Chapter 5: Genius Warrior

"Was that a martial technique Wyatt Barnes just used?"

"It doesn't seem like a martial technique, it feels more like a straightforward punch. However, I have no idea how he managed to dodge Mark Lee's Fierce Tiger Fist, land behind him, and swing that punch, all in a blink of an eye."

"Are you kidding me? Such a powerful method, how can it not be a martial technique? Wyatt Barnes just threw one punch, and it shattered Mark Lee's shoulder!"

...

The members of the Lee Family were in heated discussions, they couldn't fathom the Collapsing Fist that Wyatt Barnes had just used.

That punch seemed simple, but its power was astonishing.

"His shoulder is completely shattered. Mark Lee's arm is useless now!"

After inspecting Mark Lee's injury, Moshe Lee, the Fifth Elder, sucked in a breath of cold air and cast a somewhat startled glance at Wyatt Barnes.

A mere martial artist at the first level of the Body Tempering Realm could unleash such a terrifying attack.

After having a few Lee Family members take Mark Lee away for treatment, Moshe Lee approached Wyatt Barnes, who stood there calmly.

At this moment, he had a misperception:

Standing in front of him was not a young boy, but a powerful fighter deeply immersed in the Martial Dao for years.

"What do you call that punch you just used? It wasn't as complex as a standard martial technique, your force was as overwhelming as a collapsing mountain, how long... have you been practicing?"

Moshe Lee looked intently at Wyatt Barnes.

The Lee Family members couldn't discern the mystery behind Wyatt's punch, but he could see it clearly.

That punch might seem simple, but in reality, it concealed a horrifying force.

The moment Wyatt Barnes threw that punch, he perfectly concentrated his whole body's strength into one point.

Something even a high-level Yellow Tier martial technique failed to achieve...

No, perhaps even a standard Profound Level martial technique can't achieve that!

Martial techniques on the Cloud Skies Continent could be ranked from high to low as Heavenly, Earthly, Profound, and Yellow tiers.

Each tier was further divided into high, middle, and low levels.

The Lee family, besides the Yellow-tier middle and low-level martial techniques of the Martial Pavilion, only owned one Yellow-tier high-level martial technique, the 'Wind Traveling Palm'.

Only those of the Lee Family who have reached the Condensed Pill Realm or above are eligible to practice this technique.

But Moshe Lee knew that even after perfecting the Wind Traveling Palm, its force didn't come close to the punch that Wyatt Barnes delivered earlier.

"Collapsing Fist!"

Wyatt Barnes spoke.

As for how long he had practiced, he didn't say.

Could he possibly say he practiced for a dozen or so years?

The Collapsing Fist, one of the Five Elements Fist in Shape and Intent Fist, is a type of straightforward punch...

During the release of power, it emphasizes secretive storage of power and sudden attack. It's short, swift, and fierce, penetrating through the organs. It is a classic technique famous for its penetrating power!

The Collapsing Fist seems simple, but it involves the powerful force of the entire body, including the internal organs.

To master it to the level Wyatt Barnes has, it's impossible without ten years of hard practice.

"Fifth Elder, I'll be leaving first. As for who instigated today's incident, you saw it all. I hope you can be my witness."

Wyatt Barnes nodded at Moshe Lee and then turned to leave.

"Collapsing Fist? This child is astounding... Christina Lee, it seems you've been deceived by your own son this whole time. This is a case of 'accumulating thinly and releasing thickly'!"

Moshe Lee took a deep breath, his emotions surging.

He naturally assumed that Wyatt Barnes has been enduring and concealing his strength these years.

He could tell that Wyatt's Collapsing Fist did not come from overnight success.

The onlooking members of the Lee Family all dispersed.

They similarly learned of the terrifying punch that Wyatt Barnes just demonstrated, known as the 'Collapsing Fist'!

"Satisfying!"

After returning home, Wyatt Barnes let out a sigh of relief. A smile appeared on his slightly immature face.

Coming to this world, this was the first time he had so unrestrainedly used the Shape and Intent Fist!

In that moment, it was as though he returned to his previous life of bloodshed filled with passion...

Wyatt Barnes returned to his room and found that there was only enough Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid left for two more baths.

"It seems I'll have to ask mother to buy some more medicinal herbs for me."

Sitting in the bathtub and enjoying the medicinal bath while practicing the 'Nine Dragons War Sovereign'...

Wyatt Barnes was single-minded, oblivious to the stir caused in the peaceful Lee Family due to his defeating Mark Lee.

"Hey! Have you heard? Wyatt Barnes, son of the Ninth Elder, has completed his Body Tempering and entered the first level of the Body Tempering Realm!"

"Ha, I knew that long back. But did you know, Wyatt Barnes not only entered the first level of Body Tempering Realm, but he also seriously injured Mark Lee in an impartial contest witnessed by the Fifth Elder, leaving one of Mark's arms useless!"

"You're kidding? That Mark Lee is a martial artist at the second level of the Body Tempering Realm, and I heard his mid-ranking Yellow Tier martial technique 'Fierce Tiger Fist' is already quite well developed. How could he have lost against Wyatt Barnes, who's only in the first level of the Body Tempering Realm?"

"What can that Fierce Tiger Fist do! Wyatt Barnes' seemingly simple, but in essence, returning-to-basics 'Collapsing Fist' is truly powerful. Even the Fifth Elder praised it..."

...

For a time, the rumors about Wyatt Barnes' Collapsing Fist grew more and more extraordinary.

Some members of the Lee Family said it was a Profound Tier martial technique, others said it was an Earth Tier martial technique, and there were even those who claimed Wyatt Barnes' Collapsing Fist was a Heavenly Tier martial technique!

Inside a large courtyard in the Lee Family's mansion.

The Seventh Elder, Mark Lee, stood by the bed, watching his son sleeping in exhaustion with his right shoulder drooping down..

The words spoken by the Grand Elder to him not long ago were still echoing in his ears:

"Seventh Elder, if it was just a normal fracture, taking a Nine-grade Golden Creation Pill and resting for some time would heal it. But your son Mark Lee's shoulder has been completely shattered. Even if you beg the family leader for an Eight-grade Golden Creation Pill, it's useless... My condolences."

"Wyatt Barnes, I want you dead, I want you dead!!"

Mark Lee's eyes bulged, shining with vindictive light. He gritted his teeth tightly, his fists trembling. His Origin Force was radiating, he growled and roared.

"Dad, how is my brother doing?"

Just then, a hurried voice came from outside the room, and a figure rushed in.

It was none other than Mark Lee's eldest son 'Hamza Lee', a renowned martial arts prodigy in the Lee Family.

Only sixteen years old, he has already reached the fourth layer of the Body Tempering Realm, and his mid-tier yellow class martial skill 'Falling Leaf Palm' has been practiced to perfection.

In the Lee Family, one is considered an adult at the age of sixteen.

After the coming of age ceremony, they usually go to help with the Lee Family's business in Qingfeng Town, and Hamza Lee was no exception.

Upon hearing that his younger brother Rudy Lee was seriously injured, he immediately rushed back home.

"Hamza, your brother...his right arm is ruined, and even the Grand Elder can do nothing about it."

Mark Lee took a deep breath, suppressing his voice.

"What?!"

Hamza Lee shuddered as if struck by lightning.

Their Lee Family's Grand Elder is a famously ninth-ranked alchemist in Qingfeng Town!

That even the Grand Elder could not help her brother's injury, Hamza understood what that meant.

"Little Rudy..."

Standing by the bed, looking at the sleeping Rudy Lee, the hatred flashing in Hamza Lee's eyes was no less than that of Mark Lee's!

His mother died during childbirth when Rudy was born.

Over the years, he had shown great love for this younger brother, always setting aside the best food and games for him.

Now, with his brother's right arm ruined and his future uncertain, a furious blaze ignited in his heart!

"Father, are we certain that Wyatt Barnes is the one responsible?"

Hamza Lee looked at his father, questioning.

When he first heard about this, Hamza was startled and couldn't help but worry for his brother. The incident was somewhat unbelievable...

How could a trash who hadn't even completed the body tempering badly misjudged his brother?

"Yes, I asked the Fifth Elder, it was Wyatt Barnes! Just three days ago, that trash had not yet completed his body tempering. Yet today, not only has he entered the first level of Body Tempering Realm, but he also defeated your brother. Allegedly, using a sophisticated martial skill, Collapsing Fist!"

Mark Lee gritted his teeth.

"First layer of Body Tempering Realm, Collapsing Fist?"

Hamza Lee sneered, his eyes flashing with a viperous gaze, "Father, accompany me!"

In the tranquil courtyard.

"Mom, did you call me out for something?"

Just finished absorbing all the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Fluids, Wyatt Barnes, who had just walked out of his room, looked at his mother Christina Lee somewhat awkwardly.

For a moment Christina Lee was lost, beholding her son before her.

What happened, she still found somewhat unbelievable...

In her opinion, her son's completion of body tempering, entering the Body Tempering Realm, was hard enough.

But this little guy surpassed all expectations. When he returned from the Martial Pavilion, he had ruined one of Mark Lee's arm. And it was of the incurable kind!

"Collapsing Fist... Wyatt, don't you think you should explain to your mom how you learned a martial skill that even shocked the Fifth Elder?"

Christina Lee looked at Wyatt Barnes, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Mom, if I told you that it was passed onto me by an old man in a dream while he was also teaching me alchemy, would you believe me?"

Wyatt Barnes smiled awkwardly.

"Wyatt, you've grown up. Since you have your secrets, your mother won't force you. But remember, no matter what happens, your mother will always be there for you!"

Christina Lee gazed deeply into Wyatt's eyes, sighed softly and spoke.

"Mom."

Wyatt's heart trembled, his eyes reddened slightly.

"Ninth Elder, Mark Lee seeks an audience!"

Just then, a disgusting fly-like voice shattered the heartwarming atmosphere between mother and son.

"He has the nerve to come here?"

A cold glint flashed in Christina Lee's eyes.

The next moment, Mark Lee and his eldest son, Hamza Lee, walked into the courtyard, glaring at Wyatt Barnes with hatred.

"Elder Mark, I hope you're not here to pick a fight with my son."

Christina Lee stepped forward, shielding Wyatt behind her, she smiled slightly.

"Rest assured, Ninth Elder. My son Rudy fought a fair fight with your son Wyatt, in the presence of Fifth Elder. His arm was ruined, but it was due to his lack of skills. Nobody else is to blame."

Mark Lee took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart.

"Then Elder Mark, why are you here?"

Hearing Mark Lee's words, Christina Lee was genuinely curious.

"Greetings, Ninth Elder."

At this moment, Hamza Lee, standing next to Mark Lee, stepped forward.

"Ninth Elder, my father is here with me... I've come to challenge Wyatt Barnes. I heard his Collapsing Fist is impressive."

After greeting Christina Lee, Hamza Lee looked eagerly at Wyatt Barnes.

Upon hearing this, Christina Lee's face turned icy.

"Hamza Lee, unless I'm mistaken, you're a year older than my son and have already reached the fourth layer of Body Tempering Realm... My Wyatt hasn't yet left the first layer of Body Tempering Realm, and you feel it's appropriate to challenge him?"

Christina Lee glanced at Hamza Lee, speaking casually.

"Ninth Elder, Wyatt Barnes isn't your average martial artist. He easily defeated my younger brother. His skills are extraordinary!"

Hamza Lee laughed like the coldness on Christina Lee's face had gone unnoticed.

Just as Christina Lee was about to send him off harshly, Wyatt Barnes stepped out from behind her.

"I'm willing to accept your challenge, but I have a condition!"