The Longyuan River rages on ceaselessly, its waves magnificent and the view boundless, as if a dragon truly lurks beneath its surface. This is an important river within the Great Li Nation, stretching for thousands of miles with surging waves and roaring tides, flowing past the borders of Longyuan Province, which is named after it.

Night.

From afar, the Longyuan River resembles a colossal black dragon coiled upon the earth, majestic and grand, fully displaying the glory of the virtue of water. The bright moon traverses the lotus clouds, and the night breeze brushes the reeds, adding a layer of wonderful artistic conception.

However, just a hundred miles upstream from Longyuan Province, on a beach, a middle-aged man dressed in dark gold clothing, with a very tall and robust stature, runs and jumps ceaselessly, faster than the swiftest cheetah by a third. Ripping sounds accompany his speed, tearing the air into a long wave that surges and crackles like the river's own waters.

The fastest horse is not even half as fast as him.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As the man in dark gold clothing runs, suddenly torches are lit on the riverbank ahead, casting flickering shadows. The sound of countless powerful crossbows firing pierces the air.

"Flying Crane Crossbow!"

Facing the rain of arrows, the man, known as Bai Haichen, frowns slightly. His body lowers as if it were a sheet of paper pressed against the beach, actually dodging the continuous shooting of the crossbow.

"Bai Haichen, you cannot escape. Hand over the 'Nine Orifices Golden Pill' and the 'Dragon Lurking in the Yellow Springs Map'! Join our Fang family, and not only can your death sentence be avoided, but you can also enjoy wealth and glory. With your physical cultivation to the realm of the Ten Divine Transformations, our Fang family will definitely treat you as a distinguished guest!"

The torches illuminate the scene, revealing hundreds of people who immediately surround Bai Haichen. One of the leaders, Fang Zeshan, stands with his hands behind his back, his natural momentum and splendid attire reflecting the moonlight, especially his bright eyes, like gems.

"Fang Jia of Longyuan, Fang Zeshan!"

Bai Haichen stands still, looking at the leader who spoke, then surveys his surroundings. The hundreds of people surrounding him are full of strength, divided into several waves: warriors with shining long swords in the inner layer, warriors aiming crossbows in the middle, and warriors holding torches in the outermost layer, sealing the area.

Those warriors with crossbows bear a pure white, divine and handsome crane on their weapons, from whose beak the crossbow arrows are launched. This crossbow, with its long range and strong penetration power, is the true weapon of the Fang family in Longyuan Province, obtained from the Yuhua Sect.

"Not bad, it's me," Fang Zeshan smiles. "I didn't expect Mr. Bai Haichen to actually recognize me."

"Your brother Fang Zetao is the governor of Longyuan, a high-ranking official. The Fang family is deeply favored by the emperor of the Great Li. Having come to the Fang family's domain, how could I not be familiar with its notable figures? But you knew I had the Nine Orifices Golden Pill and the Dragon Lurking in the Yellow Springs Map on my person. It seems the news came from the Yuhua Sect." Despite being surrounded, Bai Haichen remains nonchalant and speaks eloquently.

"My ancestors of the Fang family were disciples of the Yuhua Sect. We were informed of Mr. Bai Haichen's discovery at the Huangquan Mountain Ancient Tomb through a flying crane letter from the Yuhua Sect."

"The Nine Orifices Golden Pill is a pill that can help one see the divine secret realm. And the Dragon Lurking in the Yellow Springs Map contains a great treasure secret. You all of the Fang family desire these, isn't that a conspiracy?" Bai Haichen sneers.

"Silence! The Dragon Lurking in the Yellow Springs Map will naturally be dedicated to the emperor. And the Nine Orifices Golden Pill can make our Fang family a master of the divine secret realm, greatly enhancing our status at court." Fang Zeshan suddenly shouts, "It seems Bai Haichen is unwilling to hand over these two items. Then I can only take them from you!"

"Is that so!"

Bai Haichen's eyes narrow sharply, and his body surges forward, clothes fluttering. He moves like a swimming fish, a dragon's shape, taking several steps at once to stand directly in front of Fang Zeshan, before his subordinates can react.

Fang Zeshan feels the air around him being squeezed out, as if a temporary vacuum forms, followed by a massive fist expanding before his eyes, threatening to smash his head in an instant.

"Crane Dance in the Sky!" At this critical moment, Fang Zeshan reveals his extraordinary strength. The muscles on his back support him as he dodges the punch with the lightness of a crane taking flight, following the wind.

"Well done, Pine Crane Longevity Fist. You've reached the realm of nine spiritual communications of the body, but it's still not enough to match me. Call your brother Fang Zetao!"

As Bai Haichen speaks, he doesn't stop moving, rushing into the crowd.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang!

A guard is smashed in the head, lying motionless, while the temples of five guards are pierced by his fingers, blood dripping. Ten more guards are hit by his swift strikes, their internal organs broken as if by a thousand-pound carriage.

Bai Haichen's body, cultivated to the realm of ten divine transformations, is as strong as five horses, showing his invincible might, with muscles and bones that are simply unbeatable, a weapon for the world.

In an instant, Bai Haichen breaks through the encirclement of hundreds.

"Fang Zeshan, you dare to stop me, I will remember this, and I will come for your life later." Having broken through, Bai Haichen leaves.

The remaining guards fire the "Flying Crane Crossbow," but the arrows are blocked by the dark gold clothes on his body, unable to penetrate.

Clearly, his dark gold clothes are a treasured garment, impervious to swords.

With a treasured garment to protect his body and the strength of five horses, who in the world can stop him?

"Bai Haichen, since you are here, why the hurry to leave?" Suddenly, a voice as ethereal as clouds and mist echoes.

"Who is it!"

Bai Haichen stops, motionless as a mountain stone or plant, his spirit concentrated, sensing the surroundings.

Then, in his sight, a woman in white with skin like condensed fat and curved eyebrows like the crescent moon, with jade bones and ice muscles, slowly approaches from under the moon by the river.

She seems like a fairy emerging from the moon palace, or the princess of the Dragon Abyss River Dragon Palace, bringing a sense of purity and sanctity to the world.

As soon as this woman in white appears, the guards immediately stand at attention: "Miss!"

Fang Zeshan also stops: "Qing Xue, why have you returned?"

This woman in white is the eldest daughter of the Fang family, Fang Qingxue.

"Uncle, I've just returned from the Yu Hua Sect," Fang Qingxue nodded to Fang Zeshan, "I'll handle things here."

"Leave it to you? Such arrogance!" Bai Haichen, glaring at Fang Qingxue, suddenly raised his hand. Whoosh! A dark light shot straight at Fang Qingxue, a flying wheel the size of a palm with sharp saw teeth on both sides.

This is Bai Haichen's lethal hidden weapon, the "Wu Sha Wheel," crafted from tungsten steel, possessing the force of five horses. A flick of this wheel within three hundred steps could pierce any master instantly.

However, an unexpected change occurred. The "Wu Sha Wheel" stopped just three feet from Fang Qingxue's body. It halted without reason, as if an invisible force around her had frozen everything.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...

A dense network of electric sparks illuminated the area, and a powerful electric current made everyone present feel a jolt, their hair standing on end.

The current struck the tungsten steel wheel, melting it like a candle, which fell onto the beach, the molten metal hissing against the sand.

An electric grid densely packed around her body! Melting metal and iron! Such power transcends mortal capabilities, akin to that of a ghost or god.

"Ah! Divine Secret Realm! You've reached the Divine Secret Realm! At such a young age, your cultivation is world-shocking! The Fang family will dominate! The Yu Hua Sect has produced another prodigy!" Bai Haichen roared in shock, then fled wildly.

Cultivation to the extreme leads to a robust physique, where the heart delivers nutrients to the brain, unlocking potential through special methods. This potential manifests as mystical powers, such as controlling thunder and fire, levitation, and killing with a sword—abilities beyond ordinary people.

This is the Divine Secret Realm, a rare achievement among martial artists, a step that separates heaven and earth.

Although Bai Haichen had cultivated his body to the ultimate divine transformation realm, entering the Divine Secret Realm was more difficult than climbing to heaven.

"Purple Electric Yin Lei Dao," Fang Qingxue chanted, her white clothes fluttering as she conjured a fist-sized purple electric lightning, which she launched as six knife beams, sweeping a thousand steps and striking in the air.

The powerful electric current incinerated the reeds by the river.

Boom!

With no room to dodge, Bai Haichen was struck, the smell of burning flesh filling the air. Even his treasured garment, resistant to swords, was torn by the electric force.

He stumbled and ran wildly, falling into the surging Longyuan River.

"What's the use of running when your vitality is extinguished?" Fang Qingxue stepped and hovered in the air, standing over the river's surface, her palm sucking up river water into a thick column. Bai Haichen's body was revealed within.

"Jiao Fu Huangquan Map!" Fang Qingxue picked an ancient scroll and a palm-sized gold and iron box with her mystical power.

As these treasures were about to fall into Fang Qingxue's hands, the ancient scroll vibrated and unfolded, revealing a dormant Jiao dragon within a dark abyss, which suddenly awoke, rolled up Bai Haichen, and disappeared into the river.

"So the Jiao Fu Huangquan Map cannot be tainted with mystical power; it has awakened a trace of its great power with my force! It's an ancient treasure with profound mysteries."

Fang Qingxue thought, then said, "Uncle, send people to search along the river. Bai Haichen was hit by my Purple Electric Yin Lei Dao; he won't last long. The map just absorbed a bit of my power, no big deal. Find it; I'll offer it to the head of the Yu Hua Sect."

With a light tone, she added, "I'll go back and see my father."

Then, this astonishing woman who had cultivated to the Divine Secret Realm glided away like a crane, disappearing from sight.

"Pass the order, all officials must search the entire area!" Fang Zeshan commanded.

The head of the Fang family, the governor of Longyuan Province, held ultimate power over military, political, and civil affairs. His orders were law.

The night passed, and morning came. Fang Han, after finishing his work, hid in the reed cluster by the Longyuan River, practicing the strength exercises he had secretly learned.

After being whipped by Fang Qingwei and rewarded with silver, Fang Han trained even harder, binding sandbags to his limbs, running, jumping, and rolling, striving to strengthen his body.

He had memorized every move of the "Pine Crane Longevity Fist" practiced by the Fang family's core disciples but did not practice it. He knew he needed to strengthen his body first; otherwise, any move without strength was useless.

Health, strength, moves—three steps that must be cultivated sequentially.

Punch after punch, sweat splashed in the morning light, shining with a crystal glow.

Ah!

Suddenly, after hundreds of strikes on the simple sandbag, Fang Han felt dizzy, his head buzzing, his strength depleted.

His legs weakened, and he collapsed onto the reed cluster on the beach.

"It's still not enough. Although I've improved my life with five taels of silver, it's nothing compared to the Fang family's core disciples. They eat bird's nest, deer antler, ginseng, and black-boned chicken daily. My five taels only allow me to eat meat occasionally; such intense exercise every day is impossible."

Lying on his back on the beach, Fang Han sighed.

Secretly learning martial arts and exercising had brought some progress, but it was far from the level of the Fang family's disciples. The foundation of health was too different.

Could he ever cultivate his body to divine power?

"A servant by entry, unable to stand out in studies. Unable to cultivate martial arts. Am I doomed to be a servant forever? Never to get ahead?"

Fang Han murmured.