Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

"So, elder brother, you asked me to return that sword to Second Uncle so that you could help him comprehend the Eighth Sword?"

"Brother, do you hope that I will not be obsessed with the sword intent of the Glazed Sword, but instead, like Second Uncle, forge my own path and comprehend my own eighth sword?"

Yi Yuchen said nonchalantly:

"I returned the sword to him only to help him sever his ties with the Famous Sword Manor. As for whether he can comprehend the Eighth Sword, I don't care."

"However, with his martial arts talent, it wouldn't be difficult for him to comprehend his own eighth sword technique."

"As for paving the way for you, that's also a bit of my own selfish motive."

"Mingjian Manor now has the Yi Jing Bone Forging Chapter and the Qiankun Great Elixir to improve its foundation, as well as the Great Rejuvenation Elixir to enhance its true qi."

"The chances of future successors of the Famous Sword Manor learning the Eight Forms of Famous Sword will greatly increase."

"However, apart from the Eight Swords, no one from the Famous Sword Manor has comprehended a new sword style for a long time. I hope you can comprehend your own sword style and make it the Nine Styles of Famous Swords!"

"This is also a good thing for the future generations of Mingjian Manor, so that they will not become complacent and stagnant."

As he spoke, Yi Yuchen took out a newly written martial arts manual from his sleeve, handed it to Yi Jifeng, and said:

"This is my newly created martial art, 'Soul-Capturing Technique,' which can enhance your spiritual power and help you strengthen your soul."

"Whether you choose to forge your own path or learn the sword intent of the Glazed Sword, this manual will be helpful to you."

"In addition, I left my ninth technique on the wall of the secret room. If you feel confident, go and see for yourself."

After saying that, the two brothers saw the grand procession on the front mountain. Yi Yuchen smiled, patted his shoulder, and said, "Let's go! We'll accompany Grandpa to receive the imperial decree!"

………………

Half a month ago, all the sword servants of Mingjian Manor mobilized and swept across three hundred miles around Taihu Lake with an incomparably domineering attitude. All the bandits were wiped out, and those who were lucky enough to survive all left!

This move, while intimidating the martial arts world, also aroused the curiosity of martial arts forces. As the overlord of the Jiangnan martial arts world, its every move can cause huge waves.

Spies from various factions, wandering martial artists, and knights-errant all gathered at inns and restaurants not far from the Famous Sword Manor, hoping to find out the purpose of the manor's actions.

It wasn't until this day, when I saw with my own eyes the Famous Sword Manor being cleaned inside and out, its main gate wide open to welcome the angel, that I understood the purpose of the Famous Sword Manor's actions...

"This is an imperial envoy delivering a decree; no wonder Mingjian Manor is making such a big move."

"Hehe! He's the undisputed leader in the Jiangnan martial arts world, so it's no wonder he acts domineeringly."

"Alright, stop being so sour. No matter how sour you are, Mingjian Manor won't lose a single hair."

"Exactly, and it's good to clean it up. These underworld friends of ours have been causing too much trouble lately!"

"Huh? What news do you have?"

"I also heard that a shipment of goods belonging to the Huashan Sect that was sent to Sichuan was almost robbed at Taihu Lake!"

"Isn't this a slap in the face to Famous Sword Manor? Who's so bold as to have a death wish?"

"It seems to be a dragon who fled from the north, named 'Pagoda-Bearing Vajra' Cui Buyi, whose iron palms are extremely powerful."

"Cui Buyi? Isn't this guy a Shaolin outcast? He's proficient in the Stone-Splitting Hand and the Vajra Palm, and he's been hanging around the Xuzhou area."

"I heard it was a disciple of the Huashan Sect on a training mission. He passed through Xuzhou and injured one of the Huashan Sect disciples, so they came to attack him!"

"So he fled to Taihu Lake! No wonder he wanted to rob the Huashan Sect of their valuables."

"It's just that my eyesight is bad. Of all people to mess with, I had to mess with Mingjian Manor."

"Hey, what do you think is the imperial decree given to Famous Sword Manor?"

"To annihilate Qin Hui?"

"Impossible! Matters of the martial world should be settled within the martial world, and matters of the imperial court should be handled by the imperial court. This is an ironclad rule!"

"Well, not knowing can't be a bad thing, right?"

"That's impossible. Mingjian Villa suppresses the martial arts world and serves as a link between the martial arts world and the imperial court. The imperial court would never abolish its own martial arts."

"We'll find out soon enough. Something this big is bound to get out."

……

After a long while, someone ran up to the second floor of the restaurant. Before he could even catch his breath, everyone was already asking him questions all at once.

The man leaped onto the table, and seeing that everyone was looking over, he said smugly, "Breaking news! The Emperor has decreed that Senior Yi Yun be granted the title of Marquis of Wuyang, a hereditary title that will last forever, and that he will live and die with the nation."

With a "boom," the news went viral, and everyone went crazy. No one expected that the imperial decree would grant them the title of marquis, something many people would never dare to dream of in their entire lives.

"That can't be right! To be ennobled, one must have made great contributions to the country. I haven't heard that Mingjian Manor has done anything big recently." Someone in the crowd questioned the authenticity of the news.

The man standing on the table said smugly, "Rumor has it that the emperor has an heir, which is related to Young Master Da Yi. It is said that he offered a secret Taoist medicine, which solved the emperor's hidden ailment."

The news sparked even more heated discussions, with many feeling that Mingjian Villa truly lived up to its reputation as a leader in resisting the Jin people, as this move directly struck at Qin Hui's Achilles' heel.

"Impressive! Impressive! This move both bestows favor upon the emperor and strikes at Qin Hui's Achilles' heel. Mingjian Manor has a master!" someone exclaimed.

"Isn't the Famous Sword Manor afraid of Qin Hui's revenge?... He really isn't afraid!!!" another person muttered to himself, a bitter smile on his face.

The man next to him chuckled coldly and said, "If Qin Hui dares to retaliate against Mingjian Manor, then Young Master Dayi dares to storm into Lin'an and massacre Qin Hui's mansion."

"That's right. If we're outmatched in strategy, that's acceptable. But if we can't play the game, we resort to assassination, which breaks the rules," someone agreed.

………………

At this moment, on the second floor by the window, a man and three women listened quietly to the commotion among the crowd. These people were Qin Sirong, Bingxin, her maid, and Yi Tianxing.

"So? Now you know that Famous Sword Manor doesn't need you anymore!" Bingxin said.

Yi Tianxing snorted coldly, clearly feeling humiliated, and angrily gulped down a cup of tea.

Bingxin didn't take it to heart, and chuckled as she pulled his arm, saying, "Just come back to Medicine King Valley with me. You have nowhere else to go anyway. Your nephew said he'd kill you the moment you step into Famous Sword Manor."

“Then I won’t go to Medicine King Valley! I’d rather wander the world freely, how wonderful that would be!” Yi Tianxing said.

“But you promised to marry me, and we almost got married,” Bingxin protested.

Yi Tianxing frowned and said, "But you were just a child back then! I was just trying to coax you."

“I don’t care, I’m serious now. You said you’d marry me, so you have to,” Bingxin said.

Yi Tianxing rubbed his head and said, "Miss Qin, why did you bring her to my side?"

Qin Sirong remained unmoved and said calmly, "Because I made a promise to someone, and if I made a promise, I had to keep it."

Bing Xin smiled and grasped Qin Sirong's arm, saying, "Thank you, Sister Qin!"

"Ah..." Yi Tianxing felt like he was going crazy.

Chapter 227 Waiting for work

Inside the Famous Sword Manor.

The eunuch who issued the decree was the same old eunuch who had met Yi Yuchen in the dilapidated temple last time.

The two were sitting in the living room drinking tea. The old eunuch first offered his congratulations, then said:

"Because of the pregnancy of the concubines in the harem, most of the Imperial City Guard's energy has been diverted to the harem recently. As for matters of the martial world, Young Master Yi should pay more attention."

"The Imperial City Guard previously discovered that Prime Minister Qin had already sent his men north, the purpose of which was to invite the Prince of Xiaoyao to come down from the mountains and come south. This man once stirred up the martial arts world, so Young Master Yi must be familiar with him."

"If I may be so bold as to say something here, the Emperor's intention is for you, young master, to deal with the Prince of Xiaoyao. After all, the martial world is the martial world, and the court is the court!"

"If the imperial court intervenes rashly, it will easily arouse the dissatisfaction of various forces, which is not a good thing for the current situation."

Yi Yuchen nodded and promised, "I will handle this matter. The feud between Mingjian Villa and Xiaoyao King also needs to be resolved."

The old eunuch nodded, and the two of them tacitly skipped over the matter.

After all, for them, the Prince of Xiaoyao's southward journey was not a big deal. If it weren't for the need to unite the martial arts world and win people's hearts, both the Imperial City Guard and the Famous Sword Manor could have dealt with him.

Yi Yuchen changed the subject, saying, "There is another matter I hope you can mention to His Majesty."

"Oh?"

The old eunuch's eyes darted around, but instead of taking on the task, he asked what it was about.

Yi Yuchen didn't mince words and said, "I am interested in martial arts, but I don't care about fame and fortune. As for the title of Marquis of Wuyang, I hope to pass it on to my younger brother."

The old eunuch was slightly taken aback, but then assured him, "Although the title is conferred by the imperial court, if Mingjian Manor has already made up its mind, His Majesty will not easily reject it."

If Yi Yuchen, as the eldest grandson, had no objections to the succession of the title, then Zhao Gou would not cause trouble for no reason. After all, who inherits the title is not a big deal for the court.

Yi Yuchen gave this heads-up because he was worried that something might happen. If someone used this as an excuse to think that Mingjian Manor had offended the imperial authority or was disrespectful to the emperor, it would be a real problem.

After recounting this, the old eunuch's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but say, "As far as I know, that young master Zhang Junbao seems to have already become a monk at Shaolin Temple."

Yi Yuchen was not surprised that he knew this news. The imperial secret agents were all over the world. If they wanted to, there was nothing they couldn't do.

Yi Yuchen smiled and said, "It is said that someone once divined that General Feilong is in Shaolin. I don't know if this news is true or not, but it is probably not entirely unfounded."

The old eunuch said nonchalantly, "So that General Flying Dragon is hiding in Shaolin? That's new information. I just wonder, is this the young master's doing, or..."

The implication is that everyone knows about the feud between Shaolin and Mingjian Villa, but there's no such rumor outside. So, is General Feilong really at Shaolin? Or is Yi Yuchen trying to use this to launch an attack on Shaolin?

Yi Yuchen said meaningfully:

"The feud between Mingjian Villa and Shaolin has been known throughout the world for many years."

"As far as Mingjian Manor knows, many years ago, someone from Liuhemen in Cangzhou saw a crazy monk who was often delirious and said that he was General Feilong."

"However, firstly, this matter has been going on for a long time and is only a rumor; secondly, there are many masters in Shaolin Temple, and no one dares to test them easily, so this matter was eventually left unresolved."

"But I estimate that there's a 70-80% chance that General Feilong is at Shaolin Temple. As for whether he is or not, we'll find out once we find that monk."

"Furthermore, if Your Majesty is concerned about the safety of the Emperor Emeritus, you might as well ask General Feilong about this matter."

The old eunuch narrowed his eyes. Both men were shrewd and could easily understand the hidden meaning in each other's words; but this matter was of utmost importance. Only Zhao Gou could make the decision, and moreover, the Flying Dragon General had to be willing.

Without saying much, the two picked up their teacups and took a sip.

Su Yuchen continued, "Back then, regarding the Shaolin treasure map, the caravan from Mingjian Manor had just brought news from beyond the Great Wall that Wanyan Changfu had a copy. Mingjian Manor spent a lot of money to get one as well."

The old eunuch only needed a moment's thought to understand that it was true General Feilong was at Shaolin, but it was also true that Su Yuchen wanted to bring trouble to Shaolin. However, this suited his purposes perfectly, and he didn't mind doing Yi Yuchen a favor. He smiled and said:

"The Imperial City Guard has released a message..."

"As for the treasure map, to be honest, Young Master Yi, the Emperor also obtained a copy, but he has never known whether it is genuine or not!"

Yi Yuchen showed a hint of surprise and asked, "Didn't the Imperial City Guard send anyone to investigate?"

The old eunuch narrowed his eyes and said, "It is said that the previous generation of Shaolin elders came out of seclusion, so the Imperial City Guard found nothing. When they went to investigate later, the location on the treasure map had already been emptied."

"It seems it's true!" Yi Yuchen sighed and said, "That's a real pity. I just don't know if the treasures in Shaolin Temple have been moved."

"Hehe..." The two smiled at each other, everything was understood without words.

Moreover, it would be good to take this opportunity to test Shaolin's strength, since Shaolin has been located in the north for many years, and nobody knows which side it is on.

This also determined the attitude towards Shaolin Temple should a northern expedition be launched. As for the Mingjian Manor's attempt to undermine Shaolin Temple, the old eunuch was unconcerned.

Clearly, both of them had their own plans. They exchanged a smile, showing a mutual respect. The old eunuch sat for a while before getting up to take his leave.

Soon after, news spread throughout Jiangnan that Shaolin Temple had imprisoned Zhang Junbao, secretly kept General Feilong, and intended to monopolize Yue Fei's relics.

Then the incident involving the Shaolin Treasure Map resurfaced, with mysterious forces selling the treasure map in the Jiangzhe and Lin'an areas.

This move further ignited the enthusiasm of martial arts practitioners, who rushed to buy and make rubbings of the treasure map, eager to explore it at Shaolin Temple.

The news spread so quickly that it reached all of Jiangnan almost overnight, and everyone knew about it.

Even if some people sensed something was wrong, they could only suppress their speculation in the face of the already incited martial arts practitioners.

Soon, someone stepped forward and nominated the Famous Sword Manor as the leader of the alliance, and together they went to Shaolin to demand justice.

As the voices grew louder, Mingjian Villa quickly stepped forward and announced that they would set off for Shaolin in the golden autumn of August to inquire about the matter. Before that, Mingjian Villa would post a message to Shaolin explaining the situation.

Inside the study, Yi Yuchen said to Yi Jifeng:

“Junbao’s talent is even greater than yours. He is hiding in Shaolin and has mastered Buddhist martial arts. His strength is definitely no less than yours. This is also a test for you.”

"Moreover, finding an evenly matched opponent can give you a clear understanding of your next step in your cultivation."

"Furthermore, the matter from back then has dragged on for too long. If we can take this opportunity to resolve the grudges between Shaolin and us, that would be good."

"Furthermore, if the eyes of the martial arts world are all drawn to Shaolin Temple, will the Carefree King take the opportunity to head south? I'm also very interested to know."

"Brother, are you saying that the Carefree King will take this opportunity to launch a sneak attack?" Yi Jifeng was clearly more interested in the last piece of information.

Yi Yuchen said helplessly:

“Given our relationship with Shaolin, if you are to lead everyone north, the number of guards assigned to you will be absolutely essential.”