Human life is so fragile and fleeting. Countless accidents can easily wipe away a person's existence. Perhaps the next moment will be your last.
To the vastness of nature and the cosmos, we are no more than mayflies, born at dawn to die at dusk. If you cannot spend this short existence doing something you love, something you would give your life for, then life itself is meaningless.
He had awakened from a world of petty scrambling.
With his parents no longer there to hold him back, he continued his studies but poured even more of his energy into his Martial Dao cultivation. Later, through an introduction from his grandfather, Zhou Guotao, he caught the eye of Fan Xinghai and became the successor to the Red Falcon Fist, a path that led him, step by step, to where he stood today.
What he wanted was to transcend his once-frail body, to transcend the fear of death, to transcend this mundane world of mediocrity and panicked scrambling for a few silver coins, and to find a higher meaning for life and existence.
'My fist is the Fist of Transcendence, and my Martial Dao is the Dao of Transcendence…'
He rose to his feet and assumed a stance. Driven by the tempest of his thoughts and emotions, he began to practice the forms of the Red Falcon Fist.
WHOOSH!!
Flickering fists whistled through the air, stirring the air within the room. Every punch, every form, was executed with absolute precision, reaching the pinnacle of skill.
But Zhou Yuanjue still felt that his technique was missing something. His mind and body could never quite achieve true "resonance."
'It's the soul!'
Zhou Yuanjue quickly understood. His Fist Technique and physical conditioning had reached their zenith; they were exquisitely refined, having already arrived at that subtle realm of being "neither waxing nor waning, neither sullied nor pure."
It was like painting. He was a master artisan, his brushwork and technique already beyond reproach. But no matter how skilled, an artisan remains just that—an artisan—because their creations lack a "soul."
It was a feeling profound and mysterious, a spiritual shock that could only be born from truly facing and understanding it. It was a noble presence that only a sentient being could perceive.
A painted dragon still needs its eyes dotted.
And right now, he was missing that final, eye-dotting stroke.
He relaxed his stance, standing silently in the center of the room.
'I need more stimulus, more experience…'
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「Lanhai Club, President's Office.」
With Yan Hao injured and recuperating in the hospital, Jia Liming was left to handle the Lanhai Society's affairs in the aftermath of Yan Hao's defeat.
As quickly as possible, all the data the Lanhai Society could gather on Zhou Yuanjue had been placed on Jia Liming's desk.
"Zhou Yuanjue: a former Heiwei Yuan senior duel master, a lecturer in Wuhai University's history department, an orphan whose parents were both killed in a car crash when he was seventeen, and a student of Fan Xinghai of the Red Falcon Fist..."
Jia Liming's expression was grim as he read through Zhou Yuanjue's file, his eyes narrowed to slits.
'Aside from his formidable martial prowess, this man seems to have no noteworthy background.'
"We weren't paying close attention to him, so the data is incomplete. The investigation is ongoing. It seems he has a faint blood connection to the Nanjiang Zhou Ship building."
A Lanhai Society elder said in a low voice.
"The Nanjiang Zhou Ship building?"
Jia Liming frowned.
"A shipbuilding company from Nanjiang that has just started to expand internationally. They're said to be cooperating with Gong Shouzhuo of the Xuanxin Boxing Club."
The elder replied.
"Gong Shouzhuo of Nanjiang? His Fist Technique is decent, but he's no match for our Lanhai Society! Since the man has no powerful backing, we can't let this matter slide!"
Jia Liming said slowly.
He picked up his phone from the desk and dialed a number.
The Martial Dao might be the foundation upon which the Lanhai Society was built, but at its current scale, martial arts were far from its only tool—especially within Donghua Country.
RING... RING... RING...
"Hello!"
After a few rings, a steady male voice came through the line.
"Han Sheng, it's me. I need your help with something."
Jia Liming said, getting straight to the point.
"Teacher, I know what you're talking about. Actually, I just received news myself and was about to tell you."
The man on the other end, Han Sheng, replied.
"It's good that you've already heard. This incident affects the Lanhai Society's reputation and must be dealt with swiftly. I will mobilize all of the Society's resources and power to support you."
Jia Liming said in a deep voice.
"Teacher, please don't be hasty. Hear me out first. I'm afraid I won't be able to help this time. In fact, I was about to contact you to explain why."
The male voice on the phone said softly.
"What did you say?"
Hearing this, Jia Liming immediately frowned.
"This matter isn't so simple. It's not just me—even if you go to the people in the prefectural capital, it might not do any good."
The man said.
"Just tell me straight. Who exactly is backing that man?"
Jia Liming asked, his face grim.
"Someone sent us a warning through the channels of the Li Family of Shangjing Prefecture."
The man on the phone said quietly.
"The Li Family of Shangjing Prefecture?!"
Hearing the man's words, Jia Liming's pupils instantly contracted.
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「Tianlu Prefecture Capital, Leshan City.」
Tianji Group Headquarters.
In the top-floor conference room of a towering, 132-meter-tall skyscraper, several old men in traditional Tang suits were holding a council of elders for the Tianji Sword Sect.
"Just this afternoon, we received word that Wen has successfully defeated the Bishui Boxing King, Wang Qingyun. One of Wang Qingyun's arms was crippled; he'll need at least a month to recover his fighting strength. Yongli, is the Group's side of the business prepared?"
An old man of about sixty, seated at the head of the table, said faintly.
He was the current leader of the Tianji Sword Sect, Zhao Zhengxuan.
"We've been ready for some time."
The speaker was a man in his fifties. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and had a high, broad forehead, giving him a scholarly and refined appearance, as if he didn't belong in the Martial Arts Realm.
He was the chairman of the Tianji Group, Luo Yongli.
The Tianji Group belonged to the Tianji Sword Sect, but unlike the Lanhai Society, the two entities were independent of each other. One was civil, the other martial; they were connected, yet they did not interfere in each other's affairs. It was precisely this structure that allowed the Tianji Sword Sect to acquire vast physical assets throughout Tianlu Prefecture, making them one of its most dominant forces.
"The Martial Arts Realm is currently undergoing a change not seen in a hundred years. Although we don't know why, the powers that be are willing to relax the restrictions. This is a tremendous opportunity. The entire Martial Arts Realm is about to be reshuffled. Gentlemen, this is the Tianji Sword Sect's chance to unify Tianlu and become a top-tier Martial Arts School!"
"Although that personage favors Wen, he has also set a condition: Wen must prove he is the strongest in Tianlu. Only then will he qualify to become a 'seed' of that personage's choosing, to step beyond Tianlu and challenge the supreme realm of the Martial Dao. Therefore, no matter what it takes, we must ensure Wen becomes number one in Tianlu!"
Zhao Zhengxuan said faintly.