"What?"
"A more advanced civilization?" Upon hearing Miles Ning's voice transmission, Andrew Han immediately greeted Monica Zhang and Lucy Han, stepped out the security door, and headed to Miles Ning's apartment.
In today's internet age, the web is highly developed. Venerable Leon Yu, skeptical of ancient myths and technology, often debates such topics.
Because of this, all of Earth's history is laid out clearly.
Take Sinovera as an example: its history traces back five thousand years to the Yanhuang era—a legendary age. In reality, the so-called Yanhuang era is only an estimate; the first truly verifiable historical record begins with the Western Zhou Republican period.
After that came the dynasties familiar to everyone, each era marked by its own legends and cultivation breakthroughs.
In the twenty-first century, science has proven humanity's origins and confirmed that during Earth's ancient dinosaur era, no other civilizations existed.
Thinking of this...
Andrew looked toward Miles Ning, the former Venerable Saint, who stood with his hands behind his back in front of the living room's floor-to-ceiling window. That slightly hunched figure seemed even older, his posture frail yet hinting at dormant strength—a withered air like an ancient tree concealing hidden vigor.
Before Andrew could ponder further, Miles Ning turned to him and said, "We suspect that demons and specters are not native to Earth, but outsiders."
"Outsiders?" Andrew blinked.
Hiss.
Miles Ning took a drag of his cigarette, slowly sat down in the center of the nearby sofa, and patted the armrest, signaling Andrew to sit and talk.
"I didn't tell you before, because you weren't in the Law Realm. Only those in the Law Realm are qualified to know this top secret."
"However."
Miles Ning paused, then smiled lightly: "Now you're nearly at the Law Realm yourself. I suppose it's only a matter of time before you advance—maybe in a year or two, I'll call you Venerable Han. Telling you these things isn't a big deal anymore."
The aged voice echoed in the living room, and Andrew's expression gradually grew serious.
According to Miles Ning, as early as five thousand years ago—or even earlier—demons and specters had already appeared on Earth. But there were other civilizations that resisted them, and even held the upper hand.
So-called treasures, too, were passed down from ancient times: the World-Splitter Axe, Yellow Emperor's Sword, Demon-Purging Cauldron, and Sun-Killing Mirror—each an artifact whose legend endures.
Simply put, the present surpasses the ancient... but the civilization era speculated by those in the Law Realm is disconnected from the current age, resulting in a bizarre regression of civilization and technology.
"Don't be too surprised."
Miles Ning looked at Andrew: "It's not as complicated as you think. The so-called ultra-ancient civilization is just our speculation."
"Maybe you find it hard to believe, or even absurd... Let me put it another way. In Sinovera, we call it the era of Pangu and Nuwa; abroad, it's known as the Atlantis age. Different paths, same origin—the legends all converge in the end."
What!?
Andrew abruptly stood up, his gaze filled with astonishment.
The immortals of ancient legend were actually Law-Realm guardians... There were drought demons scorching a thousand li, vengeful spirits howling for justice in summer snow, floods that overturned the earth—already feats beyond imagination.
Because of distortion and exaggeration, the stories became ever more fantastic.
Because of hearsay, things grew stranger and more bizarre.
Ancient immortals possessed powers akin to the Law Realm, able to shape and interfere with the very fabric of nature. In those days, without swift or direct communication, everything relied on rumor and imagination—so the legends grew ever more wondrous.
But Pangu, Nuwa, and Atlantis belong to the realm of myth!
"Master," Andrew shook his head, "Legends might be true; they're not that exaggerated, and Law Realm experts could indeed be called immortals. But myths—how could they be real?"
Pangu splitting heaven and earth, Nuwa creating humans and things—it's utterly absurd.
Modern science has shown this is the universe, a starry sky; the Earth humanity inhabits is but a speck in the vast cosmos... So what exactly did Pangu split, what did he create?
"Legends don't match reality; they're somewhat exaggerated. For example, a scorched thousand li might only be a hundred, a flood might have covered just half a province." Miles Ning took a drag of his cigarette and said calmly, "So how can you be sure myths aren't similarly distorted?"
Hearing this...
Andrew was taken aback: "You mean myths are even more exaggerated, but just like ancient immortals, they all truly existed?"
"Speculation. We're only speculating," Miles Ning emphasized.
"Ancient immortals wielded legendary artifacts, moving mountains and seas at will. We suspect it's not mere exaggeration, but that treasures buried in Earth's history were truly wielded by those immortals."
"Besides, you've surely read the records about ancient immortals... The World-Splitter Axe and Yellow Emperor's Sword truly existed, as did the Demon-Purging Cauldron—designed specifically for subduing monsters, extremely effective against giant demons. There's also the Sun-Killing Mirror, which harnesses sunlight from the vault of heaven to annihilate specters."
After hearing Miles Ning's explanation, Andrew couldn't help rubbing his brow, sitting on the sofa by the side, quietly watching the afternoon sunlight outside the floor-to-ceiling window. The whole complex was suffused with a lazy, leisurely atmosphere.
Now and then, the mewling of a few cats and dogs could be heard.
Legends exist.
Could myths have existed too...? Andrew opened his mouth, speechless: "True Person Leon Yu once explained disasters to me, and specifically emphasized that there were no aliens, nor any ultra-ancient leftover technology."
If the Pangu and Nuwa era really happened on this land, then it's a gap in unknown history—presumably extremely ancient, perhaps even stronger than the present age.
To put it bluntly, there's a blank period in between!
Humanity's known historical progression is broken by the Pangu and Nuwa era—there's no way to trace it back.
"Alright."
"This ancient speculation does explain why there are such peculiar treasures." Andrew shook his head with a wry smile, wanting to chat more, but Miles Ning suddenly coughed harshly two or three times, his wrinkled old face turning cold.
"Go on, let me rest." Miles Ning waved his hand, then sprawled casually on the sofa.
...
Andrew was silent for a while.
Respecting his master's principle, Andrew flicked his finger, pulling a quilt from Miles Ning's bedroom and, from a distance, covered Miles Ning with it before turning to leave.
Thump.
The security door closed.
The living room returned to quiet; warm sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling every corner. Now and then came the calls of cats and dogs, sometimes birdsong—the whole room was utterly still.
Sigh.
Miles Ning coughed into his hand, then slowly sat up.
"After the East Sea comes the South Sea; after 'Law Realm cannot be killed' comes 'invincible below the Law Realm.' You've been training for less than two years... I believe, with you here, Green Mountain Sect will surely regain its glory." Miles Ning sighed softly, leaning back against the sofa.
By now...
Miles Ning could no longer match Andrew. He was in the process of burning out, growing weaker day by day, while Andrew was only getting stronger.
But in truth, on Andrew's path to greatness, Miles Ning was always there to shield him from wind and rain, his fierce reputation intimidating countless people.
At first, he did it for the Green Mountain Sect, for the promise he made when he took Andrew as his disciple—'to do everything possible if he saw hope of restoring the sect's glory.' Later, things subtly changed, a shift even Miles Ning himself hadn't noticed.
"The Law Realm won't be a problem for you."
"If you don't fall along the way, the place you truly belong is the Supreme Saint. It's just a pity I probably can't help you anymore, can't offer any more assistance. From here on, you'll really have to walk the path alone."
He took a deep breath and lit another cigarette.
After a moment's hesitation, his wrinkled old face broke into a contented smile. He got off the sofa and stood before the living room's floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the sunset glow of dusk.
He gazed for a long, long time.
During that time, he covered his mouth and coughed four or five times.
In the end, he bowed his head in silence; his thin, bony palm was already stained with bright red.
......
In early October, during National Day, Andrew returned to his quiet, contemplative life. He felt the power within him constantly accumulating; his magma-like internal energy seemed to have become a volcano, ready to erupt and ascend.
His Inspiration had crystallized into diamond form—but it was still just Inspiration!
Inspiration certainly restrains specters and has marvelous abilities... But for martial artists, the true foundation is internal energy—the sum of all power within!
Internal energy decides everything.
Internal energy symbolizes martial power; every technique is born from it, and even the strongest bodies are forged by it.
And Andrew could only wait.
Because he was walking a path utterly unique in history, with no precedent, no theory—destined to explore it alone.
Meanwhile...
Global tensions continued to escalate.
The Sakura Island Nation protested to the United States of Megania, nearly breaking the stability... On October 6, Megania's western port was attacked, with hundreds dead and the port reduced to ruins.