Chapter 294: Old Memories

Chapter 294: Old Memories

“Do I look like someone who’s sick?”

Qi Yuan was speechless.

The people in this world seemed to have below-average intelligence, and they were also nearsighted.

With his appearance, he clearly looked like a genius—where was the mental illness?

Yang Shan glanced at Qi Yuan and nodded seriously: “Yes and no.”

If he truly had a mental illness, how could he possess such talent in martial arts?

He had only moved here a week ago, yet he had watched Qi Yuan improve with his own eyes.

Such speed, even among the martial prodigies he knew, could be considered fast.

“What do you think of the talent technique? Any insights?” Yang Shan changed the subject, returning to business.

He had to admit that he valued this young man, Qi Yuan, quite a bit, as if seeing his former self.

Though, he himself was not yet forty.

Seeing Yang Shan’s words, Qi Yuan lowered his head in thought, recalling the scene just now.

Yang Shan noticed this and a smile appeared in his eyes: “When I first saw the talent technique, I was also amazed, thinking it was mysterious, even offering a chance to step into the extraordinary… What a pity…”

Yang Shan’s voice carried a tone of nostalgia for the past.

The talent technique only seemed mysterious, but under the scrutiny of science, it was actually… just that.

Of course, it was very effective at fooling someone like Qi Yuan, who wasn’t even a martial artist yet.

“The core of the talent technique… should be bloodline, right?” At this moment, Qi Yuan lifted his head, looking at Yang Shan with a serious expression.

Yang Shan was stunned, his heart shaking violently.

“How do you know?”

An expression of disbelief appeared on his face.

Since retiring, this was the first time he had lost his composure like this.

It was because Qi Yuan’s answer was far beyond his expectations.

Research on the talent technique had never ceased from ancient times to the present.

Unfortunately, after so many years of study, no conclusion had been reached.

Instead, various heresies and cults had emerged.

The peak martial artists of the current world had united, spending enormous funds, manpower, and force, only to unveil a corner of the talent technique’s mysterious veil.

As a peak martial artist, he had also participated in the research on the talent technique.

Among the latest findings, the talent technique might be related to blood.

To be honest, when he learned this conclusion, Yang Shan was startled.

Martial arts… how could it be related to blood, which seemed utterly irrelevant?

The circle of peak martial artists at the time was shaken.

Of course, this shock was limited to that small circle.

This matter had never been leaked.

Qi Yuan was merely an ordinary orphan of a martyr—there was no way he could know about this.

How did Qi Yuan find out?

He couldn’t help but wonder.

“I saw it,” Qi Yuan said casually.

“Saw it?” Yang Shan looked skeptical, as if he didn’t quite believe Qi Yuan’s words.

“When you used the talent technique, your blood slightly boiled,” Qi Yuan said with a smile. “My eyesight is very good; I’m not nearsighted.”

“Slightly boiled?” Yang Shan chewed on Qi Yuan’s words.

This slight boiling might not just be blood.

When he unleashed the Thunder Palm, his whole body boiled, not just his blood.

Why did Qi Yuan specifically mention blood?

Was it a coincidence… or talent?

Many thoughts flashed through his mind.

If it was a coincidence, that was fine; if it was talent… that would be too terrifying.

It meant Qi Yuan was extremely suited for martial arts.

He might even have the chance to step into the peak of martial arts, becoming one of the strongest in the martial world.

Though… still inferior to those who took advanced gene potions, it was still terrifying.

“The talent technique is executed when blood reaches a certain frequency of boiling—indeed… it touches a bit on the extraordinary,” Qi Yuan asserted.

He had already understood why martial arts on Archstar were weak.

Because the bloodline was too diluted.

For example, when Yang Shan used the Thunder Palm just now, his blood boiled too little.

“Do you know how to break the martial limit?” Qi Yuan asked Yang Shan.

“No, if I did, I wouldn’t be stuck here. Do you, who isn’t even a martial artist, know?” Yang Shan became interested.

He looked at Qi Yuan with a different gaze.

If before, he saw Qi Yuan as a genius with extraordinary talent, now he felt… different.

“To break the martial limit, you need to acknowledge your father,” Qi Yuan said earnestly, sharing his insight. “Martial arts on Archstar might as well be called bloodline martial arts. If your father breaks the martial limit and reaches a higher realm, then… your bloodline will also undergo a leap, and your martial potential and strength will improve.”

Yang Shan pondered, frowning, and after a long while said: “What you said… I kind of understand.”

This kind of inference had also circulated among the circle of peak martial artists.

Most believed that the ancients were powerful because their bloodlines were rich.

The moderns were weak because some bloodlines were thin.

Of course, this was just a speculation, not a conclusion.

“But I can’t even break the martial limit myself… let alone my father? Though I’d love to lie back and let my father work hard, this is undoubtedly a fantasy!” Yang Shan said seriously.

His father’s martial talent was even worse than his own.

The pinnacle martial artists of this world, even those most hopeful of breaking through the ultimate limit of martial arts, would not dare claim with certainty that they would succeed.

“That’s simple—just call me your father. When I break through, your bloodline might also undergo a leap, and you’ll break the martial limit!”

“Get lost!”

Yang Shan was furious.

Qi Yuan just smiled: “Seems your resolve to break the martial limit isn’t strong enough.

I’ve just had some insights, so I’m heading back to refine my techniques. Bye.”

With that, Qi Yuan left directly.

Yang Shan watched Qi Yuan’s retreating figure, his gaze profoundly complex: “Could he… truly be a genius?

No, he’s sick!

Even if I called him father, even if he broke the martial limit, my bloodline wouldn’t leap—because we have no blood relation at all!”

Yang Shan felt he had been fooled by Qi Yuan’s twisted logic.

Calling him father was out of the question.

And besides… was the martial limit so easy to break?

From ancient times to the present, how many dazzling martial geniuses had appeared, yet none had ever shattered that limit?

Something occurred to him, and he sent a message to an old friend.

“I’ve encountered a true martial genius. His talent far surpasses even mine in my youth!”

“Oh, such a fine seedling. When do you plan to take him as your disciple?” came the swift reply.

“Forget taking disciples. The grudges of the past are done; I don’t want to stir up more conflict.” Yang Shan sent the message, then continued with a voice note: “This martial genius, after watching me perform my innate technique just once, deduced that… the innate technique might be linked to bloodline boiling.”

“What? How did he know? A genius like that exists!” The other’s voice cracked slightly, betraying excitement.

“Not only that, he also pointed out a path to break the martial limit. I’ve thought it over carefully, and… that path seems feasible.”

“You… you’re not making this up, are you?

Breaking the martial limit, proposed by a newcomer—how is that possible!”

The voice was thick with disbelief.

Such astonishment was no different from, on Blue Star, a junior college student achieving nuclear fusion just to upgrade their degree.

“It’s only theoretically feasible; it needs verification. Care to test it with me?” A faint smile curled at the corner of Yang Shan’s mouth.

“How do we test it?” “You call me your father. Once I break the martial limit, your bloodline will leap too.” After all that buildup, Yang Shan finally revealed his hand.

About a minute later, the other sent a sixty-second voice message.

Yang Shan didn’t need to open it to know it was laden with profanity.

“There’s actually some logic to it—that young friend told me.” Yang Shan recounted the day’s conversation with Qi Yuan to his old friend.

“Even if it works, why should I call you father instead of you calling me father!”

“Because my martial talent surpasses yours, giving me a better chance to break the limit!” Yang Shan’s smile was radiant.

“Right, you have talent—greater martial talent than me, greater flirting talent than me. You’re good at tricking women into bed.

Whenever you message a female friend, she says she’s going to sleep and will talk tomorrow.”

“Get lost!” Yang Shan’s face flushed slightly. “Still better than you, back when you left bad reviews on every food delivery order just to confess to Wang Yan.”

That old friend of Yang Shan’s had been quite a character in his youth.

He once obsessively ordered takeout near the school, immediately leaving bad reviews—each one a confession to Wang Yan.

That outrageous stunt shook the entire school.

Wang Yan was utterly humiliated.

Of course, Yang Shan knew it was an old grudge between his friend and Wang Yan from their younger days; now it seemed trivial.

“In less than three months, the Tianyue City Martial Arts Tournament will begin. Should I come take a look and meet this martial genius you speak of?

Though his words are absurd… there might be some truth to them.”

Joking aside, when it came to breaking the martial limit, that old friend was serious.

After all, their circle existed solely to shatter that limit.

“Alright, I’ll bring you to meet him then.

And don’t think about taking him as a disciple—I don’t want to drag him into our circle.”

“What, are you afraid of the Guiran people?”

Yang Shan was silent for a moment: “I’m not afraid, just… disgusted.”

The Guiran people were the dominant ethnic group of the Wugui Kingdom.

That nation was a theocratic polity.

The religious leader was the true ruler of the country.

The conflict between the Guiran and the Qinyuan Kingdom had existed since the last century.

One could say the Guiran were the greatest pawn of the Guwu Kingdom in attacking Qinyuan.

On Gongxing, Qinyuan and Guwu were the world’s two poles.

Thus, the Guiran were the mad dogs of Guwu.

The Guiran frequently waged wars and massacred civilians.

Back then, Yang Shan’s circle of peak martial artists received an order from higher-ups.

To hunt… a priest of the Guiran.

Due to venue restrictions, gene warriors couldn’t enter, so peak martial artists like them were needed.

At the time, Yang Shan and his group succeeded in killing that priest.

But that enraged the Guiran completely.

Guiran assassins and fanatics launched relentless suicide attacks to harass Yang Shan and his comrades.

Yang Shan himself suffered severe injuries in that mission and chose to retire.

Yet the enmity with the Guiran persisted.

Thus, he didn’t want to involve Qi Yuan.

After all, even if Qi Yuan broke the martial limit, could he match the Guiran’s gene warriors?

Consider this: while Qinyuan and Guwu still cared about appearances, preaching fairness, freedom, and democracy to the people,

Wugui didn’t even bother to pretend.

Their gene warriors were even more frenzied, inflicting greater damage on the human body—but obviously, their power was also greater.

Hence, the Guiran’s gene warriors… were terrifying.

They truly had no regard for their own lives.

“The Guiran people are truly disgusting, but what can be done?” The other person chuckled, a note of helplessness in their voice.

We are all adults, knowing that the world’s pitch does not bend to our whims or will.

Even now, with slavery still unabolished in Guiran, and human life treated like grass, they still live with abandon.

“What’s most revolting is that the Holy Son of Wugui married a general’s daughter from Canxing!” At this mention, Yangshan’s eyes showed a rare flicker of fear.

That is Canxing!

Canxing’s technology far surpasses that of Gongxing.

It could be said that Gongxing’s technological development owes much to Canxing.

Without Canxing’s bloody suppression back then, Gongxing would not have seen its rapid technological surge today.

Yangshan’s grandfather died on Canxing while carrying out a mission.

Toward Canxing, he felt both fear and rage.

Wugui’s alliance with Canxing is one of the pillars of their audacity.

As for the former enemy Canxing, the two poles of the world today rarely preach hostility or hatred, instead promoting peaceful coexistence.

Because of this, many rumors circulate on Gongxing.

The most widespread is that the high echelons of Qinyuan and Guwu have long been under Canxing’s control.

Of course, to Yangshan, these are nothing but nonsense.

The high echelons remain the same.

…

“Innate martial skill…”

In the room, Qiyuan pondered his own innate martial skill.

“The innate martial skill most deeply tied to bloodline is the one best suited to me, and the most powerful.”

Qiyuan’s eyes could perceive information gaps, and he was a mighty cultivator who had slain a sun god.

His insight far surpassed ordinary people.

Though he had only seen Yangshan perform the innate martial skill once, his understanding of it already exceeded everyone else’s.

“So… the innate martial skill of this body’s bloodline progenitor is the most fitting for me, and the most powerful!”

A sharp glint flashed in Qiyuan’s eyes.

He stared at his own blood, as if piercing through the ages.

He saw a mutated sea monster roaming the ocean.

He saw a drop of blood falling from the sky.

Suddenly, his mind cleared, and everything became brilliantly illuminated.

“Explosive Slaughter Bird Fist!”

A gleam of light shot through Qiyuan’s pupils.

He kept deducing, as if receiving memories inherited through blood.

The innate martial skill took shape in that moment.

“This name… is far too lowbrow.”

Looking at the formed innate martial skill, Qiyuan was quite speechless.

The name’s style was too cheap.

It wasn’t even as good as his own naming ability.

“It seems my ancestor… had poor cultural literacy, and might have particularly hated birds.

Otherwise, why would the awakened innate martial skill be called Explosive Slaughter Bird Fist?”

Qiyuan shrugged.

He casually performed the innate martial skill, then frowned.

“Not might—he definitely hated birds.”

This Explosive Slaughter Bird Fist looked just like a cat catching sparrows.

Not explosive at all.

ps: One more chapter, around three or four o’clock.

(End of this chapter)