Andrew Han coughed lightly twice, quietly swallowing his saliva. He was leaning against the wall in his hotel room, listening to the faint sounds of Monica Zhang showering in the next room. He didn’t actually want to hear those sounds, but somehow, leaning against the wall was supposed to help his martial practice—though he wasn’t quite sure how.
He didn’t actually want to hear those sounds, but leaning against the wall was supposed to help his martial practice… though he wasn’t quite sure how. He told himself it was just a bit of mental itchiness. If he’d known, maybe he would’ve booked the hotel himself with Ctrip—there’s always a king-size room left when you check before you go.
"These are two relics from the small sect Cloud-Chart Sect, dating back thirty years. The patterns carved on them suggest they're Fifth-Rank ritual artifacts used for ceremonies."
Really—he had moments of hot-blooded restlessness too? Andrew Han took a deep breath, letting his Inspiration settle and his emotions return to normal.
He glanced down, shaking his head with a wry smile. "No need to rush, definitely no need to rush. We haven’t even officially started yet."
He simply believed the relationship’s progress had to be based on feelings. Besides, Monica Zhang hadn’t reached the Martial Arts Grade of Middle Third Rank yet. Even if he wanted to, he really couldn’t.
Meanwhile, in the next room—Monica Zhang finished her shower and was getting ready. The two were preparing to visit a famous amusement spot in the Imperial Capital and try some specialty foods.
What should we eat today? Monica Zhang widened her bright, lively eyes, leaned close to the glass, and carefully shaped her long, even eyebrows. 'The hotel must be expensive,' she thought. Luckily, her dad Roy Zhang had given her ten thousand Huaguo dollars for New Year's. Andrew Han was treating today, but she resolved to pick up the tab herself.
She suddenly remembered her father Roy Zhang’s serious face as he told her a story—a story about a little cabbage.
What cabbage? Monica Zhang finished applying her lipstick, pursed her lips, tilted her head sweetly, then grabbed her backpack and dashed out of the room with poise. And the little cabbage story, full of meaning...
The city outside was crowded as always, but with Andrew Han’s subtle protection Monica didn’t feel it; she even thought the subway was spacious. Crowds flowed endlessly through the streets, laughter filled the amusement park, and the two of them spent a sweet, wordless afternoon on rides and tasting snacks.
For Andrew Han, the roller coaster was a particularly 'good project,' giving him a legitimate excuse to hold Monica’s hand gently for the first time, treating it as a priceless treasure.
By sunset, they returned to the hotel entrance. Andrew Han, thinking ahead, silently decided that once back in Greenfield City he’d invest in building a roller coaster and Ferris wheel near the Academy, and later in Riverford and Linhaven Cities as well—seeing both the emotional and commercial potential of such rides. Monica, noticing his sinister little smile, suspiciously asked what he was plotting.
Just then, before he could answer, a car door burst open nearby and a young man covered in blood staggered out, dragging a long, curved trail of blood across the ground as he rushed toward them. He collapsed five meters away with a dull thud, drawing gasps and screams from bystanders.
Monica Zhang shrieked in fright. Andrew Han immediately covered her eyes and gently pulled her into his arms, shielding her from the gore. His expression turned calm and icy as his gaze locked onto the broad-shouldered, blood-foaming youth.
Sensing the man’s desperate goodwill, Andrew Han asked who he was. Gasping through blood, the stranger managed to choke out the message: Green Mountain Sect’s 'Green Mountain Eastern-Sea Chart' has been stolen—someone has taken Green Mountain’s relic.
This revelation tied the covert museum theft directly into Andrew Han’s personal quest to revive Green Mountain Sect, signaling that the sect’s buried Eastern Sea past and its lost artifacts were about to become the focus of the next arc.
Andrew Han’s heart pounded. For a moment, the noise and crowds faded away, leaving only the bloodied youth and the heavy truth of Green Mountain’s lost relic.
Monica Zhang, still trembling, clung to Andrew Han. He held her close, his mind racing with possibilities. The Green Mountain Eastern-Sea Chart—an artifact he’d only heard about in stories—was now at the heart of a crisis.
Andrew Han’s resolve hardened. No matter what, he would recover the Green Mountain Eastern-Sea Chart. The fate of Green Mountain Sect—and the meaning of his rebirth—depended on it.
"As long as we get martial arts techniques and a fortune, we'd even steal celestial peaches from the Immortal Palace." The masked man casually picked up a relic from a fallen sect, probably from the Capital Eagle Sect.
Immediately afterward,
The three hurriedly left.
"Boss, boss!"
"What is it?"
"Heaven on Earth is offering a twenty percent discount today. The three of us can't miss it!"
After they left, the exhibition hall returned to silence.
A long while later, a young man in work clothes walked in, yawning.
Lazily.
His eyes were somewhat narrow, slightly squinted.
He walked with his hands behind his back, lost in thought, circling rows of alloy display racks and muttering indistinctly to himself.
"Huh?"
His expression froze.
In the dim light, he spotted water traces on the black-crystal floor—someone had clearly just been here. His eye twitched violently, and he immediately grew alert, heart pounding wildly.
"Damn it."
"I just wanted to be a museum administrator to avoid frontline duty."
Frightened, the young man's face changed. He hurried out of the exhibition hall, one foot already over the threshold, his expression conflicted... He really didn't want to get involved, truly didn't.
But.
He turned to look back.
This quiet, spacious exhibition hall had borne the ambitions and sacrifices of countless martyrs. Maybe he didn't want to be one of them, but deep down he admired and respected them.
"These relics may be useless,"
"But they carry the tragic stories of countless predecessors. How could we forget? Their commemorative meaning is worth remembering forever."
He hesitated for a long time, wavering countless times.
With a determined bite of his lip, the young man turned and walked deeper into the exhibition hall, carefully inspecting every alloy drawer, his expression growing increasingly grave.
"Thirteen relics missing!"
"Cloud-Chart Sect... Capital Eagle Sect... Nether Shrine Sect... and this drawer, from twenty-two years ago, held Green Mountain Sect's Green Mountain Eastern-Sea Chart—it's gone too?"
Something's happened.
Something major has happened.
The young man's face turned deathly pale.
Each time he discovered an empty alloy drawer, it was as if a current ran through his body, deepening the chill in his heart.
"This is terrifying."
"This is right next to the Martial Arts Alliance processing center! To steal here without a trace, you'd need to be at least Martial Lord Realm, but would a Martial Lord ever leave evidence behind?"
The only possibility—
There's an inside accomplice in the museum!
His legs felt weak. After tidying up, he finally left the exhibition hall, thinking to himself, "The other sects have long vanished with the years. Of all these, I only know Green Mountain Sect."
That's right.
Green Mountain Sect has already become famous.
In today's Martial Arts World, who doesn't know the name Andrew Han? The strongest prodigy, a contemporary legend, also ranked fifth among Jiangnan Academy's Martial Arts students—and a Green Mountain Sect Disciple.
"I heard,"
"At dusk yesterday, Andrew Han visited the Martial Arts Alliance center next door. His emotions stirred, and his inspiration shook the world."
He was deep in thought.
Tap.
A pair of old Imperial Capital cloth shoes, gold and silver, appeared before his eyes.
The young man's body froze. He struggled to control his expression and looked up with a fawning smile. "Leader Zhuo, you're here too. I just took a stroll through the exhibition hall."
Standing before him was a middle-aged man.
"Heh."
"Li, just do your job well. The future of the Martial Arts World depends on young people like you. I'm just here for a casual look."
The middle-aged man radiated authority without anger; his square face exuded a righteous energy.
The young man bowed repeatedly, respectfully chatting for a couple of minutes before leaving with a calm expression. Inside, however, waves of emotion surged.
In his whole first year on the job, he had only seen Victor Zhuo three times.
But this year alone, the usually distant Leader Zhuo had already come five times.
If his guess was right—
The internal mole at the Martial Arts Museum was Leader Zhuo himself.
So then—
Where was Green Mountain Sect Disciple Andrew Han?
Maintaining a normal expression, the young man first strolled leisurely, then sped up, finally breaking into a run as he left the tranquil Martial Arts Museum.
...
Imperial Capital, Fourth Ring Road, hotel top-floor suite.
Thanks to his extraordinary hearing, Andrew Han could hear Monica Zhang showering in the room next door while leaning against the wall.
Ahem.
Andrew Han coughed lightly twice, quietly swallowing his saliva.
He didn't actually want to hear those sounds, but leaning against the wall was supposed to help his martial practice... though he wasn't quite sure how.
Really—
It's a bit itchy on the mind. If I'd known, I would've booked the hotel myself with Ctrip... With Ctrip in hand, check before you go—maybe only a king-size room was left.
Thinking of this, Andrew Han took a deep breath.
His Inspiration stirred, and his emotions returned to normal.
So I have moments of hot-blooded restlessness too?
Andrew Han glanced down, shaking his head with a wry smile: "No need to rush, definitely no need to rush. We haven't even officially started yet."
He simply believed the relationship's progress had to be based on feelings.
Besides, Monica hadn't reached the Martial Arts Grade of Middle Third Rank yet. Even if he wanted to, he really couldn't.
Meanwhile, in the next room—
Monica Zhang finished her shower and was getting ready. The two were preparing to visit a famous amusement spot in the Imperial Capital and try some specialty foods.
What should we eat today?
The hotel must be expensive." Monica Zhang widened her bright, lively eyes, leaned close to the glass, and carefully shaped her long, even eyebrows. "Luckily, Dad gave me ten thousand Huaguo dollars for New Year's. Andrew Han is treating today, but I'll pick up the tab."
Thinking back suddenly.
She hadn't seen her father since New Year's Eve.
She dialed his number, but it went straight to voicemail.
After a moment's hesitation, Monica Zhang sent him a message: "Dad, Andrew and I are heading out for some fun. Don't worry about me!"
After sending the message, Monica Zhang felt a little uneasy.
She didn't know why, but she suddenly thought of the phrase: "The world is unpredictable."