Shackles of Humanity

Lu Qing returned, laden with shopping bags. Her jaw dropped in surprise when she saw him. ”You’re such a handsome guy, yet you insist on being a slob all day!” she grumbled. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she handed the bags over. ”I bought you a few more outfits. Quick, try them on and see if they fit.”

Besides some clothes, the bags also contained toiletries. Since coming to this world, Luo Kai had never received such care from anyone. Deeply moved, he unconsciously took her small hand and said softly, ”Thank you.”

Lu Qing’s face flushed red. She glanced at the smiling grandmother nearby, quickly pulled her hand away, and forcefully pushed him into the room.

That afternoon, Luo Kai returned to the small courtyard he rented. He didn’t see Erya and her family, and upon asking the landlord, he learned they had moved out two days ago. He went inside to pack his things, though there wasn’t much to pack—mainly the money Xiaozhuo had given him and some documents, which he had hidden in a crack in the bricks.

He returned to Pan Shi Sports School. Though he’d only been gone a few months, it felt like years. The new gate guard didn’t recognize him and blocked his way. Luo Kai had no choice but to find an empty spot, hop the wall, and head for Liu Hou’s courtyard. His appearance was similar enough to the other students that he didn’t draw any attention.

Liu Hou was napping on a lounge chair in the courtyard. He’d gotten even fatter in the few months since Luo Kai had last seen him. His flab quivered with every breath, and new wrinkles lined his face, making him look older.

”Teacher,” Luo Kai called softly as he entered the courtyard.

Liu Hou opened his eyes. He stared for a moment, then asked tentatively, ”Are you Luo Kai?”

”It’s me,” Luo Kai said, offering a compliment. ”Teacher, you’re looking even more prosperous.”

Liu Hou gave him an odd look. ”You little brat. Teasing me the moment we meet. If you hadn’t shown up soon, I would’ve had to find someone else.”

Luo Kai smiled. ”I gave you my word, so of course I’d keep it. Teacher, when does the competition start?”

”Hmm... We can’t rush this. First, we have to register with the Body Technique Association. Tell you what, come find me the day after tomorrow, and we’ll set off for Jinlan Prefecture together.”

Luo Kai was taken aback. ”We have to go all the way to Jinlan Prefecture?”

”Of course! The Martial Arts Tournament is being held in Jinlan Prefecture. All the young people from every county will be there. Xiaokai, with your strength, placing in the top five should be no problem at all!”

Luo Kai mulled it over for a moment, then nodded. ”Alright, I’ll come find you the day after tomorrow.”

Liu Hou watched him, his expression a little strange. He suddenly asked, ”Xiaokai, do you still have that Military Dagger I gave you?”

Luo Kai didn’t sense anything amiss and smiled. ”I do. It’s a great weapon. Thank you, Teacher.”

”Mm. It’s best not to use the Military Dagger in the tournament. You should use a different weapon. How about I pick out a blade for you?”

Luo Kai wasn’t too concerned about this martial arts tournament. With his current strength, he could hold his own against a High-level Martial Artist even without resorting to burning his vital essence. A tournament for the younger generation was unlikely to feature any High-level Martial Artists anyway. Even in the great Lordship Kingdoms, there were probably few people like Su Wenlin. ”Alright,” he said nonchalantly, ”but I already have a blade, so I won’t need yours, Teacher.”

Liu Hou said no more, but his gaze grew increasingly strange. Being stared at so intently by the large man made Luo Kai feel a bit unsettled, and he hastily excused himself.

...

After leaving Pan Shi Sports School, Luo Kai headed to an overpass on the outskirts of the city. He ducked into his old spot under the bridge; his two Fierce Weapons were still there. He wrapped the Severing Blade in a tattered cloth and slung it across his back, then strapped the Military Dagger to his calf.

With Big Beard gone, the few vagrants who had followed him were lost, a pall of gloom hanging over them. Luo Kai gave them the five or six Gold Coins he had on him. Whether they used the money to eat, drink, and gamble, or to build a decent life for themselves, was no longer his concern.

The two Fierce Weapons he carried constantly gave off a faint chill, helping to ward off some of the summer heat. He walked all the way to the Nili Long Riverbank. The Nili Long River was vast and long, and he had no idea where that guy Old Huang had gotten to. ’I wonder where he is,’ he thought, dipping his hand into the water to feel for the subtle vibrations in the current.

His Spiritual Power must have grown recently, because his affinity for the Water Frequency felt much deeper. The rushing river water seemed to slow as it passed him, each current vying to transmit its unique frequency to him. Luo Kai had only meant to try and find Old Huang, but now, with his entire being enveloped in the Water Frequency, he couldn’t help but sit down. His spiritual consciousness flowed outward, connecting with the boundless current.

After an unknown amount of time, a peculiar frequency suddenly intruded, one filled with curiosity and inquiry.

Luo Kai opened his eyes. A vessel had appeared on the river, an incredibly sleek cruiser. It had none of the boilers characteristic of steam power and moved in near silence, gliding like a dolphin leaping from the waves. It was breathtakingly beautiful; even in the industrial age of his past life, he had never seen such a gorgeous ship.

Three men and two women stood on the vessel’s deck. One of them, a handsome young man, was none other than Su Wenlin. The other four—two men and two women—had peculiar, light-blue skin, though their features were otherwise human. The two women were identical twins, with slender figures, high-bridged noses, blue eyes, and wavy, sea-blue hair that gave them a strange, exotic beauty.

The five people were also looking at him. At first, Su Wenlin’s gaze was full of confusion. Luo Kai’s face had changed dramatically, but a person’s unique aura was immutable. Coupled with the fact that they had once fought a fierce battle, they were highly sensitive to each other’s presence. He recognized him almost instantly, and his expression soured.

He was accompanying envoys from the Sea Race on a tour today. While on the river, the four envoys had simultaneously detected the frequency of the Water Element and had all demanded to see its source. Su Wenlin had been curious as well. ’Is there another master of the Water Element in Longyang City?’ he had wondered. He’d followed them over, never expecting to find *this* guy. ’Looks like Father was right. Not only is he a master of Body Techniques, he’s a Water Elemental Master too!’

He had always prided himself on his extraordinary talent, but he was nothing compared to this man. He remembered that this person could also wield a terrifying Black Flame, and his true face was so young—he looked even younger than Su Wenlin himself. The jealousy in his heart nearly drove him mad. Through gritted teeth, he said, ”Your Excellencies, this man is an enemy of mine. Relying on his formidable skills and the backing of a Body Master, he once forcibly stole a Fierce Beast that I had painstakingly captured. He claimed he was releasing it back to the sea! Fierce Beasts are the foremost enemy of the entire human Race. This man’s actions are practically treasonous. He is not someone we should associate with. Let’s leave.”

”Oh? In that case, I’m even more interested in meeting him!” The most powerfully built of the four from the Sea Race had a look of excitement on his face. He leaped straight from the ship. The turbulent river water instantly gathered beneath his feet, forming a wave that carried him forward.

Luo Kai stood on the bank, dumbfounded. ’So this is the legendary ability to walk on water,’ he thought. ’You can play with the currents like this! I have to try this myself when I get the chance.’

The blue-skinned man from the Sea Race leaped ashore and spoke to him in a strange accent, ”Heard you’re tough. Let’s have some fun.”

Luo Kai took a step back. The blue-skinned man’s Magnetic Field was incredibly strong; he was almost certainly another High-level Martial Artist, and one who could control Hydro Power at that. Unwilling to fight, Luo Kai shot a deep look at Su Wenlin on the ship, then turned to leave. He naturally figured Su Wenlin was behind this, and his already low opinion of the man’s character dropped another notch.

The blue-skinned man was taken aback. ”Hey, where are you going?” he shouted after Luo Kai. ”Don’t worry! I said it’s a one-on-one fight. My friends won’t interfere.”

Luo Kai ignored him and quickened his pace.

”Hmph... what a coward,” the large man muttered at his retreating back before turning and jumping back into the water. A wave once again rose to carry him back to the ship.

Luo Kai froze. He almost turned back to teach the man a lesson, but he took several deep breaths to curb the impulse. Big Beard had told him to rein in his temper. He hoped the old saying was true: ’Endure for a moment to find peace; take a step back to discover a broader world.’