Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 86 Blood Refining Military Technique

“Being curious about something doesn’t necessarily mean you want to own it.”

Chu Tian walked slowly, "I was also curious about a cave deep underground in a mountain. Could I possibly take something like that and carry it with me?"

Cheng the Blind said nothing more.

They were almost approaching the royal city.

When looking from a distance, you can only see the outlines of high walls, city towers, and the corners of houses and eaves, which seem to be hidden in the mist at the foot of the mountain, looking quite delicate.

When we got within a few miles, the angle required to look up at the top of the city wall became higher and higher, and then we began to have a real feeling.

Even in this ancient Tang Dynasty, the cities built by people were already grand and majestic.

It was still two or three miles away from the city gate, and many shops and houses had already appeared around.

This rain really helped the headless man a lot.

As soon as the rain starts, there are not many people on the road.

Otherwise, when he got here, with the crowd giving him courage, in the panic, it was inevitable that some people would pick up sticks, farm tools, or something else to hit the headless corpse.

Given the current state of the corpse, even if it was hit by a wooden barrel, it would probably fall down on the spot and be unable to move forward.

Fortunately, the swordsman's home seemed to be nearby, so there was no need to go deeper into the city.

Chu Tianshu and Cheng the Blind stood at the entrance of the alley and watched him turn into the alley.

Deep in the alley, there is a courtyard that looks quite wealthy.

The courtyard gate was open, and a woman in a fine cloth dress was waiting at the door with an umbrella.

As soon as the headless man turned into the alley, the woman saw him.

Her face suddenly turned sad, one hand rested on the door frame, tears falling like beads.

Chu Tianshu saw that when the headless man walked there, the blue line on the knife completely collapsed, his body shook, and he fell forward.

The woman rushed forward, hugged the corpse, and sobbed.

"Let's go."

Blind Cheng said this and turned away.

Chu Tianshu asked, "Leaving now?"

"If I happen to meet him on the road, I'll give him a ride. It's a swordsman's duty."

Cheng Xiazi said, "Other things are their own family affairs."

When he said this, his expression paused and his tone became a little unskilled.

"You just arrived in Nanzhao and need a place to stay, right?"

"I know a great place with fine wine and delicious meat. The wine seller there is especially good at steaming fish, which is incredibly delicious."

"There are also storytellers who can tell stories from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the Qin, Han, Wei and Jin dynasties, and they know them like the back of their hands. They can even tell a story or two about the East China Sea, the Western Regions, Nanzhao and Tubo."

"People who dine there, drinking wine and tea, enjoy stories as they go, and the more they eat, the more excited they become."

Blind Cheng stopped and thought for a while.

"Oh, and all the other first-class restaurants in the city are more expensive than that one."

Chu Tianshu's expression was subtle.

Hey man, you haven't practiced your promotional words well enough, have you?
It would be fine if you do it for free, but if the store pays you to promote it, then the store will be in trouble.

"Row."

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "You lead the way."

Blind Cheng took him to a place near the city gate.

As far as I can see, there are at least four or five restaurants nearby with wine flags hanging.

However, it is rare to build a two-story wooden building that occupies a large area, with red-painted door panels and railings, and crescent-shaped eaves.

Chu Tianshu walked into this luxurious restaurant.

I saw that the first floor of the restaurant was the lobby, surrounded by low tables and cushions, where guests knelt or sat cross-legged while eating.

In the center of the lobby is a wooden platform with a stool on it, and an old man is playing the pipa.

A square gap was left in the middle of the second floor, with a side length of about ten feet, and surrounded by a railing.

Guests on the second floor can also directly see the wooden platform on the first floor through this gap.

Blind Cheng walked in here and tilted his head.

Chu Tianshu noticed again that there was a sense of coldness in him, which flashed by in a flash.

That is most likely the power of Cheng Xiazi's sword spirit.

Judging from Cheng the Blind's performance along the way, he has very good hearing and can identify locations by sound.

But there are some things that you just can't hear.

For example, when he was still in the earthen temple, it was raining in the jungle outside and the headless man passed by.

If a person walks in the rain holding his own head, a blind person would probably not be able to tell the other person's condition by hearing alone.

At that time, he was able to know the situation of the headless man clearly because of the power of his own sword spirit.

But the sword spirit will not be turned on all the time. It will only be turned on for a moment when it feels it is necessary.

"there."

Blind Cheng found an empty table in the noisy restaurant and walked over.

Chu Tianshu followed him and sat down.

According to etiquette, only one person should sit behind a table, but this is just a restaurant after all, not a banquet for a wealthy family.

Here, it is normal to have four people sitting around a long table.

Chu Tianshu was not used to kneeling, so he sat cross-legged.

Cheng Xiazi was even more casual, with his left leg crossed, his right knee arched, and his arm resting on it.

"Hey! You actually brought me a guest today?"

A woman in red came over here with a tray and put down two black porcelain wine bottles.

She did not wear her hair in a bun or a hairpin, but only tied it up with a red rope and a headscarf. The red dress she was wearing was a bit old and the color was not bright. She also had a piece of coarse cloth around her waist, dressed like a cook.

But she has willow-like eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes and thin lips, and her appearance and figure are quite attractive.

"This is Madam Wen Jing. This restaurant belongs to her."

Blind Cheng said to Chu Tianshu.

In this era, "niangzi" is just a common name, roughly equivalent to "girl".

Calling someone by their full name is not only not intimate, but rather distant and polite.

Madam Wen Jing was a little angry with Cheng Xiazi, but turned to look at Chu Tianshu with a smile on her face.

"Would you like some wine and meat first, sir, or some vegetables and freshly picked banana flowers?"

"Wine, meat, and vegetables, please."

Chu Tianshu took out something and handed it over.

"Is this..." Wen Jing hesitated, "Copper nails?"

Chu Tianshu coughed lightly: "This is a golden needle."

Blind Cheng reached out to take it, rubbed it twice, pinched it with his fingernails, and his expression changed slightly.

"It's real gold, and very pure."

Before the Han Dynasty, gold and brass were both called gold, and even many copper alloys were given this name. Their value was determined by their appearance and color.

When the alchemists of the Han Dynasty created the "medicinal gold" which was of good quality but very worthless, people began to take the distinction between gold and brass very seriously.

As a result, copper depreciated significantly, while the value of gold continued to rise.

The silver needles Chu Tianshu used before were nominally silver needles, but in reality most of them were steel needles.

This time when he went out, he pinched out several "golden needles" and took them with him.

The value of these few golden needles is far less than that of the golden armor, iron curse and copper rope, and the luck consumed by bringing them here is also negligible.

But with these few golden needles, I don’t have to worry about accommodation and food for the time being.

Lady Wenjing seemed to have complete trust in Cheng the Blind. She took the golden nail and smiled happily.

"If you only order one table of dishes with this, you won't be able to finish it!"

Chu Tianshu said: "Then leave a room for me and I will live here recently."

"okay."

Lady Wen Jing took two more bottles of wine and placed them in front of Blind Cheng. "These are for you. You've brought a distinguished guest."

Blind Cheng simply picked up a black porcelain wine bottle and poured it into his mouth.

Chu Tianshu hissed softly, "Brother, don't you want to share some food?"

In the blink of an eye, Cheng Xiazi had already drunk the palm-sized bottle of wine.

"No hurry, moisten your throat first."

He savored the taste for a moment, picked up the second bottle, fumbled on the table, and this time finally poured it into the glass.

The wine is slightly green and a little cloudy.

Chu Tianshu also poured a cup and smelled it first.

It smells like rice wine, mainly a smell of lees.

He took a sip and found that it was not as sweet as rice wine, nor as spicy as white wine. It was slightly sweet and spicy, with a hint of bitterness.

It has a complex flavor, but is quite refreshing to drink.

After Chu Tianshu drank three cups in a row, he found that the bitterness was getting stronger. If he didn't change his mouth, he probably wouldn't be able to taste the slightly sweet and spicy feeling he had before.

Just then, a waiter had already served the food.

There are more than a dozen waiters in this restaurant, serving dishes quickly and filling the air with aroma.

The waiter put the dishes on the table and, seeing that the customer was a stranger, introduced them to the guests.

"This first dish is steamed green rice with banana flowers. It was created at the Tail-burning Banana Festival held by a top scholar in the Tang Dynasty. It spread to Nanzhao, but only a few restaurants can make it now."

Use the juice of the green jing leaves to dye the rice green and black. When cooking, spread a layer of red dates on it. After it is cooked, wash the young sprouts of banana flowers, mix them in, and steam them with the heat.

Chu Tianshu picked up a piece of food with chopsticks and put it in his mouth, feeling the fragrance and slight sweetness in his mouth.

The second dish was roasted lamb, and a plate of it was also placed in front of Blind Cheng.

Chu Tianshu was eating when he heard the pipa music stop and someone else appeared on the stage.

A waiter moved the stool away and placed a half-person-high table on the stage.

There are various objects on the table.

There are round fans, short swords, camel bells, large wooden seals, and paper hammers.

I saw an old man with gray hair and vigorous spirit walk onto the stage and bow to all sides.

"I am Dao Baishu, the storyteller in this building. Whether you know me or not, I would like to apologize to you here first."

"Because I make a living by telling stories, even though the characters in these stories are based on history, they inevitably contain some rural rumors."

"If anyone here has any connection to anyone in this story, or if you've heard any similarities to your own experiences, it's purely coincidental. I have no intention of insinuating anything. Please forgive me."

Chu Tianshu couldn't help but look up.

Very professional. Let me start with a disclaimer.

Many of the people present were regular customers, and some immediately started teasing when they heard the words.

"Go ahead, old man. I hear every hero in your story is a metaphor for me. I wanted to hide my identity and get along with everyone, but I didn't expect you to expose my true identity."

"But I don't blame you, go ahead!"

This remark caused a burst of laughter.

"Okay, then today I will tell you a story from the turn of the Sui and Tang dynasties."

Although the show had already begun, Dao Baishu started talking about something else first.

"The Sui and Tang dynasties were truly an era when heroes emerged in large numbers. The first famous storyteller among us was also recorded during that time."

"There are records of people telling stories to make a living since the pre-Qin period, but that was just empty talk. It wasn't until the Sui Dynasty, when Hou Bai, a talented scholar, pioneered the method of using various objects, adding actions, and telling stories while performing."

"The great talent Hou Bai, relying on this ability, first became friends with Yang Xuangan, and later was appreciated by Emperor Wen of Sui, who summoned him to compile history. He was quite successful."

Chu Tianshu nodded slightly.

Regarding the evolution of the profession of storyteller, this part is consistent with the historical records of his hometown.

"But in the chaotic times at the end of the Sui Dynasty, a storyteller or a historian was ultimately nothing more than a straw. That was the golden age of warriors and the most brilliant time for military strategists."

"The Nine Elders and Pillars of the Great Sui Dynasty, the Eighteen Rebel Kings, Li Yuanba, the Prince of Zhao in the Western Palace, and Yuwen Chengdu, the General of the Tianbao Period."

"And then there was the Qin Emperor, Li Shimin, who ultimately conquered the world, and his generals. Every one of them was renowned throughout the land, every one of them was famous throughout the world."

Dao Baishu said, "And when we talk about famous generals, we have to first talk about their martial arts."

"From the end of the Han Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, battles between generals on the battlefield were prevalent. This was because when top-notch warriors charged in, even a thousand troops could not stop them. If one's own general could not stop the opposing general, then unless the enemy had many times more troops, they would undoubtedly be defeated."

"Martial arts are divided into three major methods: strength training, understanding moves, and blood refining."

"It corresponds to a person's strength, tactics, and weapons."

"Obviously, among the three, weapons and armor are the most important. Therefore, the Blood Refining Method, also known as the Blood Refining Method of War, is the first priority for military strategists in selecting generals."

"Any famous general must have an instrument that nurtures his military spirit."

"No matter how strong a warrior is or how good his skills are, he is still a mortal being, and there are many inconveniences. If he encounters evil magic, it will be even more troublesome. However, the power of the soldier's soul is unique and has created many wonderful stories."

"For example, during the Zhenguan period, Emperor Taizong went on tour and, to encourage resistance against a locust plague, he even devoured locusts. This led to the invasion of hundreds of evil spirits of disease and disease. The remnants of the rebellious king also drove evil spirits to recklessly cause trouble."

"Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong, two great generals, wielded golden maces and divine whips, guarded the palace. That night, a raging fire erupted, and thunder roared, frightening all evil spirits, who dared not approach."

"This story is well known to everyone. What I want to tell you today is another twist and turn in this story. I will break it down and tell you all about it..."

Chu Tianshu's heart moved slightly.

Is the Blood-Refined Military Technique a unique technique that can cultivate the soul of a soldier?

Here, everyone seems to think that this kind of strange skill also falls into the category of "martial arts".

Do you recognize the martial arts token?
(End of this chapter)