Mystical Journey

As the Golden Statue Technique had been successfully maximised, the modified Mammoth Secret Technique, together with the enhancement effects from multiple Body Hardening Techniques became one symbol and merged into the Golden Statue Technique, fusing into a new, mysterious symbol.

‘Golden Statue Technique: Grade 5. The modified Mammoth Secret Technique has been partially covered and enhanced. A part of the conflicted effects have been erased.’ The meaning of the symbol was sent directly into Garen’s mind.

He panicked as he saw it. If he couldn’t achieve what he wanted during this conversion, his strength would decrease. Whether the Golden Statue technique would disagree with the modified Mammoth Secret Technique had to be confirmed after some assessment.

Since the Golden Statue Technique had solidified in the skill pane, it meant that it would no longer be subject to change.

‘Golden Statue Technique: Grade 5. (Known as strength, response and defense).

Defense Enhancement Level 1. (Conversion from the maximised Body Hardening Technique)

It was no issue that the powerful hardening might cause a counter effect, but he was concerned if the effect of the maximised Body Hardening Technique would be retained during attacking.

Garen tried to adjust his blood and qi. Fortunately, the effect retained but he couldn’t raised it up to two dan, instead remaining fixed at one dan.

Slightly disappointed, he continued looking at the skill pane.

There were ten more potential points, and it seemed like the Golden Statue Technique could still be increased further as its name has yet to turn gray.

Without any hesitation, he added five potential points into it.

His internal organs started to feel like they didn’t sit quite right with him.

Garen didn’t turned a deaf ear to the discomfort and focused all of his attention onto the peaked Golden Statue Technique.

This technique was considered a second rate technique once it had reached its peak. However, a strange thing happened after he added five potential points into it.

A strange symbol appeared behind the Golden Statue Technique.

Garen immediately understood what it meant: Achieved the theoretical limits of the technique due to forced conclusion onto the Golden Statue Technique. Training method will be increased drastically. Name will be changed according to the information.

The golden Statue Technique slowly disappeared and a new name appeared.

Divine Statue Technique!

Garen gave a sigh of relief.

This was the pinnacle of the Golden Statue Technique that the inventor had envisioned. Nobody really knew what effects the Divine Statue Technique possessed. Only Garen knew, for he was the only one able to experience it. His body brimmed with an inexplicable energy from head to toe.

The Divine Statue Technique; its name was derived from a god, an ever constant being, standing above all, the overseer of all beings. A god was eternal, and would never change or be injured. This was the theoretical peak of the Golden Statue Technique. It required a ridiculously high spirit to be able to achieve it.

As soon as the Divine Statue Technique had been activated, countless battle skills passed through Garen’s consciousness, and his body adapted to these battle skills swiftly as well. The Mammoth Secret Technique’s battle skills that made him an upper class Grandmaster of Combat slowly faded and became normal , well practiced techniques. What replaced them were the battle skills from the Divine Statue Technique.

Haa!!

He raised his hands and a vortex rose up from around his surroundings, throwing leaves and flower petals in all directions from where he was standing.

A faint, white-gold glow radiated from the back of his hand. It was as if it were not human.

A his hand screeched a loud clang when he brought them together with speed .

"It’s different from the Mammoth Secret Technique. The Divine Statue Technique is much harder and is less tough." Garen felt that his muscles and skin become as hard as bronze, yet he still had the flexibility to move freely.

He felt nothing when the cool air of the night breeze blew on his body. The lantern that hung at the corner of the manor’s building quietly let a dim light similar to that of a sunset onto the ground as it swung about..

The light of the colosseum became unsteady.

Bam!!

An explosion rang from within the dark forest from afar. The explosion was like roaring thunder as it travelled through the whole manor, shaking the walls ever so slightly.

Garen looked at the direction and could faintly heard gunshots from the direction.

"Mark!"

Soon, a middle-aged man lead a few servants clad in white from the manor’s main building.

"Gate Master, the military soldiers are having a battle against an unknown force. We have already sent our men to investigate."

Garen looked at him.

"Has Vanhatten returned?"

"He is still in Harmony City. The issue with the Felia Sisters has yet to reach a conclusion, owing to the fact that the matter has been exceedingly complicated. He has again requested to transfer people numbered 40 and above there." Mark replied with respect.

"He couldn’t resolve such a small matter. Whatever. Send a few men and inquire of the situation. These mountains are our industry. Those who trespass and refuse to cooperate with the authorities shall be eliminated."

The creaking of metal on metal could be heard as Garen moved his fingers.

After Mark left the colosseum, two dark figures jumped over the enclosing wall and softly landed onto the white stone field in the colosseum.

As Garen was about to attack, one of the dark figures raised his hands up and spoke.

"Garen, it’s me!"

The dark figure walked towards the lantern, and Andrela’s familiar face was brought to light.

Another dark figure walked out of the darkness as well. He was a man in a classic black western suit. A small goatee hung from his chin, and his lips let out the gentle smile of an English Gentleman.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Saint Mammoth Garen Sir."

Saint Mammoth’s floor had a reputation in China...

The well known Saint Mammoth’s floor...

Saint Mammoth’s floor...

Floor...

Floor...

It was as if thousands of mud horses ran through his mind as the term echoed in his head.

Garen took a deep breath as he tried to suppress his urge to attack. With a stupefied look on his face, "I don’t remember having such a nickname. Who thought of such a dumb name."

"Did you not know? This is a nickname bestowed to you by the International Martial Art Alliance. The nickname of the Grandmaster of Combat typically comes from his signature technique. Isn’t it a good thing that people call you Saint Mammoth?" The gentleman asked curiously.

Garen’s face twitched. He shrugged and changed the topic after calming himself down.

"It reminded me of a joke that I heard a long time ago. I still prefer people calling me the White Cloud Gate Master. Who are you?"

The man smiled and looked passionately at Andrela who was standing at the side. He looked at him coldly and introduced him as he forced a smile on his face.

"This is the King of NIghtmares Stephen Ralph."

Garen had never seen Andrela showing such an expression before. He estimated a ridiculous guess based on the distance they stood between each other. Without waiting for his response, he caught Ralph looking at Andrela melancholily.

"Drela, have you still not accepted my love towards you? We have already served each other without clothes."

"..."

"..."

A cold breeze blew across the colosseum as the three of them went quiet.

Garen felt goose bumps all over his body.

"Both.. Both of you should go rest for a bit." He mustered out a sentence as he invited them. "Mark!"

Immediately, Mark came out from the building and greeted them with a bow.

"Bring these two esteemed guests to the guest rooms."

"Yes, Gate Master."

Andrela reluctantly smiled and moved further away from Ralph on his own.

"Ralph. You... You should rest first as I need to talk to Garen for a bit."

Ralph looked at him with resentment and focused his gaze upon Garen as he admired and rated him. He left with Mark afterwards.

Only Garen and Andrela was left in the garden.

Both of them were still quiet even when the footsteps slowly faded to the distance.

"Beware of Ralph." Andrela helplessly put a complicated smile on his face.

"What happened between you two?" Garen sat on his knees as he could still feel the goose bumps he had earlier.

Andrela slowly sat down with an even bitter facial expression.

"This incident... I have to start from where I went outstation for my training."

As Andrela confessed, Garen started to understand the whole situation.

At the same time, he had a better understanding of the King of NIghtmares Stephen Ralph.

The current Ralph was just one of his many pseudonyms. The King of NIghtmares possessed many other aliases.

The King of NIghtmares with a thousand faces, who had gone through hypnosis of himself and others, could reconstruct his body structure. With the addition of illusions in place, he was able to become an old man or a young girl with different faces and bodies.

He had a one night stand with Ralph in his womanly form. He turned into a man and became a gay friend of his after the incident. This story was filled with blood and tears and had exceeded the realm of genders.

Garen, who thought he was experienced and knowledgeable, had goose bumps again as he heard the story.

"Ralph will change his identity every once in awhile. He is able to adjust his own body, be it the hormonal secretions or his bones and muscle structure. This guy has mastered many types of ancient chinese martial arts, especially martial arts like Jujitsu. He is the ultimate grandmaster." Andrela helplessly said, "If we were to strictly measure his martial art capability, he is on the same level as I. Not to mention his skill in hypnosis."

He finally added on.

"What you need to be aware of is that his personality and temper will change every time the King of NIghtmares changes his identity. Hence you should never put your guard down when he’s around."

Speechless, Garen nodded.

"King of NIghtmares.... Living up to his reputation..."

Andrela looked at Garen as he tried his best not to twitch his face.

"You have to be careful... I think he had laid his eyes on you. He will become the person that he likes in a few days time..."

Two Garens stood against each other on a starry night as the night breeze blew across the colosseum.

"Who are you!"

"I am Garen!"

"I am the real Garen!"

"You who are inferior in battle strength! Who allowed you to impersonate me!"

"Hmph! How dare you impersonate me! What you did is outrageous!"

"Mammoth Secret Technique!"

"Ten Thousand Mammoth Retrograde!"

This scenario flashed through Andrela’s mind. Based on his understanding of Garen, it was very likely that this scene would happen.

Garen looked glazed as he obviously had a bad feeling about it.

"How did you solve it last time? This situation."

"He knocked me out and impersonate me for some time before. He will revert back to normal once he gets bored of it. He won’t be bored of you so it depends on how you want to resolve it." Andrela helplessly replied. "However he still has a few identities that he tends to stick with. One of it is the current Steven Ralph, who is also the founder of the Siren Group. There is another identity he likes to use. You’ll see it soon."