Living Together? Martial Arts Pioneer Squad!

Rumble—

Fang Yi closed his eyes, drew in the morning air, and felt the warmth of that ray of sunlight.

The Golden Sun Breathing Technique slowly began to circulate.

Dazzling golden light shone around his body, as though a blazing sun were illuminating him.

Threads of golden qi and blood flowed through his veins.

Every strand of qi and blood carried warmth, like a gentle warm stream spreading throughout his body.

His blood became scorching and radiant, a layer of golden glow appearing over his body as his skin gave off a healthy, burning sheen.

After the Golden Sun Breathing Technique's persistent tempering, Fang Yi felt his body brimming inside and out with endless heat and vitality.

Every inch of his skin absorbed the sunlight.

He felt his body becoming sturdy yet agile, every muscle radiating the vitality of the resplendent sun.

"The Golden Sun Breathing Technique paired with Golden Sun is seriously amazing."

Fang Yi could not help but sigh.

This ultimate Yang Attribute was a powerful weapon, and a matching, powerful Cultivation Method like the Golden Sun Breathing Technique brought that weapon's value to its fullest extent.

Right now, he felt as if he had inexhaustible strength throughout his entire body.

All of it had been brought by the Golden Sun Breathing Technique and the Yang Attribute.

As long as he continued like this, one day Fang Yi's body would become indestructible and reach the realm of the legendary immortal cultivators. But to truly reach that point, he first had to endure the slow grind of water wearing through stone.

"Cultivation really is a lonely road."

Fang Yi let out a soft sigh.

Pioneers were the trailblazers of the new era. The future they faced was extraordinarily uncertain, and the more uncertain it was, the more they needed powerful determination and courage. On this great path, many would die halfway through.

After completing his daily morning Breathing Technique practice, Fang Yi slowly exhaled and prepared to eat.

Just then, a call came in.

"Aunt?"

Fang Yi looked at the caller ID, surprise appearing on his face.

"I haven't spoken to them in years. Why would Aunt suddenly contact me?"

Fang Yi had not been close to his relatives since childhood.

After his parents died in an accident, he remembered that his Aunt had once offered to adopt and care for him, but he had refused.

Even if they were relatives, living with them would still mean living under someone else's roof. Their children might even see him as an imagined rival. He was better off living alone.

So Fang Yi had lived by himself in the large house his parents left behind, happy as could be.

"Aunt."

"Xiao Yi, have you eaten?"

"Yeah."

His Aunt opened with the classic three-part greeting.

Have you eaten? How have you been lately? Oh, there's something I wanted to talk to you about...

Fang Yi patiently exchanged a few pleasantries with his Aunt. Sure enough, the conversation soon reached the final topic.

"It's like this, Xiao Yi. There's something I'd like to discuss with you. Your cousin is going to Tai City to study soon. I really can't rest easy with her staying alone in a hotel. Could she stay at your place for a few days?"

"My cousin?"

Fang Yi froze, not expecting this to be what his Aunt wanted to discuss.

In an instant—

The image of a cold-faced girl with long black hair, a slim waist, and long legs surfaced in his mind.

That was right. His cousin was very pretty, the aloof top-student, obedient-girl type.

In Fang Yi's memory, this well-behaved girl's favorite pastime was quietly studying in her study. Naturally, she was always first in her grade as well.

Perhaps because she was both pretty and an excellent student, Fang Yi had always felt that this cousin of his was somewhat unsociable and a little mysterious.

"Sure. When will she arrive? I'll pick her up."

"No, no, you go ahead and do your own thing. Just send me your address, and I'll have her take a cab there herself."

His Aunt felt a little embarrassed about asking him for a favor. She repeatedly insisted that he did not need to pick her up, and even had his cousin bring him plenty of local specialties.

Fang Yi went back and forth with her a couple of times, then stopped refusing. After hanging up, he sent her the address.

That afternoon.

His cousin Lin Yiyi arrived.

When Fang Yi opened the door, he saw a long-legged girl with long black hair standing outside, pulling a black suitcase.

She wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, her hair loosely pinned up with a wooden hairpin. She looked very refined.

"Cousin Fang."

Lin Yiyi's voice was lovely, like water striking wood and stone. It was perfect for online romance.

"Cousin." Fang Yi opened the door and took her suitcase inside. "Come in and sit down. What would you like to drink? I've got Coke."

"Water is fine."

Lin Yiyi came in, changed into a pair of slippers, then placed the local specialties his Aunt had asked her to bring on the table and introduced them one by one. After that, she sat properly on the sofa.

Throughout it all, her hands were folded on her knees and her eyes remained lowered, making her look very quiet and demure.

Fang Yi brought her a cup of hot water and sat down on the sofa.

Holding the cup in both hands, Lin Yiyi began the obligatory awkward conversation before moving in.

"How is Aunt?"

"She's doing pretty well."

"How have your studies been lately? Is the pressure high?"

"Not bad."

"Did you come for summer camp?"

"Yes."

Lin Yiyi answered every question, but they had been apart for too long and truly were not familiar with each other.

Fang Yi casually asked a few more questions. Feeling that the routine was about done, he waved his hand and sent her back to her room to study.

"Call me if you need anything."

"Okay, thank you, Cousin." Lin Yiyi obediently stood up. "I'll be staying here for the next few days, so I'll be troubling you."

Wearing her slippers, she dragged her suitcase into her room and promptly shut the door.

Fang Yi watched her departing figure for a while before turning and returning to his own room.

In the second bedroom.

Lin Yiyi turned on the light and looked down at her bed.

The bedding set was new, and it still carried a faint, clean scent of detergent.

There were no women's belongings in the room. It seemed her cousin did not have a girlfriend and lived alone. The place was quite tidy, too.

Lin Yiyi briefly unpacked her luggage, then took out her phone and opened her messaging app.

Group: Spirit Qi Recovery—Martial Arts Pioneer Squad

Group members: 7.

Lin Yiyi's slender fingers tapped across the screen as she sent a line into the group.

Wind Heju: I've already moved into my cousin's house. It'll be more convenient to act from here for the time being. My cousin seems like a good person, and he probably won't interfere with what I do. Is the information confirmed?

Very quickly, messages popped up.

81-year-old Beautiful Young Woman: Yeah, this time the information is real. Things have been pretty unusual in Tai City lately. There have been all kinds of major changes. That Underground River last time was a treasure site, but unfortunately, someone got there first.

Romanced and Scammed Out of 50 Cents: I heard about that too. It seemed like two teams ran into each other, and an incredibly powerful Pioneer appeared. He slashed out a sun with one strike! Then he forced the others back. Holy shit, worshipping the boss, prprpr.

81-year-old Beautiful Young Woman: He slashed out a sun with one strike? Seriously? That had to be an ultimate Yang Attribute, right? A high-attribute Pioneer?

Lin Yiyi recalled the information she had heard and typed.

Wind Heju: It's true. I heard about it too.

Wind Heju: So we have to be careful during this operation. Spirit Qi Recovery has not begun yet, and everything is still hidden in the shadows. Who knows how many monstrous Pioneers the Xia Kingdom has concealed? We absolutely cannot be too high-profile.

81-year-old Beautiful Young Woman: +1

Romanced and Scammed Out of 50 Cents: +

They knew Lin Yiyi was not being alarmist.

The current Pioneers were all in a state of wild growth. No public rules had been established to restrain them, and competing for the Great World Change depended entirely on one's own ability.

The advantage of this situation was that if you were strong, you were right. You could freely seize other people's opportunities without facing any moral condemnation.

As for the downside, it was obvious.

When you could not beat someone else, it did not matter if you had arrived first.

When faced with a powerful Pioneer beyond their capabilities, like the one at the Underground River, all they could do was flee in disgrace.