Urban Most Awesome Dad

Lu Chenbing suddenly became interested, gently picked up a fruit knife from the coffee table, and pointed the blade at his own arm.

“The ‘Strong Body Realm’ can only enhance attack power, while the ‘Tempering Body Realm’ can use Qi sensation to temper one’s tendons, bones, and blood vessels, strengthening all the bodily functions.” As Lu Chenbing spoke, he bravely drew the fruit knife forcefully across his arm.

The sharp blade touched the skin but did not cut through it; it only left a faint white mark on Lu Chenbing’s arm.

Lu Chennong watched Lu Chenbing’s actions with amazement and said with a hint of surprise, “Xiao Bing, has your Baji Fist skill improved again?”

“Haha, I’ve just broken through not long ago. Now, I have reached the ‘Tempering Body Realm.’ Ordinary blades can no longer harm me,” Lu Chenbing laughed heartily, a strong sense of pride welling up inside him.

“Congratulations! Congratulations!” Lu Chennong praised sincerely. Although he had been frail since childhood and unable to practice martial arts, the improvement in his cousin Lu Chenbing’s Martial Dao Realm filled him with excitement.

“If it can withstand the cutting of cold weapons, what about modern firearms?” Xu Fan went on to ask.

“Even if ‘Tempering Body Realm’ is cultivated to its peak, it still can’t withstand the attack of firearms. Otherwise, our ancestors a hundred years ago wouldn’t have been helpless against the invaders’ guns and let the enemy trample upon Yan Country’s land,” Lu Chenbing said with some regret. But immediately, he regained his confidence and said with uplift, “However, our Yan Country is no longer the weak nation of the past. Now, with our scientific and military strength, we rank second in the world, and no one dares to invade us recklessly anymore.”

“What about above the ‘Tempering Body Realm’? Surely the ‘Tempering Body Realm’ isn’t the pinnacle of the Martial Dao Realms?” Xu Fan felt Lu Chenbing’s pride and continued to inquire.

“In today’s world, Martial Dao Realms are a rather mysterious topic. Only after entering the ‘Tempering Body Realm’ did I learn that the next realm is the ‘Qi Drawing Realm.’ As for the realm beyond ‘Qi Drawing Realm,’ I am completely ignorant. At least, I’ll have to wait until I step into the threshold of the ‘Qi Drawing Realm’ before I can possibly learn more,” Lu Chenbing said with a look of yearning.

“What’s the standard of martial artists in Yan Country now? Is the strongest person’s power at the ‘Qi Drawing Realm’?” Xu Fan asked, puzzled.

“Definitely not. I have heard rumors about Martial Arts Grandmasters. With their strength, they can resist the gunfire of ordinary firearms with their bodies. Their realm is above the ‘Qi Drawing Realm,’ an unheard-of new realm to me. However, although Yan Country has a population of over a billion, martial artists are few and far between, and Martial Arts Grandmasters are even sparser. Even as a ‘Tempering Body Realm’ martial artist, we are quite rare,” Lu Chenbing said before his eyes shifted, recalling Xu Fan’s ghostly strike in the interrogation room, where he successfully knocked Liu Hai’s pistol away. He then turned to Xu Fan and asked, “Brother Xu, your skills are also quite exceptional. May I know which realm of martial artists you currently belong to?”

“Me? I’m not particularly clear about these realm divisions, so I really don’t know which realm I belong to,” Xu Fan replied to Lu Chenbing with a smile.

“Impossible. Has your sect never taught you the basics of the Ancient Martial World?” Lu Chenbing said, surprised.

“I don’t have a sect; I’m self-taught,” Xu Fan answered, touching his nose.

He indeed had no sect, because he was the Five-Direction Heavenly Emperor who had transmigrated into this world. Moreover, he couldn’t be considered a martial artist. While martial artists are quite strong among ordinary people, to cultivators, martial artists are merely ordinary people who haven’t even stepped onto the threshold of cultivation, albeit with slightly greater strength than the average person.

If mortals were ants in the eyes of the once Xu Fan, then martial artists, when it comes down to it, were merely slightly stronger ants.

The gap between martial artists and cultivators is like a chasm as vast as the heavens themselves.

When Lu Chenbing heard Xu Fan say he had no sect and was self-taught, he naturally pegged Xu Fan as a newbie who had just stepped into the Ancient Martial World, and estimated Xu Fan’s realm was likely at the entry-level strength of the Strong Body Realm.

However, Lu Chenbing did not underestimate Xu Fan; instead, he smiled and said, “Since younger brother Xu doesn’t have a sect, as a martial artist of the ‘Qi Drawing Realm,’ I can spar with you to exchange some moves. If you have any questions during the spar, feel free to ask me. I’ll share all I know without reserve.”

“This? It doesn’t seem quite right,” Xu Fan hesitated when he caught Lu Chenbing’s intent to spar. After hearing about the ‘Qi Drawing Realm,’ Xu Fan knew what it entailed, and with Lu Chenbing’s current strength, he was headed for a brutal defeat at Xu Fan’s hands.

Lu Chenbing spoke with fiery eyes, “What’s wrong with it! The most important thing for a martial artist to improve is combat. Only through comprehending the way in battle can one raise their Martial Dao Realm. It was after a tough fight with a ‘Qi Drawing Realm’ martial artist that I increased my martial comprehension and broke through from the Strong Body Realm to step into the ‘Qi Drawing Realm.’

Xu Fan said with a hesitant expression, “You are an elder, and I am the younger; it wouldn’t look too good for us to fight.”

Xu Fan was fully aware that he would overpower Lu Chenbing. His refusal was actually out of consideration for Lu Chenbing, not wanting him to lose face after defeat. However, Lu Chenbing took it as if Xu Fan was being modest about his lower strength and did not dare to engage with a ‘Qi Drawing Realm’ powerhouse.

So Lu Chenbing patted Xu Fan on the shoulder and said earnestly, “Don’t worry, big brother here will definitely hold back. You’re young, don’t take winning or losing too seriously. Think of it as me giving you pointers on your skills. Besides, we’re just sparring, not competing for a title. We’ll stop at the first touch, so there won’t be any accidents.”

Xu Fan was a bit miffed, thinking to himself, Brother Lu, I can’t be blamed for this. You insisted, and I couldn’t refuse.

“How about it, ready for a match?” Lu Chenbing urged Xu Fan on, enthusiastic to try.

“Alright then,” Xu Fan could only nod silently; to refuse any further would indeed be discourteous.

Lu Chennong watched from the side as Lu Chenbing eagerly challenged Xu Fan, feeling a headache coming on.

He knew the nature of his cousin Lu Chenbing, who had always been somewhat competitive. Even now in middle age, when it came to martial arts, he was eager to spar and compete.

“Xiao Bing, fists and feet have no eyes. Be careful,” Lu Chennong urged earnestly, although his words were meant to caution Lu Chenbing to go easy and not hurt their benefactor, Xu Fan.

But this caution was clearly unnecessary.

Xu Fan slowly rose from the sofa.