We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

Chapter 251 Su Qier, forging a path of true meaning (5K)

"Minor cultivation takes place in the mountains and forests, major cultivation takes place in the world!"

These words struck Su Chen like a thunderbolt, resonating deep within his heart.

He only realized what was happening after the vice sect leader left.

After a long time, Su Chen set off on his journey again, but this time, his steps were more determined.

Not far away, watching Su Chen's disappearing figure, Yang Jiu sighed, "Back then, Ji Ziyang spent a full fifty years to comprehend his own martial arts essence. I wonder how many more fifty years will pass after you leave!"

He sighed inwardly, but said nothing more, and turned to leave.

After leaving Shouyang City, Su Chen traveled aimlessly.

In each city he passed through, Su Chen would stay for a few days to inquire about Wan Yigong's whereabouts.

If one city doesn't have it, then move on to the next city, and so on, over and over again.

Half a year has passed, and Su Chen has traveled countless miles and passed through countless cities.

All that is known is that he passed through the Yuanbing Pavilion and has now arrived within the territory of the Xuan Yin Sect.

Aside from searching for the Myriad Intentions Technique, Su Chen spent most of his time cultivating his mind.

He treated everything he saw and heard along the way as nourishment to enrich his path of martial arts.

Measuring the earth with one's own footprints is another form of spiritual practice.

At this moment, he was no longer the spirited and number one young man he once was, but an ordinary martial artist who had been diligently cultivating.

And so, Su Chen continued forward without ever stopping.

When he passed by the Eight Desolations Palace, he did not find Wan Yigong.

When he passed by the Dragon Elephant Sect, he still couldn't find Wan Yigong.

Corpse Puppet Sect, Spirit Demon Sect, Sword and Saber Sect, Shangyuan Palace...

Two years passed by in vain, and Su Chen still hadn't gained anything.

They neither found Wan Yigong nor achieved enlightenment.

Failure became the norm.

This day.

Su Chen emerged from a city, his face weathered and covered with a thick beard.

The clothes are still the same, but the person is no longer the same.

From a distance, it seems to evoke the sense of a hero's twilight years.

He walked slowly, step by step, his footprints bearing the marks of time.

"It's been two years!"

Arriving at the banks of the Zijiang River, Su Chen seemed to see himself two years ago, looking completely out of place with his reflection in the river.

For two years, he had traveled to almost half of the Holy Yuan Kingdom, but had not heard any news about Wan Yigong.

This made him realize that perhaps there was no Wan Yigong within the territory of the Holy Yuan Kingdom.

He had to stop and consider whether to give up or continue searching.

Continuing the search means that all efforts may be in vain, while giving up means that two years of hard work will be for naught.

He gazed at the surging waves of the Zijiang River and fell into deep thought.

Suddenly.

He saw the winding river that continued to flow downstream, and a glint of light appeared in his eyes.

"let it go."

Don't obsessively search, nor deliberately give up, just let things take their natural course.

While experiencing different martial arts, one can also search for the Myriad Intent Technique. Even if one does not find it, there will still be considerable gains.

Thinking this way, Su Chen gradually felt relieved and stopped worrying.

He embarked on his journey once again.

This time, he slowed down and no longer rushed by as before.

Instead, they are down-to-earth and take things as they come.

The change in his mindset allowed him to see more scenery and broaden his horizons considerably.

A heart, churning and surging in the mortal world.

For the next three years, he focused on understanding his own heart.

Although he had not completely given up on finding Wan Yigong, he knew that after five years of searching and passing through tens of thousands of cities, the hope of finding him was undoubtedly much slimmer.

Why not try a different approach and see if we can find a path to the true meaning of martial arts that belongs to us?

This road may be difficult, but no matter what, Su Chen will not give up.

Even though nine years have passed and Su Chen still hasn't found the path, he will continue to search for it.

If there is no road ahead, he will spend his whole life forging his own path to the true meaning of martial arts!
With this unwavering belief, Su Chen traveled through the mortal world, experiencing the myriad aspects of life.

Every footprint, every sight and sound, every experience... becomes a spiritual baptism, making his heart more and more transparent.

But he soon realized that this insight was not profound enough.

Like a spectator, one may have different insights while watching, but cannot truly empathize with those who have actually experienced these things.

This feeling became increasingly clear as Su Chen's understanding deepened.

Later, Su Chen realized that his heart was gradually becoming numb.

So he gave up on observing the world from an outsider's perspective and instead became an active participant.

He adopted the alias Yang Guo and embarked once again on this road with no end in sight.

The Little Li Dynasty.

An unknown dynasty, even weaker than the Great Qian Dynasty, with only a few cities.

Six months ago, the emperor of the Little Li Dynasty passed away, and turmoil broke out in the royal family. Traitorous officials and rebels disrupted the court and wanted to take the throne and replace the Li family.

The young Crown Prince of the Li Dynasty escaped the capital amidst a fierce battle between the Princess and her guards, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Just when everyone thought the Crown Prince had sacrificed himself, he returned a month later at the new emperor's coronation ceremony.

He revealed the truth about the traitor's attack on him to his ministers, and called on them to punish the traitor and quell the rebellion.

No one responded.

Someone volunteered to help the new emperor capture the crown prince.

Some people also tried to persuade him to step down and give way to a more capable person.

Some were even sharpening their knives, their murderous intent undisguised.

The people have no way of knowing what happened, they only know that after that day, the crown prince ascended the throne again and established a new dynasty.

Those who had betrayed the royal family were all imprisoned, and this bloody massacre lasted for a full half month.

The entire sky above the imperial city seemed to be shrouded in a thin layer of blood mist, which lingered for a long time.

After the killing, a new beginning begins.

With the arrival of a royal advisor to assist the new emperor, the Xiao Li Dynasty began a new chapter.

The Grand Preceptor was a man of great talent and ambition, and he worked diligently to govern the country. Under his rule, the Xiao Li Dynasty flourished.

In less than a year, it brought several surrounding small dynasties under its control.

The power of the Xiao Li dynasty grew stronger and stronger.

Night falls.

The palace was unusually quiet tonight.

The frogs and insects that usually croaked incessantly were now all silent, as if they had lost their breath.

The sound of rustling footsteps rang out, and one by one, guards with swords crept in from all directions to surround a large courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, a figure lay lazily on a grand chair.

"Your Excellency, this is a century-old ginseng that was presented as tribute by the Little Yuan Dynasty. His Majesty specially instructed the imperial chef to brew it into a soup for you, and I have brought it to you."

The palace maid carried a bowl of ginseng soup, which emitted a strange and refreshing fragrance that was invigorating.

The young man lying on the armchair glanced at the palace maid and, seeing her nervous expression, said, "Put it down, I'll drink it later."

"Yes!" The palace maid opened her mouth, hesitated, and then stood aside to serve the young man.

After an unknown amount of time, the young man put down his book and watched as the steam in the bowl thinned out. Finally, he picked up the ginseng soup and drank it down in one gulp.

After finishing her drink, the palace maid hurried away with the bowl.

"kill!"

Not long after she left, a deafening roar of killing echoed through the night.

One after another, figures darted out from all directions, surrounding the young man in the courtyard.

Even so, the young man lying on the chair remained oblivious, as if nothing had happened.

"Grand Preceptor, His Majesty has decreed that if you surrender, your life will be spared," the leading general said.

The young man asked without looking up, "Where is he?"

"His Majesty is unwilling to meet with the Imperial Advisor. We request that the Imperial Advisor come with us."

Upon hearing this, the young man slowly stood up, stretched, and said, "Since he doesn't want to see me, I'll go see him."

"National Division!"

The leading general roared, and the surrounding soldiers drew their swords, staring menacingly at the young man.

It seemed that if the young man made any unusual move, they would immediately attack and kill him.

"Stop! What are you doing?"

At that moment, a clear, cold voice rang out, breaking the tense atmosphere.

"The eldest princess."

The leading general addressed him, but his hands didn't move an inch.

"Who gave you permission to lay a hand on Brother Yang? Put down your weapons!"

The eldest princess was the young emperor's older sister. Although she did not participate in court affairs, she held a very high position and was highly respected even by the young emperor.

Normally, they would never dare disobey the princess's orders, but at this moment, not one of them listened. The leading general noticed the princess's grim expression, but his face remained calm as he said in a deep voice, "Please forgive me, Your Highness, proceed!"

At his command, several female warriors stepped forward, captured the princess, and refused to let her participate in the matter.

"How dare you!" The princess's pretty face turned frosty. Realizing that her younger brother was about to attack the young man, she quickly said to him, "Brother Yang, you should leave now."

The young man smiled dismissively, then turned his gaze to the tall building not far away and said, "Since you're here, come out."

The sound was soft and gentle, like a thunderclap on a calm day, carrying far and wide.

Soon after, a six-foot-tall young man walked out of the courtyard. He was the current emperor, who was only fourteen years old.

Upon realizing that the young man had discovered him, the young emperor's expression turned complicated, and a hint of reluctance flashed in his eyes.

But he had been planning this for a long time; no matter what, the young man had to die.

Only by dying in his youth can he reclaim imperial power and truly become the supreme emperor of the Little Li Dynasty.

"Royal brother, why are you treating Brother Yang like this?" The eldest princess glared angrily at the young emperor.

The young emperor did not answer, but looked at the youth and said, "Grand Preceptor, the outside is full of my men. You are surrounded and there is no way to escape."

"Since you helped me reclaim the throne, I can spare your life, but from this day forward, you are forbidden from setting foot on the territory of the Little Li Dynasty."

"Royal brother..."

"Shut up!" the usually gentle young emperor shouted, glaring angrily at the princess.

The princess was stunned by the sudden roar, her beautiful eyes staring blankly at the young emperor, filled with disbelief.

He seemed unable to believe that this was the emperor's younger brother he knew.

“Okay!” The young man accepted the conditions quite readily.

Upon hearing this, the young emperor's tense expression relaxed slightly, and he waved his hand: "Someone, escort the Imperial Advisor away."

A group of soldiers stepped forward and surrounded the young man to prevent him from escaping.

The young man glanced at the tearful princess beside him, then at the young emperor who refused to meet his gaze, and sighed softly, "Actually, your sister is more suited to be emperor than you."

Upon hearing this, the young emperor's expression changed, and his voice suddenly turned icy: "Take him away."

Without the soldiers lifting a finger, the young man strode forward and quickly disappeared into the night.

The palace returned to tranquility, and no one knew that in just one night, power had been transferred silently.

"Send the Princess back," the young emperor said in a deep voice, glancing at the princess.

The princess neither cried nor made a fuss, and was quickly sent back.

Watching the princess's departing figure, the young emperor's face gradually darkened.

"Your Majesty, releasing the Imperial Advisor so easily could lead to endless troubles!"

At this moment, a close advisor spoke up, and the other close advisors echoed him, claiming that raising a tiger would be a disaster.

The young emperor remained silent, recalling the moment when the young man brought him back.

At that time, a group of palace guards attacked, but they did not harm the young man in the slightest. Instead, he killed them all.

It was precisely because of the youth's formidable strength that he was able to successfully reclaim the throne.

Now that the young man has left, who can guarantee he won't come back in the future?

If he returns then, will the palace guards be able to stop him?

Take advantage of his illness and kill him!
A crazy idea popped into his mind: to deal with the youth, he mobilized all the troops he could muster.

They even poisoned the food and drinks of young people.

The ginseng soup just now contained a potent poison. Although it's unknown whether it could kill the young man, it would certainly have had an effect on him.

Otherwise, the young man wouldn't have agreed to leave so readily.

With this in mind, the young emperor made a painful decision and said, "Go, send someone to kill him for me."

"Yes!"

Just as the soldiers were about to leave, a sharp voice rang out: "Your Majesty!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the young emperor suddenly spit out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.

"Quickly, quickly call the imperial physician."

Upon seeing the young emperor vomit blood, everyone scrambled to their feet, and the scene became chaotic.

"Brother Yang!" The young emperor tried to open his heavy eyelids, and a blurry figure was reflected in his pupils before gradually dissipating.

Finally, he slowly closed his eyes, leaving behind endless regret in his heart.

"The Emperor has passed away!"

Moments later, heart-wrenching cries echoed throughout the palace.

Upon hearing these words, the eldest princess, who was in her boudoir, shed a tear, slowly rose, and walked out of the room with a resolute expression.

……

The young man is Yang Guo, and also Su Chen.

After leaving the Little Li Dynasty, Yang Guo reverted to being Su Chen.

After losing his position as the Grand Preceptor of the Little Li Dynasty, Su Chen did not feel any loss; on the contrary, he felt a sense of relief.

All this was within his expectations.

Ever since he resolved the young emperor's internal and external troubles, he knew that this day would come sooner or later.

To avoid that day from coming, he planned to leave the Little Li Dynasty after a while.

He served as the Grand Tutor of the Li Dynasty for a year, receiving countless honors and wielding immense power.

I have experienced all the glory I could, and I have had all the rights I was entitled to.

The Little Li Dynasty had nothing left for him to cherish.

But in the end, they underestimated the young emperor's patience.

Before he could leave, the young emperor couldn't wait to attack him, intending to kill him.

But this bit of poison was nothing to him.

"Human desires and ambitions are like a boulder rolling down a snow-capped mountain; they will only grow bigger and bigger!"

Su Chen sighed softly. The young emperor's ambition was great, big enough to encompass the Little Li Dynasty, but not enough to encompass Su Chen.

He had told the young emperor long ago that the Li Dynasty was too small and that he would leave one day.

But the other party has neither the patience nor the vision.

In the end, he died young.

As for the fate of the Little Li Dynasty after that, it all depends on what that girl, the Eldest Princess, can accomplish.

A game of power has quietly come to an end.

After leaving the Little Li Dynasty, Su Chen embarked on his journey once again.

Having experienced the lofty heights of the imperial court, Su Chen changed his name to Su Qier and became a beggar wandering the streets.

From the highest clouds, they fell to the mortal world in the blink of an eye.

The changes involved have a unique flavor.

A year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Su Chen transforms into a beggar, wielding a dog-beating stick, and travels through various cities, wandering among the bottom rungs of society, hearing different voices.

This is the most basic sound, and also the most authentic sound; it is the sound of poverty.

Unlike the heated debates in the halls of power, the struggles at the grassroots level are far more brutal.

As a beggar, one can more directly experience this cruelty.

Whether it's food to keep alive, shelter to stay in, or territory to seize, everything requires strength and ruthlessness to win.

It vividly portrays the law of the jungle.

All of this was both so close to Su Chen and incredibly far away.

Although he was a beggar, he was poor but optimistic.

Unlike other beggars who live day by day and fight each other for meager food, risking their lives.

Focus on the present, not the future.

He's more like a capable person dressed as a beggar, doing the work of a beggar while living the life of an ordinary person.

They were in the midst of it all, yet remained detached, appearing completely out of place among the real beggars.

"It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. I am not a real beggar and cannot understand the hardships at the bottom."

Even when he first transmigrated, Su Chen was much better off than ordinary beggars.

They have a place to live and savings.

He was able to reside in the halls of power and easily experience the control that power exerts over people's hearts.

However, they cannot delve into the deepest levels and experience the cruelty of fighting for a single bite of food at the cost of their lives.

The fake beggar is not a real beggar.

His own circumstances also limited him from becoming a real beggar.

However, there is a way.

After several nights of deep thought, Su Chen retrieved the Heaven-Slaying Blade.

"To become a real beggar, it's actually very simple: just let the Heaven-Severing Blade absorb all the Yuan Power within my body."

It took Su Chen three nights to transfer all the Yuan energy in his body to the Broken Sky Blade.

He dispersed most of his vital energy and blood, then sealed his own meridians, preventing any elemental energy from entering his body.

After losing his Yuan energy, Su Chen's body became weak, and he was worse off than a beggar.

He truly began to live a life no different from that of a beggar.

At first he was somewhat reserved, but the life instinct brought about by hunger broke through this reserve, and he began to strive for survival.

Every day they struggle on the brink of life and death, barely getting through each day.

I have no goals, I just want to live!

(End of this chapter)