Free and Easy Wandering

Whoosh!

Zhang Qifeng could feel Xiao Cheng's sharp, almost tangible probing gaze suddenly fall upon him.

"Hiss!"

"Qin practiced the Sky Roc Dojo's Water-Fire Tempering Technique too."

Zhang Qifeng rubbed his short beard so hard he was practically striking sparks, showing just how turbulent his emotions were.

These two martial artists with Life Development Power exceeding a thousand now both dared not determine whether Qin Annian's mental cultivation had truly entered that realm.

"Two days. The Water-Fire Tempering Technique."

Xiao Cheng withdrew his gaze and looked back at Qin Annian.

A divine glint flashed deep in his eyes as he carefully observed Qin Annian's movements.

The more he watched, the more confused he became; the more confused he became, the more he watched. He only snapped out of it when Zhang Qifeng patted his shoulder.

"Free and Easy Wandering."

Letting out a breath of disbelief, Xiao Cheng spoke calmly.

"Only martial artists whose Standing Posture cultivation reaches Sitting Oblivion are qualified to cultivate Mental Secret Manuals. That is also the dividing line between prodigies and ordinary martial artists."

"Martial artists cultivate both life and nature. Life refers to Life Development Power, while nature naturally refers to mental power."

Zhang Qifeng bared his teeth, searching for an excuse to convince himself to accept this.

The fact that Standing Posture required one to "clarify the heart and perceive one's nature" showed that its cultivation was not merely about drawing upon the Force of Creation within the Spirit Sea to spur life's evolution. It also strengthened one's mental power.

The two were like a fighter jet's airframe strength and operating system. Lacking either one would cause combat power to decline, or even collapse entirely.

Yet only the few gifted prodigies capable of standing above the stars could cultivate Mental Secret Manuals before their Life Development Power exceeded a thousand.

In Taiyu City,

only two people had previously been known to possess such talent: Han Xi and Xiao Cheng.

The former's identity was mysterious, and no one could say when she had begun cultivating Mental Secret Manuals.

But Xiao Cheng had only mastered a Mental Secret Manual after his Life Development Power broke through one hundred.

Because—

mental cultivation differed from Standing Posture cultivation. The former placed greater emphasis on a certain affinity or fateful chance, something best explained through the obscure, mystical phrases of Buddhism and Daoism.

If one suddenly attained enlightenment while walking down the road and their mental power surged, that would not be strange.

However—

to encounter an ordinary Mental Secret Manual and enter, within two days, a realm even Xiao Cheng had yet to set foot in—was this really not a joke?

Someone with such talent actually could not get into Martial Arts University?

"Even Titled Martial Generals cannot uncover the true essence of mental power."

"Based on the methods of cultivation..." Zhang Qifeng's voice caught, and his expression turned somewhat strange. "Can those even be called methods? Barely, I suppose."

"Taking the names of chapters from the Zhuangzi: Human World, Free and Easy Wandering, Master of Nourishing Life, and Ascended Immortal, they correspond to the realms attainable through four different paths."

There was no distinction of superiority among these four realms, but the wonders they brought after Entry Realm were each different.

"If one rides the righteousness of Heaven and Earth, and harnesses the transformations of the six qi to roam the infinite, what then would one need to depend on?"

Zhang Qifeng muttered softly. Looking at Qin Annian, who was handling the cyborg with increasing ease, his eyes brimmed with the excitement of having unearthed an immense treasure.

"Only..."

"I remember that those who walk the path of Free and Easy Wandering must first immerse themselves deeply in the world, then transcend it, right?"

"He isn't even nineteen yet. Where would he have gotten so much life experience?"

After experiencing the bitterness, sweetness, sourness, and spice of the Human World, one remained amid the mortal dust while one's heart rested beyond the clouds. Countless tangled worries could no longer shake the heart, and one could wander freely through this rolling sea of mortal life.

Qin Annian's experiences over these nineteen years had indeed far surpassed those of his peers.

But he should not have seen through the mortal world so quickly, should he?

"Guardian Xiao, the path you took should be Human World, right?"

"The Red Dust Dojo tempers you. You regard yourself as a cicada, refining yourself amid the vast murky currents. Only after shedding your shell hundreds or thousands of times can you clarify your heart."

Zhang Qifeng had already given up pursuing further breakthroughs in martial arts. He was too old.

But an elder in the family was a treasure.

Zhang Qifeng had not lived all these years for nothing. His knowledge and contemplation of cultivation always surpassed that of younger people.

To enter the realm of Human World, one had to press forward against the murky currents of mortal life and temper one's Dao heart. This was also why Xiao Cheng's every strike was so domineering, his sharpness completely exposed.

If Human World meant breaking through, then Free and Easy Wandering meant seeing through.

The corresponding wonder brought by the latter was just like Qin Annian now. No matter how the cyborg attacked at three times the speed of sound, he could predict its movements in advance and even disrupt its attacks.

"Enough. This is already sufficient."

Zhang Qifeng did not want to see Qin Annian injured and was preparing to personally suppress the cyborg.

Boom!

Suddenly—

Qin Annian seized an opportunity and violently kicked out.

The cyborg was at the moment when its old force had not yet faded and its new force had not yet arisen. That kick was like a powerful Mountain-Splitting Axe, stomping the cyborg into the ground.

Crack!

Star-Shatterer's cold gleam struck first, pinning the cyborg through the chest.

Sizzle!

After a burst of sparks, the cyborg twitched a few times before lying motionless on the ground.

"A martial artist whose mental power has entered this realm does not need you to intervene."

"When you write the recommendation letter, let me know."

Xiao Cheng gave Qin Annian a puzzled glance. He felt that there was something unusual about him, yet could not see what it was.

Then his figure gradually vanished, leaving only his faint voice lingering by Zhang Qifeng's ear:

"His stage lies among these brilliant stars."

Zhang Qifeng grinned and silently smiled.

"It seems Taiyu City has no choice but to win this Hundred Cities Tournament."

In high spirits, Zhang Qifeng ordered the complete purge of the Cultivation Holders Association's remaining routed forces and coordinated with the relevant departments to clear the Old District battlefield.

The construction crews had to be brought in as soon as possible to build a new urban district according to the plans.

The war in the Old District had just ended, but the reckoning had only begun.

As red and blue police lights flashed and sirens wailed, the exhausted Peace Officers received no rest. Instead, carrying investigation warrants from the Security Bureau, they headed for their respective targets.

Luxurious villas, upscale flats, expensive hotels, extravagant estates...

"Taiyu City Security Bureau. Everyone on the list, please cooperate with our investigation."

When the Peace Officers appeared, their faces full of resentment and dark circles beneath their eyes, the influential figures who often appeared in major news outlets all went weak in the knees and collapsed to the floor.

The moment they learned through various channels that an Alien Warship had emerged from beneath the Old District, half their hearts had already died. Now that Peace Officers from the Security Bureau had come to their doors, the remaining half died as well.

The Evil King had dragged them into something enormous. This was not something they could brush aside with a simple, "I didn't know."

It would have been fine if they could spend money to avert disaster, but if things went badly, the foundations their families had built over a century might collapse in an instant.

The Security Bureau had drawn up a very long list.

The Investigation Division had been eager for action long before this, and once the battle ended, it immediately and secretly took away quite a few people.

Qin Annian had no chance to rest either.

After receiving the task assigned by Miss Ju Zi, he accompanied an inspector and several veteran Peace Officers to the foot of Lingyun Pharmaceuticals' building.

They arrested more than a hundred people in succession, and the mission did not end until the following morning.

"Only martial artists can withstand work this intense."

An ordinary person would have already collapsed from exhaustion.

Qin Annian rubbed his shoulder and watched the sun rise over the horizon as usual.

"What beautiful weather today!"