Chapter 1, The Reign of the World: The Yi Jin Jing.
In a parallel world on Earth, in China, in an antique courtyard house, a young man was sitting in the courtyard, sipping tea and enjoying the gentle breeze.
Suddenly, the breeze stopped, and the young man frowned, putting down his teacup.
"Come out!"
The young man suddenly called out, but there was no one around.
"Hehe, I didn't expect Mr. Chen's senses to be so sharp. To have such a level at such a young age truly makes this old man somewhat ashamed."
An aged voice came, followed by several figures arriving from all directions.
The young man also stood up, coldly looking at the group of people.
"Quite a few people have come to die today. It seems I, Chen, am going to have a massacre. What a pity for my little courtyard; it's going to be filthy again."
The leading old man chuckled. "You're quite the young man, full of vigor. If I had your spirit, I probably would have reached the tenth level of the Golden Bell Shield by now."
A middle-aged man standing behind the old man couldn't hold back any longer: "Chen Xuanji, hand over the Yi Jin Jing. If we're in a good mood, we might leave you a whole corpse!"
"That's right! The Yi Jin Jing isn't something someone like you can possess. Handing it over is better for everyone."
Chen Xuanji laughed loudly, one hand on his head: "Hahahaha, in the end, you just covet the Yi Jin Jing in my hands. That's true.
The Nine Yang Divine Skill is astonishing, the Yi Jin Jing reigns supreme. In the end, you think I'm easy to bully because I'm from no sect or school, right?"
Chen Xuanji's aura continued to rise, and white energy could be seen emanating from his body.
"The sixth cycle of the Yi Jin Jing, White-level Floating Pagoda! It seems I cannot let you live!"
The leading elder rushed forward, engaging Chen Xuanji in battle.
"Boy, take this Arhat Fist from this old man!"
"Well done!"
Chen Xuanji's right hand transformed into a palm, clashing head-on with the elder's Arhat Fist.
Bang—
Both were simultaneously knocked back; the elder retreated five steps, and Chen Xuanji retreated three.
"Hehe, truly impressive. As expected of a martial arts prodigy, one in a hundred years. According to intelligence, you only started cultivating at sixteen, and now you've reached the White-level Floating Pagoda in just seven years.
It puts us old men to shame."
Indeed, Chen Xuanji only began cultivating at sixteen. At that time, a beggar gave him a copy of the Yi Jin Jing, saying he was a martial arts prodigy with unparalleled talent.
"Master Xuyun, why waste words with this brat? Let's take him down as soon as possible. With the Yi Jin Jing, we can reach an even higher level."
This elder, named Master Xuyun, and his companions stepped forward, ready to attack.
"Oh? Do you all think the Yi Jin Jing is easy to cultivate? Or do you think this technique created by Bodhidharma can make you weaklings stronger?
Then why don't you dare to try and steal Qin Yang's Nine Yang Divine Skill? Oh, by the way, Qin Yang's Nine Yang Divine Skill has already reached the ninth Yang; you weaklings can't beat him."
Chen Xuanji's words caused the black-robed man at the very end of the group to tremble, but he quickly calmed down.
The Yi Jin Jing is the third ultimate skill of Bodhidharma, the founder of Shaolin, and is one of the Four Great Divine Skills of Shaolin: the Marrow Cleansing Classic, the Yi Jin Jing, the Golden Bell Cover, and the Boy's Skill.
The Nine Yang Divine Skill was created by Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen School, and is considered one of the Three Great Divine Skills of the martial arts world, along with the Yi Jin Jing created by Bodhidharma and the Nine Heavens True Scripture created by Zhang Sanfeng.
The person who cultivated the Yi Jin Jing to its highest level in modern times was known as the Fire Cloud Evil God, possessing unparalleled strength. However, he has long since disappeared, along with other powerful figures of his time.
With the absence of such a supreme expert, all sorts of demons and monsters have emerged, and Chen Xuanji, possessing the Yi Jin Jing, has become their prey.
Those who have come to Chen Xuanji's home today are all renowned "seniors" of the martial arts world, and they are in a sorry state.
The leader of one sect has had both hands broken, the head of another has had half his face sliced off, and even Master Xuyun, who reached the ninth level of the Golden Bell Shield, has had one arm dislocated.
Reaching the White-Rank Floating Pagoda level of the Yi Jin Jing allows each acupoint to independently store and release energy, penetrating three zhang (approximately 10 meters) through the body, injuring people invisibly, and allowing one to soar through the vast sky like an eagle. Its power is extraordinary, far surpassing the ninth level of the Golden Bell Shield.
Just as Chen Xuanji was about to finish off Master Xuyun, the black-clad man who had remained motionless suddenly grabbed Chen Xuanji's hand, stopping him.
"You cowards hiding your heads and tails, get the hell out of here!"
Chen Xuanji was now truly enraged. If she didn't slaughter these people today, the martial world would be completely under their control.
Today, Chen Xuanji would emulate Huang Chao in history and pave the way for future generations!
Chen Xuanji knocked off the mask of the man in black, and his face shocked her slightly, yet seemed quite normal. Underneath the mask was a middle-aged man of about forty years old.
"Heh, Qin Yang, I didn't expect you to come too! What, you have the Nine Yang Divine Skill and it's not enough? You want my Yi Jin Jing?"
Knowing he'd been exposed, Qin Yang stopped pretending: "I've come here with you seniors to slay this martial arts demon! The Yi Jin Jing shouldn't be in your hands; it should belong to the entire martial arts world."
"Heh heh heh, hahahahahahahaha, ahahahahahaha. Qin Yang, your hypocrisy disgusts me! Why don't you hand over the Nine Yang Divine Skill?
Forget it, I'm too lazy for you to talk, you're not worthy to listen! Let's fight! What difference does one more or two make? Today I'll leave you all here!"
Chen Xuanji's white true energy surged as she clashed with Qin Yang, though she was at a disadvantage.
"Everyone, join me, young friend Qin, in slaying this fiend! After it's done, I'll give you all a satisfactory answer."
"Hahaha, we know Master Xu Yun's reputation."
They're all old foxes, why play these ghost stories? You can't trust an old fox's words!
"Chen Xuanji, you're very capable. You've reached the peak of the White-level Floating Pagoda in just a few years. Give you another year, no, half a year, and you might reach the legendary Black-level Floating Pagoda.
It's a pity. If you reach the Black-level Floating Pagoda, we'll turn around and leave, and even give you the position of Martial Arts Alliance Leader."
Qin Yang said with a regretful expression.
"Cough, you want to bully others with us? Heh, I disdain to associate with you. Today, I'll kill you all!" Although Chen Xuanji's aura was imposing, his injuries began to worsen.
The White-level Floating Pagoda was not the highest level after all, and Chen Xuanji was quickly injured and knocked back by Qin Yang's palm.
Chen Xuanji's heart and lungs were injured by the internal energy of the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and his breath began to decline.
"Cough cough, so capable." Chen Xuanji coughed up a pool of blood and said lightly.
Master Xuyun stepped forward again: "It seems this prodigy is destined to fall into our hands! Hahaha, suppressing geniuses and dominating the world is our favorite thing!"
Chen Xuanji sneered without replying. He glanced at the azure sky, as if bidding farewell.
"The world is so beautiful, but today I must say goodbye," Chen Xuanji said forlornly.
The sect leader said, "Young friend, do you have any last words? If there are any regrets, this old man can help you fulfill them."
A sect leader said, "Young friend, your sacrifice was for the greater good of the martial arts world. You should be proud of it!"
Chen Xuanji, who had lived for 23 years, heard the most pronounced moralistic pronouncements of his life in a single day: "You spout moralistic talk, you shut up about morality and righteousness, it's nothing more than a facade to mask your cannibalistic nature.
Enough, enough, let's settle this today. It's a pity I'll never see the many beautiful sights of this world again."
A black pill appeared in Chen Xuanji's hand. He swallowed it, and his previously weakened aura instantly returned to its peak, even continuing to rise!
"What! What did he eat?!"
The white true energy around Chen Xuanji deepened, his aura growing stronger, even surpassing that of Qin Yang, the strongest in the world.
"Stop him!" Master Xuyun shouted. Two small fry rushed forward, but Chen Xuanji firmly grabbed their necks and snapped them.
"A Black-Level Pagoda?!" Master Xuyun was shocked. He saw the black true energy surrounding Chen Xuanji. If that wasn't obvious enough, then...
Chen Xuanji had three battle patterns on her forehead, corresponding to the three battle patterns of a Black-Level Pagoda. However, one of the battle patterns was extremely faint, indicating that Chen Xuanji's current cultivation level was at the peak of the three-battle pattern stage.
The seventh cycle of the Black-Level Pagoda, once completed, makes the entire body a vessel for qi, with inexhaustible energy from heaven and earth, and no weaknesses whatsoever, comparable to the invincible body of the Golden Bell Shield's twelve gates.
Since Bodhidharma, only a handful of people have mastered the Yi Jin Jing to the Black-Level.
The highest-level Black-Level Pagoda is divided into three stages. Those who master the initial stage have three battle patterns on their faces!
At the intermediate stage, true energy is inexhaustible, with virtually no weaknesses, both internally and externally. One can shatter steel several feet long with bare hands, and every move causes the wind and clouds to change color and the earth to tremble! Those who achieve mastery have only two battle patterns on their faces!
At the high-level Black Rank, the master's battle markings transform into a single line, making them immune to all poisons, able to go without sleep or food, and capable of riding the wind and clouds—invincible under heaven! They can also become colorless and conceal themselves.
At this moment, Chen Xuanji's lips curled into a smile; he enjoyed seeing these supposedly benevolent people show expressions of fear.
Chen Xuanji moved, instantly decapitating the old man with the Golden Bell Shield and killing all the various martial arts seniors who had come to the courtyard.
Only Qin Yang and Chen Xuanji remained on the field.
At this moment, several drops of sweat dripped from Qin Yang's face; the situation had instantly reversed, but he was not afraid. Even a Black Rank cultivator with three battle markings could only fight him to a draw, at most at a disadvantage.
Killing him, Qin Yang, wouldn't be so easy; his reputation for reaching such a level was undeserved.
"Pfft—" Chen Xuanji spat out a mouthful of blood. Qin Yang noticed that Chen Xuanji's true energy was disordered and then laughed loudly.
"Hahaha, so your Black Rank was forcibly raised. Now, your true energy is in disarray, and your meridians can no longer support the true energy of a Black Rank Floating Pagoda. It seems you're already exhausted. Hand over the stuff sooner, and I might give you a quick death!"
Chen Xuanji wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and laughed, "Did you really think you won, Qin? Hehehe."
Chen Xuanji pointed a finger at her heart, forcibly squeezing out the last of her potential and her life force with her true energy!
Chen Xuanji's originally jet-black hair instantly turned white, but the battle marks on her forehead completely changed to two lines.
Swoosh—a hand plunged into Qin Yang's chest and ripped out his heart.
A martial arts grandmaster fell.
"Heh, villains die from talking too much, but I'm going to die too."
Chen Xuanji sat wearily on the ground, looking at the corpses scattered all over the ground. It turned out that all the high and mighty figures had reported to the underworld.
"I long to see this world one more time," Chen Xuanji uttered her last words, her face weary, as she faced death. Her body rapidly aged, her breath grew weak and feeble, and even the light in her pupils faded like a dry well, devoid of life.
Soon after, a colorful butterfly flew over and landed on Chen Xuanji's head. Her body collapsed and vanished.
In the Douluo Continent, in the year 2601 of the Douluo Calendar, within the Heavenly Dou Empire, a fleeing couple was mercilessly murdered by their enemies.
The man was beheaded, and a man in brown leather stole his storage soul tool, from which he took a crystalline bone.
"Heh, dare to steal the soul bone I coveted?! Tired of living? Too bad this woman is dead too, otherwise I would have had a good taste."
Half an hour after the man left, the woman of the couple slowly opened her eyes. Her chest had been pierced, and she had lost too much blood to survive.
Looking at her swollen belly, her eyes were resolute. She drew a knife from her soul-guided device, decisively cut open her stomach, and endured the excruciating pain to take out the child from her womb.
"Waaaaaah—"
The baby's cries echoed throughout the land.
"So small, child, I'm so sorry. I can't watch you grow up. If you're lucky, you can live happily.
I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I... can't... stay... with... you... anymore..."
After the woman finished speaking, she breathed her last, but a smile remained on her face, the smile she wanted her child to see first.
The boy seemed to sense something and cried even louder.
Not long after, an old farmer passed by, heard the baby crying, and followed the sound.
"This, this, this is... Ah, what a pitiful family of three, what a pitiful child! Old man, let me take you away."
The old man picked up the baby covered in his mother's blood, tore off a piece of his own clothing to hold the child, and placed him in his bamboo basket.
The old man grabbed with his right hand, and an iron shovel appeared out of thin air. Three circles, each with a different color—one white and two yellow—appeared on his body.
He used the shovel to dig a pit, and after a long time, buried the couple.
Having done all this, the old man sighed, watched the sunset, picked up his bamboo basket, and left.
(End of Chapter)