Outside the Sword Sect.
On a narrow mountain path.
Wang Xiao moved as if on wings, covering dozens of yards with every single step.
He looked as if he were using Instant Teleportation.
This was the first time he had descended the mountain since joining the Sword Sect.
He felt as free as a bird in the endless sky.
'My current strength should be equivalent to a Tier Two Life form in the Real World. I wonder if I'll be able to touch the threshold of Tier Three after I become a Martial Saint?'
Wang Xiao had a feeling that in this world, Martial Saint was not the final destination!
Above the Martial Saint Realm, there had to be an even higher Realm.
A Realm that could, perhaps, allow him to knock on the door of a Tier Three Life form!
However, that was something to consider only after he broke through to the Martial Saint Realm.
SWOOSH!
Wang Xiao quickened his pace, wading through great rivers, crossing high mountains, and passing through bamboo forests, advancing without a destination.
Or perhaps, the journey itself was his purpose.
The nature of Heaven and Earth, all living things.
He wanted to integrate everything he saw, every experience, into his own Martial Arts, forging a path different from all who came before!
「Two days later.」
Wang Xiao had already traveled three thousand li!
The sky gradually grew dark.
He arrived before a waterfall and stared, transfixed, at the torrent of water crashing against the rocks below, kicking up a misty curtain.
[You have successfully analyzed the waterfall striking the rocks and obtained the "Raging Water Sword Technique"]
In an instant.
All the methods for circulating the Raging Water Sword Technique flooded into Wang Xiao's mind.
It was only a Middle-Grade Martial Arts technique, yet Wang Xiao comprehended it in a flash!
Relying on his Analyze All Things Talent.
The Heaven and Earth that Wang Xiao saw was different from what others saw.
In his eyes, everything could be transformed into Martial Arts.
This allowed him to advance further on his path to becoming a Martial Saint.
But this was still far from enough!
To truly take that final step, he needed his own unique understanding of this world.
Then, he had to transform that understanding into his very own Martial Arts!
'The path to becoming a Martial Saint is truly completely different from my previous Cultivation. Taking that last step will probably take some time.'
Wang Xiao wasn't in a hurry. He was only eight years old and could still remain in this world for another twenty-two years.
He had more than enough time to figure out his own Martial Arts!
After catching a few fish in the cold pool beneath the waterfall and roasting them for a meal.
Wang Xiao didn't linger and continued on his way.
...
「Taikang Province, Mingzhou Prefecture, outside Yong'an City.」
Wang Xiao stood outside the city gates, looking at the city before him and letting out a soft sigh.
Three months had passed since he left the Sword Sect.
In those three months, he had crossed three or four provinces and had seen many people and many things.
He had already discovered that the Great Xuan Dynasty was in even greater chaos than he had imagined.
The conflicts arising from land acquisitions had become completely irreconcilable.
Nearly every province had a Rebel Army. War was rampant, and the common people were displaced.
The tragic scenes of great famine, where people resorted to cannibalism, were no longer just cold words in history books; they were actually happening.
One could say that the Great Xuan Dynasty was just a single step away from total collapse.
'This overwhelming tide of events cannot be stopped, not even by a Martial Saint. That pillar of the Great Xuan Dynasty, Wu Shengtiang, is likely powerless to turn the tide. I wonder how much longer he can prolong the life of the Great Xuan Dynasty.'
Wang Xiao knew that many factions, because of Wu Shengtiang, only dared to stir up trouble from the shadows. They didn't dare to truly enter the fray and confront the Great Xuan Dynasty head-on.
However, as the conflicts intensified and the number of Rebel Armies grew, Wu Shengtiang probably wouldn't be able to suppress them all.
When that time came, the entire world would erupt like a wildfire, toppling this decadent dynasty.
'Mingzhou Prefecture seems to have a Grandmaster presiding over it, so it's a bit more stable than the other prefectures.'
Watching the stream of people coming and going, Wang Xiao prepared to enter the city, find an inn to rest for a while, and then continue his journey.
His experiences over the past three months had given him a vague direction for his path to becoming a Martial Saint.
Next, he would travel the length and breadth of the land to verify if this direction was correct.
This was what Mu Qingfeng had spoken of: seeing all living beings, seeing Heaven and Earth!
Of course, this was just a general description. To be precise, it meant integrating one's own insights into the Martial Arts with Heaven and Earth themselves.
It was a long process, but thankfully, Wang Xiao had already taken the first step.
"You stinking beggar! Do you know how much silver this robe costs? You got mud all over me! Are you looking to die?!"
Just as Wang Xiao was about to enter the city.
A heated argument erupted not far away.
Wang Xiao turned to look and saw a middle-aged man kick a tattered-clothed beggar to the ground.
The beggar was just over 1.6 meters tall, covered in mud. His hair looked like it hadn't been washed in years, matted into clumps that obscured most of his face.
However, it was clear the beggar wasn't old, probably only fourteen or fifteen.
Despite being kicked, the beggar didn't make a sound. He simply stared at the middle-aged man, his eyes frighteningly bright.
"You still dare to glare at me? You must be looking for death!"
Seeing this, the middle-aged man refused to let it go, raising his fist to strike the beggar again.
However.
His fist was stopped in mid-air, unable to descend.
Wang Xiao had grabbed the man's wrist, his expression calm as he said:
"Sir, life isn't easy for anyone these days. Where it's possible to be merciful, one should be merciful."
The middle-aged man glanced at Wang Xiao, then at the sword at his waist. His pupils contracted, and he swallowed hard.
"Wh-what do you want? I'm telling you, if you dare cause trouble, the city guards will come and arrest you immediately!"
Wang Xiao released the man's hand and said:
"I think you can go now."
The man snorted, suppressed his anger, flicked his sleeves, and quickly walked away.
He could bully a beggar, but he didn't dare offend a Jianghu man with a sharp sword at his waist.
Wang Xiao turned to the beggar and said:
"Are you from the refugee camp?"
These days, there were refugees everywhere, fleeing from war or natural disasters.
The County Magistrate of Yong'an City would never let these refugees into the city.
However.
The honorable County Magistrate was kind-hearted and couldn't bear to see these refugees suffer.
So he had specially set up the refugee camp several li outside Yong'an City, letting them fend for themselves where he wouldn't have to see them.
The beggar nodded. "I haven't eaten in two days. Can you give me something to eat?"
Wang Xiao handed the beggar some dried meat and rations he had on him.
"This is all I have."
The beggar immediately took it and began to wolf it down, saying:
"My name is Zhang Yuanzhu. May I ask for this young hero's name? I will surely repay you in the future!"
Wang Xiao replied:
"I'm just a nobody. It's not worth mentioning."
He paid the beggar no more mind and turned to walk toward the city.
In the past three months, although he rarely interacted with people, he would still help out when he could.
He wasn't looking for repayment; he simply acted as he saw fit.
This, too, was a part of his path to Enlightenment.
Just then.
A scruffy, long-bearded Daoist who looked to be in his fifties, dressed in a yellow Daoist Robe, walked up beside Wang Xiao and said leisurely:
"Young friend, this old Daoist sees that you have a remarkable bone structure and a heart for saving those in misery. Would you like to join my Taiping Sect and deliver salvation to all living beings?"
Wang Xiao glanced at the Daoist, his expression calm as he replied:
"If your Taiping Sect delivers salvation to all, why didn't you help that beggar just now when he was suffering?"
He knew that in these chaotic times of war, some sects had seized the opportunity to rise up and gather followers.
Some of these sects were actually part of the Rebel Army.
Others were simply using the name of a sect to swindle and deceive people.
Wang Xiao wanted nothing to do with either.
Hearing this, the Daoist shook his head.
"There are so many suffering people in this world. Can you save them all? Our Taiping Sect exists to save the world itself. As long as the world is saved, then millions of suffering people will be saved."
Wang Xiao shot the Daoist a sidelong glance.
"My skills are lacking. I cannot save the world. I can only save the person in front of me."
The Daoist was stunned for a moment, then smiled.
"A fine sentiment, 'only save the person in front of me.' Let this old Daoist ask you, then: if you encounter someone stronger than you, like the Government Office, bullying the people, will you save them or not?"
Wang Xiao thought for a moment.
"I am also currently searching for that answer, so I can't reply to you right now."
The Daoist stroked his beard and said:
"This old Daoist happens to know the answer."
Wang Xiao said, "I would like to hear it."
The Daoist smiled. "Then just become the strongest person in the world."
"..." Wang Xiao looked thoughtful.
Seeing Wang Xiao remain silent, the Daoist continued, "This old Daoist sees that your disposition is excellent and you have great potential. Why not take me as your master? In the future, it might not be impossible for you to become a Martial Saint."
Wang Xiao shook his head. "I already have a master. I cannot take another."
He paused.
Then he looked at the beggar nearby. "If you really want to take a disciple, that beggar has a resolute character. He's a good choice."
The Daoist narrowed his eyes. "Kid, what does your master's lineage matter? This old Daoist is confident he can teach you to become a Grandmaster. Can your current master do that? You'd better think carefully. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Wang Xiao ignored the Daoist, paid the entrance fee to the city guards, and walked straight into the city.
The Daoist didn't follow. Instead, he sighed, slowly walked over to Zhang Yuanzhu, and in a light, airy tone, spoke an earth-shattering sentence:
"Beggar, do you want to be the Emperor?"
Zhang Yuanzhu was stunned at first, but then his expression gradually calmed as he replied:
"A true man is born between Heaven and Earth to achieve immortal merits. Of course I want to."
The Daoist burst out laughing.
"Wonderful, just wonderful! To think I'd run into two such fascinating people just by taking a stroll, haha."
"Come with this old Daoist."
The Daoist lifted Zhang Yuanzhu and, with a single step, reappeared dozens of yards away. In just a few leaps, they vanished from outside the city.
Faintly, the sound of a heroic song could be heard.
"The changing winds and clouds reflect a soaring ambition; who will rise and fall to master Heaven and Earth!"
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