The Foreign Martial Supreme Expert

In the throne-room of the Crimson Moon Palace.

Two figures stood.

"Master… Haiz…"

Jin, who had stepped down from the looming throne to talk on equal standing with the Ex-Sect Leader, had just finished listening to all he had to say. He wasn't angry at his Master and even appreciated the concern, but it really wasn't necessary.

Why so little faith in your disciple?

If it took no more than half a year to reach the pinnacle of the Martial Saint Realm, even half a step into the Martial Supreme Realm, why wouldn't he be able to reach the Martial Supreme Realm after another five years of cultivation?

'Does Master believe my talent dried up or something?'

No, Jin knew the actual reason after taking another glance at the Ex-Sect Leader.

'An existential crisis…'

The previous Thousand Rivers Sect Leader, Li Que, had spent more than a century in pursuit of the apex of cultivation. And with most of that time spent trying to breach past the insurmountable wall that was the Martial Supreme Realm, it was only natural that he couldn't accept someone so young achieving what he couldn't.

'If Master knew that I didn't just reach the Martial Supreme Realm, but went beyond it, his Heart of Martial Arts might just collapse. As a result, he would be left aimlessly meandering in his cultivation until his lifespan ultimately burns out; even regression of cultivation level is likely.'

But realizing that his Master would eventually learn of his progress at some point, whether he wanted him to or not, Jin sighed.

"You need not worry, Master," he said, sensing the concern in the Ex-Sect Leader's gaze. "Have I ever not flawlessly handled matters like this?"

Li Que was about to say something else when he realized that what his disciple said was the truth. Not once had Jin ever been put in a corner or backed into a wall with nowhere to run; hell, he hadn't even been injured before.

"…Alright, I'll trust you, dear disciple," Li Que said with great difficulty. "I'll await good news from you and the Martial Dao Empire the next time I leave seclusion."

"Attempting to make a breakthrough again?"

"Yes," replied Li Que. "I have to do it this time. It's now or never."

This would be the fourth time his Master had spoken those words to Jin. However, this time might really be the last, as the Old Sect Master's vitality was rapidly declining, raging inside him like a violent tsunami ready to explode.

Previously, Jin couldn't assist Li Que in this matter, as even in the Martial Supreme Realm, it was beyond his capabilities. But now, as an Early Dantian Formation cultivator, a solution to the issue could be arranged.

"Master, if you'd have it, I know of something that might assist you in your breakthrough…"

Jin went on to describe to Li Que a technique in which he possessed a certain proficiency. With that technique, which he claimed to have created himself, he could stimulate the Essence in a body, bringing about various benefits.

In Li Que's case, it would cease the raging of his vitality and substantially improve the chances of him making a breakthrough into the Martial Supreme Realm.

After listening to his disciple and feeling there to be no harm in trying, he gave Jin permission to use the technique.

|Essence Harmonization|

"!!!"

The effect was almost instant, and in that brief moment, Li Que felt a century's worth of fatigue and hidden injuries vanish. A warm current spread throughout his body, opening up clogged meridians and making him feel eighty years younger.

"This technique; it's wonderful! Divine, even!" Li Que let out a hearty laugh, bursting forth with revitalized energy. All his grayed hairs were gone, and instead of a wrinkled old man, he now appeared to be no older than thirty-five. Even his muscles were brimming with high potency, practically ripping his robe at the seams.

"With this, I feel even more confident about my breakthrough!"

With a potential breakthrough at the forefront of his mind, the Old Sect Leader thanked his disciple before running out of the palace. He rushed back to the Thousand Rivers Sect, planning to immediately go into seclusion.

"After I tweaked a few things in his body with that Beyond Divine-grade technique, his original five percent probability of succeeding has increased to more than eighty percent. The rest is up to him."

Now then, with that out of the way, there were a few fishies that needed putting in their place, weren't there?

…

On the western side of the Sky Cloud Continent.

An armored army of millions traversed across thousands of miles of land.

"The world aboveground is so different from the Coral Grove, Grandpa," a little blonde-haired boy spoke with great curiosity while looking at an old man with an unfathomable presence.

The old man's aura far exceeded the Martial Saint Realm, yet the boy wasn't the least bit afraid; this showed just how much control the old man had over his power, definitely not a newly broken-through Martial Supreme. It also revealed the tranquility in the old man's heart, for instead of heading a war against the whole of the Sky Cloud Continent, he made it seem like he was simply taking a stroll around his garden.

This was the confidence of one who achieved something only a handful in history had done before.

A Martial Supreme was not just a realm. It was an identity.

"Little Xihua Kun, one day this whole world will be yours to rule. Make sure not to ruin the appeal of this place by over-marveling in the present." The old Martial Supreme from the Aquafire Empire softly lectured his grandson.

"I understand, Grandpa," said Xihua Kun, the young boy.

The Aquafire Martial Supreme, Xia Wen, nodded before returning his attention to the march. They still had much of the journey to the capital of the Martial Dao Empire remaining. If things progressed as expected, then they should meet the Martial Dao Emperor within the next few weeks.

When that eventually happened, the Emperor's short reign would come to an abrupt end, and their Aquafire Empire would take the Martial Dao Empire's place as the sovereign ruling force of the world!

"Hm?"

Xia Wen suddenly sensed something unusual, prompting him to turn his head in a certain direction.

*Fwooop—*

"!!!"