"Ah..."
An extremely piercing scream came from the man's throat.
"Hmph, you shouldn't have provoked me."
Zhou Yan's face was filled with a cold sternness.
*Crack!*
He raised his right leg and swept it directly at the man's knee, causing the black-clothed man to immediately kneel.
*Bang!*
Then, Zhou Yan stepped on his face.
*Crack...*
The man's nasal bone immediately snapped, blood spurted from his nostrils, and his eyes were unable to open. He fainted.
"Hmph, just an ant, daring to come and seek death. Truly overestimating yourself."
Zhou Yan shook his head disdainfully, then retracted his foot.
This time, his target was only the "Heavenly King Fist." As for the assassins sent by other forces, he was too lazy to bother with them.
"Let's first comprehend this secret manual and improve my strength."
Zhou Yan took out the "Profound Yellow Art" secret manual from his Qiankun Ring.
This secret manual was obtained from Zhou Yuanheng's storage ring back then.
He guessed that this secret manual probably contained some hidden profound meaning.
After all, it was a secret manual left by Zhou Yuanheng, how could it be ordinary.
However, just as he was about to examine it, the candlelight in the Zhou family hall suddenly extinguished, plunging everything into darkness. The only light source was the moonlight shining in from outside the courtyard wall.
This action immediately alerted Zhou Yan.
He would absolutely not allow this secret manual to fall into anyone's hands.
"Swish!"
Zhou Yan's figure flickered, and he rushed out of the house, standing on the wall and observing his surroundings by moonlight.
"Hmm?"
The next moment, Zhou Yan's pupils contracted.
He saw a flash of red light in the darkness.
Moreover, this red light was rapidly approaching, and in the blink of an eye, it was right in front of him.
Zhou Yan's gaze sharpened. He clenched his palm and punched out, meeting the red light.
*Clang!*
Metal clashed against metal. Zhou Yan's body trembled, and he staggered back several steps.
"Such immense force!"
Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes and looked at the red light. It was a snake, completely blood-red, emitting an eerie crimson glow. Its body was extremely long, about three zhang, and its scales were a strange purple.
At this moment, the snake spat out blood, its eyes fiercely staring at Zhou Yan, and it lunged at him with bared fangs and claws.
"Beast, you're seeking death."
Zhou Yan's gaze sank, and he smashed out with a punch.
*Rumble~*
A huge explosion erupted. The blood-red snake's head instantly shattered, blood gushed from its seven orifices, and it fell to the ground, twitching a few times before dying on the spot.
Zhou Yan picked up the corpse of the blood-red snake and examined it. Then, he discovered that a jade token was hanging from the snake's tail.
"Huh? What is this?"
Zhou Yan was puzzled.
The jade token was entirely blood-red, carved with dragon and phoenix patterns, lifelike.
Moreover, he could vaguely feel a trace of spiritual energy fluctuating from it.
He had a strong premonition that this blood-red jade token definitely contained a great opportunity.
With this thought, Zhou Yan immediately picked up the jade pendant and examined it in his palm.
*Hum~*
In an instant, the jade pendant emitted a dazzling blood-red radiance, and then slowly disappeared. At the same time, a piece of information surged into Zhou Yan's mind.
"This is..."
Zhou Yan was stunned.
It turned out that this jade pendant was a spatial ring.
"Could it be that this spatial ring is the key to the inheritance?" Zhou Yan's eyes gleamed slightly, and his mood became somewhat excited.
As the patriarch of the Zhou family, Zhou Yuanheng must have had jade pendants to cultivate martial arts and techniques.
And now, this jade pendant was actually in his hand.
"Perhaps, this jade pendant is the key to opening the secret realm of this cultivation method!"
At this moment, Zhou Yan's heart was beating rapidly.
"I have already cultivated to the peak of the Marrow Tempering Realm. The next step is the Foundation Establishment Realm! Just one step away, and I can reach the Hua Gang Realm, which martial artists dream of."
Zhou Yan's eyes were burning with passion.
The Hua Gang Realm was the level of a martial arts Grandmaster.
Once one entered the Hua Gang Realm, their physical body would be incredibly strong, their strength would surge by several times, and they would possess the power to overturn seas and rivers, making them virtually invincible.
Such a martial arts Grandmaster, even in the martial arts world, would be considered a powerhouse.
Zhou Yan had once heard his grandfather, Zhou Ding, say that in the entire China, there were only a handful of people in the Hua Gang Realm, less than a dozen.
Even such experts had transcended secular rules and could fly through the air.
"If I can reach the Hua Gang Realm, I will have the qualifications to contend for the position of family head. At that time, with the trump cards and means I possess, I will have a complete hope of winning and reclaiming the business that my father left me."
Zhou Yan clenched his fist.
No matter the cost, he was determined to enter the Hua Gang Realm.
Because, that was the true demeanor of a strong person!
"However, my current realm is stuck at the peak of the Marrow Tempering Realm. It's difficult to break through to the Hua Gang Realm in a short period."
"But with this blood-red jade pendant in hand, and after consuming some Blood Spirit Pills, I can break through to the Hua Gang Realm."
Zhou Yan muttered to himself.
Blood Spirit Pills were unique pills of the Zhou family that could help martial artists temper their physical bodies.
However, this kind of medicine was extremely precious and expensive.
The Zhou family only produced a hundred pills each year.
These were supplied to the elders of each lineage. Ordinary household servants and retainers had no right to enjoy Blood Spirit Pills.
"Let's leave the Zhou Mansion first."
Zhou Yan opened the window, his figure flickered, and he leaped onto the roof, quickly retreating along the small path.
........
Meanwhile, the night was deep.
In a courtyard within the Zhou family manor, Zhou Haoyu sat on a chair, holding a teacup and sipping it quietly.
Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and a black-clothed bodyguard strode in.
"Boss, what happened just now?" Zhou Haoyu asked.
"Boss, that good-for-nothing Zhou Yan is back."
The black-clothed bodyguard said respectfully.
"Zhou Yan? Heh heh... it's good that he's back. I want to see what ability this good-for-nothing has to snatch my property." Zhou Haoyu chuckled lightly, a mocking expression on his lips.
"Boss, do we need to investigate this matter?" the black-clothed bodyguard asked after a moment of hesitation.
"Investigate?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Haoyu scoffed, "He's just an idiot, not worth worrying about. No need to waste energy tracking him. Anyway, he will be dead tomorrow."
"Oh?" The black-clothed bodyguard was surprised.
"I heard that that kid's mother is my cousin. Since her son has fallen into our Zhou family's hands, we should hand him over to my cousin so she can take him away," Zhou Haoyu said calmly, taking a sip of tea.
"I see."
The black-clothed bodyguard nodded in understanding, then reminded, "But Boss, that kid's strength seems not simple."
"Hahaha, it's just the Marrow Tempering Realm. I can crush him with one finger."