I Can Merge Techniques-Chapter 50 - 49: Huge Harvest

"We’ll send someone to find that brat tomorrow," the butler added. "And finish him with a single stroke."

Master Wang asked, "Do you need me to handle it?"

The butler chuckled. "Master Wang, you’re the leader of the Huang Family guards. Why would we need to trouble you with some weakling who can’t even tie up a chicken?"

A moment later, by the light of a flickering candle, the two men pushed open the door and left.

Chu Fan lay in wait in the shadows. Once they were a good distance away, he began to follow, his steps as swift as the wind and completely silent.

As they reached the entrance of a secluded alley, Chu Fan rapidly closed the distance and launched a sudden attack!

His body flickered, like a ferocious tiger pouncing on its prey. His right fist whistled through the air, aimed straight for the center of Master Wang’s back!

Master Wang lived up to his reputation as a peak Blood Refining Realm expert. Sensing the danger at the critical moment, he let out a low roar, spun around, and crossed his arms to block!

BAM!

Fist met forearm with a dull thud.

A powerful rebound force surged up Chu Fan’s arm, leaving it slightly numb. ’Peak of the Blood Refining Realm,’ he thought. ’His vital energy is truly immense!’

Master Wang was even more shocked—the force of that single punch sent his own vital energy into turmoil, forcing him to stumble back two steps!

His opponent’s strength was clearly far inferior to his own, yet the bizarre Force and flawless power-generation technique hidden within the Fist Technique had pierced through most of his defenses!

"Who is this skulking rat?!" he roared.

Chu Fan remained silent, his gaze as cold as ice. He took a sudden step to the left and slapped the butler, who was trying to flee, to the ground!

Immediately, he unleashed the full might of his Twelve Forms Fist at the Realm of Perfection. His attacks were unpredictable, sometimes as ferocious as a Tiger Pounce, other times as nimble as an ape. He combined this with an exquisite Step Technique to ensnare Master Wang in a relentless assault.

"Twelve Forms Fist... You’re from the Seven Stars Gang!"

Although Master Wang possessed immense vital energy, his Martial Arts were far less refined than Chu Fan’s. He was quickly thrown into disarray, taking one punch after another.

Though the blows weren’t fatal, the pain was bone-deep, and his vital energy churned violently!

Especially now that he knew his opponent was from the Seven Stars Gang, fear took root in his heart. Unwilling to risk his life, he could only retreat again and again!

BAM!

Another punch sent Master Wang reeling, his guard wide open. Seizing the moment between Master Wang’s expended attack and his next move, Chu Fan’s left hand darted into a small cloth pouch at his waist and emerged with a handful of quicklime.

He surged forward again, feinting a Bear Form Shattering Fist with his right hand, as if to smash Master Wang’s chest.

Master Wang snorted. Instead of retreating, he advanced, swinging his own fist to intercept!

But Chu Fan’s attack was a feint.

In the instant before their fists could meet...

Chu Fan suddenly dodged to the right. With an upward flick of his left arm, he flung the quicklime straight at Master Wang’s face!

In the darkness, how could Master Wang have anticipated such a venomous trick?

By the time he tried to dodge, it was already too late!

The powder hit him full in the face, and an unbearable, searing pain shot through his eyes!

"Ah! My eyes!!"

He screamed endlessly, his arms flailing wildly, all form and technique lost.

A cold glint flashed in Chu Fan’s eyes. Without a hint of hesitation, he focused all his strength into his right fist. With his vital energy surging, he unleashed his most ferocious and violent technique—the Bear Form Shattering Fist—and smashed it solidly into Master Wang’s unprotected temple!

BAM!

Master Wang’s screams were cut short. His head twisted at a grotesque angle as his massive body crashed to the ground. He twitched twice, then fell still.

Chu Fan stepped forward, leaned over, and delivered another punch, caving the man’s chest in completely!

Not far away, the butler struggled to his feet, his entire body trembling as he pressed himself against the base of a wall.

The reek of urine spread from where he stood.

He scrambled to escape, but he knew no Martial Arts, and he’d just taken a blow from Chu Fan. With his head still ringing, he stumbled through the snow, staggering with every step.

Chu Fan caught up in a few strides and slapped him again.

The butler cried out as he was sent flying, crashing hard against a large tree!

"No!"

The butler collapsed to the ground. He struggled to get up, screaming frantically, "I’m the Huang Family’s butler! You can’t kill me! If you do, the Huang Family will never let you go!"

"My young master, Huang Yu, is a leader in the Blood Saber Sect!"

His face was a bloody mess, his left eye pasted shut with blood. He trembled uncontrollably, his back pressed against the tree.

Chu Fan slowly advanced. He gave the butler a single cold glance, and before the man could react, his right hand clamped around his throat!

GURGLE!

The butler’s eyes bulged. He wanted to beg for mercy but couldn’t even speak. His eyes were filled with terror and despair!

The next moment...

CRACK!

The butler’s neck was crushed. He died with his eyes wide open, forever staring.

Chu Fan leaned down to search the bodies. He took the money pouches from their waists, found a worn-out Boxing Manual on Master Wang, and stuffed everything inside his robes.

Then, like a shadow melting into the night, he vanished down the far end of the alley in a few bounds.

All that remained were two cold corpses, a silent testament to the bloody slaughter that had just taken place.

...

Back home.

Chu Fan lit an oil lamp and pulled the butler’s and Master Wang’s money pouches from his robes.

Upon opening the pouches, his eyes lit up.

A grand total of forty-two taels of silver and three hundred thirty-two coins!

No, wait!

There was a silver note, too!

Chu Fan unfolded the silver note...

Fifty taels!

He hadn’t killed Huang Yu, but the haul was already massive!

The killing intent and desire in his heart seemed to skyrocket to their absolute peak, creating an unstoppable feeling...

’Why bother going to Mimeng Marsh?’

’One raid on the Huang Family, and I’m already a rich man!’

’A few more runs like this, and I’ll have all the resources I need for Blood Refining!’

He put the silver and the silver notes back in the money pouch, tucked it away in his robes, and then opened the Boxing Manual he had taken from Master Wang.

"Mountain-Splitting Fist"...

’The name sounds impressive enough.’

’But when I fought Master Wang, I felt that his Fist Technique, for all its supposed might, was far inferior to the Bear Form or Tiger Form of my Twelve Forms Fist.’

’If his vital energy hadn’t been so much more powerful than mine, my first punch probably would have shattered his bones!’

Chu Fan flipped through it casually before stuffing the Boxing Manual back into his robes.

’Unless it’s a much higher-grade Fist Technique than the Twelve Forms Fist, I’m not planning to practice anything else.’

’In the Seven Stars Gang, the Twelve Forms Fist is mainly used to solidify one’s foundation and break through the Five Gates of Martial Arts Foundation Establishment.’ 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

’In a true life-or-death battle, both the Seven Stars Gang and the Iron Armor Sect rely on blades.’

’Besides, I can use the Map of Mountains and Rivers to keep Breaking the Limits of my Twelve Forms Fist...’

’I can sell this Mountain-Splitting Fist at the black market another day. It should fetch a good amount of silver coins.’

With a thought, Chu Fan focused on the panel for his Map of Mountains and Rivers.

[Spiritual Essence: 35]

’Killing the butler and Master Wang gave me four points of Spiritual Essence!’

’Of those four points, the butler probably only contributed one.’

’It seems the amount of Spiritual Essence gained depends on the victim’s vital energy, or perhaps their Cultivation and strength?’

Chu Fan nodded to himself.

Recalling his fight with Master Wang, he had felt the pressure from his opponent’s vigorous vital energy, but it wasn’t as overwhelming as he had imagined.

Some people considered the Five Gates of Martial Arts Foundation Establishment to be five separate cultivation Realms. Others believed they were all part of one major Realm, with the five gates merely being five different levels within it.

The gap between each gate was significant, but it wasn’t as insurmountable as he had once thought.

It was like before he started his training; back then, he was completely helpless against people like Liu Da, who had only been practicing for half a year.

But if he’d snuck up from behind and smashed Liu Da over the head with a brick, he could have killed him all the same.

’My Twelve Forms Fist at Perfection almost completely crushed Master Wang’s Mountain-Splitting Fist. Superior Martial Arts truly can compensate for a difference in Realm, just as Master Cao said!’

’By comparison, while Huang Yu is in the same Blood Refining Realm as Master Wang, he cultivates the Nine Blood Soul Blades, making him a far more dangerous opponent.’

’Besides, I used quicklime to kill Master Wang. A trick like that probably wouldn’t work on Huang Yu.’

’Fortunately, Huang Yu was injured by members of the Moon Worship Sect and is still recovering. He won’t be breaking through to Bone Marrow Forging anytime soon—’

’as long as I find the right opportunity, I can kill him!’

’This Huang Family really is a treasure trove...’

Chu Fan reigned in his thoughts and began to practice his boxing in the room.