Chapter 6: Transcendence

“Is it real or not?”

Zhang Dazhuang was half-skeptical, but out of trust in Li Muxian, he gladly tucked it into his chest and carefully stored it away.

“The Yu family’s martial arts school has become a place of trouble, Brother Zhang should leave quickly and seek another path, lest you get caught in the crossfire.”

Li Muxian added one more warning, then bowed solemnly to Zhang Dazhuang—a rare gesture:

“In the past, I’ve relied on your care; if fate brings us together again, we’ll meet once more!”

With that, he left without hesitation, slinging his pack over his shoulder and walking toward the school’s exit.

Seeing this, Zhang Dazhuang reached out as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing—only bowed his fist toward Li Muxian’s retreating back.

Times have changed; Li Muxian’s martial prowess is now profound, and this small Shun’an City can no longer contain him. Besides, young men should seize their youth and roam the Jianghu!

Zhang Dazhuang felt a deep sense of loss; he had been the only one with a true bond with Li Muxian, and now that he was gone, his heart felt hollow.

But then he thought again, and couldn’t help sighing:

“That kid A Sheng hid his talents so well—turns out I’m the only useless fool in the whole school!”

Thinking it over, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the stack of paper Li Muxian had given him:

“I hope this Diamond Unbreakable Divine Art works—I might actually learn something from it.”

The next moment, his gaze shifted, eyes widening as he stared at the center of the papers.

There, quietly lying in the middle, was a hundred-ounce silver note!

…

The Seven Scoundrels of Zha River had all been captured; the Yu family’s crisis was resolved today.

Li Muxian and Yu Zhentian were now even; what happened after was no longer his concern.

In truth, Li Muxian was not of this world—he had accidentally crossed over into this body when it was five years old.

At the time, Yu Zhentian took him in, making him an apprentice at the school.

Though he’d done dirty, exhausting work since childhood, he’d at least avoided starving or freezing on the streets, gaining a place to live.

Moreover, his current martial cultivation had begun right here in this school.

The original host had truly abysmal talent, plagued by chronic illness and frail health, which is why he’d died of a cold at age five.

But after Li Muxian’s soul crossed over, everything changed dramatically.

Though Li Muxian came from a blue star saturated with technology, he discovered he possessed an astonishing, almost supernatural comprehension in martial cultivation.

Every martial art taught at the school, he memorized instantly—just one glance was enough to master it.

Though his innate constitution remained poor, his supernatural comprehension allowed him to perfect each technique swiftly and completely.

At the time, Li Muxian mastered all the school’s techniques in less than a few days.

With such extraordinary comprehension, he naturally grew dissatisfied with the school’s shallow martial arts.

Yet he lacked access to more powerful martial scriptures.

So, on a whim, he decided to start from the most basic techniques and deduce new, superior martial arts himself.

And in the end, he succeeded—with surprisingly little difficulty.

For example, from the school’s Five Steps Fist, he deduced the “Five Ultimate Heaven-Piercing Divine Fist.”

This fist art was immensely powerful; at its peak, a single strike sealed heaven and earth, terrifying in its might!

Likewise, after intense study of the ordinary Two-Step Kick, he attained “Divine Step Without Shadow.”

Though the kick was an offensive technique, Li Muxian forged a new path, deriving from it a divine body skill—able to tread clouds, traverse void, invisible and intangible!

The Diamond Unbreakable Divine Art he’d given Zhang Dazhuang was also self-created by Li Muxian.

But it was a modified version tailored to Zhang Dazhuang’s condition; the true final form was called “Indestructible Golden Body.”

Since Zhang Dazhuang lacked Li Muxian’s supernatural comprehension and could not learn the true version, he made adjustments and cuts.

Thanks to his supernatural comprehension, Li Muxian needed no top-tier martial scriptures or legendary pills to boost his cultivation.

In this small city’s martial school, simply devoting himself in quiet practice, he could continuously strengthen himself.

After fifteen years, Li Muxian, through daily, relentless cultivation, reached the pinnacle of martial cultivation.

One day, when he habitually tried to continue training, he found all his efforts had become ineffective.

He had reached the absolute limit of martial cultivation—there was nowhere left to advance.

Yet from ancient texts, Li Muxian learned his current martial strength was not the true ultimate; beyond it lay the realm of Transcendence.

Though Transcendence was ethereal, existing only in legend, never achieved in a thousand years, Li Muxian still decided to try.

After all, he possessed supernatural comprehension no one else had, and he was still young—passively waiting to die was not his nature.

Today’s affair at the Yu family school was merely a catalyst; he had long wished to leave the school and roam the Jianghu in search of Transcendence.

By helping the Yu family today, he had repaid his debt.

Li Muxian exhaled softly, leaping lightly upward and landing atop Shun’an City’s wall.

He gazed at the distant, layered mountains stretching to the endless horizon, then stretched his arms.

“Fifteen years without stepping beyond this city—perhaps now I can take the chance to experience this world’s different customs and landscapes. It might be quite interesting.”

Standing on the wall for a long while, Li Muxian bid farewell to his past fifteen years.

From now on, he would wander the world—Transcendence in martial cultivation was within reach!

…

Not long after, Li Muxian withdrew his gaze.

Yet he did not leave; instead, he turned to look at a spot below the wall.

“You’ve followed me this long—aren’t you going to show yourself and say hello?”

There, beneath the shadow of trees, dim and still except for occasional gusts of wind, there was no movement.

But after a moment, a figure stepped silently from the shadows, appearing beneath the wall without a sound.

It was a woman, dressed in plain gray-blue martial attire, slender of form, her face veiled so her true features were hidden.

She looked up at Li Muxian atop the wall, remained silent for a moment, then spoke:

“When did you notice me?”

Li Muxian crossed his arms, a faint, elusive smile curling his lips, and counted with his fingers:

“Counting the days, you’ve trailed me for five days—I noticed you from day one, but I never said anything.”

Hearing this, the woman’s beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, yet she said nothing.

Li Muxian didn’t mind, merely studying her as he said:

“I sense no malice from you, yet you’ve stubbornly clung to me…”

He rubbed his chin, grinning:

“Could it be… you’ve taken a fancy to me? That’s why you won’t let go?”

(End of Chapter)