Wu Yuan

In the year 3224 of the Eastern Martial Calendar, early spring.

Li City, Nanmeng Prefecture, Jiangzhou.

Within the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy, on the training grounds, the early morning chill had yet to dissipate, but a large group of academy disciples had already begun their morning drills.

The junior martial arts academy disciples were all youths, their bodies not yet fully developed, their Martial Dao far from initiated.

However, as the cornerstone of the Hengyun Sect's might across the sixteen prefectures of Jiangzhou, those who could enter the academy were either talents from the counties under Li City or descendants of Sect martial artists. A large group of them practicing naturally exuded a certain imposing aura.

"Swish!" Those practicing with short spears moved with limbs like a drawn bow, their waists and hips unified. The short spear in their hands pierced the air, embedding deeply into a wooden post.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Those sparring with fist techniques dodged with the agility of a fox and attacked with the ferocity of a tiger, their movements sharp and extraordinary, displaying exceptional martial prowess.

Only in a corner.

"The waist bend is short by a centimeter, limbs not opened enough, body not tilted forward sufficiently. You have a thousand jin of strength, but can only exert seventy percent." A boy of about fourteen or fifteen, wearing a martial uniform that was roughly cut and slightly worn at the edges, supported himself on one arm in a peculiar pose, lying diagonally on the ground and casually critiquing his distant 'classmates'.

One by one, the academy disciples, whose moves were sharp and whose offense and defense were both well-executed, were full of flaws in Wu Yuan's eyes.

"This world is indeed unusual. When I first arrived, I thought it was a low-martial world. The various martial arts moves were far inferior to those in the Federation. Only the physical capabilities were astonishing; ordinary people here could rival a 'martial artist' in the Federation," Wu Yuan muttered to himself.

As the youngest 'Martial Dao Grandmaster' of the Solar System Human Federation, Wu Yuan's understanding and cognition of the Martial Dao were enough to rank in the top ten among the billions of people in the Human Federation.

Of course, that was 'in the past'!

Because Wu Yuan had transmigrated.

The reason for transmigration? Wu Yuan didn't know. He woke up one day and found his soul had transmigrated to this world.

The process of transmigration? Wu Yuan remembered even less.

For the first few months after arriving in this world, he had been in a 'dazed' state. It was only in the past month or so, as he merged with the memories of his 'previous self,' that he slowly recovered.

"I've been in this world for half a year and still haven't awakened a system. Online novels can't be taken seriously, can they? Am I not the protagonist type?" Wu Yuan's thoughts raced.

In his previous life, he had practiced the Martial Dao since childhood, but he wasn't rigid.

On the 'universe islands' of the Federation's Metaverse, Wu Yuan was known as "Keyboard Master," and he had read countless online novels, which was why he easily accepted the fact of transmigration.

The only thing he couldn't put his mind at ease about was his sister.

However.

Since he was here, he would make the best of it. As a Martial Dao Grandmaster, Wu Yuan knew that wishful thinking was useless; strength was fundamental.

Especially in this 'Central Land World' where martial power reigned supreme and heroes contended for dominance.

After his consciousness returned to clarity, Wu Yuan quickly accepted his new identity and began the process of diligently recovering his cultivation.

Unfortunately.

The unfamiliar body and his straitened circumstances made Wu Yuan's progress 'slow' over the past month.

"In my past life, there was a continuous supply of high-energy food supplements, comprehensive AI monitoring of my physical functions, and decades of accumulated 'Optimal Martial Dao Solution' cultivation advice from the Human Federation's big data," Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.

In this life?

The external conditions for cultivation were far inferior.

However, it wasn't entirely a disadvantage. The more he understood this world, the more Wu Yuan discovered its astonishing potential in 'Martial Dao.'

It wasn't as simple as the 'low-martial world' it appeared to be.

Moreover.

"Reality isn't a novel. My sudden transmigration definitely isn't because God saw I was handsome," Wu Yuan wasn't truly indifferent to the reason for his transmigration.

It was just that he understood.

Matters of ghosts and gods were beyond his current comprehension, and even the 'Human Federation' that dominated the Solar System in his previous life couldn't figure them out.

"Right now, the most important thing for me is to win first place in the 'Martial Academy Grand Competition' in eight days," Wu Yuan's heart was calm.

The Martial Academy Grand Competition was held once a year.

The first-place winner would be eligible to enter 'Cloud Martial Hall,' the top martial arts academy within the Hengyun Sect's territory. Those who successfully graduated would be at least 'Proficient Experts.'

"A Fifth-Rank Expert can be called proficient and is qualified to be appointed as a Battalion Commander in the City Guard Army," Wu Yuan had gained some understanding of this world over the past month.

This was a world where Martial Dao Sects ruled the land!

Martial Dao powerhouses could be enfeoffed as kings and marquises! They could establish their own sects! They could roam the world freely! They could even found empires and become emperors!

Martial power determined everything.

The Hengyun Sect was a 'Great Martial Dao Sect' that ruled a vast area of thousands of miles, with countless disciples and a multitude of experts. It was a true colossus.

However.

Wu Yuan wasn't particularly interested in entering the so-called Cloud Martial Hall.

During his time in the martial arts academy, he had witnessed 'Fifth-Rank Experts.' Their power was terrifying, slightly stronger than his own peak in his previous life, but their 'Martial Arts Techniques' greatly disappointed him, falling far short of his past life.

"Science is the primary productive force of Martial Dao."

As a doctoral degree holder in 'Martial Dao,' Wu Yuan wholeheartedly agreed with this statement and was its practitioner.

A so-called expert's secret manual, painstakingly practiced for twenty years!

Some great Martial Dao sects claim their "peerless skills" have been passed down for "a thousand years," but in reality, they've only been practiced by a few thousand people at most.

How could that compare to the Federation's "Optimal Martial Dao Solution," formed from the training data of tens of billions of people?

The Martial Academy Grand Competition… what truly interested Wu Yuan was the other reward for first place—five hundred taels of silver.

"A large meat bun costs three cents. Five hundred taels of silver has the purchasing power of '500,000 Star Yuan' in the Federation," Wu Yuan mused inwardly.

"Of course, that's only enough to buy one square meter of ordinary property in 'Governing City'."

This small amount of money.

In his past life, Wu Yuan wouldn't have even glanced at it. A single "Martial Dao duel" between him and other Martial Dao Grandmasters would easily rake in billions in live stream donations.

But in this life!

Wu Yuan was very poor.

So poor he was on the verge of starving to death!

"Practicing martial arts consumes a lot of food."

"My slow progress is largely due to my diet. If I had enough meat, my progress speed would increase tenfold."

Wu Yuan had many plans for his Martial Dao cultivation, but even the cleverest cook cannot prepare a meal without ingredients.

Practicing martial arts isn't like cultivating immortality; you need to eat, and eat well!

Five hundred taels of silver was the "first pot of gold" Wu Yuan could most easily earn right now.

More importantly—it was safe and risk-free!

"This world, while seemingly average in martial arts heritage, has Fifth-Rank Experts with tens of thousands of Jin of strength. How strong are the First-Rank Experts who rule territories? And then there are the Heavenly Ranking Experts, rumored to be 'Land Immortals'!" Wu Yuan had read some of the Martial Academy's ancient texts.

Without sufficient confidence and strength, he wouldn't act rashly.

How could an originally unremarkable Martial Academy disciple suddenly transform? A step-by-step approach was the correct path.

"Besides."

"Five hundred taels of silver, after covering my 'Casting Origin' needs, should be enough to treat my mother's illness." Wu Yuan's mind couldn't help but bring up the weathered face of that gentle woman.

In the early days after his transmigration, when he was in a daze for months, everyone advised the woman to give up.

But she persevered, gritting her teeth to beg other clansmen and her deceased husband's 'colleagues.' She spent a large amount of silver, managing to hold on until her 'son' completely regained consciousness.

Hearts are not made of stone; who could remain unmoved?

Over these months, Wu Yuan had truly integrated into this body and recognized the woman as his 'mother,' naturally caring about her health.

"Since I'm replacing her son, I will shoulder this responsibility."

As time passed, Wu Yuan gradually merged with the previous owner's memories, increasingly able to feel this ardent maternal love.

Suddenly.

"Xu Yuanhan is here," a voice suddenly rang out from the other side of the training grounds.

"He's the son of the garrison general. The military's training grounds are more complete, and they even have dedicated 'soldiers' for sparring. He usually doesn't come to the Martial Academy for morning practice."

"Something must be up." Discussions erupted across the training grounds.

These Martial Academy disciples were all elite martial arts talents, "one in a hundred" within Li City. Clearly, the arrival of this person was even more extraordinary.

"Wu Yuan!"

A slightly immature, muffled voice called out from afar. Many disciples in the field couldn't help but look towards Wu Yuan on the side.

"Hmm? He's here so soon?" What met Wu Yuan's eyes was a burly young man clad in a luxurious purple martial robe.

He was about 1.9 meters tall, incredibly sturdy, like a brown bear. Yet, as he moved, his limbs and spine seemed to connect and exert force, like a spear poised to explode, exuding an astonishing pressure.

He stood out like a crane among chickens.

He was staring intently at Wu Yuan!

"Xu Yuanhan."

Wu Yuan flipped over, leaping more than three meters, his posture upright. He revealed a harmless smile, "What is it?"

Wu Yuan was nearly 1.8 meters tall, but standing before Xu Yuanhan, he appeared somewhat 'petite.'

"Last match, I accidentally lost to you. Today, right now! I want to compete with you again," Xu Yuanhan stared at Wu Yuan.

This drew the attention of many disciples on the training grounds.

"I won't fight," Wu Yuan flatly refused.

"Wu Yuan, are you afraid of losing to me? You were first in the last minor competition," Xu Yuanhan's voice boomed, deliberately amplified, finally drawing the gaze of all the Martial Academy disciples.

"Is Wu Yuan afraid to accept?"

"Xu Yuanhan is not to be trifled with. Wu Yuan only won by luck last time."

"Wu Yuan is the truly formidable one. He suddenly had an epiphany a while ago. In the last three minor competitions, he placed tenth, then fourth, and last time he even took first place!" Many Martial Academy disciples whispered amongst themselves.

They were all aware of these two prominent figures in the Martial Academy.

Xu Yuanhan possesses exceptionally high talent and an extraordinary family background. At just fifteen years old, he is already a 'Seventh-Rank Warrior' with boundless prospects.

Wu Yuan? His family background is ordinary, yet he made a stunning debut, earning high praise even from the academy head.

"As the instructor said, using overwhelming influence to pressure someone will cause ordinary people to be unable to withstand the criticism and act abnormally," Xu Yuanhan stared at Wu Yuan. "I must spar with Wu Yuan more to test his limits, then I'll ask a few uncles for advice and practice counter-moves."

Over the past year, he had won first place in the academy's minor competitions eighteen times consecutively and was determined to enter 'Cloud Martial Hall'.

Who would have thought that just before the grand competition, Wu Yuan would suddenly appear?

"I admit I'm afraid of losing, Xu Yuanhan. Let's settle our contest during the grand competition," Wu Yuan said with a smile, unfazed by the gazes of the many academy disciples.

Face? Only children cared about that.

In the previous three minor competitions, Wu Yuan had deliberately controlled his ranking, increasing it with each competition, solely to make his eventual win of 'Grand Competition First Place' seem less abrupt.

"Hmm?" Xu Yuanhan's pupils contracted at his words. He hadn't expected Wu Yuan to reply like this.

In his understanding, if it were himself, under the public gaze, he would struggle to maintain his composure.

"You really won't accept?" Xu Yuanhan asked in a low voice.

"I won't," Wu Yuan replied with a smile and a shake of his head.

Xu Yuanhan pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, "Alright, Wu Yuan, you're quite interesting. Then we'll have our duel at the grand competition."

Immediately.

Xu Yuanhan didn't linger. He turned and left the training ground with a few followers.

This scene disappointed many academy disciples who had expected Xu Yuanhan to use his 'General's Mansion' influence to pressure Wu Yuan.

Wu Yuan, however, remained calm. This was within his expectations.

"My ranking has been steadily rising in the three minor competitions. The list should already be on the Prefectural Governor's desk. I can't afford to offend the Garrison General, but his son alone?"

The Garrison General.

In 'Li City Prefecture', he was a figure second only to the Prefectural Governor. Xu Yuanhan, as his youngest son, was naturally not someone ordinary academy disciples could provoke.

However, this did not include 'Wu Yuan', who had already revealed his sharpness.

The Prefectural Martial Academy's selection of true elite geniuses was one of the most important duties of a Prefectural Governor. The Garrison General would not easily interfere.

In the Thirteen Prefectures of the Central Land, where heroes contended for supremacy, it was acceptable for the powerful figures of the great martial sects to indulge in luxury. However, if even the martial arts selection process was corrupted and lost its fairness and justice, then the sect's destruction would not be far off.

"Besides, Xu Yuanhan is not an idiot," Wu Yuan smiled, looking in the direction Xu Yuanhan had left.

Xu Yuanhan, born into wealth, could endure "training in the coldest winter and hottest summer." From childhood, he had practiced martial arts diligently, day in and day out. While he might act a bit arrogant, he was by no means a good-for-nothing who would cause such trouble for his father.

Even if he truly wanted to cause trouble for Wu Yuan, he wouldn't do it in front of everyone.

On the ninth floor of a tower a thousand meters away from the training ground, within the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy.

The seventh floor.

A slightly hunched old man in a green robe leaned against the railing.

To his right stood a middle-aged man in a black robe with a stern, imposing face.

"General Xu, what do you think?" the old man in green robes asked with a chuckle. "I told you, this kid Wu Yuan is deep-thinking. He wouldn't accept the challenge."

"Old Brother Zhang has a thorough understanding of his disciples. I, Xu, am impressed. This time, my useless son was rash," the middle-aged man in black robes said with a smile. "However, Old Brother Zhang, my previous suggestion, are you truly unwilling?"

"It's not that I'm unwilling, it's the Prefectural Governor."

The old man in green robes glanced at the other man and said calmly, "You are a core disciple of the sect. You should understand the strictness of the sect's 'Inspection Hall' better than I do."

"Haha, I'm not trying to stop Wu Yuan from entering Cloud Martial Hall, just making him wait a year," the middle-aged man in black robes laughed. "He should have already undergone 'Martial Dao Enlightenment'. If you, Old Brother Zhang, nurture him for another year, he could very likely enter Cloud Martial Hall as the 'Number One of the Four Prefectures'. That would be a great achievement."

"If he enters Cloud Martial Hall this year, he'll only be an ordinary disciple. No matter how high his future achievements, those above will only think Cloud Martial Hall nurtured him well."

The old man in green robes smiled without speaking.

"Three 'Qi Nourishing Pills', how about it?" the middle-aged man in black robes revealed his trump card.

The old man in green robes' eyes narrowed. After a moment of thought, he asked, "What about the Prefectural Governor?"

"That won't be your concern, Old Brother Zhang."

"Good."

The old man in green robes nodded and casually said, "I've watched Yuanhan grow up. If he matures a bit and doesn't enter Cloud Martial Hall this year, he'll miss the age limit. It's truly a pity."

"This little fellow Wu Yuan has just undergone enlightenment. He is indeed still very young. It would be more suitable for him to enter Cloud Martial Hall after another year of tempering..."

Within a high-level combat room at the Prefectural Sect Martial Academy.

"Brother Yuan, be careful." A burly young man in black armor, covered in protective gear, moved with incredible speed and power. He delivered a punch like lightning.

The air whistled.

"Whoosh!" Wu Yuan shifted slightly to the left and 'narrowly' dodged the punch.

"Boom!" The burly young man seemed unsurprised. He swung his right leg with a powerful side kick, the muscles on his thigh bulging like steel cables.

"Hmph!"

Wu Yuan, as if he had expected it, stepped back first, avoiding the blow.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" The sturdy teenager alternated between punches and kicks, his attacks fierce. The specially reinforced ground trembled faintly, yet he couldn't touch Wu Yuan in the slightest.

After nearly a hundred attacks.

"Hmph! Hmph!" The sturdy teenager finally stopped attacking, sweating profusely. He shouted helplessly at Wu Yuan, "Brother Yuan, your footwork has improved too quickly. A couple of days ago when we sparred, I could still keep up with you, but now I can't even touch you."

"Touch you?" Wu Yuan chuckled.

In their previous encounters, he had merely feigned weakness to create the illusion of rapid progress.

Otherwise, let alone one sturdy teenager attacking, even ten people of the same skill level attacking him, Wu Yuan could easily evade them.

In terms of strength, Wu Yuan wasn't much stronger than the sturdy teenager.

But in terms of skill? The difference was like heaven and earth!

"Brother Yuan, is Martial Dao really this powerful once one's senses are opened?" the sturdy teenager couldn't help but ask. "I could always suppress you before, but now, you could probably take on ten of me."

"Little Wu, you'll understand when your senses are opened," Wu Yuan replied vaguely with a smile.

Opening one's senses?

This was a miraculous encounter for Martial Dao powerhouses on the Central Land Continent. Wu Yuan was using the guise of 'opening one's senses' to conceal his rapid improvement in strength.

"Opening one's senses? Many martial artists struggle to do so their entire lives," the sturdy teenager named Little Wu sighed. "With this grand competition, Brother Yuan, you'll probably take first place. After you emerge from Cloud Martial Hall, you'll be at least a Proficient Expert. That would be a true turnaround, and the Wu Clan might even be led by you."

Wu Yuan nodded slightly.

"Brother Yuan, I'm just worried, will Xu Yuanhan use other means against you? His father is the garrison general," Little Wu said with a worried expression. His father was a Centurion in the City Guard Army, so he knew better than others about the power of a garrison general.

"It's fine."

Wu Yuan patted the other's shoulder. "Even if the worst happens, I can still get into Nanmeng Martial Academy. But if you can't, your father won't let you off."

Nanmeng Martial Academy was one of the three top-tier martial academies under Hengyun Sect, second only to Cloud Martial Hall, and it was also difficult to get into.

"Brother Yuan, stop talking," Little Wu wailed exaggeratedly.

Wu Yuan shook his head and chuckled.

This young man named Little Wu was named Wu Sheng. Their fathers were sworn brothers.

Wu Yuan and Wu Sheng had been close since childhood. After Wu Yuan merged with his predecessor's memories, he also inherited this brotherhood.

In Wu Yuan's memory.

His father had died eight years ago in the Hengshan Campaign between Hengyun Sect and the Great Jin Dynasty. His family had fallen on hard times, and he was oppressed by the clan. His mother had only managed to hold on with significant help from Wu Sheng's family.

As the sun set.

Wu Yuan and Wu Sheng walked out of the Martial Arts Academy together. From a distance, they saw a carriage parked under the shade of a tree. A black-robed old man stood by the carriage, his brow furrowed.

"Brother Yuan, that's your Wu Clan patriarch. He might be looking for you," Wu Sheng whispered. "He's coming over, so I'll take my leave."

As for internal Wu Clan matters, let alone Wu Sheng, even his father would not dare to speak much.

Wu Yuan nodded.

"Patriarch, why have you come?" Wu Yuan stepped forward to meet him.

Wu Qiming, the patriarch of the Wu Clan's Li City branch!

The Wu Clan was a prominent family in Nanmeng Prefecture's city, but Wu Qiming was merely the patriarch of the Li City branch, quite inconspicuous even within Li City.

However, after Wu Yuan's father died, the various branches of the clan had joined forces to oppress them. It was Wu Qiming who had imposed some restraint; otherwise, his mother alone could not have managed.

In the past month, as Wu Yuan rose in the Martial Arts Academy, he had quickly gained importance within the clan.

"Wu Yuan."

Wu Qiming looked at the most dazzling junior of the family before him and suddenly shouted, "What have you done to offend the garrison general?"