Chapter 11

Hao Qi walked down the road, his heart filled with an indescribable complexity of emotions.

First and foremost was the sorrow for Lin Xiong, a sorrow that had been accumulating ever since he learned the truth. It wasn't just about Lin Xiong's death, but also the regret and remorse for having doubted and causing a rift with his brother...

Another emotion was directed at Xue Na. He... felt that Xue Na hadn't done her best.

Although saying this was blaming others and shifting the blame, Xue Na had the ability to protect Lin Xiong. She had always harbored a bias against Lin Xiong because he was involved in the underworld. This was not only obvious to Hao Qi but even more so to Lin Xiong himself. So, at the time, Lin Xiong must have been well-prepared, knowing that Xue Na... wouldn't stand up for him.

Indeed, Xue Na had no obligation to stand up for someone with no blood relation, but even if she had, it wouldn't have cost her much. Lin Xiong was just a small-time thug, someone who Xu Wen might have considered expendable. If Xu Wen could confirm that Lin Xiong had nothing to do with the stolen goods, he might have spared Lin Xiong's life out of respect for the Li family. This might have earned Xue Na some criticism from the Li family, but it would have saved Lin Xiong's life!

If Xue Na had done this, even if Hao Qi had already developed internal strength, he would have been grateful to her and might have helped Li Pan Cheng and the Li family in many ways...

But Xue Na didn't...

This was the emotion directed at Xue Na, a mix of blame and a desire to never see her again.

Then there was the anger, a suppressed anger that was not visible on the surface. He wanted revenge. Since his brother couldn't enjoy the benefits of his newfound internal strength, he would use it to do one last thing for his brother: revenge!

The final emotion was paradoxically joy, a primal joy that felt like an elevation in life or a newfound freedom. It was a sense of exhilaration, as if he could roam the world freely. Although Hao Qi felt deeply guilty about Lin Xiong's death, he naturally felt this joy, a feeling that couldn't be controlled by his will.

As he walked, Hao Qi's pace was not fast, but that was relative to ordinary people or those without internal strength. The recovery ability of internal strength was extremely strong, not just for the body but for the internal strength itself. If he was just running, he felt that his internal strength was almost inexhaustible, replenishing as much as it was consumed. The source of this replenishment was a cool energy flowing into his body through the Baihui point on the top of his head and the Yongquan point on the soles of his feet. This energy mixed with his own blood, strength, and consciousness to form internal strength.

Hao Qi had some theories about why internal strength in this world was so powerful, completely different from what he had read in martial arts novels on Earth. The reason might be the external energy, which in those novels was often referred to as the energy of heaven and earth, free-floating energy, or something similar. It seemed that in the world described in Earth's martial arts novels, such energy did not exist, but it did in this world. As a result, the internal strength here was not only more abundant and powerful but also recovered at an incredible rate.

On this journey, Hao Qi was not just traveling; he was rapidly familiarizing himself with the various functions of internal strength. After seeing the internal strength expert accompanying Li Pan Cheng, he couldn't be sure that Xu Wen didn't have one as well. If he wanted to take revenge, he needed the power to do so!

Although Hao Qi had just burst with internal strength and had no prior knowledge or books about it, he was not a native of this world. Before he came to this world, on Earth, he had read many fantasy, immortal cultivation, and martial arts novels, which included all sorts of magical and internal strength abilities. Besides novels, there were also comics and animations, and in these, he could find similar concepts. This was his basis for understanding. As he traveled, he used these memories to compare and experiment, gradually determining the characteristics of internal strength in this world.

(If the internal strength in this world were visible, it would be very similar to the "Nen" from the manga "Hunter x Hunter," though without the ability to materialize or manipulate. If I had to compare, it would be similar to the Enhancement type in "Nen," which strengthens the body. Perhaps I can also draw inspiration from how "Nen" is used in that manga?)

Hao Qi put his thoughts into action. Under his mental control, his internal strength extended outward and spread to the maximum range around his body, forming a spherical field. This field covered a radius of about ten meters around him. Within this range, he could sense objects with his eyes closed, though he couldn't see colors. The size, shape, and other details were clearly reflected in his consciousness. If he had to compare, it would be similar to a bat's echolocation.

"One of the techniques for using Nen in the manga, called 'Circle,' can be used when you can't see, or if the opponent has invisibility, or if they are too fast to follow with your eyes. It's quite useful. Let's try this..."

Hao Qi then began to retract his internal strength from its diffuse state, gradually concentrating it in a thin layer around his body without drawing it back inside. Although it was still invisible, Hao Qi could clearly feel that this layer of internal strength was very resilient. He didn't know exactly how resilient, but it felt like it could withstand a light tap from his finger...

"What's the point of that?"

Hao Qi wanted to curse. He wanted the kind of effect seen in the manga, where concentrated internal strength could withstand blades and bullets. Being able to withstand a light tap from a finger was useless!

(No, that's not it. It's not that the technique is useless, but that my internal strength is too weak. First, I don't have enough internal strength, and second, my control over it is not yet refined. Right now, I can only concentrate it around my body, but I can't focus it to the size of a palm or a finger. This is due to a lack of resilience. I also don't know the different levels of internal strength experts or the differences between various types of internal strength. For example, I don't know how the internal strength from the Yi Jin Jing differs from that of the Nine Yin or Nine Yang, or how it differs from the internal strength generated by this world's native martial arts. It's too hasty to say this technique is useless.)

Thinking this, Hao Qi didn't feel disappointed. After all, reaching the realm of internal strength was already a great surprise. There was plenty of time in the future to verify everything about internal strength. Even if this theory was incorrect, the inherent power of internal strength was already formidable. Combined with the various palm techniques, finger techniques, fist techniques, and other internal and external martial arts he would learn in the future, he was confident he could become stronger.

Thinking this, Hao Qi's mind became clear. The long-standing psychological pressure had vanished. He was still angry, still sad, and still joyful, but in this moment, he suddenly remembered a story he had read on Earth. When Zhuangzi's wife died, Hui Shi came to offer condolences, but Zhuangzi was sitting on the ground, drumming on a pot and singing. In this moment, Hao Qi suddenly understood Zhuangzi.

"Sing in the street, cry in the street. Brother, today, I send you off. Today, I avenge you. Today, I will realize my dreams. I will explore this world, and I will make my mark on it!"

Hao Qi had now arrived at the black street, and not far ahead was the bar where Xu Wen was. At this moment, his fists were bloodied, his appearance disheveled, his hair messy, and his face dirty. Most of the people around him were looking at him, but he didn't care. As he walked, a surge of excitement welled up inside him, an indescribable feeling that made him want to sing, cry, and rage. He couldn't hold back any longer and began to sing loudly in the crowd.

"Ten years to hone a sword, its edge has never been tested."

"Today I show it to you, is there any injustice?"

Hao Qi strode toward the bar. Outside, about ten people were standing around. As Hao Qi approached, singing, six or seven of them surrounded him. Two or three of them frowned, clearly recognizing Hao Qi.

At the same time, Hao Qi saw a woman named Xiao Qian covering her mouth and staring at him from a distance. Hao Qi glanced at her but then focused on the people surrounding him.

"There... is injustice here!"

Hao Qi muttered this, and one of the men laughed and said, "This lunatic, has he been scared out of his mind? I think..."

Before he could finish, Hao Qi slapped him, driving his head into his neck, killing him instantly. The others were stunned for a moment, then screamed and attacked Hao Qi. But with his internal strength, Hao Qi's reaction speed was astonishing. Their movements seemed like slow-motion to him, and his speed, enhanced by internal strength, was incomparably faster. Without using any techniques or skills, he slapped them, killing those he hit and injuring those he touched. The surrounding people only saw a blur of Hao Qi, and the attackers' heads twisted, necks snapped, and bodies spewed blood, all of them dead.

Hao Qi then looked at the remaining people, especially the two or three who had frowned at him. "You recognize me, don't you?"

These two or three people were sweating profusely, neither daring to say yes nor no. In the next instant, they felt themselves fall to the ground, their limbs and spines in excruciating pain, and they fainted before they could even scream. The others were not so lucky and died on the spot.

After killing these people, Hao Qi didn't feel disgusted or hesitant. He pushed open the bar door and walked in. Inside, the scene was not as chaotic as he had imagined. The bar was filled with men, about ten of whom were covered in blood, lying on the ground, some dead, some alive. A few children were also covered in blood. In addition, there were dozens of tall men in the bar, and at the bar counter, a handsome young man was sitting and drinking.

As Hao Qi entered, the young man's gaze immediately fell on him. He threw his glass and stomped the wooden floor, shattering it, and then charged at the bar's inner wall at incredible speed. It was so fast that ordinary people wouldn't even have time to react, let alone see him.

But Hao Qi was not an ordinary person. He was beginning to understand the significance of the internal strength realm, but this did not prevent him from recognizing his own power. Without hesitation, he stomped the ground and charged at the young man with a speed much faster. At the same time, he clenched his fist and delivered a direct blow with the Luohan Fist.

Before the punch reached him, the force had already created a wind trail. The young man was at least half a meter away, but his stomach caved in as the punch hit him. As he crashed into the wall, he spat out a mouthful of blood. However, his reaction was quick, and his speed and strength were sufficient. He managed to break through the wall and roll onto the street. He then slapped the ground and tried to hide in the crowd.

But before he could reach the crowd, a hand grabbed the collar of his shirt, and the immense force made it impossible for him to resist. With a loud crash, he was thrown back into the bar, and the force was so great that it not only threw him into the bar but also through the wall on the other side, landing him back on the street.

Even so, the young man managed to get up within seconds. His vitality was already very strong, just a step away from being a quasi-internal strength expert. His body was almost at its peak, and he was only injured, not dead. At this point, his survival instinct still drove him to run, but as soon as he stood up, he felt a sharp pain in his knees, and his legs were kicked out from under him, leaving him unable to stand.

"No, don't kill me! I am Xu Wen, the legitimate son of the Xu family!" The young man immediately shouted, rolling on the ground, trying to distance himself from the internal strength expert in front of him.

Hao Qi didn't attack again but slowly approached Xu Wen. "Yes, I know you are Xu Wen. If you weren't Xu Wen, I would be the one in trouble. Also, do you know who I am?"

"Who are you!?" Xu Wen truly didn't recognize Hao Qi. In fact, he didn't know who Hao Qi was, or who the person he was supposed to capture for information about the stolen goods was. To him, they were all just insects.

Hao Qi chuckled and walked up to Xu Wen, pointing at himself. "I am Hao Qi. To put it simply, my brother, a brother who shared life and death with me, was killed by you. It's said that you killed him because your goods were stolen, and you couldn't find any leads, so you decided to kill anyone who might be involved, including my brother, a small-time thug who had no ability to rob you. I am his brother, and I came to this street before, so you planned to capture and kill me as well, right?"

"No, I didn't! I didn't!" Xu Wen immediately denied it. In this life-or-death moment, he couldn't afford to argue with Hao Qi. Anything was less important than his life. His mind was focused on how to survive.

"I will kill you, so your words don't count. But I think there are people here whose words do count, right?"

Hao Qi didn't look at Xu Wen but turned his head to a middle-aged man standing not far away on the street. The man was wearing a simple long robe, but despite the ordinary clothes, he exuded a presence that made him seem far from ordinary.

The internal strength sensing ability couldn't be hidden from each other. The middle-aged man no longer concealed himself, put down the claw he had been holding behind his back, and walked over confidently. "Young man, you've gone too far."

Hao Qi sneered. "How have I gone too far? Please enlighten me."

The middle-aged man pointed to the bar in the distance. "You just killed eleven people. That's going too far. In public, killing eleven people, do you not know that this is a capital offense?"

Hao Qi's expression changed. "Is he your son? Even if not your son, he must be a close relative. So, I want to ask, I killed eleven people, but how many did he kill? Hundreds? Thousands? How do we balance this?"

The middle-aged man said sternly, "He has a position in the Internal Affairs Department. Managing and eliminating destabilizing elements in the underworld is his duty. And whether he killed anyone or not isn't just a matter of your words; it requires evidence. Do you have any evidence that he killed anyone? If not, let him go. Young man, this is a crime. Don't go down this path, or no one can save you."

"Position? Duty? Evidence? Crime? Hahahaha..."

Hao Qi laughed as if he had heard something incredibly funny, tears almost streaming down his face. After a while, he said, "I remember a joke. When I talk about the law, you talk about power. When I talk about power, you talk about the law... Is your mind clear? The law is just a tool to protect the powerful. By your logic, I am now an internal strength expert, so I am the powerful one, and the law should protect me. Otherwise, what's the point of the law, right?"

The middle-aged man's face turned pale with anger. "Ridiculous. It seems your heart is corrupt, beyond redemption. Today, I must kill you to prevent you from harming the good people."

"Good people... hah, remember your words, good people, I remember."

As Hao Qi said this, he stomped the ground and lunged at the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man, not to be outdone, raised his hands in an eagle claw stance, and as he moved, the air around him seemed to tear, creating white streaks. In an instant, the two clashed, and to the onlookers, they had exchanged at least twenty to thirty blows in the blink of an eye.

"Boy! You're still too inexperienced! You just burst with internal strength and immediately dared to come and kill a member of the Xu family. You're truly bold! Today, you came here but won't leave! Second brother, attack!"

In the midst of the clash, the middle-aged man still had the strength to speak, laughing as he shouted. As soon as he said this, Hao Qi's mind raced, and his first thought was that he had been betrayed by the Li family, as they seemed to be the only ones who knew he had burst with internal strength and had come here.

But upon further reflection, the Li family had no reason to betray him. If he were injured, he could still escape, but doing so would create a deadly enmity with the Li family. The Li family wouldn't do such a thing.

If it wasn't the Li family, then it must be that the Xu family, in their efforts to recover the stolen goods, had set up Xu Wen on the street to lure out the mastermind. So, the Xu family had two internal strength experts, and he had just happened to run into them.

With this in mind, he ignored the threat behind him and instead pressed forward, his punches clashing with the middle-aged man's powerful strikes.

Hao Qi had his greatest weakness: he had just burst with internal strength. Although he had been theorizing about its use and combat methods on his journey, it was far from complete. Even if he knew how to use it, knowing and being proficient were two different things. Right now, he was relying on the speed, strength, and recovery abilities of the internal strength realm, as well as the enhanced mental reaction speed. He had no clear understanding of the true combat methods of the internal strength realm. Although he had easily defeated Xu Wen, that was a matter of overwhelming power. When facing an internal strength expert, without the advantages of speed, strength, and mental reaction, his disadvantages were very clear.

His greatest disadvantage was in his boxing techniques. A good external martial art included methods for training different parts of the body, various techniques and methods of attack, and a specific body movement technique, which was essentially a form of lightness skill. A complete external martial art always included a body movement technique that was best suited for the techniques and attacks of that art.

Hao Qi's Luohan Fist was a low-level martial art. Ignoring the training methods, it was at a disadvantage in terms of techniques and body movement. Without relying on speed to overwhelm, his movements and dodges would be easily countered by the opponent, unless... the opponent abandoned their body movement advantage to engage in a direct confrontation.

This was the key point of the confrontation with the middle-aged man, who clearly intended to attack him with another internal strength expert. Therefore, he would not abandon his position to block Hao Qi, effectively giving