ADAPTED FROM THE WEBCOMIC YI REN ZHI XIA
THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION
ALL ACTIONS AND ABILITIES PERFORMED SHOULD NOT BE IMITATED
The Gold Brilliance Spell is off-limits to the public.
No matter who your grandfather is,
he's a traitor to Mount Longhu.
That explains
why you're such a buffoon.
He must be one as well.
Vileness does run in your blood.
My grandfather isn't a traitor.
Take your nonsense elsewhere.
Lingyu.
That's too hard on him.
Didn't Master Zhang tell us to--
Chulan,
do not ever
show your powers in front of others
no matter what.
But Grandpa,
if you're imparting martial arts to me
you have to tell me when I can use it.
I can't tell you
when you can use it.
However, you need to remember
when you can't use it.
Chulan,
do not ever
show your powers in front of others
no matter what.
But Grandpa,
you force me to practice martial arts every day.
Now, you don't want me to use it in front of others.
I don't feel like practicing martial arts now.
It's tiring, and I can't use it anyway.
Chulan,
actually,
I understand what you're thinking.
However, this is a sin I've committed.
You have no choice but to learn this.
Grandpa,
what sin have you committed?
Listen to me.
The Zhang family
is a family of martial artists.
The residents of the martial arts world
fear nothing,
except for
people who are too different from them.
If you're too wicked,
they'll eradicate you.
If you're too timid,
they'll walk all over you.
If you're too kind or too strong,
they'll be wary of you.
They can only accept you
when you're almost at the same level as them.
Do you know why the martial arts techniques of the Zhang family
cannot be imparted to strangers?
It's because once you reveal them to other people,
people will treat you like an Outsider.
By then,
they will hunt you down.
Outstanding individuals
are often targeted.
We have no choice.
Zhang Chulan, don't get up.
Grandpa.
Get up! You have to continue!
Utilize the Gold Aura in you.
Heaven and Earth.
Qi as the primordial root.
Through myriads of ordeals.
I shall prove my dominance!
Come on! Let's fight! Cut the crap!
Do you wish to fight me? Who do you think you are?
I'll wipe that smugness off your face!
Qi's Form.
QI'S FORM
No matter who your grandfather is,
he's a traitor to Mount Longhu.
And the Outsider who killed that expert from Sinister Pleasure
was your grandfather,
Zhang Xilin.
To you,
he was a loving and caring grandfather.
But to the world of Outsiders,
he was a thug who had over ten deaths on him.
This is all you're capable of
after giving it your all.
I don't know how your grandfather
managed to learn the Gold Brilliance Spell.
However, I will never allow
an unknown person with no powers
like you
to taint Celestial Taoist Mansion's name.
Let's go.
We'll return to Mount Longhu.
Lingyu, didn't Master Zhang tell us to invite Zhang Chulan back?
Forget about that.
I've already tested him.
Zhang Chulan doesn't deserve it.
Stop right there.
Who said you could go?
Zhang Chulan,
don't get up.
Lingyu won't engage you in another fight.
I'm done
with hiding.
All these years,
my grandfather told me to hide my powers
and keep a low profile.
It's because I'm a freak to normal people.
I've had a rough time hiding.
To be honest,
I was very happy when I heard about the Outsiders.
I thought
I no longer need to live in a dark corner all by myself.
I thought I found a world where I could live freely.
I thought I could find other people like me.
In the end,
even you Outsiders treat me
like a freak because of that darned Qi Apotheosis.
I no longer know what to do now.
Nothing good happened to me ever since I met you guys.
Now, I just want to cause a huge mess!
Come on! Let's continue!
If we keep this up,
I might turn you into a cripple.
Try me then.
Fine.
I'll satisfy your request.
Zhang Chulan, you don't need to fear him.
He's just a senior member of Celestial Taoist Mansion.
You no longer need to hide or escape once you become my slave.
If you don't want to live like a loser, you should stand up.
From now on, live like a decent human being.
Crush all those
who trouble you.
Feng Baobao,
you're here too?
What did you call me?
Ms. Bao.
I'm sorry, Master. I know my fault now.
You can pretend to be smug in front of them.
Do it in front of me, and I'll kill you.
Go.
Show them what you got.
Yes,
Master.
PATIENCE
Grandpa, look.
I have plenty of Gold Aura now.
You don't need to force me to practice every day, right?
You still have a long way to go.
Why did you think I told you to practice this spell?
It's just the basics.
If your Gold Aura doesn't reach a certain level.
you won't be able to learn the things I will teach you.
This is the real deal. Got it?
What is that?
My Gold Aura
was ripped to shreds.
Can a human possess such power?
If you master this,
it'll become your strongest spell.
Next,
I'll show him
my strongest spell.
Yes. This is the spell.
You used this against the thralls in the cemetery.
A power that surpasses Gold Aura's.
This sensation,
could it be…
I understand now.
Zhang Xilin was likely
a member of Celestial Taoist Mansion.
But at the same time,
Celestial Taoist Mansion never had a member like him.
So it's likely that Celestial Taoist Mansion
was hiding his identity on purpose.
He's someone they want to get rid of.
INVITATION
OUTSIDER MARTIAL ARTS CONTEST OF MOUNT LONGHU
Celestial Taoist Mansion is inviting Zhang Chulan
and elite members of all sects to attend the Celestial Taoist Selection?
Is the current Chief Celestial Taoist out of his mind?
If this is true,
not only will Zhang Chulan and our company be affected,
but the entire Outsiders' world will also undergo a huge change.
It has been so many years.
But this is my first time using it against a human.
That's impossible.
Do you think your Gold Aura Armor is amazing?
Try this for size!
It's really Lightning Technique.
I'm already shocked that Zhang Chulan knows the Gold Brilliance Spell.
But he actually knows Lightning Technique too.
However, his Lightning Technique is different from Lingyu's.
It's white. It resembles Chief Celestial Taoist's technique.
That's impossible.
Lingyu is Chief Celestial Taoist's last disciple.
Of course, he would impart the technique to Lingyu.
Besides, Lightning Technique cannot be learned in secret.
Lingyu, how are you feeling?
I suppose your Gold Aura is fading.
Admit your defeat!
Among all the disciples, only a few
are known as senior members.
And among these senior members,
only a few of them can learn Lightning Technique.
And no matter how good they are at them,
they have no right to impart them to someone else.
In the past millennium,
the only person who could impart Lightning Technique to other people
was Chief Celestial Taoist.
Also, Lightning Technique will only be imparted
to the senior disciple who's most likely
to be the successor of Chief Celestial Taoist.
That doesn't make sense at all.
If his grandfather
was the senior disciple who was most likely to be the successor
of Chief Celestial Taoist,
how could we have not heard of the name Zhang Xilin?
Let go…
of me!
Next, I will crush your Gold Aura entirely.
Lingyu,
you'll be utterly embarrassed.
Is that Lightning Palm?
He can use that too?
I never expected that brat to be so adept with Lightning Technique.
It's the same spell.
Wait.
It's exuding black qi.
Ms. Bao,
why is his lightning tainted?
Don't panic. I've got your back.
Hey, you.
You better watch out before you bully my lackey.
If you keep this up,
I will be your opponent.
Who is that girl?
She dispelled Lingyu's Lightning Palm so easily.
Shut up.
I know.
Zhang Chulan,
as the representative of Mount Longhu's Celestial Taoist Mansion,
I hereby invite you
to attend Mount Longhu's Outsider Martial Arts Contest
in two months.
This contest
is the open selection for the next successor
of Chief Celestial Taoist.
Zhang Chulan,
I have acknowledged you.
Are you sick in the head?
Why do I need your recognition in the first place?
Aren't you curious
about why your grandfather
could utilize the techniques of Celestial Taoist Mansion?
60 DAYS UNTIL OUTSIDER MARTIAL ARTS CONTEST
Are you still pretending?
I'm sorry about that.
It has been so many years.
I'm already used to pretending.
Ms. Bao,
since I already used my superpower,
does that make me an Outsider now?
If so, should I return to being a normal person tomorrow?
Or should I act like an Outsider?
Of course, you should act like an Outsider.
I don't think that's appropriate.
The Outsiders' world is a dangerous place.
I don't think I'm capable enough to survive there.
I was only able to act tough
because you were here today.
Ms. Bao,
I have complete trust in you.
Trust?
What is trust?
Trust?
I think this is what it means.
Trust is a term.
Its pinyin is "xinren".
One, it means believing in someone.
Two, it means entrusting your heart to someone else.
Third, it means…
Actually, I think its meaning is not important.
To me, trust
is being your slave unconditionally.
What technique did you use just now?
You were glittering with gold.
According to that guy, it was the Gold Brilliance Spell.
Come on. Light up the path ahead for your master.
I don't think that's necessary.
It's not like I'm a flashlight.
MOUNT WUDANG
What are you guys doing?
Wang Ye, don't you know?
Mount Longhu's Outsider Martial Arts Contest
is open to the public this time.
Mount Wudang received an invitation too.
We were sparring to see who has the right to attend it.
I heard that Zhang Chulan,
the successor of Qi Apotheosis,
one of the Eight Supremes, will be attending it too.
Zhang Chulan?
Who's that?
Wang Ye.
Do you know me?
You're finally here.
That's him. Look.
Grandmaster.
Wang Ye.
Grandmaster.
I want to join the Outsider Martial Arts Contest too.
May I have the slot?
You don't even have enough sleep. You shouldn't go.
Just rest here.
Don't worry.
I won't disgrace you
if I do head to Mount Longhu.
You're pretty adept at martial arts.
However, do you think the other participants
are meek and weak?
I'll just use Qimen Manipulation.
How did you know about that?
I thought Qimen Manipulation
was one of Wudang Sect's techniques.
That's right.
However, do you know
how many people in the Outsiders' world desire this technique?
In the Year of Jiashen,
Mount Wudang was attacked.
My brother, Zhou Sheng,
Hong, Fang, and the rest
sacrificed themselves to protect this place.
After that,
everyone thought that the technique was lost.
If Qimen Manipulation appears again,
Wudang Sect will be annihilated.
Master Zhang,
stealing from other people is no longer the norm now.
Humans
will never change.
You should go back.
Mount Longhu is a renowned Taoist mountain.
It's one of the 72 Blessed Grounds.
It is known as the Taoist capital.
Chief Celestial Taoist
once concocted the Nine Heaven Divine Pill on this mountain.
A dragon appeared when the pill was created.
That's why it's known as Mount Longhu.
No matter how many fancy adjectives they use,
in the end, it's just a mountain.
I don't want to be a Taoist. Why should I go there?
What you saw just now was meant for ordinary people.
There's a sparring contest for Outsiders on Mount Longhu.
It's called Outsider Martial Arts Contest.
In the past, it was an internal contest between members of Mount Longhu.
This time, it's an open contest.
The winner can inherit the title of Chief Celestial Taoist and his legacy.
What's Chief Celestial Taoist?
We'll arrive soon.
I'll tell you when we arrive.
Ms. Bao, where are we going?
Many years ago, our company spent a huge sum on a villa.
Mr. Xu lived there before.
I already submitted a request.
We'll be living there for a few days.
A villa?
And Mr. Xu lived there before?
Ms. Bao, are we going on a vacation?
You could say so.
What are we waiting for then?
Ms. Bao, hurry up!
48 DAYS UNTIL OUTSIDER MARTIAL ARTS CONTEST
Ms. Bao,
how huge is the private cinema?
Is the pool right beside a lake?
It should at least
have a private gym, right?
We're here.
Ms. Bao,
you must be mistaken.
This is the place.
You still have a long way to go before you can win
the Outsider Martial Arts Contest.
This place is remote and quiet.
From today, we'll be living here.
I will train you.
Train me?
I thought we were on vacation.
Ms. Bao,
you must be kidding me.
Get off the vehicle.
NDT HOLIDAY RESORT
NDT DERELICT SITE
You might not understand what I've said.
You belong to me until next month.
Ms. Bao,
it's not that I don't want to train.
But you saw it yourself.
No matter how strong that martial artist was,
we were well-matched when I gave it my all.
It was a narrow defeat.
Did you think you were well-matched?
That Taoist only used 30% of his strength.
He was testing you.
Are you serious?
If so, there's no reason to train.
I can't defeat him no matter how hard I train anyway.
Let's go.
Didn't you say you wish to know the truth about your grandfather?
Even if you're uninterested in the title of Chief Celestial Taoist,
you can use this opportunity to rise through the ranks.
Only then will you have the chance
to be in contact with the person who knows the truth,
Zhang Zhiwei, the 99th Chief Celestial Taoist.
Stop wasting time.
Here's your first training.
Clean this place up.
Although Zhang Chulan
knows the Gold Brilliance Spell and Lightning Technique,
he is no match for Lingyu.
Lingyu,
how was your spar against Zhang Chulan?
Descend the mountain tomorrow
and find someone for me.
Test him
and see if he's qualified.
Qualified for what?
Qualified to inherit Tianshidu.
You won against him.
Why are you pulling a long face?
Lingyu.
You've been back for a few days.
Why didn't you come and see me?
Master,
the Outsider Martial Arts Contest will begin soon.
I have to train hard
so that I won't bring disgrace to Mount Longhu.
If so, I'll cut to the chase.
What do you think about Zhang Chulan?
His martial arts were nothing special.
However,
the Gold Brilliance Spell and Lightning Technique he used
did originate from Mount Longhu.
In that case, what do you think about his character?
Well,
I'm not so sure about that.
However, I feel
that he's somewhat slick.
I don't like him.
The purpose of life is not necessarily to please others.
The same goes for you.
Why did you hit me?
Accumulate air in your dantian. Make sure the qi circulates upward.
You got it wrong. Once more.
I'll get angry if you keep hitting me!
Utilizing qi is a basic skill.
You don't even know how to utilize qi.
How can you compete with the other Outsiders?
Once more.
You're hitting me before I have even started.
You were wrong before starting.
Your posture was wrong.
It has been a long time since I saw a useless fool like you.
Ms. Bao.
Don't move.
Don't speak.
Feng Baobao, what did you do to me?
The next time you can't endure it,
flick yourself several times.
When it doesn't hurt anymore…
Be patient.
You have to be patient.
Chulan,
I'm getting old.
I don't know how many more years I can still stay by your side.
In the future, you'll be all alone.
Get up and train.
Feng Baobao,
are you even human?
I fainted, you know?
Do you still want me to train?
You didn't faint.
I imparted a technique to you.
The formula is inside your brain now.
Next, you just need to train according to the formula.
Yes. I suddenly feel like I know different ways of utilizing qi now.
Although your Gold Brilliance Spell
and Lightning Technique are decent,
one month isn't enough
to improve your strength tremendously.
Try mine.
What do you call this technique?
I call it Old Farmer Technique.
Old Farmer Technique?
What a strange name.
Feng Baobao, what are you doing?
What am I doing? I'm going to take a bath.
I'm here, you know?
Do you know the meaning of being shy?
Shy?
Indeed.
I think other people said the same thing as you before.
Rather than worrying about this, you should train now. Hurry up.
Hurry and train.
What are you looking at? Hurry and train.
Your qi is flowing in the wrong direction.
How did you know?
Why does your qi keep flowing in the wrong direction?
You already did it several times.
It seems like it's flowing downward for no reason.
How can my qi flow in the right direction
when you're wearing that?
You have a point. I'll get changed then.
Ms. Bao, do you know how to feed pigs too?
Yes. Harvest potatoes,
split yellow peas, remove moles,
I know how to do all of them.
Ms. Bao,
you're so capable.
What kind of childhood did you have?
Why don't you tell me about it?
I've never been through anything.
I forgot about my past completely.
Don't be so petty.
What about this? I'll tell you
about my childhood.
Let me tell you a random story.
When I was young,
a boy who was a few years older than me wanted to bully me.
Back then, I wasn't allowed to use my superpowers.
What did I do then? I radiated a strong aura
and scared them so much that they peed their pants.
And let me tell you this.
When I did so,
even the cicadas in the courtyard stopped chirping.
I think they were stunned by my aura too.
Did anything else happen after that?
Of course.
After that, something more interesting happened.
It's in the wrong direction.
It's still flowing in the wrong direction.
I'm already dressed decently.
Even so, you were affected.
Ms. Bao,
I just can't do this.
Your heart must be calm when you utilize your qi.
You have too many thoughts.
You always got distracted
when you almost succeeded.
You couldn't complete the final and the most vital step.
The seal existed
in order to help you retain your focus.
But now, it's becoming an obstacle for you.
Adolescent males are troublesome indeed.
I don't wish for this to happen either. How is this my fault?
It's not your fault that you have a seal on you.
However, it's your fault that you're affected by it.
We have to resolve this issue.
Do you want to do it yourself?
Or do you want me to do it?
Ms. Bao!
I can do it! Please trust me one more time!
Wait here for me.
Ms. Bao, what's going on?
Is today your birthday?
Hi, Bao.
Bao! You're so pretty.
Hi, Bao.
Isn't he cute?
This is Meng,
Tian, Jing,
Han, and Lisa.
-Hello. -They are all friends of Xu Si
and came especially to our party.
You guys get to know each other.
He's pretty handsome.
This is Zhang Chulan, whom I've mentioned to you guys before.
His biggest weakness is that
he has been single since he was born.
He's clueless about relationships.
You guys can be more proactive.
He's a loyal hunk you can't get elsewhere.
First come, first served!
Since this is a party, I think I should stick with the usual.
Why don't I introduce myself first?
-My name is-- -That's unnecessary.
We know everything about you.
Let's go.
-Come on. -Sit.
I heard that you studied overseas.
Did you study in an elite school?
Elite school?
Drink up. He's so good at this.
I heard that you're good at golf.
Can you bring me to your personal golf club?
Golf?
What have you told them?
Cherish your chance.
This is all I can do for you.
Come on. Drink up.
Bottoms up.
Come on.
He can hold his liquor well.
He's so cute.
Look at his pecs!
He has pecs!
I want to touch it,
He's like my ex.
I want to touch it too.
He has pecs!
Enough.
Come on, I'll help you get undressed.
I'm not hot.
No!
-I'll stop. -Don't be shy.
We'll help you get undressed later.
Feng Baobao,
who do you take me for?
Are you an idiot?
Look at your own face.
How stupid can you be to believe that some girl
would throw herself at someone like you?
It has been a long time since I saw a useless fool like you.
Get out!
He has a terrible temper.
Who do you think you are?
Precisely. We wouldn't even be here
if Bao didn't beg us to come.
Look at your house. Stop pretending to be a rich man's son.
-What's wrong with him? -I know, right?
-Pretending to be a rich man's son. -Let's go.
A coward.
A useless fool.
I see,
that's how you guys see me.
You tried to use all those fancy words to describe me.
But to you,
I'm still a useless fool that nobody loves,
right?
I thought you always wanted
to remove the seal?
Feng Baobao,
this master-servant game is over.
What did you say?
Before this, my grandfather told me to keep a low profile
because he didn't want me
to join the Outsiders' circle.
That's why I listened to him
and kept a low profile for many years.
Now that my identity has been exposed,
there's no point
in hiding anymore.
And I realize
that the more I try to pretend to be a coward,
the more you guys take it for real.
Come back.
Do you know the consequences
of walking out of here?
I do.
Feng Baobao,
I can't defeat you.
And I know that I might die here
if I keep this up.
However, if I don't keep this up,
I'll lose all of my dignity here.
For me,
that's scarier than losing my life.
Come back!
Come back.
I said, come back!
Master Hong.
I brought some noodles for you today.
Lights on.
Master Hong?
What happened?
Master…
Master Hong?
Master…
There's no need to avoid them.
Those are just shadows that haven't dissipated.
They can't hurt you.
Who are those?
These are members of the Wudang Sect
and people who tried to steal Qimen Manipulation.
What you're seeing now is a part of the Jiashen Calamity.
After that terrible bloodbath,
Wudang suffered heavy casualties.
The person who survived it became the sect leader instead.
Some members went into hiding
because they were afraid.
However, some brought juniors like us with them
to fight the enemy off.
We survived the Jiashen Calamity
and protected Wudang.
Wang Ye,
your phantasmagoria is extraordinary.
It contains a far greater meaning
than you can imagine.
You achieved something
in several months,
something we couldn't achieve for several decades.
You're the chosen one.
You shouldn't be trapped by your phantasmagoria.
You need to learn how to control your phantasmagoria.
This is your destiny
as well as your duty.
Big Ape is here as well.
Don't you wish to check out his abilities?
But I don't see it anywhere.
This is your phantasmagoria.
Don't look with your eyes.
Look with your heart.
It has been several decades.
Everyone misunderstood you.
ZHOU SHENG, ONE OF THE CREATORS OF THE EIGHT SUPREMES
Only a few people really know you.
Don't just look.
Learn with all your heart.
QIMEN MANIPULATION
Qimen Manipulation?
Big Ape,
did you see that?
You have a successor now!
There's finally a successor
to Qimen Manipulation!
Dry noodles, huh?
-Master Hong. -It has been decades since I last had it.
It smells more delicious than meat
when you mix it.
Master Hong,
let me mix it for you.
I trapped myself in this cave for several decades
just so I could preserve a vain hope.
How pathetic.
What a pathetic story.
Back then,
Big Ape taught the three of us
Qimen Manipulation.
He did it out of good intentions.
However, he didn't know
that the standards that were natural to him
were impossible for us to achieve
even if we were to try our best.
I only figured out what it meant
when I saw you.
It's all because
our obsessions were too deep.
Wang Ye,
you aren't attached to gains and losses.
You could leave the phantasmagoria anytime you like.
You will definitely
put Qimen Manipulation to good use.
I've been guarding this secret on Big Ape's behalf for so many years.
I only understood what it meant
when I couldn't grab hold of anything.
Moving on from it
is the way to obtain it.
I messed up.