With a crack of thunder and flash of lightning, the two men facing off in the courtyard moved simultaneously once more.
Both stepped forward in sync, their feet shaking the ground and kicking up dust as cracks spread across the surface.
They launched a pair of textbook straight punches at the same time.
Boom! Their fists collided mid-air, and the shockwave from the impact rippled outward visibly, shaking the trees around them with a rustling roar.
The two clashed with equal force. Locked in a fierce exchange of fists and kicks, they traded dozens of blows in the blink of an eye.
In the end, it was Qin Ming who failed to keep up—he took a heavy punch to the chest and staggered back, sliding several meters away.
As they opened up some distance again, Qin Ming realized pure hand-to-hand wasn't working. His pupils contracted slightly as he quickly shifted strategies, preparing to go all in with skills.
Both hands pulled back to his waist—Killing Intent Wave Fist, fire!
As the skill activated, visible black mist erupted from his body, spreading outward in all directions.
The terrifying aura of malice stunned Gouken for a moment. Then, with a grim expression, Gouken mirrored his movements—also gathering energy at his waist.
And unbelievably, he too unleashed a Killing Intent Wave Fist!
Kill versus kill!
BOOM!
Two surging energy blasts streaked through the air as the two fighters, now fully serious, began a ranged showdown from over ten meters apart.
As soon as they left their hands, the two Hadoken-style energy spheres carved deep gouges into the ground.
Like twin plows, the swirling blasts shredded everything in their paths before colliding violently at the center point.
The next instant—a visible shockwave erupted outward in all directions!
Qin Ming, who had activated his Golden Body skill in an attempt to tank it, was still blasted straight off his feet and sent flying.
Stones were ripped from the ground, the surrounding walls crumbled, and the entire courtyard was reduced to rubble by that single exchange.
And the blast wave didn't stop there—it continued outwards, ripping up trees and smashing rocks to bits.
By the time it finally faded, the building they'd been fighting in was completely obliterated. Even a large swath of the surrounding forest had been cleared away.
From above, a massive circular crater spanning hundreds of meters could now be seen—like a scar carved into the land.
Qin Ming, who had been growing stronger all along, had once again met a worthy opponent. And this time, he didn't hold back—he fought at full power without hesitation.
From the rubble, the ground trembled as Qin Ming struggled to his feet.
He patted the dirt off his body, glancing at the gashes still visible on his skin—though they were already healing rapidly—and couldn't help but frown.
Looks like my defense still isn't enough. I actually got hurt... I'll need to upgrade that Golden Body skill later.
On the opposite side, Gouken also climbed out from the debris and dusted himself off.
He was unscathed—he'd used his mastery of ki to shield himself at the critical moment.
Casting a glance at his two disciples, who had been badly injured just by the shockwave alone, then looking back at Qin Ming, Gouken's brows furrowed.
"What are you here for?"
Qin Ming grinned.
"Didn't you tell me to come see you? You said you could teach me how to control my power. So, I came."
"...Then come with me. We'll go to the other courtyard. This one's no longer habitable."
Upon realizing that Qin Ming wasn't here to fight or seek revenge, Gouken clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
Because despite how badly Qin Ming had been injured in their earlier clash—and how untouched he himself appeared—it wasn't that Gouken had the upper hand.
He could clearly sense that the overwhelming blood energy inside Qin Ming hadn't been fully unleashed.
In other words—Qin Ming still had a trump card he hadn't used!
Gouken gave him a deep look before turning to lead the way ahead.
He couldn't understand how this young man, whom he hadn't seen for long, had grown this terrifyingly powerful—or how he'd even learned their sect's ultimate technique.
But Gouken didn't want to know. He only needed to confirm that Qin Ming hadn't ended up like his younger brother—lost to madness and consumed by darkness.
As for how Qin Ming had learned the Killing Intent Wave?
Gouken didn't care. He wasn't some narrow-minded old man who couldn't stand others mastering his sect's techniques. As long as it wasn't being used for evil, anyone could practice it—if they had the skill.
After all, Killing Intent Wave wasn't something that could be easily grasped. One had to cultivate the Assassination Sect's True Vacuum Wave to the pinnacle before even having a chance to comprehend it.
So when he saw that Qin Ming had mastered the Killing Intent Wave and hadn't been consumed by it, Gouken was honestly quite shocked.
They arrived at another mountain courtyard. Gouken now sat cross-legged before a tea set, his face expressionless. Kneeling on either side of him were his two disciples, who were pouring tea.
Qin Ming sat across from him, legs crossed, one arm resting on his knee. His expression was serious.
"Master Gouken, Qin Ming has come as agreed. Please teach me how to control the power within my body."
As Qin Ming's voice fell, Gouken's gaze flickered slightly. His expression turned a bit odd as he looked at him.
"Why ask me? Haven't you already grasped a method of controlling your internal power?"
"…Huh?"
"There are only two ways to control the power within you. One is to master an even stronger force—something powerful enough to forcibly suppress all other forces. Ideally, this force also possesses fusion properties. You already possess such a bloodline power."
Gouken gave Qin Ming a long, contemplative look, his brows furrowing.
"The second method is to understand the power within you. Adapt to it. Master it. Make it a part of yourself. Your arms are strong, aren't they? But do they punch each other? Do they ever not obey your commands?"
Qin Ming was momentarily stunned by Gouken's words. But after a brief pause, he slowly nodded.
"Then, Master—can you teach me the second method?"
"You already have the first. Why insist on learning the second?"
"Just in case. I don't trust the restraint of other powers. I only trust myself."
To Qin Ming, power could be replaced—or upgraded.
That's what made his mindset so different from other adventurers. Most of them treated any powerful force they obtained like a sacred treasure—protecting it jealously and giving way to it when integrating new powers.
But Qin Ming wasn't like that.
His belief was simple: if a power was disobedient or inefficient—replace it.
So whether it was Killing Intent Wave, Blood Control, or the Blood Buddha bloodline, none of these powers held any sacred weight in his eyes.
He didn't trust them. He only trusted himself.
Only the power he had absolute control over could truly be called his power. Any force that required borrowing or relying on something else to use—was just a skill.
Who knew what kind of problems might arise from the Blood Buddha bloodline in the future? Just to be safe, Qin Ming needed to learn how to master power using only himself.
Or rather—he had to learn it.
After all, skill levels could be increased through fusion.
But this kind of knowledge? Couldn't be fused out of thin air.
(End of Chapter)