Three years later, outside Xiangyun City.

These days, the area outside Xiangyun City has become lively.

Martial artists from afar have braved hardships to come here, inch by inch searching the vast forests for something.

These martial artists come in strange numbers, as Xiangyun City isn't a Martial Arts Sacred Land nor the site of any martial arts gathering, yet the sudden influx of so many martial practitioners has left the mountain villagers perplexed.

Fortunately, among this large number of martial artists, there are many gallant heroes who treat riches like dirt, often spending lavishly to hire strong young men from the villages to venture into the Vast Mountains as guides, giving the villagers a rare opportunity to earn a considerable amount of silver coins.

The reason for this large gathering of martial artists is a rumor spreading across the martial world.

It is said that a Hunter, while evading a predator, accidentally stumbled into a secluded valley and discovered a mysterious White Jade Stele, bringing out a mostly destroyed ancient Cultivation Bamboo Scroll.

A capable individual in the martial world translated the first five characters of the scroll, which read:

Martial Arts Origin Scripture!

This incident stirred up great waves in the martial world, even rivaling the emergence of the mysterious Celestial Essence Grandmaster three years ago.

Because the Martial Arts Origin Scripture is tied to an ancient legend about the origins of martial arts in this world.

In the martial world, it is commonly believed that the origin of martial arts dates back to the earliest ancestors who mimicked tigers and leopards, following nature, and cultivated the first wisp of True Qi, thereby opening the path to martial arts.

Subsequently, through the changes of dynasties and the passage of time, it evolved to the flourishing diversity we see today.

This explanation is generally accepted by martial artists, and some major sects have even recorded it within their doctrines.

However, alongside this widespread belief, another theory circulates.

It is said that in ancient times, the ancestors mimicked tigers and leopards, fighting beasts in the White Water Black Mountain, but what they learned as "martial" was merely ordinary combat techniques, lacking any mystical elements of martial arts, nor did they cultivate True Qi.

What truly introduced Qi Cultivation in martial arts came from an extraordinary individual before the ancient Qin times—the Martial Ancestor!

Legend has it that back then, the Dao Ancestor and Martial Ancestor were exchanging teachings under Purple Bamboo Mountain, when one day a strange stone descended from the heavens and landed outside Purple Bamboo Mountain.

The Dao Ancestor comprehended the strange stone, observed the ways of nature, and thus obtained the Tao Te Ching, marking the opening of the great path.

The Martial Ancestor sat in meditation for seven days and nights, copying the patterns from the stone, and suddenly achieved enlightenment, thus paving the way for Qi Cultivation in martial arts.

Later, they debated for three days and nights, and the disciple of Dao Ancestor, Guan Yinzi, inscribed all the teachings of the two sages on the bamboo scrolls, naming it the Martial Arts Origin Scripture.

However, when the last word was inscribed and the scripture was completed,

heaven and earth reacted, with howling winds descending, akin to the wails of thousands of vengeful spirits, and blood rain fell from the sky.

Amidst the upheaval of wind and thunder, purple lightning struck down from the sky, obliterating most of the bamboo scroll that recorded the Martial Arts Origin Scripture.

The Dao Ancestor remarked, "A divine object is born and inevitably suffers the jealousy of heaven; the heavens wish not for its completion, there is no need to force it."

The Martial Ancestor also said, "The great path has fifty, and the heavens evolve forty-nine, leaving a thread of opportunity; this is as it should be."

Thus, they did not record it again.

Afterwards, the Martial Ancestor spread his teachings across the land, and martial arts began to flourish, gradually evolving into the state of Divine Land Martial Arts today.

The reason the Martial Ancestor fades from official history is said to be because, after achieving mastery in martial arts, he entered the Imperial Palace and, with unimaginable abilities, slew the ruler of the Liang Kingdom, the overlord of the Seven Kingdoms, under the watchful eyes of many, and single-handedly subdued the Seven Kingdoms, standing above worldly power.

After the Martial Ancestor vanished, the descendants of the Seven Kingdoms, feeling it too humiliating, burned books and buried scholars, erasing the Martial Ancestor's name from history, leaving only fragments in unofficial histories, becoming a legend in the martial world.

Although it's just a legend, as the saying goes, where there's smoke, there's fire, perhaps in the distant ancient times, there really was such a Martial Ancestor.

Now that the Martial Arts Origin Scripture has emerged, how could it not attract the attention of martial artists?

But if it were only that, if merely some unofficial history of the Martial Ancestor surfaced, it might not have stirred such a storm.

After all, not everyone is interested in delving into history.

But this time involves the Martial Arts Origin Scripture, which is said to be rejected by heaven and earth!

According to legend, the Martial Ancestor, as the founder of martial arts under heaven, blessed by heaven and earth, reached an unparalleled realm that transcends even the Grandmaster level, surpassing all worldly powers!

And if one could obtain the Martial Arts Origin Scripture, they would unravel all the mysteries of martial arts, and even the most dull-witted could swiftly reach the ultimate pinnacle of martial arts.

This is the revelation that truly caused an uproar in the martial world, leading countless martial artists to flock to Xiangyun City.

The villager who obtained the Martial Arts Origin Scripture disappeared without a trace after selling it to the Treasure Pavilion in Xiangyun City, along with the ruin of his village.

Following that, the Treasure Pavilion also fell prey to a mysterious attack, turning to ruins overnight, and the Martial Arts Origin Scripture vanished without a trace.

Initially, it was just rumors, and although they aroused some interest, it wouldn't compel countless martial artists to abandon their pursuits and rush to Xiangyun City.

What truly set things off was an incident half a month ago, involving the sole survivor of the Hongfu Escort Agency massacre, Zhang Zhiqi, who miraculously escaped with severed meridians. Somehow, he gained near Grandmaster-level cultivation and stormed the Taihang Mountain, annihilating the Taixing Thirteen Bandits who had slaughtered the Hongfu Escort Agency decades ago.

How could a person with shattered Dantian and severed meridians acquire such martial prowess overnight?

It truly makes one ponder deeply.

Later, it was discovered that during the mysterious attack on the Treasure Pavilion in Xiangyun City, Zhang Zhiqi happened to be in Xiangyun City.

After extensive investigation, it was concluded that on that very day, Zhang Zhiqi, who begged his way to Xiangyun City, fortuitously acquired the incomplete Martial Arts Origin Scripture amidst the chaos and received a great fortune, achieving astonishing cultivation powers and avenging his enemies.

This sparked a frenzy in the entire martial world.

Numerous people who dream of leaping to greatness became excited, eager to seize the Martial Arts Origin Scripture.

But after vanquishing the Taixing Thirteen Bandits, Zhang Zhiqi vanished without a trace.

With no other choice, in pursuit of further opportunities and the chance for that leap to greatness, countless martial artists gathered outside Xiangyun City, hoping to find the secluded valley that lucky Hunter had reached, hoping to discover the relics left by the Martial Ancestor, even if it were just a fragment of the Martial Arts Origin Scripture.

Hence, during this period, a large number of martial artists have gathered here, continuously exploring the mountains outside Xiangyun City.

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