Invincibility Begins with Mastery of Fist Techniques-Chapter 176 - 170: Spreading

The world is vast, but it's also small. As modern society becomes increasingly digitized, the major powers have developed a terrifying sensitivity to intelligence.

With the Beisha National Security Department's deliberate dissemination, intelligence data related to Zhou Yuanjue was quickly obtained by various organizations.

News that Donghua Country had produced a twenty-five-year-old Saint Awakening spread rapidly through the relevant circles.

The news instantly caused quite a stir in those circles around the world.

This was no Saint Awakening Level fighter who had ascended through external means, but a true Saint Awakening who had shattered their own shackles. And at such a young age, it was simply unprecedented. It seemed to herald the dawn of a great new era. For someone so young to have already achieved so much, his potential was immeasurable.

Numerous powers immediately began collecting as much data on Zhou Yuanjue as possible. In their respective danger ratings, they placed Zhou Yuanjue's name at the highest priority. This signified not only the threat Zhou Yuanjue himself posed but also that these powers would, given the chance, do everything in their power to eliminate a target with a top-tier danger rating.

The Martial Dao has no borders, but Martial Artists do.

Zhou Yuanjue was a Saint Awakening from Donghua Country with deep ties to the Donghua Secret Inspection Bureau. This naturally placed him in opposition to many other factions.

His potential, therefore, became a threat.

And given the chance, threats must be eliminated.

This was even with the Beisha Security Department deliberately withholding the intelligence about Zhou Yuanjue's fight with Tecolamas. If that information were to leak, Zhou Yuanjue's name would surely move even higher up on the major powers' danger rating lists.

Of course, the Beisha Security Department wasn't being kind. Hiding such crucial intelligence about his strength could easily lead other powers to misjudge him, potentially resulting in their own significant losses.

No matter which side suffered losses, Beisha would be the beneficiary.

In short, this move by Gleb Innovich had truly put the name Zhou Yuanjue on the radar of all the major powers.

Originally, Liehong Mountain's plan was to conceal the intelligence about Zhou Yuanjue for a while, preventing him from drawing too much attention for being so dazzling. However, this maneuver by the Beisha Security Department completely scuttled that plan.

「Three days later.」

The relevant intelligence spread and fermented quickly. The domestic Martial Arts Realm finally received the news, and it spread like wildfire.

The Donghua Martial Arts Realm was currently experiencing an unprecedented golden age. Masters of the Martial Dao from both the north and south were emerging, risking life and limb. And for what? Wasn't it for the Saint Awakening Realm?

Now, someone had actually taken the lead and claimed the top prize. The feeling was like being in a track race where all the runners were giving their all, only to watch one figure pull far ahead, cross the finish line, and leave nothing but a distant, insurmountable back in their view.

In literature, there is no absolute first; in martial arts, there is no second.

For those who practiced martial arts and had reached the peak just below Saint Awakening, who didn't harbor immense self-confidence? How could they be content with falling behind another?

The Northern Martial Arts Realm was not very familiar with Zhou Yuanjue and immediately began gathering intelligence on him. But for the Southern Martial Arts Realm, the name Zhou Yuanjue was as familiar as a clap of thunder.

After his victory against Zhang Zhizhen, which made him one of the Eight Great Masters, Zhou Yuanjue's name had become known to everyone in the Southern Martial Arts Realm.

After the Haisa Island incident, Zhou Yuanjue was severely injured and near death. All information was completely locked down by the Secret Inspection Bureau under Liehong Mountain's orders. He automatically relinquished his position as a Great Master, withdrew from the Southern martial arts tournament, and all news of him vanished. This caused a considerable stir and much discussion in the Southern Martial Arts Realm at the time.

Some people, based on fragments of conversation from Martial Artists who participated in the operation, speculated that Zhou Yuanjue had likely died during a secret mission. This led many in the Southern Martial Arts Realm to lament that heaven was jealous of his talent.

Now, over a month later, news of Zhou Yuanjue had returned. He had actually achieved Saint Awakening, ascending like an immortal among men. Only then did everyone realize that the brilliant talent had not fallen. Instead, like a Peng Bird spreading its wings, he had soared into the heavens. No wonder he didn't participate in the rest of the tournament. The competition had already become meaningless to him.

The Southern Boxing Three Capitals.

The Southern martial arts tournament was still in its off-season. The successors of the Southern Eight Sects and some top-tier Martial Artists had been dispatched to various locations in Beiwei due to the Kunlun Immortal Palace affair, so they didn't get the news right away.

In a small villa in the suburbs of Guangpu City, the temporary residence of Gong Shouzhuo and his disciples.

"Master, the intelligence is confirmed. I had a friend on the East Luoni side verify it. It's accurate."

A Nan strode into the courtyard, his face still showing a trace of shock, and spoke to Gong Shouzhuo, who was practicing Fist Techniques with Lin Heng.

"Is that so? Saint Awakening... He actually reached it."

Upon hearing this, Gong Shouzhuo sighed softly. He recalled the first time he had met Zhou Yuanjue.

Back then, he had thought Zhou Yuanjue was young and impetuous, like a newborn calf that doesn't fear the tiger. Although he was skilled and had a strong will, his life and death were uncertain on this unknown path. He had underestimated the heroes of the world too much.

Yet, in such a short time, the man had already achieved transcendence, reaching a realm that he himself dared not even dream of.

"Saint Awakening... Just what kind of realm is that?"

Lin Heng also sighed with emotion. His strength was too far beneath them; in their first meeting, he had been defeated without even seeing how Zhou Yuanjue attacked. He had no real concept of a Saint Awakening's power.

"In ancient times, a Saint Awakening was an immortal, a god. A top-tier Martial Artist could rival an entire nation within arm's reach, but a Saint Awakening is like a nation unto himself. Even in modern times, they are strategic-level assets. Didn't you notice that the intelligence about Zhou Yuanjue came back from abroad first?"

"What does that prove? It proves that the major foreign powers are concerned. A person like that makes them feel threatened, makes them feel fear, and that includes entire nations. People like us are just small fry, confined to a prefecture or a city, a single company. But he is already standing at the national level, ready to compete with the most powerful people in the world. The difference in our levels is like that between the clouds and the mud."

Gong Shouzhuo said, shaking his head.

"I still don't get it..."

Lin Heng scratched his head. With his limited imagination, he simply couldn't fathom how a single individual could reach such a realm through pure martial strength alone.

"Master, should we tell the Nanjiang Zhou Clan about this?"

A Nan asked in a low voice.

Hearing his disciple's question, Gong Shouzhuo paused for a moment.

"This is huge. Even if the Nanjiang Zhou Clan doesn't talk about it, they've been secretly keeping an eye on Zhou Yuanjue. They've probably already received the intelligence. It's best we don't meddle in their relationship."

Gong Shouzhuo said, shaking his head.

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Tianlu Prefecture, Wuhai City.

Back at the Lanhai Society headquarters during the Southern martial arts tournament's off-season, Yan Hao's eyes flashed the moment he received the intelligence. The powerful aura he naturally exuded made the Lanhai Society disciple who delivered the message turn pale. The disciple's legs trembled, and beads of sweat as large as peas rolled down his forehead, as if he were facing an invincible beast.

Holy and Bright!

Over the past month, by tapping into the immense "fortune" of the Donghua Martial Arts Realm's Southern tournament, Yan Hao had also competed, honing his skills in the ring and making significant gains.

When he first heard the news that Zhou Yuanjue had likely withdrawn from the competition due to a fatal injury, his heart was filled with disbelief.

'How could that man fall so easily?'

In that instant, he felt as if he had been struck by five thunders. It was as if a pillar of support, a goal, had suddenly vanished from his heart. It took him quite some time to calm down. Deep down, he still didn't quite believe the rumors of Zhou Yuanjue's death.

Now, having finally received concrete information that Zhou Yuanjue had not fallen, but had instead reached Saint Awakening, a feeling of 'I knew it' rose in his heart.

'How could my goal fall so easily? This is the man who was able to defeat me.'

Yan Hao stood up, a surge of hot-blooded passion welling up inside him.

'Saint Awakening... That realm is truly something to aspire to. But unfortunately, the closer you get, the more difficult it seems.'

But now, he would not give up so easily.

'Hearing such good news, I have to celebrate properly.'

"Notify the training team. From now on, triple my daily training regimen."

Yan Hao said to the Lanhai Society disciple, who was trembling under his aura.

'Training hard to catch up to that figure as soon as possible—that is the best way to celebrate.'

"Y-Yes..."

The disciple nodded hurriedly and scurried out of the office as if fleeing for his life, muttering to himself.

'The president's current training load is already terrifying. If you triple it... it's not that I'm worried the president can't handle it, I'm just afraid the senior brothers in the training team are going to be screaming bloody murder.'