"Saint Awakening... In ancient times, they were the stuff of legends—Saints and Sages that appeared only once in several centuries. Even today, they're exceedingly rare. Secrets known only to those at that level... this must not be a simple matter," Zhou Yuanjue said with a nod.
"For now, at least, it has nothing to do with you or me. As for the terms we agreed upon, I can offer you certain advantages. As the 'seed' I have chosen, you won't be crushed by opponents using high-level connections and influence over 'minor issues' in this far-reaching plan. As long as you don't cross any major lines, you also won't have to worry about being constrained by various rules. In return, if you succeed, you will need to repay me accordingly," Li Qingxuan said coolly.
"That's fair. I have no objections. If I can achieve Saint Awakening, I'm very interested in the secrets you hold. But I'll say this upfront: our cooperation has its limits, and so does my repayment. I have my own principles and bottom line," Zhou Yuanjue nodded.
"Of course. Anyone who achieves Saint Awakening walks their own path. An expert of that caliber would never willingly submit to another. We're seeking a partner, not a slave. Our goal is a win-win situation," Li Qingxuan said with a light laugh.
Li Qingxuan was a major reason why Zhou Yuanjue had so abruptly cut ties with Heiwei Yuan. It was from her that he had learned of a plan conceived by the higher-ups in Donghua—a plan to cultivate powerful, Saint Awakening Level Martial Artists.
Three months ago, Li Qingxuan had approached him after one of his dueling matches and proposed a partnership. Zhou Yuanjue saw what he wanted in this plan, which was set to sweep through the country's entire Martial Arts Realm. Therefore, once his Red Falcon Fist had reached Great Success, he decisively cut ties with Heiwei Yuan with lightning speed and quickly settled his affairs with both the Nanjiang Zhou Clan and Wuhai University.
He did all this to throw himself wholeheartedly into this new challenge.
This was, after all, the age of firearms. Living in such an era, even someone as powerful as Zhou Yuanjue could not avoid being constrained by rules and regulations from all sides. This was the greatest obstacle to his goal of challenging the nation's schools and charging toward the Saint Awakening Realm.
After all, he had no backing. The major Martial Arts Schools, on the other hand, had intricate networks of influence throughout Donghua Country. In scholarship, there's no absolute first, but in combat, there's no accepting second place. A challenge was a matter of a school's honor—and even its survival. There was no guarantee that these schools, with their immense societal power, wouldn't use other means to deal with him.
He was only human, after all, not a god. Facing such immense pressure, he too would grow weary, his Spirit and willpower worn down until he eventually revealed a critical flaw.
Li Qingxuan's appearance compensated for this weakness. Now, he could focus all his Spirit on the major Martial Arts Schools without worrying about outside interference. Thus, the two of them had hit it off immediately.
"For my own personal reasons, I'm not like the other sponsors. I can't give you much. Everything will still depend on you," Li Qingxuan said with a sigh.
"It's more than enough. I just need an environment where I can focus on my challenges. I'm not looking for a babysitter," Zhou Yuanjue said calmly.
"I'll do what I can. So, have you chosen your first target?" Li Qingxuan asked with a smile.
"Of course. I'll start here in Wuhai," Zhou Yuanjue said.
"Wuhai... Let me guess. The man currently recognized as Wuhai's strongest—Yan Hao of the Lanhai Society?" Li Qingxuan said, stroking her smooth chin.
Zhou Yuanjue nodded.
"I knew it would be him. I hear that in three days, Yan Hao is set to succeed as the next president of the Lanhai Society and will be holding the 'Carrying the Furnace' ceremony. You really know how to pick your moments." A mischievous smile appeared on Li Qingxuan's face.
"What I need is the thrill of a true life-and-death duel. The 'Carrying the Furnace' ceremony is the perfect opportunity," Zhou Yuanjue said coolly.
"They say that in five generations of heirs, Yan Hao is the only one to have mastered the Lanhai Society's 'Dragon Elephant Unmoving Style' to the level of Great Success. I'm starting to get a little excited," Li Qingxuan said with a smile.
The Lanhai Society was Wuhai's largest local faction and the recognized powerhouse of the city's Martial Arts Realm. It had been rooted in Wuhai for over a century. Its predecessor was a union of two Martial Arts Schools that had gradually grown and expanded in Wuhai, its influence reaching into every corner of the city's society. The Binjiang Tianhai City, where Zhou Yuanjue had fought his last dueling match, was one of the Lanhai Society's properties.
And Yan Hao was the Lanhai Society's currently acknowledged strongest member. In the five generations since the Lanhai Society had moved to Wuhai, he was the first person to have cultivated its core Martial Dao, the "Dragon Elephant Unmoving Style," to the stage of Great Success.
Wuhai Tianhua District, Lanhai Martial Arts Club.
This massive sports club was the Lanhai Society's martial arts training ground. The only people qualified to enter were either core members of the Lanhai Society or Wuhai's most distinguished and wealthy elite.
In the morning, a luxury sedan pulled up to the main entrance of the Lanhai Martial Arts Club. A young man and woman stepped out of the car.
"Sun Dao'an! Hurry up! You've been dragging your feet all morning. Today, Senior Brother Yan Hao is giving a personal demonstration! If we're late, we'll miss it!" Xu Yan, a tall girl with a neat ponytail and healthy, tan skin, gritted her teeth as she pulled Sun Dao'an by the arm toward the Lanhai Martial Arts Club.
"Alright, alright, you've hyped this Yan Hao up to the heavens. Isn't he just some guy who practices Ancient Martial Arts? 'Senior Brother?' Seriously? Has he won any honors? Any awards? Has he ever fought professionally? Ever stepped into a professional ring?
I think you've been completely duped, cuz. I've seen some of these 'masters.' They talk a big game, hyping themselves up to be some mystical sages who can shoot out energy to block missiles for the country. But which one of them could actually take a punch from me? Ancient Martial Arts? I think it should be called 'Ancient Dance Arts.' When they're 'sparring' with their own students, their techniques are a flurry of endless variations, with unstoppable moves no one can counter. But the second they fight a real opponent, they can't beat anyone. If I wasn't doing you a favor, I wouldn't have wasted my time coming here," the tall Sun Dao'an said with a yawn, his disinterest obvious.
"You! You've only been here for a few months, you don't know anything about Wuhai. You can run your mouth with me, but you can't say things like that here. I'm afraid you'll get beaten to death."
Xu Yan was seething. Her distant cousin had learned a few moves from a local boxing champion back home, and after gaining a bit of skill, he'd become insufferably arrogant. As a freshman at Wuhai University, he joined the fighting club and challenged everyone, defeating them all. Even the members of fighting clubs from several other universities were no match for him. His arrogance knew no bounds. When she had mentioned Senior Brother Yan Hao, he had actually assumed she'd been duped by a fake master, giving her a look of utter contempt. 'Today, I'm going to open his eyes and show him what a true master is.'