Chapter 85: Martial Arts Equal Superpowers?

Chapter 85: Martial Arts = Superpowers?

Inside the study, the conversation continued. Liu Shaoyu and Xin Qingyi held their breath as Wang Weifu paused.

Ever since discovering her S-gene abilities, Xin Qingyi had been fascinated by people like herself. She didn't resent this change in the least.

“In fact... there really isn’t anything else,” Wang Weifu finally said after keeping them in suspense.

At Wang Weifu’s answer, Liu Shaoyu’s face showed disdain.

“I thought you’d have some earth-shattering power. So that’s it?” Liu Shaoyu said, disappointed.

Wang Weifu couldn’t help but laugh at Liu Shaoyu’s words. He thought to himself, people’s understanding of superpowers still lingers in the realm of science fiction. Those ideas have become deeply ingrained.

“Though my neural domain application ability is classified as S-level, right now I can only perform at about an A-level,” Wang Weifu explained, spreading his hands.

“And if you reached S-level? What would happen?” Liu Shaoyu pressed.

“Show him,” Wang Weifu said to Xin Qingyi, his expression becoming theatrically mysterious.

Xin Qingyi smiled, her pupils suddenly focusing.

“Hey! I thought you were going to show off, not pick on me!” Liu Shaoyu complained. He’d been watching Xin Qingyi closely, expecting the demonstration to come from her. Suddenly, Wang Weifu’s voice came from the other side.

What he saw next left Liu Shaoyu dumbstruck—Wang Weifu was floating in mid-air.

“Put me down!” Wang Weifu clearly didn’t enjoy levitating, flailing his limbs as he spoke.

Xin Qingyi’s pupils shifted again, and Wang Weifu gently floated back to the ground.

“Performance over,” Xin Qingyi said, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“How... does that relate to your neural domain ability?” Liu Shaoyu asked, puzzled.

Wang Weifu straightened his clothes and calmly sat back down. He took a sip of water and began,

“It all has to do with the classification of S-gene abilities. What Xin Qingyi just demonstrated falls under the neural domain: control over bio-electromagnetic fields. By synchronizing brainwaves with the magnetic field emitted by living beings, and then reversing the polarity, you can produce abilities that look like telekinesis by using positive and negative poles.”

He finished and took up his teacup again.

Fortunately, Liu Shaoyu’s comprehension was sharp. After a moment, he understood. The scene just now reminded him of Carter floating in the Desolate Starfield. He asked,

“And what about the other levels?”

“There are many,” Wang Weifu said. “For example, in A-level physical enhancement, the body can secrete a strengthening agent through mutated genes, making the body's proteins incredibly hard. This results in something like the invulnerable body of legends.”

Now Liu Shaoyu understood.

“So, the Iron Shirt technique of the Shaolin Temple, is that where it comes from?” he guessed.

Wang Weifu found this idea highly amusing.

“To be precise, those so-called martial arts sects were founded by S-gene wielders during feudal civilization.”

“What? Really?” Liu Shaoyu was stunned. He had always been interested in the legendary martial sects from ancient times, thanks to the novels he’d read.

“Yes. For example, the Taoist priests of Maoshan were founded by people with sensory abilities. The Shaolin warrior monks were mainly people with physical enhancement abilities.”

After Wang Weifu’s explanation, Liu Shaoyu finally understood the nature of these so-called S-gene superpowers. It turned out that abilities had always existed among humans.

“So, is the Sword Sect of Shushan also a neural domain ability—controlling magnetic fields to fly swords and such?” Liu Shaoyu speculated.

“In theory, yes. Whether it’s possible or not, you’ll see for yourself after today—I’ll take you somewhere,” Wang Weifu said, keeping him in suspense.

Liu Shaoyu’s heart filled with anticipation. Every time Wang Weifu said he would introduce someone or take him somewhere, his life seemed to change course.

The next step would have to wait, and Wang Weifu knew it was best not to linger—no one likes to be a third wheel. Giving the excuse that he still had research to do, Wang Weifu left, leaving Liu Shaoyu and Xin Qingyi alone.

Once he was gone, the room grew quiet. The two of them simply looked at each other, neither breaking the rare silence.

At last, Xin Qingyi was the first to speak.

“What’s wrong? Haven’t you seen enough? Why do you keep staring at me?” Her string of questions snapped Liu Shaoyu back to reality.

He was no longer the awkward, naive boy he once was. He smiled.

“I’ve seen you before, but never realized how perfect you are.”

Xin Qingyi felt a wave of confusion at his honeyed words, hardly believing they could come from Liu Shaoyu.

She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and Liu Shaoyu noticed her earlobe was faintly red.

“How did you get so smooth-tongued after just a little time apart?”

“Because it’s you,” Liu Shaoyu replied. After everything he had been through, he knew there were people he needed to cherish, or else regret would be all that was left.

Xin Qingyi never expected Liu Shaoyu to be so... direct after meeting again.

Her time in the Desolate Starfield had made her stronger, more independent. Often, when alone, she’d wonder if it was all worth it. In her darkest moments, she asked herself: Where was he when I needed him most? Was he really worth it?

But when she found him again in the Desolate Starfield, she had her answer.

He was worth it. That was her answer. In the moment her consciousness faded—when she lay in Liu Shaoyu’s arms—she knew she had found the one she had longed for day and night.

Everyone grows up believing in fairy tales. Xin Qingyi was no different. Her princess-like childhood convinced her that her man should be a prince.

No matter what, he came. In her most vulnerable, helpless moment, he came. That made everything right. That was her belief.

Looking at Xin Qingyi before him, Liu Shaoyu felt a little uncertain. His fingers gently brushed her flushed earlobe, driven by an impulse he couldn’t name.

He softly kissed her lips. Their first kiss, clumsy and inexperienced.

Xin Qingyi was startled by his sudden move, her trembling lips giving her away. But in an instant, a warm current rushed through her. Fear and nervousness melted into a new, urgent desire.

Time seemed to stand still. Awkward as it was, for them, it was enough.

After a long while, they drew apart, both faces tinged with red.

“You’re impossible,” Xin Qingyi whispered, pressing her lips together.

Liu Shaoyu only grinned foolishly. “What? The wind’s too strong, I didn’t hear you.”

He gazed at the blushing Xin Qingyi. Everything felt so real, and yet so dreamlike. How he wished it could last forever.

And for them, it was real.