Bai stared outside the kitchen with a dazed expression, drowning out all the voices around him filled with excitement.

"The Hidden Dragon Competition is just around the corner. I'll get in this time for sure!"

"You mediocre talent! You think anyone can be a hero of Tian Country?"

"Say that again, coward!"

"Bah!"

The tension between them sparked incessantly. The young man that questioned the fervent youth just shook his head before continuing to wash the dishes. All the voices of the men in the kitchen became quiet. Only the sound of sinks and plates clanking continued.

Not just anyone can soar in the sky like a dragon.

Numerous sighs filled the kitchen.

"Guys, come out. There's a battle between experts on TV!"

The workers quickly dropped their work, some of them dropping plates onto the floor causing glass to litter the kitchen floor.

"You brats-" The owner scolded, before his eyes also fixed themselves on the TV hanging in the corner near the bar.

Bai yawned before removing his apron getting ready to leave.

Battles between disciples were televised to show off their strength to the public. It would show the great future of these clans and sects, stopping those who wanted to oppose them and convincing other factions to form good relations with them. Only the younger generations could gurantee a prosperous future! If they were incompetent, they would eventually fall.

These events would last hours once they started, so he left early.

"Boss, I'm off." Bai said, exitting through the front door, only to see the boss shooing him away.

He got on his bicycle outside and looked above him. He saw a huge bird-like beast pulling a carriage and many hover cars above him.

Ancient Sun City was a city of order and chaos. Large factions tiptoed around one another, the police would not offend these factions for injustices done to commoners, and corruption ran deep. Only the strong and powerful were really safe in this city!

"How luxurious…"

Bai laughed at himself, steadying his creaking mode of transportation.

His bracelet would jingle everytime he hit a light bump on the road. It resembled the head of a Buddhist staff and looked to be a golden like bronze. Many thugs tried to steal it from him, but he beat them into a bloody pulp, giving him a terrifying reputation amongst those who did not cultivate in this neighborhood.

He lightly pedaled through the desolate streets, allowing the wind to blow through his brown hair. He stopped abruptly as a rare sight appeared before him. Two sky-trotting horses were parked in front of his dojo, emanating a vicious aura.

'Good thing theres no one out right now. This would cause a huge commotion.' Bai thought.

Sky-trotting horses were of S rarity. To casually bring them out to visit a rundown dojo, one could imagine the wealth the owner held.

He put his bike flat against the wall of the entrance. No one would bother to steal his piece of junk. He couldn't help but remember being on his father's shoulders as he rubbed the handle bars.

The feeling of wind for the first time running through his hair as a young boy was intoxicating!

The image of elders killing his father and shattering his own dantian emerged from the depths of his mind, causing a killing intent to surface. If he didn't borrow the elder's force to enter that broken transportation array, he would already be dead! His last glimpse of the elder's ugly face calling his mother a demon spawn as he entered the array caused him to exhale a deep breath, a black steam-like substance coming out his nostrils.

His emotions were like a caged lion, unwilling to be contained.

“Breathing in I calm my body, breathing out I smile.” Bai muttered. His buddhist bracelet shone imperceptibly.

"This bracelet and bike are the only things I have left of my father and mother… I must somehow expel the evil qi that elder left behind in my body!"

But he could not cultivate! If he could cultivate to the God Base Realm, the evil qi would be dissolve like water in his body.

He could not afford some heavenly medicine or the aid of some peerless expert. Any cultivation method he practiced would gather the qi of the world into his body, only for it to disperse out. He could only practice the Eight Great Palms, Mortal Submissive Fist, Robe Entanglement, and the Six Perfections Staff from his youth as a monk. Even as a cripple, he still retained his genius perception. It wasn't until he achieved major success in the Six Perfections a year ago did he see a change in his bracelet. A mysterious energy would fill it, especially on starry nights, causing him to sigh in relief.

'Maybe I won't die a horrible death.' He thought. At least he was gathering some sort of energy.

"It takes the glimmer of just one star to pierce a universe of darkness." Bai said, before nodding his head three times. His bracelet was that glimmer. He didn't know of its uses or its origin, but he felt it was a treasure!

As he cleared his thoughts, he entered the dojo with an awkward smile, his hand raised to greet the other disciples.

"Who's this? He looks like a thug!"

As a former monk, Bai almost vomitted blood!

He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt that revealed his muscles and his right arm was fully tattooed. He looked like an extremely worldly man. His eyes turned to the soft voice that uttered those words.

Her skin like jade, a black waterfall reached her waist. Her pupils were stars in an endless space and her lips were moist with a slight shine that caused others to gulp. She wore trackpants and a shirt that revealed her shoulders and navel. The old man next to her surprisingly gave Bai a curious look.

"This youth's heart was not unsettled by the young miss's beauty. Who is this young man, Viol?" The old man questioned. Even the young masters that tried to suppress their lust would salivate open-mouthed at this girl's appearance. Even he would catch himself staring at her face.

"Haha. This is Bai. He has the highest skill in martial arts I've ever seen! But his dantian is shattered like mine. He is a phoenix without wings and claws…" Old man Wu said with a deprecating smile.

"If you touch him carelessly, you might get burned! Despite being the weakest here in cultivation, he is the strongest. My keeping him here is more for myself than for him. Haha."

"How amusing!" The old man stroked his beard, scanning Bai with his eyes. "Would you like to exchange pointers with him, Yue?"

"This junior would like to exchange pointers with senior Bai." The girl took two steps towards him. "I will suppress my cultivation to the initial Mortal stage."

'Of course not. How could a cripple be my match?' She thought, but didn't dare say in front of Uncle Wu. 'But for Uncle Wu's appraisal of him to be so high, he must not be simple.'

"That's too low, Yue. Suppress it to the initial Earth Realm." Wu said confidently.

"Haha. If this guy can beat Yue at initial Earth Realm with a shattered dantian, I'll shave my head!" A younger disciple said.

"Me too. He might be able to beat us in the Mortal Realm, but the difference between the Mortal Realm and the Earth Realm is the difference between a cat and a lion!"

"I will also participate in this bet."

A large number of the youths also made this bet, sneering behind Bai's back.

"Won't this place become a temple then? Haha." Bai joked.

All the young men licked their lips and stared knives at his back.

Bai scratched his head, looking towards Old Man Wu. His eyes were gleaming with expectation towards Bai.

Ever since he saw Bai practice his mysterious fist art, he knew they incorporated the hidden laws of the world! How could a talentless person use hidden laws at such a young age?

Old Man Wu believed that before Bai's dantian was shattered, he must have been a heaven-defying talent! But how could he escape the limelight? He must have been hidden in seclusion somewhere far from Ancient Sun City!

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To incoporate hidden laws into martial arts, this type of preception was monstrous! One could only do so after reaching the Immortal Realm!

"Can senior teach a thing or two to this junior?" Yue asked without the slighest bit of respect. She crossed her arms, looking towards Bai with arrogance and a bit of disdain.

Bai calmly laughed as his eyes turned into crescent moons. "What a strange illusion it is, to assume beauty is goodness…"

The goddess's eyes winced.

Silence filled the dojo.

"Do you know who you're talking to you piece of shit!?" A disciple interrupted, causing others to also speak misgivings of Bai.

"Don't know. Don't care." Bai muttered, causing the girl's fake smile to twitch.

"Hmph. A cripple talking. Do you want me to stuff shit in your mouth?" But the youth who said that felt a chill down his spine from the old man standing next to the girl.

"It is alright, Hanz. Haha." Old man Wu said.

An older disciple spoke up, trying to garner favor from the young miss. "Say that again and I'll cut off your venomous tongue."

Bai looked towards this disciple with furrowed eyebrows. He had a pretty good impression of this young man. "To ruin the goodwill between us for a woman who will never look at you, are you not ashamed Tolles?"

Tolles's face turned red from embarrassment. However, the old man's expression grew lively. To disrespect the young miss of the Ji Clan was courting death,unless he was an idiot, he must have some ability. But he as an elder would not meddle in the matters of the younger generation. He stepped to the side, allowing Yue to come forward.

"If you have the courage to speak, then you have the courage to fight, yes?" The girl walked into a white square in the middle of the dojo.

"Haha. Why would I not dare?" Bai laughed in a carefree manner. He took another glance at the woman in front of him.

He could feel a deep anger and loneliness in her heart that was directed at the world around her. His face turned calm like a still sea. He was acting too childish with this little girl.

"I'll wipe that smile off your face."

"Within me is a peacefulness that cannot be disturbed." Bai's smile was like an ancient tree that had weathered many storms.

The old man was very happy with Bai's response. It was filled with wisdom an nineteen year old in the world of cultivation would not have.

"What are you, a monk?" The girl said with a sneer.

"That's hard to say."

"Don't joke with me!"

She stomped her foot on the ground, rushing towards Bai.

Bai released three palms. There was a certain charm to the movement and it couldn't completely be seen. Each reduced the power in Yue's fist, by the time it reached his chest a simple fist from his Mortal Submission technique was able to collide with hers head on.

"Don't be arrogant, little girl. If my dantian wasn't shattered, you'd be beneath the ground under my feet." Bai arrogantly remarked.

"Impressive!" Hanz stood to the side, thinking Bai would not be able to take one move from Yue.

"Don't get cocky!" Yue said with a smirk, she felt her blood boiling.

'Ugh. A battle maniac…' Bai groaned inwardly.

Yue threw a sharp knee to Bai's face. He counteracted with a few palms and a sharp elbow.

"Hmph!" Before she could retreat, Bai quickly took off his shirt and whipped it around Yue's forearm. He pulled her towards him and she tried to punch with her other arm. Bai dodged, and used the fist's force to turn her around, sliding the cloth around her neck.

Yue could feel Bai's broad chest against her back. Her hand tied against her back so sharply caused her chest to jut outward and tremble. She could feel Bai's breath inching closer to her ear. A tingling sensation she wasn't used to numbed her ear.

"W-What are you-"

Bai pinched the girl's cheek furiously!

"How old are you? Sixteen? You shouldn't wear such revealing clothing, brat!"

Bai felt Yue's energy grow. He immediately backed off, his shirt exploding into tatters. Yue's cultivation soared to the intermediate Immortal Realm!

"My shirt!" Bai shouted. "I only have five of those!"

"Who are you to order me around, you fake monk! Gangster! Pervert! Hypocrite!"

Each word nailed itself into Bai's conscious.

"P-P-Pervert!? Where did you get such a foul-mouth, young lady!?" Bai's fist was clenched tight. He was only trying to advise this girl onto the right path.

"What happened to all that crap about your peacefulness that cannot be disturbed? What a load of bull!"

"Bull!? Y-Y-You!"

"Alright, enough. Both of you. Haha." Old man Wu laughed, while Hanz massaged the crease between his brows.

"Yue, let us leave. We should be heading back before it gets dark. You're father would be worried. He is to preside over the Hidden Dragon Competition and needs to make the proper preparations." He turned to Bai surprising him. "Do you plan to participate?"

"If I am still living when it occurs, I will participate." Bai said, he didn't hide this fact. He only hid his origins.

Old Man Wu interrupted, "Not only is Bai's dantian destroyed, but an evil qi of the Immortal Realm is also invading his body. Whoever wanted him dead, did a thorough job."

"I see…" Hanz gave Bai a complicated look. He could only sigh. During his lifetime, he had seen countless geniuses fall. Bai would only be another.

Yue also gave Bai a glance. Unexpectedly, he gave her a calm smile.

"Smiling like an idiot." Yue turned away, ready to exit the dojo.

"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful, Yue!" Bai said.

"Shut up, fake monk." She left, mounting the horse and going ahead of Hanz.

"What an impatient girl." As he was about to leave, Hanz turned to the young man again."Bai, I am an inscription master."

All the disciples gasped. An inscription master was not any profession. It required one to have an unfathomable cultivation, metal affinity, and talent in crafting. They could write inscriptions on weapons to make them stronger and give then unique abilities. They were valued as highly as Pill Masters!

The entire group of disciples felt breathless.

Even Bai felt his blood boil.

"If there's anything you would like-"

"Can Master Hanz write an inscription my bike to make it fly?" Bai was too excited to be polite!

"Haha. Very well." Hanz was overjoyed with Bai's enthusiasm. He was worried Bai would ask something unreasonable and make him lose face as an elder of the Ji Clan. His impression of Bai increased.

One must know, inscription masters were very prideful and greedy! To inscript an antique of the past like a bike was vastly below him. But seeing Master Hanz agree to it light-heartedly, increased his impression of him by three-fold!

Bai led him outside and within five minutes, the inscription was complete, written on the handle. Hanz tossed a spirit stone to Bai since he didn't have any qi to activate the inscription.

He excitedly got on the bike and wrapped the stone between the handle bar and his hand. The stone began to glow a light blue and the bike began to float steadily until it floated above everyone's head. He lightly pedaled and the bike moved forward slowly.

"Wow! This is amazing!" The other disciples were underwhelmed. A inscription was wasted on a bike. They wanted to vomit blood!

"I shall be on my way Viol!"

"Stop by again, Hanz!"

As the sky-trotting horse began to fly, Bai was in the distance, riding towards the horizon.