Shackles of Humanity

The mountain scenery was exquisite. A desire to explore stirred in Luo Kai, and he began to wander through the forest. It was now deep autumn, and the dense vegetation blanketing the mountains resembled a rippling yellow ocean. When the mountain wind blew, waves surged across it; when the wind passed, it returned to silence.

The wilderness and nature always inspire contemplation. A yellowing leaf drifted down before Luo Kai’s eyes. He suddenly stopped and gently picked it up. The delicate veins of the fallen leaf imprinted upon his mind; their interlocking network seemed to embody the ultimate principles of the universe, so beautiful and yet perfectly aligned with the way all things operate.

His heart was deeply moved. ’Plants are different from the other Elements. They belong to the domain of life, so naturally, they possess consciousness. They too experience birth, aging, sickness, and death, but their attitude toward it is completely different from other living things. In life, they’re full of vigor, striving upward. In death, they’re like this fallen leaf—serene and gentle, quiet and graceful, without a trace of resentment or lingering attachment. Life as splendid as summer flowers, death as beautiful as autumn leaves!’

’To them, death and endings are equally beautiful. Death is not the opposite of life, but an eternal part of the Dao.’

The surrounding trees began to move without any wind. Great swathes of fallen leaves spun and danced around him, vying to radiate frequencies of warmth and affection. In that moment, his body and mind merged as one with all of nature.

His eyes, as brilliant as stars, closed slightly. His perception of the natural world was different once again. ’The grace of water, the vigor of wood, the solidity of earth, the sharpness of metal, the brilliance of fire... everything between Heaven and Earth seems to move with my thoughts. A gentle pulse, like a heartbeat, is coming from the ground beneath my feet. It feels as if I only need to grasp this pulse to wield the vast and mighty Earth Power...’

A long time later, Luo Kai withdrew from that profound and mysterious state. Without realizing it, the sky had grown dark, and stars now filled it. He looked up, and his eyes, which swirled like galaxies, seemed to reflect one another’s light with the stars above. His long hair billowed in the wind. The deeds and dust of his past faded from his mind like smoke, replaced by an impulse to rush to the heavens and embrace the billions of stars.

It seemed as if only an instant had passed when he regained awareness. A red sun was rising; it was already the next day. While he had been immersed in that inexplicable state, time itself had seemed to become a mere concept. ’It seems that as one’s realm of cultivation advances,’ he thought, ’one’s perception of both time and space diverges from the outside world. The legend of a hundred years passing in a dream is no myth after all.’

...

Su Chengbo stood on the deck of an airship, gazing down at the receding city as he fell deep into thought.

Beside him, Bai Yongchang, dressed in a white lab coat and wearing thick-rimmed glasses, couldn’t help but ask, ”Sir, I don’t understand. Why did we leak the news about the Yao Yue Liu to the Royal Family?”

”They didn’t give you any trouble, did they?” Su Chengbo turned his head.

”No. The Royal Family’s secret agents used some hypnosis techniques, but I told them nothing but the truth.”

”Mm, that’s good. We can’t afford to make an enemy of the Royal Family right now. On the contrary, we need to deliberately curry favor with them.”

Su Chengbo’s expression turned solemn as he continued, ”The rift between the Royal Family and the four great families has deepened in recent years. This affair will certainly plant a thorn in the sides of the Tuoba Family and the Xi Family. What we need to do now is forge strategic alliances.”

”Sir, isn’t the price a bit too steep? The materials are one thing, but there was no need to give up a bottle of High-Level Gene Potion. In these long years of peace, High-Level Gene Potions are far too precious.”

Su Chengbo shook his head. ”Actually, my original intention was to give a bottle of High Gene Potion to Luo Kai, to build a good rapport. Unfortunately, I still underestimated him. That young man’s detachment is simply unparalleled. Even a High-Level Gene Potion couldn’t move him in the slightest. In his eyes, it’s probably just a mundane object.”

Bai Yongchang was stunned. ”It was that long-haired young man!”

Su Chengbo looked down at the earth again and sighed softly. ”Yes. The more I interact with this young man, the more he surprises me. It would be one thing if he were merely talented, but he is also incredibly erudite. At such a young age, he has created a Heavenly Rank Body Technique that can stir the frequencies of Heaven and Earth. His understanding of the Dao of Heaven and Earth is particularly unique. I expect that sooner or later, he will shed his mortal form and achieve a Sacred Body!”

...

Luo Kai walked aimlessly through the forest, noticing that the plants in the mountains were now significantly shorter, but also much tougher. Upon his arrival, all the plants swayed their leaves and branches affectionately. He had finally achieved resonance with Wood Element Energy, and he could also sense the other Five Elements Energy. The Five Elements naturally generate and overcome one another: water generates wood, Wood Generates Fire, fire generates earth, and earth generates metal. As long as you understand one, you might trigger a chain reaction. The key was whether you could perceive their ”thoughts.”

Integrating with the frequency of the Wood Element for the first time, its upward-striving nature made his entire being feel more cheerful. He strolled happily through the forest, occasionally bending down to sniff the fragrance of a wildflower. The flowers he sniffed seemed to transform into shy young girls, shrinking their leaves and petals as if playing hard to get.

As he walked on, Luo Kai realized he was lost. Moreover, the further he went, the more something felt wrong. He felt himself getting heavier and heavier. To be more precise, everything around him was getting heavier—the gravity had increased.

Puzzled, he stopped and slowly closed his eyes. His consciousness extended out from his body. The ubiquitous plants of the mountain wilderness became an extension of his senses, and he quickly found traces of people.

Yuanqing Mountain was actually the gateway to Shangjing University. Between two peaks was a mountain pass that had been converted into a fortified checkpoint. A huge stone stele was engraved with the two words ”Shangjing University.”

Outside the checkpoint was a massive plaza where densely packed small tents had been set up. The plaza was also surrounded by many rows of buildings. It was bustling with people and exceptionally lively, looking less like the entrance to a university and more like a marketplace.

Luo Kai went over and asked around to find out the reason. As the birthplace of Body Techniques, Shangjing University had now become a Holy Land for Body Technique Cultivators. Countless people from all over the Human Race came here every year seeking to study, but the university only had five hundred enrollment slots annually. Having traveled thousands of miles, these people were naturally unwilling to give up. To placate them, a Body Technique Master from Shangjing University would come out to the plaza and give a lecture every so often.

Even though they couldn’t get into Shangjing University, it was still good to be able to hear the teachings of a Body Master. Because of this, a large number of people took up residence on Yuanqing Mountain, and corresponding businesses sprang up, such as various Body Technique dojos, restaurants, and inns.

Luo Kai crossed the plaza and approached the checkpoint. RUMBLING footsteps echoed as several four-meter-tall humanoid Mecha emerged from the pass. A cold voice rang out: ”Halt! No one is to approach. Violators will be killed without mercy!”

Luo Kai was taken aback at first. ’These Mecha bear some resemblance to the extraterrestrial lifeforms,’ he thought, ’but they’re far too ugly. They look more like lumps of mud and rock with arms and legs. Some are carrying huge cleavers, while others hold long autocannons. The ground shakes violently with every move of their thick legs. They can’t compare at all to the agile and nimble beings from beyond the heavens. Besides, these Mecha have people piloting them from the inside.’

Everyone in the plaza noticed the situation, and many sneered, ”Here comes another country bumpkin!”

”I’m a student here to enroll. Who should I speak to?” Luo Kai took out the document Su Chengbo had given him, which contained a gold-stamped invitation.

Unfortunately, no one paid him any mind. One of the Mecha droned, ”The enrollment period is over. Even students are not allowed to enter. Leave at once, or don’t blame us for being forceful!”

This made Luo Kai scratch his head in frustration. What Su Chengbo had given him wasn’t an ordinary admission notice, but an exchange invitation issued by the Shangjing University Committee. Yet these guards wouldn’t even glance at it. ’They say even the doorman at a prime minister’s mansion is as powerful as a seventh-grade official,’ he mused. ’Do I have to force my way in?’