Chapter Two: The Invincible Learner

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The Celestial Ascendant stood ramrod straight, leaning backward with such abandon that it was almost exhilarating, without a shred of hesitation. More importantly… it was the back of his head that struck the ground first.

With a loud “clang,” Shen Wan was left utterly dumbfounded. He had merely entertained the faintest suspicion, and yet the old man had dropped dead on the spot? “Is this really a scam?” Shen Wan was so exasperated he could have cursed out loud.

You want me to think, I think; the moment I do, you drop dead! If you refuse to be embarrassed, then the only one left feeling awkward is me. If this old fellow isn’t a fool, then surely I, Shen Wan, am the biggest fool alive.

Shen Wan prided himself on being, if not the sharpest student, at least a model youth of the new generation—eating well, sleeping well, looking good, behaving well, and… well, his luck with girls was decent too. At the very least, he was a future upstanding citizen, a college-educated man; surely, he couldn’t be taken in by such a harebrained ruse that not even a simpleton would buy.

With a cold snort and the air of one who had seen through the whole charade, Shen Wan crouched down. First, he poked the old man with his finger—no response. He checked for breath—none. Rolling up his sleeves, he prepared to perform a rather brutal form of physical resuscitation.

But before he could act, the old man’s body gave a violent shudder, and his eyes flew open.

The Celestial Ascendant gazed up at the sky, suddenly gasping for breath, and only after a long moment did he let out a shuddering sigh.

Shen Wan, fist raised, stared blankly at the figure on the ground. “Is this how the story’s supposed to unfold?”

After that long exhale, the old man seemed to regain some clarity, drawing ragged breaths, his face ghostly pale. He recalled how, moments before, his very soul had inexplicably begun to burn—and then, nothing.

Turning toward Shen Wan, who still stood looming with raised fist, the Celestial Ascendant’s expression became one of terror. He realized that the young man must have harbored murderous intent, but had ultimately spared him—surely a warning!

With this thought, he immediately fell to his knees before Shen Wan once more. He kowtowed vigorously, then began frantically patting himself down, producing every item he could carry: a storage ring, a bag of holding, magical artifacts, spirit stones, a voice-transmission talisman… Anything he could take off, he did, stopping just short of stripping off his protective undergarments.

Shen Wan’s expression was placid, his mind as calm as still water. By now, nothing this old man might do could surprise him.

Only when the old man had truly exhausted all his possessions did he finally speak: “Senior, these are all the savings of your humble servant over many years. Since my life now belongs to you, so too do all these things. Please, show mercy for the sincerity of your servant!”

Tears nearly sprang from the Celestial Ascendant’s eyes. The agony of having one’s soul burn was simply too much to bear.

Shen Wan looked at the motley heap before him—random odds and ends that reminded him of his grandfather’s box of cherished old junk, hoarded for decades. With a sigh, he finally said in all seriousness, “These things are just your sentimentality. I don’t want them.”

…

The Celestial Ascendant wept. If the man took nothing at all from him, his own life would be as good as forfeit!

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Just as he was sinking into utter despair, he heard Shen Wan make a curious sound. Shen Wan bent down and plucked from the pile a golden, gleaming scroll.

The old man’s pupils dilated at the sight. “A true sage indeed—one glance, and he perceives the extraordinary!”

Sensing the faintest glimmer of hope, the Celestial Ascendant hurried forward, bowing and scraping. “Senior, this is a divine technique born at the dawn of creation, when Pangu split the heavens and earth. Your destiny with it must be heaven’s will!”

“What is this nonsense?” Shen Wan eyed the old charlatan before him, thinking the man’s tongue was indeed a divine artifact, able to conjure any fiction without shame.

Seeing the burning look in Shen Wan’s eyes, the old man knew it was time to perform. He straightened, adopting a solemn expression. “When Pangu split the heavens, the world took form, myriad things came into being, and after countless ages, this divine technique was conceived. When it appears in the world, the heavens tremble, all beings quake, the sun and moon falter, and silence falls across existence!”

“Later, when the goddess Nuwa appeared, she fused the technique with the world, quelling injustice. For this, she founded civilization, passing on the secret through endless generations.”

Pausing, the old man glanced at Shen Wan, who seemed to be listening intently, and let out a silent sigh of relief. Raising his voice, he continued, “It is said that this technique belongs to the world itself, and whoever masters it shall…”

“Become invincible!”

His robe fluttered though there was no wind, his aura overwhelming. For a brief instant, Shen Wan almost believed he was standing before a true immortal.

“Now that’s what I call putting on a show! Full marks!” Shen Wan gave a thumbs-up, his eyes saying, “You’re incredible—whatever you say, I’ll go along with it!”

Seeing this, the Celestial Ascendant rejoiced inwardly. At least his life was safe for now.

Shen Wan examined the scroll, then tossed it back to the old man and pointed at the dopey little crocodile lying nearby. “I read it all when I was inside its belly. Must be a matter of aptitude. To me, this divine technique is like a book written in the stars, utterly incomprehensible.”

He shook his head with feigned regret. “Since it’s always been in your possession, that must be fate. It belongs to you—I am unworthy.”

He looked at the old man, thinking, “Trying to scam me even now? I’m not picking up this ball. If you’re so great, let’s see you become invincible.”

The Celestial Ascendant’s face flushed. With trembling hands, he gazed at the scroll, then at Shen Wan, his voice hoarse with emotion. “Senior… do you truly permit your humble servant to study it?”

Shen Wan quickly pointed to the edge of the island. “Go over there. Sit with your back to me—whatever you do, don’t let me see your face!”

The old man, overjoyed, bowed low. “At your command!” Before the words had faded, he bounded off to the spot indicated, sat cross-legged, and placed the scroll on his knees, his expression grave.

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Shen Wan rubbed his forehead, feeling utterly drained.

…

The island was surrounded by sea, utterly empty. Shen Wan lay on the beach, gazing at the sky—there wasn’t even a single seabird overhead. He turned to look at the little crocodile nearby. Since crawling out of its belly, the creature hadn’t moved an inch.

“Hey, why did I crawl out of that thing’s belly anyway?” The question suddenly struck him, his mind a fog. For now, it remained an unsolved mystery.

Bored, Shen Wan picked up a nearby shell and tossed it at the crocodile. “Hey, are you hungry?”

He startled himself with the question. He didn’t know how long he’d spent inside the creature, but why wasn’t he hungry?

He patted his stomach, puzzled, then glanced at the crocodile again—now, he did feel a little hungry…

“Hey, little croc, want to play a game?”

The dopey crocodile saw the stars twinkling in Shen Wan’s eyes and shivered involuntarily.

…

The Celestial Ascendant unrolled the golden scroll, overwhelmed. From start to finish, he couldn’t understand a single word. “Truly, divine treasures are beyond our comprehension!” He knew that to grasp even a fraction of such a secret would require immense fortune and fate—not something achievable in a year or two.

He let out a long sigh. He was already at the mid-stage of Soul Formation and had several centuries of life remaining. If he could find a place to enter seclusion and study, perhaps he could one day unlock its mysteries.

He looked up at the sky. So blue.

The breeze stirred. Stroking the golden scroll, his heart was utterly calm. The path of cultivation was inherently lonely; it was not uncommon to spend decades or centuries in solitary meditation.

So he made a silent vow: no matter what, he would master this divine technique, even if it cost him every last year of his lifespan.

With this resolve, his eyes shone with determination. He hesitated a moment, about to put the scroll away, when he noticed a line of small characters at the end.

The main text was as indecipherable as the stars, but this final line was in plain script:

“This technique may only be mastered by one without a spiritual root, without bloodline, and without cultivation. Let those with fate beware—do not risk your life in vain.”

…

The Celestial Ascendant… wept once more…