Chapter 9: Martial Arts Proficiency
Step.
Tao Baibai landed from the sky with a sound as light as a cat's paws touching down.
The seamless transition between speed and strength sent an inexplicable chill down the spine.
He was a martial artist who had mastered absolute control over his body.
"Tang Baduan said my trial is finished. Why are you the only one here?"
Tao Baibai spoke with eyes closed, his braid looped loosely around his neck. It was a rhetorical question—he already knew the answer.
Bai Cangshu stepped out from the house, bringing out several boxes of cash he had prepared in advance, and smiled.
"All the missions are complete. These are the rewards."
He gave a vague response. Bai Cangshu understood well that the so-called trial had only two true objectives.
First, to collect payment.
Tao Baibai was a formidable individual obsessed with money. As the world's number one assassin, he charged one hundred million per job and had a habit of saving. This was evident from the time he was nearly killed by Sun Goku with a grenade and used his entire savings to rebuild himself into a cyborg.
Second, to ensure that only one person survived the trial.
This was subtly conveyed by his condition—that he would only teach the one who earned the most reward. If only one could be taught, then only one could remain. No matter how many missions others completed, it would be meaningless.
Tao Baibai loved worldly things like wealth and fame, yet he also adhered to certain principles. He wasn't entirely chaotic or evil.
So in essence, the trial could be completed in many forms.
Even if the original eight participants had chosen to fight each other to the death on the spot, and the last one standing handed Tao Baibai some money, it was very possible they too would have been accepted.
Bai Cangshu and the twin-blade swordsman both understood this. One chose to kill the employer and steal the funds. The other murdered the driver and waited in ambush on the mountain.
Both were convinced: as long as only one returned to the mountain, Tao Baibai's requirement would be fulfilled.
Tao Baibai opened his eyes again, giving another glance at the thick-browed, sharp-eyed man. He recalled how this one hadn't even bothered to fight for missions on the first day—clearly, he had planned all along to kill the others.
"Hmph. A promising seedling."
[Your actions have earned Tao Baibai's appreciation. His impression of you has improved.]
[Current Relationship: Friendly (15/100)]
Far from disapproving of Bai Cangshu's behavior, Tao Baibai regarded it as a sign of natural talent.
With hands clasped behind his back, he walked slowly across the mountaintop plaza. In a sense, this was his personal training ground. Every year he hosted similar selection events—not to recruit disciples, but to elevate his own reputation.
Tao Baibai paced about, occasionally sizing up Bai Cangshu.
Bai Cangshu remained smiling, but his peripheral vision was fixed on the mission timer.
[Time until Squad #64323 enters the world: 81 hours, 30 minutes]
Just over three days left. The reincarnation squad tasked with killing Tao Baibai would soon descend. Bai Cangshu was under immense time pressure.
"Do you know what kung fu is?"
Tao Baibai asked.
Bai Cangshu answered naturally.
"It's the art of killing."
Tao Baibai nodded in satisfaction. He loathed the pretentious airs of those so-called martial arts masters. Even his own brother, Crane Hermit, in his view, was full of pretense—clearly wanting to rely on force, yet always feigning righteousness.
"Exactly. Kung fu is for killing."
"And anything that can kill, naturally, is kung fu."
Tao Baibai had his own understanding of martial arts—and it was a path he had carved out entirely on his own.
"Humans... how fragile they are."
"This hand of mine—it can kill."
Tao Baibai casually swung a punch into the air. A dull sound split through the atmosphere, like a shockwave rippling outward. The air surged, and Bai Cangshu's breath caught—his hair blown loose by the pressure.
"This foot of mine—it too can kill."
He stomped down.
Boom!
The ground shook violently. Beneath Bai Cangshu, the earth suddenly surged upward, launching him into the air.
In that instant, Bai Cangshu tensed, adjusting his center of gravity midair. His muscles locked tight, but his knees bent softly, absorbing the impact as he landed.
Step—his landing was light, the motion closely resembling how Tao Baibai had landed earlier.
Tao Baibai's brows furrowed slightly as he watched, then continued coldly.
"Even my breath… can kill."
He inhaled briefly, then exhaled sharply in Bai Cangshu's direction.
"Ha!"
At that moment, Bai Cangshu's body locked up. A terrifying force exploded from Tao Baibai's mouth. Though not as deadly as his technique [Godly Finger Skill (Dododopa)], it made Bai Cangshu feel as if a modern firearm had been aimed directly at him.
His muscles stiffened. His heart plummeted. Every hair on his back stood on end as a scalding pain pricked his skin—this was the unmistakable sensation of death approaching.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
His heart pounded rapidly and violently. A surge of adrenaline pumped blood to every inch of his body.
Bai Cangshu's skin flushed red from the blood rush, his muscles subtly swelling, his pupils turning pale.
At the same time, his mind was not occupied with pointless questions like whether Tao Baibai intended to kill him despite the trial being complete.
In Bai Cangshu's vision, everything slowed. Even Tao Baibai's mouth, now unleashing a torrent of golden energy, seemed to move in bullet-time.
His trembling pupils locked onto the memory of Tao Baibai's earlier movements—the casual swing of the fist, the crushing stomp.
There was no doubt. From its origin, martial arts was the art of killing.
And this killing art pushed every human ability to its peak.
When speed and strength are both pushed to their limit, even the simplest of movements become lethally destructive.
All the stances that martial artists train are simply to better unleash that inner power.
Under intense pressure, the image of Tao Baibai stomping down replayed in Bai Cangshu's mind. At the same time, his right foot lifted—and came crashing down.
Boom!
The raised ground beneath him shattered. Stone fragments flew in every direction.
At that exact moment, the golden breath Tao Baibai had released exploded as well.
Pop!
A sharp crack rang out. The golden energy shot down and pierced the earth.
Huff—huff—
Bai Cangshu stood gasping for breath. His entire body trembled as if his muscles were still spasming.
[You have completed Special Trial: Task One – Tao Baibai's Trial]
[You have gained Special Proficiency: Martial Arts Mastery Lv1]
[Martial Arts Mastery Lv1: Your control over muscles is greatly enhanced. You can deliver explosive force through seemingly impossible movements and sense the flow of qi.]
Tao Baibai stood still, his stance slowly dissipating. He had merely intended to demonstrate the use of qi, but unexpectedly, this guy really had some talent—not only capable of explosively awakening his physical potential but also able to mimic a move after seeing it just once.
"Hmph. You've got a bit of talent. Fine, I'll take you in and teach you a few things."
(End of Chapter)