Chapter 37: Are All Protagonists Doomed Orphans?

At the very center of the Huaxing Sect's headquarters in Yanggu County stood a spacious courtyard.

The courtyard's outer walls were red with green tiles, its beams carved and painted; within, the gardens ran deep, featuring rockeries, pools, and rare flowers and plants, all hinting at hidden wealth.

Almost any disciple who had joined the sect for a while knew this was the residence of Yang Duan, the Huaxing Sect Master.

According to Yang Duan's schedule, after completing his daily five double-hours of martial practice, he would return to the courtyard to handle internal sect affairs.

Today, as usual, after meditating by the waterfall for half a day to contemplate the Dao, Yang Duan slowly walked back to the courtyard, escorted by several guards.

Before he even drew near, from far away he sensed a man in his forties or fifties waiting before his residence.

With a question in mind, Yang Duan took a single step; his figure seemed to shrink the earth, silently crossing dozens of meters in a single breath to arrive before the man.

The man who had been waiting patiently in place only felt a darkness before his eyes as a tall, powerful figure blocked his path, saying, "Yang Lie, why are you here instead of at the Martial Arts Hall?"

Indeed, the man waiting at the gate was Yang Lie, who had come to report on Fang Can's situation.

Seeing Yang Duan return, Yang Lie rejoiced, saying, "Grandfather, you have finally returned; your grandson greets you."

Watching Yang Lie bow, Yang Duan's expression remained calm.

His appearance was only in his early thirties; tall and broad-shouldered, with a tiger's back and bear's waist, wearing a jade thumb ring on his right thumb, he looked even younger than Yang Lie.

Yet as a Second-Stage powerhouse who had taken two steps on the Road to Heaven, extending his life by three hundred years, his true age was only ninety—prime time for forging ahead—so having a grandson in his forties or fifties was entirely reasonable.

In the years to come, if he could take a few more steps on the Road to Heaven, living another few hundred years would be no problem.

Precisely because the two were blood relatives could Yang Lie, with merely a Fifth-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Martial Arts Hall, which nurtured the sect's future main lineage.

"Speak. What is it you seek me for this time?" Yang Duan asked calmly, looking at the bowing Yang Lie.

"Grandfather, I have found an unparalleled genius within the sect," Yang Lie said solemnly.

"Oh? An unparalleled genius?" Yang Duan's voice grew slightly heavier.

"Yes. This person has only been in the sect for a few days yet has already generated Qi sensation, his realm approaching the First-Stage Foundation; moreover, he defeated every disciple in the Martial Arts Hall merely through observation. Even more terrifying is..."

Yang Lie spoke solemnly: "He manifested a Heart Image before reaching the First-Stage Foundation."

As Yang Lie recounted the tale, Yang Duan's eyebrows twitched slightly with each segment; when he heard of the Heart Image's manifestation, he could not help but question, "Are you trying to deceive me? Is the one you speak of truly human?"

"Grandfather, it is absolutely true," Yang Lie nodded vigorously, saying, "Li Tangzhu brought him; his name is Fang Can. He is still within the sect. If you do not believe me, summon him immediately."

Seeing Yang Lie's earnest demeanor, Yang Duan's brows knitted together.

If all this were true, even the legendary Great Expansion Divine Lord would have to sit at the children's table upon his arrival; could this be some ancient monster pretending to be young?

Thinking thus, he turned to the guard beside him and commanded, "Summon Li Fengtian to me; I will question him personally."

After a stick of incense, Li Fengtian arrived at the courtyard, utterly bewildered, only to see Yang Duan seated in a large armchair, gazing at him: "What is the origin of this Fang Can?"

At this point, Yang Duan spoke irritably: "Why do you insist on bringing things into the sect every day? Last time you went out and were tricked by the Huaxing Sect into bringing back a spy; I haven't settled the score with you yet, and now you bring someone else in again."

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Li Fengtian suppressed his boldness before Yang Duan and said somewhat awkwardly, "Is that boy a spy? I don't think so."

"Of course he is not a spy. Which sect would use such a monster as a spy?"

Yang Duan, seeing Li Fengtian knew nothing, repeated Yang Lie's explanation.

Watching the other man's mouth gape almost shut, Yang Duan realized this brute truly understood nothing.

"Now tell me everything that happened when you met that Fang Can," Yang Duan said.

Shortly after, as Li Fengtian roughly recounted the contents of Chapter Two and Chapter Three of this book, Yang Duan became even more bewildered.

Unknown origin, strange attire, extraordinary talent, handsome appearance, stranded in a narrow alley...

Every single detail carried an air of strangeness; how could you dare to bring such a person back to the sect so casually? Did the Road to Heaven grant you power while simultaneously causing your brain to atrophy?

"Then, Big Brother, how should we proceed now?" Before Yang Duan, Li Fengtian scratched his head with a sheepish smile, saying, "That Fang Can truly possesses extraordinary talent; we cannot possibly expel him, can we?"

"Of course we must expel him. If we don't, are we keeping him for the New Year?" Yang Duan said irritably. "For such a person, our small Huaxing Sect temple cannot accommodate such a great Buddha; it would be best to send him away as soon as possible."

"Why, Big Brother? Fang Can's talent is so good; isn't it a pity to expel him like this?" Li Fengtian urged anxiously.

After all, he was the one who had brought him in, so he could not help but feel protective.

"Precisely because his talent is good, if he does not meet an untimely end in the future, his achievement will certainly be great, but the trouble he brings will be even greater. Such a person is like the King of Hell; wherever he goes, death follows."

Yang Duan said, "If he attracts a powerhouse above the Third Stage, our Huaxing Sect will absolutely have no escape. Do you intend to wait until he perfects his divine arts before he takes revenge on us?"

"Furthermore, with such talent, his name will surely appear on the next issue of the Tianji Tower's Dragon Potential List. If we do not expel him, are we waiting for those righteous sects eager to eliminate evil to come and 'protect the Dao'?" Yang Duan laid out the pros and cons to Li Fengtian with painful clarity.

"This... this..." Li Fengtian awkwardly scratched his head; regarding the sect master's proposal, he could neither agree nor refuse.

Seeing his subordinate's fussy demeanor, Yang Duan helplessly waved his hand and said, "Very well, you may leave first; I will handle the matter of Fang Can."

Watching Li Fengtian depart in a sullen mood, Yang Duan turned to the guard beside him and said, "Go now and summon Fang Can; I wish to see him personally."

Watching his subordinate leave, Yang Duan gently closed his eyes; no one knew what he was thinking.

On the other side, within his own small courtyard, Fang Can awoke from slumber, rose, and stretched lightly.

His eyes sparkled with vitality; this sleep had fully restored the Heart Image consumed that morning, and even advanced it further.

Without any hesitation, he stepped outside, took some medicine, and resumed practicing his Fist Technique, attempting to further refine his body and reach the threshold of Transcending the Mortal Flesh.

As his realm broke through to the First-Stage Foundation, the Fist Technique Fang Can wielded appeared even more fierce; the Qi force in his arm swings could make willow branches several meters away sway wildly.

Just as he practiced outside for a while, Fang Can's movements suddenly halted, for in the distance, a man was rushing toward him.

The man arrived before Fang Can at extreme speed, then suddenly stopped his steps and said, "The Sect Master has issued an order: summon Fang Can to the courtyard for an audience."

'Finally, it has come,' Fang Can stopped his movements and said, "Trouble you, Senior Brother, to lead the way."

(End of this chapter)