"This is the result I wanted. To cast aside all worries, place the goal of defeating an opponent above life and death, and throw myself wholeheartedly into the fight. Only then can one fully reveal their Martial Dao. And only a battle like that holds any real value for me right now."
Zhou Yuanjue said calmly.
The so-called Saint Awakening is to become Holy and Bright, to see beyond life and death. Only by truly experiencing a conflict and an epiphany that transcend life and death can the human spirit and body sublimate further, reaching another, profoundly mystical, legendary realm.
In comparison, the duel with Gong Shouzhuo felt unsatisfying. Undeniably, Gong Shouzhuo possessed incredible physical prowess and skill, but he couldn't see past worldly concerns like fame, fortune, life, and glory. Against ordinary experts, he was naturally invincible. But against a top-tier powerhouse, he could probably only exert seventy percent of his skill and strength, and that long-awaited feeling he gave me lasted but for a fleeting moment.
"I'm actually quite curious. Why is it that one can only achieve transcendence in a life-or-death struggle? Aren't there other ways?"
Li Qingxuan asked curiously.
"Of course there are."
To Li Qingxuan's surprise, she received a very definite answer from Zhou Yuanjue. "There are thousands, even millions, of paths to self-transcendence and the comprehension of Saint Awakening. The ways to reach the final destination are all different. It's like crossing an ocean: some people choose to swim, some choose to sail a boat, and some just fly a plane right over it. The end result is the same, but the speed differs."
"A life-or-death struggle is the shortcut to 'Saint Awakening.' Death is the greatest fear hidden within human instinct, while survival is the strongest desire. If you've never confronted the desire to live and the fear of dying head-on, you might never know if the principles you uphold and the future you hope for can truly rise above humanity's most primal instincts of desire and fear."
"As the saying goes, 'There are things one desires more than life, and things one loathes more than death.' The will that rises above human instinct and desire—that is Saint Awakening."
Zhou Yuanjue explained calmly to Li Qingxuan.
'A will that rises above human instinct and desire, huh?'
Li Qingxuan muttered to herself. She seemed to have an inkling of understanding, but she couldn't yet grasp its true meaning.
"Your level of insight isn't there yet, so you can't appreciate that feeling. Perhaps you'll understand someday. Let's go."
Zhou Yuanjue shook his head and started walking ahead.
An invitation was required to attend the "Carrying the Furnace" ceremony, but for someone with Li Qingxuan's impressive background, that wasn't a problem. She produced two invitations she'd acquired through some "special channels," and the two of them passed through security without a hitch, entering the event grounds.
It was an octagonal plaza. The area around it was wide and open, with a single, eye-catching structure in the very center.
It was a circular platform, about a meter high and twenty meters in diameter. Atop this platform stood a sculpture roughly ten meters tall.
The sculpture was jet-black and depicted an outstretched hand. Its palm faced the sky, fingers spread, as if about to close its grasp on something.
A staircase was carved into the sculpture's arm, leading all the way up to the palm.
This sculpture was a famous landmark at the Binjiang Celestial Sea. It was usually cordoned off, allowing ordinary tourists only to take photos from a distance. Only the true elite—the wealthy, the powerful, and high-level members of the Binjiang Celestial Sea—had the privilege of crossing the barrier to have their picture taken on the sculpture's palm. As a result, Wuhai's upper class had nicknamed the sculpture "Palm of Power," as only those who truly held power in the city could stand upon it.
At this moment, long tables had been set up across the plaza, laden with a variety of exquisite dishes, desserts, and drinks. Waiters weaved through the crowd, carrying trays.
The "Carrying the Furnace" ceremony was about to begin, and a large crowd had already gathered in the plaza. Elegantly dressed guests chatted cheerfully, giving the event the atmosphere of a grand cocktail party.
Compared to the elegantly dressed crowd, Zhou Yuanjue's simple, loose-fitting casual clothes made him stick out, drawing quite a few odd glances.
On the other side of the plaza, another man, much like Zhou Yuanjue, was also enduring a barrage of strange looks for wearing an Adares tracksuit.
Beside him stood Xu Yan. With her tanned skin and elegant dress, she forced her trademark fake smile for the onlookers while hissing at her companion through clenched teeth, "Sun Dao'an!! Could you not have dressed a little more formally?! What's with the tracksuit?! This is absolutely mortifying!!"
"Well, you never told me a daytime ceremony would be run like a cocktail party…"
Sun Dao'an grumbled under his breath, clearly unhappy.
Then, he saw Xu Yan glare at him. Remembering he was the one asking for a favor and was relying on her, he could only swallow his pride and say, "Well… should I go change?"
"Forget it. The ceremony's about to start. You'll just have to do."
Xu Yan said, rolling her eyes at him in exasperation.
"Actually, there's nothing wrong with wearing a tracksuit. Look at them, all cookie-cutter. It makes me look so unique…"
Sun Dao'an muttered, his eyes scanning the plaza. Suddenly, his gaze landed on something and his eyes lit up. He tugged on Xu Yan's arm, jutting his chin in a particular direction. "See? There's another guy just like me over there. And his outfit isn't even as nice as mine. At least my Adares is the latest model. His looks like it's two or three years old, don't you think?"
"Huh? There's really someone else as clueless as you?"
Xu Yan followed his gaze and saw Zhou Yuanjue, dressed in casual sportswear even simpler than Sun Dao'an's. A flicker of surprise crossed her face.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Sun Dao'an looked displeased, but then he excitedly grabbed Xu Yan's arm and started dragging her toward Zhou Yuanjue and Li Qingxuan. "A kindred spirit!" he said as they walked. "I've got to go say hi."
"If you want to go, then go. Don't drag me along!"
Xu Yan was clearly reluctant, but she was no match for Sun Dao'an's powerful build. Unable to break free from his grip, she could only say in resignation, "Let go! I'll walk on my own!"
With Sun Dao'an leading the way, the two soon found themselves in front of Zhou Yuanjue and Li Qingxuan.
"Hey, man. I saw your outfit's got as much personality as mine, so I thought I'd come introduce myself. You don't mind, do you?"
Sun Dao'an asked Zhou Yuanjue with a wide, friendly grin.
Zhou Yuanjue was currently surveying the other guests in the plaza. When he heard Sun Dao'an speak, he glanced over at him, paid the pointless pleasantry no mind, and turned back to his observations.
On the other hand, a bored Li Qingxuan replied to Sun Dao'an with a smile, "We don't mind, but I'm afraid you might get into trouble just by being seen with us."
"Get into trouble?"
Hearing Li Qingxuan's words, Xu Yan frowned and carefully sized up the two people in front of her.