"I was planning to leave Holy City to get revenge on the people from the Secret Palace, but you saved me, so I can’t just leave like that."

"???"

This was giving Wan Ze a massive headache.

But when he saw the burly man pull an old booklet from inside his jacket, he froze.

"This is my family’s Hard Qi Skill, passed down through generations. Take it. You and that friend of yours can cultivate it together..." the burly man said, his expression completely serious.

"Wait." Wan Ze instinctively tried to refuse, but the burly man had already thrust the booklet into his hands. Seeing him turn to leave, Wan Ze quickly lowered his voice. "Hold on, man. Maybe there’s another way."

But the burly man had already made up his mind. "This whole thing started because of me, so it should end with me."

He suddenly turned back, scratching his head with a good-natured grin.

"Um... it was nice meeting you."

With that, he departed into the darkness.

Wan Ze felt a pang of guilt, thinking his attitude had been a bit harsh. He tried to ease the tension, calling out, "Hey, friend, I still don’t even know your name!"

"Copper Mountain! The ’Copper’ as in... the metal!"

The rest of his words were muffled as his figure vanished from sight.

Wan Ze: "..."

’What an impatient guy.’

By the faint moonlight, he made out the name of the manual in his hand... *Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill*.

...

「A few hours later.」

"Channel your will as if it were iron, and your Qi and Blood will follow... The main purpose of this martial art is to guide Inner Qi into the periosteum, tendons, and fascia, causing the soft tissue fibers to thicken..."

"In addition to vastly enhancing one’s defensive capabilities, with further practice, one can become impervious to blades and spears..."

Under the night sky.

The evening breeze rustled the beige curtains.

Wan Ze sat at his desk, diligently studying the Cultivation Technique Copper Mountain had given him. The final page of the manual detailed the Qi Circulation route for the *Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill*.

Coincidentally, this Hard Qi Skill’s Qi Circulation path also ultimately converged at the Yellow Court.

’He knows?’

’Then again, it’s no secret which of the body’s esoteric points the Dragon Eagle Martial Arts Hall’s Secret Technique targets. The real secrets are the verbal formula and the circulation path for Qi and Blood.’

Wan Ze shook off the distracting thoughts, his gaze falling to the personal Attribute panel at the bottom of his vision.

...

[Physical Strength: 0.83]

[Intelligence: 0.81]

[Agility: 0.75]

[Endurance: 0.75]

[Power: 0.77]

[Coordination: 0.75]

...

With his strength on the rise, the knot of tension in his chest finally loosened.

’The Dragon Eagle Secret Martial Arts, combined with the Thunderbolt Breathing Technique and Iron Mountain Fist, can still greatly improve my physical condition in a short amount of time.’

’As for...’

He looked at the *Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill* manual in his hands, lost in thought, before getting to his feet.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill]

[Skill Beginner Level Requirement: Achieve Qi and Blood Convergence once.]

...

Thanks to his experience with the Dragon Eagle Secret Martial Arts, achieving Qi and Blood Convergence was no longer difficult for Wan Ze. He sank into a horse stance, and as he activated the Heart Method, his Qi and Blood quickly converged.

The data panel in his vision flickered and changed.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill] (Beginner Level: Mastered)

[Skill Basic Requirement: Achieve Qi and Blood Convergence three times.]

...

Wan Ze focused his mind.

Having his Qi and Blood converge three times wasn’t difficult, it was merely a matter of time.

By 9:27 PM.

After his Qi and Blood circulated and converged throughout his body for the third time, he felt a jolt. A distinct warmth spread to his limbs, and his heart began to pound. THUMP THUMP THUMP.

He lowered his eyes to look.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill] (Basic Level: Mastered)

[Skill Intermediate Requirement: Achieve Qi and Blood Convergence 150 times.]

...

’One hundred and fifty times?’

’That’s not something I can do in just a day or two.’

Wan Ze looked away from the panel, silently sensing the nuances of the Hard Qi Skill. The speed at which his Qi and Blood flowed through him was increasing, constantly accelerating his Qi and Blood Refining. That was good news.

’Combined with the Dragon Eagle Secret Martial Arts, my six attributes will improve even faster than before...’

’I need to get stronger, faster...’

’I’ll give the *Taming the Tiger Vajra Skill* to my senior brother tomorrow...’

Beneath the night sky, Wan Ze thought of Copper Mountain and the Secret Palace. He suddenly felt this world was a strange place. Who could imagine that just beneath the surface of a mundane life, deadly struggles were hidden so close by?

What made him even more curious was that there hadn’t been a single official report about what happened at Black Mountain the previous night. It was as if his narrow escape from death had never taken place.

’Looks like this world is even more complicated than I imagined.’

’I have to get stronger as fast as I can!’

...

「The next morning.」

DONG... DONG...

The clock in the living room chimed.

Sunlight spilled onto the light-green bedsheets, casting a halo of reflected light on the white wall.

Beside the bed, Wan Ze, who was sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes. His morning Cultivation session was over. It wouldn’t be easy to complete the task of 150 Qi and Blood Convergences in a short time.

’If my Thunderbolt Breathing Technique could reach the Special Level, the speed of Qi and Blood Convergence would be much faster.’

’Or, if I could raise the Dragon Eagle Secret Technique to the Basic, High, or even Special Level... it wouldn’t just be the speed of Qi and Blood Convergence that would improve.’

Just as he was lost in thought...

"Mom? Mom! Mom!!!"

His sister Wan Xiaoyu’s shouts echoed from the living room, the CREAK CREAK of her bare feet on the wooden floor following close behind.

Before Wan Ze could get up, there was a frantic knock on the door. Wan Xiaoyu’s head poked in. "Brother! Brother! Mom’s missing!" she yelled.

"Did you not notice Dad is gone, too?" Wan Ze asked, getting up unhurriedly.

Wan Xiaoyu froze. She really hadn’t noticed. She looked up, bewildered. "So where’d they go? Didn’t they say work would be lighter this week?"

"They’re on the early shift for the next two weeks. They’ll be home earlier at night." Wan Ze glanced at his sister’s thin clothes and frowned slightly. "The temperature dropped today. Dress warmer."

"I’m not cold... ACHOO! Brother, I’m really not cold, ACHOO! Weird, what’s happening to me, ACHOO... Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!"

"..."

Wan Ze shook his head, exasperated, and walked over to close the window.

Outside, on the tree-lined path, he could faintly make out a few morning joggers, all of them wearing long-sleeved jackets.

To the left, a row of small eateries already had long lines. Steam billowed up amidst the bustle at their entrances.

’It’s pretty lively.’

Wan Ze sniffled, taking in the vivid, earthy sight of daily life before slowly pulling back his gaze.

The brother and sister sat facing each other at the rectangular red dining table.

"Brother, do you have any plans this Saturday?" Xiaoyu asked, taking a sip of milk.

"Do you need something?" Wan Ze asked, picking up a pan-fried bun and glancing up at her.

"Just tell me if you’re free first!" Xiaoyu urged.

"I have to go to the martial arts hall for Cultivation." Wan Ze said, his voice muffled after swallowing the bun in one bite. "What’s up?"

"I want to go to the amusement park, but Mom and Dad said they have to work overtime this weekend, so I was hoping... you could take me." Xiaoyu finished, looking at Wan Ze with pleading eyes. But then she lowered her head, took a deep breath, and forced a cheerful tone. "But you have to practice your martial arts. Dad said that’s the most important thing for you right now. Still, you have to promise! When you’re not so busy, you have to take me to the amusement park, just once!"

Wan Ze paused and looked at his sister, then nodded. "Alright."

Xiaoyu beamed again. "Brother, you’re the best!"

"Remember to clean up when you’re done."

Wan Ze wiped his mouth with a napkin, got up first, and went to his room to pack his schoolbag. A moment later, the brother and sister were on their way to catch the school bus.

On the street, two vintage cars drove slowly through the intersection, belching white smoke.

The autumn morning breeze carried an extra chill. It streamed in through a slightly open window on the bus, continuously ruffling the hair on Wan Ze’s forehead.

A few girls huddled in a corner of the bus kept stealing cautious glances at him.

But at that moment, Wan Ze felt a prickling on his back, as if a savage beast was staring at him from the shadows!

’Who?’

’Who is it!’