Taro deeply understood how difficult it was to change a person's ingrained thinking, especially someone like Tsuru, a creature who had lived for one or two hundred years. Thinking about himself, Taro also didn't believe anyone could change his worldview, even if they were many times, tens of times, or even hundreds of times stronger than him. Setting aside the difference in martial arts cultivation, Tsuru and he probably weren't that different.
This is what people often say: "A person can be destroyed, but not defeated." What he could do was only to temporarily seal Tsuru's memories and perception, trying to make him see the world with a pure, untainted heart. Maybe that would lead to some change.
After giving his instructions to the Phoenix, Taro, with Hathaway by his side, teleported from the castle in the Snow Mountain Range to the Western Capital, thousands of miles away. The Phoenix followed his orders, took Tsuru away, and after throwing him in a desolate wilderness, followed Taro's aura to leave.
The Phoenix, a special life form created through Taro's true blood, had a unique connection with him. Furthermore, Taro's presence was like a blazing sun that had fallen to Earth—easy for the Phoenix to find.
And it was in such a situation that Tsuru wandered alone in the human world, eventually meeting a child named "Tao Pai Pai." The two of them—one with fragmented memories, not necessarily kind-hearted, and the other naturally rebellious and scheming—formed a bond. Under Tao Pai Pai's persuasion, Tsuru, before his mental magic failed and memories fully returned, took the three oaths, becoming sworn brothers with Tao Pai Pai.
"With my intelligence, and your martial arts skills, big brother, where can't we go?" the child declared confidently.
In truth, at his age, he should have bowed down and accepted Tsuru as a master. But despite Tao Pai Pai's young age, he was skilled at reading people and was naturally bold, thinking, "What's better than being a brother? If I become a disciple, I'll get scolded for causing trouble. But as brothers… doesn't the older brother always settle things for the younger one?"
Thus, by a twist of fate, Tao Pai Pai ended up becoming Tsuru's sworn brother. He then deceived and tricked his way into learning many martial arts secrets from Tsuru. When Tsuru's mental magic failed and his memories returned, he was both frustrated and unable to break his promise. On the other hand, he found Tao Pai Pai's mischievous nature quite to his liking...
"Taro, your abilities have reached this level?" Tsuru often broke out in cold sweats when recalling the experiences that felt like he was in a dream. He couldn't even remember when he was tricked...
But those details are best left unsaid.
---
Western Capital, a bustling modern city.
A large, fiery-red bird broke through the clouds and dove toward the towering skyscrapers below. In the blink of an eye, its form shrank dramatically, transforming into a small red pigeon.
The red pigeon flew around the exterior of a glass building, like a tiny, glowing sprite, and vanished in an instant, leaving behind a bewildered office lady inside. She had spilled her coffee but didn't even notice.
"Ah!" The office lady cried out, quickly grabbing a few tissues to wipe the mess. "Phew, that was close." She was startled. If the coffee had spilled on the company's new-generation "planet computers," she didn't know how much of her salary would be deducted.
Planet Company's laptops and smartphones were already sweeping across the Earth Federation. It was the pioneer of the internet, the personal computer industry, the creator of personal mobile communication concepts, and the revolutionary force in the smartphone market...
The company's legendary status seemed endless. It had been the pioneer and creator in countless fields. Over the years, despite the mockery and envy of many onlookers and competitors, it kept moving forward, sword in hand, with no competitors in sight, leaving only a trail of dust from those following behind.
Now, whenever Planet Company released a new product, followers lined up days in advance to secure a spot at the launch event.
Watching this company grow into a colossal entity admired by all, people could only feel jealousy... although some tried using underhanded methods to sabotage it, but none of them returned. No one knew where the assassins, killers, and terrorists they hired had disappeared to, but more and more people felt like there was something terrifying behind Planet Company.
Enough said. Time to study the new concepts introduced in the latest products from Planet Company...
---
Over the years, the Phoenix had only mastered one magic: "Shape-shifting." Despite its seemingly simple nature to Taro, the magic was still somewhat unreliable. It could shrink or enlarge its own body with ease, but turning into other shapes often failed.
Ninn often tried to make the Phoenix transform into a lively, cute little girl to play with her... or at least into a handsome young man, someone to look at and admire. But no matter what, it always failed.
The small red pigeon flitted through the city, flying nimbly past traffic lights, shopping malls, internet cafes, and job markets. Following its keen sense of perception, it soon arrived at a towering skyscraper with a sign resembling one start Dragon Ball hanging from its exterior.
The Phoenix circled above the plaza on the first floor, and then, as a few curious, amazed, and admiring gazes followed its flight, it flapped its wings and ascended, gliding along the glass facade of the Planet Company building—passing the tenth, fifteenth, twentieth, and thirtieth floors... As it neared the ninety-fifth floor, a window suddenly opened, as though it had been expecting the bird's arrival.
This was the office of Mr. Tam, the current chairman, largest shareholder, and founder of Planet Company. At that moment, this usually inaccessible office was unusually lively.
A girl of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a fitted long-sleeve shirt and a sleeveless leather jacket, paired with stylish denim hot pants, stood on the leather sofa in the office, swinging her long legs and barefoot with her soft, pale feet. She was bouncing, trying to reach something just above her fingertips, where a shiny new rose-gold smartphone from Planet Company hovered.
The screen of the phone was on, displaying a chat interface.
"Ugh! Why can't I just grab it?!" Ninn grumbled, glaring at her grandfather, Taro, who was drinking tea with her father, Tam. She plopped onto the sofa in frustration and grabbed her grandmother's arm. "Grandpa always bullies me, Grandma..."
Tam exchanged a smile with the old man, sipping his tea before clicking his tongue. "Our little Ninn is almost eighteen, growing up, and has some teenage troubles... what's so strange about that?"
Although he was now over forty, Tam still looked thirty. "But you, old man, who told me not to meddle when girls grow up?" Tam gestured to the smartphone hovering above Ninn's head. "So what's going on here?"
"I'm just playing with my granddaughter. What's it to you, you little brat?" Taro shot Tam a sidelong glance and continued drinking his tea.
Hathaway put down her white porcelain cup of hot tea and pulled her granddaughter into her arms. "These two old fools," she whispered, leaning toward Ninn's ear. "Come on, tell Grandma, which young man has caught your eye?"
"Aiya, it's not like that!" Ninn squirmed, stammering, but then she noticed the window opening by itself. Moments later, the red pigeon flew in. She joyfully called out, "Ash! Bring me the phone!"
The Phoenix shot through the air like a red lightning bolt, darting over to the floating phone. It didn't immediately grab the phone but glanced over at Taro, sitting calmly. Seeing that he didn't react, it reached out, grabbed the phone, and flew it over to Ninn on the sofa.
Ninn pulled both the phone and the Phoenix into her arms, locking the phone screen and tossing it aside. She ruffled the bird's little head, scoffing, "Look at you, so scared of that old man!" She deliberately raised her voice so that the two tea-drinkers could hear.
The Phoenix chirped innocently, looking pitiful.
Hathaway smiled, just as the office door opened, and a beautiful, elegant woman entered. It was Tam's wife, Lavinia, whom he married six years ago. Before the marriage, she was a very ordinary but beautiful woman.
"Mom, Dad," Lavinia said as she placed her handbag on the coffee table and sat down opposite Hathaway. "Are we having dinner at your place tonight?"
"Yes," Tam nodded. "Tell the servants not to prepare dinner for us at home today."
Lavinia nodded and then took out a thin Planet notebook from her bag. Opening it, she turned the screen toward Taro and Tam.
The screen was filled with news headlines such as "Kuanto Entertainment Plans 'World's First Martial Arts Tournament'?", "Can Kuanto Entertainment's funds support such a high-level event?", "What significance does a 'Martial Arts Tournament' hold in the technological era?", "Popular candidates for the 'World's First Martial Arts Tournament' championship"...
"Oh?" Taro paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on the words "World's First Martial Arts Tournament." It evoked a sense of nostalgia, though he quickly regained his composure and smiled slightly. "The World's First Martial Arts Tournament, huh..."