Chapter 95: New Generation Heaven's Chosen, Old Martial Arts Hope (First Update!)

Lao Chen was thoroughly unseemly.

Gone was the calm composure of Taian Urban Circle's top official.

He slurped soy milk while sorting through his tangled thoughts.

Could it be that he'd really picked up a treasure?

You must know, He Lanchan's Xu Kong Meditation Method was one of the highest-threshold inheritances among the Old Martial Artists.

In the early years, the First Generation Ten Greats were at the height of their power, their influence flourishing.

Seniors like He Lanchan, Qi Wuxiang, and Kao Yun Chao, who painstakingly created their own techniques and blazed the trail, were not the sort to hoard their knowledge; they generously donated their inheritances to the Martial Association.

Before New Martial Arts had grown large and become widespread, the Heaven's Chosen of the Four Great National Universities all made the Martial God Path of the First Generation Ten Greats their first choice.

As a result, many people wasted years, squandering the golden age of Life Force Development for nothing.

This was also a major reason why Old Martial Arts gradually withdrew from Dongxia's education system and was marginalized.

Except for the First Generation Ten Greats themselves, no one could walk their path!

The born survive, the scholars die!

"If He Lanchan hadn't remained unmarried his whole life, I'd suspect you were his descendant."

Chen Ruofu stared fixedly at Qin Shi, who hurriedly served up two steaming hot meat buns.

"Uncle Chen, don't just drink soy milk; have something to fill your stomach."

"Probably, I have more... affinity with Senior He than others? Like love at first sight!"

Pfft! He Lanchan passed away in the Star Sea, and you're just a kid—how old are you?

Totally unrelated, yet you dare to glom on!

Chen Ruofu took a bite of a meat bun stuffed with filling and dripping with oil, a look of nostalgia appearing in his eyes:

"The breakfast stalls on Old Factory Street—I haven't been in ages. Back when I was a patrol officer, I patrolled around Beiguan Street every day, catching purse snatchers and ruthless bandits."

During the Great Development period, while Dangyang East Suburbs developed rapidly, it also attracted people of all walks of life swarming in, seeking good opportunities to "start businesses and get rich."

They stuffed hard bricks into shoulder bags to smash people on the back of the head and rob them, tinkered with homemade guns and cannons to block roads and stop trucks, and some even grew into organized "bandit gangs" that dared to confront the Patrol Division.

"I even saw a news interview on TV of you, Uncle Chen, gunning down a bandit—so impressive, wearing your uniform, spirited, like a big hero in the movies."

Qin Shi quickly chimed in; this on-the-spot reaction earned him appreciative approval from Secretary Huo at his side.

Looks like Little Qin Classmate is also promising material eager to improve!

"Tsk, a hero doesn't boast of past bravery."

Knowing Qin Shi was just saying nice things, Chen Ruofu still curled the corner of his mouth; back then he led teams to smash several notorious crime gangs, solved major cases repeatedly, was known as the Tiger of Action Division, and indeed had been in the limelight for a while.

"Since you've already entered the threshold of He Lanchan's Xu Kong Meditation Method, this inheritance in your hands is all the more justified.

I originally thought to cover for you and drag it out for a month or so, but now it seems unnecessary. We should let those old fogies at the Martial Association know that Hengzhou has produced a new Old Martial Artist Martial God under eighteen!"

Chen Ruofu gradually recovered from his shock, and out of the instinct of an official, he immediately realized the immense value Qin Shi contained was far beyond what a Martial God Inheritance could compare to!

The struggle between new and old within the Martial Association had already reached white-hot intensity; what both sides fought for was not "fame," not "profit," but the thing Martial Artists on the path of establishing sects valued most.

Inheritance!

The New Martial Artists rose step by step, gained promotion and popularization, and in one leap became the core of the Education Bureau.

But the New Martial Arts bigwigs who occupied most of the Martial Association's seats and rapidly expanded their power were not satisfied with this.

They hoped to nibble away at the Old Martial Artists' deep foundations and swallow the inheritances of the Hundred Meridians and Ten Thousand Schools in one gulp, thereby integrating them to create a true New Martial Arts Vanguard!

To put it plainly, the core of the new-old struggle was not whose school was more numerous or whose students were more.

But who, on the Martial Artist's path, possessed more Martial Gods standing like stelae, guiding later generations forward step by step.

"Little Qin, you might not understand what 'Martial God Potential, Sun Seed' means to New Martial Arts and Old Martial Arts."

Chen Ruofu walked with Qin Shi along Bao Gong Street; morning vendors were numerous, and the hawking from loudspeakers rose and fell, intermingling and intersecting, forming a lively, genuine atmosphere of human life.

"During the nine millennia of the Dongxia New Calendar, Martial Gods could be counted on one's fingers. Some followed ancient methods, drawing in Universe Heavenly Light, undergoing tribulation and rebirth; some relied on Divine Spirits, receiving Blessing Grace, and wielding laws and decrees."

It cannot be denied that since the Martial Artist path split into new and old schools, up to now there has never appeared a true and proper Martial God.

The First Generation Ten Greats stopped at the threshold, stuck for a long time, and the rising stars were no different."

Qin Shi asked in confusion:

"Don't Yan Haishan and Ning Yuanhai count?"

Chen Ruofu shook his head:

"Yan Haishan is a Saint Son truly chosen by the Dragon; he walks the ancient method, and every time he breaks a Limit, he must endure the bombardment and burning of Universe Heavenly Light, thereby transforming his Mortal Body. It is said the Dragon granted him 'Nine Lives'; before becoming a Martial God, he used it only once, and as a result, before the God-Slaying Tribulation of breaking through Martial God, he died a full eight times before finally completing rebirth."

This kind is one person's 'Method,' not a 'Path' to be passed down for ten thousand generations; later people cannot walk it."

Using up nine lives just to upgrade to Martial God?

That's way too pay-to-win!

Learning it would be a waste!

Qin Shi's mouth twitched; the Dragon's blessing was so great, why not give him a few too!

He also wanted to experience infinite resurrection and the exhilarating satisfaction of a thick blood bar that couldn't be cut down!

"Ning Yuanhai is the same. He was deeply favored by the Taiyi, almost becoming an incarnation of its true form; being able to create a 'Method' like the Ancient and Modern Myriad Worlds True Scripture, close to a divine art, was inseparable from the Taiyi's wholehearted help."

Chen Ruofu added.

So, what Dongxia wants is a Martial God Path that can be reproduced!

Qin Shi pondered the meaning; Yan Haishan, Ning Yuanhai, and those bigwigs were themselves too legendary, with "Heavenly Mandate" upon them, receiving the Pillar's favor.

They belonged to "limited edition," only one copy!

There was no way to replicate them!

"Of the First Generation Ten Greats, not one became a Martial God—could it be because they wanted to blaze a Heavenly Road Road that later generations could follow?"

A vague guess surfaced in Qin Shi's heart; he looked at Chen Ruofu, who stood with his hands behind his back.

"Correct. Dongxia hopes to recreate the ultimate glory of the Ancient Era, reclaim the lost Galaxy territories, and thoroughly win this war against the Star Gods."

"So, relying solely on the Martial God is not enough; an existence stronger than that is needed."

Chen Ruofu cast him an appreciative gaze, feeling that Qin Shi was very smart, able to quickly understand the profound meaning hidden in words, making conversation easy, at least not as exhausting as communicating with his daughter Chen Yun.

Fine, after all this fuss, they just want to take the old path of the ancestors!

Indeed, the only lesson humanity can draw from history is that humanity never learns lessons from history.

Qin Shi's eyelids twitched; an existence stronger than the Martial God was naturally a Pillar.

It seems the Jiang Jun Emperor and the Tie Min Remnants haven't given Dongxia a deep enough lesson.

From the incomparably glorious Galactic Empire, to today's Dongxia Republic continuously pouring massive resources into the Great Expedition and Great Reclamation.

Wasn't it precisely because the ancestors insisted on courting death, creating a Star God themselves?

A Pillar of the Martial Artist Path?

If they really fought, wouldn't the vast Galaxy shatter?

"Accepting the blessing of the Four Great Pillars means one cannot surpass the Martial God?"

Qin Shi asked curiously.

"Not absolute, but indeed affected. It's like I lend you money; to ensure I can successfully collect the debt, I certainly won't let you become more powerful than me. A very simple principle."

"All gifts from the Great Universe have their price; some are clearly marked, while others hide traps."

Chen Ruofu sighed; pity that the First Martial God Yan Haishan, and later Ning Yuanhai, didn't understand the existence of Pillars back then.

Otherwise, there might have been hope to advance half a step, or even a full step!

Indeed, that's the logic; if the creditor is too fierce, the debt automatically clears to zero.

How could Pillar Bosses do business at a loss!

Qin Shi nodded, indicating understanding.

"The failure of the First Generation Ten Greats declared the decline of Old Martial Arts. Plus, from the perspective of education and promotion, New Martial Arts is indeed more suitable for the Dongxia Republic after the New Calendar."

Helping Qin Shi clarify the root context of the old-new dispute, Chen Ruofu then cut to the topic:

"Xiao Qin, frankly speaking, talent is something that, unless it's monstrous to an unreasonable degree, cannot compare to the benefits brought by family background, connections, and background."

"Do you expect every Heaven's Chosen of the Four Great National Universities to be second-generation heirs relying on ancestral remnants, arrogant and domineering, training hawks and fighting dogs? Their level of effort is no less than that of commoner Suburbs."

"Xiao Qin, has your master ever mentioned what the most critical success factor in martial arts is?"

Qin Shi lowered his head, sipping soy milk, and thoughtfully replied:

"Talent, perseverance, luck?"

Chen Ruofu opened his mouth to reject:

"Wrong. This is personal effort. The birth of a Martial God absolutely does not depend solely on oneself. Is He Lanchan lacking in talent? Is Qi Wuxiang lacking in perseverance? Is Jiang Bai Chuan lacking in luck?"

"The most critical success factor in martial arts lies in! Knowing how to integrate resources! Building good connections! The more help one gets from the Dao! In short, four words: Go with the trend!"

Qin Shi scratched his head; listening to Chen Shu's words, it seemed that to become a Martial God, being able to fight was useless; one had to know how to navigate society.

"You easily entered the He Lanchan's 'Xu Kong Meditation Method,' showing your talent in Old Martial Arts is extremely high; this is an admission ticket, an admission ticket to be valued and invested in."

"The weak need to rely on others, while the strong often attract investment and gain opportunities."

Chen Ruofu's tone gradually became impassioned; he had already figured out how to shape Qin Shi.

The Martial God Successor of the new generation, the last hope of the Old Martial Arts faction, the sole Chosen One favored by the Four Pillars... just a few stacked Halos, mobilizing tens of billions, even hundreds of billions of massive resources is no problem.

The Martial Prodigy of the Dongxia Republic is no longer the traditional mode of secluding oneself to make a stunning debut.

Gathering large conglomerates and big capital, pulling countless sponsorships from official to private sectors, adding endless resources to oneself, only then can one create a Prodigy Seed with hope of reaching the threshold of the Martial Door!

"Xiao Qin, from now on you are the image ambassador of our Hengzhou, the GDP benchmark of the future Taian Urban Circle! What you lack, what you need, just tell Chen Shu; Chen Shu will do everything possible to satisfy you!"

Chen Shu was treating me as a "Political Achievement Project"?

Qin Shi's mouth corner twitched, inexplicably thinking of a certain cheese snow leopard with innocent eyes vaping an electronic cigarette.

"Chen Shu, to be honest, I do have a small request."

Since Chen Ruofu had put it that way, Qin Shi was not polite.

After last night, entering the 'Xu Kong Meditation Method,' being watched by the Four Pillars, he felt breaking the God Pass Limit was a certainty, only lacking to fill the massive nutrition of the New Life Stage.

"Fine, you write a list; later I'll meet with the Taian Education Bureau, hold a meeting, and have them allocate funding."

Chen Ruofu waved his hand; his gaze toward Qin Shi was now different.

That was a Leader's desire for political achievements!

"The news that He Lanchan's Transmission has a successor is enough to shock the Martial Association! Plus, the Four Pillars descending simultaneously and bestowing Divine Emblems; the Shen Neng Xi and Mechanical System professors of the Four Great National Universities will go crazy!"

Chen Ruofu looked at Qin Shi and felt happier and happier; inexplicably he asked:

"Xiao Qin, do you have a girlfriend?"

(Chapter End)