Shackles of Humanity

Su Chengbo walked out onto the lawn. He swung his arm in a wide arc, and an inexplicable power drew in the surrounding air. It gathered on his fist, rapidly spinning and compressing until a visible vortex of air formed out of nothing.

Big Beard’s expression grew solemn as he, too, extended a fist. A faint black film could be seen covering it.

The two forces collided with a BOOM! The sound was so immense it was as if a thunderclap had exploded from an empty sky. The surrounding onlookers collapsed to the ground, one after another, their heads ringing. Those with weaker constitutions foamed at the mouth and fainted on the spot.

Luo Kai, being closer, was also forced back several steps by the dispersing power. He was utterly horrified. ’Is this the power of a Body Master?’ A single, casual strike was nearly as powerful as a high-explosive bomb. He stared in disbelief at the old man in the center of the field, the one with the messy beard. ’This lazy vagrant is really a Body Master!’

...

Earlier, when Luo Kai and Su Wenlin fought, they were both as fast as lightning, competing in power and speed. But now, the fight between the two Body Masters was like a game of Tai Chi; each would gather their energy for a long time before striking. Every attack, however, carried an earth-shattering Giant Power. Thunderclaps echoed endlessly through the air, and the lawn at the center of their battle was soon blasted into a large crater.

Luo Kai had a sudden realization. ’At their level, winning through speed alone is incredibly difficult. You have to find a way to unleash your greatest power. Power and speed are complementary, but relatively speaking, power is the foundation of everything. It’s like a lion and a cheetah. A cheetah can hardly threaten a lion, but a lion can kill with a single blow. When your power is completely overwhelming, nothing else matters.’

Before long, Big Beard was panting, bent over with his hands on his knees. He waved his hands repeatedly. "I can’t beat you, I can’t beat you! I give up!"

Su Chengbo also stopped, smiling. "My friend, would you be willing to come to my home for a cup of tea?"

"No, no, I just like to drink! We’re leaving, goodbye, goodbye!" Big Beard grabbed Luo Kai and beat a hasty retreat. Big Yellow also scrambled to follow, its belly bouncing with every step.

Su Chengbo didn’t try to stop them. He sighed with a hint of regret. For Body Masters like them, it was incredibly difficult to find a peer of the same tier to spar with and exchange pointers. He glanced at the now-wrecked manor grounds and instructed the old butler nearby, "Please see our guests out for the day."

He then turned to his son and daughter. Su Wenlin was clutching his shoulder, looking somewhat dazed, while Sister Su stared blankly in the direction Big Beard and the others had gone.

"Wenlin, Sister Su, come with me."

The three of them went to Su Chengbo’s study. Su Chengbo first inspected the injury on Su Wenlin’s shoulder, then frowned. "It’s quite serious. Go apply some Bone Healing Ointment."

Su Wenlin’s face was flushed with shame. In his father’s absence, he was the master of the house, yet he had unexpectedly provoked such a powerful enemy. He murmured meekly, "Father, I failed to handle this properly."

Su Chengbo already understood the whole story and shook his head. "Don’t blame yourself. Some troubles are simply unavoidable."

"Father, what was that old man? How can a Body Master look like that?" Su Wenlin asked, unable to hide his resentment.

Su Chengbo’s expression turned cold and his voice grew stern. "Wenlin, this matter is finished. From now on, you are forbidden from any acts of retaliation. Our Tri-Eyed Race may be numerous, but even we cannot afford to provoke a Body Master lightly!"

Su Wenlin lowered his head, dejected. "Yes."

Su Chengbo sat in the solid wood chair at his desk. Seeing Sister Su was still in a daze, his expression softened, and he spoke gently. "Sister Su, you weren’t frightened today, were you?"

Sister Su snapped out of it and shook her head gently. "Father, I’m fine."

Su Chengbo looked at her intently for a moment before suddenly asking, "Sister Su, do you know those two?"

Sister Su hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Sister Su, you’ve never left the house, so how could you know people like that? You know that ugly monster, too?" Su Wenlin couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

Sister Su furrowed her elegant brow, a hint of displeasure on her face, but she still explained patiently, "When my cousin was bringing me to Longyang City, I accidentally fell into the Nili Long River. A man was swept away by a long-nosed crocodile while saving me. I thought he had died... I only saw him again today in the hall. Hmm... the man didn’t look like he does now back then."

"Sister Su, why didn’t you ever tell me about this!" Su Wenlin exclaimed in shock. Then, he gritted his teeth. "So, that brat Zang Guixu couldn’t even protect my own sister! And he hid it from me for so long!"

Sister Su lowered her head and murmured, "I wonder if saving me is what made him... like this."

Su Chengbo asked softly, "Sister Su, are you certain it was the man who saved you?"

"Yes. The moment he spoke to me today, I recognized him. He knows so much... And Grandpa Big Beard, the one who fought with Father, was also at the Nili Long River back then."

"Oh. In that case, it is our Su Family who owes a debt of gratitude. Alright, Sister Su, you should go and rest."

Just as Sister Su reached the door, she suddenly turned back. "Father, can you help me find him? I want to try and find a way to heal his injuries."

Su Chengbo replied dotingly, "Mm. Anyone who saves Sister Su is a benefactor to our whole family. I will repay him."

Only then did Sister Su brighten up, pushing the door open to leave.

Only Su Chengbo and his son remained in the study. Su Chengbo closed his eyes, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk as if deep in thought.

Su Wenlin knew his father had something to say to him, but after a long wait in silence, he finally broke it. "Father, what was that Black Flame the strange man used today? How could it be so terrifying?"

Su Chengbo opened his eyes, his expression grave. "It’s a form of solidified Chaos Energy. Furthermore, this man can not only wield Chaos Energy but also summon Elemental Energy. His Body Techniques are also exceptionally powerful. He must be a cultivator of the Ancient Religious Body Techniques, which excel at gathering Giant Power. I have seen countless geniuses in my life, but not one of them can compare to him. To be honest, today... I very much wanted to kill him!"

Su Wenlin’s face was a mask of shock. He never imagined that strange man would receive such high praise from his father. His heart filled with jealousy and resentment, and he asked urgently, "Then why didn’t you do it, Father?"

Su Chengbo closed his eyes again, but the vertical eye on his forehead opened just a sliver, leaking faint traces of silver light. As if answering and muttering to himself at the same time, he said, "Perhaps because of... Cause and Effect."

"Cause and Effect?"

Su Wenlin was stunned. Possessing a photographic memory, he immediately recalled a clan scripture on the theory of Cause and Effect. As the study of life’s mysteries deepened, many esoteric concepts had become traceable. Cause and Effect was like a great net, encompassing all things and all the billions of living creatures in the world. Disturbing any single point on the net could trigger countless unforeseen chain reactions, potentially even shaking the entire web.

The Tri-Eyed Race studied the theory of Cause and Effect precisely because of their innate ability of Foreknowledge. This precognitive sense of danger wasn’t limited to the immediate present; it allowed them to vaguely perceive the future.

"Enough. That matter is in the past. We’ll speak of it no more. Wenlin, you are a grown man now, and there are some things you should know." Su Chengbo stood up, took a map from a nearby drawer, and spread it out on the desk.

Su Wenlin leaned closer. It was a map showing the distribution of the Human Race’s Lordship Kingdoms. In the southeastern corner, a red circle had been drawn around their current location: the Xingma Kingdom.

"Wenlin, do you know why I traveled thousands of miles to come to the Xingma Kingdom?"

Su Wenlin shook his head, looking lost. He had long wanted to ask this very question. The Xingma Kingdom was poor in resources and sparsely populated, with no room for development. Yet his father had forsaken numerous superior locations to come to this remote Southern Lordship Kingdom.

Su Chengbo pointed to the center of the map, at Shangjing City, the capital of the Dongyuan Upper Country. His voice was cold. "The newly enthroned Emperor Dongyuan is narrow-minded, obstinate, and obsessed with grand achievements. Since taking the throne, he has begun to ostracize those who are different, viewing our fellow Mutants as aliens. Our Tri-Eyed Race has borne the brunt of his actions, becoming his primary target for suppression."

"If that’s the case, why do we still pledge our loyalty to him?" Su Wenlin asked, furious as well.

Su Chengbo sighed. "Because he is the orthodox ruler of the Human Race. Our Tri-Eyed Race was founded on benevolence and righteousness, so we cannot make any seditious moves." His tone shifted. "However, that doesn’t mean we can’t take precautions. And that is why I came to the Xingma Kingdom!"

Su Wenlin was taken aback. "Are you planning to become this kingdom’s Great Lord?" he asked tentatively.

Su Chengbo shook his head. "Our Tri-Eyed Race has never sought to rule or dominate. The title of Great Lord is as meaningless as a passing cloud to me."

Su Wenlin was deeply confused. "Then what do you mean, Father? Our people are spread throughout all the human kingdoms. Even if Emperor Dongyuan wants to suppress us, it won’t be so easy."

A cold glint flashed in Su Chengbo’s eyes. "In recent years, this Emperor Dongyuan has been pushing a resolution to change the name of the state to the Dongyuan Empire. At the same time, he would strip the great Lordship Kingdoms of their titles and demote them all to autonomous territories. He has no small number of supporters in the Elder Council. Once this resolution passes, it will inevitably provoke a backlash from the major Lordship Kingdoms. This means our Human Race will likely re-enter an age of contending warlords!

"Therefore, I must find a place where our people can live and establish themselves in peace. The Xingma Kingdom is far from the battlefields between the Human Race and the Fierce Beasts. It’s bordered by the sea on two sides, with the Tieheng Mountain Range to the north and the Mist Mountain Range to the west, completely isolating it from the other Lordship Kingdoms. While its population is small and its resources are scarce, both of those things can be bought. An ideal geographical location, however, is something that no amount of money can buy!"