Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 230- Ancient Assassination Fist

The twilight sky at 6 p.m. had a somewhat glaring reddish hue overcast a clearing beside a waterfall. In the distance, the mountain beneath the evening glow turned hazy, and the sunlight changed into thin beams, stretching from the mountains to the dense forest.

The mist above the waterfall was abundant, rising like a veil of light and fog, bright yet hazy, like a glowing mist under the sunset. The ripples of the green pond flickered continuously, reflecting the soft red beams.

Two figures sat cross-legged beneath a large tree in the clearing, silhouetted against the forest backdrop. Just a half hour ago, Feng Liusi had asked Cassius if he wanted to learn his Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist to which Cassius immediately answered in the affirmative. When facing straightforward people, it was best to be concise as well.

Cassius had realized, during the near-death battle with Feng Liusi earlier, that the latter had used one of the secret killing moves of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist called Blood Flower. In his Killer Persona state and inspired state, Cassius had sensed a brief connection with that move.

His right hand sliced through the air. To his surprise, it faintly mimicked the arc of the Blood Flower technique.

Cassius's primary goal in challenging the Covert Martial Arts masters was to understand Qi and fully enter the realm of a combat artist. His secondary goal was to refine and complete the fist techniques of the Golem Covert Martial Arts.

He wanted to enrich the sparse framework of the Golem Covert Martial Arts, which currently only consisted of the Wind Elephant Fist, and create a more fitting Covert Martial Arts technique for himself.

If Feng Liusi was willing to teach him, that would be ideal. But even if he didn't, Cassius could still gain insights through their sparring. In the world of Covert Martial Arts, fighting stronger opponents was the best way to train.

The evening breeze rustled through the dense forest by the waterfall. On the clearing, under the tree canopy, Feng Liusi sat cross-legged with his hands in a strange position in front of his chest, his fingers forming claw-like shapes, resembling a bird's talons. After demonstrating the move, he glanced at the focused Cassius opposite him.

After thinking for a moment, he spoke. "Eighteen years ago, I achieved mastery in Covert Martial Arts and reached the unprecedented level of combat artist in the Red Falcon Fist Sect. In the following month, I fought two other combat artists from the Six Eastern Counties, with one win and one draw," Feng Liusi said, his aged eyes reminiscing. "Sounds impressive, right? Just after breaking through, I defeated a Covert Martial Arts combat artist who had long broken through to combat artist..."

After saying this, his eyes met Cassius's calm gaze. Realizing something, he coughed twice and stroked his beard. Feng Liusi continued, "The Red Falcon Fist is actually just a small sect in the Six Eastern Counties. In Wenxia County, it's even one of the weakest. Overall, it's a minor force among third-rate powers. The sect had never produced a combat artist, nor was it expected to."

"The Red Falcon Covert Martial Arts is the core of the Red Falcon Fist. It's a decent technique but extremely hard to cultivate. It emphasizes sparring and combat, and its power is good for its level. However, the Red Falcon Covert Martial Arts only has a complete path up to the stage of a pugilist. When it reaches the stage of a combat artist, it stops abruptly."

Feng Liusi recalled, "More than twenty years ago, I had trained the Red Falcon Covert Martial Arts to its peak and could no longer see a path forward. At that point, I became disheartened and decided to live in seclusion. So, I returned to the ancestral grounds of the Red Falcon Fist, to an abandoned village in the southwestern corner of the Loka Mountains. For half a year, I stayed there, until one day a massive fog descended on the Loka Mountains. It was the largest fog I'd ever seen in my life."

"While training in the mountains, I got trapped, my vision obscured, and I lost my way. I even stumbled and fell into a deep pit. Unexpectedly, that pit led to an underground ruin. Much of the ruin had collapsed and decayed, and most of the paths were blocked. Only a few intact spaces remained, and it was there that I discovered the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist."

Feng Liusi skipped over many details and only briefly explained the outcome—he had obtained the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist in the ruins. @@novelbin@@

Cassius observed his expression, guessing that the experience must have been quite strange and surreal. Otherwise, Feng Liusi wouldn't have shown such a dazed look.

Feng Liusi continued speaking. "The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is entirely different from the Red Falcon Fist. When I found the unknown Covert Martial Art in the ruins, I only saw the four characters 'Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance.' So, I combined it with the Red Falcon Fist and named it the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist."

"Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance?" Cassius asked curiously.

"That's right. The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is part of that mysterious Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance. Based on my later research, I deduced that it is likely an ancient assassination technique created to target different emotional combat traits of humans, with many variations of the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance."

Feng Liusi continued, "I speculate this because the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist occasionally hints at two other Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance techniques. One is graceful, with arms spreading like a waterbird, which I named the Southern Waterbird Fist. The other is cold and ruthless, striking like a silent snake lurking in the dark, so I called it the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist."

"As for the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist that I use, as you already know, it revolves around bloodshed and slaughter, as brutal as a ravenous bird of prey. There's another reason though. Being an ancient assassination technique, the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance is tied to constellations and star signs."

"In the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, practitioners use a star map as an object for meditation. That map corresponds to the Giant Falcon constellation in the sky. When the stars connect, they form the shape of a giant falcon with outstretched wings and extended talons as if diving to hunt. If the skies are clear tonight, I might be able to show it to you."

Cassius nodded slightly. He wasn't the impatient type. Understanding the background and framework before practicing a fist technique could help him engage more deeply in the training.

Feng Liusi glanced at Cassius and subtly nodded, continuing, "It was thanks to this unexpected discovery of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist that I broke through my bottleneck and reached the stage of combat artist. From my experience in the northern Covert Martial Arts world, I can confidently say that the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is a top-tier Covert Martial Art."

"Moreover, the more a practitioner's nature aligns with the characteristics of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, the more they can unleash the true power of the technique!" Feng Liusi continued with a hint of regret, "My compatibility with the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist wasn't that strong, otherwise I wouldn't have frequently gone astray in my training after reaching a certain level."

After saying this, he cast a sharp glance at Cassius, "But you're different. Kid, during the battle this afternoon, your frenzied state was in perfect sync with the characteristics of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist. Now, I'm going to tell you something but don't be offended: even though you look cool and composed now, your true nature is that of a bloodthirsty and violent person. You were practically born to practice the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist."

Hearing Feng Liusi's comment, Cassius wasn't particularly pleased. He never considered himself a bloodthirsty killer, neither in the past nor now. Before, it was because of the Shadow Demon's possession that he was influenced by the dark creature's characteristic of indifference. Now, it was the three core principles of the Golem Covert Martial Arts that had given Cassius a secondary persona driven by pure slaughter. Naturally, this aspect fit perfectly with the Red Falcon Fist.

If truth be told, Cassius believed himself to be a kind and easy-going person. Deep down, he wasn't bloodthirsty at all. Just a few days ago, he had saved a girl who had been tormented by dark creatures.

Feng Liusi's understanding of him was still quite shallow but Cassius couldn't be bothered to argue and let Feng Liusi continue speaking. Feng Liusi finally began explaining the actual techniques of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, something Cassius was far more interested in.

"The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is different from modern Covert Martial Arts. It's less of a path for cultivation and more of a training state. Compared to the rigid structure of other Covert Martial Arts, the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is much more fluid."

"Let's start with the basic framework. The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist trains the body's acupoints, meridians, and force energy," Feng Liusi quickly introduced the concept. "I mentioned the star map before; it's the Giant Falcon constellation in the sky. The stars shine brilliantly, and the acupoints of the human body are just as wondrous. The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist treats each acupoint as a star, lighting them up one by one."

"In the end, it forms a giant falcon pattern within the body, and the way to light up these acupoints is by channeling force energy. You've already experienced this force—it's the Death's Fang secret. I call it the Death's Fang Force. It's a special splitting and spiraling energy.

"The third element is virtual meridians. As a Covert Martial Arts Practitioner, you should already know about the concept of Qi—body, Qi, and mind. Qi flows through the body and can serve as a temporary bridge for special strength. By fixing the Qi's route between each acupoint, you can guide the Death's Fang Force, accelerating and amplifying its explosive potential!"

Cassius somewhat understood what Feng Liusi was saying, as he knew a bit more based on modern medical knowledge. Acupoints are often where blood vessels and nerves were concentrated, involving secretion, circulation, and other systems.

As for Qi, he also had his own ideas and interpretations.

"With the basic framework explained, let's move on to what I call the 'Southern Dipper state.' The Southern Dipper state occurs after you've fully constructed the internal framework, allowing you to occasionally enter a state of heightened inspiration. In this state, your techniques will flow as one complete whole, and your fist techniques will become naturally terrifying. With each insight or sparring session with a master, you'll gain something. Over time, you may even create your own secret killing moves."

"The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist doesn't come with any set killing moves. The three moves I used this afternoon are ones I created myself over the past ten years. Also, the Unleashed state I entered earlier is actually a stronger version of the Southern Dipper state. For a brief time, it restores you to peak condition, allowing you to use all sorts of killing moves and techniques without restraint."

Feng Liusi glanced at Cassius and said, "The Southern Dipper state doesn't follow any regular pattern. It generally depends on how much a Covert Martial Arts Practitioner is compatible with the characteristics of the fist technique. Simply put, the stronger and more sustained your inner bloodlust, the easier it is for you to enter and maintain the Southern Dipper state!" Feng Liusi explained.

Cassius thought for a moment and then asked, "Is it possible to maintain the Southern Dipper state all the time, always staying in that inspired state?"

Feng Liusi shook his head firmly and said, "My compatibility with the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is only moderate. At my peak, I could only enter the Southern Dipper state for about an hour each day. Your compatibility is likely higher than mine, but even then, you'd only be able to maintain it for two or three hours at most."

"Only a natural-born killer, a slaughterer, might be able to maintain it for six hours or so. However, this state gradually affects the practitioner's mind. Over time, or as they age and their willpower weakens, they may fall into the same trap I did and lose control. They could even descend into madness, their will completely broken." Feng Liusi cautioned.

Bzz...

A fly buzzed toward Cassius's cheek, but he casually caught and crushed it. Flicking it away with his fingers, he continued speaking, "What about someone who's insane, someone who only thinks about killing? Someone who sees humans as bread, their flesh as jam, completely indifferent to human society, treating people as prey like a wild beast?" He looked at Feng Liusi.

"That..." Feng Liusi was momentarily at a loss for words. How could a lunatic train in the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist? They couldn't even practice Covert Martial Arts. A lunatic's logic was different from a normal person's. They wouldn't even be able to build the basic framework, let alone train in the technique.

Cassius pressed further. "What if such a person really existed? What would happen?"

Feng Liusi frowned. "If such a person existed, completely indifferent to humanity but still able to train... I'd guess that, aside from sleep, they'd be able to maintain the Southern Dipper state almost all the time. They'd probably ignore the side effects as well. After all, they're already insane. What more could affect them? They're already deranged..." He seemed to be pondering a loud.

"I understand." Cassius nodded.

Understand what? Feng Liusi felt there was something off about Cassius. He had been asking some rather odd questions.

After a brief pause, Feng Liusi continued his detailed explanation. By the time the sun had fully set, it was already past seven in the evening. In the darkness, the two remained sitting cross-legged.

"Blood Fist Senior, why doesn't the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist include any body-strengthening techniques?" Cassius asked after hearing all the basics. Typically, every Covert Martial Art had such training methods.

"That's why I said the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist is more of a state rather than a path. It's purely a combat fist technique, focused entirely on killing. Based on my estimation, all of the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance's Covert Martial Arts are just fist techniques. They're purely ancient assassination techniques!" Feng Liusi slowly stood up.

He shook his body, dislodging dirt and leaves, then glanced at Cassius, who also stood up. "It's getting late. I'll tell you the remaining details tomorrow. Oh, by the way, tomorrow, I'll use a special method to let you experience the Southern Dipper state in advance. Prepare yourself." With that, Feng Liusi darted lightly into the dense forest.

Cassius watched Feng Liusi vanish and suddenly thought of something strange.

What would happen if he entered his Killer Persona while Feng Liusi was helping him sense the Southern Dipper state?