“If it works so well, why not introduce it at Yang City Base? I bet City Lord Xu and Commander Zhao would be more than willing to cooperate.”

Zhou Hua Jin had pondered this too and speculated, “This teaching method might be exclusive to Jiangnan Base due to its unique conditions. Do you think those factions at Yang City would willingly share their martial arts secrets?”

“People risk lives for money, and birds for food. They established their sects for fame and wealth. Broadcasting lessons could earn them more than taking in disciples, right?”

“There's a saying, 'A master can starve to death because of his disciple.' They won’t share their secrets easily. Plus, I feel the current popular holographic game has some similarities to this.”

“A game? What can a game do?” Lady Zhou knew her son had been engrossed in a game lately, but limited to three hours a day. However, how could playing a game lead to any significant growth?

“Hard to say. I’ll discuss it with Zhou You when he returns.”

Lady Zhou crossed her arms, gave a playful nudge, and said with a teasing glance, “It's about time for a chat. He's becoming quite the sensation, and many are seeking him out. While it looks glamorous now, future conflicts might drag us into it.”

After speaking, noticing her husband's displeasure, she quickly changed the subject, hugging her son, “Tonight, our little Chen stole the spotlight. I checked, and his social account followers have increased by nearly 100,000. He must be tonight’s star!”

Zhou Yi Chen shrugged off her embrace, saying dismissively, “This isn’t a real accomplishment. The top trending topic is still about that Xuanmen Martial Arts School. That's the real spectacle for commoners.”

“Isn’t that a hoax?”

“Xuanmen?” Both Zhou Hua Jin and his wife asked in unison. While one was clueless, the other recalled a rumor from the previous week and hadn't expected it to be true.

“It’s a pity we're either too old or too young for this. It’s a great learning opportunity.”

As more information about Xuanmen surfaced, its popularity surged. Within a night, enrollment surpassed 100,000. Everyone waited eagerly to see how the school would select its students.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the city's patrol discovered a headless corpse beside a frozen stream. The body, stiff from the cold, remained untouched with all belongings intact. The ID identified him as Song Jin'an. The coroner confirmed the weapon to be a broadsword.

There were no surveillance cameras near the river, an area seldom visited. Last night, most people were celebrating the new year, making it even rarer for someone to venture there. Solving this case won't be easy.

"We've had a string of deaths at the base lately. Song Jin'an belonged to the Wind Exploration Team. Inform Captain Zhang to identify the body and take his statement."

"The base's 'no killing' regulation can only deter the law-abiding. It's not unusual for someone to die. And who knows what heinous acts these explorers might have committed outside? If they're dead, they're dead."

"We'll have to deal with the grieving families, though."

"Song Jin'an had no family. Let's hear what Captain Zhang has to say."

Zhang Dingshan, summoned on the Lunar New Year to identify the body, was disgruntled. However, seeing Song Jin'an's headless corpse, his expression darkened.

"Captain Zhang, did Song Jin'an have any known enemies?"

Zhang Dingshan averted his eyes, "He hasn't been with my team long, and I'm unaware of his past. He recently became close to the Wang family's young master and got acquainted with many underworld figures. As for making enemies, which warrior hasn't?"

"What about last night?"

"I attended a martial arts performance. My team was on holiday, and with the heavy snowfall, everyone went home for the New Year."

"So, you don't have a clue about the murderer?"

"Of course not. If I knew, I'd have sought them out. Investigative matters should be left to professionals. I hope the city patrol solves the case soon. And if you find his head, let me know. He was my man; I'll ensure he's laid to rest properly." Zhang Dingshan sighed, never mentioning any feud between Li Yunxi and Song Jin'an. He had already deemed Song Jin'an's fate when he learned of their grudge, wanting only to appease Li Yunxi's resentment.

The base bustled with activity, while outside it was eerily silent, with only the sound of falling snow filling the world.

Zhou You and Shao Qi spent two full days in bed, only reheating leftover New Year's dinner. The little white tiger scratched at their door several times without an answer, eventually leaving in frustration.

After two days lost in indulgence, Zhou You emerged on the third, clearing a path through the thick snow with a single palm strike. Shao Qi looked on in admiration of his profound inner strength.

"I believe in a fight between us, I might not necessarily lose. But when it comes to inner power, you surpass me."

"Your progress is remarkable. I used to believe my Heart Stone made my cultivation faster than others. But after meeting you, I realized there's always someone better out there."

Zhou You stared at his palm. After obtaining the latter half of the Taiyi Heart Sutra, he hadn’t studied or practiced it intensively. However, the techniques seemed to flow naturally in his mind, possibly because he had deeply internalized the first half over the past decade.

"I've been fortunate. First, I chanced upon the upper half of this internal strength manual, and now I've found the lower half. Could I be like a novel protagonist, blessed with extraordinary fortune?"

Shao Qi, smiling, clapped him on the shoulder, "Isn't my presence your greatest fortune?"