226: Chapter 226: Arrived 226: Chapter 226: Arrived “The primary feature of the Grandmaster Realm is the ability to gather qi, with enduring strength.

Of course, their qi is also focused in the Dantian.”

“If entry-level practitioners can continuously control their qi for several minutes or dozens of minutes, then those at the Grandmaster Level can continue for several tens of hours.

They collect the qi they cultivate in ordinary times within the Dantian, and then during a confrontation, they can slowly and continuously strike out.”

“Also, the Inner Qi of those in the Grandmaster realm is incredibly strong.

You must have heard about Gang Qi, right?

They can convert their Inner Strength into Gang Qi, so their Inner Strength is completely different from that of us entry-level practitioners, being much more powerful.”

“Of course, in today’s society, Grandmasters are extremely rare.

It might take years or even decades for one to emerge.”

“By the way, the great Monk I’ve been talking about all along, he is in the Grandmaster Realm.”

“Moreover, the Grandmaster Realm saw an explosive increase during the late Qing period and the early years of the Republic.

That era, possibly due to the chaos of war, saw many breakthroughs.

But in the recent decades, such occurrences have become rare.

We, the entry-level folks, could spend our entire lives without grasping that threshold!”

“As for the third or fourth level of the internal martial arts, those are legendary figures.

They probably don’t exist in today’s society anymore, so it’s needless to talk about them.”

“Tell me about it, I want to listen!” Yusuf Zuck laughed.

“There’s not much I know.

I can’t comprehend the realms beyond, so what’s there to say?”

“How many people are in the Grandmaster Realm now?” Yusuf Zuck pressed on.

“Not many, dammit.

I know no more than five personally.

Perhaps there are some hermits who have reached the Grandmaster Realm without founding sects or schools that we don’t know about.”

“I want to hear about what’s above the Grandmasters; tell me, or I’ll get sleepy.” Yusuf Zuck was genuinely curious and eager to listen.

“All I know is that the third level of the internal martial arts is called the Truth-Insight Realm.

As for how to achieve Truth-Insight, I have no idea.

The fourth level is called the Fasting Realm.”

“Fasting Realm?

Is it really that miraculous?” Yusuf Zuck was shocked.

“You know about Fasting too?” Everest Zuck said with a chuckle.

Yusuf Zuck answered, “Yeah, I know.

It’s mentioned in martial arts novels, right?

Fasting is about not eating or drinking, isn’t it?”

“That should be it, I guess.

I’m also not clear on it, but perhaps such people existed in ancient times, though they’re likely extinct in the modern world.

There are no such people anymore.”

“There are, I know.” Yusuf Zuck shook his head, “I saw on the internet, there’s news about Indian ascetics who can go without food or water for dozens of days, survive being buried in the ground; that must be Fasting!”

“Well, maybe.

The world is vast, with a population of over five and a half billion, nearly six billion, and there’s much we don’t know or haven’t seen.

So, it’s hard to say whether the Fasting Realm exists.

Even if it does, there would only be a few individuals.”

“What realm is the person we’re dealing with this time?” Yusuf Zuck steered the conversation back.

“Thirty years ago, he should have been at the entry level of internal martial arts.

The last time I confronted him, he was at that level too, but I don’t know if he has made any progress over the years.”

“Many people resort to practicing Evil Cultivation Methods because they often provide quicker progress, faster cultivation, greater speed, and more powerful strength.”

“That guy drinks blood and rapes and kills children; what kind of Evil Cultivation Method is that?” Yusuf Zuck said icily.

“How would I know which Evil Cultivation Method it is?

These are remnants of ancient times, mostly concocted by those alchemists.

The alchemists of ancient times did no good deeds.

Not only did they deceive emperors, but they also left behind these evil techniques.

I suspect the Evil Cultivation Method he practices is from a tomb that was unearthed.”

“What’s that person’s name?” Yusuf Zuck asked.

“Tripp Greer.

He’s from a small village on the edge of Wuling Mountains in a county of Zuck Family Territory.

The Greer family is the largest landowner in the village.

They used to be landlords a long time ago.

After the economic reforms, I don’t know how they did it, but the Greer family became more and more affluent.

I suspect it has to do with tomb raiding.

Tripp Greer is the head of the Greer family.

Whatever happens in the clan, he’s the one to decide.”

“So, how are we going to proceed?” Yusuf Zuck worriedly said, “If we just go in for the kill, wouldn’t the whole family join forces to fight back?

In such remote clan-based villages, even the police wouldn’t dare to enter easily to make arrests, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right, so we have to lure him out,” Everest Zuck said with a smile.

“Once I go, he will chase after me.

So, you just lie in ambush somewhere.

I’ll lead him to you, and then the two of us can take care of him together.”

“No, no, no, taking him out is your job; I can’t commit murder, it’s against the law, I’m not down for killing!” Yusuf Zuck immediately shook his head.

“Can you be serious for a moment?

If we don’t give it our all this time, we both might end up dead!” Everest Zuck said helplessly.

“Alright, alright, alright, when the time comes, I can do a surprise attack and injure someone, but you’re going to have to do the killing,” Yusuf Zuck said, suddenly wanting to be a law-abiding citizen again.

Everest Zuck didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

The two had a meal at a service area on the highway.

Yusuf didn’t rest at all and continued driving after eating.

It was over three thousand miles from the capital to Zhangjiajie, and since Everest was only in charge of sitting in the car, Yusuf was nearly dead from exhaustion by the time they arrived.

In just over two days, less than three, they finally entered Zhangjiajie.

Yusuf insisted on having a full meal, taking a hot shower, and then getting some sleep.

Everest knew that Yusuf hadn’t slept for several days and was probably running on empty, so he decisively found a small hotel for them to rest in.

Yusuf cursed him for being stingy, arguing they should have stayed in a big hotel, yet he chose a small one.

Fortunately, the small hotel had hot water.

Although it wasn’t as luxurious as a big hotel, it was still clean.

Yusuf ate his fill, took a hot shower, and then went to bed.

However, whether it was because he had something on his mind or because of the mutation of his Blood Beads, he just couldn’t fall asleep lying in bed.

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s hit the road, I’m not sleeping anymore, can’t sleep,” Yusuf, frustrated, got up and started dressing.

“Are you sure you can do this?

It’s been more than three days, almost four, since you’ve had any sleep.

That’s not okay, rest for two days, there’s no rush right this moment,” Everest immediately shook his head.

Without proper rest, how could they successfully complete the mission?

“I’m not sleepy; I’m not tired,” Yusuf shook his head.

“This is not a good sign, let me cast a fortune-telling stick,” Everest felt something was off.

Yusuf was irritable, a premonition that something bad was about to happen.

That’s why he wanted to consult fortune-telling.

“Cast my ass, are you coming or not?

If you’re not coming, I’m going,” Yusuf grabbed the so-called spiritual advisor and marched off.

“Then let me cast it again in the car, I’ve got this uneasy feeling.

Look at you, now I’m all jittery,” Everest complained.

“I’m just not sleepy; I could say I haven’t slept for over ten days, believe it or not?” Yusuf joked: “So don’t panic, it’s got nothing to do with the business we’ve got to handle.”

“Damn, over ten days without sleep?

Are you insane?

Schizophrenic?

Depressed?” Everest exclaimed in shock.

“I just need less sleep, what depression?

You’re the one that’s depressed,” the two settled their bill at the hotel in a hurry, got in the car, and continued on their way as directed by the GPS.

They drove over a hundred kilometers overnight, and around eleven at night, Yusuf pulled the car over to the side of the road.

They both got out to relieve themselves and also looked towards the lights in a small dip in the hills far along the highway.

The lights were from a small village nestled among the mountains, with the road about four or five miles from the dip.

This was Greer village, the small mountain village where Tripp Greer lived!

“Let’s leave the car here.

You go up this path into the mountains and wait for me at that dark peak,” using the night as his cover, Everest pointed towards a distant peak.

“Okay, be careful, and if you don’t come back, I’ll know you’re dead.

Then I’ll make a run for it and go report it to the authorities.

Brother, take care!” Yusuf fist-bumped him.

Although Everest was torn between laughter and tears, Yusuf had already pulled out his Dragon Pattern Sword and dashed toward the mountains.

“Oh, and that sword is extremely sharp, don’t cut yourself.

Watch out,” Everest called out, remembering suddenly as he watched Yusuf’s retreating figure.