Prisoner of the Past, Madman of Today

The Fist Intent slowly pressed down, initially with an overwhelming force, heavily covering the entire cave; then it transformed into a silent, flowing stream, cascading down from the mountaintop, overflowing every mansion, every street, every bluestone slab, and every eave, penetrating every crevice and leaving no place untouched.

It's like a reminder to everyone.

That person is back.

Yu Tunzhou stood quietly atop the mountain, overlooking the secluded town that had imprisoned him for years.

Returning to Dongtian this time, apart from seeing some unfamiliar faces, nothing seemed to have changed much. The stream was still the same stream, the bridge was still the same bridge, and even the howling sound of the mountain wind blowing into the alley was the same old tune.

Unfortunately, many of my old friends are no longer here.

Old Mo, Daoist Shouxin, Master Xuanku, Dingguang, and Master Lu.

He felt a mix of emotions, but even more so, a surge of passionate fervor.

Because he felt that by getting to this point, he had not disappointed those people, nor had he failed to live up to their care and expectations!

Some people once thought that living as a spirited and unparalleled Yu Tunzhou would be far better than living as a half-dead Lu Huaiqing.

He has already accomplished part of it.

And this is just the beginning.

This moment.

The mountain breeze ruffled the hem of his clothes, as if someone had patted him on the shoulder.

Yu Tunzhou looked up and, in a daze, seemed to see a figure in a green robe standing beside him. The person extended his right hand from his sleeve, the knuckles distinct and rugged like an ancient blue stone, yet possessing the air of someone who could calm the mountains and rivers.

When the man in the blue robe clenched his fist, all his emotions were transformed into the intent within his fist.

He turned his head and asked with a smile:

[Yu Tunzhou, where is the true path?]

With a single thought, the grotto-heaven stirred up a storm of wind and clouds.

After several years, Yu Tunzhou took another step forward, opened his fist stance, and his Fist Intent surged forth like a thunderclap in spring!

In an instant.

The earth shook and the entire cave trembled for a moment!

A mighty gale poured down from the mountain peak, followed the foot of the mountain, swept across the entire cave, and made everyone's robes flutter.

At this moment, everyone below the mountain was on high alert, like rabbits and deer seeing tigers and bears, or fish and shrimp encountering dragons!

This instinctive fear made everyone's hearts tremble and feel suffocated, as if reality was ten or a hundred times more absurd than the rumors!

Inside the Jiang Household mansion, Jiang Chengfeng suddenly stood up.

"Such powerful Fist Intent!" His brows furrowed, his voice low but unable to conceal the tremor at the end, "The clan underestimated this young man! The destruction of those two families in the Eastern Wilderness might truly be related to him!"

Jiang Chengyan was even more incredulous. "This boy just... shattered his Martial Fortune?"

The Martial Fortune had been stagnant for several years, and no one could seize it. Everyone suspected that the Martial Ancestor had tampered with it.

But now that Yu Tunzhou has arrived, the Martial Fortune has been gathering wildly, only to be scattered by his punch. This scene makes it seem as if the Martial Fortune of heaven and earth has long recognized him as its master, but he simply doesn't want it.

The Northern Chen Dynasty residence.

Chen Dingxin's hands trembled slightly.

Such a method of suppressing an entire grotto-heaven with such ease...

What level has this child reached now?!

Chen Changbai, standing to the side, also had a solemn expression.

He has been guarding this place for decades and has never seen anyone who could suppress the entire grotto-heaven's energy with their own Fist Intent.

"The Human Emperor's legacy will remain buried deep within us." Chen Changbai repeated his earlier words, his tone ten times heavier than before. "Remember, the sole purpose of my Northern Chen's journey is the Pure Land. Don't provoke him. Unless..."

He paused, gazing towards the distant mountain peaks, his eyes darkening. "Unless someone takes the lead first."

Even he himself felt unsure of his own words when he said them.

Someone has actually stepped forward; will the Northern Chen dare to follow suit?

The residence of the Nanhua Sect.

As soon as Daoist Qingzhi moved a bamboo chair to sit in the courtyard, she looked up at the figure in green robes on the mountain peak, and the corners of her mouth slowly turned up.

"Finally something interesting is happening," she muttered to herself.

But in the very next moment...

Her expression froze.

The mountain wind rolled down from the sky, blowing her Daoist robe, and the Fist Intent that was originally flowing like still water suddenly surged violently!

This kid...

At Evergreen Mountain's mansion, Zhang Qingtong stood deep in the courtyard, gazing in that direction with a sigh on his face.

As heaven maintains vigor through movement, a gentleman should constantly strive for self-improvement.

That boy, trapped in a deadly situation yet never giving up, who saw the Mortal Realm as a training ground and a crucible, who vowed that one day he would "shake off all the mud and grime," is now—

The Fist Intent overwhelmed the entire cave.

"The younger generation is truly formidable."

Zhang Qingtong and went back into the house.

The next part of the cave is likely to be quite exciting, but it has nothing to do with him.

Suddenly, Zhang Qingtong's foot was suspended in mid-air.

Nestled on the mountainside are two adjacent hermitages for quiet meditation.

The Daoist Xuanyin and Master Xuanzang exchanged a glance and couldn't help but shake their heads.

No wonder no one has been able to draw upon the Martial Fortune in recent years.

These Martial Fortune had already "recognized their master," and because of these Martial Fortune that were almost integrated with Luofu Grotto-Heaven, when Yu Tunzhou stepped into this grotto-heaven, it was as if he had stepped into a small world "tailor-made" for him, making his joy and anger as vast as the might of heaven.

Even if he rejects these Martial Fortune again, the world will still recognize him.

Um?!

The two looked up again.

That figure seemed to be challenging everyone in the Fist Cave!

The representatives from various families, who were already close to the foot of the mountain, all froze on the stone steps leading down the mountain.

Yue Hongyi suddenly turned around and looked towards the mountain peak.

That wasn't an illusion!

That guy really walked right past them, and not a single person, including several experts at the outer External Scenery level, noticed!

No, some people still noticed.

It was her... but I'm afraid that was intentional on her part, wasn't it?

Thinking of this, Yue Hongyi's lips twitched involuntarily, unsure whether to be angry or amused.

The elders from the surrounding External Scenery all wore solemn and grim expressions, some even whispering:

"Is this some kind of ghost?"

Xie Heyu's expression was particularly interesting.

The folding fan in his hand snapped in two on the spot. Yue Hongyi's question from earlier echoed in his mind, leaving him filled with doubt and uncertainty.

Did this child really walk past him without a sound?

And he, a direct descendant of the Xie Household and a powerful expert at the External Scenery, was completely unaware?

How is that possible?!

He could almost feel the gazes directed at him from all around—those who had just heard him call himself a "grassroots refugee" in the pavilion, though they hadn't spoken yet, each of their eyes seemed to be watching a joke.

His sarcastic remarks from the pavilion just now felt like he was offering himself up to be slapped in the face, each one loud and burning.

Xie Heyu took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the shock, anger, and humiliation surging within him.

His Primordial Spirit sank into a jade talisman, sending a message to two assassins from the Underworld who had been lurking outside the cave.

The best time and place to capture Yu Tunzhou was outside the cave, to prevent others from interfering and to capture him as soon as possible and bring him back to Northern Plains to keep Northern Dark Continent under control.

But now he's changed his mind.

Right now, right here, at this very moment, when he is at his most prosperous, most flamboyant, and most arrogant!

No matter how exceptional your talent or how powerful your Fist Intent, the assassination skills of the Underworld are unparalleled. Two Earth Ranking assassins working together can kill even Grandmaster of the Earth Ranking in an instant!

Xie Heyu slowly exhaled, as if he could already see the scene of Yu Tunzhou and blood splattering on the mountain peak.

But one breath, two breaths...

The jade talisman lay silent, as if dead.

Xie Heyu frowned slightly. Why was there no response from the other side?

He issued another order.

But the jade talisman still didn't react.

It was like a dead object, showing not even the slightest hint of divine intervention.

Xie Heyu's expression gradually darkened.

He refused to believe in superstition, and infused the jade talisman with a third message—

But it was all for naught.

A chill crept up his spine and slowly climbed to the back of his head.

What went wrong?

And at that moment—

At the summit, the Fist Intent that had been spreading out like water suddenly erupted.

Without any warning.

In an instant, he seemed to regard everyone as a target for his fistfight!

The clouds hung low, and the mountain wind suddenly stopped.

An indescribable sense of oppression weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.

And the source of all this is that figure in a green robe standing atop the mountain.

Xie Heyu's expression changed drastically. He had a guilty conscience and thought that Yu Tunzhou had seen through their plan in advance. He subconsciously wanted to escape the range of the Fist Intent.

But that Fist Intent was like a shadow, all-encompassing and overwhelming, leaving nowhere to escape!

In an instant.

Countless people, including him, felt a chill run down their spines, experiencing a sense of despair as a great calamity loomed over them, leaving them with no choice but to await their deaths!

Countless people closed their eyes at this moment.

Xie Heyu's face flushed red as he struggled desperately, but it seemed that the entire cave world was his enemy, and no matter how hard he tried to break free, it was all in vain.

Just as the punch was about to land on everyone's foreheads, the power of heaven and earth that bound them suddenly dissipated. Xie Heyu lost his balance and leaned back violently. The dignified External Scenery expert actually fell to the ground with a thud, no longer the glorious External Scenery expert of a great clan.

That overwhelming Fist Intent, aimed at everyone equally, came fiercely and left just as quickly, vanishing in an instant.

It was like a punch thrown, but it only left a light imprint on their foreheads.

It was like a lighthearted joke played on a returning traveler.

Before everyone could process their relief at escaping the punch and this damned joke, the Martial Fortune of the entire cave trembled once again!

The Martial Fortune that had been scattered across the heavens and earth, with no one to draw upon it, surged back towards the mountain peak in a frenzy.

But just as they were about to touch the man in the blue robe, another punch landed.

The Martial Fortune of heaven and earth was once again disrupted.

Then, as if unwilling to give up, his Martial Fortune surged like a tide, and he charged forward a third time, only to be scattered a third time.

Witnessing all this, Daoist Qingzhi, who had just been cursing over the "joke," instantly fell silent.

"What the hell is this monster...?"

In the small town, someone muttered a curse, a curse that echoed the sentiments of everyone present.

Not to mention the younger generation, even they themselves were extremely envious of the Martial Intention remaining here. If they had the chance to absorb it all, their Martial Dao would advance one or two levels...

It's possible that the Dharma Aspect is not out of the question!

But now?

At the last moment, Yu Tunzhou had just withdrawn his fist, raised his eyes, his gaze filled with unbridled arrogance, and swept them across the foot of the mountain.

The gazes that had been probing this place retreated like startled birds, filled with apprehension.

"We'll meet again someday." He spoke, his voice soft, yet carried by the mountain breeze to everyone's ears, "Fellow Daoists, it's been a long time."

haven't seen you for a long time?

In the courtyard, Luo Shiwu wore a bitter smile.

All told, it wasn't even three years. The past two years, which were unremarkable and boring for them, took on a completely different pace for Yu Tunzhou.

When they saw the boy again, it felt like a lifetime had passed.

In an instant.

The entire mountain road and the whole town fell into complete silence.

The newly arrived juniors from each family had long since frozen into stone statues.

They had heard the legend of Yu Tunzhou before entering the cave, how he had climbed into the top five of the Dragon and Tiger Ranking in just over a year, and not long ago, news came that he had reached the top spot. They thought that was already abnormal enough, but today they witnessed firsthand the scene of his fist overwhelming the cave and his Martial Fortune gathering and dispersing three times...

Only then did they understand the meaning of the word "prodigy," which was far beyond their comprehension.

In his hands, Martial Fortune was not only treated as a toy, but also discarded like worn-out shoes!

On the mountaintop.

After exchanging greetings with everyone in the cave Yu Tunzhou turned around and saw the old words he had carved many years ago.

He didn't care about what others thought or felt.

Whether it's apprehension, fear, or even hostility and murderous intent... given his current status and strength, it's all understandable.

After all, it's a common saying that talent attracts jealousy.

He stretched out his finger, using it as a carving knife, and added a new line next to the old one.

The brushstrokes are more relaxed than in the old engravings, but the characters are more profound and expansive, like a fish trapped in shallow waters finally swimming into the vast ocean, running wild and unrestrained.

Immediately afterwards.

His figure suddenly disappeared on the mountaintop.

Although it's a return visit, I should at least greet the current landlord.

On the mountainside.

The Daoist Xuanyin flicked his whisk, nodded to Yu Tunzhou, and then walked back into the Daoist temple.

He was stationed in this grotto more than two years ago. He only knew that Yu Tunzhou had a past connection with the Supreme Purity Lineage, so he did not stop him just now, nor does he intend to get too close to him now.

The Dharma Master Xuanzang, standing to the side, clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist prayer. "Benefactor Yu, your Fist Intent are truly divine; this humble monk admires you. I wonder what your thoughts are upon returning to your homeland today?"

Yu Tunzhou laughed and said, "It's nothing more than—the past mind cannot be grasped, the present mind cannot be grasped, and the future mind cannot be grasped."

Dharma Master Xuanzang was slightly moved and sincerely said, "No wonder Senior Brother Xuanku speaks so highly of Young Hero Yu. I never imagined that Young Hero Yu also has insights into my Buddhist School scriptures."

"Master, you flatter me." Yu Tunzhou then asked, getting straight to the point, "I wonder what Dingguang's current condition is?"

Dharma Master Xuanzang shook his head and sighed, "This humble monk does not know the specifics either. I only know that the monks from Little Thunderclap Temple came to pay their respects to the Buddha that day, but unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, the two of them disappeared right before my eyes."

"Has anyone yet found the location of the Immortals and Gods Portal?"

"No leads yet."

Yu Tunzhou nodded, having understood the general situation.

Currently, only Dingguang and the monks of Little Thunderclap Temple have entered the Pure Land of that Venerable One. As for the people of Vajra Chan Temple, they have not only failed to enter, but they have also failed to find the Immortals and Gods Portal.

This was somewhat unexpected for him.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "I have some matters to attend to; I will trouble you again later, Master."

"Amitabha."

Dharma Master Xuanzang.

Before leaving, Yu Tunzhou suddenly asked, "Is the master worried about Dingguang's situation?"

Dharma Master Xuanzang neither shook his head nor nodded, but simply said, "This Buddhist disciple possesses profound Buddhist fortune and should be able to turn danger into safety."

Yu Tunzhou nodded and turned to descend the mountain.

Besides Martial Fortune and Dingguang, he had another matter to attend to upon returning to the cave.

After the Long Yan incident was exposed, a thorough investigation was carried out throughout Floating Hill Mountain. They even invoked the Immortal Cauldron to investigate whether there might be a second, or even a third, "Long Yan" within the sect.

This search actually uncovered a problem.

Besides Long Yan, there were three others in similar situations, but they all escaped or committed suicide before they even realized it.

Upon hearing that he was about to return to Luofu Grotto-Heaven, Zhang Buyu suddenly thought of someone.

That was the garrison at Floating Hill Mountain, who was stationed year-round at Luofu Grotto-Heaven; he was also the uncle who had looked after him in the past— the Long Hua.

This Daoist name alone is enough to confirm it.

Therefore, when Yu Tunzhou was on the mountaintop, he had already quietly locked onto this person, but the other party's aura was stable and there was nothing unusual. It was unknown whether he was trapped in the cave and isolated from the outside world, or whether he had other trump cards.

The green-robed figure atop the mountain has vanished, and the Fist Intent that suppressed the cave has dissipated.

Yue Hongyi stood on the stone steps, her Hongyi billowing in the wind, her gaze complex and indescribable.

What were once rivalries among peers have now become the Grandmaster on the Earth Ranking —a truly worlds apart.

She suddenly sent a telepathic message to her senior master, and then headed towards the mountain peak.

The senior disciple in Yue Hongyi reached out, but ultimately did not stop them.

Meanwhile, Xie Heyu, leaning against the stone wall, struggled to his feet, his clothes covered in Liaochen and no longer looking their best.

Feeling the subtle gazes sweeping over him, his eyes darkened, but he refrained from further verbal sparring. He turned and walked down the mountain, one going up and the other down, with Yue Hongyi.

On the way, the jade pendant in his hand finally responded!

Xie Heyu's mind was jolted, and he poured his Primordial Spirit into it, first questioning why the other party had not responded earlier.

A moment later.

An emotionless voice rang out from the jade pendant:

"According to the original plan, we will take action outside the cave."

Xie Heyu frowned. They'd already entered the cave, did they really have to wait until they left Luofu this time?

"Why?" he asked.

"Killing Grandmaster on the Earth Ranking and killing Quasi-Grandmaster have two different prices."

Xie Heyu gripped the cold jade talisman in his sleeve, his heart filled with a raging storm.

This kid... this kid's strength has already reached the Quasi-Grandmaster?!

He suppressed his heart palpitations and quickly pressed for an answer:

"What exactly do you mean?!"

"It costs more."

When Yue Hongyi reached the mountain peak, she couldn't find the figure in the green robe. She wasn't surprised and went straight to the pavilion pillar. The mountain wind blew through the pavilion, making her Hongyi flutter.

She indeed saw a newly carved line of strokes, and she read it from beginning to end—

I have a bright pearl, long locked away by worldly cares.

Now the dust has settled and light shines forth, illuminating countless mountains and rivers.

She suddenly smiled, a smile of relief in it, and without lingering, turned and descended the steps.

A former prisoner, now Madman.

As peers, to witness his brilliance shine through the dust of the past is already a fulfillment.

Delayed update

I've been quite busy these past few days, so please forgive me for postponing tonight's update until tomorrow morning. May Buddha have mercy on me, dear readers...