Chapter 313 - 248: Paying a Visit

Just as Zhao Xuanqi was seeking out the Elders of the White Tiger and Black Tortoise.

「Jinmen Train Station.」

With a great roar of its steam whistle, the train pulled into the station. The doors opened, and a tide of people, like a colony of ants, surged out. Even though it was the dead of winter, the platform was a sweltering wave of heat. The air was a cacophony of voices as people pressed against each other, the crowd inching forward at a turtle’s pace.

At that moment, a man and a boy slowly stepped off the train.

The two were dressed simply in patched, drab gray clothes, looking as if they’d just come out of the mountains. The man appeared to be under thirty, with short black hair and skin as fair and smooth as jade. A relaxed smile was perpetually on his face, as if he had a confident grasp on any situation.

The boy looked to be about fifteen or sixteen, his skin also remarkably fair. His eyes were incredibly expressive, as if a thousand thoughts and ideas flashed through his mind every second. He was currently looking all around, his expression one of fascination, as if this was the first train he’d ever ridden in his life.

Though the two were dressed simply, their looks and bearing were clearly out of the ordinary. And yet, none of the numerous passengers around them seemed to take any notice.

What was even stranger was that, despite the surging, shoulder-to-shoulder crowd, no one came within half a meter of the pair. It was as if an invisible barrier surrounded them.

The man was named Wang Sea, and the boy, Zhu Yuanfei.

"So this is Jinmen! It’s been ages since I’ve seen so many people. It’s so lively! I’ve been cooped up in the mountains every day for the last three years, I was about to die of boredom. I’m definitely going to have a blast in Jinmen this time."

Zhu Yuanfei surveyed his surroundings and said happily.

BONK!!

But he had barely finished speaking when a dull thud echoed on his forehead. A red welt instantly appeared, and he yelped in pain.

"A blast? What blast?! All you think about all day is playing around. Don’t think you can relax just because we’re in Jinmen. Your daily training will continue as always. You won’t skip a single minute of it."

Wang Sea said to the boy, exasperated.

"Senior Brother, we’ve finally gotten out for once! Have a heart, just turn a blind eye this time. I’ll wash your socks and do your dishes for half a year when we get back!"

Zhu Yuanfei paid no mind to the swelling on his forehead, seemingly used to it, and replied with a cheeky grin.

"The socks and dishes you owe me are already enough to last you into your next life."

Wang Sea ignored the boy’s pleas and walked straight toward the front of the packed crowd.

Wherever the two went, the dense, slow-moving crowd parted on its own, clearing a path for them. The most bizarre part was that no one around them seemed to notice anything amiss, simply allowing the pair to walk right through them and out of the station.

It was as if the two existed in a different time and space from everyone else.

"The state of the world is changing rapidly, and we can no longer afford to remain aloof. You’re still far too weak. How will you protect yourself in these chaotic times? Instead of focusing on your training, your mind is always restless. We didn’t come to Jinmen to play around."

After leaving the station, Wang Sea got his bearings and set off, leading the boy along.

Along the way, Zhu Yuanfei was dazzled by the sights of Jinmen.

There were all sorts of novelties, stylish and alluring modern women, and, with the World Martial Banquet drawing near, a great number of Martial Artists.

This was, after all, one of the most prosperous cities in the Divine Land.

"Jinmen is a great place... Oh, right, Senior Brother. This Zhao Xuanqi we’re going to meet—is he really a successor of the Holy Beast Fist? According to our sect’s ancient records, the Holy Beast Divine General never passed down the complete Holy Beast Fist. Each of our Four Saints Sect’s branches only inherited a fraction of its secrets, and even those have changed significantly over the years. Reconstructing the complete Holy Beast Fist would be incredibly difficult. Is the art he practices really the Holy Beast Fist? He’s not an impostor, is he?"

Zhu Yuanfei asked doubtfully.

"I’m not sure. However, I’ve heard that this man has become an Honored Guest Elder for the White Tiger and Black Tortoise Gates, and he has apparently helped them restore parts of their lost Secret Transmissions. Even if he doesn’t have the complete Holy Beast Fist, he’s already deeply entangled with our Four Saints Sect."

"What’s more, he has achieved his current realm and accomplishments at such a young age. He’s poised to become the leader of the common Martial Arts Realm of the Divine Land, and he may one day be a figure who can shift the very balance of power in the Divine Land. Our Cyan Dragon Sect is also considered part of the common Martial Arts Realm. We must meet him, one way or another."

Wang Sea said.

"Reaching Harmony before twenty... I just can’t believe it. Couldn’t the Jinmen Martial Arts Association have lied about his age just to build him up? How could anyone in the world today reach the Harmony realm earlier than you, Senior Brother?"

Zhu Yuanfei asked, still finding it hard to believe.

Wang Sea was only twenty-seven years old. He was exceptionally talented with a powerful Spirit. He was born with the "Yin-Yang Eye," allowing him to see things ordinary people could not, and he could naturally communicate with "Ghost Gods." His talent was so immense it was a rarity even in the entire history of the Cyan Dragon Sect—a genius the likes of which might not be seen even once in three hundred years.

For an ordinary Martial Artist, reaching the Harmony realm required experiencing the vicissitudes of life. To achieve Harmony by age thirty already marked one as a dragon among men with a boundless future. Most people could only grasp the true essence and successfully advance in their forties, after years of experience.

But Wang Sea was different. His talent was so immense as to be terrifying. While the Harmony realm was a major threshold for others, for him it was just another stage to be passed through naturally, no different than Cross-Training or Inner Cultivation.