Chapter Sixty-Three: Farewell

"A-Tian! What are you two doing?"

When Alice arrived at the newly built Heavenly Dao Courtyard, the first thing she saw was Heavenly Dao and Liu Tian, who had just finished packing their clothes.

As martial artists, Liu Tian and Heavenly Dao had minimal requirements for daily necessities, preferring simple attire such as shirts paired with coats. As long as they weren’t completely exposed or too scantily clad, neither cared much for appearances. But this time was different—they had to prepare properly.

So Liu Tian carefully selected his clothes. Now he wore a deep black trench coat, underneath which was a black military academy uniform stripped of its insignia, and soft black military boots on his feet. Due to his martial training, Liu Tian was already unlike ordinary men, but dressed like this, he resembled a sharp blade, gleaming coldly in the sunlight—declaring to the world that when the sword is drawn, blood will be spilled.

Beside him, Heavenly Dao had also changed out of his perpetually worn white shirt and donned a long-lost blue robe. His muscular frame was concealed beneath loose clothing, making him appear calm and unremarkable, just like any middle-aged man one might see on the street. Yet the occasional glimmer in his weathered eyes warned anyone who noticed—he was very dangerous.

"Oh, Alice," Liu Tian greeted, carrying the large backpack that had accompanied him for nearly six years. He smiled, "You’ve grown even more beautiful in just a few days. What brings you here so suddenly?"

The new Heavenly Dao Courtyard wasn’t far from Saint England Academy—not because of Alice, but because Liu Tian had invested much time and effort negotiating with heirs of nearby kingdoms to establish a convenient transport location. Saint England Academy simply happened to be situated in the most accessible area.

"Are you heading out on a long journey?" Standing before Liu Tian, Alice clasped her hands behind her back and bent her slender waist slightly. From this angle, if Liu Tian wished, a mere downward glance would reveal certain sights. "I know, it’s for that—the Grand Tournament of Martial Arts, right?"

Alice’s voice was gentle and melodious, pleasing to the ear even though her face showed a hint of nervousness. "Exactly, that’s it. The finals have finally arrived!" Liu Tian replied cheerfully, seeming completely relaxed. "I’ve waited for this day for half a year. Let’s hurry and get my things back."

His tone was light, as if victory in the Grand Tournament was already his, but Alice couldn’t suppress her anxiety. She knew Liu Tian and Heavenly Dao were strong—so powerful that either could single-handedly determine the fate of neighboring nations.

But this Grand Tournament was different. Not only was the enigmatic leader of the martial world, the Saint King of Bright Moon, involved, but the man long recognized as the world’s strongest, Bai Ci-Nan, was, in Alice’s eyes, no less formidable than the two of them. After all, both could disregard armies and instantly defeat her.

To an ant, it’s hard to distinguish between giants—either way, a single step could crush her.

Still, Alice knew Liu Tian’s decisions would not change for any reason. Though deeply concerned, she voiced no words of restraint. A wise woman knows when to hold back and when to let go. What reason could she possibly have to stop a man determined to pursue his goal?

"Then... I wish you success," Alice composed herself, pressed her lips together, and spoke softly.

"Mhm," Liu Tian reached out and patted Alice’s smooth long hair. "You too, keep it up, Alice. I’m waiting for you to join me in exploring the ruins."

"Yes, when you return, we’ll explore those mysterious ruins together." Alice nodded and hurriedly left, as if afraid lingering too long would tempt her to call him back, ruining the sensible image she had in Liu Tian’s eyes.

Watching Alice’s figure fade from view, Liu Tian suddenly remembered something and pulled a thick book from his chest.

The breeze fluttered its pages, revealing tiny densely packed handwriting.

"Alice, catch!"

Liu Tian’s voice made Alice pause, and as she turned, the book landed in her hands.

"Heavenly Martial Way?" Alice murmured, reading the characters that only three people in this world could understand.

"This is a secret martial manual I wrote," Liu Tian said with a smile.

Though they stood far apart, his voice came to Alice as clearly as if he were beside her.

"Alice, study it well, learn it thoroughly. You never know—I might test you one day!"

"Alright, I’ll await good news!" Alice answered with a smile, hugging the book Liu Tian had written tightly to her chest. For reasons unknown, scalding tears, representing emotions she could not name, slid down her cheek. "I’ll be waiting..."

"You don’t actually need to go, Tian. I could bring back both the title of Grand Champion and the prism you desire," Heavenly Dao, who had been silently standing by, suddenly spoke.

"Don’t be sentimental, Master!" Liu Tian replied. "Our strength now only slightly surpasses Ci-Nan’s. No one knows for sure; the rumors say our senior, after the last transformation, is even stronger, while the Saint King of Bright Moon, who’s prepared for two years, will be terrifying on his own turf."

"Add to that the possible presence of Lan Meng, the leader of Blue Dream Corporation. If you went alone, you wouldn’t be bringing anything back—you’d be walking to your death."

"In truth, I could go alone. Master, you don’t need to come." Liu Tian paused. "I’ll do my best to return Senior Ci-Nan to you intact."

"You’ve found your path forward?" Heavenly Dao gazed at Liu Tian.

"Not yet, but I’m close." Liu Tian looked at the panel, where his source points increased steadily at a rate of six per day, nearing a total of ninety-eight out of a hundred. He declared confidently, "In the worst case, I’ll return alive."

"But you won’t ensure Senior Ci-Nan’s safety," Heavenly Dao said.

He did not question Liu Tian’s words, though he had always achieved what seemed impossible, yet Heavenly Dao remained firm in his belief.

Heavenly Dao knew Bai Ci-Nan was Liu Tian’s senior and had lent a helping hand more than once. If possible, Liu Tian might aid him for the sake of their brotherhood, but he would never care as deeply as Heavenly Dao did.

If Bai Ci-Nan blocked his path, Liu Tian would not hesitate to destroy him, just as Bai Ci-Nan would not hesitate to do the same to Liu Tian if their roles were reversed. Having spent little time together, even the faintest bonds were thanks to Heavenly Dao.

That was why Heavenly Dao had to go, had to.

To prevent what he did not wish to happen, to serve as the final safeguard.

"Have it your way then, Master. It’s time to set out." Liu Tian’s figure flickered, leaving behind an almost tangible afterimage as he sped away into the distance.

Around Liu Tian, the shadow of a jet-black roc seemed to appear and vanish, while beside him, the massive form of a great white shark followed closely.