Whenever Master Feng heard about the beast invasion eight years ago, he would shudder.
At the biannual gathering, the drunken elders would always make him demonstrate the special technique he'd used to defeat the "Star-Shattering Dragon" back then.
So when Li Hong made this suggestion, Master Feng could only silently pray for what the man would say next.
Then, the rather eccentric elder glanced at him, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly. "I've heard that Deputy Director Feng's Heaven Blade Parting technique is quite unique and impressive. Why not demonstrate it at the Spirit Sword Exchange?"
"…"
For a long time, Master Feng remained silent.
At past routine gatherings, when those drunken elders asked about this supreme technique, he'd always managed to find a good excuse to dodge the question. After all, they were just a bunch of drunken bastards. However, the man standing before him had made such a request… God, could he actually pull this off?!
He simply couldn't refuse… yet, on the other hand, he didn't dare speak up.
He had indeed been studying this extraordinary skill… but he simply couldn't do it! All these years, he'd devoted himself to mastering it, just to catch a glimpse of its secrets. Facing this man, however, he had no idea what to do!
"Um, is there a problem?"
Seeing Master Feng's silence, Li Hong flashed a reassuring smile. "If you feel uncomfortable, just pretend I never mentioned it. I was just acting on a whim! I just thought that, as the head of the 73rd Phoenix Ridge High School League, this skill would make for a spectacular show for the audience. If you could demonstrate your talent, it would be a tremendous inspiration to everyone!"
"Secretary Li, I… don't get the wrong idea, that's not what I meant. I just…"
"Oh, if that's the case, then it's fine." Li Hong quickly cut him off.
Master Feng actually wanted to learn another art; he'd rather smash his knee against a rock than practice that Heavenly Blade Parting Technique!
However, Li Hong's unwavering stance completely put an end to that idea.
…This time, he was truly, truly f**ked!
Master Feng sighed inwardly, feeling from the bottom of his heart that this was simply too exhausting…
He was in a very difficult situation. If he performed well and successfully won over Secretary Li Hong, he might even get a promotion—which would allow him to bid farewell to the feeling of having a butt plug shoved up his rear that he'd endured during his years as deputy director and start a new life.
However, if he performed poorly, he knew he would be out of this position.
"Holding such a high position at such a young age is truly exhausting…"
"…"
Before he could finish speaking, Li Hong stood up and solemnly patted Master Feng on the shoulder.
"I know you might have some reservations. You must be wondering how you're performing, and you don't want to make a fool of yourself in front of the experts. The higher the power, the more difficult the situation becomes, right?"
"…"
"Let me tell you a story about the history of ancient cultivation…"
Master Feng looked up curiously.
"That day was the final battle before the founding of the nation. The Battle of the Iron Fist…"
Today, the vast majority of young people who have heard of ancient cultivation history consider it nothing more than a legend. This history, sealed away for centuries, is not something professors cover in their lectures. It isn't until they reach university that they begin to learn about it. Although Master Feng hadn't studied history back then, he knew a thing or two about the "Battle of the Iron Fist."
That battle… was simply breathtaking.
As Secretary Hong recalled those moments, tears glistened in his eyes as he recounted, "When the battle erupted that day, we were surrounded by six demon lords and deities who had successfully breached The Dimensional Barrier Between Universes. We fought side by side with Liu Chengtian, the current Director of the Energy Defense Department, holding our ground outside the Stone Gate of the Great Mountain."
Master Feng listened quietly, his eyes widening slightly. Not everyone has the opportunity to hear this account of the history of cultivation.
"Back then, there were demon gods and demon kings… They possessed terrifying power to slay and subdue, causing rivers of blood to flow across the land and striking fear into the hearts of the common people. Countless lives were lost, and even the sun sank in fear. From hundreds of miles away, one could see the raging flames atop the stone gate…"
"The leader of the Demon Kings was astonishingly powerful. When he fought, his entire body radiated light, and his deadly roar could be heard throughout the heavens and earth. Inspector Liu Chengtian fought him with all his might, but in the end, he was no match for him. However, this was merely the final battle—the 'Battle of the Iron Fist.' We were ordered to guard the entrance, and even then, we dared not retreat!"
Master Feng, completely engrossed, was deeply moved by Li Hong's narrative. He could not imagine what they must have felt on that battlefield… yet even then, they stood their ground without retreating.
And now, standing before him recounting this tale was an elderly secretary who, though appearing to be a middle-aged man, was in fact an immortal fossil… this man who had emerged unscathed from that battlefield… he was, truly, a legend!
This exchange gave Master Feng a profound understanding of the battles of cultivation, as if they were a cycle of past and present lives.
"In the end, our strength and true qi were exhausted. Except for Supervisor Liu, we all fell before the stone gate. He ignited his own blood, and it blazed with a transcendent light! He sacrificed the Wanggu within his body to summon the divine Gao Xiaolong. That dragon roared with sacred flames and song, bestowing strength upon us and restoring our vitality! This pushed his potential to its absolute limit… In the end, he swung his spirit sword and slew six demon lords and deities, including their leader! He opened the stone gate and laid the foundation for the Kingdom of Tianxu! That day… is one I will never forget for the rest of my life!"
"So, in the end… Inspector Liu survived?"
Li Hong laughed. "Of course he survived! By then, his tombstone had already been erected, and his entire body was buried in the ground. Only heaven knows why his pet parrot, Lei, kept tossing a blade of grass onto the grave—it actually restored his vitality to its former state. To put it bluntly, he was basically resurrected… isn't that f**king hilarious…"
Master Feng: "…"
In this world, only a very few dare to call this inspector a "dumbass."
Li Hong cleared his throat. "So. After hearing this story, what have you learned?" he asked, looking at Master Feng.
The old secretary's telling of this story was by no means in vain. The story's ending was obvious, and the conclusion was absolutely brilliant. After hearing it, Master Feng was filled with mixed emotions. "The old secretary told this story to make me understand that no matter what I do, I must cultivate willpower and perseverance… and never give up, even at the moment of death. I should learn from Inspector Liu and keep his tenacity in mind, right?"
"…You're way off. You're reading too much into it."
Li Hong rolled his eyes and explained, "What I'm trying to tell you is: show what you've got right away. It doesn't matter what the outcome is. Don't be like Inspector Liu, hiding your trump card until the very last moment. He nearly lost his life because of it! You're not the Green Lantern! When an opportunity arises, act on it if you can—don't be a p***y!"
Master Feng: "…"