In the Qinglong Mountain Range, Lin Huang and Xiao Yishan began living together quite happily! Lin Huang cooked; Xiao Yishan played the zither. Lin Huang washed the dishes; Xiao Yishan painted. Lin Huang washed the vegetables; Xiao Yishan recited poetry. And when Lin Huang engaged in Cultivation, Xiao Yishan... relentlessly mocked him from the sidelines. The picture of the two together was a breath of fresh air, perfectly flawless.
In just two short months, Xiao Yishan had grown as lazy as a pig, while Lin Huang was worked like a dog. Every day, aside from tempering his body under the waterfall, his time was spent cooking, chopping wood, and feeding the old cow. To Lin Huang’s delight, his physical tempering over these two months had been remarkably effective. He could now easily stand firm on the large stone pillar under the crushing water.
Within two months, he had touched the edge of the intermediate stage of the Great Vajra Technique. The results truly surprised him; this Cultivation speed was far faster than before. Moreover, Lin Huang discovered that by cultivating under the waterfall, even if he didn’t deliberately absorb Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, the Primordial Qi within the cascading water would unknowingly surge into his body. Three days ago, he had already opened his third meridian, stepping into the Third Heaven of the Human Element Realm.
"Xiao Yishan appears to be only at the Celestial Element Realm. How can he have such a profound understanding of Martial Arts theories?" Lin Huang thought. Over the past two months, Lin Huang increasingly felt that the man was far from simple. No matter what, Lin Huang’s realm in his previous life had been that of a Martial Saint. His understanding of Martial Arts—even the flawed parts—was unmatched by anyone in the entire East Spirit Realm. Yet, in front of Xiao Yishan, he felt like a mere child.
A casual remark from the older man could leave Lin Huang deep in thought. Many universally accepted concepts of Martial Arts were either traced back to their very origins by Xiao Yishan or completely overturned. It was only when Xiao Yishan unintentionally pointed out the flaws in numerous theories that Lin Huang realized the profound truths hidden within them.
Lin Huang had subtly tested Xiao Yishan a few times and determined that the latter’s realm couldn’t possibly be higher than the Celestial Element Realm. This made Lin Huang feel even more perplexed. If Xiao Yishan wasn’t a peerless expert who had fallen in realm, then he was an unparalleled, monstrous genius!
"Lin the kid, we’re having grilled fish tonight. Go catch a few in the waterfall!" Xiao Yishan’s voice suddenly echoed from the thatched cottage.
Lin Huang looked up at the waterfall above, his face full of helplessness. Fish occasionally appeared from the upper reaches of the river, swept down the cascade. Due to the tremendous impact, Lin Huang had been knocked unconscious by them several times. Just dodging them was difficult enough, let alone catching them. It required not only sharp eyesight but also incredible hand speed. Although Lin Huang had been single for sixteen years, his hand speed... was still not enough!
At nightfall, Xiao Yishan looked at the empty-handed Lin Huang with a face full of disdain. "You can’t even catch a fish. With talent like yours, why even bother practicing Martial Arts? You act like an old woman. You might as well give up now."
With that, Xiao Yishan walked into the yard, roughly dragged out a big, fat chicken, and began roasting it himself. "You don’t get to eat tonight, and don’t even think about eating my chicken for the next month."
Lin Huang sighed and walked back under the waterfall to catch fish.
Under the moonlight, the roaring of the Thousand Feet Cliff waterfall thundered endlessly. It exuded a grand and majestic aura, yet paradoxically offered a sense of profound tranquility, complementing the thatched cottage, bamboo fence, and small vegetable patch. Leaning against a massive boulder, Xiao Yishan gazed thoughtfully at the cascading waterfall—which looked like the falling Milky Way enveloped in mist under the serene moonlight—and at Lin Huang, who was cultivating diligently beneath it. Over the past two months, he had lain on the boulder every day, watching Lin Huang cultivate under the water without a moment’s rest. Aside from eating, the young man devoted all his attention to Cultivation, working extremely hard.
Just like Qin Changsheng back in the day...
"Master, I think I’m about to break through!"
Xiao Yishan couldn’t help but picture Qin Changsheng in his mind again—the disciple with dull aptitude, whose face had been filled with sheer ecstasy after practicing with his blade under the waterfall for ten years.
"It turns out it’s not a breakthrough; I’ve Fallen into the Demon Realm! I haven’t even condensed the Profound Sea yet, but Infinite Primordial Qi is running wild in my meridians!"
Before Qin Changsheng even had time to rejoice, his face had turned deathly pale, as if he had been struck by lightning.
Whenever he thought of this, a bitter smile touched Xiao Yishan’s lips. This foolish disciple had been so full of inferiority that he didn’t even realize how powerful he had become, still believing himself to be an insignificant ant in the mud. And what those who mocked Xiao Yishan for taking in such a stupid disciple never expected was this: that same Qin Changsheng, who had cultivated for ten years without any progress, opened seventy-nine meridians in his body overnight. In a mere three hours, he stepped into the Saint Realm!
Entering the Saint Realm overnight!
The moonlight was as cold as frost, chilling like ice. Xiao Yishan sipped his strong liquor. It scraped against his throat like a blade, making his muttered words incredibly choked. After ten years of practicing the blade, it was the first time Qin Changsheng had ever asked to leave the mountain.
"Master, I want to go down the mountain... Even if I have truly Fallen into the Demon Realm, I still want to go down and see the world.
"I want to let this world know that my Master is Xiao Yishan. And I want the day to come when everyone in the world knows that Xiao Yishan has a proud disciple named Qin Changsheng!
"If one day I am killed, Master, you must never admit that Changsheng is your disciple. I cannot bring you disgrace!"
Beneath Thousand Feet Cliff, Xiao Yishan’s expression was desolate. Gazing at the bright moon above, he seemed to once again see Qin Changsheng’s nervous, yet resolute demeanor before leaving the mountain.
Descending the mountain in a single night!
This disciple, whom Xiao Yishan considered his greatest pride in life, had relied on an ordinary Instant Blade to slaughter geniuses and defeat countless heroes. He had been radiantly high-spirited, roaming the world unchallenged... Sweeping through the peerless talents of all ages, leaving no one who could match him!
That was until that world-shocking battle when Xiao Yishan was besieged. His disciple, clad in Blood Armor, had arrived like a startling rainbow, leaving a path paved with blood that stretched for thirty thousand miles behind him. Covered in blood and unable to even stand steady, he had still offered a foolish smile in front of his Master.
"Master, your disciple is useless for not arriving in time to save you. But rest assured, Master, those people have all been killed by Changsheng!"
Lying in Xiao Yishan’s arms, Qin Changsheng bore a foolish smile on his face, his body crisscrossed with wounds and dripping with blood.
"Master... Changsheng is about to die and cannot complete that heaven-shrouding great cause for you. It’s just a pity... My greatest wish in this life was to become the most cherished disciple you have ever had. But I will no longer be able to serve you.
"Master, please don’t cry. My life is as worthless as grass; it’s not worth it. I am grateful for your ten years of teachings, which finally allowed me to avenge the murder of my father and the humiliation of my mother. In my next life, I will surely repay this deep debt of gratitude. I only hope that when the time comes, you won’t disdain me, and will take me in as your disciple once more."
Under the moonlight, Xiao Yishan’s gaze pierced through the thatched cottage, falling blankly on a portrait of a young man hanging on the wall. A surge of grief and indignation welled up in his heart, accompanied by an inextinguishable hatred.
Qin Changsheng!
The proudest disciple of his life!
To save his Master, Qin Changsheng had slaughtered enemies across thirty thousand miles in a single night. He had arrived just in time to block a fatal blow, quietly passing away with that same foolish smile. From beginning to end, this disciple never knew just how powerful he was, how radiantly high-spirited he had been, and how he stood unparalleled throughout the ages.
"Qin Changsheng..."
Beneath the waterfall, Lin Huang suddenly heard a hoarse roar. Turning his head, he saw Xiao Yishan radiating a towering killing intent, completely consumed by unyielding hatred and fury. A blade had somehow appeared in Xiao Yishan’s hand, which he swung under the bright moonlight. In an instant, the blade intent surged with the brilliance of the sun and moon, striking furiously toward the Nine Heavens.
Looking up, Lin Huang saw that two lines of blood-red text had faintly appeared across the silver plate of the moon. His heart shook violently at the sight:
Ten years facing the wall, tempering the Instant.
One morning of enlightenment, Dominating the World!
Floating in the empty void, Xiao Yishan’s expression only calmed slightly after he released his pent-up emotions. Qin Changsheng’s dying words still echoed in his mind:
"Master, I blindly created a Martial Technique but hadn’t thought of a name for it. People say that you alone possess Three-Part Dominance of this world, so let’s call it ’Dominating the World’. If I ever get a junior brother in the future, please pass it on to him for me. Treat it as though your disciple is still by your side, protecting you."
Xiao Yishan crushed the blade in his hand. With an air of weathered magnificence, he turned to look at Lin Huang, his expression reflecting the Tyrant Path:
"Lin the kid, from today onwards, you are Xiao Yishan’s disciple!"