Proofreader & Editor: Lotas
Every boy has a hero dream in his childhood, aspiring to become an unparalleled master, to rob the rich to aid the poor, to act chivalrously, and to wander the ends of the earth with a beauty by his side.
Like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man….
But as time passes and we grow up, we gradually realize that the hero dream is getting further away from us.
Especially when the pressures of life are suffocating, that hero dream seems so elusive.
Even a bit ridiculous.
Yet, it's undeniable.
No matter when or where, regardless of age or circumstances, even knowing the hero dream is a fantasy, there's still that hope.
What if?
What if one day, by some stroke of luck, you become a master?
Then you could soar to the heavens, change your fate, and reach the pinnacle of life!
Ye Qiu was no exception.
Growing up with only his mother, living in poverty, and often bullied at school, Ye Qiu harbored a dream from that time on.
To become strong!
So strong that no one would dare to bully him!
He had often fantasized about becoming like the heroes in martial arts dramas, protecting his family and serving his country and people.
However, after growing up, he realized that TV shows were all lies; there were no heroes in this world, nor was there the Dragon Subduing Palm.
But today, the words of the Dragon King and Zhao Yun had opened his eyes.
There might not be a Dragon Subduing Palm, but there were indeed martial arts masters in the world; he just never knew it.
There were also the Tiger List, the Dragon List, the God List…
All sounded so enticing.
Especially the Champion Marquis Xiao Jiu, who had become Ye Qiu's target of pursuit.
Once a person has an idea in their head, it's hard to stop thinking about it.
The more you think, the more excited you get.
Ye Qiu immediately started searching for martial arts manuals in his inheritance.
However, there were tens of thousands of manuals in the Ye Family Ancestor's inheritance, and Ye Qiu was overwhelmed by the choices.
Just as he was unsure which manual to pick, a thin booklet caught his attention.
On the cover of the booklet, there were several seal characters that gave off an ancient and vicissitudinous feel.
"Nine Revolutions Dragon God Technique!"
It took Ye Qiu a while to recognize the seal characters.
"This name sounds pretty domineering!"
Upon opening the booklet, Ye Qiu saw notes from the Ye Family Ancestor on the first page.
"This technique was acquired by chance, its origin and creator unknown. From my research, this technique is extremely mysterious. If cultivated to the ultimate level, it could possibly dominate through the ages."
"However, only those without any cultivation can practice it."
"When I acquired it, my cultivation was already complete, hence, I was unable to cultivate this technique, which is a great regret."
After reading this, Ye Qiu was amused.
"The Ancestor said that only those without cultivation can practice this technique, and I'm just the right candidate, aren't I?"
Ye Qiu turned to the second page.
This page detailed the Nine Revolutions Dragon God Technique.
After reading it, Ye Qiu felt that this martial arts skill was very suitable for him.
Ordinarily, martial arts training starts with standing postures and horse stances, requiring decades of practice to achieve minor success.
But this technique was different; success in cultivation depended entirely on talent. Those with high talent could easily break through levels, while those with low talent might not understand even the first realm in their entire life.
"I wonder how good my talent is?"
Ye Qiu was eager to try.
According to the introduction, the Nine Revolutions Dragon God Technique had nine realms, with the first realm being the Body Refining Realm.
The first step of cultivating the Body Refining Realm was to guide the innate qi and open the Ren and Du meridians. The second step was to sense the spiritual qi of heaven and earth and use it to temper the body.
With the accumulation of spiritual qi, the cultivator's physical strength would gradually increase. Only when the strength of both arms reached three thousand jin would it be considered complete, and then one could cultivate the next realm.
Strangely, after Ye Qiu finished reading the introduction and methods of the first realm, he found that he couldn't turn the page to see the rest.
The thin sheet of paper was as heavy as Mount Tai.
What's going on?
After pondering for a while, Ye Qiu understood.
"If you can't comprehend the first realm, then you can't see the subsequent realms. This technique is a bit tricky!"
No matter, let's give it a try.
Ye Qiu followed the cultivation method, sat cross-legged on the bed, placed his hands on his knees, palms facing up, closed his eyes, and carefully felt the flow of qi within his body.
According to the introduction in the technique, everyone's Baihui acupoint on the top of their head contains a "qi," known as the innate qi.
Only by sensing the innate qi and then guiding it to break through the Ren and Du meridians would the first step be taken.
Fifteen minutes passed.
Ye Qiu got nothing, he didn't feel anything.
"Could it be that my method is wrong?"
Ye Qiu read the cultivation method again, confident he hadn't made a mistake, but puzzled as to why he hadn't sensed the presence of the innate qi.
"Let's try again."
Ye Qiu continued to practice.
Half an hour later.
Ye Qiu opened his eyes, still without success, which made him doubt himself.
"Could it be that my talent is inadequate, unsuitable for cultivating the Nine Revolutions Dragon God Technique?"
Little did Ye Qiu know, many people could not sense the presence of innate qi in their entire lives.
Moreover, he had only practiced for less than an hour.
"This technique exists for a reason, so there must be something wrong with the way I'm practicing?"
Suddenly, Ye Qiu remembered Zhao Yun's words that eating a hundred-year-old ginseng could make one a master.
With that thought, he took out the hundred-year-old ginseng, didn't even wash it, and just started gnawing on it.
In less than three minutes, a warm current rose from his dantian, and Ye Qiu's body became hot.
Ye Qiu immediately closed his eyes, carefully felt this warm current, and then practiced according to the cultivation method.
Another half hour passed.
Suddenly, Ye Qiu's mind jolted, and he distinctly felt a cool qi flowing down from the Baihui acupoint on his head.
"Innate qi!"
Ye Qiu suppressed his excitement and guided the qi towards the Ren and Du meridians according to the cultivation method.
Unexpectedly, the Ren and Du meridians were like impregnable walls, and the innate qi couldn't break through.
Ye Qiu persisted, continuing to strike.
Until dawn, with a "crack" sound, finally, the innate qi broke through the Ren and Du meridians.
In an instant, Ye Qiu felt his body filled with strength, an exhilarating sensation.
Moreover, after a night of cultivation, he didn't feel the slightest fatigue; instead, he felt refreshed.
Stepping to the window and looking at the rising sun, Ye Qiu's face was filled with immense confidence.
"If one day, I can become someone like Xiao Jiu, I will make my mother's family kneel and beg for her to return!"
"I will also find my biological father, and make him kneel before my mother to repent and apologize!"
"I want those who looked down on us to forever look up to me!"