C3 Martial Spirit Awakening

Mo Fanchen, feeling as though he had been asleep for an eternity, slowly began to regain consciousness. Struggling to open his eyes and take in the world, he found his eyelids impossibly heavy, as if they weighed a ton, and he couldn't lift them at all.

He attempted to sense his limbs and the rest of his body, willing them to move, but to his dismay, there was no response from his physical form—only his consciousness seemed to be active.

"Am I dead? Did I die at the hands of a stranger with whom I had no quarrel?" Mo Fanchen, recalling the events that led to this moment, despondently concluded that his current predicament was dire.

"As charming as I am, to think I'd die a virgin! Life, you've been so cruelly unfair to me!" he lamented.

"Hey, Lady Meng! Are you there? Bring me your soul-cleansing soup already; I'm in a rush to reincarnate!"

"Ridiculous! Utter nonsense!" A thunderous, muffled male voice suddenly intruded upon Mo Fanchen's thoughts.

Mo Fanchen, taken aback, cautiously murmured, "Since when did Lady Meng become a man?"

"You, a mere novice in the Blood Forging Realm, dared to challenge Feng Qingliu of the Innate Spirit Realm? How preposterously arrogant!" the man continued.

These words unexpectedly filled Mo Fanchen with joy: "So, I'm not dead after all!"

Then, a familiar voice, tinged with a hint of grievance, responded, "Didn't you tell me there were examples of people overcoming higher realms to defeat their opponents? With the right strategy, timing, and methods, it's not impossible! Besides, Feng Qingliu is truly vile. I can't stand the thought of seeing another girl suffer at his hands..."

"The ones who have defeated higher realm opponents are prodigies with exceptional talent, the likes of which are rarely seen! You, with your modest abilities, thought you could take down Feng Qingliu, who is nearly two realms above you?!" The middle-aged man could barely contain his rage at Su Muyan's rebuttal. "And what was the outcome? Not only did you fail to land a single blow on your adversary, but you also wasted an Essence Renewal Core and a Blood Forging, and even risked the life of an innocent person! Can you truly bear the weight of that responsibility?"

The middle-aged man's barrage of questions had rendered Su Muyan mute. She hung her head, twisting the hem of her garment in her hands, too intimidated to utter a word.

"Come on, Su Xun! Don't scold the kid in front of a stranger. You'll damage her self-esteem," chided the woman in the bear mask, who had escorted them back, lightening the mood with her jest. She nudged Mo Fanchen, who was still unconscious, and added, "Besides, you should be thankful your daughter acted wisely. She kept this young man clinging to life. With proper medical attention, he'll pull through."

"And remember, if you handle the remaining issues cleanly, we won't hold you accountable," she assured them.

Relieved to hear Mo Fanchen was out of danger and that Crime and Punishment wouldn't seek retribution, the Su family collectively exhaled in relief.

"Sister, if he's alright, why hasn't he woken up yet?" Su Muyan inquired, puzzled.

"My dear sister, Blood Forging stopped the bleeding, and the Essence Renewal Core is excellent for those with an awakened martial spirit—it enhances their realm and repairs wear. But for the average person, it merely sustains life," the woman in the bear mask explained. She surveyed the anxious faces of the Su family before continuing, "To bring him back, we must forcibly open his meridians and awaken his martial spirit! Then, the Essence Renewal Core will mend his bodily damage, and he'll wake up in no time!"

After a brief silence, Su Xun, the head of the Su family, seemed to grapple with a tough decision. He sighed deeply and said, "He's an ordinary Houtian warrior, regardless of his potential. But having been unwillingly thrust into this tumultuous world, his life's path has irrevocably changed. Maybe it's just his destiny."

"Alright, I've given you the solution! The rest is up to you to handle," the bear mask woman declared, preparing to take her leave.

"Please wait, sir!" Su Xun called out, stopping her. Gratitude filled his voice as he continued, "Thank you for rescuing my daughter from that villain today. If there's ever anything the Su family can assist you with in the future, we will spare no effort!"

"Don't stand on ceremony. It's our duty as well," the woman in the bear mask said nonchalantly, dismissing the formality with a wave of her hand. However, she swiftly changed the subject. "If you truly want to thank us, then how about fixing me some late-night snacks? Takeout will do. I'll leave an address for you shortly! And remember," she added, her mask's eyes emitting a chilling glare, "don't try to use this as an opportunity to figure out our real identities or where we live. Just know that I'm aware of who you are, and there's no need for you to know me. That's all that matters!"

"Understood!" Su Xun responded with a respectful nod. Before he could add anything else, the woman with the bear mask took a sudden step toward the doorway. As her foot touched down, a string of afterimages trailed behind her. By the time she steadied herself, she was already outside the door.

"Shadow Shift?!" The onlookers couldn't help but gasp at the display of her prowess.

"A top-tier warrior with the Three Flowers Gathered Atop?!"

"It's hard to believe that someone so young has already reached the Three Flowers Gathered Atop!"

"Crime and Punishment truly is an organization filled with extraordinary individuals!"

"Hey! I didn't appreciate that 'monster' comment!" The bear mask woman's voice carried back to them, tinged with displeasure. The crowd quickly fell silent, shrinking back a bit in apprehension.

But the woman in the bear mask didn't dwell on their comments. Instead, she continued, "Su Xun, I'm in the mood for roast meat skewers from the west side of town. Make sure they're heavy on the cumin and spice! I've left the address on the table for you."

"Yes, sir!" Su Xun replied dutifully. After arranging for the takeout, he and the others turned their attention to Mo Fanchen.

Mo Fanchen, who had overheard the earlier conversation, was still in a fog. He was uncertain about how the Su family would go about unlocking the Eight Extraordinary Meridians that they had mentioned.

"Could it be that after unlocking the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, I'll be able to become like the heroes from movies and novels, scaling walls and leaping across rooftops?" Mo Fanchen couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement about the unknown journey ahead.

"The elder has arrived!"

"Father!"

The Su family brothers bowed deeply as an older gentleman entered the hall.

This was Su Qinghe, the esteemed elder of the Su family, whom Feng Qingliu had mentioned earlier. He was the family's most formidable warrior, at the Peak of the Three Flowers Gathered Atop.

The current head of the Su family was Su Zhenwei, Su Muyan's father. As the patriarch, Su Zhenwei had attained the Outer Aura Realm within the Five Levels of Elemental Prana, a testament to his considerable strength for a family of their stature.

"Alright, I've pretty much grasped the situation on my way here! Since this issue originated with our Su family, we shall take full responsibility," Su Qinghe instructed the Su family members present. Turning his attention to Mo Fanchen, who lay on the bed, he addressed Su Zhenwei, "After we assist this young man in awakening his martial spirit, he will officially enter the world of warriors! In the martial world, one is often at the mercy of its rules. Zhenwei, without breaking our family's codes, offer him as much help as you can."

"Yes, Father!" Su Zhenwei responded promptly.

"Muyan," Su Qinghe shifted his gaze to Su Muyan, his voice tinged with affection and a hint of reprimand, "As a martial practitioner, there are many prohibitions you must heed. Your impetuous nature and arrogance could easily compromise your cultivation or even cost you your life. Take this incident as a lesson. Once Mo Fanchen awakens, spend a few days in the Su family shrine reflecting on your actions."

"Yes, Grandfather," Su Muyan replied, bowing her head in acknowledgment despite feeling aggrieved.

"Now, let's not waste any more time and get to saving him!"

"Ha! At last, we're getting started!" Mo Fanchen eagerly anticipated the Su family's next steps.

Suddenly, an icy sensation surged into Mo Fanchen's consciousness without warning. Overwhelmed, Mo Fanchen offered no resistance and lapsed back into unconsciousness.