Chapter 1007: Return To Familiar Grounds

Earth.

The land was still familiar, yet everything had changed. It was the same continents and oceans. Even the mountains and landscapes had remained the same. But nothing was quite as it had been.

When Li Xiaofei had last departed, Great Xia had already risen to prominence as the ruling power of this planet. Now, it had fully consolidated its dominance. The ancient martial lineage of Great Xia had flourished and spread across the world.

However, most of the old martial giants from those days had long since become cosmic-level lifeforms and been conscripted into service at the Star Battlefield. Old friends had gradually faded away. Li Xiaofei drove a Tank 3000-gravity off-road vehicle along the highways of the great northwest.

Humanity had firmly secured its rule and the threat of star beasts no longer existed. Vast tracts of wasteland had been reclaimed and cultivated. Lush green trees stretched like waves on either side of the highway, and expansive fields of fertile land stretched out as far as the eye could see.

It was midsummer, and the weather was scorching hot. Li Xiaofei exited the highway near the area of the ancient city of Zhangye. This area had been completely abandoned in the days when star beasts had rampaged across the land.

In ancient times, the region was known for the phrase

Golden Zhangye, Silver Wuwei

, and had once flourished. The Zhangye Danxia Geopark had been a renowned tourist destination.

Later, when the star beasts had descended in full force, both Zhangye and Wuwei had fallen and been reduced to wilderness. Now, Great Xia had rebuilt the ancient city, and traces of its past prosperity could still faintly be seen.

Unfortunately, the once world-famous Danxia landforms were gone. It had been completely destroyed during those dark and terrifying years.

Li Xiaofei parked his vehicle in a small agricultural town. Modern grain cultivation had become fully industrialized on a massive scale. As one of the finest granaries in Great Xia, and even the world, this region’s towns were primarily dedicated to agricultural development. The residents were farmers and machine operators, though all of them were martial artists.

The town was well-planned and fully equipped with modern infrastructure. Li Xiaofei ordered a plate of diced fried noodles and drank two bowls of noodle broth. Instantly, he felt refreshed and energized.

It was easily the most delicious food he had tasted in years, far surpassing any delicacy he had encountered elsewhere.

For a fleeting moment, as he looked out through the glass window at the neatly arranged streets and the snowcapped Qilian Mountains in the distance, Li Xiaofei felt as if he had returned to the time before he ever crossed over. It was a time before star beasts existed, before martial arts ruled the world, when he had simply been a man driving around the northwest on a road trip.

After finishing his meal, he stepped outside to take a walk along the street, but reality quickly reminded him that everything was different now. Overhead, a golden-crowned giant eagle streaked through the sky, roaring like a fighter jet. Six martial artists stood atop its back, fully clad in combat suits, patrolling the vast landscape below.

Gravity-hover cars cruised back and forth on the streets, radiating a powerful sense of science fiction. Human technology had progressed rapidly. Gravity-based hover systems had become fully integrated into daily life.

Private vehicles were now as commonplace as private jets once had been. However, traffic laws still applied in these towns. Vehicles had to travel along designated routes.

As he walked, Li Xiaofei saw smiling faces everywhere. They were the kind of pure, innocent smiles that had been impossible to find during the era of star beast disasters. For Earth, this was a golden age of evolution. Technology and martial arts had surged forward in explosive fashion. Laws and governance grew increasingly sound. Even the rights of ordinary citizens were well protected.

With the presence of advanced technology and powerful martial techniques, wrongful convictions and conspiracies had become nearly nonexistent. Most disputes could now be resolved directly on Earth, while only the rare few needed to be escalated to the Outer World.

Li Xiaofei spotted a small park in the center of the town, where he found a statue of himself. Engraved on the pedestal were the words,

Father of Earth’s Martial Arts.

He couldn’t help but smile.

When he thought about it carefully, Li Xiaofei realized that he had only been away from Earth for a few decades. And yet, he had become a figure in textbooks and statues.

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Nearby, he also spotted a statue of Liu Diqiu. The inscription labeled her as the

Mother of Earth’s Technology

.

Li Xiaofei couldn't help but laugh aloud. To be honest, the title wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Liu Diqiu, along with her robotic younger sister, had indeed sparked Earth’s rapid technological development. It was practically a dimensional-level intervention.

Still, Li Xiaofei believed that the current level of Earth’s technological advancement was likely being deliberately limited by Liu Diqiu. If those sisters were to fully release the knowledge and systems they possessed, Earth might have already stepped into an age of interstellar navigation. But for now, a slowly developing civilization was perhaps the best path for Earth’s humanity.

Li Xiaofei drove his rented gravity off-road vehicle away from Zhangye. An hour later, he arrived at what was once Liuhe Base City. Now, it had become a sacred ground and one of the top three mega-cities on the planet.

The snowmelt from the Qilian Mountains nourished its vast fertile lands. Today, Liuhe City stood as the global capital of martial arts. The once humble Red Flag Primary and Red Flag High School were now ranked number one in the world, constantly producing waves of martial arts prodigies.

Red Flag School was always the brightest and most dazzling force in the annual Global Martial Arts Tournament. Even the legendary Grandmaster of Heaven martial order had established its second-largest stronghold in Liuhe City.

The first stronghold was located in Xiajing. At present, the Red Flag Sect, the Grandmaster of Heaven Sect, and the Jingwu Sect were the three largest martial arts factions in the country.

They were also the most powerful martial arts forces in the world. All three of these factions shared an especially close connection with the Father of Earth’s Martial Arts, Li Xiaofei.

This was especially true for the latter two. Both the Grandmaster of Heaven Sect and the Jingwu Sect were martial traditions founded directly by Li Xiaofei himself. The Red Flag Sect, however, had a slightly more complex history. Its earliest founders were now legendary figures on Earth. Unfortunately, its greatest founder, Chen Fei, had long since gone missing.

Li Xiaofei entered the city and toured its various districts. Liuhe City had completely transformed. Orderly streets and towering skyscrapers rose everywhere. The municipal infrastructure was immaculate. Public transportation extended in every direction, having completely replaced private vehicles. Even Li Xiaofei’s car was parked at a designated lot outside the city limits.

Commerce, industry, and agriculture all flourished side by side. As he walked down the street, Li Xiaofei couldn’t help but feel deeply moved. Back in the early days of Liuhe Base City, the lower class could only afford blended nutrient porridge. Even a simple bowl of noodles was a luxury reserved for the wealthy elite, not to mention rare delicacies like meat. But now, restaurants and hotels lined the streets.

Even humble food stalls in designated zones were selling snacks that would have once been considered precious treasures during the star beast era.

As he passed by Qingya Pavilion, Li Xiaofei paused. This restaurant was a famous landmark of Liuhe City, renowned across the globe. Yet it had never expanded into a chain. To dine here required a reservation made at least half a year in advance.

Li Xiaofei walked in and presented the super VIP card that Bai Longfei had given him years ago. The lobby manager didn’t recognize who he was, but a guest carrying that level of VIP card could not be taken lightly. Naturally, no reservation was needed.

Li Xiaofei didn’t opt for a private room. Instead, he chose to share a table in the main hall with an elderly couple who were dining with their two young grandsons. The couple clearly came from an older era. Though well dressed, they still practiced thrift and frugality, leaving not a single scrap of food to waste. After finishing his meal, Li Xiaofei nodded politely to the elderly pair and quietly took his leave.

“That young man... he looks kind of familiar, doesn’t he?” The old woman said suddenly.

The old man replied, “He really does have a good presence. We had quite a few spirited young men like that in our city back in the day. Do you remember? Especially those kids from the old slums...”

***

Li Xiaofei arrived at Red Flag School. Then, he returned to the old slum where he had once lived. The place was no longer the same, nor were the people. This city held too many traces of his past and too many memories. But it seemed like none of it had anything to do with him anymore.

Li Xiaofei’s heart was filled with emotion. His era had ended. He could sense that many of his old friends were still in the city. He even visited a few places to see them from afar but he chose not to meet them.

They were living peaceful, happy lives. Li Xiaofei felt like he had become an outsider. He shouldn’t disturb the lives that had already settled into such harmony and beauty. Later, he traveled to Xiajing, then to Haijing. The people from the past were still there but the cities had changed beyond recognition.

Then Li Xiaofei crossed rivers and oceans. He walked every continent, gazing upon the world. It was the very world he had once risked his life to protect, and now, it had become prosperous and brilliant.

Li Xiaofei stayed on Earth for three days before leaving. After that, he visited Earth No. 88. This was also a world where he had left a deep mark. It had changed greatly as well.

Ms. Fan was still a celebrity and was now a global superstar. The fusion of martial arts and supernatural abilities had pushed this Earth in a completely different developmental direction compared to the original dimension.

Great Xia had yet to achieve absolute dominance on this planet but its influence remained overwhelming. Once again, Li Xiaofei felt that same sense of disconnection. Even though he had lived here, left countless traces behind, and completely transformed this Earth, he still felt distant from it. He knew it was time to leave.

Half a day later, Li Xiaofei returned to Chongque City, only to find the city in the midst of a massive uprising.