Starting With The Martial Arts Holy Fire Order - Chapter 35 - First Encounter with Ji Xiaofu

By the fourth year of Su Wan's career, every league rookie hears the same warning from their coach and veteran teammates: “You can try to impress him. You can even try to defend him. But no matter what—no matter if he hurls the most brutal insults your way—never, ever talk shit to him!”

Starting from today, I am retired. But what should I be doing? I neither have the skills, nor the mind to do business, my only advantage is this pair of hands which have taken this world. What a headache…

Note: The usage of the term “retired” here doesn’t mean retiring from old age, work etc. It’s a specific term to refer to not involving oneself in the affairs of a certain society.

- Description from Novelupdates

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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Dear readers! Without any ads, maybe you will prefer .

WARNING: The MC is NOT a demon! For an explanation of the title, please see the post we made specifically addressing this matter.

Ling Xiao was an orphan fighting for survival in a dog eat dog world. There were some who had the power to enjoy a life of comfort, unconcerned with worldly matters, while most struggled to survive. He was of the second kind.

When he celebrated his sixth birthday, his father left him to the wolves with only a token to defend himself. He struggled to earn a living, scrambling together whatever scraps he could gather; fighting with the dogs for food and fighting with the homeless for shelter.

But that all changed on a fortuitous day, when a demon invaded his home. In a world of deception and plotting, one tasked with seeking revenge for the man who gave him a second lease on life, how would Ling Xiao fare?

- Description from Novelupdates