A muscular girl is presented to the passionate world of crossover anime.

However, the danger lies precisely here: because there are countless possibilities, if the other party has a pre-set standard answer, then a casual reply is very likely to be wrong. It seems that this is the trap that the Northern Martial Arts Province used to eliminate Huayin.

Well, since she can't figure out the right answer anyway, Kanon's attitude remains the same: open, honest, and true to herself.

"I think martial arts should be a tool for me."

The old man behind the curtain said "Oh," and then said, "Throughout history, many people have viewed martial arts as a tool during the process of seeking enlightenment. This is actually a very common answer. Martial arts can indeed be seen as a tool; it is neither good nor evil, right nor wrong in itself. However, the ways in which it is used differ: some people use it to seek fame and fortune, some use it to avenge wrongs, and some use it to uphold justice and turn the tide. Ye Yangwang, how exactly do you intend to use martial arts as a tool?"

Hanon tilted her head and thought for a moment: "Hmm... to gain pleasure?"

"Hehehe~" The old man laughed: "Is it just about enjoying the powerful feeling that martial arts bring, and seeking the title of the strongest? It seems that Ye Yangwang is also a martial arts fanatic! Just like the plaque in this room, how about I give it to you as encouragement?"

Hanon looked up and saw that there were indeed many Buddhist verses posted inside the temple. Among them, a very eye-catching plaque read "Great hero, fearless, courageous and diligent."

That's a good point, and Kanon is indeed fearless, but to say she's obsessed with martial arts...

Moreover, the old man seemed to be muttering to himself: "To gain pleasure from martial arts, is it just a pursuit of constantly becoming stronger...? It might easily lead one down the path of hell..."

Hey, hey, hey, is this just making excuses for failing Kanon's "political vetting"? Kanon may not care much about the title of "Sea King," but to try and discredit herself to her face is going too far!

So Hanon decided to give a rebuttal. Maybe the bureaucrats on the other side would still reject her, but she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself: "I say, old man, are you mistaken about something? I do like martial arts, but I don't consider myself a martial arts fanatic! And as for the Path of Asura, I don't want to be too rude, but are you getting senile?"

Author's note: I don't want to be too rude, but please feel free to ask for votes, recommendations, and subscriptions.

Chapter 395, Section 401: Still a Youth Upon Return (Free Chapter)

"A senile old man?" The old man behind the curtain asked in surprise. "Me...?"

The three figures behind the curtain all stood up; clearly, Hanon's words were far too outrageous.

Hana raised an eyebrow and looked over. The three figures were not very tall. After all, they were just staff members. They probably wouldn't resort to violence after being scolded by her.

then……

Sure enough, everything happened. After a moment of silence behind the curtain, the old man chuckled and said, "Sit down, it's nothing serious."

The three people behind the curtain sat down again, and the old man asked curiously, "Ye Yangwang, why do you say that about me?"

Wow, the old man has quite the manners.

Hanon was usually a polite and kind girl. She responded to the old man's sarcastic remark with "You're senile," and then didn't bring it up again. When the old man asked her a question, she calmly explained, "Practicing martial arts does make me feel very happy, and I do hope to continue on this path and become stronger. But you can't call it the 'Path of Asura'!"

“I’m old, and I’ve seen many martial artists.” The old man’s tone was also calm: “Those who only have martial arts in their eyes and pursue the title of the strongest can easily fall into endless fighting, and many have their hands stained with blood for it…”

“You see, that’s the problem,” Hua Yin interrupted him. “I don’t only have eyes for martial arts!”

She countered with, "Have you ever seen a person who can fly?"

"Huh?" The old man was surprised: "Humans don't have wings, how can they fly?"

Hanon shrugged: "Let's take a plane."

"Hehehe..." The old man suddenly realized: "Are you playing a riddle with me?"

Hua Yin ignored the old man and asked another question: "What do you think is the strongest martial art?"

"This..." The old man was taken aback again. This question, like the one he had asked Huayin before, had countless possible answers. Although the old man had considerable knowledge of martial arts and could give his own answer, it was still a bit sudden to ask him to answer.

After a long silence, the old man suddenly realized that Hana had a pre-set answer in mind when she asked him this question: "...What do you think it is?"

"I think that if martial arts represent power, then the strongest martial arts are the kind that make the entire country and even all of humanity stronger," Hana said solemnly. She didn't care how the Martial Arts Province would tarnish her title of Sea King; she was just speaking her mind anyway, so she might as well just say what was on her mind!

With that in mind, Hanon simply let herself go.

The person behind the curtain fell silent again, while Hua Yin took the initiative and kept asking questions: "I heard that Guo Haihuang, the oldest person in the domestic martial arts world, was already 146 years old after the New Year's Day. That means that when he dominated the martial arts world and obtained the title of Haihuang nearly a hundred years ago... it was still during the Qing Dynasty?"

"That's right, Puyi had only been on the throne for a short time at that time."

“Yes.” Hua Yin sighed, “But back then, Chinese people were stigmatized as the sick man of East Asia. Even though Guo Haihuang was the best in the world, he couldn’t shake off that label.”

...Silence fell behind the curtain.

Hanon then asked, "Which do you think is stronger, Chinese martial arts or Japanese martial arts?"

"That's without a doubt." The old man behind the curtain, exasperated by Hanon's questions, suddenly encountered a recurring topic and hastily concluded, "Chinese martial arts have a four-thousand-year history, profound and extensive; how can the martial arts of a small island nation like Japan compare!"

Hanon sighed again: "However, decades ago, China's national strength was inferior to Japan's, and it was invaded by Japan, resulting in a painful history... Although our military is strong, it seems that this does not reflect our national strength?"

Seemingly touched on a sore spot by Huayin, the old man behind the curtain also became uneasy. Although the shadow still did not make any big moves, his tone was quite anxious: "Little girl, stop talking nonsense, what exactly do you want to say!"

“What I’m saying is that the most effective way to take someone down is with a gun.” Hanon said, making a trigger-pulling gesture. “Even if you don’t want to kill someone, you can just shoot a tranquilizer dart.”

She continued, "I know that martial arts masters are not afraid of firearms. In fact, I can if I'm well-prepared. I don't think I'm the strongest person in the world. There may be stronger people who can tear apart tanks, shoot down planes, and fight an entire army by themselves, but so what? Even the strongest person can't fly, and can destroy everything but can't sustain a city. Besides, in terms of destructive power alone, I, Ye Huayin, would call nuclear bombs the strongest... While Chinese martial arts have developed for four thousand years, our country and even all of humanity are also developing in other aspects!"

"Enough!" The old man was completely confused, or rather, he vaguely sensed what Hua Yin meant: "Just say what you mean, stop beating around the bush!"

"I've been being straightforward all along!" Now it was Hanon's turn to smile. "What I mean is, martial arts is just martial arts. It's just a tool. There's no need to elevate the strongest in martial arts to a mythical level. I like martial arts and fighting techniques. I like the feeling of constantly getting stronger and being recognized, so I strive to improve, hoping to touch the pinnacle of martial arts and obtain the title of the strongest... But that's just being the strongest in martial arts. I also like going to the gym to work out, I like staying in bed watching movies and TV series, I like going to amusement parks with family and friends, I like staying home and playing games all day... I can have many, many hobbies, so why focus only on martial arts? For me, martial arts is indeed just a tool that brings me pleasure!"

Before embarking on her desperate elimination tournament without her uncle's knowledge, Kanon had shared her feelings with the old butler, Ito. Some time had passed since then, and Kanon had experienced many things, even lacking the time and inclination to process her emotions. Now, speaking freely at the place of "Seeking the Way," Kanon discovered that her original intentions remained unchanged.

Having experienced the world, one remains a youth at heart.

So, regardless of whether the people from the Martial Arts Province were satisfied with this "questioning the heart and seeking the truth," Hanon was quite satisfied with herself.

Seeing that the three people from the Martial Arts Province behind the curtain remained silent, Hua Yin started making conversation: "Um, did you not understand? Let me put it another way. For example, there are 360 ​​professions, and every profession can produce an expert. Being the best in martial arts is indeed very powerful, but being the best chef in the world is also amazing. A powerful chef's cooking can even make them shine..."

"Alright." The old man behind the curtain interrupted Huayin, his voice sounding increasingly weary: "I've heard your answer, hehehe, indeed there's no need to worry about you going down the path of Asura. Is this perhaps the viewpoint of young people in the new era?"

Kanon shrugged: "I only speak for myself."

“Indeed, you are a very unique little girl…” The old man paused here.

After a moment, the same shrill female voice came from behind the curtain again: "Ye Yangwang, your inquiry into the Dao has ended. Please return."

Author's Note: Just like the previous chapter, this one is about "seeking the truth through self-examination." Some readers said the last chapter was too weak, so I've combined the two chapters. This chapter is free for everyone!

There will be four updates today, and the fourth chapter will probably be released at 8 o'clock.

Regarding Kanon's words in this chapter, her views are indeed similar to those expressed in Chapter 88, "Heartfelt Words," before the Fatal Match. This has always been her attitude towards martial arts. As an ordinary transmigrator who arrived in a world with low-level martial arts and without a deeply troubled background, Kanon is indeed not a fanatical seeker of the Way of the Fist. Or rather, her purpose for becoming stronger is particularly pure—simply because she enjoys it, without any pressure. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to seamlessly switch between the Kengan Association, Baki, and Mr. Shirogane's gym... I hope I've conveyed that effect. Thank you all for your subscriptions and support. I hope you all can also "experience the vast world and return still as youthful as ever"!

Section 402, Chapter 396: The True Colors of the Martial Arts World

Hanon obediently left the secret room and followed the staff back to the room where the high-ranking officials of the Martial Arts Province were staying. As lunchtime approached, they were no longer on the original stage but had moved to a separate courtyard within the temple to rest. According to procedure, if Hanon obtained the title of Sea King, a brief investiture ceremony would be held shortly; if Hanon did not obtain the title, an announcement would be made before lunchtime to dismiss the audience.

This was also arranged by Elders Huang and Wang. They were certain that Huayin would not pass the arranged "Seeking the Way Through Questions" segment, and they did not want to stand outside and endure the criticism from the audience.

Refusing to appoint a genius martial artist who passed three rounds of trials as the Sea King would undoubtedly damage the credibility of the Martial Arts Province and incite public outrage. If they had a choice, those two old foxes certainly wouldn't have gone to such extremes. However, compared to losing face and being scolded, being overshadowed by Elder Yang from the South was the most painful thing. That wasn't just about losing face; it also meant losing a lot of money!

When Huayin entered the room, she saw Fan Haiwang talking to Lie Haiwang in a corner. Elder Yang from the Southern Martial Arts Province looked dejected and had completely lost hope. He was also listless when he saw Huayin and just nodded slightly as a greeting.

On the contrary, Elder Wang from the North, in his smugness, even showed some "concern" for Hua Yin: "Oh dear, our Ye Yangwang is back~ Hahaha, as soon as the results of your inquiry into the Dao come out, you will be the Sea King."

"Hypocrite." The others in the room secretly spat at him.

After waiting a while, three men with equally unpleasant expressions walked into the room, each carrying a stack of documents.

"Elders, the data on the inquiry into the heart and the pursuit of the Dao has been compiled, and the results are in."

Elder Yang's face flashed with pain, while the other two elders exchanged a knowing smile and said, "Alright, let's announce the results then."

"Yes." The leading man pushed up his glasses: "After the three of us questioned and evaluated Ye Yangwang, her pursuit of martial arts is in line with the values ​​of the Martial Arts Province. Her mental health is excellent, and she is fully capable of fulfilling the duties of the Sea King. We expect her to lead Chinese martial arts to new heights."

"...Hmm?" ×2, not ×3, Elder Yang also raised his head and looked over incredulously.

"I didn't understand." Elder Wang picked at his ear. "So what's the result? Passed?"

"Yes, it's approved." The bespectacled man's answer was emotionless and crisp.

"Why did she pass?!" Elder Wang finally lost his temper and roared, "How exactly are you doing this? Huh? I don't believe it! How could she pass?! Let me see!"

When someone who prides himself on having perfect strategies suddenly encounters the opposite result, the blow is naturally enormous. Elder Wang's meticulous planning ultimately came to nothing, so his loss of composure is understandable.

Hua Yin was startled by him, covering her ears and taking two steps back: "This Elder Wang, perhaps he used to practice the Lion's Roar?" At the same time, she was also a little puzzled: "Are these three people the staff in charge of seeking the Dao through inquiries? Their figures seem to fit, but there are no old people or women among them..."

Elder Wang rushed forward and snatched the stack of documents from the bespectacled man's hand. The bespectacled man didn't refuse and simply handed them over. Elder Wang glanced at the documents, then felt his vision go black and coughed up blood: "You've rebelled... Who... plotted against me..." He then collapsed to the ground, fainting from anger.

what on earth is it?

Everyone was completely confused, but at least they knew that Hanon had passed the "Seeking the Way of the Heart" test, which was originally intended to blacklist her. Now, the third Sea King of Guangdong Province and the thirteenth active Sea King of China Martial Arts Province had officially appeared.

"This... I succeeded? But why..." Elder Yang was stunned for a long time, then suddenly ran to Elder Wang's side, picked up the documents on the ground, and looked at them. He saw that the questions on them were all like, "Why do you practice martial arts?" "I practice martial arts for the rise of China!" "What do you think of the martial arts world today?" "Each has its strengths, and it depends on the martial artist themselves. But I believe that Chinese martial arts are the strongest!" On the surface, there was nothing wrong with them, but in reality, they were all mechanical clichés, without any substance.

Although he didn't know why the staff at headquarters and in the north had suddenly turned against him, Elder Yang knew that his "imperial ambitions" were probably on track.

"Hahaha, Ye Huayin has become the Sea King, I..." Elder Yang had only said a few words when he was so excited that he couldn't catch his breath and passed out with a "ga".

Witnessing this vivid exposé of officialdom, everyone was utterly bewildered. The arena of power is truly cruel and absurd.

Now, one of the three elders was so angry that he was dizzy, and the other was laughing so hard that he was dizzy. The remaining elder, Huang, had no choice but to calm himself down and barely manage to take charge of the situation: "Alas, the two elders are too excited. Someone, please help them down to rest... Miss Ye, congratulations, you are now the official Sea King of our Huaxia Martial Arts Province."

"Uh, okay, thank you." Becoming the Sea King didn't make Hanon particularly happy, and the other Sea Kings also seemed quite calm; perhaps the passion of everyone in the room had already been exhausted by the two elders from the North and South.

However, when Kanon followed the staff back to the venue where she had just passed the three tests, she felt a sense of peace amidst the applause and cheers, and the encouragement from her family-like butler, Ito.

"King Ye Hai! King Ye Hai! King Ye Hai!"

Amidst the cheers, Kanon felt as if she were back in the final round of the elimination tournament, or in the jubilant atmosphere after winning the Christmas Bowl. The moment of reaping the rewards of successfully accomplishing something important truly makes your heart race and your blood boil—it feels amazing!

The investiture ceremony was simple. Originally, it was planned that the three elders would present a commemorative scroll together and take a group photo. However, two of them fainted, and Elder Huang, who looked preoccupied, seemed even more eager for it to end than Hua Yin. So, they soon returned to the villa. Elder Huang didn't even eat lunch. After saying a few polite words and telling the Sea Kings to do as they pleased, he hurriedly left and disappeared without a trace.

The remaining sea kings exchanged glances, and Van Sea King said, "Since the three elders have all left, how about we brothers, as the hosts, treat you all to lunch? What do you all think?"

Mao Haiwang laughed heartily: "I've heard that the chefs here are very skilled. Since you all see how fat I am, of course you won't refuse my invitation to dinner."

Sun Haiwang and Li Haiwang had no objections, and Huayin was even a little hungry—her talent for controlling muscles was extremely physically demanding, and she had just passed three levels in a row.

Finally, everyone's eyes turned to Retsu Kaioh, this cool big brother is a focus of attention that no one can ignore!

Facing the gazes of a group of experts, Lie Haiwang in the corner nodded: "Sea Kings come from all corners of the world, and it is indeed rare to see them together. Today, we should drink and make merry. But before that, I would like to have a private talk with Ye Haiwang."

Author's Note: Waaah, there really wasn't any action scenes today... Please forgive me for the sake of the last chapter being free~

Ye Haiwang has been born, but the challenge for today is not over yet. Tomorrow, Kanon will have a little sparring with Retsu Haiwang.