High Martial Arts Era

Chapter 121: In the Sunshine, Don’t Always Stare at the Darkness in the Cracks

"You think I deserve such luxurious treatment because you see me as a hero?" Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan.

"How many resources can human civilization afford for such extravagant expenditure?"

"I understand your intentions and am grateful, but your approach is not appropriate."

"My medical treatment is fully covered, with a one-time subsidy of 400,000, and subsequent monthly disability aid, along with free healthcare. I'm expected to live until 70... I am very satisfied; the country has done enough for me."

"Just as I told you last time, I have never regretted my choice." Li Changzhou's voice softened, no longer as harsh as before.

Li Changzhou understood that what Li Yuan did was out of filial piety and for his sake.

"Uncle, you're right."

"But if you hadn't been pushed back when the No. 3 base was being evacuated, you could have come back earlier," Li Yuan finally couldn't hold back. "You might not have ended up in such a situation, nearly dying."

"Little Yuan, do you really think that?" Li Changzhou sighed softly.

Even through the light screen, he could see through Li Yuan's inner thoughts.

Li Yuan met his uncle's gaze.

Indeed, that was what he thought after learning the truth, and it had fostered some resentment.

"Little Yuan."

"You're right. Some people used certain privileges to leave early, which was wrong and should be held accountable." Li Changzhou did not refute Li Yuan.

Li Changzhou continued, "I just hope you don't become extreme and imagine everything as so dark."

Li Yuan fell silent.

"Today, if the 16 million you spent was earned by you, I would accept the treatment."

"But spending the rewards the country gave you, which were meant to help you become stronger quickly rather than just extend my life a bit longer, is not the right approach. Your intention is good, but the expense is too great. Maybe no one would blame you for using it," Li Changzhou sighed, "but I don't want to accept it."

"Uncle." Li Yuan looked at Li Changzhou.

"You should understand that fairness is relative." Li Changzhou sighed, "Everyone has selfish desires and wants, and I have them too."

"You want me to live longer, want our family to be better, and I am very happy about that."

"It proves that you have a good heart."

"It proves that the country made the right choice in focusing on your training."

"But for my situation, I don't want this. I am not about to die; I am only in my forties." Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan remained silent.

Li Changzhou said no more, simply looking at Li Yuan quietly. He knew that some things Li Yuan had to figure out on his own.

After a long time.

"Uncle." Li Yuan finally spoke again, in a muffled voice, "In the future, when I become a warrior and truly start venturing into the Astral Realm, I will use the money I earn myself to treat your body."

Li Changzhou's body wasn't in serious trouble, just severely damaged in terms of vitality.

"Don't worry too much about the treatment." Li Changzhou gently shook his head, "Life is short, and being able to survive a journey in the Astral Realm and live healthily to seventy years old is enough for me."

"I don't want to say too much."

"You've grown up, and in many ways, you handle things better than I do, but you haven't experienced as much." Li Changzhou said softly, "This world is indeed not completely bright."

He could tell that Li Yuan didn't fully agree with his viewpoint.

"There are many disgusting dealings that you may have never heard of."

"There are many evil people you may have never seen."

"You are a martial arts genius, so most people are kind to you, and the disgusting things are hidden."

"What you see as evil is just the tip of the iceberg." Li Changzhou said.

In the past, he didn't want to talk too much about such things with his nephew.

Because he hoped Li Yuan could come to understand them on his own.

But today, he vaguely understood.

His nephew was growing too quickly, his strength was developing too fast, and he was at a critical stage of forming his worldview and values.

Some things, if not said today, might be too late in the future.

"In the future, you will see more things that disgust you."

"Uncle only hopes you remember one thing." Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan, "Walk in the sunshine and don't always stare at the darkness in the cracks."

"We came into this world not to collude with darkness." Li Changzhou said, "If you find the darkness overwhelming, strive to bring light into it with your own methods."

Li Yuan was stunned, his heart profoundly moved.

Suddenly.

Li Yuan thought of Dongfang Ji, of the 'Seven Star Alliance Progressive Movement' mentioned in history books.

What his uncle said was strikingly similar.

...

Soon.

Li Yuan ended the communication with his uncle.

The conversation was short, not long, but it had an unprecedented impact on Li Yuan's heart.

"In the sunshine, don't always stare at the darkness in the cracks." Li Yuan murmured to himself.

Li Yuan suddenly realized that he had never truly understood his uncle.

"Since the college entrance exam."

"No!"

"Since being specially recruited by the Martial Hall, I subconsciously thought my abilities were already stronger than my uncle's and that my decisions would be better than his." Li Yuan shook his head slightly, "But aside from my talent, aside from the uniqueness brought by the Spiritual Palace."

"Is my heart really stronger than my uncle's?" Li Yuan shook his head gently.

Perhaps he had the determination and perseverance to train hard, the kind of madness to pursue greater strength.

In terms of diligent training, Li Yuan asked himself, he was not weaker than others.

But true inner strength was never simply about determination and perseverance.

It was also about faith.

A kind of indomitable, unchangeable faith no matter the hardships.

Subconsciously, Li Yuan recalled the night before his uncle left for the Star Realm.

That seemingly casual remark.

"Someone has to go to this war, why can't it be me?"

It seemed like a joke.

It seemed casual.

But looking back, Li Yuan could feel the terrifying faith contained in that sentence from his uncle.

"What I lack is such faith." Li Yuan murmured to himself.

"For family, for uncle and aunt, for my siblings, I am willing to give everything, even risk my life." Li Yuan thought to himself.

"But can I, like my uncle, remain calm after experiencing and seeing so much?" Li Yuan asked himself.

There was no answer.

A person's inner world is not something that can be completely changed by a single reflection or a conversation.

Especially for a young man like Li Yuan, whose thoughts were still very changeable.

"I can't reach my uncle's level now, nor can I fully understand his thoughts."

"Even though I don't completely agree with some of his ideas, in the grand scheme of things, my uncle's thoughts are not wrong." Li Yuan gripped his spear again.

"Just like my uncle said."

"The country, or rather the millions of ordinary people in human civilization, collectively invest vast resources in martial arts geniuses like me. What we carry on our shoulders is not just the expectations of our family."

"Not just our own desire for power."

"There is also the hope of protecting all of humanity, the legacy of predecessors like Dongfang Ji and Starlight... passed down from generation to generation."

"A spark can ignite a prairie fire."

"Perhaps my uncle's thoughts share some commonalities with those of predecessors like Dongfang Ji." Li Yuan swung his spear again.

Uncle Li Changzhou had always been the most revered figure in Li Yuan's heart, seemingly omnipotent.

Dongfang Ji, whom Li Yuan had never met, had been his idol since he was a child.

At this moment.

The images of these two figures, with their vast differences in strength, status, and position, subtly overlapped in Li Yuan's mind.

"The spear!"

Li Yuan couldn't help but swing his spear. In his mind, Teacher Xu Bo suddenly appeared.

The teacher lost his arm because of the Astral Realm war.

He also thought of Teacher Fan Jin, who had just passed away yesterday, remembered the moving stories of heroes told in class, remembered the fallen spirits of the past... All these figures seemed to come to life at once.

Truly imprinting themselves in Li Yuan's mind.

"My spear."

"My martial arts."

"One day, I will wield my spear and sweep away all darkness, restoring peace to all of human civilization." Unconsciously, such thoughts emerged in Li Yuan's mind.

And as time passed, this thought grew stronger and more unstoppable.

In the past, Li Yuan often had similar thoughts.

But more often, they were like a young person's aspirations of 'I want to be a great hero' or 'I want to be a scientist.'

They were more about wanting to be, but not fully understanding 'why be.'

Today, Li Yuan vaguely understood 'why do it.'

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Li Yuan's spear movements became more vigorous, his force bursting forth mightily.

They seemed similar to his previous spear techniques.

But unknowingly, they began to undergo a fundamental change.

At this moment, Li Yuan's heart and the spear were more aligned than ever.

Fifteen minutes, half an hour.

One hour.

Two hours. Li Yuan trained madly, completely immersed, utterly absorbed.

Suddenly.

A moment of inspiration flashed through Li Yuan's mind, and his spear exploded with power.

A dazzling spear light flashed, layers of spear light blossomed, brilliantly to the extreme, like a giant meteor falling from the sky, an unstoppable force, far surpassing any previous strike from Li Yuan.

Starry Spear Technique Fourth Style—Meteor Falling from the Sky!

"[Your spear technique has advanced from 53% in the fourth stage to 61%.]"

"[Your fist technique has advanced from 55% in the fourth stage to 62%.]"