Chapter 500 - 499: Advice from Samsara!

Ding—!

"Congratulations! You have completed one of the tasks: to become a world-renowned martial arts master!"

"Please note: this task can still be continued. The more you increase your reputation, the higher your evaluation will be once all tasks are completed."

Fenric remained calm as the system prompt echoed in his mind.

For him, fame was trivial. Becoming known across the world was nothing difficult. What truly mattered was Task Two—to find his father’s murderer.

That was the challenge.

So far, Fenric had found no clues. Still, he believed that once he uncovered even the smallest lead, he would quickly track the killer down.

Unfortunately, investigation was not his strength. Unlike battle, there was no direct point of breakthrough.

—---

With Tang Zichen conceding, the match came to its conclusion.

The host strode briskly onto the stage, his voice booming across the Bird’s Nest:

"Fenric wins! Let us congratulate him with a round of applause—our new national champion! Fenric truly deserves this title!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"One month from now," the host continued, "Fenric and Tang Zichen will represent our country at the World Martial Arts Championship! Let us wish them victory on the world stage!"

Applause thundered through the arena.

It was exactly as the host declared—Fenric was the rightful champion. For a Martial Sage, winning the national tournament was only natural.

Slap! Slap!

The clapping went on and on. Excitement rippled through the spectators as they realized they had witnessed the rise of a new legend.

A Martial Sage would represent their country in the world championship.

Victory on the global stage was already within their grasp—unless other nations could somehow field their own Martial Sage, they stood no chance at all.

"Fenric, you’re so handsome!"

"Fenric, I love you! Marry me!"

"Go, Fenric! Bring us the world championship!"

The applause mingled with countless shrieks and cheers.

Where only days ago he had been accused of playing a rigged match, now those same doubts were buried under waves of adoration.

Some spectators, too overwhelmed to contain themselves, rushed toward the stage. They fell to their knees, kowtowing, begging Fenric to accept them as disciples.

Their wishful thinking was obvious.

To be taken under the wing of a Martial Sage—even to receive a single casual pointer—was enough to change their lives. With such a master, even mediocrity could turn into greatness, and talent could become legend.

But Fenric wasn’t foolish. He ignored their shameless pleas without hesitation.

In the midst of roaring applause, he and Tang Zichen stepped down from the stage.

The country regional competition had ended.

But on the internet, the true storm had just begun.

News spread like wildfire: another Martial Sage had appeared!

It was a story that shook the entire world.

And not just any Martial Sage—Fenric was young, impossibly young. The most gifted prodigy in history.

Online discussions exploded:

"F*ck! So this guy really was Martial Sage!"

"No wonder he could crush his opponent with just a finger. He’s a top boss!"

"Big Brother Ric is insane! One palm and he flattened a Great Grandmaster. That’s too strong!"

"Exactly! Elder Lu has been famous for decades. He’s vice president of the Martial Association, respected by all. Even he couldn’t withstand one move from Fenric!"

"Martial Sage is Martial Sage... absolutely overwhelming."

"I was at the Bird’s Nest! Seeing a Martial Sage with my own eyes... unforgettable!"

"And what about the people who accused him of throwing fake matches? Why are they suddenly so quiet now?"

"Yeah! They were demanding punishment, boycotts, even online protests. Where are they now?!"

"A bunch of clowns. Without Fenric, you’d all be dead!"

"I’ll admit it—I was one of those who joined the boycott. I sincerely apologize to Fenric."

"Same here. We misjudged him. I hope he doesn’t hold a grudge."

"Unexpectedly, I’ve gone from hating him to being his fan."

"Same! Better late than never, right?"

"Haha, glad I kept my mouth shut earlier. Otherwise, I’d be eating my words now."

"Pointless chatter. Do you really think someone like Fenric cares about our online comments?"

"The important thing is—our country now has another Martial Sage! That makes six in total!"

"And he’s the youngest Martial Sage in history!"

"Hahaha, foreign leaders must be panicking right about now!"

Heat surged across every platform. Countless netizens expressed their pride and joy.

Media outlets scrambled to report the story, headlines flashing across every channel.

Soon, international news agencies joined in. Fenric’s name spread far beyond Huaxia, echoing across the globe.

—---

Meanwhile, backstage at the Bird’s Nest.

In the rest area, Xiao Ling’er’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Fenric, admiration shining like stars.

"Fenric, you’re really amazing. How did you do it? You never said a word, yet your strength suddenly reached the Martial Sage level?"

Fenric answered perfunctorily, his tone calm. "It’s hard to explain. For a while now, every martial art just feels... simple."

Xiao Ling’er wanted to press further, but before she could, Fenric shifted the conversation.

"Alright, I have something to take care of. If you still want to ask questions, you can go to Tang Zichen—she’s in the lounge."

"You’re... looking for Tang Zichen?" Xiao Ling’er’s expression turned slightly unnatural.

Fenric nodded. "Yes. I need her help with something."

This wasn’t an excuse to change the subject. Fenric truly intended to ask Tang Zichen for assistance. He remembered from the original storyline that Tang Zichen’s background was tied to a high-level mysterious organization. Though small, that force was exceptionally well-informed, possessing a formidable intelligence network.

At present, Fenric had no leads on the murderer of his father. Perhaps Tang Zichen could help him track down a clue.

In the original timeline, Tang Zichen should have been the champion of this martial arts tournament. By stepping in, Fenric had already stolen her limelight. And now he still needed her help—an irony that wasn’t lost on him.

"Tang Zichen should be in Lounge Seven," Xiao Ling’er said softly.

Fenric nodded and made his way to the seventh lounge. Xiao Ling’er sighed and, after a moment’s hesitation, followed behind him.

At the door, Fenric knocked three times.

Boom, boom, boom.

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman. She froze the moment she saw him.

"Y-You are...?" she stammered.

This woman was Aunt Mei, Tang Zichen’s assistant. Of course she knew who Fenric was—by now, everyone in the Bird’s Nest knew.

"Aunt Mei, who is it?" Tang Zichen’s voice floated from inside the room.

Fenric spoke directly. "I’m here to see Tang Zichen."

Aunt Mei quickly stepped aside. "Ah! Miss Zichen is inside. Mr. Fenric, please come in."

Her attitude was exceedingly polite. How could it not be? Who would dare act otherwise toward a Martial Sage? Even the senior officials of the Martial Arts Association treated Fenric with the utmost respect.

"Thank you," Fenric said as he entered.

Tang Zichen, seated inside, looked slightly surprised. "Mr. Fenric? You came to see me?"

Fenric nodded.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked curiously.

"There is," Fenric replied without hesitation. "I need your help to investigate something."

Tang Zichen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"My father died in a martial arts contest half a year ago. I believe it was a conspiracy. I want you to help me find the murderer."

Tang Zichen frowned. "For this sort of matter, you should go to the police—or hire a private investigator."

Fenric smiled faintly. "I believe the Tang Sect’s abilities far surpass theirs."

Her eyes flashed at his words. She didn’t ask how he knew her identity but instead smiled thinly. "Mr. Fenric, if I do this for you, what benefit do I receive in return?"

Fenric thought for a moment, then answered with a smile. "I’ll help you kill someone—the person you want dead the most."

He remembered well. In the original plot, Tang Zichen had a formidable enemy she couldn’t yet defeat, not until she herself broke through to the Martial Sage realm. By offering this, he gave her exactly what she desired.

A glimmer of light passed through Tang Zichen’s eyes. After a brief silence, she said, "Deal."

Fenric chuckled. "Talking to smart people really is a joy."

Just then, footsteps echoed outside the door. Moments later, a group of leaders from the Martial Arts Association entered.

"Mr. Fenric! We were just looking for you." The leading officer smiled warmly. "On behalf of the Martial Arts Association, we formally invite you to become the Chief Consultant of the country Martial Arts Association. What do you say?"

Fenric smiled and nodded. "Alright."

He agreed without hesitation—after all, having an official title would make completing his tasks much easier.

The association members beamed with satisfaction at his acceptance.

—---

Meanwhile, in other country

Inside a lavish villa, two men were watching a video—the footage of Fenric unleashing the Buddha Palm, shattering Mr. Lu’s defenses with a single strike.

The man seated in the main chair, Ryan, scowled, his expression sour. He was also a contestant in the upcoming World Martial Arts Championship, and had just secured his own national title with overwhelming dominance. His goal had been the world championship... until now.

He slammed his fist on the table. "F**k! How is this possible? Jamie, do you think this is a fake video that those bastards cooked up!?"

The man beside him, Jamie, smiled bitterly. "I’m afraid it’s real. And that man’s strength is far beyond what you saw in this recording."

Ryan’s eyes widened. "What? Jamie, are you joking?"

Jamie’s tone was dead serious. "I don’t joke about this. Let me give you some advice: if you face this man in the finals... surrender immediately."

Ryan shot up, furious. "What!? Are you insane!? You expect me to surrender!? Never! That will never happen!"

Jamie sighed. "Listen to me, Ryan. I know who he is. That man is far more terrifying than you can imagine. You may be a Great Grandmaster, but compared to him, the gap is enormous."

Because Jamie wasn’t just any contestant—he was a Samsara player.

As a Samsara, he knew of the infamous figure in the Samsara Space—Shura. He had studied Shura before, wondering how that man achieved such impossibly high task evaluations in every dungeon world.

Now, upon seeing Fenric use the Buddha Palm, Jamie recognized it instantly. It was Shura’s skill, one of his earliest yet most devastating techniques.

But Jamie couldn’t tell anyone. In this world, revealing the existence of Samsara Space to natives was strictly forbidden, punishable by obliteration.

So all he could do was keep persuading his companion.

Ryan, however, was seething. "Jamie, you expect me to hand over the world championship to some bastard!?"

Jamie shook his head slowly. "I want you to survive, Ryan. Ignore my advice, and you’ll regret it more than anything else in your life."