The night was as dark as ink, the stars hidden from view.
Azurewave Base City, District A, Cloudtop Manor.
Huff... huff...
Su Yu stood shirtless, sweat glistening as it streamed down his sculpted muscles. A faint, hazy gray aura swirled around him—a manifestation of his qi and blood circulation reaching its peak. With each breath, the ambient spiritual energy in the air surged into his body like moths drawn to a flame, nourishing his meridians.
A day of intense combat training had left him battered and bruised, but it had also pushed him to the threshold of the late-stage Qi Blood Realm.
Second-floor balcony.
Su Wu stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze piercing through the tempered glass as he silently observed his son below. The night wind billowed his loose training robes, causing them to rustle like thunder.
"This kid... he's even more driven than I was at his age," Su Wu murmured, a hint of pride curving the corners of his lips.
With a thought, the azure system interface—visible only to him—rippled into existence before his eyes like water:
Host: Su Wu
Bound Descendant: Su Yu
Descendant's Realm: Late-stage Qi Blood Realm
Host's Realm: Late-stage Martial King Realm
Cultivation Art: Primordial Chaos One Qi Art (Perfected/Evolved from Qi Breaking Art)
- Martial Techniques: Wild Bull Fist (Perfected/Fist Intent Manifested), Sky-Piercing Blade (Perfected/Blade Intent Manifested), Leaf-Treading Footwork (Greater Mastery)
- Combat Technique: Microscopic-Level
As Su Wu gazed at this impressive array of stats, a flicker of light danced in his eyes.
"Late-stage Martial King..."
He clenched his fist, feeling the vast, ocean-like power surging within him.
In just a week, Su Yu's meteoric progress had propelled Su Wu's cultivation realm from early-stage Martial King to late-stage, as if riding a rocket.
In a small base city like Azurewave, such power would make him a veritable "god."
"But it's still not enough."
Su Wu's gaze turned north, toward the vast expanse of the starry sky—the potential domain of his enemies.
"Less than three months remain until the Martial Arts College Entrance Examination. As in previous years, the exam will feature not only geniuses from various base cities but also seeded candidates parachuted in from 'above.' It's even possible that some monstrous examinees will have reached the Master Realm."
"Although Yu'er possesses the Chaos Body, he started too late. To sweep the nation and claim the top spot in three months, mere hard work won't suffice."
"Cultivating martial arts requires wealth. The Chaos Body is a gold-devouring beast—it needs massive resources to fuel its growth!"
A resolute glint flashed in Su Wu's eyes.
Su Yu had already exhausted the previous batch of B-grade potions; it was time to replenish his "fuel."
"Tomorrow, I'll head to B Zone."
The next morning, sunlight pierced through the clouds, awakening the steel behemoth of a city.
Su Yu left for school early, devouring three massive bowls of mutated beast meat porridge before he went.
Watching his son's energetic figure disappear, Su Wu tidied up, changed into a plain gray casual outfit, and headed out.
If District F was the slums and District A the playground of the elite, then B Zone was the economic heart of the entire base city.
Here, every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, and skyscrapers pierced the sky.
Giant holographic advertisements crisscrossed the air, showcasing the latest alloy battle blades, genetic potions, and protective combat suits. Luxury cars cruised the streets, and most pedestrians were dressed in dazzling attire. Even the roadside patrol teams were equipped with gear far superior to anything found in District F.
Su Wu strolled leisurely through the bustling streets, his hands tucked into his pockets.
His simple gray outfit stood out starkly against the sea of lavishly dressed people.
But he couldn't care less.
At his level, material possessions were mere fleeting clouds.
Even if he wore a burlap sack, he would still be a Martial King.
"Treasure Pavilion..."
Su Wu stopped and looked up at the majestic, ancient-style building before him.
It was a four-story vermilion pavilion with soaring eaves, intricately carved beams, and painted rafters.
Two stone lions carved from Black Gold Rock crouched guard at the entrance, their presence imposing and dignified.
A massive plaque bore the gilded characters "Treasure Pavilion" in a flamboyant, calligraphic script, radiating an aura of immense wealth and power.
The Treasure Pavilion was one of the Great Xia Federation's largest chain merchants.
Rumor had it that its influence spanned the entire Human Federation, with branches even in the depths of space.
The pavilion boasted that "with enough money, you could buy even the eggs of cosmic behemoths."
"This is the place," Su Wu nodded.
He had come to restock his supplies. Only a store of this scale could satisfy the insatiable appetite of his Chaos Body.
Stepping over the high threshold, he was greeted by a faint, elegant sandalwood fragrance that instantly shut out the clamor of the outside world.
The spacious, brightly lit main hall on the first floor housed hundreds of crystal display cases, showcasing basic elixirs and Mortal-grade weapons.
The hall was bustling with activity, mostly low-level martial artists haggling over prices.
Su Wu's gaze swept across the hall, and he shook his head.
These items might be treasures to ordinary people, but to Su Yu in his current state, they were too impure and their efficacy too low.
"Let's check upstairs," Su Wu said, heading toward the mahogany staircase leading to the second floor.
He remembered that high-grade potions and rare materials were usually kept in the VIP area on the third floor and above.
The second floor was much quieter, selling entry-level weapons and C-grade potions.
Several shop assistants in cyan robes were chatting softly behind the counter. When they saw Su Wu approach, they glanced at him indifferently. Noticing his plain attire, none of them bothered to greet him.
Su Wu paid them no mind and headed straight for the staircase leading to the third floor.
Just as he was about to step onto the first step, a sharp, somewhat disdainful female voice rang out:
"Stop right there!"
Su Wu froze, turning his head to see a meticulously made-up female shop assistant in a tight-fitting uniform striding toward him.
She sized him up, her gaze lingering for two seconds on his slightly worn sneakers, her contempt unmistakable.
"Sir... Uncle," the shop assistant said, crossing her arms and blocking the staircase with her chin tilted slightly upward. "You must be lost. The third floor is up there."
"I know it's the third floor," Su Wu replied calmly. "I'm here to buy something."
"Buy something?" The shop assistant scoffed as if she'd heard a joke. "Do you even know what they sell on the third floor? It's all resources for those noble martial arts masters! A single pill costs tens of thousands of federal credits!"
As she spoke, she jabbed a finger almost into Su Wu's nose.
"And did you even read the sign? The third floor is the VIP area—non-members aren't allowed! Do you have a membership card?"
"Membership?" Su Wu frowned slightly.
He had visited the Treasure Pavilion frequently in his youth, though that was twenty years ago. He had never heard of such a rule before.
"When did the Treasure Pavilion start requiring membership?" Su Wu asked mildly. "Great Xia law stipulates that businesses open to the public cannot arbitrarily impose barriers to entry. I've never heard of this requirement before."
"The past? That's ancient history!" The saleswoman rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with venom. "You country bumpkin! Since our new manager took over the Azurewave Branch six months ago, this is the rule! To access the third floor, you need to recharge 500,000 credits and become a member! Looking at your pathetic, penniless state, you wouldn't even fetch half that if we sold you!"
"Get lost! Don't block the way for our esteemed guests! Can you even afford to pay if you dirty the carpet?"
As she spoke, the saleswoman waved her hand dismissively, as if swatting away a fly.
Several customers on the second floor, drawn by the commotion, cast mocking glances.
"Who's this guy? Dressed like that and trying to barge onto the third floor?"
"Probably some poor fool trying to see the world."
"Heh, the new manager at the Treasure Pavilion is notorious for valuing money over people. This old man's in for a rough time."
Hearing the surrounding whispers, Su Wu's initially calm gaze gradually turned icy.
He didn't want trouble, but he despised being bitten by dogs even more.
"Rules set by the new manager?" Su Wu's lips curled into a frosty smile. "What an impressive display of authority!"
"Shut your mouth! How dare you criticize our manager, you old geezer?!"
Enraged that Su Wu hadn't fled and even dared to retort, the saleswoman's fury erupted.
Usually, she relied on the Treasure Pavilion's influence to look down on even ordinary squad captains. How could she tolerate a penniless wretch acting so insolently?
"Security! Where the hell is security?! Get this troublemaker out of here!"
The saleswoman shrieked, even reaching out to shove Su Wu.
However, just as her hand was about to brush the corner of Su Wu's robe—
Slap!
The crisp, ear-splitting slap instantly plunged the entire second floor into deathly silence.
The saleswoman flew through the air as if struck by a speeding truck, spinning three times before crashing heavily into a display case five meters away.
Crash!
Glass shattered across the floor.
The saleswoman lay sprawled on the ground, one side of her face swelling instantly like a steamed bun. Two teeth, mixed with blood, were spat from her mouth, leaving her completely dazed.
"You... you dare hit me?!" she howled, clutching her face, her voice rising to a pig-like squeal. "Murder! Someone's causing trouble at the Treasure Pavilion!"
Su Wu stood his ground, slowly retracting his hand. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, calmly wiping his palm, his expression as indifferent as if he'd just swatted a mosquito.
"Insolent."
"Tell your manager to come out here. I want to know who gave him the audacity to make these rules."