Martial God: Grinding from Mortal Flesh to Immortality

The only advantage was that the Human Federation never lacked houses. Although there were no more subsidies, Lu Sheng's old house was still there, so he didn't have to worry about a place to stay.

Now, Lu Sheng had finally come to terms with reality.

"Maybe... working steadily for a lifetime, getting married and having children, is also a good choice!"

Lu Sheng comforted himself, making himself accept the reality that he had no choice but to accept.

Later, it happened just as Lu Sheng had thought.

He began working day after day, his life becoming as if it had been prearranged, like a numb robot, doing repetitive tasks every day and dealing with the trivialities seen everywhere in life.

Even though he had felt regret and frustration, when the sun rose, he had to cast all thoughts aside and throw himself into work once again.

Later on, he met a stranger, and they formed a seemingly warm family, but in reality, there was no affection.

It was as if this family had been pieced together temporarily.

Time continued to slip away from Lu Sheng.

Until one day, fueled by alcohol, Lu Sheng started to boast passionately at the table, while his friend Zhao Feng quietly sat beside him, listening to Lu Sheng's ramblings.

Suddenly, Zhao Feng spoke up unexpectedly.

"Lu Sheng, why did you give up martial arts back then?"

That single sentence instantly sobered Lu Sheng up, leaving him stunned.

Yes?

Why did I give up martial arts back then?

Was it to get lost in an illusory game with Zhao Feng and the others?

Was it Zhao Feng and the others who tempted me?

Or... was my will not firm enough?

Lu Sheng looked blankly at his own hands, hands that had been deformed by years of erosion and intense work.

"Why... did I give up?"

Lu Sheng asked softly, as if questioning himself, wondering why he had given up martial arts back then.

"Was my will... not firm enough?"

Lu Sheng kept questioning himself.

"No... It shouldn't be like this, the world shouldn't be like this, and I shouldn't be like this..."

Suddenly, Lu Sheng felt that a part of his mind turned blank. He wanted to enter that blank area but found that no matter what he did, he couldn't reach it.

His head... started to throb with pain.

Whether it was due to the alcohol or some other reason... he did not know.

Rumble!!!

In a daze, terrifying roars sounded from the sky above Tianqi Star, as if endless thunder was crashing down on it.

All the beings on Tianqi Star, including Lu Sheng, looked up at the sky.

In their vision, the 108 Upper Star Cities high above shattered, just like toy buildings built by children, easily destroyed by a force.

Amidst the turmoil, Lu Sheng seemed to see two terrifying figures standing outside Tianqi Star. The aura they emitted caused the ground of Tianqi Star to crack open with hideous fissures.

At this moment, the entire Tianqi Star resembled an apocalyptic purgatory.

"The world is ending! Run!"

"My child! Save my child!!"

The screams of countless ordinary people echoed in Lu Sheng's ears, like sharp spikes piercing into his mind.

Lu Sheng's body trembled slightly.

In the blank area of his mind, some colors seemed to appear.

"Lu Sheng, run!!"

Zhao Feng pulled Lu Sheng's arm, shouting loudly to take Lu Sheng away.

However, Lu Sheng's feet seemed rooted to the ground, unmoving despite Zhao Feng's efforts to drag him.

"Lu Sheng, what are you doing? Run! Tianqi Star is being destroyed!"

Zhao Feng kept shouting at Lu Sheng.

But no matter how much Zhao Feng yelled and pulled, Lu Sheng stood still, his expression becoming incredibly calm.

"So... it's not what happened to this world, but rather, this world itself... is fake!"

Lu Sheng suddenly spoke, leaving Zhao Feng stunned.

Lu Sheng turned to Zhao Feng with a slight smile, "Yes, how could I have given up martial arts?"

"Even if I didn't have a system, even if I were just an ordinary person, how could I give up martial arts?"

Lu Sheng spoke slowly to Zhao Feng, but it felt like he was talking to himself.

"From the moment I left my hometown... I had already made a decision."

"I want to become stronger! Even if I have no talent, even if I have nothing, still... I must strive to become stronger!"

"The powerlessness of my childhood... I don't want to endure it a second time."

"In this way, I resemble Emperor Bai..."

Lu Sheng murmured, taking a step forward as an incredibly terrifying energy wave erupted from him.

The traces of time disappeared from him as the terrifying aura swept away everything.

At this moment, everything around him became twisted and blurred.

Only Lu Sheng's figure... remained clear in the midst of the endless distortion and blur.

"This world is fake."

"But... I am the only one!"

Lu Sheng softly said each word, extending his hand, and pointing his finger into the blurred world.

"The Heart Tribulation... should end now!"

As Lu Sheng's voice fell, everything around him receded like a tide, disappearing completely.

Sitting silently inside the Heaven-Reaching Vine, Lu Sheng suddenly opened his eyes.