Accidentally invincible!

Wang Zhou deeply understood Lin Fan's character. Once he decided on something, there would be no turning back.

The announcement of the Martial Arts Era would undoubtedly impact the interests of the Immortal Realm, and others might not agree to it.

Fierce conflicts were bound to arise.

Yet Lin Fan cared nothing for these concerns.

"Everything must be approached cautiously," Wang Zhou said.

To him, being able to tread the Martial Arts path was an immense stroke of fortune. Everyone wished to scale higher peaks, yet it had once been a cruel impossibility for them.

They simply never had the chance.

Now that the opportunity had arrived, it had to be seized.

Lin Fan said, "Don't worry. I've already thought it through. This matter will bring earth-shaking changes to the mortal world, giving more people the right to make their own choices."

He pondered the situation.

Once Martial Arts was made public, those who would trouble him were likely to be followers of the Immortal Path. After all, the Demon Path was being beaten down by demons, and the Demon Clan certainly wouldn't care about these issues.

The forces of the Demon Clan were bound by their own species; no humans had ever managed to integrate among them.

Several days later.

On the peak of Taihang Mountain.

Lin Fan used Supreme Power to grasp a Mortal Stone. After extensive tempering, the Mortal Stone transformed into a mystical object imbued with extraordinary properties.

"Hmm, not bad," he said.

He looked at the stone with great satisfaction.

The stone stood three zhang tall, its surface plain and unremarkable, yet faintly glowing.

He sent a wisp of his Divine Soul infused with the Martial Arts Scripture into the giant stone, then leapt into the air and landed atop it. Using mana to amplify his voice, he projected his words across the region.

"The path of Martial Arts has been left upon the summit of Taihang Mountain, where all martial artists in the world may train."

Boom!

The voice spread like a mighty tide, surging in waves to every corner.

"Ah, it seems I've truly done something monumental," Lin Fan marveled. Suddenly, he raised his head toward the Heavenly Vault, sensing some undetectable presence observing him—but it quickly dissipated.

What's going on?

I've merely disseminated Martial Arts. Could that be an issue?

But it didn't matter.

Even if it did, he feared nothing. If conflict broke out, so be it—he would fight.

Soon.

A voice spread thoroughly across the mortal world.

In a bustling city.

Many people halted their steps, anxiously glancing in all directions, trying to ascertain the source of the voice. But for them, the voice seemed to have emerged from thin air.

It rang clearly in their ears.

"Who's speaking?"

"I don't know. It seems like it's from far away."

For ordinary citizens, confusion reigned; they wanted to know who was speaking.

But for some martial artists, it felt like thunder blasting through their minds.

Boom after boom.

"The Martial Arts has a way forward?"

They froze where they stood, stupefied, almost unable to believe it.

In the past, when the Immortal Sect chose disciples, they had all tried their luck—after all, being selected meant soaring to greatness and completely changing their destinies.

But the declaration that they lacked Spirit Roots had crushed even the most iron-willed martial masters.

Taihang Mountain.

They all knew of this mountain, though they weren't certain if the claim was true. However, when hope appeared, they were ready to believe.

And in that moment.

Some martial artists, who had seen no paths forward, began heading toward Taihang Mountain.

In a quiet village.

A middle-aged man was farming. Though he appeared to be a simple farmer, a faint Martial Arts aura lingered around him; each swing of his hoe carried a subtle refinement of his strength.

"Father, Mother's calling you home to eat," a child shouted from afar.

The man replied, "Alright, I heard."

The man had once been a Martial Arts prodigy, gifted with immense talent. He had thought he would be able to cultivate as well, but when the Immortal Sect declared that he lacked Spirit Roots, it felt as though a hammer had slammed into his heart.

The weight of it had been unbearable, suffocating.

Eventually, unable to cope with the disappointment, he roamed aimlessly, having lost all hope for his future. By chance, he encountered a woman, settled down here, and had a child.

He had resigned himself to spending his life in peace.

But now.

A voice reached his ears.

He froze in place, stunned.

"Martial Arts still has a way forward?"

He couldn't believe it. His body trembled with excitement.

"Son, go tell your mother: I'll be away for a few days. I'll be back soon." The man's body lightened like a sparrow; he vanished from sight and in the blink of an eye appeared far away.

The child gaped, "My father can fly?"

Similar scenes unfolded in various places.

Meanwhile, some Immortal Sect envoys visibly showed expressions of surprise. They had been stationed within the mortal realm, and when they heard about the Martial Arts continuation, disbelief was written all over their faces.

In the Inspection Office.

Liu Hu, dressed impeccably with a blade strapped to his waist, rushed into the inner courtyard. To him, this place was established by the Immortal Sect to oversee the empire.

Inside the courtyard.

Upon his arrival, several figures silently materialized behind him.

"I want to know who spread the Martial Arts continuation rumor. Go investigate Taihang Mountain, but take care not to alert anyone," Liu Hu ordered sternly.

He took the matter very seriously.

Who was responsible?

And for what purpose?

Martial Arts had no remaining path. Yet now, someone claimed the opposite—this raised major concerns.

"Understood."

As the words left their lips.

The individuals instantly disappeared, rushing toward Taihang Mountain.

Liu Hu stood in contemplation. He sensed that the situation wasn't as simple as it appeared. Whether or not to relay this information to the Immortal Sect depended on their findings.

At Taihang Mountain.

Originally, few people ventured to this place. But as days passed, more and more people began arriving at Taihang Mountain.

These visitors were all martial artists.

Some were fugitives wanted by the empire, but their thirst for the Martial Arts continuation was so overwhelming that even at great risk, they had to see for themselves.

"Do you think this is true, or are we being made fools of?"

"Who knows? We'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

"If someone dares to mess with us, they'll die an absolutely awful death."

"Hey! Look at that! Even the Sword God, who hadn't been seen for generations, has shown up."

Everyone turned their gaze upward.

A white-robed elder drew their attention, walking on his sword. He practiced the pinnacle Sword Control Technique within Martial Arts. Though the Sword God's Martial Arts cultivation was profound...

It only reached the Innate Realm.

For a legend of his stature to lack Spirit Roots was truly tragic.

"It seems even the Sword God wants to try his luck. After all, if there's no path forward, he'll eventually grow old and die," someone sighed.

Soon after.

The martial artists noticed something: many old, legendary figures long rumored to have passed away had all appeared.

This realization shocked them deeply.

Just then.

A mighty flood of blood energy swept in from the distance, causing everyone to pause and focus their gaze. The blood energy was so concentrated, it was beyond astonishing.

"Who's there?"

As if driven by this energy, the crowd quickened their pace. They desperately wanted to know who had drawn them here and who had propagated the Martial Arts continuation claims.

Soon.

When the majority reached the summit of the mountain, they were shocked to see a young man sitting atop the giant stone.

Silence enveloped them.

It felt as though they were waiting for someone to ask the questions burning in their minds.

"May I ask, who are you?"

"Were you the one claiming the Martial Arts has a way forward?"

A big man wielding a giant axe spoke loudly, his voice like a bellowing horn, reverberating across the mountain.

"I'm speaking to you! Are you deaf? Pretending not to hear?" The big man frowned, dropping his axe onto the ground with a thundering crash—his frustration building.

Someone advised, "Calm down. Don't be too aggressive."

The big man wouldn't hear of it. He raised his axe, grumbling, "Damn it! Dragging us all here without saying a word? Watch me pry open your mouth."

With that, he swung his axe toward Lin Fan.

Though clumsy-looking, the strike was incredibly fast. As an Innate Realm martial artist, his inner strength was powerful, and the axe glimmered faintly.

None of those present intervened.

Not only was the big man eager to know Lin Fan's identity—so was everyone else. They needed to determine if he was a fraud or the real deal.

Seeing Lin Fan still unresponsive, the big man grew even more enraged. With a roar, he swung his axe down, intent on splitting Lin Fan in two.

Just then.

Lin Fan suddenly opened his eyes. A potent surge of Martial Arts Will erupted from his body, transforming into a fist that blasted the big man into the air.

Gasps of astonishment filled the air!

Everyone was shocked. They knew he was powerful—perhaps an immortal—but the sheer force of his Martial Arts Will just now left them in awe.

Lin Fan was in a good mood; he had embarked upon the continuation of the Martial Arts path. His Martial Arts Will now erupted from his body as if akin to a cultivator's Divine Soul.

The old Sword God clasped his hands together respectfully. "Might we know if you were responsible for spreading the Martial Arts continuation?"

"Indeed, it was me," Lin Fan said calmly. "And what you just witnessed was Martial Arts Will, similar to a cultivator's Divine Soul attack."

Upon receiving Lin Fan's confirmation.

Expressions of pure joy spread across those gathered. Excitement, exhilaration—even some leapt in celebration.

The old Sword God said, "Senior, may we humbly ask you to pass down the Martial Arts path?"

Despite being a legendary figure of the older generation, the Sword God couldn't suppress his emotions when facing the hopes of a Martial Arts continuation.

Lin Fan replied, "Of course I'll pass it down—why else would I call you all here? The continuation of the Martial Arts path resides within the giant stone beneath me. I have left everything within it. How much you comprehend depends entirely on your own fortunes."

Swish!

Swish!

In an instant, every gaze turned feverishly toward the giant stone, their eyes alight with fervor.

It was as though a peerless treasure lay before them.

The old Sword God clasped his hands once more. "Senior, since you've shared the Martial Arts path, may we establish a Martial Arts doctrine under your name? In the future, the Martial Arts shall revere you as the Martial Arts Ancestor."

He was a man of principles.

Others weren't nearly as formal about it. They were consumed with eagerness to study the continuation methods.

Lin Fan chuckled.

Martial Arts Ancestor?

That title was rather grand.

"I've traveled far and wide, visited many places, and eventually stumbled upon a tribe where I discovered the True Martial Arts," Lin Fan explained. He had no desire to monopolize fame—there was no need for it.

Someone in the crowd yelled.

"Why would you share this with us…?"

The voice came from someone hiding in the crowd; nobody could discern who had spoken.

Lin Fan smiled. "For those without Spirit Roots, being unable to progress to higher levels—isn't that unfair?"