. How about this—join the Sakura Group. With the Sakura Group supporting you, the entire American underworld will be yours to command in no time."

"Bah..." the Fatty spat. "Let me tell you, the heaven and earth are vast, but I am the greatest. If you're willing, I can take you in as a lackey."

Tamaki Aotian chuckled softly, but his voice suddenly shifted, turning icy cold. "You're not that old, but you sure talk big."

With a casual sweep of his hand, a palm print formed from swirling black Qi struck squarely against the Fatty's stomach. The Fatty had already circulated his Qi for defense, but watching the attack unfold, he wanted to dodge yet found it too late. Standing right behind Vajra and Cheng Gong, the two of them found it even harder to react in time.

"Boom... crash..."

The Fatty's massive body was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground and rolling over several times. When his body slammed into the earth, it produced a tremendous sound akin to a minor earthquake.

"Fatty..." Xiao Tianci rushed forward, and Vajra and Cheng Gong also attacked. Vajra threw a simple, straightforward punch with his gigantic fist, while Cheng Gong, airborne, unleashed dozens of finger-Qi beams that locked onto Tamaki Aotian from all directions.

Xiao Tianci lunged forward, shouting anxiously, "Fatty... Fatty... How are you?"

Given the Fatty's weight, Xiao Tianci couldn't possibly lift him even if he wanted to. As Xiao Tianci grabbed him and shook him, the Fatty coughed up a mouthful of blood and finally opened his eyes. Fortunately, his eyes didn't look like he was about to kick the bucket just yet.

"Fatty... How are you holding up?"

"Hoo... ah..." The Fatty nodded and managed to squeeze out, "I'm... fine... won't die... Listen... the stuff I learned is built for taking hits... cough... cough..."

"Damn it!" Xiao Tianci was both furious and worried. "What the hell are you acting tough for? Why did you rush to the front..."

The Fatty shook his head and wheezed, "He... Tamaki Ao... tian... this old bastard is even more terrifying than we imagined. I'm afraid Vajra and Cheng Gong won't be enough either... Number Five, get out of here, fast..."

Xiao Tianci knew that although the Fatty had long prepared to launch a surprise attack on the Sakura Group, he hadn't fully finalized the plan beforehand. He had remained hesitant because, despite the many men he had trained, his faction lacked top-tier martial artists. Later, when Xiao Tianci appeared and the two reunited after many years—especially after witnessing the terrifying prowess of Vajra and Cheng Gong—the Fatty became resolute about going to Japan to strike the Sakura Group and buy time and space for his own expansion.

Even Xiao Tianci himself had agreed to come to Japan because he believed that, worst case scenario, with Vajra and Cheng Gong around, retreating safely wouldn't be an issue.

Yet now, it seemed they had truly underestimated the situation. From the moment the ambush went wrong and failed to unfold as planned, and with the vast majority of the Fatty's men wiped out, both Xiao Tianci and the Fatty had sensed trouble.

Surprise attacks on foreign soil always yielded such results; the formidable strength of the Sakura Group was evident. Fortunately, the subsequent interception operations had been quite successful, at least ensuring an escape route. But the sudden appearance of Tamaki Aotian forced them to confront a stark problem: this decision had been a mistake, and the immediate issue was how to stay alive.

Looking at the Fatty's condition, Xiao Tianci said, "If we're leaving, we leave together as brothers. Can you still move?"

"Yeah," the Fatty nodded, managing to prop himself up into a sitting position with great difficulty. After catching his breath for a few moments, he said, "Too... strong... my Maitreya Belly... cough... cough... he shattered it with a mere casual strike and still managed to injure me."

Xiao Tianci didn't understand the intricacies, but the Fatty knew full well. His Maitreya Belly was renowned; though it couldn't compare to Vajra's Vajra Qi, it was still an extremely rare martial art, practically classified as a lost art.

Especially since his Maitreya Belly meant that even opponents much stronger than him would never dare directly strike his large belly, which functioned almost like a weapon in its own right. Yet Tamaki Aotian had easily shattered it with a single palm strike. Most terrifying of all was the man's ability to condense Qi into physical form—that feat was utterly chilling.

Chief Lin Jian had kept his sniper rifle aimed at Tamaki Aotian the entire time, but ever since Tamaki Aotian descended, sweat had completely soaked Lin Jian's clothes, trickling down his forehead in heavy drops. Even the hands holding the rifle were shaking slightly, yet he had never managed to pull the trigger.

The men who had boarded the ship earlier had also rushed down, forming a human barricade in front of Xiao Tianci. But Xiao Tianci knew full well that if even Vajra and Cheng Gong couldn't defeat this man, these subordinates were entirely useless.

Vajra's massive, thunderous fist stopped silently in mid-air, intercepted by a single hand. A palm blocked the front of Vajra's fist—a palm that wasn't even half the size of Vajra's fist, yet it effortlessly halted Vajra's earth-shattering blow.

All of Cheng Gong's finger-Qi landed squarely on Tamaki Aotian's body, but the black Qi swirling around the man's frame absorbed and neutralized every single strand of his attacking force.

Both Vajra and Cheng Gong were veterans of countless battlefields. Having served as each other's sparring partners for many years, they knew that once any master reached a certain level, finding a matched opponent became exceedingly difficult.

Because anyone reaching this tier guarded their identity fiercely; it was rare for two such experts to spar casually without regard for victory, defeat, or other factors. Though their past clashes had been battles to the death, they had ultimately survived, ensuring their combat experience was second to none.

Sensing his fist being blocked, Vajra pivoted on his heel and executed a sharp Z-shaped retreat. Cheng Gong, still airborne, also spun his body backward. This near-instinctive tactical reaction allowed both men to evade a fatal counterattack.

"Oh?" Tamaki Aotian was genuinely surprised. "I didn't expect that despite your young age and mediocre strength, you possess such seasoned combat experience. It seems you've also been through countless bitter battles to reach where you are today. What a pity..."

As he spoke, the black Qi enveloping Tamaki Aotian suddenly flared intensely, multiplying several times over. The cloak on his back whipped straight out, defying gravity.

As the Fatty had claimed, he wasn't going to die just yet. After resting briefly and allowing his genuine Qi to circulate more smoothly, he had managed to stand up, though his footing remained somewhat unsteady. Xiao Tianci stepped close to offer physical support.

Witnessing Tamaki Aotian's terrifying momentum now, everyone nearby felt a sense of suffocation. To their absolute astonishment, Tamaki Aotian's feet had lifted completely off the ground, hovering in mid-air.

At that moment, a wave of unprecedented shock washed over Xiao Tianci. Although he had encountered Vajra early on and witnessed the formidable might of the Vajra Transformations, and later met Tang Bing, Huofeng, and various mutants with bizarre abilities, Xiao Tianci had never harbored any personal desire to learn martial arts himself.

Otherwise, having discovered the *Xuanyuan Formula* in the Xiao family estate, he could easily have asked Vajra to help him study it over all this time. Ever since his return, the vast majority of his energy had been channeled into the business sector.

In particular, the planning and rollout of Xiao Family No. 1 and Xiao Family No. 2, followed by successfully orchestrating the standoff between the American and Russian carrier fleets—feats that seemed utterly impossible at the outset. Anyone he had told would have thought him mad, yet Xiao Tianci had actually gone ahead and pulled it off, achieving remarkable results.

Though this current crisis was merely the opening act, it was at least a very solid beginning—and a good beginning, as they said, was half the battle.

In this fleeting instant, Xiao Tianci understood a profound truth: his own understanding of martial arts had remained stuck at the level of the old Xiao Tianci. It was anchored in the perspective of ordinary people—the notion that no matter how fast you are, you can't outrun a bullet, and no matter how skilled, you can't dodge gunfire.

Yet looking at Tamaki Aotian right now, Xiao Tianci no longer doubted that this man possessed the capability to deal with firearms. With that thought, he glanced back at Chief Lin Jian. Lin Jian was still holding his rifle, maintaining his aim without firing, sweat pouring continuously down his forehead. That alone spoke volumes...

Especially when Tamaki Aotian's feet left the ground, Xiao Tianci's mind was seized by a fierce, unprecedented desire: he wanted to learn martial arts. To think a human could become powerful to such an unbelievable degree!

No matter how advanced gene-splicing and biological enhancement technologies became, practitioners of physical combat techniques would forever be suppressed by martial artists. Seeing Tamaki Aotian's display made it abundantly clear that this was a boundless realm, limited only by how far one could push their own potential.

Modern martial arts had evolved from complexity into simplicity. While forms and stances still existed, practitioners who gave fancy names to their moves had become rare. Individuals like Vajra and Cheng Gong rarely assigned names to their techniques.

There were exceptions, of course; Huofeng's *Fire Phoenix Dance* comprised thirty-six distinct forms, each with a poetic name that complemented her leg techniques.

The art practiced by Tamaki Aotian was the hereditary *Asura Black Qi* passed down through his family. The reason the Sakura Group had always reigned supreme as Japan's premier underworld syndicate was directly tied to the formidable cultivation of successive patriarchs of the Tamaki family.

Especially in earlier eras before modern weaponry became so advanced, the Yamaguchi-gumi—once the second-largest syndicate—had frequently vied with the Sakura Group for dominance. However, that period coincided with Tamaki Aotian's tenure as patriarch. He was the most brilliant prodigy in the Tamaki family's centuries-old history, having attained a height in martial arts that no predecessor had ever reached.

Having mastered eleven out of the twelve layers of the Asura Black Qi, Tamaki Aotian had once single-handedly stormed thirty-one branch strongholds of the rising Yamaguchi-gumi during a period of intense suppression, ultimately cornering them at their main headquarters and forcing the Yamaguchi-gumi to acknowledge the Sakura Group as supreme.

The techniques of the Asura Black Qi were all named after the realms of the Asura underworld. Having abstained from combat for years, Tamaki Aotian unleashed the *Asura Ghost Claws*, creating a sky-full of claw aftershocks that simultaneously struck at both Vajra and Cheng Gong.

"Hah!" Cheng Gong's roar exerted a powerful counter-effect against illusory phantoms. Seeing Tamaki Aotian launch his attack, Cheng Gong let out a preemptive shout and shifted his stance to meet the enemy head-on.

Vajra, too, was operating at peak capacity. His massive frame, reminiscent of his battle against Michel, was wreathed in a layer of visible Golden Vajra Qi. Though it lacked the sheer, overwhelming oppression of Tamaki Aotian's aura, it still achieved the externalization of Qi.

The body-strengthening effects of the Vajra Transformations were exceptionally pronounced; arguably, the greatest weapon after activating the transformation was the sheer durability of one's physical body. Confident in his resilience, Vajra puffed out his chest and met Tamaki Aotian's Asura Ghost Claws entirely bare-body.

"Boom... boom... boom..."

Vajra was driven back more than a dozen paces before finally steadying himself. Every strike landing on his body originated from the Asura Ghost Claws formed by Tamaki Aotian's Asura Black Qi. Having endured dozens of consecutive blows, the Golden Vajra Qi shrouding Vajra grew noticeably dim.

Tamaki Aotian's true target, however, was Cheng Gong. Despite vastly outstripping both opponents in strength, his combat experience was so rich that, out of habit, he bypassed Vajra—the ultimate defensive tank of the Vajra Transformations—and targeted Cheng Gong instead.

Though Cheng Gong's footwork was exceptionally swift, without tremendous physical strength driving it, absolute perfection remained out of reach. Having dodged the barrage of claw aftershocks, Cheng Gong felt a sudden chill at the back of his neck; airborne, he arched his body upward and lashed out with a kick swift as lightning.

"Crack..."

Cheng Gong felt a sudden tightening around his ankle—his leg had been caught by his opponent. A surge of elation flashed through his mind, and channeling his finger-Qi to its maximum concentration, he aimed straight for Tamaki Aotian's eyes.

Tamaki Aotian's instincts were razor-sharp. Refusing to block the attack head-on this time, he leaned his upper body backward, dodging Cheng Gong's strike. Cheng Gong's heart instantly sank. The finger-Qi he had unleashed initially was only at fifty percent power, meant purely to probe and mislead Tamaki Aotian. This time, however, he had poured his full twelve layers of strength into the blow, supplementing it with a spiraling Qi-drill designed specifically to pierce defenses—its destructive might multiplied manifold.

He had originally reserved this technique to deal with Vajra. Encountering Tamaki Aotian instead, he knew he faced a true apex predator; yet, he didn't hold back out of fear of exposing his cards to Vajra. To his dismay, Tamaki Aotian had seen right through it.