Shackles of Humanity

”Such arrogance!” Xi Jinghui snorted, lunging to grab Luo Kai. He was wary of using lethal force against someone who had become a High-level Martial Artist at such a young age, fearing he might be a direct disciple from a powerful family.

Luo Kai, however, had no such reservations. In this second clash with a Body Master, he unleashed his full strength. His chest heaved, his body swelled slightly, and his trembling muscles channeled power into his arm. He brought his sword down in a slash that seemed to conjure the faint rumble of wind and thunder.

Halfway through his palm strike, Xi Jinghui realized something was wrong. The boy’s aura had shifted dramatically. The Sword Aura slashing through the air felt extremely dangerous, and he knew he would be injured if he recklessly tried to block it with his hand. He hastily altered his move, his hand circling to gather the surrounding air. A mysterious power condensed it into a ring of air that flew to meet the Sword Aura.

BOOM! It was as if a grenade had detonated in midair. A massive shockwave erupted, flinging those standing nearby through the air.

Xi Jinghui’s expression changed. He hadn’t expected a Martial Artist to be able to withstand his attack, let alone fight him to a standstill.

Luo Kai’s expression was just as grave. Anyone who became a Body Master possessed a rare combination of talent, luck, and strength. Once they advanced to that level, they could channel external energy to assist them. The man before him, for instance, could manipulate the water molecules in the air, forming a seemingly yielding ball of energy that was both effortless and packed with immense Soft Power.

With a flash of movement, the two clashed again. The air crackled with thunderous booms. Under the strain of the shockwaves, the ferry groaned and creaked, threatening to break apart.

Luo Kai’s Sword Aura was incomparably fierce. Based on the principle that mastering one law illuminates the Ten Thousand Laws, he had applied the force-channeling techniques of his Azure Wave Force to his Sword Technique. With every swing, a faint rumble of wind and thunder echoed through the air.

Xi Jinghui, in contrast, excelled at using Soft Power to neutralize attacks. His own strikes were silent and subtle, yet his counterattacks grew progressively stronger and more ferocious. Water Energy was naturally suited for Force Discharge; cultivated to its peak, it could even redirect an opponent’s power and turn it against them.

Everyone on deck clung to the ship’s railings, staring dumbfounded at the scene before them. Some even rubbed their eyes in disbelief. ’Is it really possible for a Martial Artist to challenge a Body Master?’

The young woman from the Zhang family was also watching in utter disbelief. The higher one’s Body Technique Cultivation, the more one understood the chasm between a Martial Artist and a Body Master—a gap as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.

’After a Body Master underwent Energy Body Forging, their very state of being was fundamentally altered. Strictly speaking, they were no longer creatures of pure flesh and blood. So how can a Martial Artist, still bound by a mortal body, possibly contend with a Body Master?’

Gradually, Xi Jinghui’s expression grew darker. He had initially thought the boy had just gotten lucky with that first blow, but the longer they fought, the more ferocious his opponent’s power became. His Water Body Dao might be skilled at Force Discharge, but his opponent’s power was like a raging Sea Tide, relentless and layered, crashing in without end. A winding river could never hope to turn back the surging sea!

He couldn’t afford to be arrogant any longer. It would be an utter humiliation for a Body Master to fail to defeat this boy. He drew an impossibly thin and light Soft Sword from his waist. With a slight shake, the blade went rigid, and tiny specks of cyan light began to gather along its edge.

Luo Kai retreated several steps and took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently. His body swelled once more, transforming him into a four-meter-tall giant. The sky above suddenly filled with dark clouds, and muffled thunder rumbled. The air grew heavy and oppressive as a torrential downpour gathered, ready to burst forth. His Severing Blade pulsed with Sword Aura, gathering its power.

Xi Jinghui exclaimed in shock, ”The Fearless Body! Are you a direct lineage descendant of the Luo Family?”

Luo Kai faltered for a moment. ’The Luo Family? What’s that?’ He was busy channeling his Sword Aura and had no time to respond.

Xi Jinghui glanced at the dark clouds, his expression flickering with uncertainty. ’On the surface, our four great families are allies, but we’re constantly fighting in the shadows. This boy isn’t even a Body Master, yet he’s fought me this long without showing any sign of losing. And he can use a Body Technique that summons wind and thunder... If he’s really from the Luo Family’s direct lineage, then his talent is simply monstrous. Should I use my deadliest techniques to eliminate him right here, right now?’

A hint of killing intent rose in his heart. ’But if I kill a direct disciple of the Luo Family today,’ he thought, his eyes catching the young woman by the railing out of his periphery, ’I’ll have to silence everyone here. The trouble would be immense if word of this ever got out.’

In a flash, his mind was made up. He retracted his Soft Sword and smiled. ”Young friend, our four great families are all on the same side. We can’t let a trivial matter like this damage the harmony between us.”

Luo Kai wasn’t certain he could win either. He took a deep breath and began to lower his heart rate, his voice rumbling, ”I’m not a member of any four great families.”

Xi Jinghui clearly didn’t believe him. ”Haha,” he said with a wide smile. ”It seems you’re out gaining some worldly experience, young friend. Would you be interested in being my guest on Chongjun Island? In three days, it’s the Thousand Islands Sea’s annual Hundred Flowers Banquet. Many talented young prodigies will be there. It would be a good opportunity for you to meet them.”

Luo Kai had no interest in attending any Hundred Flowers Banquet. He shook his head. ”I need to get to Shangjing. I don’t have time.”

”I see. Very well.”

Xi Jinghui gestured to the people on the deck. ”In that case, I’ll do you a favor, young friend.” He then turned to the horse-faced man. ”Let them go.”

The horse-faced man didn’t dare object. He gave Luo Kai an awestruck smile and signaled his underlings to untie everyone on the deck. As a High-level Martial Artist himself, he knew just how powerful Luo Kai was. ’I probably couldn’t have survived even a single one of that young man’s sword strikes,’ he thought.

Xi Jinghui asked, ”I don’t believe I caught your name, young friend?”

Seeing the matter was resolved, Luo Kai had no intention of looking for more trouble. ”I’m just a wanderer from the wilds,” he said. ”My name isn’t worth mentioning.”

Xi Jinghui didn’t press the matter, preparing to leave with the young woman from the Zhang family and the man with the severed arm.

Just then, Luo Kai suddenly spoke up. ”May I ask what crime these two have committed?”

Xi Jinghui’s face darkened. He turned his head. ”Young friend, are you planning to meddle in the affairs of my East Sea Xi Family?”

Luo Kai had no desire to get involved, but seeing the young woman’s pale face and her utterly pitiful expression, something just didn’t sit right with him.

Seeing Luo Kai’s silence, Xi Jinghui instantly assumed he knew what was on the other man’s mind. He laughed. ”This girl is the young mistress of the Zhang Family from the Thousand Islands Sea. The Zhang Family are masters of shipbuilding and armor-crafting, quite a prominent family in the region. If you’ve taken a fancy to her, young friend, feel free to take her with you.”

”I’m not interested,” Luo Kai said coolly. ”I only wish to say that Heaven and Earth have their own cycles, their own Cause and Effect. The seeds of today’s actions may become the fruit of tomorrow.”

Xi Jinghui’s expression turned grave. The more powerful a being becomes, the more profound their reverence for Heaven and Earth. As their level of existence rises, they often experience incredible premonitions, a phenomenon that could be called Mind Sensing.

For instance, they might get an early warning of danger or immediately sense when a nearby being harbors hostile intent. They even develop a certain sensitivity to the mysterious workings of Cause and Effect. Once you are entangled in a ”cause,” you can never escape its ”effect.” This fear of becoming entangled in Cause and Effect is a major reason why most Body Masters live in seclusion.

Xi Jinghui stood silently at the bow. ’My Cultivation progress has been slow these past few years,’ he mused. ’Is it because I’ve been too entangled in worldly matters? My Mind Spirit can’t find peace, and so I can’t focus on my Cultivation...’

After a long while, the horse-faced man asked cautiously, ”Sir, should we be going?”

Xi Jinghui let out a long sigh. ”Let them all go,” he said. ”And tell Xi Shengchuan not to come looking for me again.” With that, he nodded to Luo Kai, then turned and leaped onto the dark blue yacht.

The horse-faced man stood there stunned for a moment. ’Damn it all,’ he cursed inwardly. ’Does a higher Cultivation level just make your brain go soft?!’