"What? How is Tianji now?" Makino Yuta roared on the other end of the phone.
"I called an ambulance before I came out to chase that person, but I guess he couldn't be saved." Kurosaki's voice didn't change much.
Yuta Makino was blinded by rage. He only had one son, and now his genitals had been crippled, meaning he, the head of the Makino family, might be without an heir. Yuta Makino said coldly, "Baka! Didn't you already injure that man? How could you let him get away? And you still have the nerve to call me? Keep chasing him! I'm going to kill him!"
"Just when I was about to catch him, he took the opportunity to ambush me. He was quite strong, with the strength of the sixth level of the early stage of the Acquired Realm. He eventually escaped into the Ikegami family's building," Kurosaki explained.
Makino Yuta said in a deep voice, "You mean, that person is from the Ikegami family?"
“No, his clothes had the Miyamoto family crest on them, but he ran into the Ikegami family’s territory. Head of the family, you said that the Ikegami family and the Miyamoto family are allied, so I dare not act rashly.”
"What a bunch of Miyamoto and Ikegami families! I suspected they were behind the attack on Tenki yesterday, and now they've brazenly crippled my son on my Makino family's territory. I will avenge this!" Makino Yuta paused for a second, then continued, "Kurosaki, you stay there and check on Tenki's injuries. I'll personally go and meet those old fogies from the Miyamoto and Ikegami families!"
After hanging up the phone, Kurosaki glanced at the building in front of him one last time before disappearing into the darkness.
After "escaping" into the building, Han Feng quietly hid in a restroom and observed Kurosaki's movements through the window. Once he confirmed that Kurosaki hadn't followed him in, he was certain that his plan had succeeded. After seeing Kurosaki leave, he also slipped away through the window.
Back at the hotel, Han Feng turned on the tap and washed off his disguise. The "sleazy Japanese man" in the mirror gradually transformed back into his angular face. After tidying up his clothes for the night's operation, he went to Su Wanwan's room and called Liu Xiaoran over.
Han Feng closed the door and, under the astonished gazes of the two, told them how he had entered the Makino family's brothel that night, completely crippled Makino Tenki, and how, after fighting with Kurosaki, he had shifted the blame to Kurosaki, making Kurosaki see him running into the Ikegami family's building.
"No way, you made Muye Tianji impotent and then just stomped on him? I never knew you were this cunning." Su Wanwan laughed until tears streamed down her face when she heard Han Feng say all this.
Liu Xiaoran's attention was entirely focused on Han Feng's claim of single-handedly infiltrating the Makino family's territory. "So you just brazenly displayed the Miyamoto family crest in front of Makino Tenki?!" Liu Xiaoran's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out through clenched teeth. "Do you even know the strength of the guards there? What if there were a few more experts like Kurosaki? Could you have escaped? Where were you injured?"
Hearing Liu Xiaoran's words, Su Wanwan's heart skipped a beat. She realized the seriousness of the situation: "If you encounter an opponent of that level, you won't even have a chance to escape..."
Han Feng ignored their questions. He felt the new life force flowing through his body. The breakthrough after his battle with Kurosaki had sharpened his senses several times over. He could even hear the weather forecast playing on the TV in the room downstairs.
"I am currently in the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm," Han Feng said calmly to Liu Xiaoran.
The room suddenly became eerily quiet. Su Wanwan blinked, looking completely bewildered; while Liu Xiaoran froze on the spot as if struck by lightning, his pupils contracting sharply.
"After...what?" Su Wanwan asked, tilting her head.
Liu Xiaoran suddenly took a step forward, his voice changing tone: "What level do you think you're at now?!"
"Mid-stage of the Acquired Realm," Han Feng repeated, a slight smile playing on his lips. "If we follow the classification of your ancient martial arts families, I should be at this level."
Liu Xiaoran's Adam's apple bobbed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He looked the young man up and down as if he were seeing Han Feng for the first time: "This is impossible... Even among the direct descendants of the three great families of China, reaching the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm before the age of thirty is already considered genius... and Han Feng is only twenty years old."
Han Feng shrugged, and the power of the stars within his body flowed naturally, condensing into a visible milky-white vortex at his fingertips.
"This is internal energy being released!" Liu Xiaoran gasped, staggering back half a step and bumping into the coffee table. Clearly, this was a sign of entering the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm. Although Su Wanwan didn't understand the martial arts realms they were talking about, she realized the seriousness of the matter from Liu Xiaoran's reaction.
"Is it very impressive?" she asked softly.
Liu Xiaoran mechanically turned his head: "Among so many powerful families in China, those who have reached this level in the younger generation are extremely rare. And..." His gaze returned to Han Feng, "Just half a month ago you were only at the early fourth stage of the Acquired Realm..."
Han Feng recalled his battle with Kurosaki. As he actively gathered the power of the stars to launch an attack, it felt as if some shackles within his body had been broken, and an unprecedented power surged forth. The words Zero had spoken in his mind at that moment echoed once more: "You have just broken through to the mid-stage of the Acquired Realm."
At that time, Han Feng even marveled at how good it was that a cultivation technique didn't require him to deliberately practice it.
Faced with Liu Xiaoran's questioning, Han Feng said, "Everyone has their own opportunities." Han Feng vaguely changed the subject, "Let's get down to business. My provocation today has had its effect."
"Starting tomorrow, the three families will likely completely break ties." Han Feng pointed to the pictures on Su Wanwan's computer. "The Makino family will believe that the Miyamoto family attacked Makino Tenki and crippled him; the explosion in the mall during the day has already made Miyamoto Kojiro suspicious of the Makino family. The Ikegami family has always had a cooperative relationship with the Miyamoto family, and with what I did tonight, the Makino family will hold a grudge against both of them. Besides, I left a gift for the Makino family today."
Su Wanwan's eyes lit up: "You mean the stuff on the hard drive?"
Han Feng nodded, and Su Wanwan became excited: "So what we need to do these next two days is add fuel to the fire!"
"Very clever! Or rather, controlling the fire." Han Feng pointed to three red dots on the map. "Let them fight hard enough, but don't let one side win quickly. Three days later..." He pointed to the three circled areas, "When the three sides are at each other's throats, we'll take the opportunity to blow up their laboratory."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com