Chapter 97: Unity of Heaven and Man, Refining the True Spirit

“Master Luo, are you going to teach me feng shui architecture this time?” Su Jie asked earnestly.

“Not just that. I also hold a PhD in brain anatomy from MIT,” Master Luo replied. “You can call me Master Luo. I've been researching psychology and the structure of the human brain for years, hoping to uncover the secrets of spiritual cultivation through scientific means. When humans observe the heavens and the earth, they naturally feel emotions. Emotions cause fluctuations in thought, which in turn reflect in the cerebral cortex, ultimately affecting the entire body—even one's lifespan. External factors influence emotion, and emotion influences longevity. This is a holistic science bridging the spiritual and biological aspects of the human body. Right now, you’re not just an excellent student—you’re also an ideal research subject. The paper I recently published anonymously in a scientific journal was on this topic. Actually, in this field, Old Ma is slightly stronger than I am, but I have my own unique insights.”

“I heard that you and Master Ma were both threatened and had to team up. Is that true? Who would dare threaten you?” Su Jie asked.

“It’s an evil international force. They’ve been hunting down top professionals and elite scholars in every field to coerce them into working on their research—even going as far as restricting their freedom. Old Ma and I nearly got kidnapped while abroad. And now, their influence seems to be slowly creeping into the country,” Master Luo said. “My expertise lies mainly in architecture, though I also do brain research. Old Ma is a true master in psychology. We’ve both trained in martial arts too, but when it comes to real operatives skilled in kidnapping and assassination, we’re nowhere near that level.”

“There’s actually such an evil force out there? Could it be related to the dark web?” Su Jie suddenly thought of Feng Hengyi.

“You know about the dark web?” Master Luo looked slightly surprised. “Well, I suppose that’s not unexpected. Actually, the Xu family has already been infiltrated by people from the dark web. I went to their estate to do a feng shui reading, but the real goal was to sniff out clues about this evil force. They’re incredibly powerful—leveraging the dark web as a platform, issuing cryptocurrency, and gaining serious momentum. They've even been acknowledged by global financial markets. With money in hand, they immediately launched into action, driven by massive ambition. Who knows what their true goals are.”

“Were you able to identify any problematic individuals within the Xu family?” Su Jie asked, intrigued.

“Everyone I pointed out had issues,” Master Luo said. “Alright, enough of that for now. Old Ma will be here soon, and we’ll talk it over together. Since they’ve come knocking, we’ve got to fight back. Otherwise, if their influence keeps expanding and they set their sights on us, things will get ugly fast. You're good at martial arts and have a solid character. If you level up a bit more, you’ll be a powerful ally for us.”

He wasn’t wrong. Su Jie’s martial prowess now made him virtually untouchable by three to five grown men at once. His physical conditioning alone was enough to make even national-level professional fighter Zhou Chun struggle to break through. Master Luo had a keen eye—Su Jie did have the potential to become a "super soldier."

Even more impressively, Su Jie’s spiritual cultivation had reached the state of "seeming death but not death"—so rare that not one in tens of millions could attain it. With just one more step into the “living dead” state, his brain and physical capabilities would be pushed to unimaginable extremes.

As a brain specialist, Master Luo understood just how powerful the brain could become in this state—thought processes lightning fast, reflexes razor-sharp, almost as if endowed with a sixth sense to perceive danger or fortune. That level of cognitive function made TV “superbrain” contestants look like amateurs.

That was the real "super brain."

And that’s not even mentioning the physical improvements.

On top of that, Su Jie was still young, with years of room to grow. His potential was enormous—even a decade from now, he’d still be improving.

“Hahaha…”

Just then, a familiar voice echoed in the courtyard.

Master Ma had arrived—bringing Zhang Manman along with him.

“Old Ma, you’re quick on your feet,” Master Luo said.

“Old Luo, I have to admit, your feng shui skills are above mine. Just looking at the layout of this courtyard makes that clear,” Master Ma nodded while surveying the area. “This trouble we’re in—it’s serious. I foresee bloodshed. The only way to break the calamity is through the calamity itself, and Su Jie is the key.”

“Old Ma, you’re at it again with your mystical talk. We do have problems, and yes, bloodshed might be inevitable. Su Jie can help us—but only if he grows stronger,” Master Luo said. “But all of this is founded on strength and intelligence. I’m a staunch materialist.”

“Old Luo, this world contains both idealism and materialism—neither can be discarded. Take a human being for example: the body is material, the soul is ideal. Without a soul, the body is just a walking corpse. Like a computer—the hardware is the body, the operating system is the soul. No OS, and the computer’s useless. No hardware, and the OS doesn’t even exist,” Master Ma retorted.

“Alright, uncles, this isn’t the time for debate,” Zhang Manman interrupted. “My father said the d@rk web organization is expanding rapidly and beginning to infiltrate the outside world. Their first targets are elite professionals, especially those in science. You two are scientists, yet you hide behind the façade of martial arts masters. But ironically, that just makes you more enticing to them.”

“We are martial arts masters,” Master Luo countered. “We’re the inheritors of ancient traditional culture. Scientific research is just our means of deepening that understanding—not a contradiction.”

“Enough,” Master Ma waved it off. “Let’s get to work. Old Luo, we’ve known each other for ages, but never really collaborated. Oddly enough, it’s this evil force that finally made us put aside our differences.”

“That’s true,” Master Luo nodded. “I know your concern—you’ve accumulated years of research and wisdom, and you haven’t found the right heir. If something were to happen to you, it would all be lost. And even if you wanted to pass it on, not many people could even understand it. That’s why you want to hand it down to this young man.”

“And you’re any different?” Master Ma shot back. “Didn’t you have a disciple named Zhang Jinchuan? Weren’t you going to pass your teachings on to him? What happened to that?”

“Zhang Jinchuan?” Su Jie remembered him—a fellow high school senior from B City. He was also the national champion of the Xixin Cup poetry competition.

That event had been televised. Zhang Jinchuan handled every poem and literary reference effortlessly, discussing thousands of years of culture as if it were casual conversation. His brain seemed like a live search engine—Su Jie had been stunned. Even Qian Zheng had entered that contest, but ran into Zhang Jinchuan and was totally outclassed.

Su Jie hadn’t realized Zhang Jinchuan was Master Luo’s student.

“Yes, Zhang Jinchuan is my disciple. His talent might even surpass Su Jie’s,” Luo said. “But he’s too scheming. I don’t want to pass on my true teachings to someone like that. Speaking of which, don’t you have a disciple named Xiao Mo?”

“Xiao Mo is indeed my last disciple, and he’s meant to inherit my legacy—but he’s still too young, a minor. If Su Jie can master my teachings, he could pass them down to Xiao Mo in the future,” Master Ma shook his head. “Ugh, what am I saying? Talking like I’m already dying…”

Master Luo frowned. “Words spoken unintentionally often become prophecy. We both need to be careful.”

*****

In a Xu family residence.

Xu Qiaomu sat in a wheelchair. Standing behind him like a statue was Xu Ba, his iron-willed bodyguard, gripping the chair handles without moving a muscle.

Xu Jiazhi stood silently in front of his grandfather, waiting for him to speak.

“Jiazhi,” Xu Qiaomu finally said, “Master Luo says you’re talented. What do you think?”

“Grandfather, I just try to do my job. I’ve never had any ulterior motives. Actually, my older brothers aren’t the incompetent freeloaders that Luo makes them out to be. He’s exaggerating,” Xu Jiazhi said quickly.

“Master Luo has advised dozens of family heads without a single miscalculation. He’s even helped them through serious crises. You think he earned the title of ‘Master’ for nothing? If he says they’re debt-collecting leeches, then they are,” Xu Qiaomu’s eyes gleamed slyly. “Jiazhi, I want you to manage the company now. Are you ready?”

“No,” Xu Jiazhi answered without hesitation. “Honestly, you could have Aunt Xu Ying run it. Both Luo and Ma speak highly of her son—he probably has what it takes to elevate the Xu family.”

“Xu Ying is my daughter, yes. But once a woman marries out, she’s no longer one of us. Her son may be capable, but he doesn’t carry the Xu name,” Xu Qiaomu said. “I called her back just to give her some shares and cash, maybe have her help clean house. But if she doesn’t want it, fine. We still have to rely on our own. Jiazhi, I know you’ve been hiding your abilities. Master Luo said you were talented—he underestimated you. You’re at least a prodigy.”

“You flatter me, Grandpa,” Xu Jiazhi said, waving his hands humbly.

“Flattered or not, the responsibility’s yours now. I’ve decided—within the year, you’ll take over management of the company. And those six debt-collecting leeches will be kicked out,” Xu Qiaomu said. “Master Luo probably called you a talent just to protect you. The Xu family isn’t in decline yet, but in three to five years, our industries will stagnate. We need to transform immediately.”

“For the family, I won’t refuse,” Xu Jiazhi said. “But those men… they’re still my uncles and cousins. How can I be so ruthless?”

“To achieve great things, you must be utterly ruthless,” Xu Qiaomu said coldly. “I won’t live much longer. Until then, I’ll help you establish your authority. One year—that’s all you get. You must be ruthless. If Emperor Taizong hadn’t killed his brothers and forced his father to abdicate, there would’ve been no Golden Age of Zhenguan. If Yongzheng hadn’t eliminated his siblings, the Qing Dynasty wouldn’t have lasted three centuries. Also—get in touch with Su Jie. Offer him something. I’ve heard he’s had run-ins with those leeches. Use that. Let him help you take them down.”

“Grandfather, considering how much Master Luo and Master Ma value Su Jie—even teaching him personally—I think we should recruit him into the company,” Xu Jiazhi said cautiously.

“He’s too young to command respect. And more importantly, he doesn’t carry the Xu name—he’s not guaranteed to be loyal to us,” Xu Qiaomu said. “Still, given how Luo and Ma treat him, he’ll probably soar in three to five years. Keep a good relationship with him. Don’t make an enemy out of him.”

“I understand. Even just leveraging his connections through Luo and Ma could be immensely valuable,” Xu Jiazhi said.

“Exactly,” Xu Qiaomu narrowed his eyes. “I’m curious to see if this Su Jie is truly a once-in-a-generation talent… Anyway, enough of that. As for Xu Ying, let her be. I’ll revise my will and make it official. Remember—those six debt collectors must be crushed. Don’t give them a second chance.”