True Identity

In the single dormitory room at Sun Wu University used for receiving VIPs, Xing Daozhuang looked at the notebook in front of him with a solemn expression—although he usually had a stern face, he was undoubtedly more serious and focused now.

This notebook is commonplace, as if the writer simply picked up an old book from a university desk and used it to write. It still has the original owner's drafts left over from doing homework. However, what determines the value of a book is the content it contains, not the material of the book.

The contents of this book are naturally an improved version of the Evil-Slaying Sword Technique extracted by Si Ming and integrated into the Blazing Yang Battle Art. The improvement is not significant, only raising the upper limit from level fourteen to level sixteen. Since Internal Cultivation levels are always a two-level threshold, strictly speaking, it is only an improvement of one step. After all, Cultivation Method are always harder to improve as they progress. In addition, it further enhances the exorcising effect and anti-poison ability of the Blazing Yang Battle Art, making it closer and closer to the original Ten Thousand Slaughters Primordial Art.

"The upper limit of Internal Cultivation has been raised to level sixteen. I thought it would take at least ten years to take this step... How did Yan Jinghong's disciple manage to do it? His Internal Cultivation clearly hasn't even reached the lower limit of the Spirit Transformation?"

Xing Daozhuang puzzled and confused. Creating Cultivation Method was not something that could be done with just imagination. One also needed to meet certain conditions. Generally speaking, when creating a completely new Cultivation Method, the upper limit of the Cultivation Method was often lower than one's own strength. Only geniuses could create Cultivation Method that was on par with their own strength.

In a sense, creating Cultivation Method is a summary of one's own martial arts knowledge, so it is difficult to exceed one's own cognition. Even if one tries to deduce it, there will be many uncertainties. Often, one can only rely on boasting and guessing, just like the later levels of "The Great Shift of Heaven and Earth and Earth".

What Si Ming did was not to create a completely new Cultivation Method, but to improve it. The difficulty was much lower, but generally speaking, even a genius can only improve Cultivation Method to a level one step above their own strength. This can still be called forward-thinking, but any further and it becomes mere fantasy.

Logically speaking, Si Ming shouldn't be able to deduce the level 15 or 16 Internal Cultivation, but the facts are right in front of him. Xing Daozhuang has also cultivated the Blazing Yang Battle Art, so of course he can distinguish the authenticity of the Cultivation Method in front of him. With a little deduction, he knows that it is indeed feasible and is not something that was just made up on a whim.

"Maybe someone told him that, or maybe he's some kind of once-in-a-century genius, but none of that matters. As long as the information is real, that's all that matters. But..."

Xing Daozhuang picked up the notebook in front of him, his face showing hesitation. He had already cultivated his Blazing Yang Battle Art to level fourteen, reaching its limit. Further cultivation would have no other effect. In addition, he was also cultivating another Internal Cultivation, reaching level fifteen. Cultivating two Internal Cultivation at the same time was hindering his cultivation.

"If I were to convert the entire other 'Mystic Thunder True Art' into Blazing Sun True Qi, and combine it with the improved Cultivation Method mentioned above, I could push the Blazing Yang Battle Art to level sixteen in one go, thus acquiring the foundation for the Unity of the Sacred and Evil."

Xing Daozhuang spread his five fingers, and a Power of Anomalies brewed in his palm before he dissipated it.

That's right, he is also a member of the Monster Race, and Anomalies born in the Sea Continent. Because he was naturally adapted to the Eternal Barrier, he was not suppressed, except that he could not unleash his Anomalies domain.

This is also why Xing Daozhuang acts selflessly and never considers personal relationships. He has no relatives and is indeed a "lone minister" in this world—a lone minister of the feudal dynasty. He only needs to cling to the emperor's coattails and not form cliques with anyone, thus creating an image of being fair, neutral, and impartial, judging matters without judging people.

Monster Race have existed in the Sea Continent's history, but they existed too long ago and before they could escalate into a disaster like those in the Barbarian Continent, they either died or were suppressed. As a result, there are very few records of them. The people of the Sea Continent do not regard Anomalies beings as great enemies like the people of the Barbarian Continent. In the past, Xing Daozhuang had accidentally revealed Power of Anomalies to his companions a few times, but it was all taken as a special kind of True Qi. After all, there are all kinds of strange Cultivation Method in the world, and Power of Anomalies may not be more peculiar than those Devil Cultivation Method and evil arts.

However, the fact that his companions did not notice anything amiss did not mean that others were unaware. For example, the Remote Heaven Society knew his identity and used it as leverage to threaten him into cooperating.

No one likes the feeling of having a knife to their throat. Even if cutting down the Divine Pillar and rescuing his kin is indeed beneficial to him, Xing Daozhuang doesn't like being threatened at all. So he searched for various ways to conceal his identity. After many attempts, he finally found the Blazing Yang Battle Art. He discovered that the Blazing Sun True Qi could perfectly conceal the Power of Anomalies.

The initial Blazing Sun True Qi produced by Xing Daozhuang had a strong rejection reaction to his body, like a drop of water falling into a raging fire. Although water can extinguish fire, given the vast difference in quantity, it was naturally easily evaporated.

If it were a "primitive" Monster Race like the Barbarian Continent, no matter how hard they tried, they would never be able to master the Blazing Yang Battle Art. Just like the Beast King Anye spent a hundred years but still couldn't master the Evil-Slaying Sword Art. This is due to the inherent restraint of their attributes. Unless he abandons his body, he can master it as soon as he possesses Wan Yebai.

However, Xing Daozhuang was different. He was Monster Race who cultivated Human Race Cultivation Method and had never even come into contact with the cultivation methods of Monster Race. After many failed attempts, he finally succeeded in using Mystic Thunder True Qi to wrap the Blazing Sun True Qi, completing the first step of the entry. After that, he slowly modified his Anomalies body to gradually adapt to the Blazing Sun True Qi.

Fortunately, the Blazing Yang Battle Art was not the original Ten Thousand Slaughters Primordial Art, and its effect of suppressing evil was not as extreme. After years of arduous training, Xing Daozhuang successfully adapted his body to the Blazing Sun True Qi. However, this was far from enough. This level of adaptation was only visible on the surface. It was like wearing a suit of armor, which looked very solid and would not be exposed during fierce battles. But it could not withstand in-depth exploration, and the threat from the Remote Heaven Society still existed.

For example, if Remote Heaven Society spreads rumors that he is a member of the Monster Race, and then Yan Jinghong and others, under the pretext of clearing his name, want to thoroughly investigate his Cultivation Body, how could he possibly refuse?

Even if Yan Jinghong and his group wouldn't do something that would "hurt their friends and please their enemies" out of consideration for their friendship, others might not be so forgiving. In particular, Xing Daozhuang has offended many people with his impartial and incorruptible approach, and these people would probably be happy to give him a push when he's on the verge of disaster.

It wasn't until he rescued Moth Emperor that Xing Daozhuang finally learned two ways to completely eliminate the threat: one was to Unity of the Sacred and Evil, and the other was to Turning Evil into Sacred.

The former is the sublimation of the essence of life, like a martial artist advancing to the Void Returning, while the latter is a change in form, without any change in realm.

In terms of effectiveness alone, the Unity of the Sacred and Evil is naturally better. It can not only perfectly eliminate hidden dangers and freely transform Power of Anomalies and Blazing Sun True Qi, but also greatly enhance strength.

However, this method is extremely dangerous. According to the Moth Emperor, even in the ancient times when the Monster Race was at its peak, very few strong individuals successfully achieved the Unity of the Sacred and Evil. Most could not withstand the destructive power generated by the Unity of the Sacred and Evil and were annihilated on the spot. The success rate was only about 30%.

A 30% chance doesn't seem low on paper, but don't forget that only the King of Monsters can attempt the Unity of the Sacred and Evil. Ordinary Monster Race don't even have the right to try. The King of Monsters is like a peerless genius among Monster Race, and even they face a 70% mortality rate. Xing Daozhuang doesn't think he can do any better.

As for the other method of Turning Evil into Sacred, the success rate is very high and there is almost no danger. However, its essence is to refine the original form of the Monster Race and turn it into pure Yuan Power to strengthen the Cultivation Body, while only retaining the Human Race body. In this way, the Power of Anomalies is fundamentally cut off.

But can an entity that possesses neither Power of Anomalies nor Monster Race form, but only cultivates Human Race Cultivation Method and possesses Human Race body, truly be called Monster Race?

There may be some people in this world who, after changing their nationality, immediately denigrate their original motherland, regard their former compatriots as enemies, and wish they could change their skin as well, desperately selling out the interests of their motherland in order to please their new masters.

However, Xing Daozhuang was not that kind of person. He was very proud of his identity as a Monster Race. After all, it was a difference in species, not a difference in the nationality section of a thin book. Moreover, his years of living as a lonely official had deepened this impression, constantly reminding him that he was not Human Race and was out of place with those around him.

He couldn't just abandon his Monster Race body so easily.

"Alright, let's wait and see. If this operation succeeds and the Moth Emperor achieves her goal, then the threat from the Remote Heaven Society will lose its meaning. Even if my identity is exposed, I can simply openly betray them... No, if the Moth Emperor succeeds, the Remote Heaven Society won't threaten me with my identity anymore, because I can only play a greater role if I stay in the Su State. Once they realize this, they will obediently come to cooperate with me. At that time, they will be begging me, not the other way around."

Xing Daozhuang closed the book, put it in his pocket and put it away without looking at it, because he didn't want to expend energy resisting temptation.

On the vast green field, the two teams stood ready, each wearing leather armor that covered their chests, backs, thighs, and arms, and even their heads were covered with leather helmets. The surrounding stands, which could seat 50,000 people, were already packed.

A game is about to be held here, but it's not football, of course. For martial artists whose physical abilities far surpass those of Earthlings, football is a bit too easy, since every goalkeeper can simply kick the ball and shoot.

This sport, known as military ball, is the most popular sport in Nation of Valor. It is said that it was originally invented by a Military School general during a long stalemate to prevent soldiers from becoming tired and demoralized. Once it spread, it was loved by all the Nation of Valor and eventually developed into a national sport.

Almost every Nation of Valor is a fan of military football, and the surrounding countries have also been influenced. In the Northern Continent, military football is the most popular sport, and a championship league has even been established, with a champion to be competed for every year.

In Si Ming's eyes, military ball is similar to a combination of football and rugby. It is also an eleven-on-eleven game where the goalkeeper can use both hands and feet, while the other players can only touch the ball with their hands. The game involves trying every possible way to put the ball into the opponent's goal, but it cannot be done by throwing. Thanks to the strong physique of the martial artists, this sport is more intense than any other sport on Earth, with a feeling of bulls colliding.

Inside the private room, Huang Tu enthusiastically introduced, "You've come at the perfect time! Today's match is between the Wind Forest Fire Mountain Team and the Dragon and Snake Rise on Land Team. The red one is Wind Forest Fire Mountain Team, and the black one is Dragon and Snake Rise on Land Team. The two teams are competing for a spot in this year's Soldier King Cup finals. Wind Forest Fire Mountain Team is a veteran powerhouse, having won the Soldier King Cup last year. Dragon and Snake Rise on Land Team, on the other hand, is a dark horse. They were originally only able to linger in the group stage, but this year they added a newcomer whose skills are exceptional. In just half a season, he became the team's ace, leading the team all the way to the semi-finals. Now, he's worth fifty million."

Si Ming wasn't very interested in this sport, but Si Huaruo had come all the way to see him, so he couldn't just let her stay in her room to cultivate. He had no choice but to take her out for a trip. Since he was unfamiliar with Nation of Valor and didn't know what was fun, he asked Huang Tu to be his guide. Huang Tu then enthusiastically introduced the sport to him.

"Did I pick the wrong person? Do girls really like this sport?" Si Ming glanced at Si Huaruo worriedly.

At that moment, the whistle blew, and the Captain of the black team at the baseline took a deep breath, took a few steps back for a run-up, and then kicked the ball far away, landing precisely in the center of the field, slightly off-center into their own half. Their teammates charged towards the ball like wild horses, while the opposing team in red armor charged forward like bulls with bloodshot eyes.

A player from the black team stared at the ball falling from the sky, leaped up, caught it in his arms, and then sprinted forward with heavy strides like a rhinoceros. But as soon as he crossed the center line, three red-armored players who were already on high alert rushed forward, trying to tackle him to the ground.

But the moment the player in black was tackled, he immediately threw the ball horizontally, which was caught by his teammate who was running forward at high speed—according to the rules, he could not throw the ball forward, backward, or horizontally.

The Red Team had anticipated this, and several players who had correctly predicted it immediately rushed forward, trying to tackle the Black Team player who had just received the ball and hadn't yet regained his footing. However, the Black Team player was exceptionally agile, dodging and weaving, displaying extraordinary nimbleness on the grass, and slipped past the encirclement.

The Wind Forest Fire Mountain Team tried to intercept the seemingly weak but muscular black-armored player, but he proved to be a formidable opponent, displaying extraordinary skill and slipperiness like an eel. Moreover, he didn't act recklessly alone, but instead advanced by coordinating with his teammates. Clearly, he was the ace of the Dragon and Snake Rise on Land Team.