[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-high-martial-arts-across-two-worlds":3,"chapter-high-martial-arts-across-two-worlds-high-martial-arts-across-two-worlds-chapter-25":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","High Martial Arts Across Two Worlds",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2360996,4616,"Chapter 25: The Desperate Steward Liang","high-martial-arts-across-two-worlds-chapter-25",25,"\u003Cp>At this moment, everyone had dispersed, leaving only Cang Luo and Xiang Yunjiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo felt awkward, trying to organize his words to explain the “Soul-Binding Mirror” to Yunjiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yunjiao watched him shyly from beside him; seeing he remained silent, she whispered, “Brother Luo...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo froze. Brother Luo?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, is she calling me? Why so familiar?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo sighed. What a beautiful misunderstanding—better clear it up quickly; cultivation comes first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Yunjiao...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?” Yunjiao noticed Cang Luo suddenly looking at her with serious intent; she blushed and lowered her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo ignored her embarrassment and continued: “Sister Yun, there’s something you’ve misunderstood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yunjiao slowly lifted her head and whispered, “What’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo hesitated, struggling to speak: “You don’t think... that after the Soul-Binding Mirror absorbs your soul, it can also... take off your clothes, do you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At once, Yunjiao dropped her head again, her ears turning red, the flush spreading to her neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Cang Luo understood—this naive girl had indeed misunderstood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She truly believed photos taken by a phone could strip away clothing...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long silence, Yunjiao boldly raised her head, blushing deeply: “Isn’t that so? Brother, you’ve seen my body—so I’m yours now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Luo, you must treat me well, and I won’t betray you...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice grew softer with each word, until it was barely a whisper; had Cang Luo not become a martial cultivator with heightened senses, he would have missed it entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo stared, dumbfounded. Are women on the Yuanwu Continent this loyal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just seeing a woman’s body means she must marry you? On Earth, she’d kill you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, freshly dumped by his ex-girlfriend, Cang Luo briefly entertained the idea of letting the misunderstanding continue—having a girl who loved him wasn’t bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then he remembered the scene in the cafeteria: Yunjiao rushing to save him from Chen Da Hu’s attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a heavy sense of guilt washed over him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She saved him—and he was thinking of deceiving her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse than an animal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo pinched his thigh hard and quickly explained: “Sister Yun, you’re mistaken—the Soul-Binding Mirror isn’t what you think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not a treasure; it’s just an unusual mirror. It can’t take off your clothes or see through them...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, he pulled out his phone and took several photos of her, even leaning close for a selfie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yunjiao frowned slightly, lips parted in silence, watching Cang Luo fiddle with the “Soul-Binding Mirror.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though puzzled and curious about the mirror, she quickly realized her mistake as he explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This “phone,” this Soul-Binding Mirror, wasn’t a treasure—she felt no Yuan force within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Yunjiao understood, her face flushed—not with shy embarrassment, but with angry redness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was furious at herself for thinking Cang Luo had seen her naked body...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah! How humiliating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did I just say I was Brother Cang’s? Will he laugh at me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh heavens! If my sister finds out, she’ll mock me—and scold me too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yunjiao’s neck burned red, her head bowed so low it nearly touched her chest; she wished she could dig a hole and crawl into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t bring herself to look at Cang Luo again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Yunjiao silent and bowed, Cang Luo assumed she was angry, so he quietly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d explained everything; he hadn’t harmed her. Better to avoid her from now on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least, until he fully dealt with Chen Da Hu and uncovered the mastermind behind it all, he wanted no contact with Yunjiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he feared he’d drag her into danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If, after a year, the teleportation array was complete—could he take her back to Earth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yunjiao watched Cang Luo’s retreating back, reached out a hand as if to call him—then stayed silent...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo caught up with Zang Feng and Liu Li, ignoring the envious, resentful glares from Liu Xuande and Li Zhan, and asked: “How can I rapidly increase my strength?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhan immediately answered: “Absorb Yuan stones to cultivate! I used only half a month to fully absorb one low-grade Yuan stone—my cultivation rose from Warrior Level One to Level Two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo stared blankly. If I had Yuan stones, would I be asking you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still—this guy took half a month to absorb one low-grade Yuan stone? Is that normal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha! What would he think if he knew I absorbed four low-grade Yuan stones in just one hour?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he die of envy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xuande slapped Li Zhan’s head and sighed: “Absorbing Yuan stones for cultivation is stable, but painfully slow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the time you finish one stone, Chen Da Hu will have recovered and come knocking—let alone his brother Chen Da Long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhan protested: “Then take elixirs! Take pills that speed up Yuan absorption and Yuan Wheel formation!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xuande glared at him in exasperation and scolded: “You idiot, where do you get elixirs? Where do you get Yuan stones? Do you have any? Do I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Zhan replied seriously: “The Treasure Pavilion sells them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xuande didn’t even bother speaking. Cang Luo ignored Li Zhan entirely—the fool never considered whether he had money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buy Yuan stones? Buy elixirs?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t have a single red bill on me—and even if I did, Xuantian Sect wouldn’t accept Earth money!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Zang Feng, who had remained silent, spoke: “Absorbing Yuan stones only raises your cultivation base—not your actual strength. Cultivation and strength are two different things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example, your cultivation is Warrior Level Three, yet you defeated Chen Da Hu, who was Level Five—that’s strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, having vast amounts of Yuan force is useless if you don’t know how to use it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what do you suggest, Brother Zang?” Cang Luo deeply agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a basic phone with a 5000mAh battery but no apps installed—what good is it beyond longer standby time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a martial cultivator, it’s like possessing immense Yuan force but never learning martial techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’d only be stronger and tougher—yet utterly powerless in battle, because without techniques, you can’t convert Yuan force into effective attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zang Feng fixed his gaze on Cang Luo and spoke with firm, resonant tone: “Fight desperate battles! Go to the outer edges of the Beast Forest and find lone first-tier beasts—fight to the death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This will rapidly improve your combat skills, help you master techniques, and accelerate Yuan absorption.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, you can hunt beasts for Yuan stones and elixirs—and fulfill your monthly outer sect mission at the same time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disciples lacking resources but eager to grow strong all take this path...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How strong are first-tier beasts?” Cang Luo’s eyes lit up—he was intrigued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Xuande answered: “First-tier beasts range from Warrior Level One to Nine. Which one you meet depends on luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But don’t worry—the outer edges hold weak beasts, and we’ll go with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Same dorm, shared hardship!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zang Feng added: “Reward and risk go hand in hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo looked at the three with gratitude—he understood the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was only twenty-two. What if he died?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo hesitated, thinking of Chen Da Hu and Chen Da Long approaching—and their unseen master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And of his family and enemies back on Earth... his ex-girlfriend—and Yunjiao too...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of them, Cang Luo decided to follow Zang Feng’s advice and enter the Beast Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No sacrifice, no reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, they reached a corner of the training ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several outer sect disciples were practicing martial techniques under their respective stewards; one steward spotted Zang Feng and waved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cang Luo knew—this steward must be the one assigned to his dorm, Xin 176.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered Zang Feng saying his surname was Liang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Liang looked frail; his blue-green outer sect robe hung loosely on his thin frame. He was chatting with stewards from other dorms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, Cang Luo heard them talking about the year-end assessment and steward evaluations—something important, judging by their worried expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zang Feng, Liu, and Li led Cang Luo aside to wait. Soon, Master Liang ended his chat with a bitter smile and walked over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Liang glanced at Cang Luo, frowning slightly—he’d assumed Cang Luo was a new disciple from his dorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, up close, he saw Cang Luo was older—likely twenty or more. Twenty-year-olds shouldn’t be outer sect disciples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to Zang Feng, puzzled: “Who is he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zang Feng bowed respectfully: “Master Liang, this is Brother Cang Luo, the tenth member of our dorm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Zang Feng finished, Cang Luo bowed deeply to Master Liang, presented his identity jade tablet, and watched the steward nervously while recalling:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuan Qingqing said outer sect stewards were all Wu Shi cultivators. How strong was Wu Shi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Da Hu, at Warrior Level Five, could punch with eight hundred to seven hundred catties of force. Above Warrior was Wu Jiang, then Wu Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could a Wu Shi take down a tank?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Liang had no idea what Cang Luo was thinking. He took the jade tablet, glanced at it—and his already troubled face darkened into utter despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible! Twenty-two years old and only Warrior Level Three—and he wasn’t expelled?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A connection?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Liang let out a heavy sigh, wondering why the Steward Hall had assigned such an old disciple to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did I offend someone? Why did they assign me a disciple with such worthless talent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can he pass the year-end assessment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he fails the year-end assessment, how will I handle my evaluation this year?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will my year-end bonus be ruined?\u003C\u002Fp>",1570,"2026-06-21T06:04:04.528Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a96b384698ceb33818a974e32107c702431bdf639106ab225e92b99af8239bf0","high-martial-arts-across-two-worlds-chapter-26","high-martial-arts-across-two-worlds-chapter-24",157,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fhigh-martial-arts-across-two-worlds-cover.jpg"]