Dragon-Elephant Prajna Technique

The news of Paul's return and his brutal beating of Paul An quickly spread, though it remained largely confined to the lower ranks of the family—the servants and lesser slaves. For the mighty Paul family, his return barely registered as a ripple.

Within the estate of the Paul family, there was a particular corner known as the Yuma Office, a modest courtyard responsible for managing the family's mounts and exotic beasts. It was a place where creatures of all sorts were kept, and the air was often thick with their heavy breaths and primal energy.

After thrashing Paul An, Paul felt a small measure of release from the years of frustration and anger that had built up inside him. With his mood slightly improved, he strode calmly toward the Yuma Office. Along the way, the other servants pointed and whispered as they passed him, though Paul paid no heed, having long grown accustomed to such treatment.

Whoosh!

Just as Paul stepped through the gate of the Yuma Office, a gust of wind carrying a deadly intent rushed at him. In the past, he wouldn't have even noticed it, let alone dodged it. But now, Paul was different. His senses, sharpened by the power of martial arts, caught the attack before it could strike.

With a subtle shift of his foot, Paul deftly stepped back.

Crack!

A sharp sound pierced the air as a long, black whip cracked down where Paul had just been standing. The sheer force of the blow sent snow flying from the ground, scattering in all directions.

Paul's eyes narrowed as he recognized the whip.

"Hmm?"A surprised grunt echoed from nearby. A thin, middle-aged man stepped forward, his small, beady eyes gleaming with malice. His face, scarred and pockmarked, was twisted by a long, jagged line that stretched from his right temple to his left jaw. It looked as though someone had tried to split his head with an axe. This was Paul Hong, the overseer of the Yuma Office, a man with small authority but great cruelty. He was notorious for his sadistic tendencies and had taken a particular pleasure in tormenting Paul ever since he arrived.

Paul's eyes grew cold. During his time in the Yuma Office, Paul Hong had bullied him relentlessly. He had been starved, deprived of sleep, and even his meager allowance of copper coins was skimmed by this scoundrel. Today, however, things were different.

"You filthy dog! Disappeared for three days and now you dare dodge my whip? I'll beat you to death!" Paul Hong roared in anger. He barely registered his surprise before it gave way to fury. With a flick of his wrist, the black whip coiled like a serpent, lashing out viciously toward Paul once more.

"Courting death!"Paul's eyes flashed with icy determination. Instead of retreating, he stepped forward. His hand shot out, aiming directly for the oncoming whip.

Paul Hong's eyes narrowed with a venomous gleam. He infused his whip with inner strength, causing it to speed up. The whip sliced through the air, creating a sharp, cracking noise as it split the very atmosphere.

But Paul's hand, now strengthened by martial cultivation, was far from ordinary. With lightning reflexes, he caught the whip mid-strike, stopping its deadly momentum cold.

Paul Hong's expression shifted from rage to shock. He pulled at the whip, trying to wrest it free from Paul's grasp, but it didn't budge. His surprise grew deeper as he realized that in the three short days Paul had been missing, the boy he had tormented had become far stronger.

By this time, a few of the other servants had gathered around. The Yuma Office was small, and Paul Hong's shouting had drawn them out.

"Paul must have a death wish. How dare he fight back?" one servant muttered gleefully, anticipating Paul's imminent demise.

"Watch, the master's going to kill him for sure," another chimed in, his eyes glinting with malice.

Paul Hong's face twisted in a cruel smile. "A waste will always be a waste. I'll kill you today!"With a violent tremor, two faint dragon shadows emerged above Paul Hong's head—his manifestation of strength. He had reached the Second Heaven of the Martial Path, a significant level for someone of his status. He sneered, prepared to kill Paul with one decisive blow.

But then, something unexpected happened. Above Paul's head, two dark dragon shadows appeared, far more solid and vivid than Paul Hong's faint phantoms.

"What? He has two dragon shadows too?" the surrounding servants gasped, their faces twisting in disbelief. Paul Hong, who had always regarded Paul as nothing more than a worm, suddenly felt a chill of fear.

"Dragon Elephant Force!"

With a roar in his heart, Paul activated the terrifying strength of the Dragon Elephant Technique. Not only did two dragon shadows hover above him, but an elephant and another dragon spirit also materialized behind him. His power surged.

With a single, decisive jerk of his arm, Paul sent Paul Hong stumbling toward him, off-balance and defenseless. Then, with his free hand, Paul unleashed a punch, imbued with the power of a dragon and an elephant.

Crack!

The sound of shattering bones echoed through the courtyard as Paul's fist connected with Paul Hong's chest. The force of the blow caved in the man's ribcage, and blood spewed from his mouth like a fountain. His face, twisted in pain and fury, locked onto Paul with a venomous glare.

But Paul was not done. Cold rage bubbled inside him. "Still looking at me like that?" he muttered in disgust, and with a single step, he stomped down on Paul Hong's face.

A sickening crack followed as Paul Hong's face collapsed under the pressure, half of it disfigured beyond recognition. His screams pierced the air, echoing off the walls of the Yuma Office.

Paul cast a glance at the gathered servants. Fear rippled through them. Even though they had often bullied Paul themselves, none of them dared to meet his gaze now.

Seeing them recoil, Paul gave a curt order, "Take that trash to the woodshed. Don't let him die just yet." His voice was cold, devoid of sympathy. Without another word, Paul walked toward the largest room in the Yuma Office, the one that had belonged to Paul Hong. Now, it was his.

The servants scrambled to carry out his orders, their faces ashen.

A knock came on the door shortly after Paul had settled inside. He frowned, his mood darkening. Had these fools still not learned their lesson?

When he opened the door, eight of the servants stood outside, trembling. One of them, Paul Qing, stepped forward, bowing deeply.

"Master, we were blind before and offended you terribly. We beg your forgiveness. From now on, we are at your service, completely loyal to you."The others chimed in, echoing Paul Qing's sentiment.

Paul's lips curled in disdain. These were the same people who had tormented him, and now they sought to curry favor. Still, he played along for now.

"The management of the Yuma Office isn't something I can decide. You're free to go. By the way, this room is mine now. Any objections?"

The servants quickly shook their heads, retreating with forced smiles and promises of loyalty. Paul shut the door behind them, cold amusement flickering in his eyes.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he let his thoughts drift back over the past few days. It all seemed like a dream—transforming from a powerless nobody into a martial artist, defeating Paul An, crushing Paul Hong, and commanding respect from those who had once mocked him.

But deep down, he knew the source of it all: the mysterious power of the Hetu Luoshu.

"Wait… I trained inside the Hetu Luoshu for six days, but only three days have passed here. What's going on?" Paul murmured to himself. His curiosity piqued, he decided to re-enter the strange world of the Hetu Luoshu to find answers.