I Only Took One Bite! (5.1k Two-in-One)

Yu Tunzhou and Xie Linchuan inquired about everyone's recent situation before returning to the mountain.

At lunchtime, Dingguang mysteriously told him that his master hadn't dozed off in the past two days. When he asked his master, his master said that someone would soon come to beg for alms.

Yu Tunzhou paused for a moment.

Do you come to Buddhist School temples to beg for alms?

That would be really interesting.

After dinner, Yu Tunzhou told Dingguang that he might be back late that night, and that he should just make do with the food himself.

After noon, Yu Tunzhou disappeared into the mountains and forests, intending to find a quiet spot based on his knowledge over the years.

And after noon.

The disciples of each school gradually finished their final Qi Ingestion practice.

Some people left their mansions and towns, seeking a suitable place for quiet contemplation in preparation for tonight's battle for destiny.

Riverside.

Ao Xiyu suddenly looked up, her gaze locking onto a slender figure on the opposite bank, and let out a cold snort.

Something that is neither male nor female.

On the opposite bank of the river, Liu Zhizhou of Dongting also looked at this lowly scion from the South Sea Dragon Palace with a cold gaze, as if to say—has the South Sea now so destitute that it can't even produce a single pure-blooded Dragon Race?

Not far away.

Xie Linchuan stood at the bridgehead, fan in hand. His white robes were as pure as snow, and his aura was as lofty and profound as a green bamboo. Just by standing there, those who came after him would inevitably detour.

Not far from him, Cao Jianjia stood by the riverbank, leaning on her sword. She had a beautiful face, but her temperament was as cold as jade.

Looking to the left and right, Zhang Qinghe and Liu Qingshi could still be seen. The latter had recovered from his injuries, but his breathing was noticeably weaker than Xie and Cao's.

In addition, several young disciples exchanged glances with Xie Linchuan from afar, nodded to each other, and stood guard over one another, already showing signs of forming a group.

far away.

Yue Hongyi frowned and looked away.

This guy surnamed Xie is definitely not a good person. I don't know how many people he has swayed and won over by using his family background and connections recently.

Zhang Buyu remained calm as he crossed another stone bridge and continued walking forward.

"Where are you going?" Yue Hongyi asked in surprise. "Not waiting here for your Martial Fortune to arrive?"

Zhang Buyu's gaze fell on someone not far away. The latter seemed to sense his gaze, turned around and smiled meaningfully, then continued climbing the mountain.

"How did you manage to make eye contact with that third-ranked scholar?" Yue Hongyi leaned closer and asked, frowning.

Zhang Buyu said slowly, "It's still early. Let's go up the mountain together and pay a visit to Brother Yu."

"Visit him?" Yue Hongyi asked in astonishment. "You're worried he'll become an obstacle for us? Don't be ridiculous. It's just a mere [Spark Instruction]. Aren't you, Floating Hill Mountain, the true lineage of the Human Emperor?"

Zhang Buyu shook his head. "I just wanted to ask that Brother Yu for advice."

"You asked him for advice?"

Yue Hongyi felt that Zhang Buyu was getting crazier and crazier lately.

But in the end, she couldn't dissuade Zhang Buyu, and the two went up the mountain together. They didn't see Yu Tunzhou, but they did see Chen Xuanye's figure in the distance.

Yue Hongyi sneered, "Not long ago, someone said that Yu Tunzhou was likely a pawn of Northern Chen, and I didn't believe it. Now it seems hard to say. Do you think Chen Xuanye really gave Yu Tunzhou the [Spark Instruction]?"

Not far away.

Chen Xuanye was secretly annoyed and shocked.

What's frustrating is that I took the initiative to visit them, but the Yu Tunzhou person wasn't there?

What surprised the young Buddhist disciple was why he kept calling Yu Tunzhou "Senior Brother"!

At this moment, he wished he had been the one who had mistakenly wandered into this place three years ago!

If we can build a good relationship with this Buddhist disciple from childhood, and he grows up after leaving the grotto, who else but him will be the rightful heir to the throne of Northern Chen!

Left with no other choice, Chen Xuanye had to descend the mountain to prepare for the battle for destiny.

Turning around, he saw Zhang Buyu and Yue Hongyi walking towards him.

The three passed each other without exchanging much words.

Their respective families had little interaction.

Chen Xuanye frowned.

Are these two also here looking for Yu Tunzhou?

A sense of crisis crept into his heart; when did this guy become so sought after?

Yue Hongyi stepped forward first and saw a simple thatched hut. She had just pursed her lips when she caught a glimpse of a row of dried fish under the eaves and live fish swimming in a water vat next to it. She immediately gritted her teeth.

This guy... this guy...

Such a wealthy and powerful family?!

She glanced around; it seemed like no one was there...

Suddenly, she noticed a young monk beside her, whose eyes were clear yet held a hint of wariness, as if he had seen through her wicked intentions.

Staring at her with the young monk's clear and pure gaze, Yue Hongyi felt inexplicably guilty and couldn't help but look away.

Zhang Buyu stepped forward, clasped his hands together in a respectful bow, and asked, "Excuse me, young master, Brother Yu Tunzhou Zhou here?"

Dingguang returned the greeting formally, saying, "My senior brother has gone out and said he might not be back tonight."

As he spoke, he remained wary of the girl in Hongyi; the woman's eyes were shifty, and she clearly wasn't a good person.

My senior colleague said, "Beware of bad women!"

Zhang Buyu understood, felt a little regretful, and then took his leave.

On the way down the mountain, Yue Hongyi couldn't help but ask, "Was that little monk a disciple of that Buddhist School?"

Zhang Buyu asked in confusion, "You don't know? That person just now was the next Buddhist disciple of the Vajra Chan Temple."

"Buddha's disciple?!"

Yue Hongyi's voice suddenly rose, and then, remembering the title of "Buddha's disciple" from earlier, she gritted her teeth and said...

"I originally thought Xie Linchuan and his group were our greatest enemies, but I never expected that the one who 'eats' the best in this small town is actually this unassuming fellow!"

Zhang Buyu shook his head and said, "What nonsense are you thinking about again? Don't envy others, just focus on your own path."

Time passed by, little by little.

This afternoon was the longest and most anxious afternoon for many people in the town.

As dusk settled and the setting sun sank into the green mountains.

Night fell, but tonight, the Luofu Grotto-Heaven was shrouded in a faint golden light.

Without warning or command, the remaining young men and women from each mansion quietly emerged, seeking a peaceful place.

Tonight, there are no rules, no boundaries, and nothing is forbidden.

Only Martial Fortune smiles upon us can we rely on our own abilities!

At the summit of the mountain.

This Pure Land, usually frequented only by Yu Tunzhou, welcomed an old friend today.

Having spent seven days exploring the town, Lu Huaiqing walked easily to the mountaintop and entered the pavilion.

He reached out and gently stroked the line of hastily written characters carved on the eaves pillar of the pavilion.

[I cross the vast ocean alone without a boat; fortunately, I am here, and the mountains are not lonely.]

The man's eyes held a nostalgic look, wondering if Master Lu had felt lonely during the ninety years he had been gone.

Another sneer rang in my ears.

Lu Huaiqing remained calm, pretending not to hear. He looked around, wondering if any descendants had carved their names here in the past ninety years, just like him.

This was not his original idea, but rather something pioneered by his predecessors.

It's a pity.

Over the past ninety years, he has made very few new pronouncements, and those he has made are mostly uncultured, clearly indicating that he used to skip school every day in the clan.

Even so, Lu Huaiqing still read with great interest, as if through those words he could see spirited young figures with lofty aspirations and boundless ambitions.

Among these comments, one stood out from the others.

I have a bright pearl, but it has long been locked away by worldly troubles.

Lu Huaiqing read it aloud softly, and then his smile deepened.

Without even asking, he could guess who wrote that sentence.

"Qin Shaoyou of the Great Yan greets Mr. Lu!"

A loud voice suddenly came from behind.

The third-ranking scholar from the Great Yan was gazing intently at the man in the pavilion ahead.

Born in the countryside, the person he admired most in his life was Mr. Lu!

Lu Huaiqing ignored the young man and slowly walked to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the lights that were gradually lighting up below.

During a seven-day visit, fourteen families from the Northern Dark Continent described a certain person as either dull and a bit slow-witted, or like a lifeless stone—both unpleasant and stubborn.

Most old people who have lived a long time tend to like energetic and ambitious young people.

Over the past three years, the boy has become far too mature and composed.

This is definitely not a good thing for a teenager.

Is that really all there is to it?

The single sentence on the eaves pillar was enough for him to overturn the opinions of everyone in the town.

Even more interestingly, when he parted ways with the town keeper, he also asked a question—

Who exactly is Yu Tunzhou, that you hold him in such high regard?

Old Mo was silent for a moment, then gave him two words:

gambler.

In Old Mo's eyes, Yu Tunzhou, who believed he had always been accumulating goodwill, good relationships, and people's hearts, was a complete gambler.

Yu Tunzhou thought he was saving up, but Old Mo thought he was gambling.

He wasn't betting that others would lend him a helping hand.

Instead, he was betting that he would win.

Those who strive for self-improvement will not be abandoned by Heaven.

His bet wasn't against anyone in the town, but against the the Unseen Heavenly Dao.

At this moment, Lu Huaiqing agreed with this assessment, but only partially.

Lu Huaiqing, who had shared a similar experience with Yu Tunzhou, knew very well that for those of them, who came from the countryside and had no connections, the hardest thing about living in a small town wasn't being ignored by everyone and feeling out of place everywhere, but rather...

They stood guard at each and every doorway!

Whether their malice or goodwill is directed at them, it could be a disaster.

The malice involved is self-evident.

The most dangerous time for him when he mistakenly entered the small town was when a family offered him a position, saying that as long as he was obedient and did things according to their instructions, they would take him into their family in the future.

If someone hadn't disapproved of that family's behavior and secretly pointed it out, Lu Huaiqing might never have known until his death that he would die for violating the town's rules.

As for goodwill...

Lu Huaiqing sighed.

In the three years since, when everyone ignored Yu Tunzhou, if even the smallest act of kindness was shown, just a tiny bit, like feeding a stray dog some leftovers out of pity, Yu Tunzhou would rush towards it desperately, believing it to be his only hope...

Then, the Yu Tunzhou is destined to face even deeper despair.

Like moths drawn to a flame.

The deadlock lies precisely in the fact that after oneself, no outsider will ever be chosen for the family.

Pointless hope is more terrifying than despair.

Therefore, whether it's a small amount of goodwill or full of malice from each family, it will be a devastating blow to a teenager who is unaware of the town's rules.

That is why the so-called maturity and composure of the young man, like a rock, is more like a form of self-protection.

Extreme joy and sorrow will only cause a young person's spirit to rise and fall rapidly, ultimately leading to an even faster decline.

Once one's spirit is completely broken, one becomes a living dead.

By not harboring any hope, one will naturally not be disappointed by anything at any time.

So, as Lu Huaiqing has come this far, he was surprised to find that Yu Tunzhou seems to be doing even better than he was back then.

This was also the only thing that puzzled him.

A country boy shouldn't be like this. He seems to have gotten used to not having any hope for anything at a young age. He should have rushed in like a moth to a flame, just like he did back then. But after being fooled once, he realized the pain, a pain he will never forget for the rest of his life.

unless...

He had been fooled before.

After visiting the person at [Evergreen Mountain], Lu Huaiqing felt that he might have found the answer.

For some reason, Yu Tunzhou was very perceptive.

They were so perceptive that they sensed the malice from others early on, and they had already guessed that some people were just waiting to see how they would die.

So he was like someone holding their breath, using that breath to stop their declining spirits.

The more people want him to die, the more determined he is to live, and to live even better.

Therefore, he harbored a subtle wariness towards every household in the town, and if any of them broke their promises, he would no longer trust them.

He wasn't completely hopeless.

The boy simply felt, or rather, like many others in the world, that he held some extremely simple, seemingly self-evident, yet somehow wrong, views:

Someone who's been unlucky long enough will eventually see their luck turn around, right?

I treat people with sincerity; surely I can earn some genuine affection in return?

As long as we don't slack off and don't give up, things will gradually get better, right?

Surely, all the effort we put in should yield some reward?

Hope and good fortune should always favor those who strive for self-improvement, shouldn't they?

Damn Heavenly Dao! Laozi 've suffered so much and tried so hard, are you blind?!

now.

Looking at the boy who had carefully chosen a hiding place in the mountains, Lu Huaiqing could only remain silent.

Is this kind of teenager a gambler?

Of course.

Because there are many people in this world who die without ever seeing their fortunes turn around.

But who put them at the gambling table?

When did these simple ideas become wrong?

Lu Huaiqing remained expressionless.

Damn this world!

so.

Congratulations, Yu Tunzhou!

You won the bet.

This moment.

A Martial Fortune will descend from the heavens.

Deep within the town, the previously listless figure suddenly looked up, his Martial Fortune trembling violently for a moment!

The many martial artists in the town looked up, only to see a scene that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

That Martial Fortune that had just descended from the sky... just like that...

That's it?!

At the entrance of a cave in the mountains, Yu Tunzhou temporarily rented a fox den.

Not far away, a snow-white fox straightened up, glaring at him angrily, and whimpering.

Yu Tunzhou pretended not to hear, adjusted himself to his peak condition, and then went to the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth to give a pre-battle pep talk, telling Little Black to act according to the situation later, and if he could help, that would be best, and if he couldn't, to remember to encourage him.

Sensing his intentions, the Little Black in his Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth gently wagged its tail, also becoming somewhat restless.

The Little White fox not far away suddenly shrank its head, because the human boy suddenly became murderous, muttering something like, "Anyone who dares to compete with us in the future, we'll beat them up."

Little White felt wronged. This was clearly her own Fox Immortal Cave! You stole it from me!

The little fox suddenly looked up sharply, sensing the change in the energy of the world.

Yu Tunzhou, not far away, also suddenly looked up. The powerful aura of the tenth level of the Qi Ingestion Method allowed him to lock onto the Martial Fortune falling from the sky in an instant!

The [Spark Instruction] suddenly reached its peak, with a buzzing sound emanating from it, like the rising tide of the deep sea. The meridians throbbed with pain, reaching their zenith!

Within the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, Little Black also looked up, his eyes swirling with divine intent.

It suddenly leaped out of the water, unleashing the Devour Primordial Instruction to its fullest extent, and the entire vast ocean seemed to respond to it, stirring up a raging torrent!

This moment.

In Yu Tunzhou's eyes, it was as if the whole world had disappeared. He no longer cared about the pain in his meridians. In his eyes and in his mind, there was only the Martial Fortune scattered between heaven and earth.

He wants to seize these Martial Fortune!

He wants to leave this small town!

He's going to a higher and farther world!

At this moment, all the efforts of the past month, all the expectations for the future, the pent-up energy of the past three years, the helplessness he felt when he pushed away his teacher and saw the statue fall before his reincarnation, the gratitude he felt after meeting the professor and his teacher's wife, and all the numbness he felt while living in the orphanage... all of these transformed into a familiar fierceness, igniting in his chest and becoming the True Intention of the [Spark Instruction].

As the heavens move with strength, so should we strive unceasingly to improve ourselves!

But what if one day, even perseverance becomes useless?

Then let's ignite a prairie fire and burn our way to the Tongtian!

In an instant.

Yu Tunzhou's [Spark Instruction] vortex suddenly expanded, crushing everything, as if an invisible divine bird had appeared between heaven and earth, soaring and traversing the world, opening its mouth to swallow a whole cave!

Truly Tuntian and the earth, leaving not a trace of life!

Inside the cave, everyone witnessed the Martial Fortune falling from the sky, as if it had been intercepted midway and swept away.

Inside the Daoist temple, the old Daoist priest stared in astonishment at a certain spot, having not been so shocked in countless years.

In the temple, Master Xuanku clasped his hands together and murmured that those who accumulate good deeds and attain virtue will naturally find "divine enlightenment."

Old Mo somewhere in town scratched his head. "Tunzhou Tunzhou, huh? Such a sensational debut? Maybe he should consider changing his name to Yu Mingren..."

But what's more prevalent in the town is the "noise" of each household's presence.

This moment.

In the Primordial Spirit Heaven and Earth, the little creature that used to gurgle and blow bubbles seemed to have eaten too much; its originally small body swelled up into a ball like an inflated balloon, transforming from a black fish into a small pufferfish.

Burp~

It let out a burp and, as if drunk, slowly sank to the bottom of the sea.

The Yu Tunzhou that had just taken a bite was forced to stop, feeling bewildered.

Why is there no trace of Martial Fortune left when sensing qi?

I only ate one bite, and it was gone?

That's far too little!

There aren't enough to go around!

The boy felt a pang of sadness, as his enthusiasm had just begun to wane, leaving him with a sense of being cut short.

That person is far too stingy; he has none of the magnanimity of the ancestor of Martial Dao!

The next moment.

Angry shouts, like thunderclaps, exploded one after another over the town!

"Who's behind this?!"

"Hey Mo, are you faking it? Can't you tell someone's cheating?!"

"Lu thief, did you do this?!"

"Investigate! Thoroughly investigate this place! Turn it upside down and find this person!!"

The boy, hiding in the mountains, felt a little guilty. He comforted himself, thinking that he had only eaten a tiny bite, so it couldn't be him.