The duel had ended, and other challengers stepped into the arena, either seeking rivals or placing bets. Meanwhile, the graceful young lady, delicate and moving with soft, light steps, walked alongside a young, reliable-looking warrior. As for Feng Qi, his attention was fixed on her—not because of her beauty, nor any sinister intent, but because he wanted to understand her martial art style. It was flawless, impeccable, able to effortlessly dominate any opponent.
This was the Law of Martial Arts: sheer power and rage were not the path of a true master. The real path lay in knowledge, control, and decisive action. There was no distraction, no hesitation—only certainty.
"I want to learn this technique!" he thought.
"Truly incredible..."
A voice called out toward the young lady. Her light steps halted, and she turned her cold gaze toward the source—it was none other than Feng Qi.
"Excuse me, Young Lady, you seem to be in a hurry!" said the guard.
"No need to worry; he probably has a reason," she replied, restraining her warrior.
"Sorry to bother you," Feng Qi began earnestly, "I truly found your martial art style elegant and refined. In that state, you seemed to know what would happen next, always choosing the correct action. Let me say it again—it was incredible."
Curiously, she was merely a young man, yet the lady's cold expression softened the moment she realized his intention.
"Ah, thank you… but that is nothing," the young lady replied.
"Please, do not belittle yourself. You are exceptional and skilled. If that is nothing, then woe is me," Feng Qi muttered, scratching his head with a sheepish expression.
She regarded him steadily, a smile forming on her lips. Unintentionally, Feng Qi had failed to bow to her at first.
"My apologies for the rudeness. My name is Zhao Long. I am simply interested in your movement techniques," Feng Qi said, joining his hands in a gesture of respect and bowing slightly.
The young lady merely smiled at him, seemingly approving of this young man, and said:
"My apologies as well. I am Bai Lan," she replied.
"Bai Lan… that's a beautiful name. As I said, Bai Lan, I apologize for bothering you, but I have a sincere question," Feng Qi continued.
"Yes?" she asked, already guessing what it might be, her smile widening.
"I would like to know if there is any way for me to learn your martial art style," Feng Qi asked seriously. Since arriving in the city, he had nowhere else to turn; fortune had to be tested.
"Are you referring to the Celestial Blue Wave?"
"So that's what it's called," he said.
"Well… the Celestial Blue Wave style was taught to me by my father. He is a very magnanimous man. If he permits, then yes, I can teach you."
"Ah… that might be quite complicated, and it will take up your time, won't it?"
Bai Lan smiled gently, but Feng Qi felt slightly uneasy at such kindness.
"Well, my father is indeed very busy, but that doesn't mean anything. He may support the idea, but that doesn't mean I am not occupied," she said.
"I-I understand… please forgive me for taking your time," Feng Qi said humbly.
"Not so fast, I'm not done. That doesn't mean I don't want to teach you… it's just that my time is limited. So, why don't we do this?"
Suddenly, they were in an empty arena, no one watching. Everyone else was engrossed in intense battles in other arenas.
"Are you sure about this?" Feng Qi asked.
"Yes. The best way for you to understand this fighting style is to fight someone who uses it. That way, your comprehension will refine naturally. Why rely on others' techniques when you can fuse them and create your own?"
Something stirred inside Feng Qi. He had considered such a possibility before but had dismissed it as childish. Bai Lan's words rekindled that thought: if he could combine all the world's knowledge… what could exist beyond everything? That was his reflection.
"Ready?"
The young lady rolled up her sleeves and smiled, awaiting Feng Qi. There were no swords or mystical artifacts—this was just a gentle introduction, a meeting of minds and bodies.
"Well, I am ready, but my cultivation is only at the 4th Layer of Body Refinement; I'm no match for you," Feng Qi said.
"Don't worry, I will use only a fraction of my strength—enough to withstand your strikes, so you can acclimate to my style."
Feng Qi realized that opportunities often required adaptation. Positioning himself, he exhaled and inhaled, recalling Feng Chen's fighting style, attempting to imitate it.
With her cultivation suppressed to match Feng Qi's 4th Layer, Bai Lan waited. But just as she was about to dodge, Feng Qi surprised her with a sudden change in movement.
"Hm?"
She dodged swiftly, repositioning herself to analyze his attack pattern. Feng Qi, eager to learn, continued his assault. Though she redirected and guided, her defenses seemed ineffective.
"Hey, look! That boy is fighting the Young Lady!"
Some bystanders gathered, and the duel intensified. Bai Lan, momentarily cornered by Zhao Long, thought:
"Even after lowering my cultivation to the 4th Layer, I have no chance against this boy!"
At that moment, Feng Qi was not fighting to win—he was testing the Celestial Blue Wave movements, integrating them into his consciousness. He was almost there; just one final move remained.
"So far you've only dodged. How can I learn like this? You should attack me too," Feng Qi urged.
"Yes, I will," Bai Lan said, raising her cultivation to the 6th Layer and striking with a palm.
Feng Qi barely dodged, unprepared for the sudden surge in her power.
"What was that?" he asked.
"Well, you said I wasn't attacking, so I had to raise my cultivation slightly to create an opening for a strike," she replied with her usual genuine smile. "You may not realize it, but you are very powerful. With that strike, I feel it wouldn't have been enough to neutralize you, much less harm you… I estimate you are equivalent to the 7th Layer of Body Refinement. Incredible."
By now, a small crowd had gathered, some surprised, others trying to recall if they had seen this young man before.
"Thank you for your words," Feng Qi replied. He could reveal his true name, but would never let anyone know about the Sanskrit Armor. That secret was to be kept at all costs, even at the price of his life.
"What kind of technique do you cultivate? Your movements are awkward, your strikes uncertain… it's hard to tell whether you will attack or not."
"Er… I don't cultivate any," he admitted.
No one believed him. Clearly, his movements contained the aura of technique; he was practicing some secret method that made him formidable.
"I understand if you don't want to say," Bai Lan said, a drop of sweat rolling down her face. She clearly doubted his words.
"I'm serious! The most I did was practice a basic Fist technique, and that barely taught me anything."
The young lady sighed lightly, smiling: "It's fine, no need to explain. Let's continue—I will raise my cultivation to the 7th Layer now."
"Truthfully," he insisted.
Once again, Bai Lan struck with full force. She would no longer underestimate him.
However, as her palm struck, Feng Qi had already anticipated and easily dodged. Again and again, he evaded, until a vein of irritation throbbed in Bai Lan. Losing patience, she raised her cultivation to the 8th Layer. In a single step, she closed the distance, her speed nearly vanishing from his sight.
He dodged a punch and a palm, but the third strike hit him, throwing him out of the arena. The crowd erupted, shouting the young lady's name.
She rushed to him, worried she had gone too far, but Feng Qi was perfectly fine. This secretly shocked her.
"I used about 80% of my strength at the 8th Layer, and the most that happened was a few scratches… this boy is truly incredible," Bai Lan thought.
"You overdid it!"
"…Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for your effort."
"I didn't mean for it to end like this… it's just that your aura is strange, there's something in it I can't explain… a comforting sensation."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I can't explain, it's just… odd. What exactly do you cultivate?"
"I told you, only a basic Fist technique. These past days, I've only fought demonic beasts and refined my body as much as possible."
Bai Lan studied him analytically, observing every detail. She nodded, realizing Zhao Long was indeed truthful.
"This is strange… if what you say is true, why are you so powerful? Usually, Body Refiners keep levels stable until every aspect of the body is strengthened, but you… I used about 80% of my 8th Layer power, yet my hand still trembles as if striking iron."
Feng Qi had an explanation ready.
"You won't believe what I achieved while lost in the forest."
"An artifact?"
"Nah. I obtained a Vital Purity Root from an Iron Paw Bear, and a Spiritual Blood Flower from a Crimson-Scaled Serpent," he said casually, downplaying the treasures' importance.
Bai Lan's eyes widened, her mouth agape in shock.
"What… what did you do with those treasures?" she imagined the worst.
"What did I do? I ate them, of course. Bitter, but effective."
Suddenly, Bai Lan's world shattered like glass. She remained motionless for five long minutes.
"Bai Lan? Bai Lan!"
Feng Qi called repeatedly, but she remained frozen, a statue. Feng Qi stayed beside her, knowing extreme circumstances demanded patience.
When she returned to herself, she sighed in defeat. Her friendly expression turned somber.
"Just tell me something!" Feng Qi urged.
"You've done something you'll regret for the rest of your life, urf!"
"I know it was reckless, but it was necessary. Otherwise, when I jumped off the cliff, I could've lost the Spiritual Blood Flower and died. If I hadn't consumed it, I never would have survived the river's depths."
"You endured much, I understand, but it's a shame… if you had made pills from those two medicinal treasures, you could have become far stronger with half the resources, and the rest could have made you rich overnight."
This time, Feng Qi's world shattered like glass; he too stood still for five minutes.
"Well, I must go; urgent matters await," Bai Lan said, saddened for Feng Qi. He seemed a promising and respectful young man.
"Thank you… for your willingness to help." Feng Qi raised his head and smiled at his newly made friend. "If I can ever help you, I will do all I can to repay you."
Bai Lan smiled, handing him a small pouch containing 50 gold coins.
"Let's meet again soon, if destiny allows," she said.
"Of course, if destiny allows…" Feng Qi said, slightly disappointed. Though he had learned little of the martial style, he had at least gained some coins.
As Bai Lan walked away, she suddenly remembered something and turned back: "By the way, how old are you?"
A strange question, but he answered: "I'm 17. Why?"
"You're very young, as I suspected… and how long have you been cultivating?"
"Ah… I started about two weeks ago."
Bai Lan's eyes widened in shock. She was secretly frightened by this "monster." It wasn't just his 4th Layer cultivation—it was that he was effectively equivalent to a 7th Layer Body Refiner. Such results couldn't come from medicinal treasures alone; there was more.
"Heavens!" Bai Lan thought. Something else must be at play. Even if Feng Qi refined both medicinal treasures into pills, consuming them all could not have produced such results.
She approached him lightly, whispering in his ear: "I understand you don't want to reveal it, but as a friend, here's advice: never, under any circumstances, tell anyone your true age, or how long you've been cultivating… no one will believe you, and it could put you in great danger."
Bai Lan turned and continued with her warrior. Feng Qi, secretly stunned, realized this perceptive woman had seen through his lie. A drop of sweat ran down his face as he calculated in his heart.
Indeed, it had been a mistake to reveal his age and cultivation time. Where in the world could someone have such efficiency? Naturally, many would suspect something more.
Perhaps a Spiritual Treasure, a Celestial or Divine Artifact… if anyone discovered the Sanskrit Armor, he could say goodbye to his life.
Feng Qi nodded in agreement with Bai Lan's words.
"Urf! What a mistake of mine."
The young man stared at the sky, reflecting on many things. Clouds drifted across the sky that day, occasionally hiding the sun behind them.