King's Descent Upon the World, Muscle Tendon Classic

(In this story, the male lead would have two names. Chen Xuanji was his real name, while Chen Xilin was his name on Douluo Continent. The female lead would have three.

In any case, this book would break away from my previous writing style. Everything going smoothly was boring; writing about being hunted everywhere would be pretty good too.)

In a parallel world on Earth,

China,

Within an antique Siheyuan, a young man sat in the courtyard, sipping tea and enjoying the breeze of the day.

Suddenly, the breeze stopped. The young man frowned and set down the teacup in his hand.

"Come out!"

The young man suddenly spoke, yet there was no one around.

"Hehe, I never expected Mr. Chen's senses to be so sharp. To have reached such a realm at such a young age truly puts this old man to shame."

An aged voice rang out, followed by several figures approaching from every direction.

The young man stood up as well, glaring coldly at the group.

"Quite a few people came here to die today. Looks like Chen will have to go on a killing spree. What a pity about my little courtyard—it's going to get dirty again."

The leading Old Man chuckled. "As expected of the young. Your True Qi is full of vigor. If this old man had your sharpness, I might have reached the tenth stage of the Golden Bell Shield long ago."

A middle-aged man behind the Old Man could no longer hold back. "Chen Xuanji, hand over the Muscle Tendon Classic. If we're in a good mood, we might leave you an intact corpse!"

"That's right! The Muscle Tendon Classic isn't something trash like you can possess. Hand it over, and it'll be good for everyone."

Chen Xuanji held his head with one hand and laughed. "Hahahahahaha! So, in the end, you're merely coveting the Muscle Tendon Classic in my hands. That figures.

The Nine Yang Divine Skill shook the world; King's Descent Upon the World, the Muscle Tendon Classic. In the end, I have no sect or school, so you think Chen is easy to bully, right?"

Chen Xuanji's aura steadily rose, white currents of air radiating from his body.

"The sixth circulation of the Muscle Tendon Classic, White Tier Futu! We can't let you live!"

The leading Old Man charged forward in a single stride and engaged Chen Xuanji in battle.

"Boy, take this old man's Arhat Fist!"

"Good!"

Chen Xuanji turned his right hand into a palm and met the Old Man's Arhat Fist head-on.

Bang—

Both men were knocked back. The Old Man retreated five steps, while Chen Xuanji retreated three.

"Hehe, truly incredible. You really are a martial arts genius seen once in a century. According to the intelligence, you only began cultivating at sixteen, yet you reached White Tier Futu in merely seven years.

You put old men like us to shame."

That was right. Chen Xuanji had begun cultivating only at sixteen. Back then, a beggar had given him a copy of the Muscle Tendon Classic, saying that he possessed peerless talent and was a martial arts prodigy.

"Master Xuyun, why waste words with this brat? Take him down quickly. With the Muscle Tendon Classic, we can reach even greater heights."

Master Xuyun and the others who had come with him stepped forward, preparing to attack.

"Oh? Do you all think the Muscle Tendon Classic is easy to cultivate? Or do you think the technique created by Patriarch Bodhidharma can make trash like you stronger?

Then why don't you dare rob Qin Yang of his Nine Yang Divine Skill? Oh, right. Qin Yang's Nine Yang Divine Skill has already reached the Ninth Yang. Trash like you can't beat him."

Chen Xuanji's words made a Black-Clothed Man at the very back of the group tremble, though he quickly calmed down.

The Muscle Tendon Classic was one of Shaolin's Four Great Divine Skills: the Marrow Cleansing Classic, the Muscle Tendon Classic, the Golden Bell Shield, and the Boy Purity Skill. It was Patriarch Bodhidharma's third supreme art after founding Shaolin.

The Nine Yang Divine Skill was created by Quanzhen Sect's Patriarch Wang Chongyang. Together with the Muscle Tendon Classic founded by Bodhidharma and the Nine Heavens True Scripture created by Zhang Sanfeng, it was known as one of the three greatest divine skills in the martial world.

In modern times, the person who had cultivated the Muscle Tendon Classic to its highest level was called Fire Cloud Cthulhu. His strength had reached the heavens and the earth, but he had long since disappeared, along with the powerful experts of his era.

With the strongest experts gone, all manner of demons and monsters had emerged. Chen Xuanji, who held the Muscle Tendon Classic, had naturally become their prey.

Those who had come to Chen Xuanji's home today were all famous "seniors" of the martial world, yet now they looked utterly miserable.

The leader of one sect had both arms broken. The master of another school had half his face sliced away. Even Master Xuyun, who had reached the ninth stage of the Golden Bell Shield, had one arm dislocated.

Once the Muscle Tendon Classic reached the realm of White Tier Futu, every acupoint could independently store Qi and release force. Its power could extend three zhang beyond the body, wound people invisibly through Qi, and let one tread upon eagles and soar across the endless sky. Its might was extraordinary, far surpassing the ninth stage of the Golden Bell Shield.

Just as Chen Xuanji was about to finish off Master Xuyun, the Black-Clothed Man, who had not moved until then, suddenly grabbed Chen Xuanji's hand and stopped him.

"You coward hiding your face, get the hell out of here!"

Chen Xuanji had truly been enraged. If he did not slaughter this group today, the martial world would completely become their personal domain.

Today, Chen Xuanji would follow Huang Chao's example and carve out a path for those who came after him!

Chen Xuanji knocked the Black-Clothed Man's mask away. His face startled Chen Xuanji somewhat, yet it also felt perfectly natural. Beneath the mask was a middle-aged man around forty years old.

"Hehe, Qin Yang. I never expected you to come too! What, having the Nine Yang Divine Skill isn't enough? You want my Muscle Tendon Classic too?"

Knowing he had been exposed, Qin Yang stopped pretending. "Qin came here with these senior fellows today precisely to execute you, a fiend of the martial world! The Muscle Tendon Classic cannot remain in the hands of a demon like you. It should belong to the entire martial world."

"Hehehe... hahahahahahaha! Ahahahahaha! Qin Yang, your hypocrisy disgusts me! Why don't you hand over your Nine Yang Divine Skill?

Forget it. I can't be bothered talking to you. You aren't worthy of hearing it! Come on, then. What difference does one more or two more make? Today, I'll make sure none of you leave!"

The white True Qi around Chen Xuanji continued to surge as he tangled with Qin Yang in battle. However, Chen Xuanji was at a disadvantage.

"Everyone, join young friend Qin and kill this fiend! Once this is done, this old man will certainly give everyone a satisfactory answer."

"Hahaha, we all know Master Xuyun's reputation."

They were all old foxes. Who were they trying to fool? An old fox's words were the least trustworthy!

"Chen Xuanji, you are very powerful. You reached the peak of White Tier Futu in only a few years. Give it another year—no, half a year—and you might reach the legendary Black Tier Futu.

What a pity. If you reached Black Tier Futu, we would turn around and leave. We might even give you the position of martial alliance leader."

Qin Yang spoke with a regretful expression.

"Cough. So I can tyrannize others alongside you? Hehe, I disdain being in the same company as you. Today, I'll kill every last one of you!" Though Chen Xuanji's momentum was overwhelming, the injuries on his body began to increase.

White Tier Futu was not the highest level after all. Chen Xuanji was quickly wounded and sent flying back by a palm strike from Qin Yang.

Chen Xuanji's heart and lungs were injured by the internal force of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and his aura began to weaken.

"Cough, cough. You're quite capable." Chen Xuanji coughed up a pool of blood and spoke flatly.

Master Xuyun stepped forward again. "A heaven-sent genius is about to fall at our hands. Hahahaha! Suppressing geniuses and covering the heavens with one hand is what we enjoy most!"

Chen Xuanji merely sneered and did not answer. He looked at the azure sky, as if saying farewell.

"The world is so beautiful. Today, I have to say goodbye." Chen Xuanji spoke desolately.

A certain sect leader said, "Young friend, do you have any final wishes? If there is anything you regret, this old man can help you fulfill it."

A certain school master said, "Young friend, your sacrifice is for the great righteousness of our martial world. You should feel proud of it!"

Chen Xuanji had lived for twenty-three years, and in a single day, he had heard more talk of righteousness and morality than in his entire life. "Open your mouths, and it's righteousness and morality. Close your mouths, and it's morality and righteousness. You're merely using those words to disguise your cannibalistic nature.

Enough. Enough. Today, let's settle this once and for all. What a pity. I will never see the world's many beautiful sights again."

A pitch-black pill appeared in Chen Xuanji's hand. He swallowed it, and his previously waning aura instantly returned to its peak, even continuing to rise!

"What! What did he take?!"

The white True Qi around Chen Xuanji gradually darkened, and his aura grew ever stronger, even surpassing Qin Yang, the strongest man alive.

"Stop him!" Master Xuyun shouted. Two pieces of trash rushed forward, only for Chen Xuanji to seize their necks tightly and snap them directly.

"Black Tier Futu?!" Master Xuyun's face changed drastically. He saw the black True Qi surrounding Chen Xuanji. If that were not obvious enough—

Three battle marks appeared on Chen Xuanji's forehead, corresponding to the Third Room Battle Mark of Black Tier Futu. However, one of the battle marks was extremely faint, indicating that Chen Xuanji was currently at the peak of the Third Room Battle Mark realm.

The seventh circulation, Black Tier Futu. Once mastered, the entire body became capable of containing Qi. The energy of heaven and earth could be drawn upon without end, leaving no weaknesses vulnerable to damage. It rivaled the invincible body of the Golden Bell Shield's twelfth stage, which had no weak point.

Since Bodhidharma's time, only a handful of people had cultivated the Muscle Tendon Classic to Black Level.

The highest Black Tier Futu was divided into three stages. Those who mastered the initial stage would have three battle marks appear on their faces!

At the middle stage of Black Level, True Qi became inexhaustible, and there were virtually no weaknesses inside or outside the body. One could shatter several zhang of steel with bare hands. Every movement could change the color of wind and clouds and make the earth quake! Upon mastering it, the battle marks on one's face became two!

At the high stage of Black Level, the battle marks on one's face became one. One would become immune to all poisons, able to go without sleep or food, ride the clouds and command the wind, and stand invincible beneath the heavens! It could also become colorless and hidden.

At that moment, Chen Xuanji's lips curled upward. He enjoyed seeing the terrified expressions on these people who spoke so much of righteousness and morality.

Chen Xuanji moved. In an instant, he tore off the head of that Golden Bell Shield Old Man and killed every martial world senior who had come into the courtyard.

Only Qin Yang and Chen Xuanji remained.

Several drops of sweat fell from Qin Yang's face. The situation had reversed in an instant, but he was not afraid. Even Black Tier Futu at the Third Room Battle Mark level could at most fight him evenly, perhaps holding a slight advantage.

It would not be so easy to kill Qin Yang. His ability to reach such a realm was not for nothing.

Pfft— Chen Xuanji spat out a mouthful of blood. Qin Yang discovered that Chen Xuanji's True Qi had gone into disorder and immediately burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! So your Black Level was forcibly raised. Now your True Qi is in disorder, and your meridians can no longer withstand the True Qi of Black Tier Futu. It looks like you're already at the end of your rope. Hand over your things now.

I can give you a quick death!"

Chen Xuanji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled. "Does Qin really think you've won? Hehehe."

Chen Xuanji pressed a finger against his own heart, forcibly squeezing out his final potential and his very life with his True Qi!

Chen Xuanji's jet-black hair instantly turned gray-white, but the battle marks on his forehead completely transformed into two rooms.

Whoosh—

A hand pierced Qin Yang's chest and dug out his heart.

A grand martial arts master had fallen.

"Heh, villains die from talking too much. But I'm going to die too."

Chen Xuanji sat on the ground in exhaustion, looking at the corpses scattered everywhere. Those lofty big shots had all gone to report to Yama Hall.

"I really want to look at this world one more time."

At the brink of life and death, Chen Xuanji wearily spoke his final words. Then his body rapidly aged, his breath became as faint as a thread, and even the light in his pupils became like a dried-up well, devoid of life.

Not long afterward, a colorful butterfly flew over and landed on Chen Xuanji's head. Chen Xuanji's body fell straight down, then dispersed.

Douluo Continent,

Douluo Calendar 2601,

Within the Heaven Dou Empire, a fleeing couple was ruthlessly murdered by the enemies pursuing them.

The man of the couple was beheaded. A man wearing brown leather clothes took his Storage Spirit Tool and pulled a crystalline bone from inside.

"Hehe, you dared steal the Spirit Bone I had my eye on!? Are you tired of living? What a pity about that woman. She died too. Otherwise, I would've had a proper taste of her."

Half an hour after the man left, the woman of the couple slowly opened her eyes. Her chest had been pierced through, and she had lost too much blood to survive much longer.

She looked at her swollen belly, her gaze resolute. She drew a knife from her Soul Tool and decisively cut open her abdomen, enduring the agonizing pain as she took the child from her womb.

"Waaah! Waaah! Waaah—"

The infant's cries echoed across the area.

"So small, my child. Mommy is sorry. Mommy can't watch you grow up. If you're lucky, you can live happily.

I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Mommy... can't... stay... with... you... anymore..."

After saying that, the woman breathed her last. Yet she still had a smile on her face, because she wanted the first smile her child saw to be hers.

The baby boy seemed to sense something and cried even louder.

Before long, an old farmer passed by. Hearing the infant's cries, he followed the sound to the scene.

"This, this, this is... Sigh, what a pitiful family of three. What a pitiful child. This old man... will take you away."

The Old Man picked up the infant covered in his mother's blood, tore off a piece of his own clothing to wrap him up, and placed him in his bamboo basket.

With a grasp of his right hand, an iron shovel appeared out of thin air. Three rings also appeared around the Old Man, one white and two yellow.

The Old Man used the shovel to dig a pit. After digging for quite some time, he buried the couple inside.

After finishing everything, the Old Man sighed. Looking at the sunset, he carried the bamboo basket on his back and left.

(PS: The character "Xu" implied emptiness and possessing nothing, letting go of attachments; the character "Yun" symbolized freedom without obstruction, cultivating with ease like drifting clouds and flowing water.

Venerable Xuyun was an outstanding eminent monk in the modern and contemporary history of Chinese Buddhism, renowned for his profound meditative attainments and contributions to widely propagating Buddhist teachings.

Master Xuyun here was unrelated to that eminent monk. It was simply that the Old Man's Buddhist name, Xuyun, and the things he did created an extremely ironic contrast.

It could be called a contrast: he clearly wanted to possess everything, yet his Buddhist name represented emptiness, letting go of all things, freedom, and lack of obstruction.

This Master Xuyun wanted power, strength, money—he wanted everything. His greed contrasted with his Buddhist name. His name did not match the reality, I suppose. I remember there was an idiom for it, but I've forgotten it.)