Forge a path to success

Many years ago, when the young Ji Qiufeng faced questions from his fellow disciples, he pondered for a moment.

"My senior brother... is naturally a genius, but he's not among the strongest."

"As for her temperament, although she has the heart of a child, she is too naive, which makes it easy for her to limit herself."

"He's also a bit of a money-grubber and loves to show off, so he's definitely not the perfect martial artist you all think he is. To put it bluntly, he's inferior to me in all these aspects."

This answer only confused his fellow disciples further. Ji Qiufeng responded with a smile.

"Don't you find it strange? I started learning at the same time as him, and since he is inferior to me in many ways, why am I willing to call him senior brother?"

"Because my senior brother is very hardworking."

"He works very hard."

"You have to work harder than me, your senior sister, or anyone else you know."

“If you had seen him even once, you would understand. The race he comes from is not just weak, it is extremely fragile.”

He managed to stand at the same level as me, relying solely on that body of his—”

"How can I not respect and admire such spirit and perseverance?"

·

Huan Ge removed his mask and tossed it aside. Chu Hengkong was taken aback; it was a "face" he couldn't understand.

Dark skin, pale complexion, wide-set red eyes, and sparse downy hair on the top of his head.

He looks vaguely familiar, but I can't quite place him. What race is he?

"Modified tree people?" "Armored forest dwellers?" "Was it a biochemical surgery performed on Shura Island...?"

Even the audience was buzzing with discussion. Captain Huan Ge always appeared masked, and even his personal guards weren't entirely sure of his origins, only that his race was inherently weak. Now that Huan Ge had removed his mask, they felt he looked familiar, but couldn't quite place him. They must have seen him somewhere before; there were definitely such people in the city-state, but they just couldn't bring themselves to say the truth…

When exactly did we meet?

Van Der, watching the battle, stared blankly: "No, no way? No way??"

Qingye asked curiously, "You recognized me?"

“I can recognize it, but that’s just too absurd. That’s…that’s…”

Van der screamed incredulously, "That's a cicada!!!"

"—Hey hey hey hey hey hey?!"

Regardless of their stance, everyone gasped in surprise. Upon hearing the sound, they finally remembered the source of their unease: the tiny insects visible in every vein of the tree; the band members chirping and singing in the trees; so fragile that even among the smallest races protected by special legislation in parliament, they were among the most vulnerable…

The Thornlea cicada, which develops underground for seventeen years, enjoys a few more years on the surface, and then dies!

The air above the dueling arena was filled with chirping as several cicadas flew over, proudly declaring, "That's right! Captain Huan Ge is the pride of our tree cicada clan!"

"Are you kidding me?!" the audience exclaimed in shock.

Huan Ge smiled without saying a word, while Chu Hengkong was filled with admiration: "How did you do that?"

"Of course, it's through hard work!" Huan Ge said proudly. "I started with three thousand sets of exercises, honing myself bit by bit. I trained my limbs into 'skillful hands' that could wield a sword, my exoskeleton into 'strong bones' that could stand upright, and my heart into 'fierce heart' that could fight."

"After transforming to particle level 4, I gradually reshaped my body structure, ultimately forming this perfect physique!" Huan Ge pointed to himself with a thumbs-up. "How about that? Pretty impressive, right?"

"Amazing," Chu Hengkong said sincerely.

I don't just admire them, I practically revere them.

From that insignificant insect that breaks at the slightest touch, he honed his skills step by step, studying and refining his craft, until he became the soldier who protects the thorny robe, the dignified captain of the second team...

Their dedication and effort have reached a level unimaginable to ordinary people.

How can I show this respect?

We have no choice but to give it our all.

Only a real battle can do justice to such an opponent!

The death wings behind Chu Hengkong stretched out, and he nodded slightly to Huan Ge: "Greetings, Uncle Huan Ge."

Huan Ge waved his hand: "Then let me see your true skills!"

The next moment, the conflict erupted. The four weapons of the two sides clashed mercilessly, and the splashing energy almost formed a storm. Both sides were circulating the Qi of a Thousand Autumns, and their strength was deadlocked. However, in this exchange, Huan Ge gained the upper hand.

Four fists, one from the upper right, one from the left, and one from the bottom, simultaneously attacked. His insect-like multi-leggedness had been honed into a unique personality. This innate advantage was on a completely different level from the frivolous multi-arm modification surgery. Chu Hengkong felt the pressure instantly increase, as if three Huan Ges were attacking at once!

"True Profound Qi Armor—"

"—Burning Night, Chisel!"

Chu Hengkong donned his blood-red armor, withstanding Huan Ge's relentless attacks. However, Huan Ge's shrewd eyes saw through his decision. His four arms transformed into fists and fingers, striking the four points of the Zhengxuan Gang Qi armor. The willpower maintaining the armor was abruptly severed, and the fiery attack sent Chu Hengkong flying.

Chu Hengkong spat out a mouthful of foul blood, unleashing three sword energies in mid-air with a series of divine slashes. Huan Ge leaped into the air, using his naginata to protect himself, then wielded his axe with both arms and slashed down with all his might. His massive body blocked out the sun from Chu Hengkong's eyes!

"A million-fold annihilation, and, Burning Night - Ignite!"

The terrifying attack of the giant axe, which cleaved through the mountain range, grew even stronger with its suddenly burning spirit. Chu Hengkong quickly steadied himself and unleashed five consecutive strikes with his Kanglong Spear, the spear's momentum forming a dragon shape to block the shattering blow.

Huan Ge's colossal body plummeted from the sky, and Chu Hengkong retreated several steps, drawing his sword to parry the naginata's strike. The clash of weapons was deafening; Huan Ge's six arms and dual weapons launched a fierce attack, while Chu Hengkong defended flawlessly with both spear and sword. The situation reached a stalemate, both sides evenly matched, and then—

Huan Ge clenched his fist and revealed his third surprise weapon!

"The Divine Wood Flute [Ancient Song], a weapon produced by my Jing Sha City-state, obtained through my illustrious military exploits!"

The weapon, named a wooden flute, resembled a heavy hammer, with several holes drilled into its head. Huan Ge struck the ground with the divine wooden flute, and bursts of music followed, causing Chu Hengkong's muscles to ache and go numb.

The music, which should have been intangible, was imbued with spirit and became visible musical notes. These notes intertwined, forming cherry blossom-colored runes. Though they were city-state weapons, they were wielded with the true essence of Longquan Township.

Huan Ge stood still, clapped his hands and shouted, "Music can also be used as a battle formation! Behold, the Cherry Blossom Formation!"

Centered on the musical runes behind Huan Ge, a cherry blossom-colored array was instantly formed. Petals of spiritual energy fell like flower petals, actually "merging" into Chu Hengkong's body. The parts touched by the petals became ghostly transparent, and Chu Hengkong's speed suddenly decreased, allowing Huan Ge to seize the opportunity to press his advantage.

Fan De, sitting in the audience, gasped, "Holy crap, this is a rune array from the Netherworld God Kingdom..."

Qingye stared intently: "Does that formation forcibly transform the physical body into a ghostly form?"

“Yes, this thing is so vicious that it was considered a forbidden technique even within the divine kingdom back then. It wouldn't be used unless it was a fight to the death.” Vande said with admiration, “He’s really learned a lot!”

Chu Heng, on the arena, had no time to listen to their conversation, but he could better appreciate the insidious nature of the Falling Cherry Blossom Formation. A martial artist's skills reside entirely in their physical body; if they become ghosts, they will have no power left.

He decisively thrust the Dragon Spear to his side, his left arm's chains breaking and transforming into a scythe specifically designed to destroy defensive formations. The transformed scythe instantly shot out, shattering the core of the Falling Cherry Blossom Battle. At this moment, Huan Ge smiled, his fourth arm grasping his fourth extraordinary weapon.

"The Great Item [Flowing Cloud] is what I won in a bet with General Hong."

It was a long sword sheathed in a purple scabbard, the scabbard decorated with freehand cloud patterns. When the surprise attack appeared, the scabbard had already fallen off, and Huan Ge seized the opportunity when Huo's wrist suddenly thrust out, slashing out with the sharp blade.

"Watch closely, this is a lightning-fast strike—Soul Intent Sword: Swallow Return!"

Qingye stood up in shock: "That's from the Sacrifice Martial Venerable—"

The strike was unleashed. Fast. Extremely fast. Like a swift darting through a crack in time and space, leaving only a faint, invisible afterimage.

Among the three Martial Venerables of Shura Island, Chunhe Martial Venerable Guang Shiming is unparalleled in both swordsmanship and martial arts, and is widely recognized as a master of his time. The other two Martial Venerables are both extreme in their pursuit of the ultimate sword, one seeking only the ultimate swordsmanship, and the other seeking only the ultimate martial arts.

The Sword Master was an extreme individual who sought technique over swordsmanship. The swordsmanship he used in his youth had long been buried along with the shift in his path of seeking the Dao, and even his personal disciples were not allowed to practice it.

But Huan Ge somehow managed to use this non-existent sword because he had obtained a saber that the Martial Venerable had used in his early years. Through his own comprehension and meditation, he captured a trace of the Martial Venerable's spirit, and from that remnant spirit, he extracted the non-existent sword!

The timing of the strike was extremely precise; ordinary swordsmanship was no match for this sword. Its speed was so great that only an even faster strike could achieve such a kill. The only perfect solution was Yang Yi, the simplest sword technique created by Chongming himself. However, Chu Hengkong had no strength left to strike, as his right arm, which held the sword, had just been injured by the Falling Cherry Blossom Array, and his semi-spiritual body was insufficient to support the Radiant Heaven Flow.

Closer. A flash of sword light streaked past his eyes. A swallow soared in. Chu Hengkong used his wrist to catch the blade, then thrust forward, unleashing a vicious, dark blade light.

The Unthinking Reversal Style: Slaughtering Sword. A ferocious blade created by Nightwalker!

The two swords clashed, two streams of blood spurting out. Chu Hengkong's shoulder and Huan Ge's side—the clash of secret swords ended in mutual destruction. Chu Hengkong used his Undying Technique to heal his wounds, while Huan Ge used Burning Night to stop the bleeding. Then, their blades clashed again, without a moment's respite, the battle escalating into a fierce hand-to-hand combat!

Qingye breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that her clothes were soaked with cold sweat. She sat back down in her chair, still shaken: "I knew he'd secretly learned it..."

Vande rolled his eyes: "I almost forgot, we have just as terrifying monsters here..."

Gasps of surprise erupted from the stands. The second team's broadcast slowed down the previous exchange to an extreme degree, making the fierce battle palpable even if the movements were still unclear. People clenched their fists, cold sweat pouring down their faces. They excitedly discussed the strength of both sides.

And in the process, smiles appeared on their faces without them even realizing it.

Military camps are places that most admire strength.

We admire hard work and talent; we admire men of unwavering integrity and courage; we admire merit and bravery.

At this very moment, two remarkable men are fighting.

Willpower, sweat, and talent clash on the blade.

They race along the path of martial arts, vying for the title of victor.

Naturally, people were excited.

Who wouldn't enjoy a battle like this?

Who wouldn't want to see them decide a winner!

"Great!" "Great!" "The captain is truly amazing!" "Master Chu, don't lose to him!"

This extraordinary exhilaration was even more pronounced among the independence activists. It was as if the veil that had been obscuring them, the threads that had been binding them, had vanished, as if some unseen, imperceptible force influencing their spirits had been burned away by their burning fighting spirit.

Then their eyes brightened, and they returned to the state they were in before the bill was announced. They waved their arms excitedly and shouted with abandon. After months of infighting and countless days of stifling resentment, smiles finally returned to their faces.

This is what a military camp should be like.

More than infighting and debate, this is the kind of victory everyone craves!

Meanwhile, in the center of the ring, the two fighters were laughing.

"Uncle-Master Huan Ge, just how many more treasures are you hiding?"

"Don't underestimate me," Huan Ge laughed heartily. "I'm a man determined to collect all the world's treasures and master all the martial arts of the past and present!"

Chapter 377 War and Turmoil (7)

It was a truly dreamlike time.

It's been a long time since I've fought a battle without any pressure.

When facing an enemy, one must kill them. On the battlefield, one bears the duty of never being defeated. When instructing younger generations, one can never give one's all. When dueling with a mentor, one is actually seeking their guidance.

Too many burdens. Too many concerns. Certain, must, ought to, cannot. Like invisible shackles binding oneself.

There is nothing like that in this duel.

We are allies, so it doesn't matter if we fail.

It's not a life-or-death battle, so getting injured doesn't matter.

If the opponent is strong enough, you can go all out.

How long...

How long has it been since I've had such a pure battle?

Weapons clashed amidst laughter, dodges were made, insights were gleaned, wounds were inflicted, and players rallied for the next round. The moves gradually simplified, and the speed slowed. The ultimate power of "One Qi for a Thousand Autumns" had reached its limit, but it was meaningless in this kind of battle.

The outcome of a battle cannot be determined by the strength of the opponent; the key to tipping the scales of the battle is "martial arts skill."

The rapid pace of the fight gradually slowed down, until even the audience could barely make out what was happening. With each move simplified to its extreme, the faces of the two men became clearer.

Chu Hengkong is a born strongman.

His moves exuded confidence and composure, showing no fear of injury or defeat. He was fearless and daring, even launching attacks while wounded, never doubting the outcome of the battle. He was accustomed to strength and therefore possessed absolute confidence in his victory.

Huan Ge is a weakling who climbs to a high place.

He is physically imposing, yet possesses a meticulous mind. Knowing he is not invincible, he never allows his enemy's attack to succeed easily. Having encountered too many opponents stronger than himself, he understands the difficulty of victory, and thus is extremely cautious.

Two completely opposite men meet on the same stage, yet there is no contempt or hostility between them.

Because martial arts are the fairest thing in the world.

As long as you put in the effort, you will definitely reap the rewards.

Exceptional people rely on talent, while mediocre people rely on hard work. It may seem unfair, and there may be differences, but in the end, we are all the same.

The "martial arts" clashing on the battlefield are, in fact, the crystallization of one's own self. What is being compared through weapons is the self that has been constantly striving forward—

Therefore, people can understand that Huan Ge is a greedy person.

Not content with weakness, but yearning for strength.

Not content with defeat, but yearning for victory.

He desired countless treasures, mastered martial arts, the recognition of the masses, and the honors of a warrior. Even now, he remained unchanged.