The massive power surge from the Character fighting form dragged me back from death''s door!


    My eyes zed with energy, and the force flowing through my body hit its peak!


    "Bang!"


    Golden light burst from inside the dark fog, slicing the ck orb clean in half!


    Brilliant light flooded the sky, and instantly, all the ck mist vanished without a trace!


    I broke free from the ck sphere, and my wounds started healing slowly!


    "Pfft!"


    The surrounding darkness faded, and Walton Greer appeared before everyone again!


    He coughed up blood, his breathing ragged and uneven.


    "What the hell is that technique?!" Walton stared at me, shock written all over his face.


    I answered coldly, "Nine Secrets, Character fighting form."


    "Nine Secrets!" The rough voice inside Walton''s body rang out, filled with surprise!


    Walton''s face darkened. He wiped blood from his mouth and said icily, "The Nine Mysteries of the Taoist... They really live up to the hype."


    I shot back coldly, "Enough chatter—I''m taking you down right now!"


    With that, I used the Shrinking Ground Into An Inch technique and rushed at Walton with everything I had!


    But Walton didn''t want a direct fight anymore. He turned into ck mist and retreated fast!


    "Pull back. The Nine Secrets are Taoism''s most mysterious techniques—you can''t beat him." That rough voice spoke in Walton''s mind.


    Reluctance shed across Walton''s face. He clenched his teeth and swore, "Damn it... I was so close, just a bit more!"


    "There''ll be other opportunities... Withdraw now."


    Walton had no other option. His body became a cloud of ck mist and scattered into the air.


    I frowned slightly. I quickly tried using a spatial spell to lock down the area.


    But sadly, the spatial spell I used only created a few barriers—nothingpared to what a Martial Saint could do. It couldn''t stop even traces of his presence from slipping away.


    In a sh, the ck mist vanished right in front of us.


    "He got away again." I couldn''t hide my frustration!


    This was the third time Walton had escaped from me!


    "At this pace, they might figure out where you are," Paul Randall warned from beside me.


    I nodded and turned to Paul immediately, saying, "Senior Paul, teach me the line word form now—we''re running out of time."


    Paul didn''t hesitate. He sat down cross-legged and started teaching me thest Secret of the Nine Secrets—the line word form.


    ——


    At the same time, elsewhere.


    Walton Greer raced toward the Capital City Martial Arts Association.


    While traveling, Walton grabbed his phone and called Garcia Coleman.


    The call went through, and Garcia asked in a somewhat mocking tone, "So, did you get Paul Randall?"


    "No," Walton said straight up.


    Garciaughed coldly, "Didn''t you brag about how simple it would be? And this is what you deliver?"


    Walton huffed, "I might not have caught Paul Randall, but I''ve got even bigger news for you."


    "Oh?" Garcia raised an eyebrow slightly.


    Walton said coldly, "I ran into Mason Raymond—he''s at Paul Randall''s ce."


    "What?!" Garcia was stunned!


    Walton went on, "I fought him. If Paul Randall hadn''t been there, I would''ve grabbed Mason Raymond!"


    "Plus, Mason hasn''t just visited Paul''s ce. He''s been there long enough to learn Paul''s Nine Secrets."


    "As for why Lord Star didn''t run into him, I have no clue."


    After saying that, Walton ended the call.


    Garcia''s face turned ice-cold.


    If Walton was telling the truth, it meant Lord Star had purposely let Mason Raymond and Paul Randall slip away.


    At this thought, Garcia''s expression grew even frostier.


    "Get Lord Star in here," Garcia said coldly.


    Soon after, Lord Star showed up at Garcia''s office with two Martial Saints.


    "Young Master Garcia." Lord Star bowed slightly.


    Garcia stared at Lord Star coldly and said, "Uncle Star, I can understand letting Paul Randall go, but why did you let Mason Raymond escape?"


    Lord Star''s face shifted slightly. He frowned and said, "I didn''t—I never even saw Mason Raymond."


    Garcia snorted, "Then why is Walton Greer saying Mason is at Paul''s ce?! How do you exin that?"


    "He''s lying," Lord Star said tly.


    Garcia was both angry and helpless, but he couldn''t do anything about Lord Star.


    "Fine, I believe you," Garcia said as he got up.


    "You''reing with me now to find Paul Randall!"


    "This time, I want to watch you kill him myself!"


    ——


    Meanwhile.


    Paul Randall was teaching me the line word form.


    But both of us were too anxious, so my understanding of the line word form was much slower.


    A few minutester, Paul and I both opened our eyes at the same time.


    "This isn''t working," Paul said, shaking his head.


    "We''re both too worried. There''s no way to grasp it like this."


    I nodded and said, "Yeah, I noticed that too."


    Then I stood up and said, "Senior Paul, let''s move somewhere else."


    "Move? Where to?" Paul asked, looking puzzled.


    "The mystic realm," I took a deep breath.


    "I found a mystic realm, and I''ve been hiding there recently."


    "And... The spiritual energy in that mystic realm is incredible! Senior Paul, with your skills, you could reach the Martial Saint Realm there!"


    Paul Randall had an amazingly strong mind—few people today could match it!


    What he needed was just enough resources, which is exactly why the Capital City Martial Arts Association was scared of him!


    "Are you serious?" Paul asked.


    I nodded, "Completely."


    Paul stroked his beard and said, "I really do need to reach the Martial Saint Realm soon. Eventually, fights will break out between today''s martial artists and those from the mystic realm. Without a Martial Saint, we current practitioners will slowly lose our say."


    "Senior Paul, let''s go now—we can''t waste any more time," I urged.


    Paul didn''t argue. He followed right behind me as we left the ce.


    Just as Paul had predicted, the tension between current martial artists and those from the mystic realm was getting worse.


    And more disciples from different mystic realms had started appearing.


    ——


    At the same time, at the Capital City''s Martial Arts Academy.


    Pearson Bowman and Wayne Ran fought with three disciples from the mystic realms.


    "Why should I give up my house to you?" Pearson said coldly to the young man in front of him.


    The youth sneered, "Because I want it. Isn''t that enough?"


    "You''re asking for death!" As Capital City''s well-dressed young elites, they''d never been treated like this!


    Both sides broke into battle, but the mystic realm disciples attacked together, leaving Pearson and Wayne badly hurt!


    The incident spread quickly, catching everyone''s attention at the Martial Arts Academy.


    The many rich kids of Capital City joined forces against the disciples from the mystic realm, creating two opposing groups.


    Both sides red at each other, tension building as war seemed ready to break out.