Carefree Wander (1st Update)

Martial Artists Association.

Affiliated with the Martial Arts Department, it was an industry self-regulatory organization and social group for Martial Artists, situated between the government and the public. It was the most important organization for Martial Artists, without question.

Anyone who broke the First Shackle had to join the association. Extraordinary power, if left unrestrained, would bring disastrous consequences.

Registration Office.

Ji Xuantong submitted Lu Chenzhou and Shi Ruyu's files. The staff member in charge of registration accepted them, glanced through them, then took out the official seal and said:

"From today onward, you will be responsible for these two direct disciples. If either of them breaks the law or violates discipline in the future, as a member of the Martial Artists Association, you must cooperate with the police to bring them to justice. You must not shield them! You must not go softhearted!"

Ji Xuantong looked at Lu Chenzhou and Shi Ruyu.

He had once had a senior brother at Dragon City University of Martial Arts, a direct disciple and adopted son of Qingtian Cang. That man had superior bones and outstanding talent, far surpassing his own. He had broken the First Shackle at sixteen and the Second Shackle at twenty-eight... His future had originally been boundless.

Yet for certain reasons, he had been beguiled by the heretical path known as Carefree Wander and fallen into the Abyss. Qingtian Cang had personally acted, joining forces with the police to pursue him across six thousand li before killing that senior brother deep within the Kunlun Mountains. After that, he had never accepted another direct disciple.

Some Martial Artists who embraced extreme social Darwinism had lost their humanity, believing Martial Artists to be the "fit" in "the survival of the fittest."

They believed Martial Artists should be unfettered by the law, that only by discarding their humanity could they truly break free of mortal flesh and become higher forms of life!

After breaking the law and becoming intolerable to every nation, they had banded together for warmth and established a massive transnational criminal alliance beyond the borders, calling themselves: Carefree Wander.

It sounded ethereal and immortal, but in truth, it was a crooked heretical path that twisted the teachings of the sages.

A great many Black Warriors had joined them. Their influence was now immense, and nations had launched many joint campaigns to encircle and suppress them. Yet they could not be eradicated at the root; after the spring wind blew, they always sprang up anew.

Thinking of this, Ji Xuantong could not help sighing with emotion.

"I will do it! I believe in my own judgment, and I believe in my two direct disciples." As he spoke, his bright eyes fixed intently on the two of them.

Shi Ruyu and Lu Chenzhou said in unison:

"We won't let Teacher down!"

Ji Xuantong told the two of them to look around the association and broaden their horizons.

Shi Ruyu patted Lu Chenzhou's arm.

"Junior Brother, I'll show you around."

Clearly, this was not her first visit.

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

Lu Chenzhou was rather curious as well.

Though it was called the Martial Artists Association, many of those who came here to handle business were amateur martial artists and ordinary people. There were some Martial Artists too, but he did not know any of them.

Even if a Martial Artist looked utterly ordinary, when standing among ordinary people, they would still stand out like a crane among chickens through their transcendent bearing. They were easy to identify.

Shi Ruyu led Lu Chenzhou into a hall and introduced it.

"This is the Judicial Task Bounty Hall. Every city's Martial Artists Association has one. It mainly liaises with the police and the Void Suppression Bureau, assisting in the arrest of criminals, Black Warriors, Void Entities, and so on. I accepted a commission before and earned two hundred thousand. Before taking on a task, you have to undergo temporary training with the police. Arresting criminals isn't just about having force; you also need some of a police officer's professional qualities."

She knew Lu Chenzhou was short on money.

"Still, these tasks all carry a certain degree of danger, so act within your capabilities. Generally speaking, bounties exceeding five hundred thousand can only be taken by Martial Artists."

Shi Ruyu reminded him.

Lu Chenzhou picked up a brochure and muttered inwardly:

"Only those at the Fourth Stage or above are qualified to accept commissions. If you're too weak, you'll easily get injured during a mission and end up doing more harm than good... The Fourth Stage truly is a watershed."

The tasks on the display screen generally fell into two categories.

Wanted bounties and temporary assistance with cases.

The latter was when the police were short-handed and temporarily recruited qualified auxiliary law enforcers from Wuda and society to cooperate in handling cases. Private punishment was forbidden.

The former was similar to the bounty hunters of ancient times.

The highest bounty at present had been posted three years ago.

The wanted criminal was Tang Zheng, the Binding Immortal Hand, a Black Warrior of the Third Shackles-Breaking Realm. Anyone whose reported lead was verified would receive a reward of three to ten million. Private attempts to capture him were not recommended due to the high risk. Those who could cooperate with the police to bring him to justice would receive one hundred to three hundred million!

This man had graduated from Pingjiang Martial University. Three years ago, as the mastermind behind the shocking nationwide "6.23" massacre, he had colluded with a cult organization and brutally murdered twenty-four women for some kind of sacrificial ritual! After the truth came to light, he fled abroad. Several officials and local forces who had provided him with protective cover were uprooted entirely.

Great Xia's Martial Arts Department pursued him across twenty thousand li.

Over the course of one year, more than a hundred people had been brought to justice, including nine Martial Artists. A few experts were still at large, and the Binding Immortal Hand was one of them. The final investigation revealed that he had long been a spy for Carefree Wander; everything had been premeditated.

"I can't believe that scoundrel still hasn't been caught!"

Shi Ruyu frowned slightly, her expression unpleasant.

"I've heard about this case too... He truly brought shame upon the Martial Artist community. One rat dropping ruined an entire pot of porridge. He must be severely punished!"

Lu Chenzhou was equally filled with righteous indignation.

Shi Ruyu sighed.

"This man excels at wielding a peculiar weapon called Immortal-Binding Thread. When I was a freshman, Tang Zheng even returned to his alma mater as an outstanding graduate and entrepreneur to give a speech. He looked kind and benevolent. Truly, you can know a person's face but not their heart."

Lu Chenzhou had heard of Immortal-Binding Thread.

It was generally a specially made fine thread of high-tech composite materials, which could be wound around the fingers and paired with flying needles and concealed weapons, leaving enemies unable to guard against it in battle.

It could cut iron like mud and slice gold, sever jade.

Lu Chenzhou looked further down and saw that there were plenty of bounties worth tens of millions.

They were all vicious criminals who had lost their humanity and martial virtue. Every year, far more lives died at these people's hands than in Void Calamities. They did not deserve to be called Martial Artists!

Shi Ruyu said:

"What we're looking at is only Su City's bounty list. If you become a Martial Artist, you'll be able to see the bounty list for all of Great Xia, where there are even more vicious criminals.

Many of them are evildoers jointly wanted by the central Martial Arts Department, Void Suppression Department, and Public Security Department. The public calls cases caused by Black Warriors Black Calamities. Slaughtering their compatriots, forgetting their ancestors, abandoning all human bonds—Black Calamities are even more detestable than Void Calamities!

All right, enough of such heavy matters. With our strength, we only need to keep our distance whenever we encounter a Black Calamity. Preserving our own lives is the foundation of everything."

She knew about Lu Chenzhou's act of bravery.

She worried that her junior brother's youthful hot blood would get him killed.

Lu Chenzhou was not a reckless person either.

"Senior Sister, you need to protect yourself too."

Since ancient times, lust had always been one of the main causes of crime. Even among Martial Artists, there was no shortage of flower-plucking bandits who relied on their profound cultivation to do whatever they pleased.

Shi Ruyu smiled faintly.

"Let's go. Let's look around elsewhere."

Next, she took Lu Chenzhou on a thorough tour.

Ji Xuantong had finished his business as well and said solemnly:

"Let's go. Here, you should have caught a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg that is the martial arts world. Only experts who have broken their shackles are qualified to step into it!

The jianghu of old had conflicts between the righteous and the demonic, feuds and grudges, love and hatred. Those things still exist today. On the path of martial arts, you must uphold the righteous way and not stand against the state. I don't want to see your names on the display screen in the bounty hall."

Pingjiang District.

Third floor of Blessings Plaza, Giant Elephant Combat Hall.

Inside the fighting room, two burly men, both over 1.9 meters tall, exchanged flesh-pounding blows, like two ancient giant elephants colliding upon an ice field.

"Rien! Put some strength into it! Haven't you eaten?"

"Rien, that's not a white elephant—it's a white rat!"

"Rien..."

The bald, muscular man standing 1.98 meters tall sent the somewhat shorter man flying with an ordinary straight punch, knocking him to the ground. The latter endured the searing pain without a sound. The bald giant was the somewhat famous Giant Elephant, Rikett, the white fighter who had once overpowered Ji Xuantong. He had long since obtained Great Xia citizenship and could even speak authentic Wu dialect.

The one being brutalized by him was his son, Rien.

Rien licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, rose to his feet, and smiled.

"Father, don't be angry. I looked over the list, and I feel that no one among them is my opponent... They're all too weak, too small."

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