Peerless Expert Disguised as a Mortal

"This..."

After retreating several steps, Luolan Xue finally steadied her delicate body. Ignoring her injuries, she stared in shock at the Martial Arts Book in Yin Luoli's hands.

"This is Martial Intent!"

At that thought, stormy waves surged within Luolan Xue's heart.

What was going on? She had actually seen Martial Intent in a picture book sold by a mortal. If not for the wounds inside her body constantly reminding her, she might have thought she was dreaming.

Martial Intent.

That was something of legend.

Not to mention her—even her master, a Martial Spirit Realm expert, had been unable to comprehend Martial Intent. It was said that only beings at the Martial Emperor level could possibly gain an initial grasp of Martial Intent.

The reason she could recognize it was because, when Old Ancestor Qingshan had passed down the sect's inheritance to her, he had allowed her to sense a trace of Martial Intent. Yet compared to the Martial Intent in this book, that tiny trace was as insignificant as the light of a firefly.

"Big Sister, what's wrong with you?" Yin Luoli asked worriedly as she looked at the blood Luolan Xue had coughed up.

"I'm fine. Can you let me take a look at the book in your hands?" At this moment, Luolan Xue's eyes held nothing but the book as she asked urgently.

"Of course. This book is really fun to read!" Yin Luoli said, extending her little arm.

Luolan Xue solemnly accepted the Martial Arts Book with both hands, but then she noticed something. Her shocked gaze immediately turned toward Yin Luoli.

"Luoli, you... you..."

Luolan Xue's pupils dilated, her heartbeat quickened, and her whole body trembled faintly, as though she had seen something utterly unbelievable.

"What's wrong with me, Big Sister?" Yin Luoli asked, blinking her large eyes.

"Your... your realm?" Luolan Xue said in shock. "How did your realm improve so much?"

When they had descended the mountain, she had clearly checked Yin Luoli's cultivation. She had only been at the Martial Master First Level, but now...

Martial Master Fifth Level!

"Huh?"

Hearing that, Yin Luoli hurriedly sensed her own realm as well.

"It's true! I really am a heaven-blessed genius, hahaha..."

After discovering that her realm had truly improved, Yin Luoli immediately began praising herself happily.

But Luolan Xue took a deep breath.

Yin Luoli's talent was indeed exceptional, but she absolutely could not have reached such a point, much less broken through five levels in such a short time.

There was only one reason...

Her gaze fell upon the Martial Arts Book in her hands!

At that moment, her heart could not calm down.

With a solemn expression, she steadied her trembling jade-like hands. After taking a deep breath, she impatiently opened the Martial Arts Book again.

"Tai Chi Fist!"

Those three large words met her eyes.

The handwriting appeared careless and crooked at first glance, yet upon closer inspection, it was vigorous and powerful.

Merely three words had drawn Luolan Xue deeply in. Before her eyes, it seemed as though an entirely different world had appeared.

A strange Eight Trigrams diagram appeared, and she stood at its center. Looking up, she saw countless stars scattered across the vast night sky, arranged into a bizarre pattern.

Without realizing it, she turned to the next page.

The little figure in the illustration was lifelike. As her pupils rapidly widened, a vast palm print gently pushed toward her.

Her breathing suddenly grew ragged, and beads of fragrant sweat slid down her forehead.

At that moment, she felt like a small boat caught in a storm, liable to be destroyed at any time within that vast expanse. She hurriedly closed the Martial Arts Book in her hands and stood there, gasping for breath.

"Big Sister, what's wrong?"

Yin Luoli hurriedly grabbed Luolan Xue's arm and asked anxiously.

Luolan Xue remained unable to recover for a long while. After calming herself for some time, just as she was about to speak, she discovered in astonishment that her realm had broken through from the Martial Master Ninth Level to Grand Martial Master.

Luolan Xue stood there dumbstruck.

Martial Master and Grand Martial Master were already a great chasm for cultivators. Many remained stuck at the Ninth Level for their entire lives, unable to cross it. Though she had confidence in her talent, she had expected to break through only a year later.

Yet now, she had achieved it in less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea?

It had to be said that if word spread of the two sisters breaking through today, it would likely shake all of Southern Sand!

She wiped away the fragrant sweat on her forehead and clutched the Martial Arts Book tightly, as though she had obtained a priceless treasure.

"Big Sister, what's really wrong with you?"

Seeing Luolan Xue's abnormal expression, Yin Luoli grew even more worried.

My sister has always been strict with herself. She's cultivating at every moment—could she have become too anxious, letting anger assault her heart and causing her cultivation to go astray?

"Luoli!" At last, Luolan Xue came back to her senses. Grabbing Yin Luoli by the arm, she said with utmost solemnity, "Promise me that you must not reveal a single word about this book."

"Why?"

Yin Luoli blinked her large eyes and asked in confusion.

"You don't need to ask so much. You only need to know that this book..." Luolan Xue took a deep breath and said seriously, "This book may be the greatest opportunity of your life. At the same time, it may concern the life and death of our Qingshan Sect."

"Huh?"

Yin Luoli was so overwhelmed by the news that she could barely process it.

"Also, I must take this book back immediately for Master to see," Luolan Xue continued.

"Alright!"

Yin Luoli scratched her head. She had not even finished reading it yet. Though she was reluctant to part with it, her sister's expression looked truly serious.

Besides, she really could not understand how this book had become the greatest opportunity of her life, or how it could concern the life and death of Qingshan Sect.

Luolan Xue pulled Yin Luoli along as they hurried back toward the sect.

Thinking back on it...

How could that extraordinary young man reclining in the chair have been an ordinary mortal?

He had to be an unimaginable Peerless Expert, someone whose realm had long reached the level of Return to Simplicity, who had come to this little city to play among the world of mortals.