The Saiyan In The Cultivation World.

Well, I won and moved on to the sixth round. I didn't bother paying attention to the other matches; they weren't important right now. Instead, I found a quiet spot and began my image training.

For me, image training meant one thing: fighting. It was a mental battlefield where I faced countless imaginary opponents, testing my skills and pushing my limits. But this wasn't just about improving my strength or technique, it was about uncovering something deeper.

I was trying to find the essence of my Dao. I already had a concept in mind: the Dao of Winning.

A Saiyan should think of nothing else while in combat, only their goal of victory. That was the natural instinct, the essence of what it meant to be a Saiyan.

But I didn't want to overcomplicate things by diving into what "winning" meant or entertaining philosophical nonsense. I wanted things to be simple.

Simple in the sense that one didn't always need to fight to achieve victory. Yet, within that simplicity, there should still be room for thought. A balance, a space to think and act without losing sight of the goal.

I didn't need anything overly complex or grandiose. Just something that worked for me, something that let me focus when I needed to but didn't trap me in the endless cycle of instinct alone.

So, I was thinking about forming my Dao around combat. Back on Earth, I liked this website called Superlisting Fandom. On that site, there was a concept I loved: Absolute Combat Mastery.

It wasn't a power or ability in the traditional sense but more of a state of being. Those who possessed it in their respective universes were the pinnacle of combat. They weren't just skilled, they were the most skilled, the undisputed masters of their craft. They had reached the apex of what combat could be.

I wanted that.

Unlike Goku, who only cared about fighting strong opponents and testing himself, I wasn't content with just the thrill of battle. I didn't just want to fight the strong, I wanted to be the strongest. To embody the ultimate in combat, skill, and mastery.

I wanted to be the strongest. I wanted to be the best. I wanted to fight battles that would push me to my absolute limits, to force me to grow and evolve beyond anything I could imagine.

Yes, I knew this drive was partly my Saiyan instincts screaming at me. And yes, I understood it might mean I still lacked control over those instincts.

But I didn't care.

What was the point of living without such goals? What was the point of existence if you weren't striving for something nearly impossible, something so far beyond reach that it burned in your mind and heart every single day?

I was my biggest rival. To go easy on myself, to not push myself to my limit and strive to surpass it, wouldn't that be like losing to myself?

There was a better version of me in my mind, a Zhou Lianchen who had achieved everything I dreamed of. How could I allow that version to remain a mere thought, an untouchable ideal? No. I would drag that better version of myself out of the realm of imagination and into reality.

So, let the Dao of Absolute Combat be born.

I wouldn't just stop at being the best. I would defeat everyone in the fields they were most skilled in. No matter what their strength, their talent, or their expertise, I would master it and surpass them.

This was my path. My challenge. My ultimate goal.

***

By the sixth round, only four contestants remained: myself, Chu Feng, Qing Ying, and some random guy who was unlucky enough to be paired against Chu Feng.

As for me, my next opponent was Qing Ying.

As our two stages fused into one, I wasted no time, focusing my energy and speaking directly into her mind.

"I want to take your first time," I said, my voice echoing in her thoughts. "Your physique would help counteract, and maybe even balance, the berserk nature of mine."

For a brief moment, Qing Ying's eyes widened in shock, a flicker of surprise breaking through her composed expression. But just as quickly, her gaze turned icy, her demeanor shifting into one of cold detachment.

She said nothing, but the chill in her eyes was answered enough.

"Don't flatter yourself," I said, my tone sharp and unyielding. "I have no interest in your body or your beauty. I'm just six years old, and this is purely about my needs. Let's be clear, this isn't an equal trade."

Qing Ying's cold gaze bore into me, but I pressed on.

"I don't need your primal Yin, I just want it. And when you compare the exchange, you'd be getting my primal Yang, which is hundreds, if not billions, of times more valuable than yours. The fact that I'm not forcing you to marry me after this? That's enough proof of how generous I'm being."

My words lingered, and for a moment, Qing Ying paused. She knew I was right. Everything I said was true, I was the one taking the loss here. And yet, her icy demeanor didn't falter. Her cold gaze stayed locked on me, unyielding, refusing to betray any flicker of doubt.

Virginity in this world wasn't something to be taken lightly, it held far greater value compared to Earth. Here, it wasn't just a concept of purity or tradition; it was tied to a person's very essence.

When someone gave their virginity to another, it wasn't just an act, it was a transfer of power. The person who received it could potentially gain access to their partner's bloodline abilities, cultivation techniques, and a fragment of everything they had achieved at the time of the exchange.

This was why members of powerful clans couldn't just run around sleeping with whoever they pleased. Virginity was a resource, a significant one, that could either strengthen alliances or become a vulnerability if placed in the wrong hands.

So yes, I was risking a lot by even making this offer.

The fact that I wasn't demanding Qing Ying marry me afterward only made the stakes even higher. For someone in my position, this was no small gesture, it was huge.

And yet, I wasn't wavering. I knew the risks... I just don't care.

"Everything has a price," I said, my voice steady and unwavering. "Even love has a price. Nothing in this world is unconditional… nothing is 100%."

I took a step closer, meeting Qing Ying's cold, calculating gaze. "You love him," I said plainly. "That much is clear. But you're a reasonable person. Your physique ensures your emotions don't cloud your judgment."

Her eyes flickered slightly, but I pressed on.

"So, as I stand here, I offer you three things for your virginity." I raised a single finger. "First, my primal Yang, a resource beyond value, one that could elevate your cultivation and physique far beyond their limits."

I held up two more fingers. "And second and third, two requests. I don't care what they are. If you want to go to the immortal realm? I'll cut open the sky right here and now and send you there."

My tone carried such weight and conviction that Qing Ying couldn't help but be drawn in, her cold gaze faltering as the sheer sincerity of my words resonated. Every word I spoke carried an air of inevitability as if what I promised wasn't just possible but certain.

"You talk a big game," Qing Ying said, her voice cold and steady, though I caught the faintest hint of doubt beneath her icy demeanor. "But are you truly able to turn my dreams into reality?"

Her words were a challenge, but instead of answering immediately, I glared at her. My expression was sharp, unyielding, carrying the weight of my conviction.

Around us, the crowd exchanged confused glances. To them, her words seemed to come out of nowhere. After all, I had been speaking into her mind this entire time, keeping the conversation private.

"Don't question this prince," I said coldly, my voice cutting through the air like a blade. "If I say I can do it, then not even the heavens can say otherwise. I, Zhou Lianchen, have given you a promise... so speak."

Qing Ying froze, her breath hitching as the weight of my aura crashed down upon her. The sheer force of my Haki seeped into every corner of the stage, suffocating yet commanding.

Caught in its grip, she lost control for a moment, her composure slipping as her lips parted involuntarily.

But it wasn't just Qing Ying.

The crowd, too, felt the overwhelming pressure of my presence. Ripples of unease spread among them as many struggled to stay seated, their thoughts laid bare, some even on the verge of blurting out their innermost desires.

"I wish to find my mother," Qing Ying said suddenly, her voice trembling with an unexpected vulnerability. "And… my long-lost brother."