We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

Chapter 124 Racing against time, finally entering the Bone Forging stage!

A steel knife, cold and sharp, was pressed against Hong Risheng's neck. If he made the slightest movement, it would mercilessly slash his neck.

The atmosphere suddenly froze, leaving everyone present stunned.

Hong Qi's gaze sharpened slightly, his pupils revealing surprise and a hint of anger, but his face remained calm.

Su Chen spoke at the right moment, his steel knife trembling violently as he looked at Hong Risheng and shouted, "Don't move."

"You think this is enough to threaten me?" Hong Qi's eyes gleamed with danger as he said calmly, "Believe it or not, before you make a move, I will kill all three of Cai Liuhe."

The meaning of the threat is self-evident.

Upon hearing this, Su Chen remained unmoved and said indifferently, "You can try."

"You're courting death!" Hong Qi finally showed a change of heart, his face filled with murderous intent.

Su Chen chuckled upon hearing this: "One life for three lives."

“It’s four lives!” Hong Qi said coldly, clearly not intending to let Su Chen go.

Su Chen sneered, "I am indeed no match for you, but if I want to run away, you may not be able to catch me. After I escape, I will exaggerate the events of today and spread the news."

Upon hearing this, Hong Qi's eyes suddenly sharpened.

He could imagine that if what Su Chen said was true, his reputation would definitely suffer.

He may not care about the opinions of others, but he cannot ignore the opinions of his family.

No matter what, Hong Risheng is a direct descendant of the Hong family and one of the few who have pledged allegiance to him. If he were to abandon Hong Risheng, not to mention how the forces behind Hong Risheng would view him, why would people from other forces pledge allegiance to him?

That will definitely affect your future.

"What do you want?" After a long silence, Hong Qi asked with a cold smile.

But beneath his smile lay a murderous intent toward Su Chen.

He admitted defeat this time. If he had known that Su Chen was so young yet so strong, he would have personally taken care of him no matter what.

Although he admitted defeat, it didn't mean Su Chen could escape his grasp alive.

"Let us leave, and I will naturally let him go then!" Su Chen replied.

Upon hearing this, Cai Liuhe's expression changed slightly. Such behavior was tantamount to releasing a tiger back into the mountains.

The power of the Hong family in Qinzhou is so great that it cannot be explained in just a few words.

They might be able to escape the territory of Dafeng City, but they might not be able to escape Qinzhou.

Once Hong Risheng is released, it's obvious they will face Hong Qi's hysterical revenge.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but seeing Su Chen's expression, he ultimately remained silent.

Although he hadn't had much contact with Su Chen, he knew from their brief interactions that this young man had his own ideas.

Instead of trying to persuade him, it's better to wait and see what his plans are later.

"it is good!"

Faced with Su Chen's request, Hong Qi hesitated for a moment before agreeing. He gave Su Chen a deep look, his eyes icy cold, as if he were looking at a dead man.

Ignoring his gaze, Su Chen knocked Hong Risheng unconscious right in front of Hong Qi.

"let's go!"

Afterwards, Su Chen had the three of them get into the carriage, while he followed behind with Hong Risheng.

"You can run for a while, but can you run forever?" Hong Qi smiled, completely unconcerned about Su Chen and the others' actions.

In his view, Su Chen's actions were nothing more than a desperate struggle.

Once he saves Hong Risheng, he will not let either Cai Liuhe or Su Chen go; he will kill them without mercy!

Watching Su Chen and his group leave, he lightly touched the ground with his toes, keeping a certain distance from them as if they were shadows.

“Young friend Ding, Hong Qi has been following us all along.”

Cai Liuhe quickly noticed Hong Qi chasing after him. He made no attempt to conceal his figure, as if to tell them that they couldn't escape.

Su Chen naturally sensed Hong Qi's ulterior motives, but he didn't care about this psychological warfare at all.

After swallowing a Qi and Blood Pill, he said to Cai Liuhe, "Don't worry about him. Keep an eye on Hong Risheng and don't let him wake up!"

"Hmm." Cai Liuhe nodded, and seeing that Su Chen was silent, he swallowed all his words.

He really had no idea what Su Chen was up to.

Seeing Su Chen's calm and composed demeanor, he couldn't help but feel a chill: Could it be that he really has some way to deal with Hong Qi?
The carriage moved forward slowly and steadily, and no one who didn't know the situation would have guessed that Su Chen and his companions were fleeing for their lives.

But at that speed, it hardly looks like an escape!
Su Chen stared straight ahead, seemingly rushing on his way, but his thoughts were already running through his mind.

As he swallowed one Qi and Blood Pill after another, the progress of his Iron Shirt skill on the panel steadily advanced.

I only need ten more Qi and Blood Pills to reach the Iron Shirt upgrade!

"There are four stages in total. The first three stages are not much different, but the completion of bone forging is vastly different. The difference lies in the jade bone. Once the jade bone is formed, one's strength will undergo a tremendous change. Whether it is strength, speed, or perception, they will all be greatly improved."

With my current strength and a series of methods, I can easily deal with a master of Bone Forging, but to deal with a martial artist who has reached the Perfect Bone Forging stage is like throwing an egg against a rock, unless my realm is improved.

The fastest way to improve one's cultivation level is to upgrade Iron Shirt. Under normal circumstances, I can complete the upgrade in three days at most, but right now, what I lack most is time.

Don't be fooled by Hong Qi's current patience in dealing with me; it's only because he still has some reservations. Once he loses his patience and finds an opportunity to strike, Hong Risheng will be useless against him!
No, I can't gamble with Hong Qi's patience. I must seize the initiative and improve my strength as soon as possible. Only by becoming stronger can I deal with Hong Qi's various methods.

Su Chen felt a growing sense of urgency; Hong Qi's strength had instilled a great sense of crisis in him.

Every minute they delay makes their situation more critical.

Hong Qi will find his opportunity sooner or later. If he hasn't been promoted by then, they will be the ones who die!

"I have now swallowed five Qi and Blood Pills and am about to reach my limit, which means I can no longer swallow any more Qi and Blood Pills today, but I am still ten pills short of the progress shown on the panel."

Two days is too long; I can't gamble. I need to find a way to speed up the consumption of my vital energy!

There are ways to accelerate the consumption of qi and blood; the simplest way is to practice martial arts continuously.

However, this consumption is very slow, and Su Chen simply doesn't have the time or opportunity to do so right now.

Su Chen's thoughts raced, various ideas popped into his head, and soon he came up with a solution:
"There is another way, which is to consume energy, or more precisely, to use the energy of thick earth to accelerate the consumption of qi and blood."

This effect was only discovered when the Thick Earth Force was retrieved from Granny Qi. The retrieved Thick Earth Force consumes Qi and blood, assimilating Granny Qi's strength into a part of the Thick Earth Force.

"Just a wisp of earth energy can consume the equivalent of half a day's worth of martial arts training. If there were more, wouldn't it be consumed even faster?"

The idea popped into Su Chen's mind, and the more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

"I have various types of internal forces, which provide a natural environment for the Thick Earth Force. The Thick Earth Force can completely assimilate my other forces and quickly strengthen itself. With this cycle, wouldn't my Qi and blood be able to be consumed in an endless stream?"

Su Cen's emotions suddenly became excited, but he quickly calmed down and began to conduct the experiment after his emotions stabilized.

Activating the Thick Earth Force within his body, under Su Chen's control, the other forces did not resist at all, but allowed the Thick Earth Force to absorb the force and then circulate it throughout his body, gradually assimilating the force. In this process, as expected, blood and qi were consumed.

This scene further convinced Su Chen of his own idea.

He began to continuously control the Thick Earth Force, which consumed his Qi and Blood.

After several cycles, the strength of the thick soil has doubled compared to before.

Without ever activating the easy mode or upgrading the Thick Earth Gate, the Thick Earth Strength doubled, directly proving the feasibility of his idea.

An hour passed, and Su Chen swallowed another Qi and Blood Pill.

Then continue to expend Qi and blood by activating the Thick Earth Force.

As the body absorbs more energy, it also consumes more qi and blood.

The assimilation rate increases, and the consumption of qi and blood also increases.

The more he cycled through the techniques, the more Su Chen realized that the Thick Earth Gate was truly a self-serving cultivation method.

It is not only an alternative fusion technique, but also a technique for removing impurities from internal energy, and a technique for assimilating internal energy without discrimination or side effects.

Of course, this is in relation to him!

If this technique were used on someone else, it would be subject to many restrictions, but when used on Su Chen himself, it would be like adding wings to a tiger.

One can use the Thick Earth Gate to quickly consume Qi and Blood Pills, and then increase Thick Earth Strength without limit.

"Let's stop at that inn up ahead and rest there for the night!"

As the sun sets in the west, its afterglow spreads in all directions, draping the sky in a layer of golden sunset clouds.

“Okay!” Cai Liuhe and the other two exchanged glances and did not refuse.

Su Chen's calm and composed demeanor actually calmed everyone down, and their concerns about Hong Qi lessened somewhat.

However, Cai Liuhe's brows remained furrowed as he watched Hong Qi following not far behind him.

He was still somewhat worried that Hong Qi might make a move in secret.

Night falls quickly.

The atmosphere became tense again.

Although Hong Qi did not take action against Cai Liuhe and others, he did not let his confidants go.

Whenever a trusted confidant was about to leave the inn, he would kill them to warn everyone inside. This silent threat was far more effective.

Everyone's mood suddenly turned heavy. Hong Qi outside the door was like a sharp blade hanging over their hearts, ready to fall at any moment. However, this method seemed to have no effect on Su Chen whatsoever.

Cai Liuhe looked at Su Chen, who was sitting cross-legged, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

Currently, among the entire team, only Su Chen remains so calm and composed.

“My benefactor, the water is almost ready. Luckily there’s a well behind us, otherwise we really wouldn’t be able to find one in this desolate wilderness.”

Not only were they calm and composed, but they also had the leisure to take a bath!

Su Chen nodded upon hearing this, his expression unchanged, but he was inwardly excited.

Almost there, almost there! Only three more Qi and Blood Pills are needed!

The night is deep.

But no one dared to sleep.

They were all sitting or half-lying down, glancing at Hong Qi at the door from time to time. If they noticed anything unusual about him, they would be on high alert.

This state of constant anxiety drove everyone to the brink of madness.

Hong Qi seemed to know what everyone was thinking, and every now and then he would make a little noise to irritate everyone's nerves.

It tormented everyone to the point of unbearable suffering!

If it weren't for Su Chen being such a pillar of strength, everyone would have collapsed long ago.

With a snap, Hong Risheng was knocked unconscious again.

At this moment, everyone was actually a little envious of Hong Risheng, who didn't have to be as tense as they were.

Of course, Su Chen was even more envious.

At a time like this, you still have the leisure to take a bath.

Almost an hour had passed since Su Chen started taking a bath, and everyone's mood began to become irritable.

It had been so long that everyone almost thought Su Chen had run away.

If Su Chen hadn't informed everyone beforehand that he would be soaking for an hour, they probably would have panicked long ago.

Cai Liuhe and the other two kept a close watch on Hong Risheng, while also keeping an eye on Hong Qi at the door. All three of them looked tired.

Compared to the general panic, the three of them were even more terrified.

Ever since Su Chen went into the room to take a shower, Hong Qi at the door has been getting restless.

Those eyes seemed to pierce through the darkness, striking directly at the weakness deep within everyone's hearts. Just one glance was enough to send a heavy, suffocating feeling crashing over you.

Cai Liuhe knew that Hong Qi was getting impatient.

If they make even the slightest mistake, the other side will take action.

Especially now that Su Chen isn't around, none of the dozen or so people can stop him.

"Oh no, Hong Qi is coming towards us!"

At this moment, Zhu Yan exclaimed in surprise, and this change made everyone's hearts clench.

Cai Liuhe quickly held a knife to Hong Risheng's neck, staring ahead with a solemn expression.

He shouted, "Don't come any closer, or I'll kill him!"

However, Hong Qi seemed not to hear him and walked towards the inn step by step.

The footsteps were light and slow, yet each step resonated deeply in everyone's hearts, creating an atmosphere of intense oppression.

Finally, he arrived at the entrance of the inn.

A cold smile played on his lips as he looked around, sending chills down everyone's spines.

Then, his gaze fell on Cai Liuhe. Seeing the other's wary expression, he chuckled and said, "Don't be nervous. I just think, why can you stay at an inn while I have to stay in the middle of nowhere?"

These words did not lower everyone's guard; on the contrary, they watched Hong Qi with even greater caution.

As they got closer to him, the unease in everyone's hearts grew stronger, as if this guy might make a move at any moment.

Cai Liuhe didn't say much, but instead gathered everyone together. He never put down the knife in his hand, not daring to relax in the slightest.

Hong Qi, on the other hand, didn't care at all and found a seat.

After Hong Qi's outburst, no one could sleep anymore, and being in the same room with him was extremely agonizing.

Cai Liuhe realized that this guy was clearly trying to torture them.

Time passed slowly, and the inn was eerily quiet; you could hear a pin drop.

Suddenly.

Hong Qi opened his eyes and shouted, "Hong Risheng, you're awake, why aren't you making your move!"

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked and their bodies trembled.

Cai Liuhe's expression changed drastically. He looked at Hong Risheng abruptly, only to find that Hong Risheng's eyes were tightly closed, showing no change whatsoever.

"not good!"

Upon seeing this, Cai Liuhe exclaimed in surprise and gripped the knife, ready to strike. Just then, a pebble suddenly struck his arm.

With a bang, a sharp pain struck him, causing him to instinctively release the steel knife.

"Oops!"

The moment he released the steel knife, Cai Liuhe's face turned pale. He tried to capture Hong Risheng, but Hong Qi beat him to it and saved him.

In a flash, Hong Qi grabbed Hong Risheng's shoulder and struck out with a palm, sending Cai Liuhe flying backward.

"Hahaha, your death is near!"

After rescuing Hong Risheng, Hong Qi laughed wildly. After waiting for so long, he could finally kill these insects, which made him feel much better.

"father!"

When Cai Xiaoyue saw Cai Liuhe being knocked down, she rushed to him and shouted anxiously.

"Hurry, hurry up!" Cai Liuhe urged, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Leave? No one is leaving today without my permission!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Qi smiled contemptuously. He had wasted a whole day of his time and now he wanted to leave? Did he even get his permission?

No!
Then may they all die!
Even while carrying Hong Risheng, Hong Qi was still able to unleash 90% of his strength, which was enough to crush everyone present.

He acted swiftly, and killed with equal speed; in just a few breaths, several of his trusted men perished at his hands.

"Zhu Yan, quickly tell our benefactor to run! I'm taking my father and leaving!"

Upon seeing this scene, Cai Xiaoyue quickly called out, and Zhu Yan paused for a moment before gritting his teeth and nodding.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Hong Qi had already arrived in front of him, looking at him with a half-smile.

"Don't worry, none of you can escape!"

Hong Qi revealed a bright smile, snapped the neck of the confidant he had captured, and his sharp eyes immediately fell on Zhu Yan.

"My benefactor, are you done washing?"

Just as Hong Qi was about to make a move against Zhu Yan, Zhu Yan's face lit up with joy, and he blurted out unconsciously.

But he quickly realized that he was talking nonsense at a time like this, so he quickly changed his words and shouted, "My benefactor, you should go quickly!"

Hong Qi initially thought Zhu Yan was stalling for time, until he saw the figure deep in Zhu Yan's pupils. His gaze immediately sharpened, and he turned to look at Su Chen at the stairwell.

"You finally showed up. I thought you were going to run away!" Hong Qi chuckled, a mocking look on his face.

Su Chen glanced around, then his gaze fell on Hong Qi. He shook his head and said, "If I run away, how can I kill you!"

"Pfft!" Upon hearing this, Hong Qi couldn't help but sneer, staring at Su Chen with the look of someone who was looking at an idiot.

Has this guy's brain rusted?

You want to kill him?
Just based on Su Chen?

What a big joke!
After laughing, Hong Qi's eyes turned cold, and a strong killing intent surged within them.

Without wasting words, he immediately attacked, unleashing his pent-up killing intent with a fierce and powerful move.

"Humph!"

With a chilling gaze fixed on Su Chen, and seeing that he remained motionless, Hong Qi let out a soft snort and lightly struck out with a palm, causing the air to explode with a deafening roar.

The air ahead seemed to be compressed, and an invisible wave of air surged forth like a tidal wave, unstoppable.

boom!
However, facing Hong Qi's offensive, Su Chen neither dodged nor evaded, but stood still until his attack was about to strike, at which point Su Chen brought his five fingers together and unleashed a palm strike.

In an instant, a gale arose, sonic booms resounded in all directions, and shockwaves swept outwards, annihilating everything.

"Your strength... how is that possible?!"

Hong Qi froze, his expression almost solidified, and the arrogance in his eyes was gone, replaced by a deep look of shock!

Su Chen's strength has actually reached the Bone Forging stage!
(End of this chapter)