Richest Rag-picker

After they returned to the study, Fang Chenyi asked Brother Xiaoma with some curiosity:

"Brother, how could you tell that Qi Xiaotian is a Martial Artist at his peak? Is it possible he has already broken through that level and become a Grandmaster of Martial Arts?"

Fang Chenyi was extremely curious about this. Qi Xiaotian had defeated Brother Xiaoma in a single move, which meant the gap in their strength was by no means small. So, why Brother Xiaoma could so confidently declare that his opponent was only a Martial Artist at his peak was a bit of a mystery.

However, after hearing Fang Chenyi’s words, Brother Xiaoma simply waved his hand and began to explain:

"Of course, there are ways to tell. As for the legendary Grandmasters of Martial Arts, there isn’t a single one in all of Huaxia right now. All that remains of them are legends."

"Not a single one in all of Huaxia?"

Fang Chenyi was taken aback by Brother Xiaoma’s words, shocked to think that in all of the great Huaxia, there wasn’t a single one.

Brother Xiaoma nodded with a helpless look:

"Yes. The Martial Arts of Huaxia have gradually fallen into decline. The last Grandmaster of Martial Arts fell a century ago. What’s more, from what I know, if you don’t count Xiaotian, you can count the number of experts who have reached the Martial Artist Peak in all of Huaxia on one hand."

Hearing this, Fang Chenyi understood just how far Huaxia’s Martial Arts had declined. Of course, that was without factoring in his own forces.

"Heh, it can’t be helped. It’s just the way of the times. And as for your question about how I can be certain Xiaotian hasn’t reached the realm of a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, let me put it this way. The legendary Grandmasters of Martial Arts are true Martial Arts Powerhouses. All of them have cultivated Inner Strength.

It’s no exaggeration to say they can shatter stone with a single finger. Furthermore, it’s said that at that level, even modern firearms can rarely harm them. Xiaotian is certainly powerful, but he’s obviously not that powerful."

After listening to Brother Xiaoma, Fang Chenyi finally understood. No wonder the man could tell at a glance that Xiaotian hadn’t reached that level of strength. It was just as he said. Xiaotian was certainly powerful, but he still couldn’t shatter a stone with a single finger.

Suddenly, however, he grew curious again. ’I wonder if my own strength has reached the level of a Grandmaster of Martial Arts?’

’After all, my strength is far greater than Qi Xiaotian’s. It’s just that I have no idea what that legendary Inner Strength is supposed to be like.’

’I do vaguely recall a current of energy forming inside my body before. I just don’t know if that was what they call Inner Strength.’

He thought about asking Brother Ma, but then he remembered that Brother Ma himself had said a Grandmaster of Martial Arts hadn’t appeared in over a hundred years. Clearly, he had never seen one either. So, Fang Chenyi pushed the question aside.

With matters here more or less settled and the Rune Stone now in his possession, there was no longer any need to stay. After saying goodbye to Brother Xiaoma, the group left that very night and headed back to Qinhuang Island.

This time, however, Brother Xiaoma came back with Fang Chenyi. The group didn’t fly; they drove back directly. After all, Jingcheng was only about 300 kilometers from the island. Considering the time it would take to get to the airport, it was just faster to drive.

Around eight o’clock that evening, the convoy stopped outside Fang Chenyi’s villa complex.

Seeing the convoy stop, the big fellow Vajra suddenly dashed out of Villa Number One.

Vajra had returned earlier with the other 50 crew members and hadn’t stayed in Jingcheng with Fang Chenyi.

He rushed up to Fang Chenyi, his mouth splitting into a wide grin as he prepared to give him a hug.

The sight gave Brother Xiaoma, who was standing nearby, a huge fright. He instantly dodged back several steps, staring warily at the massive creature.

Fang Chenyi, for his part, just sighed and pushed Vajra away before chiding him irritably:

"Go on, go on. Go hug your Brother Tian over there."

Even though Vajra’s strength had skyrocketed to an incredible degree, in front of Fang Chenyi, he was still like a little child.

Fang Chenyi could push the big fellow away with just a casual wave, a testament to just how terrifyingly strong he was.

He had just wanted to give his boss an enthusiastic hug, but his boss had shoved him aside with a look of disdain. This left Vajra with a deeply wounded expression.

But after hearing what Fang Chenyi said, the wounded look on Vajra’s face was instantly replaced by a wide grin. He spread his arms and charged at Qi Xiaotian, who was standing nearby.

When Qi Xiaotian saw this, his heart sank. ’Oh no.’ He scrambled to retreat, but Vajra was now immensely stronger than him.

He hadn’t managed more than a few steps before Vajra caught him. Two thick arms wrapped around Xiaotian’er, pulling him into a tight embrace. And that wasn’t all; the creature started patting Qi Xiaotian on the back with a few heavy thumps, looking incredibly affectionate the whole time.

This scene left Brother Xiaoma, who was watching from the side, completely dumbfounded.

’What in the world is going on?’

’Where did this gorilla come from?’

’And based on its strength, it just... caught Qi Xiaotian, a Martial Artist at his peak??’

’How is that possible? Doesn’t that mean this gorilla is even stronger than Qi Xiaotian??’

’Oh my god... Is there really a gorilla in this world with the strength of a Martial Artist at his peak???’

In that single moment, countless questions flashed through Brother Xiaoma’s mind, and his eyes glazed over with utter disbelief.

The power of a Martial Artist at their peak was a rarity in Huaxia, something you could count on one hand. To think that it could be found in a gorilla was, for a moment, something he simply couldn’t accept.

But when he saw Fang Chenyi’s casual expression, he couldn’t help but start re-evaluating the man all over again.

’It seems I’ve still underestimated Fang Chenyi’s true power. Qi Xiaotian isn’t the only Martial Artist at his peak by his side.’

And the very next scene confirmed his suspicions.

Just as Brother Xiaoma was sizing up Vajra with a look of pure shock, a team of patrolling security guards passed by.

Upon seeing Fang Chenyi, they immediately halted and greeted him in perfect unison.

It was a mundane scene, but it made Brother Xiaoma, watching from the side, gasp. The reason was simple: he could feel the aura of a Martial Artist from every single one of these patrolling guards.

Furthermore, none of their auras were weaker than his own. In other words, his strength didn’t even measure up to one of Fang Chenyi’s patrolling security guards...