Translator: CinderTL
In the northern Red Nation, on the former site of Radiant Light City's outer walls, a mountain rises between the city's districts. Ancient-style pavilions cling to its slopes, halfway up the mountain.
People ascend and descend the mountain in an endless stream, while maple leaves flutter down in a continuous cascade along the path.
Outside the main hall, bronze tripods attract daily crowds of pilgrims who burn incense and offer prayers. The gilded black-lacquered plaque above the hall's entrance, bearing the words "Saint Sect," draws many to pause and take commemorative photos.
The Saint Sect, the oldest and most prestigious Martial Arts Sect in the north, still maintains a restricted inner courtyard behind the main hall, even though it has opened some areas to the public.
Yet at this moment, within that inner courtyard, forbidden to the countless pilgrims who can only gaze at it from afar, a large crowd has gathered in a spacious hall.
Ink-wash paintings in ancient style hang on the walls, facing the hall's main entrance.
Above, a horizontal plaque inscribed with the words "Sea of Rivers Embraces All" in bold, flowing calligraphy exudes an aura of grandeur.
Rows of pear blossom wood chairs line the sides of the hall. Those seated are mostly clad in ancient robes, their temples graying, their breaths deep and steady. They are either Grandmaster Level Martial Artists or Martial Dao Grandmasters, esteemed figures in the Martial Arts World.
A few younger youths stood on either side behind the elders, dressed in various attire—some in long robes, others in Martial Arts Uniforms. They were all silent, afraid to make a sound.
The hall felt strangely quiet, broken only by a young disciple from the Saint Sect who stepped forward to refill the celadon teacups of some of the attendees.
"Old Chief, I've heard about the Martial Dao Alliance," a gaunt old man suddenly said in a deep voice, looking toward the head seat.
Two Taishi chairs stood with their backs against calligraphy scrolls and the wall. One remained empty, while the other was occupied by Zhang Hengshan, dressed in a dark long robe and gown.
"But the Saint Sect has its own rules," the old man continued. "If we were to join the Martial Dao Alliance, wouldn't we be betraying the legacy our ancestors left behind?"
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood his meaning.
All eyes turned to Old Leader Zhang, each gaze reflecting different thoughts and emotions—some hopeful and bright, others furrowed with worry.
Zhou Wuren sensed the undercurrents in the atmosphere and remained silent, joining the others in casting his gaze toward Old Leader Zhang.
"You should all know Grandmaster Chen's character," Old Leader Zhang said after taking a sip from his celadon teacup. "Since he's willing to share his teachings with the world, the virtues of benevolence and righteousness are undoubtedly paramount."
"Moreover..." He glanced around the room, finally meeting the gaze of the elder who had spoken earlier. He shook his head and said, "I doubt he'd even be interested in the Saint Sect's legacy and Martial Arts True Skills."
"This..."
The words struck several Grandmasters like a blow. They opened their mouths to retort, but quickly realized the truth of the matter.
Here stood a pioneer who had ensured the future of Earth Martial Arts by leaving behind the Method of Transcendence. Moreover, he had a formidable record of slaying a Peak Flying General and was rumored to have broken through again, now rivaling a Legendary Flying General.
Though barely out of his twenties, in terms of strength and vision, their Saint Sect's accumulated knowledge and Martial Arts True Skills likely held little significance to him.
"Besides the Method of Transcendence, Grandmaster Chen also created several Martial Arts True Skills. Only members of the Martial Dao Alliance are eligible to practice them."
"I've seen him use them. Their power is immense, rivaling Duanyun's New Martial Arts Method."
"If the Southern region truly uses this as a foundation to grow stronger, while our Saint Sect remains complacent and dismissive, then in the future..."
Old Leader Zhang shook his head, leaving the sentence unfinished, and picked up his teacup for another sip.
The others present exchanged glances, their thoughts racing. Even the most stubborn and traditional Saint Sect elders were beginning to waver.
"So, Sect Master Liu's meaning is..."
"Duanyun has already agreed to my proposal."
Old Leader Zhang set down his teacup and looked at the others.
"And this isn't abandoning the Saint Sect's legacy, but rather forming an alliance with other Martial Arts sects to advance together."
"A hundred ships racing side by side creates a magnificent spectacle."
"The ocean embraces a hundred rivers, its capacity boundless."
As he spoke, Zhou Wuren glanced at the horizontal plaque behind him.
海纳百川 (The Ocean Embraces a Hundred Rivers)
The words flashed through his mind as he observed the expressions of the other Grandmasters—some feigning sighs, others nodding in agreement.
Zhou Wuren's expression was complex, tinged with a hint of regret.
What the Saint Sect had failed to achieve in centuries, Grandmaster Chen accomplished single-handedly.
From that day forward, the Red Country Martial Arts world was completely unified, with no distinction between North and South.
Lost in thought, the conversation concluded without further delay.
The final outcome was the Saint Sect's joining the Martial Dao Alliance.
Zhang Hengshan, seated at the head of the table, left with a carefree air. Watching his retreating figure, many people's eyes flickered, and they sighed inwardly.
The Southern Tiger's momentum was too overwhelming; even the Saint Sect couldn't stop it.
But...
Why hadn't Sect Master Liu appeared from beginning to end?
"They all agreed?"
In the Back Mountain of the inner courtyard, a serene lake lay nestled within a deep, secluded pool.
A waterfall cascaded down like a silver river, and a figure sat cross-legged on a massive boulder in the middle of the lake, speaking calmly.
"Yes."
Nodding in response, Zhang Hengshan stood at the edge of the pool, gazing through layers of mist at the figure.
The Saint Sect's current Sect Leader had broken through to Transcendence, which should have been cause for celebration.
But at this moment, his expression was complex.
"Duanyun..."
"There's no need to try and persuade me further."
Shaking his head, Liu Duanyun remained with his eyes closed.
"Since the Saint Sect can join the Martial Dao Alliance, my fate no longer matters. My legacy will be safe regardless."
"Though I owe him a debt, I must still fight for my pride."
As the words fell, the lake froze.
The fish within stared wide-eyed, like amber trapped in ice.
The Qi mechanism, which had been gathering momentum, grew increasingly heavy.
"The Saint Sect..."
In the Martial Hall's meditation chamber, Chen Feng raised an eyebrow as he read the message.
He had anticipated the Saint Sect wouldn't pass up the opportunity to join the Martial Dao Alliance, but he hadn't expected such a swift response.
He hadn't rejected their application. His original intention in founding the Martial Dao Alliance was to foster more Transcendence-level martial artists within the Martial Arts World, bolstering their forces against the Black Tide.
But...
"Show mercy to my subordinates..."
The message ended with a peculiar request. Chen Feng's gaze flickered, and he guessed the reason.
Martial artists all possess a competitive spirit, especially the current Sect Leader of the Saint Sect, who was once the number one martial artist of the Red Nation.
Chen Feng and Liu Duanyun had never sparred or even met.
Mere rumors of past achievements or a few words exchanged wouldn't be enough to convince the other party to fully accept him.
"The last vestige of pride for the former number one martial artist?"
Shaking his head slightly, Chen Feng didn't dwell on it.
He didn't mind helping Liu Duanyun make the right choice and face the reality of the world.
The thought immediately subsided.
Chen Feng then pushed open the Meditation Chamber and walked into the Martial Hall corridor.
There were still few disciples present; most were still out assisting with various tasks.
However, some True Disciples remained. Cao Tong soon arrived with his disciples, presenting a prepared high-nutrient meal.
"Senior Yang and Senior Celine have already left for the Luoyue Nation," he reported in detail, the large black hoodie on his back emblazoned with a burning tiger.
Chen Feng nodded slightly, eating his meal without surprise. Joining the Martial Dao Alliance wouldn't restrict personal freedom, and Senior Yang and Senior Celine had already bid him farewell. Moreover, their departure from the Red Nation to travel abroad could serve as an opportunity to promote the Martial Dao Alliance and attract other nations' Martial Arts Sects to join.
As for the three Giant Elephant Grandmasters, after discussion and considering Chen Feng's presence, everyone had decided to designate the Flame Tiger Sect's Mountain Gate as the Martial Dao Alliance's headquarters. This would require a second renovation of the Flame Tiger Sect's Back Mountain to expand its grounds, accommodating future visitors from various sects.
But he didn't need to worry about any of this. Master Li Tong was there to handle all the trivial matters.
In contrast, Chen Feng's eyes lit up as he looked at the steamed meat on his plate.
The taste was refreshing and the texture pleasantly chewy, but that wasn't the main point.
The crucial thing was that after eating it, he felt a faint warmth spreading through his lower abdomen.
This sensation was remarkably similar to the feeling he got from consuming Essence-rich supplements in the past. He even suspected that if he consumed enough of this meat, it might even advance his progress in the Divine Awakening Method.
"The Red Guard sent it," Master Li Tong explained. "They said it's one of the resources Red City is providing. Apparently, it comes from some kind of Ancient Creature—a choice cut of its most Essence-rich flesh."
"Oh?" Chen Feng was surprised at first, but then it all clicked into place.
Representative Xia had mentioned earlier that Red City was increasing his allocation of martial arts resources. Besides the Life Source Liquid, he would also receive a monthly supply of Advanced Life Elixirs and Ancient Creature flesh, delivered in batches.
He hadn't paid much attention at the time, but now it seemed this meat had a surprisingly potent effect, even stronger than most of the Secret Medicines he had taken before.
"That's true."
"The Essence Blood of Ancient Creatures is a potent Essence-replenishing substance. The most refined flesh from their bodies must also possess some of the same effects."
Chen Feng nodded in understanding and quickly devoured the large steamed Ancient Creature meat slab before him.
Threads of warmth surged through his body, and the plate was soon empty.
"Is there any more?"
He asked curiously, turning to Cao Tong.
An ordinary person would have been full by now, but for him, this was merely a snack.
"Uh... yes!"
Cao Tong paused, then left to instruct his disciples to prepare more food.
Over the next hour, Chen Feng consumed an entire month's worth of rations—nearly the equivalent of four bulls' worth of meat.
[Divine Awakening Method: Cosmic Flame—Sun Realm (17%)+]
"Not bad. It barely increased the progress."
Chen Feng nodded, not disappointed.
After all, this was an Angel-tier awakening method, and its difficulty had long surpassed that of ordinary cultivation techniques. Even an Advanced Life Elixir only increased progress by one or two points.
"I wonder how many Ancient Creatures are left in the Secret Realm."
Chen Feng's eyes brightened as he thought to himself.
If I could hunt one down and consume its most精华血肉, it might have a decent effect.
Of course, he knew this was just wishful thinking.
Ancient Creatures were already rare, near extinction. There would undoubtedly be strict regulations in place, and the Red Nation's high-ranking officials wouldn't let him run amok.
The thought passed, and he turned his attention to the resources yet to be received.
This was just the Ancient Creature's flesh. He still had his share of Advanced Life Elixirs and Life Source Liquid to claim.
If this continued, he could save his Limit Breaking Orbs and rely solely on resources to advance his awakening method to the Lower-Ranking Angel level.
Buzz!!
Just then, the air outside the Martial Hall vibrated.
A wave of energy surged outward, interrupting his thoughts.
Looking up, he saw the Red Maple aircraft slowly descending into the open space outside the hall.
Chu Shihong, Han Chao, and others were present. After a quick Perception scan, Chen Feng suppressed his lingering thoughts.
The first meeting of Nanjiang as a Central City was about to begin.
And he, as a Councilor Representative, was required to enter the Radiant Light Secret Realm to participate in the actual high-level Red Nation meeting.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (MF) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c574. [+5k]
🔑Early Access at $5.
✍Translated (6) Series, (4.1K+) Chapters, (5.8M+) Words.