Chen Fan was surprised by what he heard.
He even felt a strange, unsettling feeling that wouldn't go away.
After all, the last time he nearly beat that Riye King to death. If it weren't for the timely intervention of Wolf Emperor Xiao Kai, that Riye King might have died by his hand.
That night, to rescue Shang Wushuang, whom they were holding captive, Chen Fan had not been polite.
The Changbai Sect was an example. Several masters of Hua Jin had died that night.
But today, here, that Riye King actually wanted to talk to him?
Seeing Chen Fan's reaction, Riye King chuckled and said, "To be honest, Brother Chen, this was a spur-of-the-moment decision."
"In my life, I am devoted to martial arts. Other matters are not so important."
"The last time I fought with Brother Chen, a one-on-one, fair duel, I would have no regrets dying at Brother Chen's hands. That is the destiny of a martial artist!"
"Therefore, I bear no resentment towards Brother Chen."
Looking at Riye King, the latter appeared calm and open, without any pretense.
Behind him, others also stepped forward, but upon seeing Chen Fan, they stopped one by one, their eyes filled with apprehension, daring not to approach.
Only Wu Chaoyang walked over and nodded to Chen Fan.
Chen Fan nodded in acknowledgment and said, "Alright."
After speaking, he glanced around and entered a private room.
It was a foot massage parlor's private room, where guests could directly enjoy foot massage services.
Chen Fan didn't mind. He lay down on a foot massage bed and gestured for Riye King to make himself comfortable.
Riye King sat down beside him but did not relax as Chen Fan did. After carefully choosing his words, he said, "Brother Chen, I have always been curious. You have not yet crossed the threshold of a Martial Grandmaster, yet your internal energy can be projected externally without any obstruction, no less than that of a Martial Grandmaster!"
Chen Fan smiled and replied, "A while ago, I received guidance from a senior of exceptional strength. He said that a person's essence, energy, and spirit are the three treasures, supporting each other."
"Therefore, apart from physical constitution, my spiritual power is sufficient to break through this barrier!"
"Is it related to your experience in the army, Brother Chen?"
Chen Fan nodded and said, "Precisely."
A hint of emotion flashed in his eyes.
Ten years of military service had seen him through too much. He had walked between life and death countless times, tasting blood on the edge of a sword. This had forged his indomitable will.
Of course, that alone would not have been enough.
There was also the experience of commanding armies, remaining calm under unimaginable pressure, and forging ahead relentlessly.
And, most crucially, the unyielding spirit of countless soldiers who had guarded the nation and fought valiantly!
He regarded every soldier as a brother, carrying the weight of the nation on his shoulders.
It was because of this that he possessed an undefeated fighting spirit, an unyielding soul!
The reason he was not yet a Martial Grandmaster was simply that his body's accumulated internal energy was insufficient.
Once he accumulated enough, the realm of Martial Grandmaster, which ordinary martial artists saw as an insurmountable chasm, he could step across with ease.
His experiences were irreplaceable, but he did not mind offering Riye King some guidance.
Riye King, like Gongsun Zheng, was dedicated to martial arts and moved forward relentlessly.
However, as a disciple of a Grandmaster and living in this era of legal constraints, Riye King lacked the tempering of life-and-death struggles, thus his sharpness was insufficient to break through to the Martial Grandmaster realm.
Under normal circumstances, in another ten or eight years, Riye King might have been able to break through.
But Riye King was clearly unwilling, hence his request for guidance now.
As for Zuo Tiance, the moment he put on that pair of Dragon-Phoenix Bracelets, a magical artifact, his future achievements were destined to be inferior to Riye King's.
"If I were to join the army, could I walk the path that Brother Chen took?"
Chen Fan replied, "The tempering of the army certainly has its benefits, but this is a time of peace, and one's experiences in the military vary from person to person!"
In the century since the founding of the nation, had there ever been anyone like Chen Fan, who had served ten years in the army and risen from a common soldier to a commander?
This was not only due to the support of the Chen family's background and connections but also because of Chen Fan's countless merits. From the southern border to Xiliang, from the sea to the desolate desert, he was the only undefeated God of War, the soul of the army!
He was a living legend, a myth within the military.
Riye King sighed lightly upon hearing this and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Chen."
He paused for a moment, then asked, "What do you think of Zuo Tiance's magical artifact from just now?"
"It is merely an external object."
Chen Fan stated, "However, its power is not weak. With this artifact, Zuo Tiance can instantly compare to a Martial Grandmaster. If a Martial Grandmaster is caught off guard by his full-force strike, they might even be heavily injured!"
Riye King's heart tightened, and he said, "The Zuo family likely possesses more than one such artifact!"
Chen Fan was slightly surprised and asked, "Brother Riye, why do you say that?"
"The Hero Alliance has a long history. Although the Zuo family has only recently re-established the Hero Alliance, they still possess some heritage and foundation. Furthermore, my master mentioned that the Zuo family holds some secrets related to cultivators."
Chen Fan's expression stirred, and he sat up straight, asking, "What kind of secrets?"
"That is not something I, as a junior, would know," Riye King replied. "I merely heard my master mention casually that it is said the Hero Alliance was initially established to guard against cultivators."
"Martial arts are also a form of cultivation, but if one only practices martial arts, they are not considered true cultivators!"
Chen Fan's heart was greatly shaken.
This was essentially consistent with what Martial Saint had said.
Coupled with his encounter with the master of the Fish Dragon Society, he already knew that there were other methods of cultivation in the world besides martial arts.
Combining this with Riye King's revelation about the Hero Alliance's founding purpose, it clearly pointed him towards a possibility.
That is, in this world, the martial arts world might still be insignificant, and there might still be more powerful and skilled cultivators?
"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Chen."
Riye King clasped his hands and said, "I have benefited greatly. After my master's battle, I will travel the world seeking tempering, in the hope of reaching the realm of Martial Grandmaster as soon as possible."
He walked towards the door, then stopped at the threshold and turned back to say, "By the way, Brother Chen, please be careful. There are many people in the martial arts world targeting you. The sect leader of the Changbai Sect, Martial Grandmaster Shi Qinglei, has already arrived in the capital!"
"Sect Leader of the Changbai Sect?"
Another Martial Grandmaster. Chen Fan's face twitched.
Riye King said no more and opened the door to leave.
Chen Fan shook his head helplessly. The current situation in the capital was becoming increasingly complex with the growing number of Martial Grandmasters.
And as for the Changbai Sect, due to the incident at Minghu Mountain Villa, he had killed several of their disciples and elders. It seemed difficult to resolve.
Of course, he did not need to fear one or two Martial Grandmasters too much.
Collecting his thoughts, he stood up.
Wu Chaoyang pushed the door open and looked at Chen Fan, saying, "Do you want me to call a couple of technicians to give you a foot rub?"
"No need."
Chen Fan smiled and said, "I should be going. Young Master Wu, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Wu Chaoyang seemed hesitant to speak, then finally shook his head and said, "I'll call you if anything comes up."
Chen Fan nodded and walked out of the private room.
Wu Chaoyang's current state of mind was somewhat complicated, likely with some hesitation, so Chen Fan did not elaborate on the recent matters with him.
He walked out of the private room, took the elevator, and was guided by a service staff member to the parking lot.
As he approached the car he had driven, Chen Fan saw a slender figure standing by the car, waiting for him.
"Mr. Chen... Mr. Chen!"
Upon seeing Chen Fan, the slender figure became nervous and apprehensive, calling out weakly, with unease.