The exquisitely decorated hotel room radiated an atmosphere of shock.
"Dead?"
If not for the fact that this was the Fourth Ring of the Imperial Capital, he would have fought Chloe Ling right then and there.
Sitting on the soft sofa, Jason Jiang smiled and said, "That titled Martial Lord, fiery as his name—Quinn Qing—didn’t give Sean Cen a chance to speak. Grabbed him by the neck, dragged him into the room, and then—bang."
He gave a vivid, animated description for a while.
Jason Jiang shrugged, lips curled in an amused smile, clearly not taking it seriously at all.
Sympathy?
Doesn't exist.
Sean Cen had already stopped seeing himself as human; his death wasn’t worth making a fuss over.
Beside them, above the Martial Lord Realm lies the realm above Martial Lord.
Andrew Han gazed out at the Imperial Capital’s skyline. "Fate is unpredictable."
Even with a father as exalted as Iron Sun Sect Master Cen Dongsheng, death was unavoidable.
But Andrew just couldn’t understand how Iron Sun Sect’s basic education could be so poor, letting Sean Cen fail to grasp the gravity of a life-and-death struggle.
"Pitiful people always have something detestable about them."
"Sean Cen brought this on himself." Andrew looked at Jason Jiang, puzzled. "But why is your left cheek a little red?"
Both he and Andrew were Martial Generals, while Chloe Ling was a genuine Martial Lord—she probably already knew this secret.
And with a Martial General’s physique, there was no way he’d catch a cold or fever. So why was Jason’s left cheek a little red, as if just recovering from swelling?
"Ahem."
Jason Jiang grimaced, rubbing his face.
He would never forget—just past midnight yesterday, he was sleeping sweetly, lost in a pleasant dream, when a sudden, indescribable sense of dread struck. As soon as he opened his eyes, a brutally heavy slap landed.
Smack!
That crisp sound lingered in memory for a long while.
If not for the fact that they were in the Fourth Ring of the Imperial Capital, he would have fought Ling Qianyun right then and there.
"Hmph, don’t ask." Jason Jiang shook his head helplessly and complained, "Martial Arts World’s iron rule: never reveal inconceivable martial strength in public. It’s a real hassle."
"By the way."
"You already rival high-tier Martial Lords. Do you qualify to know the reason for this rule?"
Hearing this,
Andrew Han frowned.
Restoring Green Mountain Sect to the Sect Sequence was his top priority. At the same time, two mysteries needed clarification—what happened to Green Mountain twenty-two years ago, and the secret above Martial Lord.
Above the three realms of martial arts lies the realm beyond Martial Lord.
His master once said this top secret concerned the survival of humanity, and only Martial Lords were qualified to know. It’s also the fundamental reason why martial arts can’t be widely promoted or popularized.
"I still don’t know the secret above Martial Lord."
Andrew exhaled.
Jason Jiang, leaning forward slightly on the sofa, said seriously, "Looks like Martial Lord really is a strict threshold. Even as a Peerless Legend and Heaven’s Chosen, if you haven’t reached Martial Lord, you still can’t know."
At that thought, a sharp light flashed in his eyes.
Both he and Andrew were Martial Generals, while Ling Qianyun was a genuine Martial Lord—she probably knew the secret already.
At that moment,
The hotel room grew even quieter; the exquisite decor only added to the stillness.
Both of them fell into thoughtful silence, neither speaking. Only the occasional sound of car horns drifted in from outside the window.
The top floor of this luxurious hotel was twenty-two stories high, about seventy or eighty meters up. Ordinary people couldn’t hear a thing from below, but these two were far from ordinary—their hearing was extraordinary.
Suddenly,
Andrew’s eyes lit up. "Do you remember that night during the Peerless Prodigy Battle, when Demons and Specters surrounded the Jue-Ore mine? Light rose in the east, and then—thunderous purple radiance descended from the sky."
"Of course I remember." Jason Jiang’s gaze grew solemn.
He’d been trapped inside the giant bell then. Through a gap, he saw the arrival of that being above Martial Lord—the purple light dyed a hundred kilometers, descending grandly upon the land.
In fact,
People in cities on the edge of the Taixing Mountain Range saw the phenomenon from afar.
"Think about it," Andrew said, "That Martial Lord-above, wreathed in thunder, descended from high altitude—the thunderous purple light blanketing the night, like a dazzling meteor—"
Exactly!
A meteor! A meteor!
Andrew’s tone shifted, serious: "From what I saw, that purple light—symbolizing the Martial Lord-above—descended at a terrifying speed. Even so, it still took several minutes to reach the ground."
"Even airplanes only fly at ten thousand meters altitude."
"At most, military planes reach tens of thousands of meters, still within the stratosphere."
He spoke while sitting on the edge of the large bed.
On the sofa, Jason Jiang swallowed dryly. "What are you getting at?"
Clearly,
He’d partly guessed Andrew’s meaning, but it seemed too unbelievable.
"The atmosphere wraps around the entire planet. First, the troposphere below ten thousand meters, then the stratosphere below fifty thousand meters—where planes fly or pass through."
"Above that: mesosphere, thermosphere, ionosphere."
"The ionosphere is the edge of the atmosphere. Beyond that is the exosphere—outer space, as we call it."
Andrew narrowed his eyes and spoke softly.
This was all basic high school geography. Talented and handsome as he was, he remembered it perfectly.
Swish.
Andrew stood up, voice low: "Have you ever wondered where beings above Martial Lord actually start their descent? The stratosphere is too low, but those higher layers can’t support them either."
"So."
"Where do they come from?"
As Andrew’s deep voice sounded, Jason Jiang’s expression changed. He slowly stood up, his sharp mind racing, pondering a question he’d never considered before.
He’d thought about it before.
Or maybe he hadn’t dared think, or didn’t want to believe it—so he’d never reached a conclusion.
But now,
In this quiet hotel room,
Jason Jiang’s eyes widened, and he uttered a stunned, low cry: "They come from outer space!"
"Above the atmosphere—outer space!"
Both arrived at the same conclusion at the same time.
Then,
Jason Jiang shook his head: "Impossible. That’s absolutely impossible. Beings above Martial Lord are still human—where do they live?"
[End of this chapter—please click next page for more!]
"Spaceships? Space stations?" Andrew asked softly.
"No, that’s not right," Jason Jiang denied. "Our Sacred Spring Sect also has beings above Martial Lord—they’re elusive, sometimes appearing, sometimes vanishing. But without exception, they travel alone, rarely gathering together."
Next,
He exhaled and said, "China has fifty-four major martial sects. Each sect has at least one or two beings above Martial Lord. For example, our Sacred Spring Sect has three!"
"Even lions and tigers have their own territories—let alone those above Martial Lord."
"Whatever secrets there are, hundreds of beings above Martial Lord each have their own dignity. There’s no way they’d gather on some spaceship or space station in outer space."
Beside him,
Andrew pondered for a moment, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Beings above Martial Lord... outer space... they come and go alone." A flash of insight crossed Andrew’s mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp it.
It was as if layers of mystery blocked his vision.
After a while,
"Forget it, let’s not dwell on it." Jason Jiang straightened his collar and said leisurely, "We’re both peerless—we’ll reach Martial Lord sooner or later. We’ll learn the truth then."
"Wait a minute." Andrew coughed.
"What is it?" Jason Jiang asked, puzzled.
"You’re peerless, but I’m not the same as you. I’m both a Peerless Legend and a current Heaven’s Chosen." Andrew dusted off his pale blue T-shirt, speaking righteously.
???
Jason Jiang’s face darkened.
Even the exquisitely decorated room couldn’t hide his speechless mood. This was blatant showing off—showing off in broad daylight!
...
That night,
"Brother!"
"Where are you?" Little Qian’s eyes widened with pride, her fair little hand tapping the screen two or three times. Her cheeks were as rosy as apples.
At that moment, on WeChat video...
Andrew’s upper body filled the screen.
No way he could tell Mom and Dad he was in the Imperial Capital, and that he’d just killed some thieves who’d stolen sect relics a couple days ago.
"I’m in my dorm."
Andrew replied with a cheerful smile.
Little Qian tilted her head, big round eyes full of longing. She leaned close to the screen, her chubby, egg-shaped face filling it. "Brother, do you miss Qian?"
Four-year-old Han Qian was already like a little grown-up.
Swish.
She blinked twice, happily grabbed the rainbow cotton candy beside her, waved it, and said in a childish voice, "Brother, look! Sugar-free cotton candy. If you miss Qian, I’ll share a piece. If you don’t, you don’t get any."
"Of course I miss you. I’ll be home in two days," Andrew said gently.
He’d never forgotten.
His original vow in this life was to protect these ordinary moments of warmth... His little sister Han Qian, his father Han Wenzhi, and his mother Chen Shu—these were his greatest treasures.
"Qian."
Andrew gazed at the screen, his eyes gentle.
"Hmph."
Little Qian snorted playfully.
She lifted her little chin, just like a lively little bear, then took a tiny bite of the cotton candy, and another.
"You can’t have any."
"That’s what you get for not coming home." Little Qian tossed away the rainbow cotton candy, baring her teeth: "Brother, be honest—are you secretly keeping another kitten out there?"
"What nonsense?" Andrew’s face darkened.
Han Qian was just over four, so her speech was still a bit unclear—but she somehow knew all this internet slang.
Smack!
Her soft, fair little palm suddenly came down from above.
Little Qian glared at her brother, puffed up with anger, muttering words that made no sense—who knew what she was trying to say... But with phrases like 'caught in the act,' 'mature means bad,' and 'other girls,' Andrew’s face grew even darker.
"Qian."
Andrew was about to speak.
"Awoo, goodbye!" With a nimble roll, Little Qian left the screen, replaced by the kindly face of their father, Han Wenzhi.
Cough, cough.
Han Wenzhi adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and smiled at the WeChat video. "Son, how have you been lately? College life treating you well?"
"Mm-hmm." Andrew nodded quickly.
College life is good—everyone knows that.
"Son."
Han Wenzhi smiled as usual, but said, "This is your second semester at Jiangnan Academy. How are your grades? Don’t just play all the time."
On the other side of the screen,
Andrew sat on the soft bed, declaring righteously, "Your son is addicted to studying every day, growing thinner but unable to stop, lost in learning with no regrets."
Han Wenzhi laughed. "Really?"
"Of course."
"Frankly, nothing makes me happy except studying," Andrew said seriously.
Han Wenzhi beamed, nodding repeatedly.
It seemed he was very satisfied with his son Andrew.
They chatted for a while. Han Wenzhi hung up the WeChat video, set his phone aside, and leaned thoughtfully on the living room sofa.
...
Tick, tick.
The living room was silent, except for the sound of the clock ticking.
Swish, swish.
Andrew’s mother, Chen Shu, was tidying up clothes.
After two or three minutes,
Chen Shu walked into the living room, gently picked up Han Qian with her wide eyes, and shook her head. "Lately, Dong hasn’t called us much—probably busy with his studies, not much free time."
"Mm, maybe so."
Han Wenzhi nodded.
As his father, he couldn’t help but feel something was off with his son... No matter how much a tiger pretends, it can’t pass for a kitten. The world of martial arts had already given Andrew a sharp edge.
Just as he was pondering this,
"Oh, right." Chen Shu said, "Should we take the train or drive tomorrow? Since we’re going to check up on Dong’s studies, let’s drive—it’ll be easier."
Han Wenzhi smiled in agreement. "Of course we’ll drive to Jiangnan City. Make sure you download Baidu Maps—we’ll follow the GPS straight to Jiangnan Academy."
"Alright, I’ll download the navigation app now."
Chen Shu picked up her phone and started preparing.
That’s right.
After a family discussion, they planned to leave early in the morning and arrive at Jiangnan Academy before noon.
"As a father, I want to see what you’re really up to." Han Wenzhi’s eyes flashed with wisdom; he was sure Andrew wasn’t just attending normal classes.
Beside him,
Little Qian nestled in her mother’s arms, happily clapping her hands, her face full of anticipation.
"Brother."
"Qian’s coming!"
...
The next day, at noon.
At the vast airport in Jiangnan City, Jiangnan Province.
A jet-black Hongqi LA, parked for four or five days, finally pulled out and headed for Jiangnan Academy.
Inside the car,
Andrew rested both hands on the steering wheel, glanced at the girl in the passenger seat, and felt a deep sense of warmth—like the world had grown brighter.
"Zhang Meng."
"What time is our major class?" he asked softly.
"It’s at 10:30 a.m." The girl glanced out the window, thinking. "It’s 8:30 now... Mm, we should make it."
"Alright."
Andrew nodded and focused on driving.
He hesitated a little—did he really need to attend accounting class? His dad Han Wenzhi often quizzed him on professional knowledge, but with study ace Zhang Meng by his side, he had nothing to worry about.
"Hehe."
"Dad, you’d never guess your son’s extraordinary wisdom." Andrew smiled... For every policy, there’s a countermeasure.