Chapter 77: Martial Arts Become Techniques

Chapter 77: Martial Arts Attain Mastery

By the time Li Jun woke up in the supervisor's apartment arranged by Shudao Logistics, it was already the evening of the next day.

He shook his still groggy head, rose to pour himself a glass of water, and stood by the window, his upper body bare.

By now, the sky outside had darkened; dazzling lights flickered on in succession, and a dazzling array of holographic projections rose into the air, looming over the heads of all living beings.

Sedan chairs and automobiles vied for the road; lanterns and diodes still contended for brilliance.

First-class citizens clad in Ming attire strode boldly down the center of the walkways, while foreigners in barbarian garb shrank to the sides.

Mighty slaves drove the yellow steeds with bio-chips; fierce handmaids upheld the azure canopy with metal prosthetics. Fully armed guards vigilantly scrutinized every unfamiliar face.

Gazing at the prosperous and bustling nightscape before him, Li Jun, who had just crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, couldn't help but stare blankly, a sudden sense of dislocation rising in his heart.

In the depths of his chestnut eyes, images flashed rapidly like a revolving lantern.

The old mansion, the full moon, dead bodies, fresh blood.

Pitch-black muzzles, scorching muzzle flashes, severed prosthetics, treacherous hearts; a street engulfed in raging flames, wherein several figures sat or stood.

Li Jun's gaze passed through them like a through-draft. Suddenly looking back, he saw those faces clearly: Yang Huchou, who faced death generously, leaving a chance for his clan to rise.

Yang Baize, who declared his aspirations aloud, setting a grand ambition to change the world.

Shi Chengfeng, standing with a saber, shaped like a man-ape.

Wu Jinfeng, clad in brocade robes, with arrogance soaring to the heavens.

These faces flashed and vanished, then slowly shattered, dissipating on the wind.

Li Jun's gaze continued to rise with the wind, finally returning to the prosperous and clamorous nightscape of Qiyang District.

Click... click... The sound of a copper lock rattling rang incessantly in his mind.

Clearly, this was not his first time breaking the lock to advance in sequence, but this time the palpitation in Li Jun's heart was more intense than ever before.

Martial Seven—it was likely an extremely important watershed in the Martial Dao sequence.

After learning from Lord Ma that the Martial Dao sequence had once ridden roughshod over the other sequences, lording it over them, Li Jun's premonition grew even stronger.

Before this, Li Jun had actually always harbored a doubt.

Clearly, in this Great Ming Empire where he resided, individual technological development had already reached a very high level, so why did the Martial Dao sequence still cling stubbornly to pure flesh and blood?

Bionic flesh, mechanical prosthetics, bio-chips, even a "Yellow Millet Dream" similar to the internet—all had already penetrated thousands of households.

All manner of firearms were in no way inferior to those of his previous life.

Although missiles, nuclear weapons, fighter jets, and such weapons of mass destruction had not been born, the application of technology by the followers of the major sequences was even more astonishing.

The Bing Dao replaced hearts with "Mechanical Hearts," achieving various bizarre abilities through resonance.

The Mohists could forge exoskeleton armor and cultivate artificial instrument spirits similar to AI.

The Daoist Gate played with neural flying swords and engraved talismans.

Buddhism, by constructing Buddhist Pagoda Mainframes to build the "Yellow Millet Buddha Land," downloaded consciousness to achieve reincarnation, and could even use hypnotic technology to manifest the Buddha Land into reality.

The abilities of every sequence were assisted by technology; only his own Martial Dao sequence relied forever on the most primitive sabers, swords, fists, and feet.

Even the sole Martial Arts Injector with technological content was developed with the help of the Mohists, who couldn't bear to see the Martial Dao perish.

Li Jun found it hard to imagine: before the Martial Arts Injector appeared, did those predecessor martial men really just slowly grind out the Martial Dao with every punch and kick?

Such grinding effort that often cost ten or twenty years, the final result of which might not even compare to someone spending money on surgery to swap for a full body of mechanical prosthetics—on what grounds could the Martial Dao sequence suppress the other sequences?

But now Li Jun faintly understood; the reason likely lay in Martial Arts Attaining Mastery!

After each of Li Jun's Grade Eight martial arts broke through to Great Perfection, they all produced some special changes.

The battlefield baleful qi in the Po Lu Saber that could corrode machinery, the instant explosive power provided by the Yue Yuan Step.

What shocked Li Jun even more was the regenerative ability formed by the Qing Di Art and the Golden Bell Shield.

He reached out to touch his abdomen; the through-and-through bloody hole under the gauze had already mostly healed.

You must know, it had only been a single night!

And these abilities would likely undergo a qualitative leap after Li Jun advanced to Sequence Seven.

A sequence is merely a manifestation of genes; the potential of Martial Dao genes was far greater than Li Jun had imagined.

Drip!

A light sound like a water droplet interrupted Li Jun's thoughts; the sound came from the wrist guard he had tossed aside.

A message had arrived.

The operation of this external communication device was not much different from a mobile phone; Li Jun swiped it open familiarly, and the avatar in the popped-up message box was a bewitchingly beautiful mature woman.

The note read: Du Shisan'niang of the Teaching Workshop.

Skipping the large pile of tender endearments at the front, the main point of Du Shisan'niang's message was that tonight Gu Yong was hosting a banquet at the Teaching Workshop, inviting Li Jun to attend.

"How long has it been since I rested? I still feel exhausted myself, yet that bastard Gu Yong is already off frequenting the pleasure quarters?"

Looking at the smiling face left at the end of Du Shisan'niang's text, the expression on Li Jun's face couldn't help but turn a few degrees graver.

Tonight would likely be another vicious battle.

But then, we martial men—what is there to fear in a fight?!

Li Jun downed the water in his cup in one gulp, grabbed a short, round-necked thin shirt and pulled it on, striding out the door.

In the suddenly quiet room, on the almanac hanging by the door, a heavenly horse was galloping wildly at this moment.

The 4th day of the 3rd month, 11th year of Jiaqi; suitable for nothing, suitable for plugging holes.

It was still that familiar exquisite courtyard, but the signboard hanging at the gate had changed from "Spring River Flower Moon Night" to "Today Passed the Imperial Exam."

The courtyard was everywhere decked with lanterns and colorful banners; festive red lanterns hung under the eaves, the red light they emitted seeping with a decadent, licentious lust.

The moment Li Jun stepped into the courtyard, he saw Gu Yong with his head lowered, letting someone pour Five Mineral Powder into his brain-machine.

However, the one serving him this time was not Du Shisan'niang.

Gu Yong raised his head, his face full of comfortable satisfaction, and teased Li Jun: "Ever since Shisan'niang met you last time, she's gotten a taste for it and can't forget it; now she's unwilling to serve anyone else."

Du Shisan'niang's face flushed crimson, her voice seeming both coquettish and resentful: "Look at what you're saying, Young Master Yong; isn't it because you specifically instructed me to serve Supervisor Li wholeheartedly? And now you come to blame me."

A gust of fragrance rushed into his nostrils; Li Jun didn't flinch either, generously extending his arm to pull the soft body leaning against him into his embrace.

Gu Yong tugged at his collar, dispersing the heat while laughing: "Why still call him Supervisor? Now he should be called Department Head."

"Department Head?!" Du Shisan'niang cried out in a delicate voice, her beautiful eyes instantly flashing with brilliant colors as she looked at Li Jun.

"Many thanks for Young Master Yong's promotion."

Li Jun's expression appeared quite calm; he merely thanked Gu Yong lightly.

There was really nothing to be happy about; the entire Security Department had lost almost all its living personnel, even the supervisors were reduced to just him alone.

It was merely a Department Head in name only, a bare-bones commander; whether he held the post or not made no difference.