Demonic Rampage, Upheaval in the Martial Arts World, First Encounter with King Piccolo

In just three days, a cloud of evil swept across the martial arts world of the entire continent.

The renowned Hong Martial Arts Dojo in the south was destroyed overnight. Its master and dozens of disciples were all killed, the entire dojo blasted into rubble by evil energy. Three top sixteen contestants from the World Martial Arts Tournament were murdered one after another on their way home, their meridians withered and their bodies shrouded in lingering, frigid demonic qi. The news spread rapidly through the Martial Arts Association's communication network. Once-bustling dojos shut their doors, and countless martial artists turned pale at the mention of demons. The dark legend from three hundred years ago weighed on everyone's hearts as though it were real.

Inside the study on Turtle Hermit Island, Master Roshi set down the message talisman in his hand, his fingertips feeling heavy. Seven or eight pleas for help from different regions lay scattered across the table, each one carrying an air of despair.

"No mistake, this is all Piccolo's work," Master Roshi said hoarsely. "He's deliberately eliminating the martial arts world's living strength. On one hand, he's establishing his authority. On the other, he's afraid someone will master the Evil Containment Wave again and use it against him."

Goku clenched his fists and slammed one onto the table, his little face flushed red. "That bad guy! How can he just kill people like that? Let's go beat him right now!"

"It won't be that easy." Krillin furrowed his brow and swallowed. "Those martial artists who died weren't much weaker than Yamcha. Even they couldn't withstand a single move..."

Yamcha pressed a hand against the sword at his waist, his expression cold. "Being afraid won't help. Since he dares slaughter martial artists so openly, he'll find this place sooner or later. Rather than wait to die, we should take the initiative."

Bulma hurried in with her laptop in her arms. The Dragon Radar's scan map glowed on the screen, several golden points moving rapidly along the coastline. "Look! The Dragon Balls are moving incredibly fast, and their locations happen to overlap with the places that were attacked! That Piccolo must be looking for the Dragon Balls! He wants to gather them and restore his strength!"

Everyone's expressions changed. Piccolo was already this terrifying in his weakened state. If he gathered the Dragon Balls and regained his youth and peak strength, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Qi Tian leaned against the window, his gaze calm and still. His evil qi perception remained spread out. Piccolo's cold, violent aura was as clear as a torch in the night, fixed on a coastal town to the southeast, less than three hundred li from Turtle Hermit Island. Hunting martial artists along the way, his opponent was not moving quickly. Clearly, he was recovering his strength while traveling and clearing away obstacles along the way.

[Ding! King Piccolo has been detected openly slaughtering martial artists. The world crisis storyline has officially activated, triggering Savior Check-in.]

[Check in?]

"Check in." Qi Tian's thoughts stirred.

[Ding! Check-in complete. Rewards issued.]

[1. Permanent combat power +420. Current base combat power: 9520.]

[2. Evil Energy Purification: Can actively dispel demonic qi corruption and is immune to the vast majority of demonic curses.]

[3. Advanced Qi Concealment: Can completely suppress one's aura. Opponents weaker than oneself will be unable to sense even the slightest trace.]

A warm current washed through his meridians, and the qi around him became increasingly condensed. Qi Tian curled his fingers slightly and turned to the others in the room. "He's in Blue Stone Town, three hundred li away. I'm going now. You stay on the island and don't run around."

"I'll go with you!" Master Roshi immediately rose to his feet, taking the wooden staff from the wall behind him. His expression was resolute. "I've lived most of my life, and I know the method of the Evil Containment Wave, at least. Even if I have to stake this old life of mine on it, I can't let him continue bringing disaster upon the world."

"I'll go too!" Goku leaped high into the air. "I want to beat up bad guys too!"

"No." Master Roshi's face hardened as he stopped them in a deep voice. "The two of you would only get in the way with your current strength. Stay on the island and train properly. We can talk about going into battle once you can take thirty percent of this old man's strength."

Goku still wanted to argue, but Krillin grabbed hold of him. He understood the gap between them as well. Biting his lip, he lowered his head, his eyes full of unwillingness. Yamcha took a deep breath and spoke up. "I'll stay and watch over them while training as hard as I can. Senior Qi Tian, Master Roshi, please be careful."

Half an hour later, the capsule plane landed on a hill outside Blue Stone Town.

Before they even drew near, the pungent stench of burning and blood drifted over on the wind. The once-lively coastal town was now a mess. More than half the houses had collapsed, and rubble and debris littered the streets. Several short, dark-green figures wandered through the roads, smashing, looting, and burning everything in their path. They were the demonic soldiers under Piccolo's command.

Atop the clock tower in the center of town, Piccolo stood with his hands behind his back, his dark-green body especially conspicuous beneath the sunlight. With his eyes closed, he was absorbing the scattered souls and yin energy of the town. His aura was several degrees stronger than when he had first broken free of his seal, already nearing 7,800 combat power.

"Piccolo!"

Master Roshi roared and leaped down from the hill, qi faintly surging around him. He removed his sunglasses, his gaze sharp as a blade as he stared at the figure atop the clock tower. "Master Mutaito failed to destroy you completely three hundred years ago. Today, this old man will settle this grudge!"

Piccolo slowly opened his eyes. His crimson pupils swept over Master Roshi, and a cruel smile curled across his lips. "Oh? Mutaito's descendant? I didn't expect remnants of the Turtle School to still be alive. Good. I'll clean you up along with the rest and save myself trouble later."

He casually waved a hand, and two spikes condensed from demonic qi shot toward Master Roshi with a shriek, fast as lightning.

Master Roshi's expression changed slightly. Just as he was about to dodge aside, a figure stepped in front of him first. Qi Tian flicked his hand, and the two demonic qi spikes instantly shattered into black smoke and vanished.

"Your opponent is me."

Qi Tian walked forward slowly. Not a trace of aura leaked from his body, yet Piccolo's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had lived for hundreds of years and seen countless people, but he had never been unable to gauge a youth's depth. The person before him stood there as if he had merged with heaven and earth. He was plainly visible to the naked eye, yet when Piccolo tried to sense him with qi, there was only emptiness, as though he did not exist at all.

"Who are you?" Piccolo asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying a trace of gravity for the first time. He could vaguely sense that this youth was a hundred times more dangerous than Master Roshi beside him.

"Qi Tian." The youth's tone was flat. "I'm here specifically to cripple you."

"Arrogant!"

Piccolo flew into a rage and pressed one palm downward. Five burly demonic warriors sprang out from both sides of the street, each with a savage face and combat power around two thousand, far surpassing ordinary martial artists. The five rushed Qi Tian in an encircling formation, their claws carrying foul demonic qi as they sealed off every avenue of escape.

Qi Tian did not slow his steps, nor did he spare them so much as another glance.

A faint black-gold gleam flashed beneath his skin, and the qi around him trembled slightly.

Bang! Bang! Bang—

Five muffled explosions rang out in succession. The demonic warriors charging at the front could not even get close before invisible qi blasted them into fragments that filled the sky, their demonic qi instantly dispersed without a trace.

In one move, all five elite demonic warriors were reduced to ashes.

Piccolo abruptly rose to his feet atop the clock tower, his eyes filled with horror.

How was that possible?!

The demonic warriors he had painstakingly cultivated could not even take one of his opponent's moves? Just who was this youth?

"You have some skill." Piccolo suppressed the shock in his heart. With a flash, he jumped down from the top of the clock tower, kicking up a ring of dust as he landed. "It seems this old man underestimated the martial arts world of today. But with that little ability, you think you can deal with me? You're still far from it!"

Before he had even finished speaking, a dark-green sphere of energy gathered in his palm, demonic qi churning around it. It was the demonic clan's ultimate technique, the Demon Light Cannon. The energy sphere swelled rapidly, and the air around it corroded with sizzling sounds. It was several times more powerful than an ordinary ki blast and carried an evil power capable of corroding meridians.

"Die!"

The Demon Light Cannon blasted forth with a roar, two meters in diameter as it shot directly toward Qi Tian's face.

Master Roshi, watching from behind, felt his heart leap into his throat. Just as he was about to shout a warning, Qi Tian still neither dodged nor moved away, simply pressing one palm forward.

A black-gold radiance appeared in his palm. The Demon Light Cannon struck it and melted away like ice and snow beneath the blazing sun, collapsing instantly without even the slightest aftershock escaping.

Qi Tian drew his palm back slightly, purifying every last trace of residual evil energy. His tone remained calm. "That's all the strength you've got? Three hundred years of sealing must have sealed you into uselessness too."

Piccolo's face darkened completely.

He knew he had encountered a truly formidable opponent.

This youth's strength was likely greater than even Piccolo's prime. With his power not yet restored, a direct clash would bring him no advantage.

His gaze swept over Master Roshi, then flicked toward the surviving civilians in town. A plan instantly formed in his mind.

"I'll spare your lives for today." Piccolo sneered as his body suddenly shot backward. "Once I gather the Dragon Balls and regain my youth, your deaths will come!"

He raised his hand and fired several blasts of demonic qi at the collapsed houses beside them. Rubble flew everywhere, about to crash down on several civilians hiding behind the ruins. Qi Tian frowned slightly, his figure flashing as he appeared before the houses and swept the debris aside with one wave.

In that brief delay, Piccolo's figure had already vanished beyond the horizon. Even his aura had been mostly concealed as he fled swiftly westward.

Master Roshi hurried over and looked toward the direction in which Piccolo had disappeared, letting out a heavy sigh. "He got away... That guy really is cunning."

"He can't escape." Qi Tian withdrew his gaze, his expression calm. "He wants to find the Dragon Balls. He won't get away."

He could sense that although Piccolo had fled quickly, he had not dared go far. He was heading toward the location of the next Dragon Ball. Clearly, gathering the Dragon Balls and restoring his strength was his only chance to turn things around.

But Piccolo did not know that the more desperately he tried to gather the Dragon Balls, the closer he was walking toward his doom.

The setting sun dyed the clouds on the horizon red, making the devastation of Blue Stone Town seem especially heavy beneath the dusk. From this moment on, a battle for the Dragon Balls that would decide the fate of the world had officially begun.