The two clasped their fists in an ancient warrior's salute.
"I was just passing through and decided to lend a hand," Malrick said calmly, turning to face them. "What are your names?"
"I'm Hong."
"I'm Lei Shen."
Both men had just experienced the overwhelming pressure that radiated from Malrick moments ago. Yet they stood tall—neither arrogant nor deferential.
These were the future titans of Earth—Hong and Lei Shen. Men who would eventually rise to become among the strongest beings in the known universe. As ordinary humans, their physical potential ranked among the lowest in the cosmos. But their spiritual resilience was extraordinary—so profound that even True Gods would bow to their clarity of mind.
Malrick not only recognized their worth but saw something worth learning from.
"Big Brother, may I ask—are you Chinese?" Lei Shen asked curiously in Mandarin, his expression childlike and eager, like a bear trying to understand how a bird could fly.
"Chinese? Nah. I'm from somewhere... else."
Malrick's words faltered for a moment—his voice seemed to censor itself mid-sentence. In that instant, he understood.
The Source Will—the universal law that governed all existence in this realm—would not permit foreign knowledge from beyond the Universe Sea to be spoken aloud. Even this much speech was leniency. Had a True God attempted to speak similar words, they would have been silenced by thunderous force.
The garbled interruption left Hong and Lei Shen visibly confused.
Thinking quickly, Malrick chose to bend the truth.
"I grew up off-grid in the mountains. Never had much contact with the outside world. When the virus hit, I awakened a special talent and stumbled across an ancient inheritance. I went into seclusion to train for a few years."
"Now that I'm back, it turns out I'm stronger than I expected—just took care of some monsters along the way."
Lei Shen's eyes lit up. "Big Brother, you're amazing! May I ask your name?"
"Malrick."
"Brother Malrick!" Lei Shen said, grinning. "Your return from seclusion is a miracle. You've saved humanity!"
Even Hong—typically stoic—allowed a rare smile. "Mr. Malrick, thank you. Would you consider joining us—maybe share some tea?"
"What are you saying?!" Lei Shen scoffed, giving Hong a light kick. "Why call him Mr. Malrick? He saved our lives—call him Brother!"
Hong blinked, then caught Lei Shen's repeated winks and chuckled awkwardly.
"Brother Malrick... would you do us the honor of joining us for tea?"
Though Hong and Lei Shen appeared at least ten years older than Malrick, they addressed him with a natural sincerity. Standing side by side, the two felt almost cartoonish—like larger-than-life brothers stepping out of a comic panel. It made Malrick laugh.
"Alright," he said, "lead the way. I actually need to borrow something from you."
"Whatever you need!" Lei Shen declared proudly. "Say the word and I'll bring you the head of that sea beast!"
He was exaggerating, of course—the creature he referred to was a king-tier leviathan. Far beyond his current strength. But his point was made.
"I'd like to borrow your collections—secret manuals, old texts, anything you've gathered."
Post-cataclysm Earth was still wary. Most surviving factions hoarded their knowledge. But Lei Shen simply patted his chest.
"No problem! Everything I've written or found—yours to read, Brother Malrick."
Hong nodded as well. "Mine too."
The others nearby remained silent, exchanging uncertain glances. But no one dared object.
Malrick smiled. "Then let's begin."
---
Time passed swiftly.
When Malrick said "borrow," he meant it. On the first day alone, he read through all of Lei Shen and Hong's secret texts—digesting and improving them.
In this universe, two core techniques defined combat: Exertion and Amplitude.
Exertion was the skill of maximizing output—drawing multiple times the force from a single motion. The theoretical limit was 100x.
Amplitude enhanced that output by multiplying it again—also capped at 100x.
Combined? They created a 10,000x amplification—a feat necessary to ascend into the ranks of the Law Masters.
Remarkably, Hong and Lei Shen had developed 2x and 3x exertion methods on their own within just three years of training. Lei Shen used sabers; Hong, the spear.
They handed Malrick their original manuals—hard-won works born from trial and error.
He read them in one minute.
Ten minutes later, he had restructured their techniques into 15x exertion.
His understanding of the higher laws let him see what they could not.
He didn't take it further—because their foundation was flawed. Their methods only enhanced attack power, not speed or defense.
In contrast, true exertion-amplitude encompassed the entire body.
Still, their raw potential impressed him.
Then Malrick turned to movement techniques—refining each micro-motion until his mastery became artful.
Finally, he read through their ancient texts: The Analects, Tao Te Ching, Spring and Autumn Annals—works nearly identical to versions he'd encountered in other realms. But now, something was different.
Reading them felt like his soul was being cleansed.
Earth, in this universe, had been altered by a being of Universe God-tier power. Every child born here possessed a uniquely advanced mind.
Malrick could feel it now—his soul was changing too.
Like stone worn smooth by dew, he was being reshaped. His inner world was becoming clearer, brighter, purer.
For three days, he read.
When he finally emerged, Hong stepped back in awe.
"You've reached the first state of spiritual clarity—so quickly!"
"There's no 'first' or 'second,'" Malrick replied. "The best path is the one aligned with your true self. The difference is only in how far we've walked."
Hong froze at the words—his eyes glassy as he stood rooted in sudden insight.
"Brother Hong's... having an epiphany?!" Lei Shen blinked. "Brother Malrick, give me a hint too! Help me comprehend something!"
"Just be yourself," Malrick said, flicking him in the forehead. "That's your path. You don't need anything else."
Shockingly, that was enough.
Lei Shen stood motionless, struck by realization.
Malrick stared. "Seriously? That worked?!"
Hours later, both men awakened.
Hong now radiated a calm, all-embracing presence.
Lei Shen had become sharper, more grounded—his spirit now pure and unburdened.
They had reached the second and third stages of mental cultivation: Pure Innocence and Universal Tolerance.
Thump!
Hong dropped to one knee the moment he awoke.
"Brother Malrick—first you shared your combat techniques, now you've given us insight into the mind itself. I will never forget what you've taught us."
Lei Shen, not to be outdone, kicked him aside and fell to both knees.
"Still calling him Brother?!" he barked. "Master! Thank you for your guidance!"
Hong blinked, then joined him. "Master Malrick, please accept us as your disciples!"
Malrick's expression darkened. "Get up! I just said a few things—you don't need to kneel!"
But Lei Shen was serious now. "Master, I mean it. I want to follow you—not just out of gratitude, but because I want to become stronger under your teaching."
Hong nodded. "If we're going to protect humanity, we'll need strength. Please allow us to train under you."
Malrick hesitated.
In the Starry Sky World, discipleship was sacred. Lifespans were long—bonds deeper than blood often formed between master and apprentice.
These two—though born with Earth's weakest bloodline—had become paragons in another timeline. With the right guidance, they could become even more.
He stared at them quietly, weighing the choice.
---
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