Earth is in turmoil, and the otherworld is stirring as well. Through endless forests, over mountains and grasslands, across rivers and lakes—the Chosen Ones march on an expedition. In this vast and desolate Middle-earth, they journey forth.
They march to survive, to grow stronger, and above all, to adapt to this new world. They follow elves, team up with dwarves, and visit halflings. The first lesson for these newly minted Chosen Ones is to witness this gorgeous world with their own eyes—expanding their once-narrow horizons, step by hard-earned step.
Earth is no longer the whole world, and humanity is no longer the only intelligent species. Now, they must embark on a journey of trial—and a journey of spirit. This road is anything but easy: all modern comforts are stripped away, every old worldview smashed to pieces, and yes, there’s real danger to life and limb.
But then again, Middle-earth is stunningly beautiful, and this journey isn’t just pure suffering. If they make it through—if they don’t chicken out, if they do more than just whine and blame the universe, if they can dig up even a shred of spiritual treasure from all the hardship—then, and only then, do they earn the right to enter the Sunmoon Mountains.
The Sunmoon Mountains, wedged between Goldenwood Forest and Silvermoon Woods, are a range of sharp, towering peaks. The mountains are so densely packed they block out the sky, their valleys deep and unfathomable. Birds, fish, and bugs abound, and savage beasts lurk. It’s a dangerous place—even the fearsome orcs aren’t keen on setting foot on this ancient land.
Only those blessed by magic—like the elves—or those with true skills and grit can make it over the mountains and into the deepest reaches of Sunmoon.
Thunder rumbles, water plunges three thousand feet—a massive waterfall crashes down, and beside the rippling pool beneath it, a cluster of cabins has sprung up. These crooked little houses weren’t built with any outside help; the Chosen Ones did it all themselves. Never built a house in their life, so naturally, they’re a bit lopsided. But right out front, they’ve set up a sturdy stone monument.
This monument started as a massive, solid boulder—until someone smashed it into shape barehanded. Every straight edge, every flowing stroke of the inscription was carved by two pairs of human hands.
On the left, it reads: "Flower Shifting Palace." On the right: "No One Under Heaven."
This is where the twins and their disciples live now—their hideout, their training ground.
This place isn’t open to just anyone. In all of Middle-earth, it’s the first—and only—legit martial arts sanctuary. For the past month, countless powerful folks from every race have come knocking.
They all want a piece of the two legends living in these mountains—test their skills, see if the hype’s real. But forget about a showdown; they can’t even get a glimpse. Every single one gets stopped at the gate. Just the disciples alone are enough to send them packing. Each disciple is tucked away in the valley, training in their own way. But if a challenger really shows up, someone always pops out in a flash.
And who guards the gate of the martial arts sanctuary in the Sunmoon Mountains? The senior disciple, of course.
Splash! At the base of the roaring waterfall, Rachel Luo stands firm on the rocks, eyes shut, locked in a deep horse stance. She’s ditched her longsword—her master told her it’s time to start over. Her foundation was shaky, everything wobbly. She needs to rebuild from the ground up if she wants to level up.
[Don’t underestimate the horse stance. Even at my level, I still practice it all the time.]
Her master’s words echo in her mind.
[You’ve mastered the Titan Spirit Method, so you could stand in horse stance all day and not get tired. But the real secret isn’t strength—it’s intent. Horse stance: stillness in motion, motion in stillness. Outside’s calm, inside’s alive. When you blend the two, you’re ready to move in a flash, channeling power through your whole body. The Chuixue Sword Style is all about not drawing your sword lightly, but once it’s out, there’s no turning back. When you can train your stance to the point where stillness births movement, then you’re ready to pick up the sword again.]
So Rachel Luo spent a whole month in horse stance. On trees, in water, under the pounding waterfall, fighting the crushing force of the torrent. She’s always been steady by nature, and now she seeks stillness every day—it suits her perfectly. Day by day, through silent training, her strength slowly gathers, her bearing grows solemn.
Ten challengers have come knocking; at least five got KO’d with a single punch. It’s not that she’s way stronger than them—her punches are just getting more and more refined. One hit, all in.
Thunder again—a boulder the size of a human head suddenly crashes down from the waterfall, heading straight for Rachel Luo. Wind and water whip around it, and from that height, even an iron plate would get smashed, let alone a human head. But Rachel doesn’t open her eyes; she just jolts like she’s been shocked, then shivers. Next moment, like a spring breeze brushing the willows, like waves lapping the sand, her shoulders dip and turn, and her arms are already raised to block.
Stillness at its peak—then, movement.
Bang! Water explodes, and the boulder suddenly veers sideways, slamming into the cliff and shattering into rubble.
"Huff... huff... huff..." Just that one move, and Rachel Luo is already panting for breath. The current sweeps her into the pool, and a moment later she pops up downstream. She doesn’t care, though—she just floats along, smiling with satisfaction.
She did it!
"Dang, got swept away by the current. Guess I’m still not quite there yet." Rachel rolls over to climb out, but just as she looks up, someone’s hand reaches out to help her. She glances higher—it’s Jasper Xiao.
"Congrats, congrats—big improvement!" Jasper Xiao looks travel-worn but still smiles warmly. "I don’t know much about martial arts, but if you’re heading out to train, you can come with me."
"Your insight is spot on. Stillness at its peak, then movement—it’s time to head out and train. Let me check with my master first, then I’ll join you to slay some monsters."
(Chapter’s not over yet ^.^ Click next page to keep reading!)
"Ha! You even talk like an ancient hero now!" Jasper Xiao points up to the top of the waterfall. "Perfect timing—I’m here to find Jack Young and the crew. Let’s head up together."
"Sure!" Jasper Xiao and Rachel Luo head up the mountain together. There’s no stairs carved into the rock, but nobody here needs stairs. They leap and climb all the way up, gaining altitude, and at the top of the falls, they spot someone drenched in sweat.
Oddball faces the cliff, feet apart, squatting and standing, up and down nonstop. His eyes blaze with the fire of "determination"—words like "struggle," "passion," "persistence," and "do-or-die" practically radiate off his chubby face. He looks just like a resistance commando’s political officer—like he’s been hit with a "politically correct" power-up.
Sweat flies off him, sparkling in the air—he’s got the vibe of a cartoon hero, a real role model for the good guys. He’s doing weighted training, and honestly, when it comes to enthusiasm, he’s top of the class.
Of course, where he hangs those weights... well, let’s just say it’s unique. After all this time together, Rachel Luo’s gotten used to it, but Jasper Xiao is still floored every time.
No wonder they don’t let him guard the gate. Otherwise, the martial arts sanctuary’s dignity would be shot to pieces.
Anyway, enough about Oddball—his training could fill a whole episode by itself. Back to Jasper Xiao and Rachel Luo: they skirt past Oddball, who’s shouting "Hoo! Ha!" at the top of his lungs, and follow the river upstream. The Sunmoon Mountains are huge, and there’s still a long way to go from the waterfall gate. They zip along, and soon reach another waterfall.
Up and up, five waterfalls in a row, altitude climbing, temperature dropping. They squeeze through a gorge, duck under a stone archway, and suddenly the view opens up. Rachel Luo points ahead—there’s a lone peak stabbing into the sky, half-hidden in the clouds and shining in the sun. "My master and uncle are up there, on Sunmoon Peak."
"Nice! Finally looks like a proper hermit’s hideout." Jasper Xiao laughs, then asks, "They’ve been training for a month, right? I don’t really get your path, so I’m curious—how do they train? Do they need to focus their energy? Meditate? Do the whole ‘three flowers on top, five energies to the source’ thing?"
"Hmm... That’s a bit complicated, so I’ll keep it simple," Rachel Luo replies. "Ever read The Return of the Condor Heroes?"
"Yeah, I’ve read it."
"You know the Jade Maiden Sutra?"
"Know it? It was basically every teenager’s dream scenario!"
"That’s pretty much how they train," Rachel Luo explains. "Yep, it’s yin-yang dual cultivation."
Jasper Xiao’s eyes go wide, and after a long pause, he blurts out the question everyone’s dying to ask: "Do they have to, you know, take their clothes off?"
"What do you think?" Rachel Luo replies, totally unfazed. "Do you want them to take their clothes off?"
"I..." Jasper Xiao is speechless for a moment, then suddenly bolts for the peak. "I’m outta here!"
Watching Jasper Xiao sprint away at full speed, Rachel Luo—usually calm as ever—suddenly flashes a sly, mischievous grin and mutters, "Heh, no wonder Master loves messing with people. It’s actually kind of fun!" Then, looking at Jasper’s retreating back, she adds quietly, "Dummy, if they really did take their clothes off, do you think I’d be down here punching all day? I’d have already mastered lightness and stealth techniques by now…"
Up on the lone peak, Jasper Xiao climbs at full speed. Holy light courses through him, boosting his strength. After half an hour, he finally reaches the top of Sunmoon Peak. And right there, he spots the twins, deep in training.
Yep, they’re definitely doing yin-yang dual cultivation.
But the way they do it is nothing like what he imagined.