Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 84: Challenge Match

'Celestial Demon…'

Muttering the word to himself, Zhou Yuanjue considered what he had seen and found the name a perfect fit for the anomalous spiritual entity's traits.

Celestial Demons were formless beings that sowed chaos in the mind and obstructed one's Cultivation. Legend had it that when the Buddha was on the verge of enlightenment, Celestial Demons came to assail him. He only achieved true Buddhahood after vanquishing them with his supreme, perfect enlightenment.

"As things stand, not many Celestial Demons have appeared. The conditions for creating a Symbiont are incredibly strict, making them even rarer. We were actually quite surprised to see two of them show up at once."

"They were likely Symbionts from some foreign organization. In their quest to study the knowledge and mysteries hidden within the Celestial Demons, some groups are known to use physically powerful, strong-willed Martial Artists for human experimentation. Their purpose in coming here was probably related to that. After all, there's likely nowhere else in the world with a higher concentration of powerful Martial Artists than right here."

"After this incident, we will be strengthening security in the Southern Boxing Three Capitals to prevent this from happening to you again. However, if you do encounter those guys again, I suggest a tactical retreat. Clashing with them head-on without knowing their specific abilities is not a wise choice."

"Alright, that's all the information I can give you. As for the rest, we can only discuss it after you've achieved Saint Awakening and gained a higher level of clearance. Also, I hope you won't spread this information. After all, some of these things sound arcane and unbelievable. If word gets out, it could easily cause unnecessary panic and might even shake the resolve of certain individuals."

As he said this, Lu Zhen's expression turned grave.

Zhou Yuanjue nodded, understanding what Lu Zhen meant.

By merging with a Celestial Demon to become a Symbiont, a person could easily obtain power comparable to the most elite Martial Artists below the level of Saint Awakening. In fact, because of their special abilities, their strength might even surpass those elites.

For Martial Artists who had trained painstakingly for over a decade only to hit a bottleneck, this was a world-shattering revelation. If word got out, it was impossible to say how many people's will and determination would be shaken.

After all, not every Martial Artist was as resolute as he was.

When a shortcut to instant, heaven-reaching power was laid out before them, how many could possibly resist such a temptation?

"Well then, I won't disturb you any longer. We still have a lot of loose ends to tie up from this incident. Those two escaped Celestial Demons… although they've been 'processed' and are relatively less dangerous, we still need to capture them as soon as possible. Otherwise, it could cause major trouble. If you see or hear anything, be sure to contact me immediately."

Lu Zhen stood, handed Zhou Yuanjue a personal card, and then turned and walked out of the hospital room.

Watching Lu Zhen's retreating figure, Zhou Yuanjue was lost in thought.

He could sense that this man, Lu Zhen, was far from ordinary. There was a familiar aura about him, one that was strikingly similar to the two he had killed the previous night.

'If I'm not mistaken, this guy is also in symbiosis with a 'Celestial Demon'.'

'This world is getting more and more interesting.'

Zhou Yuanjue toyed with the card in his hand, a slight smile touching his lips.

CLICK!

Just then, the door to the hospital room opened again, and Li Qingxuan walked in carrying a tray of food.

"All done talking?"

Li Qingxuan placed the food on Zhou Yuanjue's bedside table and asked casually.

Zhou Yuanjue nodded.

"I have some news you'll definitely be interested in."

"The first challenge match of the tournament is happening tonight."

Li Qingxuan said with a mysterious air.

Seeing the interested look that appeared on Zhou Yuanjue's face, she smiled and continued,

"The defender is Dong Wanming of the Holy Heart Sect from Shuntian City, one of the Southern Eight Sects."

"The challenger is Feimura Masayuki of the Divine Thought New Yin Style from Tianhe Country."

...

...

「Shuntian City. De'an District. Mingguang Manor.」

It was high noon, and the sun hung at its zenith.

In the center of Mingguang Manor stood a nine-tiered circular platform. A tall figure in a white Martial Arts Uniform was seated cross-legged upon it.

The scorching summer sun beat down on him, making the white platform beneath him shimmer faintly from the reflection.

The figure on the high platform tilted his head back, his calm eyes gazing directly at the midday sun.

Eyes wide open, staring straight into the blazing star.

Ten minutes passed. He hadn't blinked once and showed no signs of discomfort. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the sunlight.

This man was Dong Wanming of the Holy Heart Sect.

"Senior Brother, the arrangements from the arena are in. They're planning to schedule the challenge match as the final bout in Arena Nine. They're asking if you want to make any changes."

Just then, a young disciple in the white Martial Arts Uniform of the Holy Heart Sect walked over. He had a youthful, rosy-cheeked face and looked to be only eleven or twelve. He spoke softly, his eyes filled with reverence as he gazed at the figure on the high platform.

Hearing this, Dong Wanming retracted his gaze from the sun, closed his eyes, and slowly lowered his head.

When he opened his eyes again, the young Holy Heart Sect disciple felt a sharp sting in his very soul. In that instant, he felt those eyes were even brighter than the midday sun overhead.

THUMP THUMP THUMP!!

The young disciple's face paled under that gaze. He staggered back several steps, his legs went soft, and he lost his balance, toppling backward.

THUD!

But he had only fallen halfway when a pair of large, steady hands caught him. He focused his eyes and saw a towering figure beside him, blocking out the sun and casting him in shadow.

Dong Wanming, who just a moment ago had been sitting cross-legged on the ten-meter-high platform, had appeared silently by his side.

"As long as they've made the arrangements, it's fine. You don't need to ask me."

Dong Wanming ruffled the young disciple's head, messing his soft hair into a bird's nest. Then, he curled a finger and flicked him on the forehead with a loud "THWACK!"

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!!"

The young disciple instantly clutched his red, swelling forehead, tears welling in his eyes from the pain.

"Don't interrupt me when I'm training."

Dong Wanming smiled as he looked at the young disciple's miserable expression.

"I know…"

The young disciple mumbled tearfully, rubbing his forehead as he trailed after Dong Wanming.

"Senior Brother, isn't our Holy Heart Sect most famous for its Assassination Fist? So how come ever since I joined, everything we practice is so open and honorable? The Heart Technique we cultivate is the 'Holy Heart Bright Light Realm,' we have to train our minds by staring at the sun at noon, and we even spend half our time reciting the Scriptures of the Saints and Sages… 'To ordain the heart of Heaven and Earth, to secure the fate of the common people, to continue the lost teachings of past sages…' It's making my head spin! My neighbor, Xiaoyue, doesn't have it this tough at school."

The young disciple seemed to have a naturally cheerful disposition. Despite the large lump swelling on his forehead, he quickly forgot about it and began pestering Dong Wanming with one question after another.

"And why is that? Can't Assassination Fist be open and honorable?"

Dong Wanming stopped walking and said, looking down at the young disciple with a grin.