Weishan, Linghe Pavilion.

Two silhouettes were dueling in the spacious martial arts field.

One of them possessed sharp leg skills, nimble and quick like a graceful crane.

However, all her offensive moves seemed to have little to no effect on the opponent in front of her.

The latter, with an air of nonchalance, easily blocked all her attacks as if he were strolling in a courtyard.

In the end, he even swept up a strict and dignified middle-aged spectator into the battlefield as an afterthought.

The duel between two people turned into a melee of three.

The white vigor flickered rapidly like a flashbulb, and the sound of fists and kicks colliding was as crisp as firecrackers.

Master Liudao Yuan, with his white hair and long beard hanging down both cheeks like a dust brush, sat in a Taishi Chair holding a delicate, snow-white teacup.

He glanced at the fighting group in front of him and gently coughed.

At his side, Liu Si nodded respectfully and rushed into the battlefield below.

The three-person melee turned into a four-person battle, with three of them converging on the figure at the very center.

A few breaths later, a bright yellow light flashed suddenly at the center of the battlefield.

BOOM!

Terrible vigor burst out, an invisible aura spread, and all three figures were thrown backward at the same time.

At this moment, Master Liudao Yuan, who had been sitting leisurely in the Taishi Chair, sipped his tea, and the teacup in his hand suddenly shattered.

Then, he swiftly rushed towards the center of the battlefield at a ghost-like speed.

BANG!

A huge muffled sound followed by spreading shockwaves.

Countless green bricks from the large martial arts field shattered, sending dust and rocks flying.

As the dust slowly cleared, the three people who had been previously thrown off were visibly shocked, their expressions showing disbelief.

In the center of the melee stood an elder and a youth, their fist and palm quietly opposed to each other in the air.

In a trance, the three seemed to see two huge white cranes, wings spread out, confronting each other.

"True… True Intention?!" Zhuang Xiujie stared blankly, murmuring in disbelief, "Has my younger martial brother… already understood the True Intention?"

Zhao Qiancheng, standing beside her, was expressionless, but his pupils seemed to be experiencing an earthquake.

Liu Si remained silent, deferentially awaiting commands.

"Good, good, good!" The frozen scene was abruptly shattered by the bellowing laughter of Master Liudao Yuan.

With a flash, Master Liudao Yuan sprang back to his Taishi Chair, and Liu Si quickly handed him the freshly brewed tea.

Master Liudao Yuan lightly scraped the floating tea leaves with the teacup lid and said softly, without raising his head, "You all may leave. I need to speak privately with Yuan."

"Yes." Zhuang Xiujie and Zhao Qiancheng responded. After stealing one last glance at the youth standing quietly in the field, full of shock and agitation, they left the martial arts field with Liu Si.

As soon as the three left, Master Liudao Yuan, who had seemed nonchalant, immediately threw away the teacup in his hand and rushed to Lu Yuan's side.

His bionic arm slapped Lu Yuan's shoulder enthusiastically, blue light pulsing from his bionic eyes.

"Good, good! Well done!" Master Liudao Yuan's face almost split from smiling.

"I didn't expect you to comprehend the True Intention so quickly. Excellent! I was not wrong about you at all…"

Lu Yuan was about to respond, delighted to see Old Liu's happiness.

Master Liudao Yuan, however, quickly changed his tone and said sinisterly, "Given your current rate of progress, you will reach the zenith of the True Intention realm in just two years. Becoming a Grandmaster within five years is not a pipe dream. At that time, I will bring you back to the Snake Sect and wipe them out completely! Not a single one left!"

"....."

"Okay, okay, let's save these matters for later." Master Liudao Yuan looked at Lu Yuan, eyes twinkling, and said, "Let's discuss something more important."

Seeing the seriousness settling on Master Liudao Yuan's face, Lu Yuan also adopted a solemn expression.

"Master, please speak."

Master Liudao Yuan led Lu Yuan to the nearby resting area. As they walked, he said, "Next month, the Southern Hundred Cities Martial Arts Competition is going to start. I hope you will participate. This will be our Heaven Water Sect's first opportunity to make our name known again..."

Lu Yuan slightly knitted his brow but quickly relaxed and nodded, "Okay."

Master Liudao Yuan shot him a glance and casually said, "I know you don't think highly of this competition. But you've been training Martial Arts for a relatively short time. Although your strength has grown rapidly, your actual combat experience is far lacking compared to those who have practiced for decades. Participating more in this kind of competition will be beneficial for your growth...."

"Uh-huh," Lu Yuan replied offhandedly.

Master Liudao Yuan thought for a moment before continuing, "The Southern Hundred Cities Competition has no age limit. Many shameless people at the Sect Master Level also participate, so not all of them are weaklings. Moreover, this competition is your ticket to Martial Saint Island. Penglai is shit... but there's a lot of good stuff in the Penglai Pavilion. It gathers the true essence of Martial Arts from the old era. If you have the opportunity to enter, you must seize it."

Lu Yuan's eyes flickered subtly. This was the second person who had spoken to him in a similar way, the first being Swimming Dragon.

"I understand, Master."

"Lastly…" Master Liudao Yuan paused before saying, "This is crucial for you. The Overlord Fist Sect will also participate in this competition. For your Heavenly Domination Extravagant Body, you still lack the inheritances from the Overlord Fist Sect and the Heavenly Extreme Sect. Grab this opportunity to acquire the part from the Overlord Fist Sect first. As for the Heavenly Extreme Sect, we will find a way to get it once you reach Martial Saint Island."

The mention of the Overlord Fist Sect stirred Lu Yuan.

Master Liudao Yuan was unaware that he had already acquired the inheritance of the Heavenly Extreme Sect from Yellow Bear. Now, it was probably on its way here via express delivery.

Once the inheritance of the Overlord Fist Sect was in hand, he would have fully collected the Heavenly Domination Extravagant Body! It was a legendary divine art, renowned in the Ancient Martial Arts World as the foremost body-strengthening technique.

"Master, what should I do then?" Lu Yuan curiously asked Master Liudao Yuan.

Master Liudao Yuan casually replied, "Don't worry, just focus on the competition. I will take care of everything when the time comes. In this regard... your master is a professional..." He chuckled softly.

After finishing speaking, a sinister smile familiar from TV villains spread across his face, as if he had thought of a cunning plan, his electronic eyes flashing blue light repeatedly.

Lu Yuan: "..."

Old Liu's care... is indeed damn heavy.

Master Liudao Yuan led Lu Yuan around to the back of the martial arts field. This was the bamboo forest where Lu Yuan had first become his disciple. It was also the spot where Master Liudao Yuan liked to sip tea and soothe his heart.

As they walked and chatted, it was mostly Master Liudao Yuan who did the talking. He boasted about his past glories and occasionally asked Lu Yuan if he was encountering any problems in his training.

As they were chatting, Master Liudao Yuan suddenly asked something unexpected, "How is that fellow Old Six recently? Is his daughter's illness not cured yet?"

Hearing the words, Lu Yuan was taken aback for a moment but quickly realized that Master Liudao Yuan was referring to Lin Zhiquin. He paused for a moment and faithfully answered, "He has been in the Sum Nation for almost two months, and it seems that he has not yet returned."

Master Liudao Yuan stood by the pool in the bamboo forest, watching the carp swim. He said casually, "If you see him, tell him. Ask him to come back and have a meal with me."

Lu Yuan was stunned for a moment, looking at Master Liudao Yuan's cold profile and recalling Lin Zhiquin. Then he couldn't help but smile and gently replied, "Yes, Master."

A small, cramped private room in a tiny restaurant.

Lu Yuan and Lin Zhiquin sat facing each other. On the bare tabletop in front of them, there were four or five steaming dishes: stir-fried kidney slices, stewed chicken in a casserole, red-braised pork ribs, green vegetables, and a fish.

Spring Flower Noodle House. The dishes were exactly the same as the first meal the two of them had eaten here, and Lin Zhiquin had ordered them again.

"Master Liu wants me to come back? To have a meal with me?" Lin Zhiquin held a cigarette, his eyes gazing at the steam rising from the food, a somewhat dazed look on his face.

"Yes." Lu Yuan picked up the chopsticks on the table and started to eat.

Coming back from Weishan, before he could contact Lin Zhiquin, Lin Zhiquin contacted him first. What surprised Lu Yuan was that Lin Zhiquin chose this small noodle house of all places to meet.

As the food entered his mouth and he savored the familiar taste on his taste buds, Lu Yuan felt quite emotional.

It had only been a few short months since Lin Zhiquin had led him into the world of Martial Arts. Yet, it felt as if several years had passed; the world had been upended, and his life had completely changed.

Lin Zhiquin only snapped out of it when the cigarette in his hand burned down. He nodded, an inexplicable glint in his eyes for a moment. Then he sniffed and handed something to Lu Yuan.

"I got it. I'll go to Weishan this afternoon."

"Here, this is for you."

Lu Yuan curiously accepted what Lin Zhiquin handed him. It was a thick notebook with a dedication written on the cover. Flipping through it, he saw every page filled with Lin Zhiquin's handwriting. It seemed to be... his insights on Martial Arts.

"Thank you, Coach Lin!" Lu Yuan put down his chopsticks, stood up, and formally thanked Lin Zhiquin.

Given his current strength, the notebook might not be particularly helpful to him. But Lin Zhiquin's painstaking effort was imbued in it, and Lu Yuan felt its weight as he held it.

Among the core disciples of the Crane Sect, Lin Zhiquin's sincerity was the most touching.

"There's no need to thank me." Lin Zhiquin waved his hand with a bitter smile. "I don't even know if this will be of any use to you. But as for the promised congratulatory gift for you becoming a disciple... other than this, I really don't seem to have anything else presentable to offer."

Lu Yuan wanted to say something, but he wasn't used to being sentimental. If only I had some liquor now... I should toast Coach Lin. No more words needed, Coach. It would all be in the drink!

Lu Yuan saw Lin Zhiquin light another cigarette, a despondent look on his face. He felt that Lin Zhiquin seemed even more weighed down by worries compared to the last time they met.

After some consideration, Lu Yuan asked, "Coach, is your daughter's illness... getting better?"

"Er... Ah!" Lin Zhiquin, who seemed absorbed in thought, was startled by Lu Yuan's words and quickly nodded. "She's better. The surgery was very successful. Now she just needs a few more months of recovery and recuperation... Oh, by the way, did Master tell you anything else?"

Lu Yuan replied, "Yes, about participating in the Southern Hundred Cities Martial Arts League next month. He said he has already signed me up."

"Next month... Southern Hundred Cities Martial Arts League..." Lin Zhiquin narrowed his eyes. Suddenly, as if recalling something, a sharp glint flashed in them. He shot up from his seat and said urgently, "Don't go! You absolutely must not participate in this competition!"

"Um....." Lu Yuan, still holding the notebook, was momentarily stunned, blinking in confusion, not understanding why Lin Zhiquin reacted so strongly all of a sudden.

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