20demayo Chapter 45 Lifespan! Power!
Chapter 45 Lifespan! Power!
With a soft sigh, as if finding it too disheartening to talk about these things, Chen Wenyuan coughed lightly and said, "The peerless swordsmen of the Northern Qi Sword Pavilion, the all-pervasive Jinyiwei of the Southern Zhao, and our Great Yu Zhenwu Guard, though the pillars of the three kingdoms, maintain a superficial balance and deter demons and evil spirits."
He paused, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and warning.
"But its suppressive power is limited in the face of these true behemoths and top experts."
"Experts at the third level of the 'Dongming' realm have already touched the rules of heaven and earth. Their power can move mountains and fill seas, and their lifespan is long. Their will can often influence the rise and fall of a place or even a country."
"The Zhenwu Guard serves more as a means of coordination and deterrence against them than absolute control. In the end, the strong rule the world! Without a force that can match them, the so-called laws and order are nothing but empty words in their eyes."
Zhang Yuan looked up and felt as if a door to a magnificent yet cruel world had suddenly opened before him.
The Realm of Enlightenment!
That is a being above Vajra and Dragon Elephant.
The Sea-Overturning Dragon that caused the great flood that submerged his hometown was only at the Dragon-Elephant Realm!
These top experts are the true masters of the game!
What I had seen and heard before was nothing more than a small boat in this vast ocean.
An unprecedented pressure and desire arose in his heart at the same time.
Zheng Chaoyang, who was standing to the side, spoke up for once, his voice low and self-deprecating: "Qingyang, don't be fooled by my seemingly imposing presence in Fengming County today. I may be able to dominate this area as a half-step Grandmaster."
"But you must understand, this place is remote and barren, with scarce spiritual energy, like a desolate backwater. True martial arts masters, like the wealthiest people in the world, would never stay here for long."
He used a metaphor that Zhang Yuan could understand more easily.
"Take the Li family in Fengming County, for example. They are considered wealthy in the local area, but with their meager wealth, they probably couldn't even afford a decent courtyard in Yujing City."
"The true martial arts giants and profound masters are all gathered in the Jade Capital Imperial City, the various blessed lands and grotto-heavens, and the top sects and families."
"That's where the strong gather and the world is in turmoil! My meager skills are nothing compared to that...
Zhang Yuan understood instantly.
Just as he knew from his previous life, a wealthy person from a small town might not even qualify as an entry-level person if they went to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, or Dubai.
The real resources, opportunities, and top-notch inheritance are concentrated in the "core circle".
Zheng Chaoyang and Chen Wenyuan's words were meant to prevent him from becoming complacent due to his performance on the battlefield and Zheng Chaoyang's prestige. They were pointing him to a broader path and urging him to pursue higher goals.
Chen Wenyuan seemed to remember something and casually mentioned, "Speaking of gathering talents, the 'Qingyun Elite List' held every three years in Luyang Prefecture is about to open."
"This list compiles the names of talented young people under the age of thirty from all the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of the prefecture. If one can be listed, not only will one's reputation spread far and wide, but one will also receive commendation from the prefect, and may even have the opportunity to be noticed by major sects or important figures in the prefecture..."
He then continued in a gentle but restrained tone, "It's a decent ladder to advancement."
He paused, his gaze lingering on Zhang Yuan for a moment, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
His Majesty has recently decreed the re-establishment of the "Azure Dragon and Fierce Tiger List," which broadly recognizes outstanding talents under the age of thirty from all over the world. Regardless of whether they are skilled in martial arts, Confucianism, Taoism, or Buddhism, anyone with exceptional talent can be included. Once their name is on the list, they will leap over the Dragon Gate, directly access the central government of the Jade Capital, and gain the Emperor's favor.
But Chen Wenyuan ultimately did not say it aloud, only turning his unspoken words into a barely audible sigh.
The Azure Dragon and Fierce Tiger Rankings are too far removed from our lives.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Chaoyang, who was sitting quietly to the side, showed a slight ripple on his usually calm face.
He gazed at Zhang Yuan's youthful yet resolute profile, recalling the boy's innate talent for battle and ruthless killing intent on the battlefield, and a near-desperate expectation rose in his heart.
If this child can truly grow up and ascend to the "Azure Dragon and Fierce Tiger Ranking," which gathers the fortunes of the Three Kingdoms, perhaps he, a half-step Grandmaster confined to the borderlands, can catch a glimpse of the pinnacle of martial arts.
However, the thought was fleeting, and Zheng Chaoyang immediately lowered his eyes, deeply concealing the burning passion in them with his usual coldness.
The carriage fell silent once again.
Zhang Yuan leaned against the car wall, closed his eyes, seemingly resting, but his mind was completely immersed in his thoughts.
Within his sea of consciousness, a semi-transparent panel clearly appeared:
Name: Zhang Yuan (Zhang Qingyang)
Age: 8
[Realm: Acquired Realm - Skin Refining (Mid-Stage)]
[Status: Abundant Qi and Blood (Continuing to be Refined)]
[Remaining life span: 53 years and 276 days! 】
[Martial Arts]:
Chasing Wind Sword: Great Perfection (100%) → Derived to the "Sword Intent Initial Formation (Above Mortal Rank)" realm, requires lifespan consumption: 20 years!
Raging Bull Fist: Mastery (100%) → To advance to the "Great Perfection" realm, lifespan is consumed: 30 years!
Rock-Splitting Mountain Blade (Mortal Rank Supreme - Complete): Minor Completion (3%) → Upgrading to "Major Completion" requires 40 years of lifespan!
He lived to be 53 years old!
This is a huge sum of money, which he earned with his life in a life-or-death struggle.
However, looking at the alarming consumption numbers on the panel—twenty years for initial condensation of sword intent, thirty years for the Great Perfection of the Wild Bull Fist, forty years for the Great Mastery of the Rock Blade…
This lifespan seems so "limited".
The images of powerful figures from the three realms of Dongxuan, Vajra, Dragon Elephant, and Dongming lingered in my mind.
Zheng Chaoyang's power as a half-step grandmaster captivated him, but his teacher's self-deprecating remark that he "couldn't even be ranked" served as a constant warning.
The insightful and powerful figures Chen Wenyuan spoke of could influence an entire prefecture or a nation at will; that was the peak he needed to look up to and ultimately climb!
The "Qingyun Elite Ranking" is an opportunity, a springboard.
But the prerequisite is that he needs to be stronger and improve faster!
Zhang Yuan's fingers unconsciously tightened on his knees, his knuckles turning slightly white.
An unwavering resolve was forged in his heart: Lifespan! Power!
We must spare no effort to gain more lifespan as quickly as possible!
We must use these lifespans precisely and efficiently to transform them into the strength needed to establish ourselves and soar in this world where the strong rule!
Fengming County is too small; his battlefield lies in the wider world of the future!
As the train swayed, Zhang Yuan slowly opened his eyes. In his dark eyes, there was no longer any trace of childish innocence, only a bottomless, cold pool burning with a fierce ambition.
He knew that from the moment he grasped that black iron plaque, from the moment he decided to become "Zhang Qingyang," this path was destined to be full of thorns.
At this moment, he saw the road signs ahead more clearly than ever before, and... the price to pay for the climb.
The carriage came to a stop in front of the county government office.
Chen Wenyuan got out of the car and took Zheng Chaoyang with him into the county government office to report to the county magistrate, register the merits of the bandit suppression, and arrange subsequent compensation and rewards.
The accompanying yamen runners and local militia began to carry bundles and cartloads of the defeated soldiers' armor, weapons, and other items gathered from the battlefield into the warehouse in the backyard of the county government office.
Zhang Yuan stood in the courtyard, watching the blood-stained, dull-edged weapons being carried inside, and a slight thought stirred in his heart.
He stepped forward and said to the yamen runners who were struggling to carry a bundle of spears, "Brothers, let me lend a hand."