Too many people are dying in this chaotic world? Then I'll activate the control panel!

the other side,

After Wang Sheng's clone entered Qing Fa's killing universe, he became a fifth-class slave, the lowest class.

Fifth-class slaves were the lowest, most despised, and most devoid of human rights within the territory of this Yong Kingdom, living like livestock.

First-class servants could stay close to their masters, receive a small reward, and have no worries about food and clothing.

Second and third-class servants could work peacefully and eke out a living; only fourth and fifth-class slaves were treated like grass and ants, with no freedom, no dignity, and no way out. Their life, death, honor, and disgrace were all at the mercy of their masters.

From the time he was born until he could remember, Wang Sheng lived in mud, filth, humility, and endless labor.

This universe's cultivation system is self-contained and forms its own unique Heavenly Way, completely contradicting and conflicting with the Great Dao rules of the Formless Universe.

All the supreme techniques, supreme Daoist arts, heavenly secrets, and ten realms of divine power that Wang Sheng once controlled in his mind were rendered ineffective, unable to operate, and he could not draw upon even a trace of spiritual power here.

This world does not recognize the great paths of other realms, but only reveres the local martial arts of slaughter.

If you want to cultivate, become stronger, survive, or defy the odds, the only way is to start from scratch, completely abandon the ancient paths of the past, honestly learn the native techniques of this universe, and step by step, climb back to the pinnacle of martial arts.

Time flies, and seasons change.

The more than ten years spent as a slave at the bottom of society are enough to smooth out all the rough edges of an ordinary person, extinguish all their spirit, and exhaust all their resentment.

The slaves around him were already used to living a lowly life, working numbly, and accepting their fate. Born as slaves, they would die as slaves, never daring to hope to break free of their shackles and embark on a martial arts journey.

The only thing residing in this mortal body is the soul of a cosmic master who has endured countless ages, ruled over a universe, possessed an unyielding will, and whose forbearance surpasses all others.

Twelve years of lying low in the mud, twelve years of observing from the sidelines, twelve years of quiet reflection—Wang Sheng never became impatient, never complained, and never succumbed to despair.

He silently saw through the class barriers, martial arts rules, and survival laws of this universe, quietly waiting for the first opportunity to break the deadlock.

Twelve years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Yongguo, Beitong Town, outside the town, a dilapidated ancient temple.

The ruins are dilapidated, covered with cobwebs, and overgrown with knee-high weeds. Broken Buddha statues are covered with moss. Incense has ceased to burn, and people rarely visit. Only the cold wind blows through the hall, making it desolate all year round.

This is a place where beggars, vagrants, deserters, and outlaws in the town eke out a living, and also a breeding ground for the darkness of the lower class.

On this day, Wang Sheng, a ragged, sallow-faced, thin boy, clutched a few coarse grain biscuits he had saved up through frugality, and half a hard-won cooked chicken with a faint sheen of oil, and stepped alone into this dilapidated temple.

In the shadows of the temple corner, huddled together was a disabled old beggar with a broken right leg, a hunched back, and white hair.

The old man was dressed in tattered clothes, covered in scars, and looked weak. One could tell at a glance that he had been through many battles and had been seriously injured. His eyes held the vicissitudes of a long battle and the despair of being down and out.

He was once a registered soldier in the Yong Kingdom's regular army, having joined the army at a young age and spent half his life fighting, surviving countless battles. However, internal strife broke out in Yong Kingdom, with princes vying for power, war raging, the army collapsing, and the system crumbling.

He was severely injured in the chaos of battle, losing his leg and becoming completely disabled, thus losing his ability to fight. He was forced to leave the army and wandered around, begging for a living. He traveled thousands of miles and finally ended up outside Beitong Town, barely surviving.

After months of observation, Wang Sheng accidentally discovered the man's identity and had already figured out his background.

In this dilapidated temple, the only person who had ever been exposed to martial arts and seen cultivation methods was this down-on-his-luck old soldier.

"Grandpa, I'll trade you something in return."

Wang Sheng's voice was calm and childlike, revealing no emotion whatsoever. He gently placed a few coarse grain cakes and half a cooked chicken in front of the old man.

The old beggar, starving and cold and having not eaten for several days, smelled the aroma of meat, and his cloudy eyes instantly lit up. He stared intently at the food, his Adam's apple bobbing incessantly.

He knew what he had to offer.

The old beggar raised his withered, calloused, and scarred hand, and with trembling hands, pulled out a tattered little booklet from his bosom. The booklet had worn edges, yellowed pages, mottled ink, and was almost falling apart.

On the booklet, three hastily written, vigorous characters in ink were faintly discernible: "The Art of War."

This is the most basic, universal, and essential training method for all new recruits in the Yongguo military camp. It is the most fundamental, widespread, and unassuming martial arts enlightenment method.

In the eyes of powerful families and martial arts sects, this technique is crude, domineering, and utterly lacking in refinement; it is commonplace and not worth mentioning at all.

But for a remote town like Beitong Town, and for the lowest of the low, this is the only hope that countless people dream of, the only way to embark on the path of martial arts, the only way to break free from slavery and defy fate.

As the old beggar wolfed down his chicken and coarse grains, he glanced up at the twelve-year-old boy before him, who was thin but had unusually calm and deep eyes, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Kid, you're only twelve years old, and you want to learn military strategy?"

"Do you know the hardships of practicing this technique?"

The old beggar's voice was hoarse and dry, carrying a mixture of awe and sorrow born of years of experience.

"The Art of Warfare emphasizes killing, ferocity, and breaking formations. It is incomparably domineering and extremely unyielding. When cultivating it, one feels as if their meridians are being cut by knives, their flesh is being scraped, and their internal organs are being burned—a thousand cuts and ten thousand slices, an pain that pierces the very soul!"

"If you succeed, you can cultivate all the way to the ninth level of the Meridian Opening Realm."

"But countless able-bodied men and iron-blooded soldiers in the army cannot withstand this excruciating pain. At best, their meridians are damaged and their cultivation is completely destroyed; at worst, they explode and die on the spot. You, a little slave raised in the mud, cannot withstand even the slightest pain. You are simply asking for trouble!"

He had seen too many lowly ants who wanted to rise to the top overnight and try to turn their lives around through martial arts. Without exception, they all fell victim to the pain of learning the Art of War.

In his view, the young boy in front of him was just indulging in momentary curiosity and wishful thinking, and would ultimately only be futile and bring shame upon himself.

Faced with the old beggar's sarcasm and admonition, Wang Sheng remained calm and composed. He simply picked up the tattered book "The Art of War," ran his fingertips over the rough, yellowed pages, and quietly read and pondered its meaning.

God rewards hard work!

effort!

What would take others months or even years to understand—basic mental techniques, meridian routes, qi circulation formulas, and methods for refining flesh and tempering blood—Wang Sheng could grasp completely and thoroughly understand in just a moment, without any hesitation.

Inside the dilapidated temple, a cold wind howled and all was silent.

Wang Sheng sat cross-legged and, following the mental techniques and incantations of the Art of War, drew upon the barely perceptible spiritual energy in the world, allowing it to slowly circulate throughout his body along the predetermined meridian pathways.

The next moment!

The excruciating pain, unbearable for ordinary people, instantly engulfs the limbs, bones, and flesh!

The scorching and fierce martial arts energy violently impacted the tender and fragile meridians, each flow carrying excruciating pain that tore flesh and shattered bones.

If it were an ordinary teenager, he would have been writhing on the ground in pain, crying incessantly, mentally broken, and completely giving up.

Having experienced countless ages of ups and downs, endured the tempering of the Great Dao of the Heavens, and witnessed countless life-and-death calamities, Wang Sheng considered mere physical pain as nothing more than a gentle breeze, utterly insignificant.

His mind was as calm as still water and as immovable as a mountain. He allowed the killing energy to wash over his meridians and temper his body, steadily suppressing all pain and meticulously circulating his inner energy.

Om-!

A barely perceptible burst of martial arts energy quietly erupted from the boy's slender body!

The first main meridian, which was blocked and weak, was completely opened up and fully connected by the domineering and fierce true qi of the warrior!

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth enters the body, tempering the flesh and blood, condensing the primordial energy, and nourishing the physical body!

First-tier Meridian Opening Realm, achieved!

The old beggar who was eating heartily suddenly froze, his movements stopped, and his cloudy old eyes widened in disbelief, his face filled with extreme shock and horror!

His lips trembled as he stared intently at the boy who was meditating and regulating his breathing, a tidal wave surging in his heart!

Half an hour!

In just half an hour!

A nine-year-old slave child who had never been exposed to any martial arts, had no background, no resources, and was a lowly slave, actually entered the basics of the Art of War, opened his first meridian, and embarked on the true path of martial arts cultivation!

He had served in the military for half his life and had seen countless geniuses and new recruits, but he had never seen such a terrifying, monstrous, and unbelievable speed at which someone could get started!

Even with abundant resources and guidance from renowned teachers, those able-bodied soldiers and scions of noble families would still need at least several days or even weeks to barely grasp the basics!

The boy before me is simply an incredible monster!

The old beggar was deeply shocked, and a glint of greed and calculation flashed in his eyes.

Having spent half his life wandering, he understands the hearts of those at the bottom of society best.

A martial arts prodigy who can quickly master the art of warfare has boundless potential and a promising future!

As long as you grasp the other party's entry-level skills and shortcomings in cultivation, you can use these as leverage to blackmail them and ensure they have no worries about food, drink, or livelihood in the future. You can even use your youthful energy to completely escape your impoverished fate!

Having made up his mind, the old beggar swallowed the last bite of meat, feigning profundity and composure, and spoke in a low voice:

"Kid, you've got some talent. You've managed to get into the field by sheer luck."

"I have accumulated countless experiences in military strategy, including the profound mysteries of warfare, the details of qi circulation, and the techniques for avoiding pain."

"If you wish to continue to improve, avoid going astray, and prevent wasting your efforts, you must bring me food and drink every day from now on, and I will teach you slowly."

The tone was blatantly threatening, calculating, and manipulative, without any attempt to conceal it.

He was certain that a lowly slave boy, who had finally stepped into the world of martial arts, would cherish it immensely and dare not offend him. He would only obediently submit and let himself be manipulated.

Inside the temple, the cold wind gradually subsided.

After finishing his meditation, Wang Sheng slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were dark and indifferent, showing no joy or sorrow, and no emotion.

He slowly got up and walked step by step toward the smug, calculating old beggar.

The boy was slender, yet he exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression, as if he were looking down on ants.

Amid the old beggar's astonished gaze, Wang Sheng spoke softly, his voice flat and cold, devoid of any emotion:

"Are you full?"

The old beggar was taken aback, then nodded subconsciously: "Full..."

Before the words were even finished!

puff!

A crisp, muffled thud suddenly rang out.

Wang Sheng raised his hand and threw a punch, simple and unadorned, without any unnecessary movements, which landed precisely on the old beggar's heart.

The first-level meridian opening energy is condensed, pure, fierce and domineering, and bursts forth instantly with the killing power of the military strategy!

The old beggar was stunned and had no time to react. His body suddenly stiffened, his heart bones shattered, his internal organs collapsed, and his life was cut off in an instant!

A pair of cloudy eyes, wide open, held endless terror, resentment, and disbelief.

He couldn’t understand until his death why a seemingly docile and innocent slave could be so ruthless, decisive, and merciless!

After quickly cleaning up the body and erasing all traces, Wang Sheng calmly turned and stepped out of the dilapidated ancient temple, returning to Beitong Town and back to the Zhao family's slave quarters.

This brutal universe is one where the strong prey on the weak and killing reigns supreme; those who scheme against others will only face death.

He disdains leaving trouble unresolved, disdains nurturing problems, and disdains being manipulated or threatened by ants.

Returning to the Zhao family's slave quarters, Wang Sheng continued to play the role of the most humble, obedient, and numb fifth-class slave.

Every morning they would rise in the dark to work, sweeping, chopping wood, washing clothes, and doing odd jobs, all without complaint. Their expressions were numb, and they were low-key and humble, no different from ordinary slaves.

Unbeknownst to anyone, this little slave, who was bullied by everyone, had already embarked on the path of martial arts and cultivation.

There were no spirit stones, no elixirs, no cultivation techniques, no renowned teachers to guide them, and no exceptionally favorable environment.

But Wang Sheng possesses the unparalleled talent of "Heaven rewards diligence"!

As long as one perseveres, cultivates diligently day and night, and constantly refines one's skills, even if one relies solely on the scarce spiritual energy of heaven and earth and solely on physical cultivation, one's cultivation level will still improve day and night, steadily increase, and never stagnate!

Day after day, night after night.

During the day, he endures hard work, and at night, when no one is around, he quietly practices the Art of War, cleansing his meridians, tempering his flesh and blood, and condensing his vital energy.

As one of the most powerful families in Beitong Town, the Zhao family wielded immense power and influence, and enslaved most of the town's lower-class servants.

The young masters and ladies in the mansion are pampered, eccentric, and domineering.

The young master of the Zhao family is young and wicked. His greatest pleasure is to play with, abuse, and torture the servants and slaves in the mansion. He takes pleasure in the lowly fear and groveling of the lower class. He is arrogant, domineering, and wantonly bullies them.

Zhao Xue, the second young lady of the Zhao family, is beautiful but cold and cruel. She is sadistic and loves to whip servants and slaves with a long whip, watching their flesh and blood fly and hearing their cries for mercy. She uses this to amuse herself and satisfy her desires.

The countless servants and slaves in the mansion suffered humiliation day and night, tormented by the night, and endured unspeakable misery, daring not to speak out against their anger.

During his period of seclusion, Wang Sheng silently endured all the bullying, all the difficulties, and all the teasing.

Do not contend, do not get angry, do not resist, do not show your strength, and do not show anything unusual.

They allowed children to play with them, allowed long whips to threaten them, and allowed themselves to be subjected to humiliation.

The provocations of ants never caused the ruler to waver in the slightest.

Five months have passed in the blink of an eye.

Unbeknownst to anyone, in those short five months, Wang Sheng was working tirelessly day and night in a secluded corner, honing his skills to the extreme and pushing his limits.

With the incredible boost from the Heavenly Rewards for Diligence, coupled with his ultimate control over his eternal Dao Heart, he forcefully opened up four main meridians!

His cultivation level steadily broke through, reaching the fourth-order Meridian Opening Realm!

In the martial arts system of Beitong Town, the first level is entry level, the second and third levels are ordinary, and the fourth level is already considered a minor master!

Anyone who can reach the fourth-tier Meridian Opening Realm can escape the status of a lowly servant, gain a place in the town, be respected and have a small status, and completely get rid of the muddy and humble status at the bottom.

Countless indigenous cultivators may spend ten or even decades in arduous training, yet they may not be able to reach the fourth rank.

And he, in just five months, climbed from zero to the top four levels!

They were strong enough to establish themselves in the town and completely break free from the shackles of slavery.

But Wang Sheng remained patient, remained in hiding, and remained completely concealed.

He understood the Zhao family's character too well, and he understood the dark side of lower-class families too well.

The Zhao family kept slaves solely for cheap labor and endless exploitation.

In the eyes of all masters, slaves should always be humble, always obedient, and always incompetent.

Once a slave reveals their cultivation level, awakens their martial arts, and gains the power to turn their life around, their master will never try to win them over or treat them kindly; instead, they will eliminate them completely and eradicate them at the first opportunity.

No powerful family would tolerate a martial arts cultivator slave who has suffered oppression, is full of resentment, and could turn against them at any time leaving alive!

Exposure is a dead end.

A fourth-tier cultivation level is still insufficient, still weak, and still not enough to control one's own destiny.

Therefore, he chose to disappear completely.

On an ordinary night, taking advantage of the darkness and lax security, Wang Sheng quietly left the Zhao family mansion, avoiding eyes and ears, and completely disappeared from the sight of everyone in Beitong Town.

A few days later, a short, youthful-looking martial arts master appeared in Beitong Town.

Wang Sheng disguised himself, concealed his aura, and hid all traces of his youth, blending into the crowd and becoming utterly unremarkable.

With his solid cultivation at the Meridian Opening Realm, he successfully joined a mid-sized martial arts school in town, becoming an ordinary instructor responsible for guiding novice disciples in basic body training and meridian cultivation.

The martial arts school owner is a local expert at the sixth level of the Meridian Opening Realm, and he is quite famous and respected in the town.

Wang Sheng was unassuming, hardworking, dedicated to teaching, and low-key, which quickly earned him the trust of the museum owner.

What he sought was neither salary nor worldly wealth, but only resources for spiritual practice and the inheritance of martial arts.

After diligently lying low for several months, the time was ripe, and Wang Sheng seized the opportunity to seek instruction in combat techniques from the master of the martial arts school.

The master of the academy valued his talent and, seeing that he was honest, reliable, and calm, passed on to him a treasured mid-grade Yellow Rank combat technique—the Blazing Sun Palm.

The cultivation traditions in this world are strictly hierarchical, divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, each further subdivided into three grades: Upper, Middle, and Lower.

A mid-grade Yellow Rank combat skill, placed in the vast Beitong Town, is already considered a top-tier practical killing skill, far surpassing ordinary, rudimentary fist and foot techniques, and is sufficient to support lower-level cultivators in fighting and defending themselves against enemies.

Ordinary martial arts school students have no chance to come into contact with it.

After mastering the skill, Wang Sheng practiced diligently and tirelessly, refining his skills day and night without ever slacking off.

The Blazing Sun Palm is fierce, domineering, scorching, and sharp, suitable for close-quarters combat and has extremely high explosive power. It is most suitable for the brutal and fierce path of the Military Strategy.

Time flies, and years pass silently.

Two whole years have passed quietly.

In the past two years, the town of Beitong has been bustling with activity, with countless cultivators rising and falling. Only this ordinary martial arts instructor has remained low-key, mediocre, and lived a peaceful life.

Unbeknownst to anyone, this seemingly ordinary young man had already accumulated an incredibly terrifying foundation in martial arts.

Day and night, they worked tirelessly, refining their skills to the extreme, without ever stopping!

The Art of War has been fully perfected, with all nine main meridians connected, flesh and blood tempered to the extreme, and primordial energy vast and boundless!

Ninth-order Meridian Opening Realm! Peak of Meridian Opening Realm!

For two whole years, on the surface he made no progress and was still a fourth-order Meridian Opening Realm cultivator, but in reality he quietly reached the pinnacle of Meridian Opening Realm and stood at the very top of the bottom-level martial arts in Beitong Town!

Not only did his cultivation reach perfection, but his accompanying combat skill, the Blazing Sun Palm, also progressed through the stages of beginner, minor success, and major success, all the way to the ultimate perfection, thanks to the blessing of the Eternal Dao Heart and the Heavenly Reward for Diligence!

His palm strikes were fierce and fiery, intensely hot, and deadly. With a single palm strike, he could shatter mountains and split rocks. Under the influence of the principle of rewarding diligence, his palm strikes were perfectly matched with Wang Sheng's, and his power surpassed that of other masters of the same level of perfection.

Two years of dormancy, two years of reflection, two years of patient development.

"Finally, the day has come when I feel safe in Beitong Town!"

Wang Sheng sighed.

He rarely used elixirs to aid his cultivation.

For the past two years, he has been improving his cultivation through his own efforts.