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Chapter 5: Forging a Different Path

  Morning mist clung to the trees in the Xiao family courtyard, and Shen Li sat silently beneath the ancient banyan tree, his legs crossed, breath deep and steady.

  Over the past month, he had adapted to this world’s environment—

  a world eerily similar to modern Earth, yet subtly different due to the presence of martial arts practitioners known as "enhanced individuals."

  Unlike the warrior world he once knew, where cultivators soared through the skies and shattered mountains, the martial artists here operated within more earthly limits.

  Still, the power system of this world was structured and strict.

  In this novel world, martial strength was divided into several main tiers:

  


      


  •   Apprentice Level: Ordinary martial artists who had only begun to temper their bodies.

      


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  •   Fighter Level: Those who could manipulate internal energy slightly; their physical abilities far surpassed normal humans.

      


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  •   Master Level: Elite figures capable of minor Qi projections and devastating physical power.

      


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  •   Grandmaster Level: Top experts able to perform feats considered almost supernatural in this world.

      


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  Above that, there were even rarer realms whispered about, but those belonged to the deepest circles of power—unreachable to most.

  Shen Li smiled faintly to himself as he opened his eyes.

  Through painstaking daily cultivation, he had managed to reach a level equivalent to the early stages of Apprentice Level, but when comparing it using the standards of his past warrior world, he was merely brushing the surface of the Mortal Realm.

  Even so, compared to the average martial artist here, Shen Li’s foundation was terrifyingly solid.

  His technique was called "True Origin Body Refinement Method", a profound yet simple approach he had adapted from his past experiences:

  


      


  •   It tempered the muscles, bones, and blood vessels.

      


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  •   It compacted power into every fiber of the body.

      


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  •   It promoted natural growth and strength development without relying on external boosters.

      


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  In just a month, Shen Li’s figure had changed subtly.

  He had grown a little taller—standing straighter with the natural grace of a seasoned warrior.

  His muscles were not bulky, but compact and dense, radiating latent strength.

  His dark hair, once slightly messy and boyish, grew finer, darker, with a slight wavy wildness at the ends—resembling the look he once carried in the warrior world.

  Even his facial features sharpened subtly—

  the once gentle handsomeness now carrying a hint of cold edge, like a sword hidden beneath silk.

  Deep inside, a craving grew stronger each day.

  The sword...

  He missed its weight, its familiarity.

  He missed the feeling of steel in hand, the silent dialogue between blade and body.

  One day soon, he thought, I must wield a sword again.

  Later that evening, Shen Li was summoned to the study.

  The heavy oak door creaked open under his touch, revealing Xiao Ren seated behind his grand desk, the dim light casting deep shadows across his face.

  "Come in, Zhan'er," Xiao Ren said, motioning to the seat opposite him.

  Shen Li entered silently, his posture calm and composed.

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  For a moment, there was only the sound of the ticking clock on the wall.

  "You've changed," Xiao Ren said finally, his voice quiet.

  "I had some... realizations, Father," Shen Li replied.

  "About life?" Xiao Ren asked, leaning forward slightly.

  Shen Li nodded. "About life. About responsibility. About what it means to live with purpose."

  Xiao Ren studied him for a long moment, then gave a small approving grunt.

  "Good. A man must have a sense of purpose," he said. "Especially a man bearing the Xiao name."

  He paused, tapping his fingers against the polished wood of his desk.

  "But today, I called you for something else."

  He laced his hands together and looked Shen Li straight in the eye.

  "About Bai Xue."

  Shen Li met his gaze without flinching.

  "I know she is my fiancée in name," he said.

  "And yet...?" Xiao Ren prompted.

  "And yet, I feel no attachment," Shen Li said calmly. "Marriage should not be a matter of obligation. I will respect her, but I cannot force feelings that do not exist."

  Xiao Ren chuckled dryly, running a hand through his neatly combed hair.

  "You sound wiser than your years," he said. "At your age, I would have run after a pretty girl without a second thought."

  "Perhaps," Shen Li smiled faintly. "But experience tempers foolishness."

  "You speak as if you've lived two lives," Xiao Ren joked, half-serious.

  "I merely learned earlier than most," Shen Li said, his tone respectful but firm.

  Xiao Ren exhaled through his nose.

  "I won't force you into anything, Zhan'er," he said at last. "But remember, Bai Xue is proud. She's also not just any girl. Her family is connected to powerful circles in Danghai."

  "I understand," Shen Li said, bowing his head slightly.

  "One more thing," Xiao Ren added, his voice lowering. "At your university... Bai Xue is enrolling too. You might cross paths often."

  Shen Li’s eyes glinted slightly, but his expression remained calm.

  "I see."

  "And if rumors serve me right..." Xiao Ren continued, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "some new talents are emerging among the younger generation. Particularly a young man... someone even Bai Xue’s father took notice of."

  A faint coldness brushed Shen Li’s heart.

  The protagonist... the storm is drawing near.

  As the conversation shifted, Shen Li listened attentively.

  The Xiao family was one of the major families of Danghai City, a sprawling coastal metropolis where modern life and ancient martial traditions coexisted.

  Their main business?

  Medicinal products for martial artists—tonics, strengthening pills, internal energy boosters, and herbal body enhancers.

  They operated a chain of pharmacies called Xiao Hall, a name that carried weight among practitioners.

  Aside from their medicinal empire, they also maintained other businesses:

  


      


  •   Catering services: Running upscale restaurants known for their nutritional menus tailored to martial artists and health-conscious elites.

      


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  •   Entertainment ventures: They owned several martial arts training centers, gyms, and even sponsored local martial tournaments.

      


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  The Xiao family was wealthy, influential, and well-connected.

  But in Danghai's martial underworld, no power was ever absolute.

  Jealousy, rivalry, and hidden blades lurked behind every polite smile.

  I’ll have to be cautious, Shen Li thought. A storm may not be far off.

  In just a few weeks, the universities would resume classes after the summer break.

  Shen Li was officially enrolled at Danghai Martial and Science University—

  an elite institution that combined modern academics with martial arts training, producing some of the best talents in the nation.

  Flipping through the orientation handbook, Shen Li felt a strange mixture of amusement and nostalgia.

  University life... again.

  He recalled his past life—

  studying engineering, living in cramped dormitories, working late into the night over half-broken machines and stubborn theories.

  He had been a brilliant student, but lonely. Always chasing something just out of reach.

  This time, he vowed, it would be different.

  He would not bury himself in endless struggle.

  He would live—truly live.

  That night, Shen Li stood at the balcony of his room, the city lights of Danghai shimmering like fallen stars across the dark earth.

  The novel’s plot pulsed faintly at the back of his mind.

  He could almost see it—

  the encounter with the protagonist at the university.

  Bai Xue would inevitably be the cause, according to the original storyline.

  Jealousy, misunderstandings, challenges... chaos.

  But I am not the same Xiao Zhan.

  I won't dance to the tune of fate.

  A soft breeze played with his hair, which now hung longer, darker, wilder—almost matching the warrior he once was.

  He clenched his hands lightly, feeling the strength building in his tendons and bones, the restless craving for a sword stirring deep inside his blood.

  And yet, beneath the calm surface of his heart, deeper thoughts churned.

  I am not just a replacement for a character in a story.

  I am a variable.

  My existence alone may twist this world's fate.

  I must never forget: this is no mere "novel world."

  Every person here—Bai Xue, my parents, my future friends or foes—they are real.

  They bleed, they cry, they dream.

  This is not fiction.

  This is life.

  And with that final thought, Shen Li turned his gaze to the horizon—

  where a future, uncertain and magnificent, awaited him.

  [End of Chapter 5]

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