Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 249 - The Return of Blood Fist

The section of the marble pillar Cassius had torn off was more than two meters long and as thick as an adult man's torso. In his berserk state, he swung the several-ton weight like it was a stick. He flicked his arm, sending the marble pillar whipping through the air and causing the air to explode.

Boom!

The pillar slammed heavily into an intact column in the arena, causing debris to fly everywhere. The marble support column cracked, as large black fissures spread across it until they nearly reached the ceiling.

The people around the arena felt tremors running through the building as dust and debris rained down. Some exchanged glances, seeing the anxiety in each other's eyes.

When they saw Cassius go on a rampage, a single thought arose in everyone's mind.

Is he going to destroy the entire arena?

At this moment, whether it was the combat artists from Wenxia County's Covert Martial Arts scene or members of the three schools from the Eastern Nine Sects, nobody wanted to continue watching the fight. The intensity of the battle had only escalated as the two combat artists let loose.

When they saw the deep crater left by the marble pillar and the clearly berserking Cassius, the audience was afraid that the battlefield might suddenly shift in their direction and crush them like ants. The marble pillar could easily reduce a person to pulp if they were unlucky enough to get hit. Even though there were dozens of skilled Covert combat artists among the spectators, it wouldn't matter in the face of such overwhelming strength.

They wanted to leave the arena, but the battle between Cassius and Buck was blocking the main exit. Rushing over there now would be a death wish. Everyone realized with growing dread that the Evil Eye Fist’s arena had turned into a gladiator's cage that held two ferocious beasts locked in mortal combat. Meanwhile, they were like trembling rabbits in the corner, at risk of being crushed at any moment.

"We need to get to the other side of the arena, away from the battlefield," suggested one of the pugilists from Wenxia County's Covert Martial Arts group.

"Good idea!"

"You're right!"

"Agreed!"

The others either nodded or voiced their approval. The group from Wenxia County's Covert Martial Arts community immediately began moving toward the other side of the arena. Seeing this, the members of the Soul-Breaking Sword and Star Ring Fist sects quickly followed, not daring to act as if they were above it all.

The core disciples of Evil Eye Fist initially wanted to hold their ground, especially since one of the combat artists was their own Great Elder. But when a large chunk of debris smashed into the ground beside them, shooting out fragments like machine gun bullets, they swallowed their pride and quickly backed down.

Meanwhile, the area next to the exit of the arena was in complete chaos. There were craters everywhere from the pillar’s strikes, and debris and dust filled the air. Buck felt like a lone soldier cornered by a tank as he desperately dodged Cassius’ attacks.

He had already used his trump card: his self-created technique, the Eye of Darkness, which successfully plunged his opponent into a dark illusion that weakened his senses. It should have been a winning move.

But, unexpectedly, Cassius had his own terrifying trump card and unleashed incredible physical strength. Now, even under the effects of the illusion, Cassius wielded the marble pillar with such ferocity that Buck couldn't even get close.

In fact, if not for the Eye of Darkness still impairing Cassius's senses, Buck wouldn't have had the luxury of dodging. He'd have been smashed into the ground by Cassius's wild attacks, pounded by fists and pillars alike.

Boom!

A small explosion rang out.

Bang!

A louder crash followed. The already shattered marble pillar had lost a quarter of its mass, but it still descended with terrifying force as it smashed into the ground again. The marble floor and part of the pillar crumbled away, sending dust and shards into the air while leaving behind a pit large enough to fit a person.

Buck narrowly dodged the pillar as he flipped backward and landed on his feet. His legs were trembling, but he took a deep breath, casting a wary glance at Cassius. He wiped away the blood trickling from the two cuts on his forehead. He had not escaped unscathed from the debris flying around.

Buck was the one most aware that something was wrong with his opponent. It looked like Cassius was using some kind of explosive Secret Technique with severe side effects. Perhaps it had caused to temporarily lose his sanity? Buck speculated that there would likely be more consequences, such as overtaxing his potential...

He guessed that Cassius wouldn’t be able to sustain this state for very long. His victory wasn’t out of reach; he just had to endure this and counterattack once it passed.

Buzz...

Finally, the Eye of Darkness that Buck had been maintaining began to fade. His body emitted faint black mist from every pore, and the phantom of the evil eye hovering above him grew blurry until it eventually flickered in and out of view.

Cassius's senses returned in a sudden rush. Several meters away, Cassius stopped his wild flailing. Freed from the effects of the Eye of Darkness, he immediately locked onto Buck's position. Tossing the broken pillar aside, Cassius punched a nearby support column, then yanked it free with both hands.

Buck took a deep breath, his body extremely tense as he pressed his hands together in front of his chest. The exaggerated muscles on his arms bulged, and thick veins coiled underneath like snakes ready to strike. He unleashed his aura to its maximum, ready to react to any movement from his opponent.

Buck’s broken glasses glinted as he kept an eye on the massive, muscular figure not far away

Come on, let’s see how long you can sustain this Secret Technique! I may be old, but I can still hold out for at least another ten...

Boom!

But before Buck could finish his thought, a massive shadow appeared in front of him, and an explosive blow sent him flying through the air. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed heavily into the ground next to the exit.

"Cough! Cough!"

Buck spat out more blood. He raised his head, only to see a shadow looming over him. A multiple ton marble pillar descended violently, the air compressing into a veil of white mist around it.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a sharp whistle echoed from the arena’s entrance. It sounded like a raptor’s screech.

Whoosh!

A gust of wind exploded outward from Buck, sweeping across the arena in all directions.

Silence fell over the arena, as if the atmosphere had frozen. The marble pillar had been stopped by a raised fist, which was emitting a red mist aura.

Beneath the pillar, Buck’s eyes widened in shock.

That familiar sound, that familiar aura—could it be?

He glanced behind him.

Who are you?

A handsome man in his forties with a tall and straight nose as well as eyebrows arched like seagull wings stood behind him. His black hair hung loosely, falling over his one eye and giving him an inexplicably wild aura. It was evident from the way he blocked Cassius's blow with a single punch that this man was an exceptionally powerful combat artist.

But who are you?

Buck was bewildered. He recognized the familiar aura as belonging to Blood Fist Feng Liusi. Yet the middle-aged man before him looked nothing like Feng Liusi. Blood Fist was an old man with a long beard much like Buck, but this man didn't match that image at all.

Could it be...?

Buck's mind was suddenly struck by a terrifying thought. Blood Fist Feng Liusi, the middle-aged man before him, and the blond youth Cassius were all from a secret sect!

Buck recalled that the Red Falcon Fist Feng Liusi wielded was vastly different from the Red Falcon Fist of the sect’s disciples. He had also come across a few clues in the past to hint that Feng Liusi’s Red Falcon Fist was likely a top-tier Covert Martial Art.

However, Buck had never understood why Feng Liusi, who possessed such a high-level Covert Martial Art, had never taught it to the Red Falcon Fist disciples. Now, it made sense. The Red Falcon Fist Feng Liusi practiced probably originated from another sect, one with superior Covert Martial Arts techniques.

As Buck was piecing this together, a deep voice sounded above him, "You're still standing here? You want to be crushed by a pillar?"

Jerked out of his thoughts, Buck quickly rolled aside, ignoring any loss of face.

At the arena entrance, the middle-aged man, who now looked like Feng Liusi, thrust his palm upward. Instantly, Death's Fang Force surged into the nearby pillar. Cracks rapidly spread through it as the special energy disintegrated the marble column inch by inch.

Feng Liusi glanced at the Golem-like Cassius and the chaotic aura clashing with his Qi field.

He had realized immediately that Cassius had gone berserk.

Cassius’s current state resembled Feng Liusi’s state months ago when he had secluded himself in Death Canyon, though with some subtle differences. Feng Liusi wasn't entirely sure what those differences were, but the solution remained the same.

He just needed to exhaust Cassius's Death's Fang Force.

By channeling his own Death’s Fang technique, Feng Liusi could neutralize Cassius's energy. Feng Liusi calculated that it would only take a couple minutes to drain the energy from Cassius's five or six acupoints.

So Feng Liusi spread his hands without hesitation, releasing Death’s Fang Force from his acupoints and allowing it to flow through his muscles, bones, and meridians and into his palms.

A powerful palm collided with Cassius's incoming fist. The moment their energies met, Feng Liusi’s calm expression shifted. He immediately retreated and unleashed the Blood Flower technique, a series of layered punches that sent Cassius flying back.

The second stage of Red Falcon Fist! Eleven acupoints!

"No wonder..." Feng Liusi clenched his fists, hearing a faint tearing sound from the air. He expelled the remnants of Cassius's Death’s Fang Force from his hand, feeling a slight sting on his skin.

No wonder Cassius had gone berserk. Feng Liusi had initially assumed it was a case of Qi deviation, similar to his own past experience. But now he realized it was because Cassius had progressed too rapidly! After leaving the Loka Mountains, Cassius had broken through six acupoints in a row as effortlessly as drinking water.

The sudden surge in Death’s Fang Force, combined with the advancement to the second stage, had severely impacted Cassius's emotional state. The Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist was a technique that required the practitioner’s personality to align with it. Thus, it was also a technique that could influence the user’s emotions. So it wasn’t surprising that Cassius had succumbed to its effects after progressing so quickly.

But there was a deeper reason behind Cassius's berserk state. The rapid advancement of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist alone wasn’t enough to cause this level of madness. Cassius's willpower could withstand that. The real issue lay with the three Golem Covert Martial Arts techniques.

Simply put, the balance between Cassius's three personas had been disrupted.

The Killer Persona, which was usually suppressed by the Main Persona and restrained by the Cold Persona, had forcefully broken through. It had mastered the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist and was highly compatible with its ancient assassination roots. The two complemented each other.

Cassius's aura, manifested as the red mist of the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, was the fusion of mind, spirit, and energy. It also had an effect on the combat artist. The perfect confluence of factors in the heat of intense battle had allowed the Killer Persona to break through its restraints and temporarily overpower the Main Persona. This was the root of Cassius’s berserk state. It was not merely a deviation, but a full-blown frenzy.

Of course, this situation had both advantages and disadvantages. If Cassius could regain his clarity, it might give him insights into the Dominator Fist realm and potentially solidify his path as a combat artist.

In the arena, a black shadow charged forward at lightning speed.

Feng Liusi met Cassius head-on, repeatedly using Death’s Fang to clash with and drain Cassius's energy. The two fighters moved at breakneck speed, leaving cracks and footprints all over the passageway. A deafening crash shook the arena as they burst out of the arena and started to battle under the sun.

Boom!

Their palms collided.

Bang!

Their fists met again.

The air around them erupted with fierce gales, sending shockwaves through the surroundings. The patrolling disciples of Evil Eye Fist, who had come to investigate, were too terrified to approach, paralyzed by the intensity of the battle before them.

Suddenly, a slim figure appeared from Feng Liusi’s left. They had white hair tied into a braid and bore a weary expression despite their youthful, feminine appearance.

"What's going on?" the newcomer asked hoarsely.

Feng Liusi’s expression shifted. "Saint Feinan, you’ve come just in time! Use your Ten Thousand Cold Sacred Ice True Art to help me out!"