"A minor hiding in the city, a major hiding in the wilderness?" Chen Jiuyang asked.
"Exactly," Hong Wu said. "In our Dragon Country, with its prosperous and populous cities, the greatest force in the martial arts world is the Six Gates."
"The deeper one's martial arts cultivation, the easier it is to harm others," Hong Wu continued. "As your master, I once saw a Grandmaster of the Earth Realm who crippled an ordinary person with just a glance."
Chen Jiuyang was astonished. "Grandmasters of the Earth Realm are that formidable?"
"Grandmasters of the Earth Realm are indeed formidable," Hong Wu replied. "However, the deeper one's martial arts cultivation, the more one should refrain from harming ordinary people. Otherwise, the Six Gates will apprehend martial artists. Tell me, if you spent decades diligently practicing martial arts, only to accidentally kill an ordinary person and be thrown into prison by the Six Gates, wouldn't that be a great injustice?"
"Conversely, if high-level martial artists harmed ordinary people and were allowed to go unpunished, the order of our Dragon Country would have descended into chaos long ago."
"Therefore, in large cities, high-level martial artists are extremely rare, or rather, they rarely act in public because it is easy to break the law."
"Take my Fengcheng, for instance. There are countless wealthy individuals, but how many can practice martial arts? Moreover, ordinary people practicing martial arts only get so far. Even if you are a Grandmaster of the Earth Realm, you might only live twenty to thirty years longer than an ordinary person, but in return, you've dedicated your life to rigorous training through scorching summers and freezing winters. How much time have you wasted? How many wonderful life experiences have you missed? And how much trouble have you invited?"
"Once you step into the martial arts world, with its turbulent affairs, you are no longer in control. Even if you behave yourself and remain low-key, trouble will find you."
"This is why many wealthy and influential families, seeing this clearly, choose to indulge in pleasure for their entire lives and refrain from practicing martial arts."
After Hong Wu’s explanation, Chen Jiuyang finally understood why he had never heard of martial artists growing up. If he hadn't seen the girl practicing swordplay by the river in Qingzhu Village, Chen Jiuyang wouldn't have paid any attention to martial arts, let alone encountered this world.
Hong Wu concluded, "The final reason why martial artists rarely appear is that true techniques are hard to come by."
"Many aristocratic families and influential clans that have been passed down through generations live in seclusion in small places, places you might not have heard of."
"Alas, talking about these things with you is too far-fetched. Let's focus on practicing martial arts diligently. Your physique is excellent. Perhaps you can undergo blood transformation three times before the age of thirty and reach the level of a Grandmaster."
From the moment Chen Jiuyang came into contact with martial arts, his progress was rapid. After Hong Wu took Chen Jiuyang as his disciple, Hong Wu would apply a special essential oil to Chen Jiuyang's body after his daily training. Three months later, Chen Jiuyang underwent his first blood transformation, enabling him to shatter a cobblestone with full force. Another three months passed, and Chen Jiuyang underwent his second blood transformation, capable of shattering a cobblestone with ease and crushing it into powder with applied force. He could also punch through a cement wall without sustaining injury, reaching Hong Wu's level of strength.
Hong Wu was overjoyed, barely able to catch his breath. Chen Jiuyang's ability to complete two blood transformations in nine months of practice was equivalent to the strength of a Yellow Realm martial artist.
With Chen Jiuyang having undergone two blood transformations, Hong Wu began to bring him to various martial arts gatherings, ushering him into the martial arts world. Chen Jiuyang's talent was exceptional. Hong Wu took Chen Jiuyang to spar with disciples and masters from Xingyi martial arts schools within Feng Province. Chen Jiuyang easily defeated his opponents, gaining a slight reputation in the Feng Province martial arts community.
Five months later, a master of external martial arts, Liu Taichong, arrived in Feng Province!
In a short period, he challenged the Xingyi practitioners throughout Fengcheng. His attacks were ruthless; anyone who faced him either died or was severely injured. Hong Wu's martial arts school was the last to be challenged.
Liu Taichong gravely injured Hong Wu within five moves. Finally, Chen Jiuyang stepped forward, crippled Liu Taichong, and forced out the Xuan Realm Grandmaster behind him. Chen Jiuyang, with his two blood transformations, confronted the Xuan Realm Grandmaster. Both sustained injuries, and the Xuan Realm Grandmaster eventually fled with Liu Taichong. This battle cemented Chen Jiuyang's fame in the Fengcheng martial arts world.
At the age of twenty-three, Chen Jiuyang completed his third blood transformation, fully entering the Grandmaster realm. Chen Jiuyang replaced Hong Wu, becoming the leading figure of the Xingyi style in the Fengcheng martial arts world.
At this point, Chen Jiuyang began receiving requests from certain individuals, hoping he would resolve some troublesome matters for them, offering substantial rewards. Chen Jiuyang knew that practicing martial arts required significant financial resources, so he accepted these jobs while continuing his training to hone his martial arts.
One day, Chen Jiuyang returned home to find his parents sitting on the sofa with pale faces, looking as if their souls had been lost.
Chen Jiuyang asked, "Dad, what happened?"
Chen Jianmin remained silent. Zhang Xiuzhen replied, "Your dad... he lost his job..."
Chen Jiuyang, now worth tens of millions, was still far from wealthy families like the Qian family, who were worth billions. He frowned and asked, "Dad has been doing well for so many years. How could this happen so suddenly?"
"They're dead... all dead..." Chen Jianmin said, his head bowed, a hint of fear in his voice. "The Qian family is wiped out. The boss and everyone else are dead. They were all killed overnight. No one knows how."
Chen Jiuyang was deeply shocked. The Qian family, a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, was gone just like that?
Chen Jiuyang asked, "Wasn't the young master Qian's fiancée from the Yao family, a trillion-dollar conglomerate? Didn't the Yao family, such a prominent family, react?"
Chen Jianmin trembled, "The Yao family members are also dead. Everyone closely related to the Qian family is dead..."
Chen Jianmin dared not say more, fearing that those who had enmity with the Qian family might target their family, and they might be the next to die.
Hearing about the death of the Yao family members, Chen Jiuyang felt an inexplicable sadness.
Sensing his father's worry, Chen Jiuyang spoke up, "Dad, Mom, don't worry. I'm here."
Chen Jiuyang, having completed three blood transformations at twenty-three and reached the Grandmaster realm, was already renowned in the Fengcheng martial arts world. If the enemy were to come for their family, Chen Jiuyang believed he could hold them off.
That night, Chen Jianmin kept drinking, unable to sleep peacefully.
As Chen Jianmin had predicted, those who had enmity with the Qian family did indeed come for them.
The visitors were a group of martial artists like Chen Jiuyang, who took money to resolve troubles.
That night, Chen Jiuyang repelled five Xuan Realm experts.
Chen Jiuyang knew this situation was unsustainable. His family had been drawn into a major conspiracy. He immediately took his parents and fled back to Qingzhu Village in Ziyang County to seek refuge.
However, they could not escape. A Grandmaster of the Earth Realm appeared. With a mere flick of a finger, an immeasurable, mountain-like invisible force crushed Chen Jiuyang's bones, rendering him immobile.
This was no ordinary Grandmaster of the Earth Realm.
Chen Jiuyang recognized the Grandmaster of the Earth Realm as the Chief Constable of the Fengcheng Six Gates, Xi Butui!
This sent a chill down Chen Jiuyang's spine. What kind of matter could prompt the most prominent figure in Fengcheng to personally intervene?
Xi Butui looked down at Chen Jiuyang and said, "I'll give you two choices: either become my lackey from now on, or your entire family dies."
"You have ten seconds to choose."
Chen Jiuyang looked at Xi Butui and asked, "If I work for you, can my family be kept safe?"
"Naturally."
Chen Jiuyang feigned compliance and agreed, "Alright."
His parents gave him life and raised him. As long as they were safe and could live, what did it matter if he feigned compliance with Xi Butui?
Having practiced martial arts to this point, he lacked for nothing in terms of wealth. His parents were caught in a grand conspiracy. The enemy valued his martial prowess, and thus could spare his family. His martial arts practice had found its purpose, saving his family!
From then on, Chen Jiuyang, the person, disappeared from this world. In the shadows, a killer emerged.
Ten years later, Chen Jiuyang had earned Xi Butui's deep trust. One day, after completing a mission, Chen Jiuyang went to report to Xi Butui. Xi Butui said, "Jiuyang, do you know why ten years ago I sought to eradicate all individuals connected to the Yao family?"
Chen Jiuyang replied, "I do not know."
Xi Butui smiled faintly and asked, "In your opinion, in today's Dragon Country, is it better to have more martial artists or fewer?"
Chen Jiuyang answered, "It is better to have more martial artists who can serve the nation, and fewer rogue martial artists who cannot."
Xi Butui nodded slowly and then asked, "Currently, the highest realm in our Dragon Country is the Heavenly Realm. Do you think our Dragon Country should allow the emergence of martial artists at the Venerable Realm?"
Chen Jiuyang pondered for a long time and said, "If they can serve the nation, then yes. If they cannot serve the nation, it is best not to."
Martial artists at the Heavenly Realm were already incredibly powerful. If martial artists at the Venerable Realm were to appear, how could the Heavenly Realm Kings of the Dragon Country suppress them?
Would the Dragon Country not ultimately descend into chaos and its people suffer?