“According to relevant laws and regulations, some search results are not displayed.”
Fe Zhengtao stood with his mouth half-open, stunned like a wooden chicken, his mind completely blank, unable to comprehend time or place.
Is this even possible?
Is this still the martial cultivation and immortal world?
The Yuan Emperor truly is a “great figure” from legends!
Amused yet perplexed, Fe Zhengtao, relying on his daily internet experience, tried his best to ignore the prompt and shifted his gaze to the search results. The very first entry read: “The most popular masterpiece at the Jianghu teahouse, a legend revered by hundreds of millions—The Biography of the Yuan Emperor.”
Biography of the Yuan Emperor? Without hesitation, Fe Zhengtao clicked on the link and entered the page. He saw a neatly formatted book, with various interactive comments below.
“The author is ‘Huanhua Heyunle’?” Fe muttered, then skipped the preface and directly began reading the main text:
“Entering Shaolin, the Arhat Iron Fist displays its might, as a novice monk defeats martial monks.”
“Stealing scriptures at night, breaking the precept blade against the Prajna palm.”
“Venturing into the vast sea, testing bandits with his blade; the Yuan Emperor strikes down the sky-roaring beast with lightning, rescuing his junior brother alone.”
“Displaying might in Yedu, subduing martial heroes with his blade.”
“The Jiangdong mystery runs deep; the Yuan Emperor’s wisdom prevails.”
“Trapped in a deadly situation for the sake of loyalty, he slays three demons at the mountain god temple.”
“Pursuing enemies across thousands of miles, waiting half a year; the wolf king finally loses his head.”
“Enduring four calamities, surrounded by blooming flowers, the first since ancient times after the Sage Emperor.”
“The palm of the Tathagata descends from the heavens, resolving all matters in the Western Wilderness.”
“Displaying might at Langya, looking down upon the blue-blooded.”
“Outside the Hidden Sword Pavilion, ‘severing the general’s head amidst a million troops.'”
“What good is divine weaponry? A single battle by the Yuan Emperor shocks the world.”
“In a desolate mountain temple, sitting still for ten years, the Yuan Emperor’s temples turn gray—what sorrowful matters could he have?”
Upon reaching the Southern Wilderness, the Gu Shen surrenders; his words become the law of the land.
“The Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge reveals profound mysteries; the Yuan Emperor has returned to the Jade Void Palace.”
At first, Fe Zhengtao merely skimmed through, but as he read more about these events, he became increasingly engrossed. The more he read, the more captivating it became, and he couldn’t tear himself away from the computer. He read from dinner until the early hours of the morning, then after washing up and turning off the lights, he secretly continued reading for half the night, finally reaching the latest chapter. He leaned back in his chair, satisfied yet strangely empty.
“Starting merely as a novice monk, he seized every opportunity, climbing step by step, becoming one of the greatest figures across all realms. Though ranked fifth on the Celestial List, many martial artists recognize him as the number one.”
Fe Zhengtao closed his eyes, sighing. Was he too cowardly, too unwilling to resist and always allowing others to bully him?
What good was escaping those bullies after high school? Would college really be any different? Without knowing how to break free from this cycle, he would always remain trapped in the same situation…
But I’m so frail; a punch from me feels like a tickle to them…
Maybe I should buy a few martial arts manuals from the Ten Thousand Realms Mall?
Suddenly, Fe Zhengtao’s eyes flew open in alarm. “Have I actually started believing this martial cultivation and immortal world is real?”
“But the Biography of the Yuan Emperor feels so authentic, its details matching the atmosphere described in various forum posts!”
“Let’s give it a try; it won’t cost me anything!”
His expression flickered between determination and fear, his face changing shades as he sat there for half an hour before finally making up his mind—he would try cultivating martial arts!
“This should be the Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Talisman, crafted by the Yuan Emperor. I wonder who left it on our planet…” Fe Zhengtao picked up the thin metallic plate, turning it over in his hands. “If all of this is real, then the Yuan Emperor is more godlike than any deity in novels or TV shows. No, he truly is a god…”
Fe Zhengtao collected his thoughts and began considering how to earn Yuan Emperor Coins. Drawing on his online shopping experience, he first registered an account at the mall, receiving an initial reward of five Yuan Emperor Coins. Then, he browsed the mall and other forum mission sections, looking for tasks he could undertake.
“Outer Realm Fifth Heaven, primarily cultivating the ‘Starfire Great Method,’ with secondary cultivation of the Yuan Copper Dao Body, excelling in defense. Seeking to explore the southern region of the Eastern Sea for ruins. Seeking top experts for cooperation; those below the Fourth Heaven or with mall reputation below Platinum need not apply.”
“Southern Wilderness, Qilin Peak, currently surrounding the Lin Yue Wild Beast. Nearby cultivators, please come quickly! Urgent!”
“Six Doors Special Task: Report any traces of the Su Nu Dao’s Joy Sect and the Joy Temple within the Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Realm. One hundred Yuan Emperor Coins for preliminary confirmation, more rewards for effective clues.”
“The Ruan family of Langya has long been purchasing rare recipes and uncommon ingredients.”
…
Fe Zhengtao’s mouth twitched a few times. None of these tasks suited him. Maybe rare recipes were a possibility, but the recipes he could find were anything but rare.
Looking at his mere five Yuan Emperor Coins, he aimlessly browsed the mall items and noticed that Foundation-Building martial arts were quite cheap—only one Yuan Emperor Coin. Qi Accumulation cost dozens, and Acupoint Opening varied from hundreds to thousands. But most of them were labeled as “for reference only, to broaden one’s knowledge.”
“Should I buy the Foundation-Building Chapter first?” Fe muttered to himself. Suddenly, inspiration struck—he first exited the Ten Thousand Realms Mall and returned to the search function, typing in “free martial arts.”
In an instant, the results popped up. The first one that caught his eye was “Southern Wilderness Instruction.”
“Free martial arts actually exist?” Fe’s heart leapt with joy as he entered this live-streaming and otherwise chaotic website.
After briefly browsing the sections, he directly entered the “Martial Arts Acquisition” section. There, he found the first, second, third, and fourth chapters of the “Starfire Great Method,” all available for download. There were also annotated versions and teaching videos, complete and thorough, and none of them required Yuan Emperor Coins.
“The Southern Wilderness Instruction is truly a blessing for ten thousand families!” Fe Zhengtao muttered, using a phrase he had seen on forum posts earlier.
Then he registered and began downloading. The first and second chapters downloaded smoothly. But when he reached the third chapter, a prompt appeared: he must first complete the “Great Freedom Mind Test” to obtain it.
The Great Freedom Mind Test? Fe hesitated slightly, then chose to give up for now. He decided to observe and gather more information before attempting it. After all, the first and second chapters should suffice for his current cultivation.
After making this decision, he downloaded the annotated versions and teaching videos into his Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Talisman. Then, he casually browsed the live-streaming and video website, watching someone demonstrate the martial arts of the Starfire Great Method. The movements were powerful, flowing seamlessly between wooden pillars without the slightest hesitation. When the demonstration ended, all the pillars shattered in unison.
“Incredible!” Fe exclaimed joyfully. His gaze shifted to the comments section, where many were discussing:
“The eighth move, ‘Punch Calming Rivers and Seas,’ has flaws. The buildup is too long, not smooth enough, making it easy for opponents to exploit.”
“Heh, the masters of the Mingyue Sect lack sufficient cultivation; they’re practicing the Starfire Great Method haphazardly. How can they properly instruct their disciples? They’re just wasting their talents. That’s why they ended up in last place at the Zhongzhou martial arts competition!”
“Exactly! Our Wuxiang Hunjiao (Soul Cultivation Sect) teaches much better!”
“Better than the Southern Wilderness?”
“The Southern Wilderness has so few cultivators; can you even find one to guide you individually?”
It all seemed strangely odd… Fe Zhengtao wiped his forehead and decided not to dwell on it. He would sleep first and practice the first two chapters of the Starfire Great Method during the weekend.
Time passed. Two days later, Fe Zhengtao once again turned on the Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Talisman late at night, entering that magical and mystical realm.
He frowned deeply because he had felt no Qi sensation at all during the simplest and easiest “Hundred-Day Foundation-Building” stage, and it wasn’t due to an undisciplined mind.
What should he do?
He watched many videos and read countless forum posts, but all the advice for the Hundred-Day Foundation-Building difficulties was simply to “calm the mind.” He felt lost and began suspecting that he had been tricked.
Could the martial arts manual be fake?
Maybe he should seek guidance from a real cultivator?
The thought sparked a direction in his mind, but he was worried about exposing the fact that he wasn’t from this martial cultivation and immortal world. Even the Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Talisman was something he had found. He had to be cautious in his choices.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly saw a user named “Honest and Kind Big Qinggen” posting on the forum, seeking disciples. The initiation fee was only five Yuan Emperor Coins, and it specified that master and disciple could not “meet,” only communicate through text and voice.
“This is perfect for me!” Fe Zhengtao suppressed his joy and, according to the Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Talisman number left by “Honest and Kind Big Qinggen,” added him as a friend.
Ding ding ding, a message popped up. “Honest and Kind Big Qinggen” said, “Kid, you’ve got great taste! Those guys doubted me just because I wouldn’t show my image!”
I doubt you too, but I’m not like you, a “stowaway” from another world… Fe Zhengtao muttered silently before replying, “Master Qinggen, your disciple has a cultivation problem.”
“Hmm, where’s the Yuan Emperor Coins?” Big Qinggen asked.
Fe Zhengtao hurriedly sent his only five Yuan Emperor Coins to Big Qinggen, who then let out a satisfied sigh. “Alright, speak.”
“Disciple has been trying the Hundred-Day Foundation-Building, but there’s no Qi sensation at all, no sign of true Qi being generated. Yet according to the instructions, I have achieved the required calmness of mind,” Fe Zhengtao honestly replied.
“Honest and Kind Big Qinggen” remained silent for a long time, as if suspecting Fe Zhengtao was trying to sabotage him. After a while, he finally asked, “Can you perform internal vision? Is your body different from others?”
Internal vision? Fe Zhengtao naturally couldn’t, but inspiration struck. He sneaked into the study, grabbed his father’s human anatomy textbook and his X-ray film from his last illness, and recorded both with the Ten Thousand Realms Common Knowledge Talisman, sending them to Big Qinggen.
Big Qinggen first let out a surprised “Hmm,” then chuckled, “Ah, I see. You just need to slightly adjust the Foundation-Building incantation…”
Following Big Qinggen’s instructions, Fe Zhengtao attempted the Foundation-Building again. This time, after calming his mind and spirit, true Qi naturally emerged.
“Master! Master! I felt the Qi!” Fe Zhengtao excitedly reported the good news, no longer doubting the suspicious Big Qinggen, now filled with reverence. “You’re truly amazing!”
He must be a true martial arts expert!
“Hahaha! Of course your master is amazing! I am the ‘Greenwood King’ of the Jade Void Palace on Kunlun Mountain, having lived through countless eons, the Yuan Emperor’s number one expert!”
Fe Zhengtao was stunned. “The Yuan Emperor? Master, you’re actually the Yuan Emperor’s top expert? And the Jade Void Palace has Kings?”
He had said it casually, mainly in awe of the former’s connection to the Yuan Emperor. Anyone associated with the Yuan Emperor must be an extraordinary expert. Could his master really be that powerful?
“Why wouldn’t there be Kings? In ancient times, even the Heavenly Court had the Four Heavenly Kings!” Big Qinggen said proudly.
Then, he lowered his voice. “Good disciple, your master knows you’re not from this realm.”
“What!” Fe Zhengtao was so frightened his soul nearly flew out. He could only listen in stunned silence as Big Qinggen continued, “No matter which realm you come from, the things around you are likely strange in the real world. And the Mo Palace loves acquiring such oddities. So, your master, no, you’re going to get rich!”
“Master, you’re not bothered that I’m not from your world?” Fe Zhengtao asked in astonishment.
“Of course not! Isn’t it better that way?” Big Qinggen was delighted to have found a treasure trove and began speaking earnestly, “Your master must give you a few warnings. Never enter the Ten Thousand Realms Mall, or you’ll be bewitched by ghosts and spirits, unknowingly buying a pile of useless things that will bankrupt you. Your master has suffered greatly from this. I even cut off my hand to resist, but after cutting it off, I found that the severed hand seemed quite valuable in Yuan Emperor Coins, so I went back to the mall. It’s too terrifying! I’ve lived for countless eons, and I’ve never seen anything so terrifying…”
Big Qinggen swayed his newly grown branches, his tone unusually passionate. Then he lowered his voice again. “Also, never join random groups, especially those claiming to be for martial arts exchanges. Your master fears you won’t be able to control yourself!”
Master, you sure seem to know the drill… Fe Zhengtao’s panic faded, and he smiled nervously. “Disciple will always remember your teachings, Master. Please continue to guide me.”
Big Qinggen smiled proudly. “Good, your attitude is good. As the ‘Greenwood King’ under the Yuan Emperor, one of the few experts of the Jade Void Palace, revered across the Three Realms… Uh, no more talk. Your master has to help the Yuan Emperor receive a package…”
He instantly vanished, leaving Fe Zhengtao stunned. Receiving packages—wasn’t that the job of the gatekeeper or property manager?
Uh… weren’t the Four Heavenly Kings of the Heavenly Court also just guards at the Southern Heavenly Gate?
This master seems a bit unreliable…
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