The world has turned into Hell's Game, why should I stay human? Chapter 1414: Homecoming to Sweep Ancestors’ Graves

"Well done. Anything else to report?" Liu Zheng inquired after offering his praise.

"Nothing more, boss," Niu Daji responded.

"Excellent, I'll be ending the call now." Liu Zheng disconnected and promptly accessed his character panel, discovering a new addition.

"Sword Technique Endowment (passive skill): Significantly enhances the player's knife skills. During practice or combat, there's a chance to comprehend additional sword technique-related skills, with a preference for abilities linked to the Renyi One Sword Style. This skill vanishes once five related skills are mastered."

"Fantastic!" The skill's effect was already outstanding, and the added benefit of five skill comprehensions made it invaluable, far surpassing the worth of a Perfect Item.

"Shi Yidao is indeed a commendable person, worth maintaining a good relationship with," Liu Zheng mused inwardly.

However, Liu Zheng did not immediately test his newfound abilities. Instead, he attended to other missed calls first.

The first was from Shi Tiantian. "My dearest human gentleman, the deep-sea volcanic mud has been delivered to the flower field. My mother and siblings asked me to extend their sincerest thanks to you," Shi Tiantian conveyed sweetly.

The substantial quantity Liu Zheng provided—ten tons of deep-sea volcanic mud—was sufficient to cultivate another small flower field, prompting the gratitude.

"There's no need for such formalities; it is my honor to assist dear Miss Stone Spirit. How fares the matter of the flower seeds?" Liu Zheng inquired.

"The seeds have already been placed within the Hundred Ghosts. You can arrange for someone to collect them," Shi Tiantian replied.

"Understood, thank you kindly. Oh, one more thing," Liu Zheng added, informing Shi Tiantian about Shi Yidao. Even if the matter didn't materialize, a heads-up was always prudent.

"Certainly, we always welcome the companions of a dear human gentleman. However, there is one point you might wish to convey to your friend first," Shi Tiantian's tone shifted slightly.

"Please proceed, Miss Stone Spirit," Liu Zheng prompted.

"The Ten Thousand Great Mountains operate under their own distinct social customs and ethical standards. We hold your friend in high regard as a hero, but the primary role of the Stone Spirit Clan involves maintaining stability," Shi Tiantian explained.

"I understand. I will relay your message to him," Liu Zheng affirmed with a nod.

"Then I bid you a good night in advance, my dear human gentleman," Shi Tiantian concluded before ending the call.

"Tsk, Miss Stone Spirit, you truly are unreserved, aren't you?" Niu Ma clicked his tongue in admiration, a hint of respect evident in his gaze towards Liu Zheng.

Even he admitted that a Stone Spirit partner was beyond his capabilities. Setting aside the sheer physical disparity, and assuming he possessed the 'key,' he questioned whether the Mother Stone Spirit truly possessed a 'keyhole.'

"Boss, if you find yourself with idle time, perhaps engage in some Sudoku. Consider it preparation for little Niu Ma's future education," Liu Zheng suggested dismissively.

"You're tired of my incessant chatter, aren't you? Fine, I should have left you to languish in that delivery tunnel," Niu Ma retorted indignantly.

"Alright, alright, my apologies. How about you indulge in some drinking and singing?" Seeking respite from the nagging, Liu Zheng produced a bottle of Copper Mark and tossed it onto a nearby pile of grass.

"Hmph, that's more like it." Niu Ma gratefully accepted the bottle, somehow producing half a leg from an unidentified creature to gnaw on.

"So, all the side dishes were prepared, and you were merely anticipating my drink, weren't you?" Liu Zheng shook his head in resignation and initiated the next call.

"Liu Zheng, I'm considering reopening the martial arts school. Do you have any insights?" The subsequent call was from Ma Baoli.

"Proceed with your plan. What financial support do you require?" Liu Zheng inquired.

"Money isn't the primary concern. However, news about my father has somehow permeated the martial arts world, and even my former students are hesitant to return, let alone the prospect of recruiting new ones," Ma Baoli expressed with a sigh.

"I certainly wasn't the one spreading those rumors, mind you," Liu Zheng quickly clarified, distancing himself from the gossip.

Although he could largely surmise the origin of the information. It wasn't originally a secret, rather, insiders had maintained a silent accord not to discuss it. But with Liu Zheng having Lin Zhengzong investigate, that unspoken agreement had inevitably been shattered.

"I never accused you. I'm simply seeking your advice on a solution," Ma Baoli replied, pursing her lips.

"Your martial arts prowess is undeniable. Why not embark on a journey to visit other schools and establish your reputation?" Liu Zheng proposed.

"Isn't challenging other schools a rather bold move?" Ma Baoli exhibited a mix of eagerness and apprehension.

"As long as you adhere to proper etiquette, it should be acceptable. I will allocate a separate budget for gifts on your behalf," he stated magnanimously.

"But I'm not entirely sure about the proper way to present gifts," Ma Baoli admitted shyly.

"If you're unsure, your father can handle it, can't he? Let him contribute; it might aid in his recovery," Liu Zheng suggested.

"*You* are the one who needs contributions, my father is in excellent health," Ma Baoli retorted, giving him a stern look over the phone.

"Alright, alright, your dad will live a long life, okay? Anything else? If not, I’m hanging up."

"There is. One crucial issue remains unresolved."

Ma Baoli stated.

"What’s the issue?"

"The secret techniques of our school are still only ones I can master. Even if I recruit disciples, if they can’t master the skills, it’ll tarnish our school’s reputation."

Ma Baoli explained.

"You should go learn some simpler martial arts first, practice them, and then teach the disciples. Hold an inner sect competition annually, and the top three can learn your school’s techniques. If they can’t master them, it means they lack talent, and you move on to the next batch."

Liu Zheng quickly devised a solution.

"Will that really work?"

Ma Baoli frowned.

It still seemed a bit deceptive.

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"One might die."

Shi Yidao responded.

"I thought it was something big, bring it on."

Liu Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, he possessed two lives. If one life could be exchanged for Shi Yidao’s essence of sword technique, it would be a bargain.

"Alright. Look into my eyes."

Shi Yidao instructed.

Liu Zheng gazed into his eyes, perceiving a vast ocean.

"Since childhood, I yearned for the sea. After mastering sword techniques, I ventured alone to the seaside. However, confronting the boundless ocean, I felt not longing but dread. If the sea were to overturn, what would become of all living things?"

"Thus, I practiced my sword with the sea. Cutting the sea a hundred thousand times daily, and eventually, I achieved something significant."

"However, the seawater, after all, is lifeless. I can cleave through water, but can I cut through the countless terrifying creatures within?"

"Fortunately, I encountered the legendary delivery man Li Sang, whose character is as unpredictable as the sea and whose strength is as profound as the ocean. Like the sea itself. I used him as an imaginary adversary and finally comprehended the ultimate move, which is..."

At this juncture, a small boat drifted into view in the distance, and Shi Yidao stood upon it, sword in hand.

"Renxia One-Slash Style: Sea Overturning Heaven Slash."

With a solitary slash, the ocean overturned.

The endless seawater transmuted into boundless sword energy, slicing towards the infinite sky.

The sea is vast, the sky is infinite, only living things are rootless, appearing and vanishing like ephemeral mayflies.

Thus, he severs the finite from the infinite, overturning the sea and slashing the heavens!

"This is my sword. Where is yours?"

Shi Yidao’s voice resonated within Liu Zheng’s mind.

"My sword?"

Liu Zheng was somewhat bewildered.

His sword was simply a sword, or perhaps not even necessarily a sword. A sword was merely an instrument for striking.

This was why "Anger" frequently altered its form in his grasp, and at times, it wasn't a sword at all.

"Consider it, but don't deliberate for too long."

Shi Yidao cautioned him.

He had infused his spirit and intent into the slash, and Liu Zheng could only counter it with his own extreme spirit and intent; otherwise, even if he survived, he would gain nothing from the encounter.

"Consider it, huh?"

Countless past memories flashed before his eyes.

Liu Zheng recognized that he hadn't truly evolved much.

As a child, he threw punches to secure his meager living expenses, to make those who mocked him for being an orphan weep.

As an adult, he learned martial arts to reclaim his hard-earned wages, to force those who branded him a country bumpkin to grovel.

Upon arriving in the Metropolis, he began wielding a knife, but the core essence remained unchanged.

For survival and for dignity.

If someone denied him even these two fundamental aspects, it would incite his profound anger.

Thus, Liu Zheng found his realization.

He realized, and then he swung his sword.

The parched seabed fractured, revealing breathtaking chasms. Dormant, silent, and lifeless underwater volcanoes erupted in succession, spewing torrents of lava skyward like inverted waterfalls plunging into the boundless sword energy.

The waterfall cascaded down three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way itself had descended from the heavens.

This spectacle of heaven and earth in upheaval, of water and fire in confrontation, proved to be even more magnificent than a waterfall cascading into a river.