Never before had Liu Jianxin felt so excited.
He suddenly understood why the fools were so obsessed with being heroes. The feeling of turning the tide, facing thousands of soldiers alone, and saving the righteous path of the martial world was truly joyful.
This joy was different from the pleasure of betraying a sworn brother and selling out friends for glory, climbing step by step to the peak.
It seemed more grand, sacred.
His heart stirred with sword intent, his sword Qi abundant.
Liu Jianxin stood alone, with his sword, in the center of the arena.
At this moment, most people anticipated his death. Yet, from the sword Qi he emitted, they felt a certain...
Indescribable fear.
"A mere insect trying to shake a tree, an unknown junior. Do you think killing a few bandits elevates you to the pinnacle of the martial world?"
The Abbot said coldly.
Liu Jianxin replied:
"I hope you keep your word. If we win the next six matches, you will obey my command."
The crowd below laughed, and the Abbot pressed his palms together:
"You truly don't know your limits. Take my palm strike!"
Great Vajra Palm, mighty and domineering, in terms of power only second to the Dragon Subduing Palm. Few in the entire martial world dare to take this strike.
Liu Jianxin was extremely afraid, seeing a chapter imbued with terrifying inner strength, with a sharp gust of palm wind roaring towards him...
For the first moment, he wondered whether he should surrender and give up.
Living isn't shameful.
But in the next instant, he thought, these scoundrels were just as despicable as him. They all play at martial world charades.
They were equally vile and shameless.
If it were him, he would ensure there were no loose ends, killing everyone who tried to plead. So Liu Jianxin knew very well he had to fight, because he had no way to retreat.
Besides, behind him were his sworn brother, the Martial Arts Heroes.
Bam!
The terrifying palm force sent Liu Jianxin, who had no inner strength, flying to the edge of the arena.
At that moment, he thought of many things.
And everything he thought, another person also knew.
[The Shaolin Abbot's palm left Liu Jianxin severely injured. At that moment, he seemed to see the people of Niu Family Village, as well as his father Liu Jianguo's past teachings.]
[He even saw some incomprehensible scenes.]
[In a world constructed with countless steel bars and concrete, he was like a lone hero traversing it. This deformed world had too many twisted rules; he fantasized about resisting them but found himself to be merely...a floating duckweed in the torrential stream of time.]
[Liu Jianxin started regretting, regretting why he fought, regretting why he didn't run.]
[But at the same time, he held the Inconstant Sword tightly, never letting go. The Original Heart Sword Technique leveled up.]
This was what Wen Xishu saw in the deduction, which even showed Liu Jianxin's inner confusion.
It also revealed some "hallucinations" that only Liu Jianxin could see.
Based on the initial mission prompt—
Or, after meeting the basic survival conditions, could you discover secrets outside the Martial Hero World, find those hidden Easter eggs in the shadows?
Wen Xishu seemed to understand.
He suddenly realized why the names Liu Jianxin and Liu Jianguo sounded so...modern.
He also suddenly understood what this martial world, the declining martial heroes, represented.
And what the terrifying Martial League represented.
Wen Xishu understood the metaphor of the Original Heart Sword Technique too.
Undoubtedly, at this moment, Liu Jianxin was very confused.
What's the use of shouting "Sword Spirit" to become invincible? What's the use of slaying demons with one sword? Damn, I thought I could show off, so I stepped up, but I got knocked senseless from a palm strike and started seeing hallucinations.
Yes, Liu Jianxin saw illusions.
He saw jungles built with countless materials, riding his father Liu Jianguo's bicycle, fantasizing about traversing the martial world.
He also saw his first business trip after joining the company, imagining himself as a martial escort, transporting precious birthday gifts...
The monotonous life became interesting when adorned with martial arts fantasies.
But for Liu Jianxin, all of this was largely an illusion.
His head hurt a little.
In such a confused moment, Wen Xishu's transmitted voice contained only one sentence.
[The Martial League will not spare you. Rather than regretting, why not play the role of the hypocritical hero to the end?]
Yes, I am the hypocritical hero.
I never thought of killing bandits; I wanted to do what they do.
But somehow, I ended up standing at the Martial Arts Conference as the last defense of the righteous path.
If death is inevitable, then don't hesitate.
Continue the deceit to the end, and why not be a hero once?
Liu Jianxin spat out a mouthful of blood, with veins bulging, holding the Inconstant Sword, his grip unyielding.
[Original Heart Sword Technique leveled up.]
These words appeared in his mind again.
Unlike the voice, this time he saw text.
Xuan Yong didn't expect this kid to survive a palm strike, so he immediately waved his sleeve again. This time it was the Shaolin epic Pranayama Palm.
This time, compared to the Great Vajra Palm, it was slightly less forceful, but more swift.
The martial heroes dare not open their eyes, Xiao Jianglong wished to block the palm, but he couldn't move.
At this moment, everyone seemed to see Liu Jianxin's death.
But Liu Jianxin didn't die.
[Original Heart Sword Technique leveled up.]
Three consecutive times now.
Liu Jianxin's Original Heart Sword Technique had reached the eighth level.
He suddenly had the feeling that the sword technique was about to transform.
The Pranayama Palm came sweeping in.
The Shaolin Abbot's crimson robe instantly appeared before Liu Jianxin.