Chapter 18: Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll
Amidst the gazes of the guests, a tall woman, surrounded by a crowd, slowly approached.
A head of long, silver hair reflected a unique metallic luster.
Is that head of beautiful hair a bionic? Zhang Yu wondered. I wonder how much a single strand is worth.
The woman’s red evening gown was adorned with traces of flowing light, like clusters of flames leaping within, and it emanated powerful magic power fluctuations.
This gown seems to be a magical treasure in itself, Zhao Tianxing thought. It’s probably priceless.
At the same time, the director of the Immortal Resonance Group, who looked as though he were covered in a layer of gold foil, took the initiative to approach Li Xuelian.
Then, two other wealthy individuals at the Foundation Establishment stage joined their conversation.
They were surrounded by a circle of rich and famous people, all desperate for a chance to exchange a few words with the four and become a familiar face.
But they weren’t given much of an opportunity. After a brief chat with the three, Li Xuelian arrived before the curtain concealing the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll.
“Everyone, thank you for attending the art exhibition today.”
Amid the applause, Li Xuelian smiled faintly and continued, “In this moment filled with creativity and inspiration, we gather together…”
Listening to Li Xuelian’s speech, Zhang Yu let out a bored yawn, wondering if he should just take this time to do his breathing exercises.
Suddenly, a thought flickered in his mind. He had been getting more and more diligent in his cultivation lately, and he wasn’t sure if it was the power of the ritual forcing a new habit or the subtle influence of this world and its society.
Fortunately, Li Xuelian’s speech was not long. Just as Zhang Yu was pondering, she had already moved on to the topic that most interested the many talented young cultivators present.
“For the past few years, my father has been seeking a disciple to inherit his legacy and pass on his lifetime of martial arts and Daoist techniques.”
“Unfortunately, his standards are quite high, and despite searching for many years, he has yet to find a disciple who truly meets his requirements.”
“Thus, he personally painted this Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll and concealed a set of martial arts within it.”
“If any young hero under the age of twenty can master the martial art within, my father is willing to take them as his disciple and spare no effort in cultivating them until they can enter a top university.”
“However, this painting contains a trace of the martial will left by my father. Viewing it will subject you to the impact of this will, and there is a danger of damaging your Dao heart.”
“During the comprehension process that follows, please act within your limits to avoid being injured by the martial will within…”
Following her introduction, Li Xuelian slowly drew back the curtain, revealing the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll behind it.
Within a frame more than two meters tall, a blurry human figure slowly emerged.
This is a painting by a Golden Core expert?
Zhang Yu stared at the scroll, feeling it looked like a simple human shape scribbled carelessly, no better than something a primary school student might draw.
Just as Zhang Yu was thinking this, someone shouted, “A masterpiece!”
“This painting is so vibrant and full of life, the brushwork is exquisite! True Person Starfire’s artistry is truly at its peak, putting our generation to shame.”
Someone else quickly chimed in with flattery, “It’s too beautiful! The painting appears simple, yet it hides a profound artistic conception. The more you look, the more endlessly fascinating it becomes.”
As more and more people began to praise the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, Li Xuelian couldn’t help but cough, interrupting everyone.
Then she explained, “Everyone, to prevent this painting from unintentionally harming anyone, my father placed an additional subtlety upon it. Only when you are within five meters can you see its true content, but you will also be affected by the martial will within.”
“Any young heroes who wish to comprehend it, please step forward to view the painting.”
Hearing Li Xuelian’s words, the few who had just been boasting immediately flushed red and fell awkwardly silent.
However, someone had already taken the lead and walked toward the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll. It was Lian Tianji from Purple Cloud High School, who had just been speaking with the ‘funerary urn.’
“Haha, allow me, Lian Tianji, to see just what’s so profound about this Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll.”
Laughing, Lian Tianji strode briskly toward the scroll.
Qian Shen’s eyes flickered as he watched this scene.
That’s Lian Tianji from Purple Cloud High School, a formidable person who scored 670 on last month’s exam. He is one of the opponents I plan to challenge after I defeat Bai Zhenzhen.
As Lian Tianji walked step by step toward the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, the figure in the painting grew increasingly clear in his eyes, seemingly revealing a middle-aged man slowly demonstrating a profound set of martial arts.
Lian Tianji’s mind was gradually drawn in, until finally, he saw the man in the painting throw a sudden punch at him from across the void.
Thump!
A muffled sound seemed to echo in the air.
Lian Tianji stopped abruptly in his tracks, his eyes wide with fury as he stared fixedly at the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll.
Seeing him standing there, frozen and motionless, the crowd assumed Lian Tianji had become immersed in the scroll, comprehending the mysterious martial art within.
Not far away, however, Li Xuelian explained calmly, “In order to select a disciple with a resilient will and an extraordinary spirit… when comprehending the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, the observer will come face to face with the terror in their own heart.”
“Only by steeling one’s spirit and conquering inner weakness can one comprehend the mysteries within the painting.”
Hearing this, the crowd was once again astonished, looking curiously at the motionless Lian Tianji, wondering what exactly he was seeing.
At this very moment, in Lian Tianji’s eyes, the world had changed. He had unknowingly returned to his classroom, as if the art exhibition, Li Xuelian, and the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll… were all forgotten.
And the class advisor was at the podium, announcing the results of the last monthly exam.
But starting from first place, he never heard his own name.
He wasn’t in the top 10…
He wasn’t in the top 20…
Still not in the top 50…
As the announced scores grew lower and lower, Lian Tianji’s heart grew tighter with anxiety…
At the exhibition, looking at Lian Tianji still comprehending the scroll, Li Xuelian said, “The Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll can be comprehended by multiple people at once. Are there any other young heroes interested? Please come before the painting.”
Qian Shen exchanged a glance with a few classmates around him, and they all walked toward the scroll together.
At the same time, other youths who had come to comprehend the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll went forward one after another.
Zhang Yu looked at Zhou Tianyi beside him and asked curiously, “You’re not going to give it a try?”
Zhou Tianyi chuckled and shrugged, “I’m just here to watch the show. I’d rather not go up there and embarrass myself.”
Zhang Yu then turned to Bai Zhenzhen and asked, “What about you? You’re not going either?”
Bai Zhenzhen glanced toward the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll and said flatly, “I’m still hesitating.”
Zhang Yu asked curiously, “Hesitating about what?”
Bai Zhenzhen replied, “I don’t want to find myself a master.”
Becoming a disciple will definitely involve signing a contract with that True Person Starfire, she thought inwardly, some kind of indenture.
Bai Zhenzhen sighed internally, Forget everything else… just choosing which university and what major would probably be under his control. I’d also rack up a mountain of debt, and who knows how they calculate the interest…
Hearing Bai Zhenzhen’s hesitation, Zhang Yu immediately said, “Then just don’t master this martial art, and you won’t have to become True Person Starfire’s disciple.”
Zhang Yu looked toward the scroll with a slight smile and said, “A martial art left behind by a Golden Core True Person, even one for the Qi Refinement stage, would cost us at least tens of thousands to buy the usage rights for, right? Why pass up a chance to learn a martial art for free?”
“If you don’t want to be True Person Starfire’s disciple, then at worst, just don’t master the art today.”
Nearby, Zhao Tianxing heard this and secretly curled his lip, thinking that Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were each more arrogant than the last. At the same time, he took a few steps away, afraid that someone might look over and mistake him for the same kind of arrogant, ignorant fool.
Bai Zhenzhen looked at Zhang Yu speechlessly.
To have pushed Yu-boy into this kind of mental state… just how vicious are the collectors from those small loan platforms?
Zhou Tianyi smiled, “That makes sense. It doesn’t cost anything to try and comprehend it anyway. Why don’t we all give it a shot together?”
Zhao Tianxing, however, refused Zhang Yu and Zhou Tianyi’s suggestion. Just the thought of himself in a security guard or waiter’s uniform, comprehending the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll under the watchful eyes of the crowd, was too humiliating.
But watching Zhang Yu’s back as he walked forward, he suddenly felt a sliver of admiration for the other’s thick skin.
Just then, the walkie-talkie on Zhao Tianxing’s waist crackled to life.
The security captain yelled, “What are you guys doing? You’re security! Who told him he could abandon his post to comprehend the scroll? Get him back here, now!”
Sweating under the verbal assault, Zhao Tianxing hurriedly shouted as he ran forward, trying to pull Zhang Yu back.
But as Zhao Tianxing drew closer to the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, the figure within it grew clearer, and waves of laughter drifted from all around.
Zhao Tianxing turned his head to see that everyone at the exhibition was looking at him, pointing and commenting, mocking him for overreaching, a mere security guard daring to comprehend the scroll.
Amid the countless jeers, Zhao Tianxing slowly came to a halt, frozen in embarrassment. He touched his head, then scratched his ear, utterly at a loss for how to even stand.
Meanwhile, as Zhang Yu’s group of three approached the Celestial Paragon’s Martial Demonstration Scroll, the blurry figure within gradually sharpened, transforming into a middle-aged man with a resolute face, who finally threw a punch at them from across the void.
Bai Zhenzhen’s vision went dark, and her phone began to vibrate manically.
She picked it up and saw it was a collections message from a loan platform.
“Regarding your overdue ‘Owe-It’ loan, due to multiple failed collection attempts, the situation is severe. Please settle your payment within three days of receiving this message. If you remain overdue, we will proceed according to relevant laws…”
“Continued delinquency will result in a background check on your location…”
“Deadbeat, you’ve lost all face over this little bit of money. How about your whole family helps you by collecting bottles…”
More and more collection messages appeared, their content growing increasingly unrestrained, shifting from simple reminders to all-encompassing insults, curses, and threats…
Staring at the endless stream of messages on her phone, Bai Zhenzhen broke out in a cold sweat, her entire body tensed, until her phone’s ringtone also began to sound.
But as she watched the phone ring incessantly, Bai Zhenzhen didn’t dare to answer.
Yet even though she did nothing, the phone answered itself.
To her horror, a cold male voice emanated from the phone.
“Due to credit fraud and failure to pay, you have committed a serious breach of contract. We have locked onto your position via the Heavenly Net system. If the debt is not settled within three days, a lightning tribulation will descend…”
A low rumble of thunder sounded.
Bai Zhenzhen shot her head up and saw the faint flicker of lightning in the sky above.