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After a great battle, Jian Bozan exclaimed with satisfaction. His recognition of Fang Lin Kong's strength made the other seven commanders treat him with greater warmth. During their casual conversation, Fang Lin Kong mentioned the World's Greatest Martial General Conference, to which Lie Chixia immediately laughed and said, "Our Red Army will also send young masters to participate anonymously. Such an event is an honor for us martial artists. It's just a pity that I gained fame too early and ended up with the title of the Red Army's chief. Even if I appeared in the outskirts of Eastern Capital City, I would be chased by tens of thousands, let alone show my face at such a public gathering."
Fang Lin Kong casually asked about notable figures from recent years, prompting several Red Army commanders to eagerly discuss their past glories. They had once been prominent figures themselves, and among them, the commander of the Eighth Division had even secured second place at the World's Greatest Martial General Conference. Unfortunately, that year saw the emergence of a prodigy from the Moon Di Clan, Heavenly King Gongbu. After a fierce struggle lasting a day and night, he narrowly lost by a single move.
As Lie Chixia introduced everyone to Fang Lin Kong, Eighth Division Commander Fang Wenxing merely smiled faintly, remaining very low-key. When others recounted his glorious past, Fang Wenxing did not interject or make any comments, appearing very humble and modest. This left Fang Lin Kong with a good impression of him and he curiously asked, "That conference was decades ago; after years of hard training, does Commander Fang have confidence in facing Heavenly King Gongbu again?"
Upon hearing this question from Fang Lin Kong, Jian Bozan burst into laughter and said, "Mr. Ember is asking a silly question. Young Fang back then was quite temperamental; losing to Heavenly King Gongbu left him very unwilling. His martial skills are not inferior to Heavenly King Gongbu's; it's just that he was from the Moon Di Royal Family and wielded the Azure Dragon Tooth, crafted by the master weapon smith Gibraltar himself. Its power far exceeds that of Young Fang's shabby sword bought for fifty copper coins. Young Fang was young and impulsive; feeling frustrated, he stormed into Master Gibraltar's weapon factory and stole a weapon. The next day he went to Heavenly King Gongbu's residence and killed him within a hundred moves. After that, he was wanted by the Lihan Empire and had no choice but to join our Red Army."
Fang Lin Kong listened with great interest and immediately raised a toast to Fang Wenxing. He said, "Commander Fang's temperament suits my taste perfectly. I have never had the chance to do something so exhilarating myself. I take pride in my weapon forging skills; if Commander Fang lacks weapons in the future, there's no need to steal—I would be willing to personally forge a Divine Weapon as a gift for you."
Upon hearing this from Fang Lin Kong, Fang Wenxing simply replied calmly, "Over the years on the battlefield, I've acquired plenty of weapons; I don't lack these broken pieces of metal."
Although turned down politely, Fang Lin Kong was not offended; he just smiled and said, "If Commander Fang looks down on my forging skills, I still want to show off some abilities. I wonder if Brother Jian Bozan would be willing to accept some trash?" Once this was said, Jian Bozan could not refuse without losing face for Fang Lin Kong and had to agree ambiguously. He thought to himself: "Although our Red Army is a rebel force, what kind of weapons haven't we seen? The two weapons you just revealed are nothing extraordinary. If yours are like that, what better quality could you possibly offer?"
The Red Army commanders present all knew that Jian Bozan didn't use weapons at all; they watched with smiles as they anticipated what treasure Fang Lin Kong would produce that could complement Jian Bozan's martial arts. Lie Chixia originally feared that Fang Lin Kong might feel slighted and harbor some resentment but didn't know how to advise him appropriately. At this moment, Fang Lin Kong took out a handful of soft red sand and handed it to Jian Bozan saying, "After seeing Commander Jian's skills, I knew this treasure would be most suitable. Ever since I refined this handful of soft red sand, I never expected it could align with certain martial arts; it was originally meant for guarding magical formations. It truly is quite a coincidence!"
Initially indifferent, Jian Bozan's expression changed upon seeing the handful of soft red sand offered by Fang Lin Kong. The powerful Wind Slash he practiced was formidable but shared a common flaw with Wind Element martial arts: its power lacked concentration. Against most enemies with weaker Confronted power levels, its might could be fully unleashed; however, against opponents with slightly higher Confronted power levels in one-on-one combat, it had fatal shortcomings. The soft red sand gifted by Fang Lin Kong radiated astonishing heat and was filled with malevolent energy. If he could cultivate it to align with his own true energy level, it would double the power of his Wind Slash and significantly enhance its lethality.
In Wind Element martial arts, treasures like this were highly compatible—this was common knowledge among practitioners on Earth. When wind mixed with sand and stones, it created sandstorms whose destructive power far exceeded that of ordinary hurricanes. With this gift from Fang Lin Kong, everyone present couldn't help but feel impressed.
Though on the surface their earlier fight seemed evenly matched, among these eight commanders Jian Bozan's strength was only average. While he acknowledged Fang Lin Kong's prowess, this recognition hadn't reached a level of mutual respect yet. Fang Lin Kong understood this well; thus he sought other ways to regain face and earn acknowledgment from these proud warriors.
Fire Saint Lie Chixia saw through Fang Lin Kong's intentions but chose not to expose them; he merely smiled in silence. After gifting Jian Bozan the soft red sand, Fang Lin Kong did not bring up anything else but instead cheerfully changed the subject without mentioning his offer to forge weapons for Fang Wenxing again. He thought: "You may have your pride; I won't let you have such good fortune today or in the future!"
Fang Wenxing initially looked down on Fang Lin Kong; in his eyes only those at the level of Four Saints were worthy of his respect. He wouldn't even consider those slightly less famous like Seven Sages as worthy opponents. Back then Heavenly King Gongbu shone like the sun in the sky wielding Azure Dragon Tooth against few rivals; even his own uncle Solar Sage praised Gongbu’s martial talent as surpassing his own—he would surely become the strongest expert of Moon Di Royal Family in time. Coming from Froda Religion himself as a low-ranking disciple added to his arrogance.
At Froda Religion’s main hall stood three stone tablets inscribed long ago by unknown individuals containing strange heart methods that even Kalan Saint—one of Four Saints—could not fully comprehend. Previous generations of Froda Religion leaders had attempted to understand these heart methods but failed miserably. One leader even left behind words in frustration: "Any disciple who joins Froda Religion may freely ponder over these heart methods; even those who are not disciples may openly observe these three stone tablets—but once they gain any insight they must pass it on to Flora Dam’s followers."
Fang Wenxing originally practiced Froda Religion’s secret Spell martial arts and advanced rapidly but accidentally injured a fellow disciple during an internal competition—the disciple happened to be the son of a great noble from Lihan Empire—prompting outrage from sect elders who promptly crippled his martial arts forcing him to start over again. Stubbornly determined when all his peers advanced in high-level martial arts while he had to begin anew from basic techniques—a mysterious figure suddenly appeared one day and casually guided him for several days helping him master the heart methods inscribed on those three stone tablets before vanishing as suddenly as he came.
His martial arts skyrocketed making him an unparalleled expert; eager for recognition at the World's Greatest Martial General Conference he indeed rose like a new star capturing everyone's attention there as well. In his final battle against Confronted Heavenly King Gongbu despite exerting all his effort until his weapon shattered he still couldn’t defeat Moon Di Royal Family’s genius—though others marveled at him he viewed it as an immense disgrace having once been humiliated by imperial nobles.
After killing Heavenly King Gongbu post-conference, Fang Wenxing fled Eastern Capital City gaining fame that even surpassed champions from subsequent editions of World's Greatest Martial General Conference.
With someone as proud as Fang Wenxing around even if Fang Lin Kong managed to change his unfavorable opinion it was impossible for him ever to seek out help from him later on—the rift formed during their first meeting remained unresolved for quite some time.
Once Fang Lin Kong left Red Army’s camp news arrived from Yamata no Orochi’s side regarding disturbances at Bagua Mountain Range which had drawn countless strong warriors’ attention across Gouli Continent after receiving communication from Fang Lin Kong following much deliberation Yamata no Orochi along with Banma reached a unanimous conclusion: there was no need to interfere in Wu Dong Shen’s battle against Nine-Headed Demon Dragon after all even if they concentrated all their efforts they couldn’t restrict Wu Dong Shen’s strength—and aiding Wu Dong Shen would go against everyone’s interests besides they couldn’t possibly command these monsters into risking their lives for someone so temperamental.
After all those monsters arriving at Gouli Continent weren’t from one singular nation—they had never been educated about sacrificing themselves for greater causes beyond comprehension.
Fang Lin Kong received a large quantity of Celestial Stones and materials for refining artifacts. Both Yamata no Orochi and Banma spent their time crafting treasures. Although the conditions in Gou Li World were rudimentary, the skills of the two were sufficient to compensate for the lack of tools. After staying at Banma's base for several days, Fang Lin Kong recalled his appointment with Dong Guo Xue and hurriedly set off for Eastern Capital Chang'an, but this time he was not alone. Among the Red Army, there were several young soldiers who greatly admired the World's Greatest Martial General Conference. After taking a leave of absence, Fire Saint Lie Chixia entrusted Fang Lin Kong to lead them to participate in this grand event.
Although this group of young Red Army warriors was quite impressive, it was still rare to find powerful martial artists capable of defying gravity. After leading these young Red Army soldiers on their journey, Fang Lin Kong assigned each of them a Unicorn Dragon as a mount. He also sent a message to the Four Seas Inn in Meiluo City to expedite the delivery of uniforms. The combat outfits were modeled after Super Saiyan attire, featuring a circular door-like design with two large characters for "Great Deity" emblazoned on the back. Additionally, Fang Lin Kong had hastily crafted a detector at Chaos Artisan Furnace, which resembled a device worn over one ear and covering one eye. It was almost a replica of a legendary elite special forces unit.
With over twenty subordinates suddenly at his command, Fang Lin Kong displayed considerable bravado along the way. Since traveling from the ground to Eastern Capital required passing through more than ten cities, Fang Lin Kong took it upon himself to promote the Celestial Gate as part of his mission, instructing these Red Army soldiers to post notices throughout every street and alley. The scope of the divine summoning technique had expanded from Eastern and Western mythology to include comic book characters and protagonists from Eastern fantasy literature.
According to Dungeons and Dragons rules, Fang Lin Kong categorized various potential divine summoning targets into levels ranging from zero to twenty based on their divinity. Initially skeptical of Fang Lin Kong's supernatural antics, these Red Army warriors gradually became convinced when they experienced firsthand how the divine summoning technique could enhance their abilities and even grant them certain extraordinary powers, thus becoming accomplices in his endeavors. With the most outstanding warriors among the Red Army serving as examples, the promotional effect was remarkable. After this grassroots campaign, the influence of the Celestial Gate began to spread from the remote Hainan Duke Province to most regions of the Lihan Empire. However, for Fang Lin Kong at this moment, the widespread promotion of the Celestial Gate was merely an entertaining game that would take decades to fully materialize.
Despite some delays along the way, when Fang Lin Kong finally arrived in Eastern Capital Chang'an, the World's Greatest Martial General Conference was officially underway.
After careful consideration, Dong Guo Xue felt that this stranger named Fang Lin Kong was not trustworthy enough; therefore, she did not wait at the tavern for another meeting with him. Furthermore, after Wu Dong Shen invaded Eastern Capital and killed three major experts—the Ice Snow Sorceress, Wind Knight Xiang Liangya, and Void Sage—the security in Chang'an had intensified far beyond previous levels. Her family elders had also placed her under house arrest.
Officially, it was reported that Martial Saint Li Canghai led the Four Sages to defeat the invading otherworldly beings. However, security measures in Eastern Capital continued to tighten. Many wandering martial artists arriving in Eastern Capital Chang'an expressed regret over missing such a significant battle opportunity; however, very few qualified individuals could participate in aerial combat.
When Fang Lin Kong entered Chang'an, he did not contact any underground operatives from the Red Army present there. Instead, he immediately invested heavily in purchasing a large trading company on the verge of bankruptcy and established a chain store of Four Seas Inn in Eastern Capital. Although Fang Lin Kong was eager to continue his journey and did not initially gather followers along the way, those who arrived later—including local believers—began to swell his ranks.
At this World's Greatest Martial General Conference, four individuals stood out prominently: Randal, Kalan Saint's Closed Door Disciple from Flordor God Sect; Qi Yinbing, a newly risen military general from the empire; Cui Sili, a wandering ranger who had recently returned from Southern Gouli Continent; and Dongguo Tianxia, hailed as the top young expert emerging in recent years.
Randal had never achieved any notable victories but gained significant attention simply because Kalan Saint described him as "the most talented disciple under my guidance." Kalan Saint's status was so elevated that his words were taken seriously regardless of whether they were about his own disciple or not. Thus, even before Randal made his debut in battle, he had already gained fame across the land.
Qi Yinbing's father was originally a low-ranking military officer in the empire. Following in his father's footsteps, he joined the military at a young age and earned merits by quelling rebellions throughout Lihan Empire and combating bandits while gradually rising through ranks. His martial skills advanced rapidly due to battlefield experience; he gained fame after killing the Legion Commander during an operation against Red Army's Ninth Legion and was regarded as a potential future military god.
Cui Sili's father was a maritime merchant who took him on numerous trips to Southern Gouli Continent. His background remained quite mysterious; during his time in Southern Gouli Continent, Cui Sili fought in over three hundred battles across various feudal states without ever suffering defeat. While his reputation wasn't particularly strong in Northern Gouli Continent yet, he was considered an invincible master in Southern Gouli Continent and had slain over ten ferocious beasts terrorizing local areas.
Dongguo Tianxia trained under Beast Clan Blade Saint Viro and was considered an elder brother figure among Lord of Melora City's disciples. Although he debuted later than others among Four Saints' disciples, he had recently gained immense popularity and seemed poised to surpass Tengu Zongyuan and others while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Seven Sages. Since entering martial arts practice, he had never lost a single duel or group battle; coupled with his eloquence and distinguished family background made him highly favored by noble ladies within Lihan Empire.
Fang Lin Kong gathered extensive information on potential opponents. At this moment, Jiugui Yuzhai along with Southern Fire also hurriedly arrived at Eastern Capital.
Having successfully tamed Winged Fire Serpent Spirit as an ally, Southern Fire's aura surged past two hundred thousand while mastering Flame Demon Blade and breaking through Celestial Transformation into its ninth transformation—embarking on a path toward strength. Under Fang Lin Kong's guidance, Jiugui Yuzhai underwent rigorous training administered by dozens of First Guard Brigade members until they finally pushed their internal energy to its limits and mastered what was known as Dunhuang Sword Technique—a swordsmanship style created by an entity who transitioned from photography into directing—pursuing dazzling visual effects with extravagant displays but lacking real lethality while consuming significant amounts of true energy; it could be said that it showcased grandiosity yet bore many flaws. However, anyone encountering Dunhuang Sword Technique for the first time would be awestruck by its flamboyant yet flawed swordplay often leading them into defeat due to confusion.
On the first day of World's Greatest Martial General Conference, Fang Lin Kong set out with more than fifty subordinates.
Although numerous tales about Celestial Gate circulated throughout Eastern Capital during this period, residents generally held negative views about it. The outfits prepared by Fang Lin Kong for Red Army warriors were also rumored to be tastelessly vulgar. When Fang Lin Kong and his entourage arrived at World's Greatest Martial General Conference venue, they instantly became the center of attention among thousands of martial artists gathered from various regions who looked down upon this small group with disdainful murmurs.
Fortunately for Fang Lin Kong's high tolerance for embarrassment and having thoroughly brainwashed Red Army warriors meant that these criticisms did not evoke any negative emotions within them. However, Jiugui Yuzhai—who cared deeply about appearances—felt somewhat flushed but found it difficult to speak up or defend himself; he could only sulkily fill out registration forms.
Although Dong Guo Xue did not wish to see Fang Lin Kong again, she nonetheless assisted him with completing his registration process ahead of others for preliminary trials at World's Greatest Martial General Conference which traditionally held qualifying rounds to prevent less capable individuals from muddling through; thus inviting Froda Religion’s mechanized forces for screening purposes.
The Froda Religion is the largest sect in the Lihan Empire, its influence surpassing even that of the Imperial Royal Family. However, the teachings of the Froda Religion advocate for transcendence and do not interfere with political affairs. Its disciples are solely focused on diligently practicing the great teachings of their faith, striving to extend their lifespans. The pursuit of truth is regarded as the highest duty within the religion, and most of the sages from the Northern Gouli Continent have backgrounds associated with the Froda Religion. Among the Moon Di Royal Family, there are many who willingly give up power and wealth to join the Froda Religion for secluded cultivation.
The doctrine of this religion strongly avoids killing, which is why they developed mechanical troops to guard their headquarters, aiming to prevent casualties among lower-level followers. Although these mechanical beings lack true energy and magical powers, they are forged from fine steel, possessing iron bones and copper skin, with immense strength and tirelessness that ordinary martial artists cannot contend with. The Froda Religion also employs enchantments that permanently imbue various spells onto these mechanical beings, enhancing them with fire, frost, defense, and other attributes. Since the establishment of the Froda Religion three thousand years ago, no one has ever been able to breach their headquarters located on Red Dove Mountain. This demonstrates just how formidable their mechanical troops are in battle.
For the First Martial Arts Tournament, the Eastern Capital constructed sixty-six arenas in its northern district. Fang Lin Kong was assigned to be the Thirty-First Competitor in the Eighteenth Arena. Upon learning that he would not compete for another four or five days, he grew impatient; he had little interest in watching battles at this level. However, the warriors of the Red Army and those from Jiugui Yuzhai and Southern Fire did not want to miss the opportunity to observe their opponents. Thus, Fang Lin Kong had no choice but to leave them behind and explore the sights of Eastern Capital.
As one of the four great capitals of the Lihan Empire, Eastern Capital Chang'an has undergone hundreds of years of expansion and can accommodate over one hundred fifty thousand people. Following a suggestion from a city planning master of the empire, cities other than the Four Great Capitals must not exceed a population of fifty thousand. If a city's population exceeds this limit, a new city will be built at a certain distance away, along with some government offices relocated there. Such population management facilitates urban planning and ensures smoother transportation. The purpose of a city is not merely to provide housing but to create a living system where resources can circulate infinitely.
Having learned his lesson from previous experiences, Fang Lin Kong dared not fly recklessly this time. Fortunately, the Unicorn Dragon was quite fast and large in stature. Sitting atop it provided him with an excellent vantage point to take in both near and distant scenery. While he was enjoying the view, a clear voice suddenly called out: "Brother Huanhuo!" Fang Lin Kong turned towards the sound and saw Dong Guo Xue waving at him.
During this return to Eastern Capital, Fang Lin Kong had not planned to seek her out; now he unexpectedly encountered her coming towards him. Overjoyed, he turned the head of his Unicorn Dragon towards Dong Guo Xue and charged over. Seeing such a fierce beast approaching made Dong Guo Xue feel somewhat anxious; however, upon noticing Fang Lin Kong's ease atop it and how well-behaved the Unicorn Dragon was, she managed to calm herself.
With a hint of mischief in her smile, Dong Guo Xue asked, "Brother Huanhuo, now that you're back in Eastern Capital, you must be preparing for the World's Greatest Martial General Conference?"
Fang Lin Kong shrugged with a wry smile and replied, "I'm in Eighteenth Arena as Competitor Thirty-One. It will take several days before it's my turn to compete. However, I have many things to attend to next; I won't be able to go with Dongguo Xiaodi to pick Dragon Fruit. Luckily, I asked a friend who still has some of those rare fruits; he gifted me one. I still have some time over these next few days; if Dongguo Xiaodi is free, I can help you practice your Celestial Transformation skills."
Dong Guo Xue was thrilled upon hearing this and eagerly responded, "I have plenty of free time lately! Where are you staying now? Let's start practicing today!"
Having regained his enthusiasm for exploration, Fang Lin Kong happily invited Dong Guo Xue onto his Unicorn Dragon so they could return together to Four Seas Inn.
(To be continued)
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