Chapter Seven: The Solitude of a Master
On the mountainside behind the sect.
The evening breeze gently brushed through the hair of the young man and maiden, causing their blue-and-white robes to flutter and casting a vibrant glow upon their spirited faces.
Little Junior Sister Yan Wanrou, when questioned by Wang Ran, blushed even deeper, though that sudden, overwhelming feeling in her heart seemed to have faded considerably, for reasons she could not comprehend.
She was unaware that her earlier infatuation with Wang Ran was due to the system’s automatic defense function—maxed-out charisma—activated when Wang Ran was unconscious. Any cultivator below the Golden Core stage could not harbor even a shred of malice toward him; regardless of gender, they would inevitably find themselves drawn to him, idolize him, and feel a spontaneous sense of warmth and affection.
Now that Wang Ran had awoken, this function naturally faded away.
Still, in the budding heart of the Junior Sister, Wang Ran had already left an indelible mark.
As for Wang Ran, he was completely bewildered.
Why was his junior sister here?
He stared, still trying to piece things together, when a flurry of notifications from the system interrupted his thoughts.
“Ding! Congratulations, host Wang Ran, for successfully learning ‘Diamond-Glazed Body.’ Current mastery: Initiate.”
“Ding! Congratulations, host Wang Ran, for achieving physical Foundation Establishment. Reward: one Mystery Chest.”
The two notifications in quick succession pulled Wang Ran’s mind away from pondering his junior sister.
What?
He had achieved Foundation Establishment?
Wang Ran looked down at his hands. Outwardly, they appeared no different from before—fair and delicate, like the pampered son of a wealthy family in the mortal world. But only he knew how much power now resided in these hands that seemed incapable of even harming a chicken!
He took a deep breath, sensing his cultivation. His spiritual realm was unchanged—still at the peak of Qi Condensation. Only his physical body had broken through to Foundation Establishment.
He opened his personal information panel.
Host: Wang Ran
Realm: Peak Qi Condensation
Physical Body: Foundation Establishment, Level 2
Dao Technique: Diamond-Glazed Body (Initiate)
Path Points: Five
Romantic Luck: One
Though he’d spent ten Path Points, Wang Ran felt no regret whatsoever. Gaining the Diamond-Glazed Body technique was an absolute bargain!
The Diamond-Glazed Body, worthy of being a Heaven-grade combat art, was terrifying beyond compare. Even at the entry level, his body had directly reached the second stage of Foundation Establishment.
He then consulted the system for details on cultivating the technique. While the system allowed him to obtain various Dao arts through draws, it only provided initial guidance. How far he advanced would depend entirely on his own dedication.
The system would not carry him to mastery. As the saying goes, a master can only lead the way; cultivation is up to the individual. At best, the system was half a teacher. How Wang Ran wielded his Dao arts depended on his own will.
If his heart was truly set on the Dao, the power would be boundless.
Therefore, Wang Ran’s progress in the Diamond-Glazed Body from now on would be his own responsibility.
Wang Ran clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within. If entry-level could grant such strength, what would it be like to attain mastery, morphing into a towering giant, nine zhang and nine chi tall, whose single punch could shatter mountains and overturn seas?
He was itching to try. Should he encounter assassins like those from yesterday, Wang Ran was now fully confident he could confront them head-on without relying on system-drawn grenades for escape.
“Senior Brother, are you alright?”
Yan Wanrou, seeing Wang Ran silent with lowered head, worried he’d become dazed from sleep and called out.
Wang Ran looked up with a gentle smile. “I’m fine. But what brings you to this remote part of the back mountain, Junior Sister?”
Her cheeks flushed again. She couldn’t possibly admit she’d come just to see her Senior Brother. No girl would say such a thing out loud!
Yan Wanrou pouted shyly, twisting her fingers, leaving Wang Ran utterly confused.
Just then, a sudden flurry of wind rustled through the nearby bamboo grove. Wang Ran, his senses now sharp thanks to his Foundation-strengthened body, instinctively looked up. Not far down the path stood three burly men in black.
Recognizing their aura, Wang Ran instantly realized that the leader was the very assassin who’d tried to kill him yesterday.
So they had really come, and even brought reinforcements!
Yet now, even without relying on items, Wang Ran’s body alone was more than enough to deal with them.
Across the way, the three enforcers exchanged glances.
“Big Brother, is it this kid?”
“That’s right, it’s him. He has a powerful hidden weapon—be on your guard.”
“Hmph, he’s only at peak Qi Condensation. Can he really be that formidable?”
“Are you saying Fourth Brother’s death was fake? If you don’t believe it, go and test him yourself!”
They whispered among themselves. Zhuque, the leader, remained cautious, but his two companions were skeptical.
Because Wang Ran’s Foundation-level body concealed its aura, outsiders could only sense his spiritual cultivation and not his physical strength—unless a mighty cultivator was present to see through the disguise.
Seeing the assassin with the chick tattoo on his arm daring to bring backup, Wang Ran’s expression turned cold. “How dare you! Have you forgotten the terror that comes from grenades?”
His words rang out with confidence and authority. Zhuque’s face instantly paled as memories of the grenade’s devastation flashed through his mind, sending cold sweat down his back.
“Ding! Congratulations, host, for causing a moderate psychological shock to the black-clad assassin. Reward: two Path Points!”
Wang Ran kept his expression calm. Clearly, this man was truly terrified.
Zhuque was indeed nervous. The might of the grenade still haunted him, but having come this far, he felt he had no choice but to go on.
While Zhuque hesitated, his two companions could no longer restrain themselves.
They simply refused to believe that a mere peak Qi Condensation cultivator could kill a Foundation Establishment expert in a single move. After sizing up Wang Ran, they could not resist launching their attack.
“A mere Qi Condensation weakling dares talk big? Taste my sword!”
Yet as the two men charged with murderous intent, Wang Ran merely snorted, leapt atop a massive boulder, and flicked his sleeves, standing with hands behind his back.
He didn’t spare them a glance, instead narrowing his eyes at the night sky, as if the two before him were beneath his notice.
Zhuque, ever cautious, was alarmed by this display and quickly called out, “Second Brother, Third Brother, beware—there may be a trap!”
At his shout, the two halted, eyeing Wang Ran warily.
Wang Ran gazed at the stars, as if lost in reminiscence, his eyes sometimes wistful, sometimes cold, full of unspoken complexity. At last, he sighed softly.
“When autumn comes, the eighth of September, after my blossoms bloom, all other flowers wither. Their fragrance soars to the capital, and the city is clad in golden armor…”
Everyone present was stunned.
What a poem!
A verse brimming with murderous intent!
But what was the meaning of this display?
As confusion and suspicion grew, Wang Ran continued, “Once, I rode to war, sword reaping a million souls, and long ago swore never to kill again. Yet today, I must break that vow.”
“…So be it. It is fate. Since you have come today, none of you will leave!”
With the air of a lonely master, Wang Ran’s blue-and-white robe billowed in the mountain breeze, his presence towering, as though he truly were a peerless expert.
Everyone present was awestruck. Little Junior Sister Yan Wanrou’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
“Ding! Congratulations, host Wang Ran, for causing a powerful psychological shock to the black-clad assassin. Reward: three Path Points!”
“Ding! Congratulations, host Wang Ran, for causing a powerful psychological shock to the black-clad assassin. Reward: three Path Points!”
“Ding! Congratulations, host Wang Ran, for causing a powerful psychological shock to Junior Sister Yan Wanrou. Reward: three Path Points!”
“…”
Hearing the notifications in his mind, a barely perceptible smile flickered across Wang Ran’s lonely master’s face.