The old man was silent for a moment, his figure seeming to grow fainter, his voice slow and deep. "You consumed my blood pills for three months; your body has now achieved the necessary compatibility for the Flame Dragon's vital essence. You have successfully merged the Flame Dragon bloodline within you, proving the successful evolution of your lineage. You now possess the Flame Dragon bloodline!"

"The Flame Dragon bloodline? What use is that?"

"Heh, does that even need asking? Rest assured, it certainly won't be inferior to your Dou Ling Body!" the old man said wryly. "Just now, to truly fuse the Flame Dragon vital essence with your bloodline, I employed some mental pressure. I fear I won't last long before sinking back into slumber!"

"You..." Chen Feng wanted to say a few words but suddenly felt an overwhelming ache in his heart. Having spent three months with the old man, he knew the elder’s care for him had been meticulous; the elder spared no effort to help him increase his strength. Hearing now that he was about to sleep again, with no telling when he might awaken, left Chen Feng speechless with sorrow.

The old man knew what he was thinking, a hint of ease entering his voice. "Now that you possess the Flame Dragon bloodline, both your physical body and your learning of magic and Dou Qi will reach an entirely new realm. Use it well in the future, and never disgrace us Earthlings!"

Then the old man’s tone shifted, becoming somewhat strange. "Damn it, I was back on Earth watching TV, chasing girls, driving a hand-pushed tractor... Who the hell made me transmigrate! Blast it all..."

Chen Feng knew the old man said this to keep him from being too sad. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "If there were high-grade magic cores, could you awaken again?"

"Of course. But the higher the grade of the magic core, the better. Ideally, one from a Divine Beast..." the old man chuckled.

"A Divine Beast?" Chen Feng’s eyes filled with resolve, his fists clenched tight. He spoke with unwavering determination: "I will! I will certainly find the magic core of a Divine Beast!"

The old man hadn't expected such a reaction to a casual remark. A faint feeling arose in his heart, as if Chen Feng could indeed accomplish this feat. He closed his eyes momentarily, then swelled with heroic spirit, his voice booming with pride: "Yes! Ten thousand years have passed, and you unlucky fellow, like me, have arrived in this place. We are both Earthlings! Since we’ve crossed over to another world, we must make a name for ourselves and prove the might of Earth's people! Moreover, we absolutely must plant the flag of the descendants of Yan Huang in the most exalted location here, permanently incorporating this place into China's territory!"

"...Incorporate it into the map of China," Chen Feng was nearly struck dumb by the idea. This plan was too insane. This Senior Flame Dragon's patriotic fervor was incredibly powerful! Having transmigrated to another world, he was already devising ways to annex it into the map of China...

Perhaps only this mad old man could conceive of such an absurd plan! Chen Feng’s previously dispirited mood vanished completely, swept away by this sudden outburst.

Even knowing the idea was preposterous, Chen Feng couldn't help but feel his blood surge. Yes! Annexing the other world into China's territory. Hoisting the Chinese national flag over the Magic Association and the palaces of the continent’s Four Great Empires...

Tsk tsk. Just thinking about it was wild!

"Right, which dynasty did you transmigrate from? When you arrived, had the United States and Japan already been incorporated into China’s territory?"

"...I transmigrated from the year 2009 AD. The United States and Japan had not yet been incorporated into China's territory!" Chen Feng replied.

"Oh..." Hearing this news, the old man seemed to slump slightly in spirit. After a moment, he said, "Damn it, if I were alive and could transmigrate back, I could flatten the entire Earth by myself! Promise me one thing, will you?"

Chen Feng quickly responded: "You’ve helped me so much; please, command me!"

"If you ever get the chance to return to Earth, the very first thing you must do is help me annihilate those little Japanese devils!"

"..." Chen Feng hadn't expected the old man's request to be this. He couldn't help but give a wry smile and said, "Don't worry. If I can go back, I'll destroy their nation even if you don't ask."

"Good, spirited! It’s not a waste that you transmigrated to another world! Oh, right, your innate Dou Ling Body, with its one hundred percent Dou Qi cells—that place has that too? Damn, that function is too overpowered! But there’s one thing you need to know first: although you possess one hundred percent Dou Qi cells, for some unknown reason, you can only activate half of them right now. Also, there is a path on the exterior of the Nine-Story Pagoda that leads outside, but I sealed it. The password is 'You figure it out'..." The old man's playful voice gradually faded until it disappeared.

Chen Feng knew that the soul of Senior Flame Dragon had fallen back into slumber. His remnant soul had sustained itself for ten thousand years, only to be utterly depleted in helping Chen Feng evolve his bloodline. Such a kindness could never be repaid with mere words!

Transmigrating to another world and encountering a companion from Earth, his agitation seemed to restore the carefree life he once knew, but this wonderful feeling was short-lived, vanishing along with the dispersal of the Flame Dragon’s soul.

Chen Feng exited the Heavy Domain and arrived before the stone statue, turning to kneel and kowtow nine times in succession. He stood up and solemnly swore: "Senior Flame Dragon, rest assured. Since I, Chen Feng, have transmigrated to this other world, I will not disgrace the people of Earth, nor will I disgrace the Chinese people. If in my lifetime I can transmigrate back to Earth, I will certainly destroy those little Japanese devils..."

After making his vow, Chen Feng suddenly remembered that many figures in the Fist Emperor cultivation methods he practiced originated from Japan. Learning techniques from the enemy to destroy them felt somewhat contradictory. However, reflecting on the humiliation suffered by his countrymen over the last century, his heart grew firm. Who said the techniques in the Fist Emperor arts must exclusively belong to Japan? The entirety of Japan was descended from Xu Fu's eastward voyage, and their culture inherited from the Chinese. The Fist Emperor techniques were a form of cultural inheritance; why must one draw national lines in the sand over it!

In truth, cultural inheritance was a strange thing. For instance, if Nation A makes an extension based on Nation B's culture and applies for a patent, that patent would surely be called Nation A's. Ah, perhaps that explanation is even more confusing. In simpler terms: someone takes your seed, grows a tree from it, and suddenly, that tree becomes their distinctive flora...

Chinese civilization is vast and profound, an ocean of knowledge. All surrounding minor nations have been influenced by it, whether in culture or custom. If one truly wanted to trace the lineage, even the most learned scientist couldn't!

Furthermore, the Fist Emperor techniques he now cultivated had already deviated from the ones he knew. Concepts like Qi Vortex, Dantian, and Meridians are unique to Chinese martial arts. The Fist Emperor techniques mutated the moment they merged with his body. Thinking of this, a new horizon seemed to open up in his mind...

…………

Chen Feng shouldered his shovel, and his canteen had been transformed into a ring worn on his finger. Spatial artifacts could hold a great many things; it was best to keep such a marvelous item secret. He walked up to the entrance of the pitch-black door, glancing back one last time at the various flora and vegetation in the first level.

A sudden thought struck him, and his eyes moistened as if he understood something.

"No wonder Senior Flame Dragon spoke of planting the Chinese flag on the territory of this other world. It seems the vegetation within this Nine-Story Pagoda isn't just for providing memories or cultivating sentiment. These are seeds meant to populate this planet! It appears Senior Flame Dragon’s ambition wasn't just to plant a flag here; the most important thing was his desire to turn this place into a second Earth!"

Chen Feng managed a weak smile, a heavy weight settling in his heart, making the shovel on his back seem less burdensome.

Since arriving in this other world, what he thought about most was how to take revenge. Compared to Senior Flame Dragon's aspirations, that was truly insignificant. His was a petty, personal grievance; the elder’s concerned the nation's interests first. The senior's spirit was truly worthy of eternal remembrance!

Turning around, Chen Feng felt his thoughts abruptly struck by something sharp. In the half-year since leaving home, all he thought about daily was how to cultivate the Qi Vortex within him to return and avenge the severing of his arm and the humiliation of his teeth being knocked out. Now, those grievances seemed like smoke passing before his eyes.

Whether it was Qigu, Harry, or Philia, what they contested were mere personal vendettas. How could that compare to the worthiness of ensuring the five-star red flag of China flew across this entire other-world continent?

With this realization, Chen Feng laughed. The knot tangled in his heart finally unraveled. Now that he knew the path leading out of the valley, he still needed to return to Dragon Mountain Town to check things out, resolve his private grievances, and then embark upon his own path!

However, before returning, he had to first raise his strength. Without power, everything else was illusory!

Chen Feng slipped through the half-open doorway and vanished outside! ps: I finally explained why the Qi Vortex I designed is somewhat different from the standard Fist Emperor techniques—this is the 'Fist Emperor with Chinese characteristics' concept... Roar... What Chen Feng learned is a mutated form of the Fist Emperor techniques, and of course, he couldn't master every single move; he has about ten or so moves. In the next chapter, as soon as Chen Feng leaves the valley, someone will give him someone to practice on; please, don't be too brutal about it... Hehe. Asking for votes...

For more novels, visit storyread.net.