Body Sect

In the eastern seas of the Federation, vast waves rolled beneath the sky. Deep within them lay a lone island—Dawn Island.

From afar, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary deserted isle shrouded in mist, quiet and desolate.

These waters were famed for their danger. Jagged reefs crisscrossed beneath the sea like canine teeth, lurking menacingly and forming a natural barrier that kept large ships away.

The island itself was not rich in resources. Apart from a dense primeval forest so thick that wind could barely pass through, there were only several mountains that, while not particularly lofty, were exceptionally steep. There were neither rare mineral deposits nor precious herbs, and its development value was negligible.

Thus, the Federation had never extended its reach here, allowing it to retain its most primitive appearance, far removed from the clamor of the world. The island's air was intoxicatingly fresh, carrying the fragrance of vegetation mixed with a faint salty tang from the sea. Birds sang sweetly, flowers bloomed with rich scents, and it resembled a paradise beyond the world—yet it also carried a touch of isolated loneliness.

However, deep within this seemingly barren island lay a force powerful enough to shake the continent.

Passing through a narrow, concealed valley at the island's center, one would be met with a suddenly expansive sight that would overturn all outside perceptions. In the depths of the valley, backed against the most perilous main peak, stood several buildings built along the mountainside.

They were neither resplendent palaces nor exquisitely carved towers, but stone-and-timber structures of an extremely ancient and rugged style.

Bluish-gray rock and dark brown timber formed their main frames. Their lines were hard and their edges distinct, exuding an unadorned wildness and sense of power, as though they had naturally grown from the mountain itself.

The buildings were simple and practical in design, with low eaves and enormous doors and windows. There was not a single unnecessary decoration; everything existed solely for durability and function, blending perfectly with the island's primitive surroundings.

Yet the most shocking sight was not the buildings themselves, but the mountains surrounding them. Looking closer, dozens of platforms of varying sizes and depths could be seen scattered across the steep rock walls.

These platforms were certainly not naturally formed. Their edges bore obvious marks that had not been carved by blades—countless fist prints, palm prints, elbow strikes, and even headbutts had forcibly blasted and gouged them out! The rock surfaces were covered in spiderweb-like cracks, yet were extraordinarily solid, as if tempered through countless hammerings.

Every platform was steeped in sweat and blood, silently telling of the most primitive and direct cultivation method: using the body as the soul, using strength to shatter all hardness.

This was the distinctive mark of one of the continent's most mysterious and powerful super factions—the Body Sect.

At this moment, sunlight filtered through sparse branches onto the largest artificially excavated plaza beneath the main peak.

Several white-haired elders with ancient, rugged features stood there, their eyes as sharp as hawks as they supervised dozens of disciples training. The disciples varied in age, the youngest barely ten and the oldest already nearing adulthood.

Bare-chested, their lean or still-developing muscle lines exposed, they practiced punches and kicks across the plaza. Their movements were plain and unadorned, yet each strike carried the force of a thousand tons and tore through the air with a whistle.

Others carried massive boulders on their backs as they struggled up the mountain paths, their muscles bulging and veins standing out.

Still others sat cross-legged with their five centers facing heaven, engaged in deep breathing meditation. The fluctuations of Soul Power around them resembled undercurrents beneath a tranquil lake, steady and restrained.

This was the new home of the Body Sect.

Before Zuo Qiu Lun arrived, the Body Sect's circumstances could only be called miserable.

Aside from a few unfathomably powerful yet eccentric elders who were elusive year-round, there had been only a dozen or so disciples in the sect. Though each possessed extraordinary talent, astonishing potential, and strength among the best of their peers,

ten thousand years of wandering had also instilled in them the Body Sect's traditional "freedom"—or rather, the habits of drifters.

They had no fixed sect residence. Like lone wolves, they roamed, trained, and gained experience across the continent, taking on various missions or "sparring matches" to sustain themselves and acquire cultivation resources. They lived without a permanent home and were as scattered as loose sand.

To them, the concept of a sect existed almost only within the memories of their bloodline and inheritance.

That was until Zuo Qiu Lun appeared and changed everything.

This young man, who aspired to become the Body Sect's master, had been deeply pained upon seeing the sect's condition. The Body Sect's inheritance could not be allowed to end, much less decline into such a sorry state!

He knew well that a powerful sect needed not only top-tier experts, but also a continuous supply of fresh blood and a stable foundation.

So, he had no choice but to make use of his connections and resources, finding Zhou Mingyu, who held a modest position within the Spirit Pagoda.

Using the Spirit Pagoda's Martial Soul awakening record system, which extended across the continent, Zuo Qiu Lun asked Zhou Mingyu to keep watch for and select promising Body Soul Masters who possessed Body Martial Souls but might not have been discovered by major sects, or whose potential had not yet been fully developed.

Through this method, those scattered throughout the Federation who possessed Body Martial Souls—and might have been confused or overlooked because of their unusual Martial Souls—were gradually gathered by Zuo Qiu Lun onto Dawn Island, far from worldly strife.

From the initial dozen or so to the current several dozen, their numbers were still small, nowhere near comparable to the super sects that had thousands upon thousands of disciples. But for the Body Sect, this was already an enormous leap forward—the flame of revival had been lit here.

Thus, seeing the steadily growing number of disciples, Mu Ye had no choice but to begin choosing a sect residence.

In the end, he chose Dawn Island and bought it outright.

Not only because it was secluded, but because of its "barrenness" and "danger." The reefs were natural defenses, the steep peaks were the finest places to temper the body, the primeval forest was an excellent location for survival training, and the boundless deep sea was a superb trial ground for the disciples' second awakenings.

He had rooted the Body Sect here so that old and new disciples alike could use the purest methods upon this seemingly impoverished land—tempering their bodies, forging their sinews and bones, comprehending Soul Power, and rebuilding the Body Sect's former glory.

The fist-marked platforms on the mountain walls and the sweat shed across the plaza were the witnesses to the rise of the new Body Sect.

At this moment, inside the sect's main hall,

Mu Ye looked at his two disciples. A hearty, bold smile spread across his bronze face, and his voice boomed like a great bell. "Hahaha! Ruheng, Xiao Lun! Your master's luck was truly incredible on this trip!"

He stretched out a large hand and carefully held up a jade case carved from special warm jade.

The instant the lid opened, an indescribably rich and exotic fragrance spread through the room, overwhelmingly drowning out the scents of sweat and earth from the plaza.

The fragrance seemed alive. The moment it entered their noses, A Ru Heng and Zuo Qiu Lun felt their blood and qi uncontrollably accelerate through their bodies. Their limbs and bones grew warm, as though they had been immersed in a hot spring, and even the circulation of their Soul Power seemed to quicken slightly.

At the center of the jade case lay a strange "lump of flesh." Its entire body was a deep, rich dark red, as though blood might drip from it at any moment. Its surface was covered in complicated folds resembling the grooves of a brain, layered like lingzhi mushrooms but fuller and more luxuriant, brimming with indescribable vitality.

This was the rare treasure recorded in the sect's ancient texts—the Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui! Legend said that it was formed from the essence of the earth, condensed over ten thousand years, and contained a vast, ocean-like source of Bloodline Power. It was a supreme divine item for nourishing the body, refining one's bloodline, and strengthening one's foundation.

For Body Sect Soul Masters, who took body tempering as their foundation and regarded their own bodies as their strongest weapons, the Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui was worth even more than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone!

"Look at this treasure!" Mu Ye's eyes shone brilliantly, unable to conceal his excitement and pride as his voice rose. "This is practically a grand gift Heaven sent to our Body Sect!

Perfect timing. You two brats have nearly finished laying your foundations. This is exactly when you need a divine item like this to nourish you and transform you! Quickly, half each. Take it now! Your master will protect you!"

As he spoke, he was about to hand the jade case to his two disciples.

Yet, contrary to Mu Ye's expectations, faced with this peerless medicine that could drive any Soul Master mad, his two prized disciples—A Ru Heng, whose towering body and knotted muscles resembled an iron pagoda, and Zuo Qiu Lun, who was calm in temperament and deep-eyed—did not accept it in ecstatic delight after their initial shock. Instead, they exchanged a glance and saw the same hesitation and resolve in each other's eyes.

The two fell silent for a moment, and the air seemed to freeze.

In the end, Zuo Qiu Lun took a deep breath, suppressing the boiling blood and qi within him stirred by the Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui's fragrance, and spoke first. His voice remained steady, but it carried unquestionable seriousness. "Master, this Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui... you should take it instead."

At his side, A Ru Heng, usually an easygoing man renowned for his bold courage, rarely lost his smile. He nodded heavily and agreed in a muffled voice, "Yeah, Master. This treasure... should be used by you."

The smile on Mu Ye's face instantly froze. Then his brows twisted into a tight knot, his eyes widened round, and he looked as though he had heard the most absurd thing imaginable.

"What?!" he practically roared. The sound made the leaves nearby rustle. "Have you two little bastards lost your minds?! Do you know what this is?! A Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui! Ten thousand years! Even the ancient texts say this thing has gone extinct!

Something your master never obtained despite braving countless dangerous places! A treasure I only got my hands on this time through Heaven's favor!

This is a supreme treasure for building your foundations and paving your futures! How could... how could it be used on an old man like me?!"

He stomped anxiously and pointed at the dark-red fleshy lingzhi, his finger trembling slightly. "You're young, your blood and qi are abundant, and your potential is limitless!

If you take it, your Body Martial Souls will definitely rise to the next level. In the future, you'll have great hope of reaching Limit Douluo, perhaps even becoming Quasi-Gods!

Give it to me? What use would it be to an old man like me, who hasn't been able to step into Rank 95 after half a lifetime?!"

Zuo Qiu Lun stepped forward, looking directly into Mu Ye's slightly reddened eyes. His tone grew even more sincere, carrying a trace of barely perceptible heartache. "Master, you're wrong. Precisely because this medicine is so precious, it should be used on you."

He paused, then continued, "Senior Brother and I are indeed young. The road ahead of us is still long, and we have enough time to accumulate strength and make breakthroughs.

But you are different. You are the pillar of our Body Sect, the hope of the sect's revival!

You have remained a Rank 94 Title Douluo for many years. You are only one step away from the Super Douluo realm! How long has this bottleneck troubled you? You may not speak of it, but how much humiliation have you suffered because of it over the years? All of us disciples understand!"

Zuo Qiu Lun's voice carried a heavy force. "This Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui contains the purest, most fundamental Bloodline Power! It is precisely the key you need to break through your bottleneck!

Take it, and its immense blood and qi will wash through your entire body, surely helping you break through that invisible barrier and enter the Super Douluo realm! Your breakthrough would mean far more to the Body Sect's current situation than Senior Brother and I gaining a little more strength!

The sect needs the protection of a Limit Douluo-level combatant! Master, please... for the sect, and for yourself, take it!"

A Ru Heng clasped his fists heavily as well, his voice ringing with conviction. "Master! Xiao Lun's right! If you become stronger, you can teach us better and protect the sect! This medicine... should be yours!"

Mu Ye was stunned.

He looked at the two disciples before him. One was calm and wise, speaking of the hope he desired most deeply yet felt most helpless about; the other was straightforward and sincere, expressing the most heartfelt concern with the simplest words.

An indescribable surge of heat rushed into his eyes, and his throat seemed choked by something.

He had roamed the continent his entire life and experienced countless life-and-death battles. His heart had long become as hard as iron, yet the heartfelt words of his two disciples now struck the softest place in his heart.

Over the years, how many peers who had once been inferior to him had surpassed him one after another to become Super Douluos? How many old fools had used him every day as a "negative example" to teach their disciples?

So what if his combat strength far exceeded others of the same rank? In the end, he was still merely a Title Douluo who had lost the potential to advance!

He understood all of this! But he could not be crushed by such humiliation, because he was the master of the Body Sect! A sect master was not allowed to fall! He could not fall!

He opened his mouth, wanting to scold them again, wanting to say, "I don't need it," wanting to say, "Stop talking nonsense," but those words simply would not come out.

Zuo Qiu Lun's words, "for the sect," struck his heart like a heavy hammer.

That was right. He was the Body Sect's master, and he was also these two children's teacher... The sect, his disciples... His gaze lingered for a long time on the Ten-Thousand-Year Tai Sui, which emitted an alluring red glow and strange fragrance, before slowly sweeping over A Ru Heng and Zuo Qiu Lun's young, resolute faces.

Across the plaza, there was only the sound of wind and distant waves crashing against the reefs.

In the end, Mu Ye agreed. That quiet "Alright" was both an answer to his disciples' hopeful, caring request and an answer to the long-dormant yearning in his heart for a breakthrough.

He looked at his two disciples, their gazes firm. In his eyes were relief, emotion, and a trace of indescribable determination.

Mu Ye's steps were somewhat heavy, yet carried a measure of resolve as he slowly walked toward the cultivation chamber. His shadow stretched long beneath the afternoon sun, as though he bore the future of the entire Body Sect upon his back.

The stone door of the cultivation chamber now looked to him like a gateway to an entirely new realm. Once he stepped through it, he would face a trial against the limits of his own self.

Watching their master's figure gradually disappear behind the stone door,

A Ru Heng could no longer suppress his excitement. He threw an arm around Zuo Qiu Lun's shoulders and shook him hard, his eyes wide with excitement and expectation as he shouted, "Junior Brother, Heaven's finally got its eyes open this time! Our Body Sect's luck is finally turning around! Master will definitely break through to become a Super Douluo!"

His voice echoed across the empty plaza, as if he wanted to spread that joy to every corner.

Hearing this, Zuo Qiu Lun merely revealed a faint smile. There was confidence in his master within that smile, but also a deeper meaning that others would struggle to notice.

He gently patted A Ru Heng's hand and said, "Yes. Our luck is incredibly good!"

Yet deep in his heart, he silently muttered, Master, don't waste this "fortunate opportunity" I prepared for you.