Section 108: Vacuum Tremor

Tang Tian practiced tirelessly. He had long forgotten to supervise the others, and had even forgotten that he was at the Qian family estate. At this moment, he had eyes only for his martial arts and his own fists.

With his fifth-tier true power driving his fourth-tier fist technique, he caught a glimpse of something different from before—a nuance so subtle that he had only just noticed it today.

His fifth-tier true power was far more surging. Whether it was the Heavenly Dragon Force or the Crane Body Force, the moment Tang Tian willed it, the energy contained within his true power would erupt with astonishing explosive force.

The improvement granted by fifth-tier true power was comprehensive; compared to the fourth tier, it was a qualitative leap in both intensity and refinement. Subtle aspects of the Vibrating Fist became much clearer under the influence of this higher-tier energy.

Tang Tian’s senses were already exceptionally sharp. Through continuous, repetitive practice, those elusive details began to surface.

The Vibrating Fist in Tang Tian’s hands began to change slowly.

The sound of the wind generated by his punches gradually faded away.

In the past, every punch Tang Tian threw would stir up countless fine ripples. These hair-thin ripples were air vibrations caused by his true power, and they possessed immense lethality, capable of easily shredding rock.

However, his current Vibrating Fist produced fewer and fewer ripples, and the sound of the wind vanished rapidly. His punches no longer carried their previously terrifying momentum, appearing to be nothing more than ordinary strikes. In reality, this meant that his energy was becoming increasingly restrained and concentrated, with not a single trace leaking outward.

Shangguan Zhu and the others, who witnessed this change with their own eyes, were deeply shaken. Although the Shangguan family had declined over the years, their heritage remained; while these disciples were not strong, their judgment was sound.

The more restrained and concentrated the punch force, the greater its power.

Everyone understood this principle, but very few could actually achieve it. Modern martial arts relied on soul general cards for inheritance, making them easy to learn but difficult to master. Gold cards were too expensive for the average person, while silver and bronze cards contained incomplete realizations. Furthermore, such realizations were subjective; what suited one person might not suit another, leading to frequent mismatches between practitioners and their soul general cards.

Ultimately, cultivation was a grind. As one reached higher realms, the effort required became staggering.

The prevailing trend was to judge strength by tier—the higher the tier, the better—and everyone’s goal was to reach a higher realm. Few people were willing to put in the painstaking effort to refine a martial art to perfection, as most believed that no matter how perfect a low-tier technique was, it could never match the power of a high-tier one.

Tier was everything—this was how most people thought, and before today, Shangguan Wei and the others had felt the same.

That was until Tang Tian appeared, showing combat power far beyond his fifth-tier status. Until today, many believed that the "Young Master-in-law" was only so strong because he relied on his specialized equipment. Yet, they now saw him spending a vast amount of time continuing to practice what they already considered a perfect Vibrating Fist.

*With that kind of time, why not cultivate more true power? High-tier martial arts are the true path,* they thought.

But when the sound of Tang Tian’s punches vanished, everyone was moved and stunned. Even though there was no sound of wind, every one of Tang Tian’s punches carried an indescribable sense of danger. Their minds were involuntarily drawn to his fists, unable to look away, as if they possessed a magical allure.

They stared blankly, completely forgetting to practice. The large training ground fell into a sudden, quiet silence.

Only Tang Tian continued, one punch after another, lost in his own world.

His inner true power boiled, and he felt incredibly comfortable. Punch after punch, following his heart, every tiny detail flowed through his mind like a stream—it was beautiful.

*This is vibration…*

A silent realization seemed to drift through his heart.

It was as if a thin layer of paper had been gently poked through, and the beautiful scenery on the other side was revealed in an instant.

An unspeakable emotion flooded Tang Tian’s heart.

He let out a long shout. His true power surged, and within him, a crane cried and a dragon roared. His boiling energy erupted, and without a second thought, Tang Tian threw a punch!

A punch that was soundless, with not a trace of outward force.

Suddenly, a transparent orb about the size of a coconut appeared around his fist.

The orb lasted for only a second before it shattered with a *pop*, the sound echoing across the entire arena.

The air in the entire training ground seemed to be drawn by an invisible hand, rushing suddenly toward the shattered transparent orb.

Amidst the explosion of energy, Tang Tian stood like a mountain, as still as a statue.

A thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.

***

Amoli and his group arrived at the Shangguan residence and identified themselves. By chance, they were received by Uncle Qian, who, upon hearing that these youths had come all the way from Starwind City to find Young Master A-Tian, hurriedly brought them inside.

When they reached the training ground, they happened to see Tang Tian’s transparent orb.

Their expressions changed instantly. Their footsteps stopped involuntarily, as if they had been frozen in place.

*That… that is… a vacuum!*

*How is it possible…*

*That punch… it actually annihilated the air, creating a vacuum orb…*

*The Vibrating Fist is only a fourth-tier technique… it’s only a fourth-tier technique!*

*Basic Tang…*

They had heard that if the Vibrating Fist was cultivated to its peak, it could shatter the air to create a localized vacuum. This was the legendary "Vacuum Shock."

"Vacuum Shock" was only a myth; they had never seen anyone succeed in it. Yet today, it was unfolding right before their eyes. The impact and shock were so profound that even though they were all strong-willed individuals, their minds went blank for a moment.

No one expected Amoli to be the first to recover from the shock. He shook his head and shouted, "No more fighting! What’s the point of fighting? Freak Tang is too much of a freak! Does this guy die if he doesn't figure out a finishing move?"

The others finally snapped out of their stupor.

Tang Tian, now pulled from his trance, heard Amoli’s voice. He blinked, turned, and upon seeing them, was overjoyed.

"Fly-Cow!"

Tang Tian roared and, with a few leaps, appeared before them.

The group felt a blur before their eyes, and Tang Tian was already standing in front of them. Han Bingning and the others felt a sudden chill.

*So fast!*

While the others still wore looks of shock, only Amoli laughed loudly. He stepped forward and gave Tang Tian a bear hug, shouting, "Basic Tang, long time no see! Wow, you really surprise me now. You’re getting stronger and stronger. I wanted to have a fight with you, but after seeing that punch, I’ve lost all desire. Kid, the responsibility of saving the world is now yours..."

Listening to Amoli’s prattling, Tang Tian felt a strange warmth. Amoli was generous and simple-hearted, just a bit of a chatterbox.

"Fly-Cow, you’re still so long-winded!"

As they pulled apart, Tang Tian wore a mocking expression.

"Hey, Basic Tang, you have to understand a lively martial man who’s been stifled for so long. They are so boring. One is an eternal iceberg, one is sinister, and the other actually eats vegetarian! Can you believe there are creatures in this world that only eat vegetables? And this creature happens to be Brother Liang Qiu. Heavens, my idol has shattered. Of course, don’t worry, none of this will stop a lively martial man from forging his own martial path..."

Amoli’s incessant rambling drew the ire of the others.

Han Bingning touched the hilt of her sword, her brows lowered and cold air radiating from her: "You said I am an eternal iceberg?"

Amoli immediately shut his mouth.

Liang Qiu chuckled and asked with interest, "Tang Tian, that move just now, was that Vacuum Shock?"

Tang Tian nodded. "Yes, I only just realized it."

A hint of admiration flashed in Liang Qiu’s eyes as he praised, "As expected of Basic Tang! Vacuum Shock is a very powerful finishing move for the Vibrating Fist. Since you’ve already mastered it, why not cultivate the 'Vacuum Fist' when you reach the sixth tier? It will surely be twice the result with half the effort."

Tang Tian knew Liang Qiu was giving him advice and said gratefully, "Thank you, Brother Liang!"

"Hmph, it’s just a Vacuum Shock. Young Tang, you’re already at the fifth tier, why are you still practicing a fourth-tier fist technique?" Sima Xiangshan asked quietly. His triangular eyes flickered with a fierce, snake-like light.

Tang Tian answered honestly, "I plan to refine every martial art I practice to perfection. It would be best if I could master a finishing move for each."

The group fell silent in unison.

If anyone else had said this, they would have grabbed a brick to crack open the person’s head to see if it was filled with mush. But since it was Tang Tian, they didn't know what to say.

*Is it true that freaks just keep being freaks…*

"As expected of Basic Tang!" Amoli clapped his hands, his eyes glowing with excitement. "Only a god-like youth has such courage! This lively martial man must also learn from this god-like youth! Oh, oh, just thinking about it is exciting! What a world full of fighting spirit…"

Tang Tian turned his face away and asked in surprise, "Lively martial man—did you come up with that yourself?"

Amoli swelled with pride. "Haha, of course! Such a unique name could only be thought of by a passionate, lively martial man..."

Tang Tian withdrew his gaze and said to the others with a sympathetic look, "You guys haven't killed this guy while being with him—you are all too kind."

"Tang Tian, how have things been at the Outer Camp?" Han Bingning suddenly looked up and asked.

Tang Tian smiled bitterly and recounted his experiences, hiding nothing—except for the killing of Kong Youlin and his decision to join Jing Hao’s faction.

Everyone was stunned. They had assumed Tang Tian would be highly valued by Kong Youlin, not exiled.

"Amoli, I want to join your faction too!" Amoli raised his hand.

Unexpectedly, Han Bingning said coldly, "I’ll join too!"

Tang Tian wasn’t surprised by a single-minded guy like Amoli, but he was startled that Han Bingning was joining in.

Liang Qiu pondered, "Since we are all from Starwind City, it would be easier to look out for one another if we are in the same faction."

The three of them turned their gazes to Sima Xiangshan.

Sima Xiangshan shrugged. "I don’t care."

Tang Tian felt a warmth in his heart, but he knew it wasn't that simple. After a moment of thought, he said, "Don’t be in a rush. Keep this quiet for now; I’ll ask Brother Jing Hao first."