Martial Ascent to Divinity-Chapter 718 - 697: Even Better

Such an important event, suppressed by all the media around the world, slowly faded away, with no news.

In secret, the higher-ups of the Demon Worship Sect frantically investigated the whole affair.

No results were forthcoming.

They only knew the perpetrator was not a Martial Saint.

The biggest suspects were Zhou Leng or Li Shenkong.

But after various investigations, it seemed unlikely.

Because the perpetrator was stronger than both Zhou Leng and Li Shenkong.

Either they admit that Dragon Country has a more powerful Grandmaster King.

Or they acknowledge that Zhou Leng’s growth speed far exceeds imagination.

The Demon Worship Sect couldn’t find evidence or capture the culprit, and dared not use the matter for public opinion attacks, leaving them no choice but to quietly search for Zhou Leng.

But, Zhou Leng suddenly disappeared.

Since then, no one has seen any trace of Zhou Leng.

The world on the surface returned to calm.

But everyone knows this calm will be shattered on the day the Ten Realm War begins.

Preparations have already begun around the world for the new Ten Realm War.

People and resources in Dragon Country started being mobilized.

Eighty kilometers outside Xiong City, a new mine began operations.

Hu Yi and some colleagues in the convoy drove massive mining trucks, left the Old Capital Demon City, and arrived at the new mine.

The Sun Family Inn in the suburbs of Xiong City attracted many martial artists from elsewhere because of its cheap prices.

Some cities within two hundred kilometers of Xiong City also gradually welcomed some strangers.

This was happening everywhere across the country.

Far away in the new national capital of the Eagle Alliance, some martial artists from other places gradually moved in to reside.

A new mine near the new Eagle Capital similarly welcomed a batch of giant ore transport vehicles.

The number of these people wasn’t large, but like rainwater merging into rivers, they integrated into the new city and began their new life.

Many originally active anti-fraud groups have instead quieted down.

Some groups suddenly disbanded.

Zhang Xinglie successfully advanced to Grandmaster but didn’t return to Yunhua Martial Arts Academy, instead returning to the Sun Family Inn, spending every day with his girlfriend.

The two tried every means to have children.

Zhao Lianshuo took Lu Weiqu to visit Zhao Palace in Xiong City and hoped to retrieve the Broken Sword.

Zhao Hao didn’t appear, nor did Old Madam Zhao, only Madam Zhao showed up.

The two found Madam Zhao a bit strange because rumors said Madam Zhao died in Elephant Country.

Yet, she was alive right in front of them.

Zhao Palace refused to return the sword.

After the two left, they didn’t return to Rucheng but stayed at the Sun Family Inn.

The subordinates of Chen Shouhu and Wang Boxiong occasionally complained that their bosses didn’t know what they were busy with, often not seeing them on the eve of the Ten Realm War.

But thinking the two might be shouldering heavy tasks, they were relieved.

In reality, the two spent more time at home.

Day by day, time passed.

The world seemed increasingly calm.

After Zhou Leng arrived in the southern part of Elephant Country, relying on the powerful abilities of Divine Text, he quickly learned the Elephant language, traveled through Elephant Country, experienced the customs and culture of Elephant Country, and embarked on a difficult journey of integration.

He entered the Ganges River but didn’t drink the river water, met with rejection.

Refused to defecate on the beach, not fitting in, met with rejection.

Followed ascetics for cultivation on the riverbank but didn’t eat corpses, met with rejection.

Entered a crime school to learn criminal techniques, including robbery and theft, but as his skills were too good and unused, he faced rejection.

During a carnival, he threw dye but didn’t smear dung on himself or drink urine, met with rejection.

Encountered lizards but merely watched and didn’t forcibly mate with them, met with rejection.

While maintaining order at the Patrol Office, he refrained from groping female patrol officers, making him out of place with those around him, met with rejection.

Chance upon a car exhaust pipe, refused to join others in exercising with it, met with rejection.

Didn’t visit nursing homes to pay respects to the elderly, met with rejection.

Outside the Eagle Alliance base in Elephant Country, he watched alongside numerous Elephant Country people as they battled demons, but didn’t join others in advancing, met with rejection.

Ran on train rooftops—not out of mimicry, but because the compartments were too chaotic, gaining acceptance.

Persistently promoted that Elephant Country is an independent and autonomous major power, should not become a pawn of the Eagle Alliance, should not be controlled by the Demon Worship Sect, Elephant Country should be the number one power in the Ten Realms, gaining acceptance.

While shopping with Elephant Country brothers, he encountered a wall with a painting of a beauty, a hole in the middle, but didn’t approach it.

However, a brother went forward and was electrocuted, leading to them burying him.

The next day, another brother was electrocuted at the same spot; his friend said he thought the previous person’s death might have just been an accident, the hole wasn’t necessarily electrified.

Upon investigation, they learned it was some Elephant Country individuals who deliberately dug a hole, painted a beauty, and electrified it for amusement. Upon inquiry, they discovered thirty days had seen a hundred people electrocuted, and the footage was widely circulated online.

Followed others to the Patrol Office to report, saw a group of police assaulting an Elephant Country person, discreetly struck, turning them into cripples. Upon consulting the victim, learned they had been assaulted, came to report, and then were assaulted by patrol officers.

Pretending to be a mute beggar, joined a beggar gang, casually killed the bully organizing the beggars.

And many more perverse things...

After over a month of touring Elephant Country, Zhou Leng fell into deep self-doubt.

I, Winter of All Nations · Circulation of Extreme Cold, bearer of arrows, Sea Siren slayer, Demon Slayer Warrior, Fog Breaker, High-level Tree-man of Tree-man World, Ancient Crown, Duke of Dwarf World, Frost Giant Duke of Giant World, Child of God, Great Star Dragon of the Giant Race, Divine Dragon King, Dragon King Speaker, National Hero of Humanity, Martial Arts Model...

With countless identities and titles, can’t I integrate into Elephant Country? Am I not fit to be an Elephant Country citizen?

Is integrating into Elephant Country harder than Ascension to Divinity?

What exactly is Wang Boxiong implying by sending me to experience Elephant Country?

Should I make a video of these experiences and send it to Crystal Sky Dust, post it on the cosmic internet to make money?

Having made it past the Gate of Purgatory, could Elephant Country indeed become an insurmountable cosmic chasm?

At this moment, Zhou Leng finally understood why so many Martial Saints began their journey in Elephant Country.

This place is the origin of perversion, the end of the world.

After failing to integrate, Zhou Leng painfully reflected and decided to change his perspective.

How do these experiences benefit me?

After contemplating for three days and nights, he gained some insight.

Never let your own country become like Elephant Country.

The essence of non-violent non-cooperation is kneeling, becoming a slave.

A person cannot be a slave.

When the bottom lines of morality, fairness and law are breached, violence must be used.

Otherwise, one becomes a slave.

The reason the code name One Valley wanted to clean up Elephant Country people upon returning home was to prevent people of Dragon Country from becoming shared slaves.

Afterward, Zhou Leng went to the north of Elephant Country, entering the sphere of influence of the East Monarch Sect.

Indeed, even if the East Monarch Sect of Elephant Country was transformed unnaturally, the spirit and atmosphere of the people here far exceeded other places.

Although the gap between rich and poor is still very large.

After wandering the realm of East Monarch Sect for half a month, Zhou Leng generated new questions.

Everyone is in the same era.

Ordinary people of Elephant Country can be understood as odd because they are forced to live in such an environment.

Why is the East Monarch Sect of Elephant Country also far inferior to Dragon Country?

In Dragon Country, entities like Zhao Clan still emerge, no different from the Demon Worship Sect.

Elephant Country, East Monarch Sect of Elephant Country, Zhao Clan, Dragon Country... advancing layer by layer.

A thought suddenly emerged in Zhou Leng’s mind.

What should a further advanced Dragon Country look like?

If Dragon Country were better, could it avoid producing Zhao Clan-like entities akin to the Demon Worship Sect?

With this thought, Zhou Leng felt as if a faintly visible door appeared in the world before him.

The world of the mind began to expand.

Countless thoughts flooded his mind.

After thinking for a long time, Zhou Leng took out the "East Monarch’s Collection" and quickly turned to a page.

"The primary duty of a Martial Saint is to transform the world, to make it progress further."

Flipping further.

"A Saint and a God must transcend human nature; if they cannot transcend human nature, what’s the point of being called a Saint or ascending to divinity?"

"Martial Arts is not about feasting; Ascension to Divinity is not child’s play."

"Humans must transcend both slaves and slave masters to avoid becoming either."

"If a Martial Artist ascends to sainthood and remains the same as before, it indicates that the ascension failed. The same holds for a nation; if people’s lives fall into a cycle similar to the past, it shows the nation’s errors are recurring, with a slave master reappearing under a new name..."

...

Zhou Leng walked silently, rereading the "East Monarch’s Collection."

Having experienced the various aspects of Elephant Country, he gained a deeper understanding of its content.

Gradually, Zhou Leng finally understood why Martial Saints seldom took action.

If Martial Saints remained as reckless as before becoming Saints, humanity would scarcely survive, and the entire Blue Star would submerge.

If modern nations can only develop, negotiate and govern by relying on past methods, they will only fall back into a dead cycle.

Unable to break the old dead cycle, one can only circle in place until extinction.

This applies to both individuals and groups.

But breaking the old dead cycle is difficult, extremely difficult.

Zhou Leng put away the book and looked back.

The road travelled flashed in front of him, along with scenes experienced in Elephant Country.

Elephant Country is an example of a place unable to break the dead cycle.

This example is like a rusty nail, firmly embedded in his mind.

Zhou Leng further understood why Saint Zhao encouraged those embarking on sainthood to visit Elephant Country first.

Don’t want to break it?

Then live in the land of the pariahs.

A faint but persistent sense of crisis began to sprout and grow in Zhou Leng’s heart.

As Zhou Leng continued his journey, he unknowingly arrived at Celestial River Demon City.

Entering within, he reached the vicinity of the famous "Great Bodhi Tree."

A circular small city was built around the Great Bodhi Tree.

In the circular city, a giant tree 500 meters high stands green and verdant, brimming with life.

Though far inferior to the mother tree and Frost Giant Tree, it far surpasses any tree on Blue Star.

The trunk of the Bodhi Tree exceeds fifty meters in diameter.

Below the tree, three circles are formed for cultivation.

Nearly a hundred people sit in different circles, engaging in cultivation.

Unlike elsewhere, the innermost circle has some small rooms that accommodate one person, facing the Bodhi Tree.

As he walked in, a sneaky person from Elephant Country approached.

"I am a guide in Bodhi City. Do you have Bodhi fruit? If not, I can help you find a way..."

Zhou Leng took out the Bodhi fruit.

"Do you want to enter the innermost circle for long-term cultivation? I can also help you find a way..." 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Zhou Leng pointed at the person, power penetrating the void, causing the person to levitate ten centimeters off the ground.

This person from Elephant Country, instead of being terrified, grinned and said, "You are at least a Grandmaster! This shows you have enough money. I know; you’re warning me. I really have ways to ensure you get whatever you want. We are all real; the fake ones are either expelled or killed."