Chapter 600 - The Whole World Is In Our Pocket

The very first thing Cassius intended to do was to rewrite the Six Southern Dipper Volumes and the Golem Heart Codex with the Qi Engraving Technique. He had drafted them once during the three years of time-travel and absorbed them completely. Therefore, the second draft would flow astonishingly fast.

What was more, the manuals' effects would likely soar in strength. After all, the earlier versions were penned when Cassius was merely an extreme combat artist. Now, Cassius had become a Dominator Fist, a legendary tier within Covert Martial Arts. The two realms could not be mentioned in the same breath.

Qi stamped upon a manual by someone at Holy Fist level would create arcane marvels, turning rot to wonder. A Dominator Fist who let Qi spill outward; his Qi field would be so compelling that Golem Sect disciples could grasp the art at breathtaking speed.

The Qi Engraving Technique was now patched and whole. Even though the Six Southern Dipper Volumes and the Golem Heart Codex brimmed with malevolence, they would no longer inflict harsh side effects. At the very least, they would not turn a weak-willed martial artist into a slave of the fist technique nor push him to absurd acts like mating with dark creatures.

Cassius could not help thinking of the time-travel's legendary interrogation squad, the Ghetto Four. If the Golem Sect expanded in the surface world, surely it would not spawn a Hongli Federation version of the Ghetto Four...?

Surely not...

He quit such odd notions and focused on the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance. In the fifth time-travel, Cassius had broadened the inheritance into a vast Covert Martial Arts system. It was now a towering tree with dense branches and contained three tiers.

The first layer comprised low-grade fist techniques like the Fire Stone Fist and Illusory Moon Fist. Their link to the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance was not pure; they used the essence of other fierce Covert Martial Arts. Naturally, their core remained Southern Dipper Force, but it was merely a weakened, simplified edition.

However, "low-grade" did not mean useless. These fists still struck with brutal lethality. Though their recipes were simple, the ingredients used were still mighty. "Low-grade" was a label only within the hierarchy of the Southern Dipper system.

The second tier held pure Southern Dipper fist techniques, each drawing on one trait. For example, the explosive trait from the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist was isolated to forge Explosive Fist. Such fists stood a full step above the first layer, since they were derived straight from the source. They were the system's high-level fist techniques.

Yes, there was no "mid-grade" fist within the Southern Dipper hierarchy. Beyond low lay high, with nothing between.

The third tier was, of course, the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist, Sonic Snake Fist, and Waterbird Fist. These were the three sources of the inheritance. One might call them the king of fist techniques.

Moreover, many other lower-grade fist techniques had appeared beneath the first layer. Those too packed respectable might, letting Covert Martial Art Practitioners unleash startling force. Some imitation arts mimicking the low-grade fist techniques were even fashionable among the lower strata.

Unfortunately, the Golem Sect had not officially catalogued these copycat arts. Thus, they were no more than peripheral twigs on the great tree of the Southern Dipper. They were born merely by attaching to the foundation of the Six Southern Dipper Volumes.

On the sunlit peak, Cassius's eyelids drooped slightly. The first and second tiers of the Southern Dipper Covert Martial Inheritance had been perfected during the time-travel; but he had to write out the final tier.

It was only when Cassius reached Dominator Fist through the Southern Dipper Red Falcon Fist that the art would be complete. Now, he was qualified at last to draft the Red Falcon Fist in full.

As for the Sonic Snake Fist and Waterbird Fist, Cassius could pen them, yet could not attain their complete state. Like a circle missing its final arc, it would not truly be a circle.

Of course, incessantly engraving the two fist techniques with Qi remained a good tempering exercise. If he tried day and night, questioning his heart and cycling Qi without a break, then Cassius would inch toward the Heart of the Holy Fist and Heart of the Ultimate Fist. He would be able to perceive their existence more readily.

For that benefit alone, the Qi Engraving Technique was undeniably incredible. Who knew which mighty predecessor had forged it? Perhaps some Holy Fist within the World of Calamity...

In any case, Cassius understood exactly what to do next. He had to lay out the foundations for the Golem Sect's rapid growth. He meant to manage the surface world until it was impregnable.

He would drive out every sewer rat and only then peer into the World of Calamity.

"The Golem Sect must start moving!" He resolved.

Cassius vanished from the jagged summit and traced a fading rainbow down to the estate. The estate interior was currently in chaos. Patrolmen and guards who had fainted were waking up in a panic and rousing their colleagues. Thinking enemies had invaded, they rushed into the grounds. They looked on edge, as though an attack were in progress.

Cassius soon appeared and calmed them all. He ordered his subordinates to summon every major faction under the Golem Sect to Baichuan City. He would hold a critical conference about the sect's future.

He even wished for the Chief Mechanist's butler, Amos, to be present because the coming operation would be monumental. Who knew whether old Amos could handle it. Preferably he would.

Even if he couldn't, Cassius would press on regardless. No one could halt his stride, not even the government. When Cassius returned after having achieved Dominator Fist, his personal might towered above institutions; his Will would bow to no opposition!

Truthfully, Cassius held little interest in ruling the Hongli Federation. However, the federation must not hinder his grip on the entire Covert Martial Arts community or its expansion. Let each mind its own well. He hoped the federation would be sensible as he disliked trouble.

***

On the afternoon of October 29, Year 156 of the Hongli Federation calendar, in Baichuan City.

All servants and guards withdrew from the suburban estate, leaving only Golem Sect personnel in the surrounding woods. They were warned as well. Until Cassius emerged, no one was to enter the estate.

That odd injunction did not surprise the sect's people. A sudden closed-door inspiration was normal among Covert Martial Artists. One needed a quiet place, free of disturbance, to break through.

Thus, the patrols in the forest obeyed Cassius's order. They formed distant rings of vigilance against strangers.

At first, all was normal as the private grounds lay silent. However, around three in the afternoon, odd sights began. A line of black birds streaked southward across the sky. Yet when they passed over the estate, they fell straight down. They even did so in perfect unison; not one was spared.

𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Later, the clouds over the woods were drawn in by some force. It thickened, overlapped, and sank lower and lower. The dark, heavy, and terrifyingly oppressive clouds resembled a whole ocean pressing down.

Mist mysteriously rose in the forest, and dim silhouettes seemed to walk within the fog. The eerie atmosphere spread, making everyone shiver.

Some patrolmen even saw hallucinations and fled backward in fright. When asked what he saw, he said a blood-drenched youth wielding bizarre combat techniques. The youth's foes were horrific, grotesque, non-human monsters. However, the youth feared nothing. He charged, laughing grimly and swinging broad hands. Those palms seemed to hold frightful magic, like an illusory moon.

Their arcs were elegant and gorgeous yet lethally precise. A monster brushed by them was wounded and another one touched by them died. Each corpse shattered into a thousand cubes.

A mirrored full moon continued to float over the youth's head. After he had slain hundreds of monsters, he seemed to notice the patrolman and gave an elegant grin, teeth gleaming white. It chilled one's spine; the patrolman felt he would be dismembered next and suddenly he had phantom pain in every limb.

The moment the vision appeared, the patrol squad fell back at once. They stopped a kilometer away, where the sky was broad and clear, and the fog vanished. It was as though they had exited another domain.

Though not long after, the haze began spreading again. The patrol squad ruefully withdrew once more. Retreat upon retreat brought them clear of the entire forest.

By nightfall, the entire southern suburb of Baichuan lay under gray fog. Trembling drivers who left the haze sped to the city police to report. They claimed terrifying visions had appeared. They saw black-clad giants wielding strange powerful techniques, who were locked in mortal combat with an endless tide of non-human monsters.

Sky and earth alike had turned into mountains of corpses and seas of blood. The Baichuan police were stunned by the tale. They planned to send investigators and send a report up the chain.

However, before they could act, the mayor of Baichuan personally silenced the idea. In a half an hour private talk between the mayor and police chief, everything changed. The police chief led a large force himself to cordon off the suburb. All traffic was diverted to other roads.

***

On November 1, Year 156 of the Hongli Federation calendar.

Three days had passed, and the estate's anomalies had lasted exactly that long. Strangely, though it was momentous, the local papers reported nothing, saying the government was merely repairing roads.

As for the terrifying hallucinations, they claimed drunken drivers had babbled nonsense.

At 11 a.m. all elites of the Golem Sect from the Six Eastern Counties gathered in a sect hall. Whatever tasks or troubles they had, they came at once. This included many Ace of Spades executives, several neo-human delegates, numerous Shadowless Clan leaders, and experts the Golem Sect had absorbed from the Covert Martial Arts community.

A long rectangular conference table lay draped in velvet red. Seats lined either side with figures waiting in silence.

"The sect master summoned us urgently. This must be huge!"

"What vital matter could it be?"

While they wondered, a deep voice suddenly sounded from one side of the table.

"It seems everyone is assembled. Good, punctual."

"Eh!?"

Previously, each leader had been seated—some upright and strict, some arms folded, others slouched deep in chairs. Now, all heads snapped toward the table's head.

There, a black-clad figure sat expressionless and unnoticed. No hint of aura leaked from him; he seemed no more than an ordinary man. No, ordinary folk still had a presence. His utter absence of presence was like an invisible man. He was scarcely different from air itself.

Shock rippled through them. Some even sprang to their feet. "S-sect master, sir!"

At the head, Cassius lowered his hand. "No commotion."

Every leader sat up straight, seemingly frozen by an unseen aura.

"Th-this..."

A Covert Martial Arts combat artist stared in horror, trying to speak. To render him utterly frozen was impossible even for a top-tier combat artist releasing their Qi at full force! Yet the sect master before them displayed not a wisp of Qi. Only some intangible presence pinned him in place.

What realm of Covert Martial Arts was this?

Cassius glanced at the combat artist, and he fell silent at once.

"Listen first."

He snapped his fingers and thirteen Covert Martial Art manuals shrouded in eerie Qi fields and fearful malevolence appeared on the table.

"From this moment on, every member of the Golem Sect will switch to cultivating the thirteen manuals here. Throw away all the strength you once held. It is feeble and unfit for high-level combat. The Six Southern Dipper Volumes and the Golem Heart Codex forms the cultivation system I prepared for you. Master them and you will grasp formidable power..."

"The Eastern Covert Martial Arts community, the Hongli Federation's Covert Martial Arts community, and even the planet's entire Covert Martial Arts community is, from this instant, a prize already in our pocket..."