Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
Beneath the azure sky, a flying car sliced through the air.
The bustling metropolis sprawled below, its towering skyscrapers piercing the heavens. Neon holographic projections swirled like mist through the city streets.
[ Red Wave Energy—Synonymous with Safety and Efficiency. ]
The advertisement materialized as a blue light projection, hovering in mid-air. Within it, a virtual car transformed with the company's new energy source, its acceleration skyrocketing as it rocketed skyward, chasing after a rocket.
The scene shifted continuously, the massive steel letters of "Red Wave Energy" emblazoned atop the tallest skyscraper.
Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the facade like countless scales, reflecting the blue-green hues of the sky and creating an impression of a vast oceanic expanse. This gave the structure an inexplicable air of majesty, inspiring awe and reverence in passersby.
Pedestrians cast respectful glances from afar, while the figures entering and exiting the Crimson Wave Energy Tower were mostly impeccably dressed elites in business suits.
Beyond this, one could also spot individuals in casual attire or martial arts uniforms moving about the area.
"Master Luo, safe travels."
"You too."
"Master Lin, can we really get Qi-Blood Supplements for participating in the Martial Arts Experiment Project?"
"Why would I lie to you? Don't you see what I'm holding?"
Murmured conversations rippled outside the Crimson Wave Energy Tower as a middle-aged man in a martial arts uniform proudly displayed a silver metal bottle.
Through the clear glass, one could see a pale, slightly vibrant fluid inside, radiating a faint aura of vitality.
"So it really is a Qi-Blood Supplement," the young man remarked, his eyes widening with envy.
"Hey, you didn't believe me, did you?" the middle-aged man in a martial arts uniform chuckled. "To be honest, Red Wave Energy is rolling in it. They wouldn't even blink at something like this."
The young man's interest was piqued. "Master Lin, what exactly do I need to do?"
"I've only just reached the Force Refining stage. Would Red Wave Energy even want to collaborate with someone like me?"
"Look at that brain of yours," the older man said, shaking his head. He leaned in and whispered, "I told you, it's simple. You just need to reach Bone Refining."
"You'll just need to go to the lab and let the staff collect some physical data. That's how they build their Martial Dao Database for future research."
"Oh, and they'll need to draw some blood—at least 400cc."
"Blood?" The young man frowned, visibly reluctant. "Can I skip that part?"
"Sure, but the compensation will be much lower. It's up to you."
Their exchange was a microcosm of the scene unfolding around them. Martial artists of varying levels—Bone Refining, Force Refining, and even Inner Strength experts—streamed in and out of the Crimson Wave Energy Tower.
The sight didn't surprise passersby. High above, the tower's exterior screens broadcast announcements about the collaboration, explaining everything.
[ Martial Arts Collaboration: Data Collection ]
[ We welcome Professional Level and higher-ranked Martial Artists to participate in this collaboration. ]
[ Compensation: Minimum 100,000 Red Nation Currency, plus Qi-Blood Supplements. ]
The promotional slogan seemed deeply ingrained in the public consciousness.
Observing the scene through the shared vision of the White Ash Stone Statue, Chen Feng, sitting in the Flying Car on his way back, subtly narrowed his eyes.
"Could this be Red Wave Energy?" he wondered.
The thought flashed through his mind. Red Wave Energy had notoriously tight security protocols, which was why the Small Stone Statue had been monitoring the situation from outside the tower, detecting no anomalies during its surveillance.
However, he recalled his earlier refusal to collaborate with Secretary Liu on martial arts research.
Red Wave Energy's so-called research might very well involve some forbidden experiments, perhaps requiring a certain quantity of martial artists' blood to produce biological agents.
Some of the participating martial artists must surely be aware of this, but were likely turning a blind eye due to the substantial compensation.
"Iphia and her partner have indeed offended some people," Celine remarked from the passenger seat, her expression grim. "The Orlan Group from the Platinum Federation also had some minor conflicts with them."
"But they wouldn't resort to lethal measures, would they?"
Pinnacle Realm Martial Artists were already exceedingly rare, especially after the incident in the Niduo Kingdom's Capital.
Having narrowly survived yet another ambush, Chen Feng feared that only a handful of them remained.
He didn't respond, merely shaking his head silently as a multitude of speculations flashed through his mind.
He couldn't definitively point the finger at Red Wave Energy.
Even if Iphia and her partner had other enemies, the Platinum Federation couldn't be completely ruled out.
After all...
He glanced sideways at the dark gray High Wall looming on the distant horizon.
The Radiant Light Secret Realm's Energy Nodes were shifting with increasing frequency, signaling the imminent activation of its second phase: the construction of a temporary gate.
Coupled with recent events and the sudden appearance of the Inverted Pyramid—a Civilization Construct—within the Radiant Light Secret Realm, who could guarantee this wasn't a Platinum Federation scheme to meddle in Nanjiang's affairs, using the Radiant Light Secret Realm as both a method and an excuse?
Whoosh!
The Flying Car sped into the Nanjiang Suburbs as Chen Feng's thoughts scattered.
The clues were too scarce to pinpoint the true culprit.
Moreover, his relationship with Kagor was limited, and with so many recent crises, he couldn't easily risk mobilizing significant resources on Kagor's behalf, potentially drawing in too many parties.
In an instant, everything seemed to return to square one.
"Let's wait until Iphia wakes up," Chen Feng said, but he remained cautious.
A small, white-gray figure silently slipped out of the Flame Tiger Sect's Mountain Gate and glided into the Greenfield below. Donning a black hooded robe, it instantly melded into the earth, burrowing toward Nanjiang City.
Chen Feng wasn't sure about the situation at Red Wave Energy, but their conversation at the Federation had seemed suspicious.
So, since the Small Stone Statue couldn't breach the Crimson Wave Energy Tower's security system, he sent the Holy Shield Colossus to investigate, just in case.
With that settled, they turned the Flying Car around and headed straight back.
Minutes later, from the azure sky, they could see the ancient-style pavilions and courtyards clinging to the slopes of Dwarf Mountain. Chen Feng used his Perception to glance into a particular courtyard, where the severely injured Iphia lay unconscious on a wooden bed, tended to by Lin Xiaoyun. Her critical condition had been stabilized, but it would likely be some time before she regained consciousness.
He withdrew his gaze and shook his head inwardly.
Just as he was about to instruct the Flying Car's AI to descend...
Thump!
A peculiar sound suddenly reverberated through the air, causing the Flame Tiger Sect's Mountain Gate to fall into an eerie silence.
Chen Feng's eyes narrowed as he abruptly turned toward a secluded courtyard within the pavilion complex.
Thump!
The sound, like a giant heartbeat, echoed through the air, startling everyone in the Flame Tiger Sect. Even Celine, high above in the Flying Car, widened her eyes in astonishment.
"What's that?" she asked, turning to Chen Feng with a questioning gaze.
The next instant...
Thump!
The heartbeat reverberated once more, shaking the very air. As the Flying Car slowly descended, Chen Feng nodded at Celine.
"He succeeded."
Buzz!
As soon as the words left his lips, the Flying Car touched down. Simultaneously, the echoing heartbeat abruptly ceased.
All eyes turned toward the courtyard, where Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others had already gathered.
Creak!
The courtyard door swung open, revealing Yang Wudi in his signature brown trench coat, striding out to stand beneath the eaves.
Their eyes met. Chen Feng's gaze flickered.
The figure in the brown trench coat was as familiar as ever, his messy hair still obscuring his forehead. Yet the aura of one who had truly ascended to the Sixth-Tier now shone brightly, undeniable.
"Congratulations," Chen Feng said sincerely.
Chen Feng knew that Yang Wudi had undoubtedly passed the first trial of the Will of the World, the Limit Breaking Fist, and had truly shattered the limits of the human body.
This wasn't entirely unexpected, as Yang Wudi had already accumulated sufficient foundation and simply needed that final push.
"A fluke," Yang Wudi said softly, shaking his head with surprising calm.
Before breaking through, he had been filled with anticipation and excitement. But now that he had truly ascended the Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder, he understood just how high and far the path ahead stretched.
Moreover, he had personally witnessed Chen Feng's pioneering figure, an indelible image etched in his memory.
Therefore...
"I owe you a debt of gratitude," Yang Wudi said earnestly.
He knew that without Chen Feng's selfless sharing of knowledge, he would never have been able to truly break through his limits and transcend the mundane.
Chen Feng nodded without hesitation, accepting the acknowledgment with composure.
The benefits of imparting knowledge were only just beginning to manifest. Every future Transcendent-Realm Martial Artist would owe him a karmic debt.
Hearing the exchange between the two men, the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others finally grasped the situation, their understanding dawning.
"Congratulations, Senior Yang, on breaking through your limits!"
"Transcendence from the mundane!"
Their faces filled with envy and awe, a chorus of congratulations rose as they clasped their hands in salute.
Celine rushed forward, unable to resist patting Yang Wudi's shoulder with her uninjured left arm.
"Yang, how does it feel?" she asked eagerly, firing off a series of questions. "Can you describe it?"
As longtime friends, Celine felt both pride and envy at Yang Wudi's breakthrough.
"It feels... pretty good," Yang Wudi replied with a faint smile. "Like climbing the Heavenly Ladder and imprinting on the world."
He readily shared his experience, unconcerned about the presence of the Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others. After all, if Chen Feng could transcend partisan divides to disseminate his martial teachings, Yang Wudi was happy to contribute his own insight to the path of martial arts advancement.
Hum!
Instantly, he manipulated the World Force, fusing it with his Pinnacle Intent to create an invisible barrier that enveloped the area. Celine and the others reached out, immediately sensing the intangible obstruction. Though the barrier could be shattered, its mystical nature clearly distinguished it from anything within the Pinnacle Realm.
"Is this Transcendence?" Celine marveled. "It's incredible! It doesn't feel like mere human strength anymore."
"No wonder Grandmaster Chen seemed to freeze the world when he confronted Blade by projecting his spirit."
The Giant Elephant Grandmaster and the others gasped in astonishment, a sudden realization dawning upon them.
Yet Yang Wudi merely shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Chen Feng, who had calmly observed the entire spectacle.
Until now, Yang Wudi had believed Chen Feng's extraordinary power—comparable to that of a Peak Flying General—stemmed solely from breaking through his limits and achieving Transcendence.
But now, he saw things differently.
While breaking through one's limits undoubtedly unlocked latent potential and enhanced both physical and mental fortitude, Yang Wudi still sensed that he was inferior to Chen Feng.
He even recalled Chen Feng's decisive battle against Martial Divinity back in the Niduo Kingdom's Capital.
The thought flashed through his mind as their eyes met. Chen Feng nodded almost imperceptibly before brushing past Yang Wudi and entering his small courtyard.
He had sensed Yang Wudi's unspoken desire for a spar to test their strength.
But...
I'm afraid I might lose control.
His tightly clenched fist slowly relaxed. The World Force was gradually filling the gap between them, continuously strengthening his physical body, making it difficult to perfectly control every ounce of his newfound power.
While Yang Wudi had indeed achieved Transcendence, he still fell short.
Moreover, witnessing Chen Feng's breakthrough firsthand had illuminated another truth:
It wasn't until Chen Feng reached the Sixth-Tier that he truly pushed every aspect of his being to its absolute limit, fully achieving the Pinnacle Realm.
For most, reaching the peak of Fifth-Tier cultivation was the end of their journey. Even prodigies like Yang Wudi could only break through a portion of their limits and reach Pseudo Sixth-Tier by relying on a so-called "critical step."
As a result, during his Transcendence, Yang Wudi faced more formidable and imposing manifestations of the Will of the World, such as the Limit Breaking Fist.
"So..."
Chen Feng's eyes flickered as he recalled Yang Wudi's condition upon emerging from seclusion. His gaze burned with unwavering determination.
"Even among those who achieve Transcendence,"
"...I will surpass them all!"
(End of the Chapter)
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