Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

"As for the Bamboo Flower Gang and those hidden demonic forces, they are not worth worrying about. In the face of the overwhelming trend, everything will crumble."

By the end, he was gritting his teeth, clearly having thought about it for a long time.

Seeing this, Su Yuchen didn't say anything more: "It's good that you have a plan. Today, I will teach you the last few moves of the Dragon Subduing Palm. How much you can learn depends entirely on your comprehension."

As they spoke, the two went to the training ground, where Su Yuchen taught him the second move of the Dragon Subduing Palm, "Flying Dragon in the Sky," the third move, "Dragon Appearing in the Field," and all the way up to the fifth move, "Hidden Dragon, Do Not Use."

Jiang Wenzheng was no pushover either; he had clearly studied the *I Ching* diligently. He understood many of the principles Su Yuchen mentioned as soon as he spoke, making it much easier for Su Yuchen to explain. With one teaching attentively and the other learning earnestly, Jiang Wenzheng had already mastered the fifth movement in just one afternoon.

Chapter 340 First Encounter with the Protagonist

A moment later, there was a commotion outside. Jiang Wenzheng, who was concentrating on practicing martial arts, looked grim: "Master, please wait a moment. This disciple will go out and take a look."

Before he could leave, Lei Haibin, Yang Zhiruo, and the others hurried in. After a few words, Su Yuchen understood the whole story.

It turns out that Yuwen Huaji hadn't even left the city when, for some unknown reason, he and Yuchi Sheng were outside the governor's mansion when someone used the "Hidden Hands" technique to steal something from them. Now, the four gates of Yangzhou are closed, and the soldiers are arresting all petty thieves.

After they finished speaking, not only Su Yuchen, but the others themselves were also filled with disbelief. Yuwen Huaji, a master of the Yuwen clan, had actually been stolen by a thief—it was utterly absurd, yet that's exactly what happened.

[You used the Xuanbing Force to injure Yuwen Huaji twice, damaging his meridians and leaving him with a frozen sensation in his limbs and sluggish reactions, which allowed someone to steal the "Longevity Manual".]

[Later, he was discovered by Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were strolling around the city. The two men, seeing the money, stole the "Longevity Manual" from the thief's arms.]

Seeing the narration, Su Yuchen couldn't help but sigh that the Chosen Ones of Heaven truly had destiny by their side. They were able to find opportunities even in this situation, and it had to be said that the "Longevity Manual" was destined for them.

"That's fine. Now I'll see what their version of the Longevity Mantra looks like."

Thinking of this, Su Yuchen asked, "Have the locations of those two beggars been confirmed?"

Lei Haibin nodded and said, "It's confirmed. It's three streets east of the martial arts school. There's an abandoned manor there. It originally belonged to the Zhang family in the city, but after the Zhang family moved north, it gradually fell into disrepair."

Su Yuchen silently disappeared, his voice carrying from afar: "The city is in chaos right now, so do not wander around recklessly. Guard the martial arts school."

………………

In the abandoned manor outside the three streets of Shilong Daocheng, many buildings have been in disrepair for years. Exposed to wind, sun, frost and rain, they have long been dilapidated, with ruins everywhere.

The manor was overgrown with weeds, with tall grasses everywhere, making it appear even more desolate and dilapidated.

This once desolate and dilapidated garden was now bustling with activity. Dozens of burly men in tight-fitting clothes ran back and forth, smashing and banging things wherever they went, raising clouds of dust over the already ruined estate.

A dilapidated house within the manor, which was still relatively intact, was pushed aside by these burly men with a few forceful pushes. With a few loud 'booms,' the walls collapsed outwards on all four sides, turning the house into complete ruins. The men searched and scavenged everywhere. After a long while, the leader among them shook his head at the manor's leader, who was standing motionless inside, clearly having found nothing.

At the leader's feet lay a man, his face bruised and swollen, looking utterly wretched. The leader lowered his head, and the man trembled, clearly terrified.

Su Yuchen stood in the weeds not far from these people, his entire body seemingly empty, blending harmoniously with the surrounding environment, like a non-existent cloud. These burly men, however, seemed oblivious to him, as if they were completely unaware.

These burly men moved with perfect uniformity and discipline; their coordinated actions and mutual cover clearly indicated they were all soldiers. Now, standing quietly to the side, forming a defensive triangle, they were obviously accustomed to this routine.

With a sweep of his primordial spirit, he saw that the aura of each person in the manor was different, and it was all revealed in his primordial spirit, leaving no room for escape. Su Yuchen smiled slightly and looked at a pile of ruins not far away, where two auras shone like torches, no weaker than those of the burly men.

You've spotted Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling.

Su Yuchen glanced at him and then ignored him, turning to look at the leader. The system narration introduced...

You met Zhang Shihe.

You met Yan Kuan (Boss Yan)

"If you don't tell the truth, beat them to death!" Zhang Shihe, the leader, shouted. His voice wasn't loud, but it was extremely cold.

"No... ah... no... stop hitting me, I'm telling the truth." Before the lying-down Yan Laoda could react, a burly man grabbed one of his legs and dragged him aside like he was a dead dog. Several people surrounded him and punched and kicked him, leaving only screams of agony.

A moment later, Yan Kuan could only let out a series of low groans: "I'll talk, I'll talk!!! Give me another chance, and I'll definitely find those two bastards."

"Tell me, where are those two petty thieves?" Zhang Shihe asked menacingly.

Yan Kuan, who was lying down, trembled and hurriedly said, "Those two little rascals often go to Shilong Martial Arts School to steal martial arts skills. They're not here, so they must have gone to the back door of Shilong Martial Arts School again. I can guarantee it, it's absolutely true."

"Shilong Martial Arts School!"

Zhang Shihe frowned, his expression hesitant, clearly having reservations. He sized up Yan Laoda for a moment, then suddenly asked, "You're not deliberately trying to deceive me, are you?"

Boss Yan hurriedly got up and begged for mercy, saying, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! How could I dare to lie to you? Those two boys really do like to steal martial arts skills. Any one of my men can find out about this."

"Damn it!" Zhang Shihe cursed. "This is troublesome. Let's go back and ask the general for advice."

After saying this, Zhang Shihe waved his hand, and two burly men casually picked up Yan Kuan, and the group hurriedly left.

A moment later, a patch of ground quietly rose up beside the ruins, and two figures crawled out in a disheveled state; it was a pit that had been dug in advance.

You encountered the chosen ones, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling.

Su Yuchen looked at them and saw that although they were both dirty, they each had their own unique temperament; one had thick eyebrows and big eyes, with a hint of wildness and domineering aura; the other had delicate features and a peaceful temperament, with a calm and composed demeanor.

"My goodness! I thought he was a real man, but I didn't expect him to be like a dead dog in front of those people, so smug." The boy with thick eyebrows and big eyes sighed as he spoke.

Another calm-looking young man frowned and said, "Kou Zhong, don't complain. It's just Boss Yan who could beat us to a pulp. But he was all humble and obsequious in front of those others. Why are those people targeting us?"

Kou Zhong's eyebrows twitched, and he said, "Perhaps someone has lost something, and Boss Yan has been conscripted to search for the thief."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two of them suddenly shuddered, looked at each other, and stared at each other for a moment. Kou Zhong then took out a roll of dark gold cloth from his pocket: "Could it be... that they are looking for this?"

Xu Ziling's face turned ugly, and he exclaimed, "Otherwise, why would Boss Yan bring them here? It's just the two of us who have shelter here."

"Ha!" Kou Zhong slumped down, muttering to himself, "This is really troublesome. Those people are ruthless. If they catch us, we're doomed."

Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed the cloth and began to examine it. Xu Ziling said disapprovingly, "Instead of hurrying to escape, you have the leisure to look at this scribbled mess? Do you even recognize what it says?"

Kou Zhong waved the cloth in his hand, beaming, "Xiao Ling, you don't understand. Think about it, something that those nobles care about so much, how could it be simple? This thing might just be a martial arts manual, something that can help us become masters. Look at these human figures, aren't they the legendary meridian circulation diagrams?"

Kou Zhong became increasingly convinced of its possibility as he spoke, examining the cloth closely. Xu Ziling snatched the cloth, glanced at it with interest, and then tossed it back to Kou Zhong, who hurriedly caught it and examined it carefully.

"Even if it really is some kind of martial arts manual, can you understand these scribbles? I've heard that internal energy cultivation methods require both text and illustrations to practice. I wonder how much of it you've understood, Young Master Zhong?" Xu Ziling said casually from the side.

Chapter 341 An Encounter Outside the City

Kou Zhong rolled up the cloth and put it back in his pocket, saying confidently...

"Martial arts manuals are written down to be seen by others, aren't they? We may not know them, but someone else will. The most urgent thing is to escape Yangzhou City first, so that those people won't come looking for us again."

"The world is so big, there must be some learned people who can understand these strange symbols. Let's take them apart, ask someone, and then compare them ourselves, and we'll understand them!"

Xu Ziling readily agreed, "That makes sense! Kou Zhong, you really have a good idea."

Kou Zhong put his arm around his shoulder and laughed, "That's for sure. I'm going to be a great general. How can I command troops if I'm not smart?"

"To become a great general, we must first escape with our lives." With that, Xu Ziling jumped back into the cave, then climbed back up holding a money bag. "Let's escape first, General."

Kou Zhong chuckled and pulled him along. The two hurriedly left the abandoned garden and turned into a side alley, heading towards the city wall.

Watching the two figures' distinct auras disappear into the distance, Su Yuchen calmly followed them.

………………

The General Administration Office of Yangzhou.

After listening to Yan Laoda's account, Yuwen Huaji's face darkened, and even Yuchi Sheng, who was always confident and resourceful, looked serious.

"Is Shi Long's martial arts really as powerful as you say?" Yu Chisheng couldn't help but ask.

Yuwen Huaji recalled their encounter that day and Shi Long's cold, icy gaze, and his face darkened: "I guarantee that even if the rogue Ning Daoqi were to make a move, he might not be able to defeat him. His martial arts, even if he is not a grandmaster, would not be too far off."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chisheng nodded solemnly, then exhaled and said, "I've seen him a few times in Yangzhou, but I didn't expect him to be so well hidden. Could this cause us some trouble?"

Yuwen Huaji shook his head, signaling Zhang Shihe to take Yan Laoda away, before saying, "I can see that he is a worldly person who doesn't care about worldly affairs at all. He does everything according to his heart, and in his eyes, people are more like ants, whom he would never give a second glance."

"Heh!" Yu Chisheng sneered, then said, "So what do we do now? Should we search the Shilong Dojo?"

Yuwen Huaji shook his head...

"No need. We can't give him an excuse to attack. I guarantee that next time he does, he won't hold back. We won't even have a chance to escape."

"There's been such a commotion in the city today. Those two thugs are probably already in hiding. As long as they can't leave the city, we'll find them eventually."

"Alas! If it weren't for the fact that the 'Longevity Manual' is indestructible by fire and impervious to water, I wouldn't have gone through all this trouble. I could have just made a copy for that tyrannical emperor."

Yu Chisheng paused and said, "In Yangzhou, when it comes to finding someone, besides the government, the Bamboo Flower Gang has the best information network. These people come from all walks of life. I will give the order to search carefully."

While Yuwen Huaji and Yuchi Sheng were still pondering a solution, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had already quietly arrived at a patch of weeds outside the east gate of Yangzhou.

Xu Ziling was in charge of keeping watch, while Kou Zhong covered his mouth and nose, parted the weeds to reveal a tunnel, and complained, "Why did I have to clear this stinking ditch instead of you, Xiaoling?"

While observing his surroundings, Xu Ziling casually replied, "What's the difference? We're going to have to crawl inside anyway, and we'll all stink anyway."

"And Kou Zhong, don't complain. With this stench, even the hunting dogs in the city will avoid us. Wouldn't that make us safer?"

“That makes sense! Xiaoling, you’re so meticulous. Hey! We can go now, or we’ll either get caught by those people or rot here.” Kou Zhong complained, then climbed into the culvert first.

Xu Ziling jumped in after him, covered the entrance with weeds, and the two of them made their way through the underground towards the outside of the city.

Su Yuchen stood not far from where the two had disappeared. Then, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped dozens of feet into the air. Ignoring the exclamations of the city guards, he jumped over the towering city wall. The aura of the two people in his primordial spirit was like a guiding light. He flew freely through the air like a dragon and headed towards the distant mountains and forests.

………………

In the mountains and forests eight or nine miles east of Yangzhou city, there is a stream that flows into the Yangtze River.

At this moment, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stripped naked and immersed themselves in the water to wash themselves thoroughly before starting to play around.

"Ha! No matter how cunning those people are, they're still being played like fools by the Twin Dragons of Yangzhou. Once we've settled things, we'll go and join the righteous army!" Kou Zhong roared, his voice carrying far into the mountains and forests.

"With this little silver, will we be able to find Peng Xiaocai's rebel army?" Xu Ziling asked pessimistically.

Kou Zhong sighed and said, "Peng Xiaocai is no good. I heard he has been dealt with by the government troops. I heard that the most powerful person now is Li Zitong. He has many fierce generals and soldiers under his command. It would be more reliable to join him."

Seeing Xu Ziling's disbelieving frown, Kou Zhong said awkwardly, "I wouldn't lie to you. These rebel armies are just a mess, so I definitely need to choose the one with the biggest power and the most reliable one."

"Pfft..."

A cold laugh came from behind them, startling the two, who immediately turned to look at the shore.

Then they saw a woman in white wearing a bamboo hat standing on the shore, holding a strangely styled long sword in her hand, looking at the two of them with a half-smile.

The two immediately let out a strange cry and subconsciously dived deeper into the water. Xu Ziling said, "Don't look at what you shouldn't see. How could you... how could you watch us bathing naked?"

Kou Zhong was very good at reading people's expressions. He could tell at a glance that this woman was not someone to be trifled with; she was clearly more difficult to deal with than the tigresses in the wealthy families of the city.

He immediately squatted down in the water, tugged at Xu Ziling with one hand, signaling him to quietly and slowly retreat towards the opposite bank. He then said, "Could this lady turn around so that my brother and I can put on our clothes?"

Xu Ziling glanced at Kou Zhong, gesturing for him to look towards the shore. Kou Zhong glanced over discreetly, then felt a pang of bitterness. Their clothes and the roll of cloth were nearby, and they had nowhere to escape.

The woman had seen through their little scheme, then turned to look at the cloth spread out on the nearby rock and said, "You two cunning brats, are you trying to run to the other side? What's this?"

Kou Zhong smiled obsequiously and said, "Those are the books of sages that we borrowed from Master Tian! What do you need us for, elder sister? Kou Zhong will do anything to help you, even at the cost of his life."

The woman's lips curled into a cold smile. She flicked her wrist, and two gusts of wind struck the two men on the forehead with a whoosh. She then said, "Both of you, come up here. Trying to escape? I'll break your legs."

"Master Shi!"

The two exclaimed simultaneously, interrupting the woman in white, and stared at the woman beside her in disbelief.

The woman sneered, "You two brats, trying to fool people? You're asking for a beating. Do you want me to give you a taste of your own medicine?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a voice from the side said, "Are you Fu Cailin's disciple?"

Chapter 342 Guidance by the Stream 1

"Are you Fu Cailin's disciple?"

As soon as the sound rang out, the woman in white suddenly leaped up, gripped the hilt of her sword, and without even looking, thrust her sword down towards her side.

Dozens of sword energies moved with the speed of shooting stars and the swiftness of lightning, splitting into twelve swords that enveloped Su Yuchen's chest, arms, and head. The sword energies were incomparably sharp, and a chill naturally arose from them, causing Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling to tremble and their teeth to chatter. Even so, the two men kept their eyes bright, staring intently at the longswords, unwilling to miss them.

Only then did a powerful burst of energy emerge, blowing the clothes of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were beside Su Yuchen, away into the distance.

Facing this sword strike, Su Yuchen didn't even glance at it or raise his head. He gathered the "Longevity Manual" that the two of them had spread out on the rock into his hand before straightening up.

As Su Yuchen straightened up from his bent-over position, the woman in white felt that the figure shrouded in sword energy became empty and hollow; if not for what she could see, it seemed as if there was nothing there at all.

This stark contrast threw her into disarray, leaving her unsure whether to trust her eyes or her intuition. In this chaotic state, the sword energy, like a rootless duckweed, instantly backfired and injured her.

The woman in white let out a muffled groan, and in that instant, her scalp tingled, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. She immediately spread her sleeves in mid-air and soared backward like a large bird.

Before the woman could retreat, Su Yuchen stretched out his right hand. Although it looked incredibly slow, it was actually extremely fast. His fingers flicked lightly, and with a 'thud,' the woman's sword tip was struck.

The sound reached the woman's ears like a booming bell or a thunderous drum, making her eardrums resound. Her fingers tore open, and she could no longer hold the longsword, which fell to the ground with a 'thud'.

After landing, the woman stumbled back three steps, her right arm trembling uncontrollably. She looked at Su Yuchen and coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining her straw hat red.

"There are still masters like you in the Central Plains martial arts world? Who are you?" The woman lifted her bamboo hat and casually threw it into the stream, staining a patch of water red before it quickly faded away.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stared blankly at this scene, their minds racing with countless thoughts. They simply couldn't understand it: the woman's swordplay looked incredibly elegant, yet she was defeated inexplicably; while 'Master Shi' did nothing, merely flicking his finger, and the woman was already spitting blood and abandoning her sword.