That was the Peak of Huajin, a pinnacle no one in the Yun Port City Martial Arts World had reached in over a century.
When Bai Longfei broke through to the Huajin Realm at thirty, he caused a sensation. His name was spoken throughout Yun Port City and the surrounding provinces.
Later, by a stroke of luck, Bai Longfei learned the secret of the Immortal Flesh, found an Immortality Crystal, and then followed the clues to find the Immortal Flesh itself.
From then on, his Martial Arts cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. At the age of fifty, he reached the Peak of Huajin. Such speed was exceedingly rare, even in the entire Daxia New Country.
What did reaching the Peak of Huajin at fifty mean? It meant that with enough luck, he might even be able to glimpse that legendary Realm within his lifetime.
But he got stuck at this step. He remained stuck for over twenty years.
More than two decades passed, and Bai Longfei remained at the Peak of Huajin, unable to advance even a single step.
To take that next step and reach the legendary Realm of a Grandmaster of Divine Intent, two conditions had to be met.
First, a massive supply of Immortal Flesh. Second, one had to practice their Cultivation Technique to its absolute limit until they could condense their own Martial Dao Will.
Bai Longfei had accomplished neither.
The amount of Immortal Flesh was far from enough, as it was something one could only stumble upon by chance, not seek out. Finding those few pieces back then was already a stroke of monumental luck.
His Cultivation Technique was also just one step shy of a breakthrough. Bai Longfei had spent the better part of his life in bitter cultivation and contemplation. He knew the threshold was within reach, but he could never cross it.
This was the source of Bai Chongli’s self-blame. He knew his own talent was severely lacking.
For as long as he could remember, Bai Chongli knew he wasn’t cut out for Martial Arts.
Others could learn a move after ten practice runs, but he needed a hundred. Others could grasp a Heart Method in three days, but he couldn’t even find the knack after three months.
Yet his father had never given up on him. His father had even shared some of the Immortal Flesh he had found over the years.
Bai Chongli hadn’t understood back then. He only knew that eating the dark, mushy thing made his whole body heat up.
Then, his physical strength would grow, and his Martial Arts Realm would rise. So, Bai Chongli ate it without any guilt, as if it were his due.
It wasn’t until he himself was well into his fifties, watching himself—this so-called ’Peak of Anjin’—struggle for decades without being able to cross that threshold.
Only then did Bai Chongli finally understand who that Immortal Flesh should have belonged to. ’What if Father had used that Immortal Flesh himself? What if every last piece had been used on him?’
’Couldn’t it have helped him break through to become a Grandmaster of Divine Intent?’
Once this thought took root, it became a thorn that pricked Bai Chongli’s heart day and night.
’Anyone else with a shred of talent would have long since broken through to Huajin with that Immortal Flesh.’
’Then the Bai Family would have had two Huajin Grandmasters. In all of Yun Port City, who would have dared question the authority of the White Cloud Sect? Who would have dared spread rumors that the "Bai Family has no worthy successor"?’
But he hadn’t.
Bai Chongli had eaten the Immortal Flesh and struggled for the better part of his life, only to barely reach the Peak of Anjin, just touching the threshold of a Huajin Grandmaster.
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from the outer courtyard, and two disciples, who should have been standing guard outside the door, came running into the main hall.
The one in the lead was red-faced, panting, and drenched in sweat, so much so that he couldn’t even speak properly. "Ma-Master! Grandmaster! Outside, someone’s... someone’s here..."
Hearing these fragmented words, Bai Chongli frowned, a fresh wave of irritation washing over him.
’These youngsters are so impetuous. How can they raise such a fuss over every little thing? What has become of their decorum?’
He spoke, displeased, "What is it? Speak slowly."
The disciple swallowed hard and finally managed to get the words out. "It’s Lord Lu!"
Bai Chongli had rarely gone out in recent years. He couldn’t recognize everyone in Yun Port City’s business and political circles, let alone figures he had only heard of but never met.
So, he paused for a moment, puzzled. "Who is Lord Lu?"
"Advisor Lu! Master!" the other disciple exclaimed, stomping his foot in frustration. "It’s him! The one from the newspapers!"
’Advisor Lu?’
Bai Chongli’s mind raced for a second before he quickly made the connection.
The Yun Port City Divine Land Martial Arts Demonstration had four advisors in total. Among them, only one had the surname Lu.
Lu Yun. It was him.
Bai Chongli’s expression changed slightly. The irritation and resentment from moments ago were replaced by a different emotion.
It wasn’t exactly apprehension, nor was it nervousness, but he subconsciously tensed his body.
He could only turn to look at his father, Bai Longfei.
Bai Longfei rose slowly. As he began walking toward the door, he said, "Let’s go. This old man would like to see what business this Advisor Lu has with me!"
The White Cloud Sect’s training ground was vast, paved entirely with flat, open bluestone.
At this moment, hundreds of White Cloud Sect disciples were gathered in the plaza, standing in a dense crowd.
They had all stopped their training, their gazes fixed in unison in the same direction.
In the center of the training ground stood a figure leaning on a cane. He wore a black Zhongshan suit, his hair a mix of black and white, and his face was the same one that had appeared countless times in the newspapers recently.
This was the man. The man to whom the President himself had offered a toast. The man the city’s newspapers were hailing as the future Military Governor of Yun Port City—Advisor Lu!
The disciples whispered among themselves, their gazes filled with curiosity and awe. After all, this Advisor Lu, like their own Grandmaster, was a powerful Huajin Grandmaster!
Just then, the crowd automatically parted to form a path. Bai Longfei strode forward, followed by Bai Chongli and a group of his personal disciples.

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