Chapter Two: The Guardian

The alluring woman glanced at the arena, her voice soft and unhurried, tinged with a natural seductiveness. “Uncle Moben, who do you think will win this time?”

Standing beside her was the elder who had just served as referee, Moben by name. Watching the fierce contest between the two fighters, he replied with a gentle smile, “Miss, unless something unexpected happens, Diyuan should be the victor. He was your bodyguard last time as well, so you’re well aware of his prowess.”

“Hmph, no matter how skilled he is, he’s still not as formidable as Suyi!” The woman pouted her full, crimson lips, her voice soft and coy.

Several young men not far from her, enchanted once again by her mature beauty, could not help but marvel at her charm. Her delicate, smiling face, with its limpid, alluring eyes, seemed to radiate a constant, irresistible temptation to all men.

Their gazes slid over her elegant, slender neck, nearly drawn into the pale, deep ravine of her cleavage. Her supple, willow-like waist swayed with each movement, an embodiment of temptation that awakened a primal urge—a desire to seize and subdue her.

Catching themselves mid-thought, the young men felt a pang of guilt. Damn it, how could they think such things about Miss Maya!

Yet as soon as Maya’s bewitching words drifted through the air, their hearts raced uncontrollably. Upon registering the content, jealousy flared—how could Miss Maya favor that good-for-nothing so much? He truly was worthless!

Moben could only smile wryly at her words, shaking his head. “Suyi is indeed remarkable. I’ve never seen such a talent; he reached the tenth level of Fighter by the age of seventeen. To call him a genius of battle energy cultivation is no exaggeration. In fact, perhaps ‘monster’ would be more fitting.

You know, even at the famed Battle Energy Academy, the requirements are strict—one must become a Fighter before the age of eighteen. For Suyi, that was hardly a challenge. I once thought he might reach the Battle Adept realm by eighteen, but now… sigh, heaven seems to envy the gifted…”

“What’s wrong now?” Maya smiled seductively, gently rebuking him. “I believe he will rise again!”

“Heh…” Moben forced a laugh, offering no further reply. In truth, he too hated to see such a brilliant talent fall. Over his decades of life, he had seen others tumble from the altar of genius overnight, falling lower than ordinary men. The blow was often too much to bear, and the title of ‘genius’ was soon replaced by scorn and ridicule.

The higher one stands, the harder the fall. That kind of painful rebirth is not easily endured; once fallen, few ever rise again.

Moben had seen a few who managed to stand once more, though sometimes in odd ways—abandoning martial arts for commerce or politics. Could Suyi truly become strong again?

To be honest, Moben was deeply uncertain—almost despairing. Suyi’s situation was simply too dire.

The young men around Maya, however, thought of nothing so deep. They merely wondered what sort of spell Suyi had cast on Miss Maya to inspire such blind confidence and trust.

If only it were me instead of him, they fantasized. If not for the need to maintain their alliance of contempt for the useless, they might have cornered Suyi to interrogate him by now.

Suddenly, a loud roar erupted from the arena, startling the crowd. All eyes turned to see the two fighters locked in combat. Duanshi abruptly raised his right leg, swinging it forcefully at Diyuan’s lower body.

Diyuan neither dodged nor retreated. He dropped his upper body in a sudden motion, both hands shooting out like claws to seize Duanshi’s right leg. Using his left foot as a pivot, he launched a savage sideways kick with his right.

Duanshi realized danger too late. Before he could react, a tremendous impact crashed into his chest, as if struck by a sledgehammer. He staggered back more than ten steps before halting awkwardly.

Feeling his energy and blood surge wildly, nearly beyond control, Duanshi’s heart pounded: Profound-tier Battle Skill—Flowbreaker Strike!

Flowbreaker Strike—a low-level Profound-tier skill, formidable in its own right. Mastery of it meant that any opponent of flesh and blood could be wounded, their energy thrown into chaos, potentially even causing their body to rupture and die.

In this land, battle skills are of unparalleled importance, far above cultivation methods. After tens of thousands of years of development, cultivation techniques have reached their pinnacle, and nearly all practitioners use the same methods—making talent the true measure of progress.

Battle skills, however, are countless in variety. Anyone capable of learning one can practice it.

Choosing the right battle skill upon becoming a Fighter is crucial for future growth, which is why great families, endowed with high-level skills, produce correspondingly powerful talents. Generally, the higher the grade, the harder to master—but when perfected, the power is terrifying.

Battle skills are ranked in four tiers, each matching a level of practitioner. Common folk usually have access only to low- or mid-level Yellow-tier skills.

The most powerful available to the public are high Yellow-tier. Higher skills—Profound, Earth, or even Heaven-tier—are found only in academies or sects.

Some families possess high-level skills, but compared to academies and sects, their treasured arts are kept strictly secret—only available to family members or core disciples.

Of course, the continent is vast, and some lucky individuals may stumble upon lost techniques, whether abandoned, forgotten, or buried with their original masters.

Whatever the cause, if you find one, it’s yours—unless, perhaps, it’s an Earth- or Heaven-tier skill; then, who knows if you can keep it.

Diyuan had no powerful background, nor had he joined any academy or sect. He happened upon a low-level Profound-tier battle skill by chance and, relying solely on his own strength, became a guard at Changling City’s greatest merchant enterprise—the Yuximan Auction House.

Step by step, Diyuan had faced the most difficult cases and the most dangerous foes. Through brutal tests, he overcame adversities, crushing his enemies and climbing atop their bodies to reach his current position. Years of tempering made him exceptionally strong for his level.

Duanshi’s first instinct was to retreat.

But his energy and blood were in turmoil; he could not control his body, and remained rooted in place. He could only smile bitterly—Diyuan was slightly stronger to begin with, and with a Profound-tier skill, defeating him was nearly impossible.

Diyuan had used this very “Flowbreaker Strike” to topple many opponents.

Dreading the imminent defeat, Duanshi, well aware of Diyuan’s methods, shuddered. “Wait! I admit defeat!”

That seemingly simple move had actually consumed most of Diyuan’s battle energy. As he steadied his breath, preparing for a final blow, Duanshi’s surrender drew a cold laugh. Those who don’t know how to fight with all they have will never taste victory!

Once his breathing evened, Diyuan turned his gaze to Maya, resplendent in fiery red. In his cold eyes flickered a barely concealed heat and longing.

Moben glanced at Diyuan, a trace of a smile on his lips, and nodded as he announced the result. “This match goes to Diyuan!”

At the announcement, Diyuan’s eyes sharpened. He stood tall, right fist pressed firmly to his chest, bowing slightly. “I swear to defend the lady’s safety with my life!”

His resounding declaration ignited the crowd’s passion, and whistles and cheers swept through the air.

“Hey, what are you shouting for!?”

“Ah, if only I were Captain Diyuan—a true knight protector…”

“Exactly! This is already Diyuan’s second time. No chance for anyone else, just like Suyi a few years ago…”

“Speaking of Suyi, he didn’t compete this time, did he?”

“Why would he come just to be humiliated? Have you forgotten—his energy core was destroyed?”

Energy is the path every Fighter must walk. Basic energy is divided into nine stages. When one reaches the ninth stage, the energy core can be condensed, and with success, one becomes a respected Fighter.

Only as a Fighter can one truly cultivate battle energy and subsequently study battle skills; the attributes of one’s energy depend greatly on early cultivation.

Through continued training, one can eventually become strong. The importance of the energy core is clear—if destroyed, cultivating it again is harder than reaching the heavens.

Throughout the continent’s history, those whose energy cores were destroyed invariably found their progress agonizingly slow, their energy dissipating if they paused in training.

Even those with immense determination who reached the ninth stage could not condense the core; any forced attempt would fail, and all cultivated energy would scatter.

Thus, once the energy core is destroyed, one is no better than a cripple!

“Indeed, if not for Miss Maya, he’d have been thrown out of the auction house long ago, left to fend for himself. How could he still be here living off the place?”

“Heh! You don’t get it. Even to beg on the street these days requires skill. That cripple can do nothing but waste food!”

“Hmph, I always knew he’d end up like this, with the way he used to look down on everyone…”

“Ahem!” Moben cast a stern glance at the gossiping crowd, coughing loudly. When the training ground fell silent, he continued, “Everyone, in a few days, the Yuximan Auction House will hold an auction. Due to the value of the items, security is paramount. For the next few days, I expect your utmost vigilance. Is that clear?!”

“Understood!” the guards answered in unison.

Moben nodded slightly and looked at Diyuan. “Captain Diyuan, you’ll be in charge of the assignments.”

Diyuan responded solemnly, “Yes, sir!”

Maya smiled enchantingly and rose gracefully. Fixing her bright gaze on Diyuan, she said, “Diyuan, I’ll be counting on you.”

“Rest assured, Miss,” Diyuan replied, dipping his head. His usually cold, hard voice betrayed a hint of warmth.

Maya turned and departed with measured, elegant steps. Her shapely figure, wrapped in red, swayed rhythmically, drawing countless fiery gazes.

Diyuan’s eyes burned as he watched her go, but suddenly, a different face appeared in his mind. His gaze turned icy cold… that useless wretch…

…

Suyi did not know how long he had been lost in thought. By the time he came to, dusk had fallen, and the sky was a dull, oppressive gray.

“Time to go back,” he murmured, plucking a blade of tender grass and chewing it as he set off down the mountain, hands folded behind his head, following the stone path at a leisurely pace.

A faint, fresh taste spread in his mouth. Orienting himself, Suyi walked towards his small hut. The darkness pressed close, making the world feel heavy and suffocating.

Suppressing a vague unease, Suyi suddenly frowned, his gaze sweeping toward the woods. He called out, “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

His powerful soul granted Suyi extraordinary perception; though not yet a Fighter, his soul sense was already at the eleventh level, equal to a Battle Adept. This often allowed him to detect opponents before anyone else, seizing the initiative. Now, he sensed an ambush.

A figure slowly emerged from the trees, a chilling aura radiating from him. His face, at first indistinct, grew clear.

Recognizing the man, Suyi couldn’t help but exclaim, “Diyuan?”

Martial Peak II: Chapter Two—The Bodyguard, updated!