Prison! (Thanks Wu Qu Han Bing oniy for the 10,000 reward)

The snow had not stopped all night. The north wind howled between heaven and earth, and beneath its blanket of snow, the city resembled a kingdom of ice and frost.

The snow had yet to melt, and traffic on the roads was sparse. Gu Shaoshang strolled along, taking in the modern society he had not seen for so long.

"As far as I know, martial cultivation in the Main World is divided into the Five Stages of Foundation Establishment at the entry level, the first martial realm, 'Life Establishment,' the second martial realm, 'Qi Sect Realm,' the third realm, 'Spirit Realm'—and the legendary 'Heaven Realm'!" Gu Shaoshang pondered as he walked slowly through the snow.

"In the Dragon-Snake World, Guoshu cultivation is divided into six realms: Clear Force, Hidden Force, Transforming Force, Embracing the Core, Gang Strength, and Shattering the Void to See the Indestructible Spirit. How do they compare with the Main World?" Gu Shaoshang understood that the Myriad Heavens and Worlds contained countless cultivation systems; there could be no definitive comparison.

Even though Wang Chao of the Dragon-Snake World likewise lacked the power of qi and blood possessed by Life Establishment martial artists of the Main World, his combat strength might not necessarily have been inferior!

"The Myriad Heavens Mirror classifies countless experts across the Myriad Heavens and Worlds uniformly from one star to ten stars. That is truly formidable!" Lost in thought, Gu Shaoshang arrived at a park.

Within the snow-dusted park, shadowy figures could already be seen doing their morning exercises.

Gu Shaoshang strolled inside and saw several elderly people slowly practicing Tai Chi. Each move was slow and tranquil; merely watching them, one could feel a sense of the Dao washing over them.

"Though this is Tai Chi simplified to the utmost, and though it cannot be used in actual combat, it still has the effect of nurturing health and spirit. Unfortunately, apart from these elders, more young people still learn things like Taekwondo and karate." Gu Shaoshang sighed inwardly, but did not linger. Crossing the park path, he entered a grove of pine trees.

He encountered no masters practicing in the park, nor did he run into any robbers while shopping.

Over the next few days, Gu Shaoshang rose early each day to practice his fist techniques, then went shopping before returning to the inn at night. Thus, three uneventful days passed.

"Brother Shang, how have you been these past few days?" On the third evening, Zhao Liang brought his underlings to the small inn.

"I still have to thank you for lending me those few thousand yuan. Otherwise, I would still be unable to take a single step!" Gu Shaoshang invited them to sit and said with a smile.

Having lived deep in the mountains for a long time, he had studied under his master and only recently descended from the mountain. That was Gu Shaoshang's explanation for his origins. As for whether Zhao Liang believed it, Gu Shaoshang did not care.

"When you're out in the world, you rely on your brothers! I, Zhao Liang, just love making friends with remarkable people like you! What are a mere few thousand yuan?" Zhao Liang waved a hand and sat on the sofa.

The lackeys stood to one side, still shaken when they looked at Gu Shaoshang. Faced with a freak who had rammed a car into scrap metal yet remained completely unharmed, they truly could not be as thick-skinned as Zhao Liang.

"Based on your requirements, I still managed to find this person. He's in a prison in HB Province. If the chief political commissar of that prison hadn't been my father's comrade-in-arms, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to find him." Zhao Liang smiled as he looked at Gu Shaoshang.

"This man is no ordinary figure! Back when they were smashing the Four Olds, he helped smash up Wudang Mountain, Shaolin Temple, Qingcheng Mountain, Emei Mountain, and Mount Wutai. He took part in countless large-scale armed struggles involving hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of people. Later, he was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment. He's still locked up to this day—he went in in his twenties, and now he's already in his fifties!" Zhao Liang clicked his tongue in amazement.

"That's him!" Gu Shaoshang's eyes lit up.

"Wait until tomorrow, and I'll take you there! But what are you looking for this man for?" Zhao Liang suddenly asked. If someone like that got out, he would probably cause more trouble. Should anything happen, it might implicate Zhao Liang—or even his father.

Though Zhao Liang was a playboy, he knew full well that everything he had depended on his father. It was best to do as few father-screwing things as possible.

"My master said this man's Guoshu cultivation is astonishingly profound. I want to learn a move or two from him." Knowing Zhao Liang's concerns, Gu Shaoshang waved his hand.

"I won't cause you any trouble!"

Early the next morning, Zhao Liang drove a green jeep alone to pick up Gu Shaoshang.

"Brother Shang!" Zhao Liang opened the car door, only to find Gu Shaoshang already standing at the entrance.

"I've troubled you this time. I owe you a favor." Gu Shaoshang pulled open the door and sat in the front passenger seat.

"Hey, don't be so formal!" Zhao Liang got into the car and slowly started it.

The snow on the road had not yet melted, so Zhao Liang drove carefully. Gu Shaoshang did not disturb him, instead closing his eyes to rest his mind.

Thus, they traveled without a word until noon, when the vehicle slowly came to a stop outside a prison.

"Brother Shang, we're here!" Zhao Liang parked and reminded him softly.

Gu Shaoshang got out of the car and looked ahead.

In a broad open space devoid of other buildings stood an enormous prison. Thick walls seven or eight meters high enclosed it tightly, and barbed-wire fences were everywhere.

Even ordinary Guoshu masters would have been unable to escape without a sound.

"Stop! What are you here for?"

As the two approached the main gate, two armed police officers stepped forward and stopped them.

Before Zhao Liang could answer, a potbellied middle-aged man walked out through the gate.

"Xiao Liang! You haven't come to see Uncle Zhang in a long time!" The middle-aged man waved the guards away and beckoned the two inside.

"Uncle Zhang! Haven't I come to see you now?" Zhao Liang shed his usual flippant manner and replied with a smile.

"This is Gu Shaoshang, the one I mentioned. He's my lifesaver, so Uncle Zhang, you absolutely have to help him with this!" Zhao Liang pointed at Gu Shaoshang as he introduced him.

"No problem! Uncle will definitely help you with this favor!" Political Commissar Zhang sized Gu Shaoshang up. He found it hard to believe that this youngster, who looked no older than eleven or twelve, could ram into a car and emerge unscathed, but he readily agreed nonetheless.

"Then I'll have to trouble Political Commissar Zhang." Gu Shaoshang sighed inwardly. What an old fox—one sentence carried two layers of meaning.

First, he was saying that he was only helping because of Zhao Liang, so Gu Shaoshang had to remember this favor.

Second, he was telling Zhao Liang that he was helping Zhao Liang, so Zhao Liang owed him a favor.

As for Gu Shaoshang himself, Political Commissar Zhang had not taken him seriously at all.

So what if he could fight? Wasn't the old man in this prison capable of fighting too? He had still been locked up, serving thirty years in prison!

"This is the status of martial artists in the Dragon-Snake World!" Gu Shaoshang felt a trace of sorrow as well. The rise of guns and cannons had brought about the decline in martial artists' status.

In the original work, wasn't Wang Chao invincible after fighting all under heaven, yet still abandoned with a single word from those in power?

Even Wang Chao himself felt he was no match for a computer specialist!

How tragic was that?

Yet these martial artists had been silently building themselves up. One day, they would finally erupt with a great power that shook the world!

After the spiritual energy eruption, Wang Chao could, in a short time, use his fleshly body to stand against a Nuclear Explosion and tear apart spaceships with his bare hands!

On the surface, the three of them chatted and laughed as they walked through the prison's towering iron gates.

Rows of cells stood packed tightly together. Behind each massive iron door, there was only a tiny barred window.

"The prisoners have all gone off for labor reform. Right now, he's the only one in the cells!" As Political Commissar Zhang spoke, two armed police officers carrying loaded guns opened the prison's great iron gates.

Every prisoner in the prison had to do a great deal of work each day. First, their free labor was used to generate profit; second, prisoners drained of energy were easier to manage.

But someone like this King of Martial Arts was clearly not included in that category.

Thank you, truly, thank you!