When Lü Liang opened his eyes, he was stunned to see Zhang Chulan had just walked up beside him.
And the limbs he remembered being torn off? Completely intact.
It was as if everything that happened had been a hallucination.
"Genjutsu," Hikaru's voice answered his unspoken question, cutting through the confusion.
"Now then—will you share the secret behind Twin Perfection Hands willingly? Or would you prefer I extract it myself?"
Lü Liang blinked blankly, clearly still shaken by the ordeal he'd just endured.
The phantom pain of torn limbs and Hikaru's cold, deathlike stare had left a deep mark on his mind.
The idea that it had all been an illusion—yet felt so real—was horrifying.
But Hikaru's approaching footsteps snapped him back to reality.
Staring at that devilish figure getting closer by the second, Lü Liang's survival instincts flared violently.
His lips trembled as he quickly blurted out, "S-Sir! No need to get upset—I'll tell you everything I know about Twin Perfection Hands!"
Without even sparing a glance at Zhang Chulan, Lü Liang launched into a detailed explanation of his insights and understanding of the forbidden technique.
He knew his life now hung by a thread—cooperation was the only way out.
As he explained, he even demonstrated the basics of Twin Perfection Hands, hoping it would please Hikaru enough to let him go.
Eventually, as Lü Liang's explanation came to an end, Hikaru received the expected system prompt.
He gave a small nod, signaling that Lü Liang was free to leave.
To Lü Liang, that gesture was like a royal pardon.
He bolted from the scene without another word, vanishing like smoke in the wind.
Zhang Chulan, having also been dragged into the Genjutsu earlier, knew exactly what had happened.
But Hikaru's terrifying power still left him speechless.
He was only briefly stunned before refocusing on what really mattered—what Lü Liang had taught him about Twin Perfection Hands.
After Lü Liang left, Zhang Chulan finally snapped out of it and awkwardly glanced at Hikaru.
Fortunately, Hikaru didn't seem to care about the little details—Zhang Chulan let out a silent sigh of relief.
But just when he thought it was all over, Hikaru's voice came out of nowhere:
"Since you've learned Twin Perfection Hands, let's consider what I promised earlier… null and void."
Zhang Chulan was thunderstruck.
He froze—but quickly recovered and slipped on that same sly smile he always wore.
"Don't be like that, Big Bro. Come on~ Tell me! I'm begging you!"
Hikaru looked at his ridiculous expression, lips twitching slightly into a smirk.
"Heh… no chance."
And with that, he vanished on the spot—teleporting back to his residence without giving Zhang Chulan a second look.
He left Zhang Chulan behind, flailing in frustration, shouting into the wind:
"Don't be like this, Big Bro! I didn't even master the technique yet!"
But Hikaru was long gone.
Meanwhile…
Lü Liang finally made it back to Quan Xing's stronghold—pale and shaken, but alive.
Gathered inside were not only Xia He, who had been acting alongside him earlier, but also the other members of the Four Madmen—Dou Mei, Shen Chong, and Gao Ning.
The four of them had gathered on orders from Gong Qing, the acting leader of Quan Xing.
Although Gong Qing held the title of acting leader, not everyone truly respected his authority.
That's why he had proposed a wager to temporarily win their cooperation.
Gong Qing's current plan involved assaulting Dragon Tiger Mountain, but none of the Four Madmen wanted to be cannon fodder.
They needed more expendables before making their move—bodies to throw into the fire so they could retreat when needed.
Just as they were plotting, Lü Liang stumbled into view—disheveled and shaken.
Xia He gave a flirtatious smile.
"My my, little brother Lü Liang What happened to you? Did someone bully you? Want big sister to go settle the score?"
Her voice was honeyed and seductive, her figure deadly. She didn't even need to try—her ability naturally aroused lust in others.
Even disguised as a greasy old man, she could still make people drool.
But Lü Liang just gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"Quit teasing, Sister Xia He. This time… something really went wrong."
At those words, everyone's mood shifted instantly.
Even Gao Ning—normally the smiling clown—lost his grin.
Dou Mei, who looked like an average middle-aged woman, spoke up:
"What happened?"
Lü Liang glanced at the group, sighed deeply, and began recounting the day's events.
He withheld the part about Twin Perfection Hands, but he explained how he had been caught in a Genjutsu instantly—and was only spared because the other party showed mercy.
When he finished, the Four Madmen looked troubled.
They had assumed Zhang Chulan's only protector was a temp worker—but clearly, someone much stronger had been hiding behind the scenes.
If they attacked Dragon Tiger Mountain, Zhang Chulan would definitely be present—and that mysterious powerhouse would be there too.
Ordinary cannon fodder wouldn't stand a chance.
Yet, the Trinity Gate Gathering was fast approaching. There was no time to change the plan.
The Four Madmen were stuck—too late to back out, too dangerous to proceed.
After a long silence, Shen Chong finally spoke:
"Maybe we can rope in Ding Shimian. With his personality, convincing him shouldn't be too hard."
He paused, then added:
"If needed, we can promise to help hold off others so he gets a shot at the Old Celestial Master. A martial maniac like him can't resist that kind of offer."
Everyone nodded. It sounded viable.
But Lü Liang, still haunted by Hikaru's overwhelming power, offered a cautious warning:
"Just in case, we need more cannon fodder."
His tone sharpened.
"That guy's strength… is beyond comprehension. He's reversed his age. With just us, it's nowhere near enough."
The room fell silent again.
They all remembered the rumors from years ago—how Zhang Zhiwei had suddenly turned young again.
That alone was terrifying enough.
To face another like that?
They would need far more bodies on the field, no matter the cost.