CHAPTER 133: [097] THE DISRUPTED MARTIAL ARTS, THE LOST INNER POWER, ’STORM’ APPROACHES_2

Inside the dim, low tower, there were unexpectedly over a dozen old water jars from the last century’s countryside, with wooden boards laid on top and pressed down by stones. Slight strange noises emanated from within, making it hard not to suspect if something alive was trapped inside.

Recalling the strange man beneath the great hall’s cellar just now, Wang Longhu inexplicably shuddered; this ancient temple nestled in the primeval forest indeed hid many secrets.

"Put me down on the ground; you wait outside the door." Fifth Master pointed inside the tower.

Wang Longhu entered, placed Fifth Master on the ground, and immediately flew out the tower door in one step, standing outside in quiet anticipation.

"Cough cough, it’s going to be another hardship." Fifth Master crossed his legs, soles up.

He flicked his hand through the air, a few date pit-sized stones shot out from his hand, drawing a straight line as they knocked the stones and wooden boards off those old water jars.

The moment the boards flew off, a multitude of dense figures crawled out from the jars, falling to the ground and scurrying around.

Wang Longhu’s sharp eyes immediately discerned that those crawling out of the jars were indeed the five poisonous creatures of the Five Poison Sect; from just two jar covers being knocked off, the mixed swarm of the Five Poisons exceeded over a thousand!

An instant sensation of scalp-tingling erupted within Wang Longhu, colorful venomous snakes, pus-covered toads, stripy lizards, centipedes with black backs and red heads, scorpions with shells glowing purple, he had never in his life seen so many poisonous creatures congregated together.

Many of the venomous creatures came near Fifth Master, who suddenly reached out with both hands, grabbing a large number of them.

The frightened snakes he grasped, all rose defensively and bit fiercely into his arms, and the centipedes, not to be outdone, curled their bodies to bite his skin.

Even the stingers of the scorpions punctured the flesh of Fifth Master’s palm, making Wang Longhu utterly shocked: "Is this a suicide attempt?"

Being injured by so many poisonous creatures simultaneously, the toxins entering the body, permeating the blood vessels and bloodstream throughout, even a Dark Force expert, Wang Longhu reckoned, wouldn’t escape death, perishing on the spot in no time.

"Roar!"

Fifth Master cried out in pain, roaring loudly, his palms and arms suddenly turned deep purple, the veins on his arms bulging on the surface, revealing dark blood vessels, a sight of deep poisoning.

Then, right before Wang Longhu’s eyes, he frantically sent the captured poisonous creatures into his mouth.

Although these creatures injured Fifth Master’s skin, in that moment, Fifth Master used Dark Force to kill them, chewing them up, with a large amount of murky juices flowing from Fifth Master’s mouth, dripping onto his leather jacket and trousers, quite terrifying.

The whole process, remarkably, did not encounter any resistance from the creatures, eating them all as if savoring sweet fruits, abundant juice, bursting upon entrance.

Wang Longhu felt an inexplicable wave of nausea in his stomach, yet was utterly shocked by Fifth Master’s behavior, making one feel like vomiting even last night’s dinner.

When the purple color on his arms spread up to his shoulders, Fifth Master ceased his heinous eating behavior, discarding the dead creatures in his hand, palms pressed to the ground, positioning himself in a leg-crossed headstand, head touching the ground, hands forming a lotus seal.

He unexpectedly fell into complete stillness at once, inciting an inexplicable self-doubt in Wang Longhu’s mind.

"Could it be...this is a healing technique?"

After a full hour, the creatures that weren’t caught and eaten by Fifth Master either hid away in the dark corners of the tower or escaped along the tower door; Wang Longhu had to step aside, without killing wantonly.

When the purple color on Fifth Master’s arms started receding, slowly retreating from the roots of his arms back to his wrists, leaving only his palms still a deep purple, he opened his eyes and leapt from the ground, standing firmly, showing no signs of having been gravely injured just moments ago.

"Young brother, thank you." Fifth Master kicked away a venomous creature at his feet, walked forward, and cupped his fists in thanks to Wang Longhu.

"Fifth Master, what kind of martial arts are you practicing? It’s so bizarre, I’ve never heard of it before." Wang Longhu, seeing Fifth Master had recovered, quickly asked the question he’d been holding back with much curiosity.

Not only was his strike poisonous, but even Fifth Master’s eerie healing method earlier far exceeded Wang Longhu’s understanding, resembling some evil sect martial arts practice from a martial arts novel.

"To tell you the truth, I studied under the Five Poison Sect; it’s normal you’ve never heard of it."

"Five Poison Sect?" Wang Longhu was dumbfounded.

Nowadays, the systems of traditional martial arts can be broadly divided into three main categories: ’Inner Power, Weapons, and Bare Handed.’

Kung Fu is the foundation of martial arts systems, derived from the ancient martial artists’ insights from Daoist alchemy texts, combining guiding methods and breathing to form unique inner power training methods. The saying ’Practicing martial arts without cultivating inner power is a fruitless effort,’ speaks to this kind of inner power.

But according to the old monk, by modern times, after the late Qing, the Republic, the warlords, the anti-Japanese conflicts, and other calamities, inner power had mostly been destroyed, causing a domestic disconnection, with few inheritors of pure inner power.

Those who practiced inner power back then had all withdrawn abroad early on, taking root and settling in foreign lands.

Now, although there are remnants of records of inner power, martial arts practitioners find it incredibly difficult to study it.

Wang Longhu possessed the Marrow Cleansing Scripture and Child’s Skill, perhaps among the few remaining genuine inner power artifacts, considered rare treasures, which is why so many powerful martial artists hid in Dong County, secretly observing Grandmaster Yan Jie for years, all to seize the Buddha statue.

Weapons refer to the eighteen kinds of weapons, like knives, guns, swords, halberds, axes, spears, hooks, forks, whips, cudgels, hammers, and such.