Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

"But this way is completely blocked, oh dear..."

Watching Xu Ziling trip over himself again, Kou Zhong lay down under the shade of a tree, chewing on a blade of grass, and said, "I'm wondering if we've been practicing incorrectly!"

"Oh? What brilliant idea do you have, Master Zhong?" Xu Ziling asked, plopping down next to him.

Kou Zhong, abandoning his usual jovial demeanor, said, "Master Shi once said that transcending form and preserving spirit, using tangible methods to practice intangible methods, is the only way for superior martial arts to find their destined master. Could this footwork be the same?"

Xu Ziling was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed and said, "Young Master Zhong, you are truly a genius! But how can one practice the intangible method with the tangible method? Do we have to sit aside and stare at these footprints?"

Kou Zhong patted his bottom and said with a grin, "Sitting here is no good. We can sit up in the tree." As he spoke, he pointed to the tree trunk above his head, "What's that saying again? It's that the higher you stand, the more you can see."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Ziling had already taken action, climbing up and sitting on the tree trunk above his head. Looking down at the footprints from above, the view was indeed quite different.

"Kou Zhong, come up here quickly. It looks quite different from here."

Kou Zhong quickly climbed the tree and sat down next to him. Looking down, he saw sixty-four footprints forming a circle, and in the center of the circle, sixteen small characters seemed to be branded on the ground, penetrating straight into his heart: "Movement is unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, sometimes safe, advance and retreat are uncertain, sometimes going, sometimes returning."

"I really am a genius."

Kou Zhong groaned, then focused his attention on the first footprint Su Yuchen had left.

At this moment, the lingering effects of their defying nature were still present, and their harmony with heaven and earth had not yet completely closed. They felt that the circle had a natural beauty, and the restlessness in their hearts disappeared.

With their minds made up, the two looked at the sixty-four footprints again, and the image of the footsteps moving and turning involuntarily appeared in their minds, as if the Stone Master was under the tree, his sleeves fluttering, light and agile, like a celestial being walking on clouds.

After a long while, Xu Ziling leaped down, stepping onto the first footprint. He then moved with incredible speed, swaying and leaping across more than a dozen footprints in an instant. Just as the footprints reversed, Xu Ziling seemed to be moving backward, his movements fluid and agile. He quickly circled back to the starting point.

The two stood under the tree, one sitting on it, and their eyes met, revealing a look of delight. Sure enough, the essence of this footwork lay in those sixteen characters.

………………

Not long after leaving the woods, Su Yuchen followed a path and finally found a market town before sunset. After asking around, he learned that he had arrived near Danyang.

"Sir, if you walk more than ten miles west from here, you'll reach the city of Danyang. If you walk quickly, you can enter the city before dark. If you want to go to Yangzhou, you can take a boat from there."

Su Yuchen took out a silver ingot to thank the shopkeeper who had given him directions, and then headed towards Danyang. The soldiers guarding the city could tell from his clothes and appearance that he was not an ordinary person, so they did not stop him, and he was finally allowed to enter the city before the gates closed.

Danyang is located upstream of Yangzhou and is a vital passage from the inland to Yangzhou and overseas. The city is crisscrossed by waterways and dotted with arched stone bridges. People live by the water, building houses along the river, creating a dense and orderly landscape that truly makes it a water town in the Jiangnan region.

As Su Yuchen stepped into the main street, he saw that every shop along the street had already hung lanterns, illuminating the stone-paved path. The arched bridge was bustling with people, including scholars, merchants, and vendors, and small boats were constantly passing by on the river.

Su Yuchen glanced around and went straight into the largest restaurant, 'Danyang Restaurant'.

Stepping up to the second floor, most of the dozen or so tables were already occupied. At one of the tables sat a handsome young man dressed in fine clothes. He looked slightly surprised when he saw Su Yuchen, clearly recognizing him.

Su Yuchen glanced at it but had no recollection of it, clearly indicating that the original owner of this body did not take this person seriously in her memories.

Su Yuchen didn't bother to read the narration in his mind. He immediately chose a table by the window facing the street and sat down, where he could enjoy a panoramic view of the night scene of the water city.

"The people of the world are suffering greatly, while the scenery of Jiangnan is boundless. I wonder how long this scene can last under the threat of war."

Looking at the view downstairs, Su Yuchen shook his head slightly. Thinking of the Demonic Sect and Cihang Jingzhai, who stirred up trouble in this world, his disgust intensified.

As soon as the thought arose, the primordial spirit spontaneously reflected and reacted to the outside world. The temperature in the restaurant and within a few miles suddenly dropped, and everyone felt a chill inexplicably, as if they were standing in the dead of winter. Some even turned pale and experienced various physical discomforts.

Just then, a cry of alarm came from downstairs, as someone had fallen into the water. Su Yuchen's manifested primordial spirit stirred, quickly concealing its power. He knew that he already disliked and hated Cihang Jingzhai, and his primordial spirit was the best reflection of his own emotions.

"Very well. Soon I will also be traveling the world. Cihang Jingzhai seems to want to hold the imperial selection in Luoyang? I'd like to go and see."

At this moment, the young man at the next table looked at Su Yuchen with suspicion, as if to confirm something, and then quietly got up and left.

After spending the night there, Su Yuchen left the city gates and arrived at the riverside dock the next day, intending to take a small boat back to Yangzhou. Unexpectedly, the dock was bustling with people, countless boats were docked, and merchants were coming and going in an endless stream.

Su Yuchen simply used the "Heavenly Vision and Earthly Hearing" technique, and countless pieces of information naturally converged into his ears.

Only then did they learn that it was Li Zitong and Du Fuwei who had defeated the Sui army on the Huai River, and now their forces were advancing directly towards Liyang, with waterway transportation already on the verge of being cut off. These merchants could only halt their journey to Danyang to observe the situation, or return to Yangzhou, daring not to venture further west.

At this moment, there was much discussion on the dock, clearly sensing the impending war. Su Yuchen shook his head and was about to turn around to find a merchant ship to return to Yangzhou when he heard someone nearby say, "Greetings, Senior Shi. Are you returning to Yangzhou?"

Su Yuchen turned his head and looked to his left, about three meters away, where he saw the young man from upstairs last night. He was elegant and had an extraordinary air about him. His eyes were gentle and not arrogant, clearly showing that he was well-mannered.

Standing next to the young man was a middle-aged man with a full head of white hair and a silver-white beard. Just by standing there, he exuded an air of great stature, and his demeanor was humble and gentle, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

The two stood out like cranes among chickens in the crowd, and people passing by spontaneously avoided them.

Despite Su Yuchen's indifferent gaze, the young man remained composed and bowed, saying, "I am Song Shidao, and I greet Senior Shi. If Senior Shi wishes to return to Yangzhou, I can arrange a small boat to escort you."

The middle-aged man standing beside him looked at Su Yuchen with surprise and doubt, and then bowed and said, "I am Song Lu, and I greet Brother Shi. It has been many years since we last met, and Brother Shi has become even more unfathomable."

Su Yuchen nodded calmly: "So you're from the Song Clan. Do Li Zitong and Du Fuwei really dare to intercept Song Clan merchant ships?"

Chapter 348 The Intent of the Knife Remains on the Paper

Song Lu chuckled and said, "Even the clan head has some reputation, and Li Zitong and Du Fuwei will have to give the Song family some face. This isn't the place to talk, Brother Shi, why don't we go aboard the boat for a chat?"

Su Yuchen nodded and followed the two to the riverbank, where they saw four large ships docked in the center of the pier, which were the Song family's merchant ships.

The three entered the cabin and sat down, where a banquet had already been set out. It was simple yet not shabby, grand yet not extravagant, and everything was done just right, making a good impression at first glance.

Even with Su Yuchen's discerning eye, he couldn't help but feel a great liking for Song Shidao.

There were only three people in the cabin at this time. Song Lu smiled and said, "I heard that Brother Shi has been enjoying his life in Yangzhou and rarely goes out. I didn't expect to meet you in Danyang. If the clan leader is here, he will be extremely happy."

[Any true master possesses an inner strength that is restrained, and whose eyes gleam with divine light. But you appear to be an ordinary person, seemingly completely ignorant of martial arts. Your demeanor and appearance are similar to Song Que's, and Song Lu intends to test you.]

Su Yuchen shook his head: "The Song Clan Chief is known as the number one swordsman in the world today. I have never been able to see the Heavenly Blade Sword Technique he created, which is a real pity. I wonder which level he is at now, 'having nothing but the sword' or 'having the sword and then forgetting the sword'?"

Song Lu's eyes narrowed, and he couldn't help but say...

"The clan leader's martial arts skills are beyond my comprehension. But Brother Shi's ability to say such things indicates that his martial arts level is already on par with the clan leader's."

"It's unbelievable that everyone in the world has underestimated Brother Shi. Brother Shi's martial arts have improved so rapidly that he can now be ranked among the top in the world."

Su Yuchen sighed and said...

"The Heavenly Blade Technique emphasizes the unity of mind and intention, where intention leads to hand, progressing from the realm of rules to the realm of no rules, and from no rules to the realm of rules. The four techniques of mind, body, qi, and blade are integrated into one. With each strike, the whole body follows, and mind and intention are united."

"Brother Song claims ignorance, but I fear that Clan Leader Song is not far from the realm of sword intent where one forgets the sword and becomes one with the sword. At the very least, he is at the stage of entering the realm of no method with method."

"What a pity, what a pity. Such swordsmanship is something I will never be able to witness."

Upon hearing this, Song Lu could only chuckle and say, "If Brother Shi is interested, he may travel to Lingnan. If the clan leader knew of Brother Shi's words today, he would be overjoyed."

Su Yuchen said calmly, "But now is not the time."

He didn't explain why it wasn't the right time or when it would be, but instead looked at Song Shidao and said, "Please lend me your pen and ink."

Song Shidao listened to his evaluation of his father without saying a word, neither mocking nor flattering him. His good upbringing made Su Yuchen feel even more favorably toward him.

Upon hearing Su Yuchen's request, he didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he personally went to fetch a set of writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Su Yuchen stood before the unfolded paper and ink, flanked by Song Lu and Song Shidao. In their eyes, Su Yuchen (Shi Long) simply picked up a wolf-hair brush and made a stroke on the paper, creating a powerful 'l'-shaped vertical line that seemed to penetrate the paper's back.

[You left the knife on the paper, helping Song Que to step into the realm of martial arts grandmaster one step ahead of time.]

[Song Que's strength has greatly increased because of you, prompting him to further solidify his determination to unify the north from the south.]

Upon seeing the narration, Su Yuchen was slightly taken aback. He put the pen back in its place, examined it for a moment, and then gestured for Song Shidao to look at it.

At first, the two didn't think much of it as he casually put down the wolf-hair brush. But when they focused their attention on the vertical stroke, a blade of light seemed to appear before their eyes, a light that blotted out the sky and filled the heavens and earth, shattering everything in its path. After just one glance, a wisp of light drifted down from the blade of light, and everything went black before their eyes, as if their consciousness had been shattered.

With a 'crack', Song Lu and Song Shidao were forced back. As they exerted their strength, several holes were stomped into the cabin beneath their feet. They took seven steps back before stopping, by which time they were covered in cold sweat, their backs soaked with perspiration.

"Please deliver this sword to your esteemed clan leader. I look forward to the day I meet him. As for this sword, young friend Song, you may wish to observe it occasionally; it will greatly benefit your cultivation of the Heavenly Blade."

"I have had my fill today, so I will not linger any longer. I hope we will meet again someday."

After saying that, Su Yuchen had disappeared.

Song Lu and Song Shidao looked at each other in bewilderment, not even knowing how the other person had left.

"Rumor has it that after obtaining the 'Longevity Manual,' Shi Long has remained secluded, devoting himself to its study. Originally, no one paid any attention, but today, seeing that his martial arts have reached such an unfathomable level, could it be that he has truly deciphered the secret of the 'Longevity Manual'?" Song Lu asked absentmindedly.

Looking at the Xuan paper on the table, Song Shidao said, "No matter what, we don't need to continue westward. It's important to return to Lingnan Mountain City immediately and deliver this to the Sharpening Hall."

Song Lu nodded: "With such a figure appearing in Yangzhou, the powers of the world will have to rethink their attitude towards Yangzhou."

As he spoke, he reached for the Xuan paper on the table. With a forceful pull, he exclaimed in surprise, for the Xuan paper seemed to be nailed to the table and remained unmoved!

Song Lu and Song Shidao exchanged a glance, and immediately saw Song Lu circulating his true energy, going from being cautious at the beginning to going all out, his hair and beard standing on end. However, no matter how he circulated his energy, the Xuan paper did not move at all, as if it had become one with the table.

The two looked at each other, both feeling a sense of astonishment at this unpredictable and mysterious method.

"I'm afraid another name will be engraved in the Sharpening Hall. I'll give the order immediately to sell off the goods and set off back to Lingnan," Song Lu said.

Upon hearing this, Song Shidao nodded and watched Song Lu leave in a hurry. He then approached the table and carefully examined the scratches on the paper. As his fingers traced the marks, he inadvertently activated the "Eight Techniques of Heavenly Blade." The next second, the light of the blade reappeared before his eyes.

Unlike before, the sword light that stretched across the sky and earth did not waver. Only one wisp of sword light swayed and fell down, sometimes slow and sometimes fast, and instantly arrived in front of Song Shidao. He couldn't help but activate the Eight Heavenly Sword Techniques, using his palm as a sword, and instantly slashed out ten times. The sword shadows were light, agile, and exquisite.

However, that wisp of blade light drifted aimlessly, intentionally or unintentionally avoiding the numerous blade shadows, and the next second it landed on his neck. Song Shidao's vision went black, and when he regained consciousness, he was already standing in front of the table.

As he gasped for breath, he subconsciously touched his neck and felt a chill run straight to his heart, as if he had really been beheaded.

When he came to his senses and wanted to look again, he found that his previous method had stopped working. He tried to activate the Eight Heavenly Blade Techniques, but instead of activating the blade intent on the paper, he was pushed backward by a strong force.

Recalling what Shi Long (Su Yuchen) said before leaving, it was clear that he did not have the conditions to comprehend the sword intent at all, and could only 'observe' it occasionally.

After that, Song Shidao moved the table into his cabin and tested it every day until he finally understood the condition: he could only use the Eight Heavenly Blade Techniques to activate his sword intent once every five days.

Although Song Shidao was originally quite talented, Song Que once commented that he was not qualified to cultivate the Heavenly Blade Nine Questions Blade Technique that he created. Therefore, he passed on the Heavenly Blade Eight Secrets based on the 'Narcissus Blade'.

Now, he often observes the wisp of sword light that falls down, and the trajectory contained within it makes Song Shidao feel as if he is facing his father personally teaching him swordsmanship every day. The Eight Secrets of the Heavenly Sword are improving at an incredible speed.

Three days later, Song Lu sold off all his goods at extremely low prices and immediately set off back to Lingnan.

On this day, Song Shidao and Song Lu tested their swordsmanship. Just as Song Lu began to unleash his "Silver Dragon Crutch Technique," Song Shidao used his hand as a sword and instantly unleashed ten strikes, the sword energy blocking Song Lu's subsequent moves from all directions.

Before Song Lu could change his move, Song Shidao's hand strike changed again, passing through layers of staff shadows and lightly tapping Song Lu's chest.

"Good good!"

Shocked, Song Lu's eyes gleamed with admiration: "Your martial arts skills now are completely different from what they were twenty-five days ago. In the mountain city, only the clan leader can surpass you."

Song Shidao shook his head: "Uncle Lu, there's no need to praise me. My martial arts skills are far inferior to those of my father and Mr. Shi. Even now, I can't withstand a single glint of a blade."

As we spoke, the location of the Lingnan mountain city could already be seen in the distance.

Chapter 349 The Duel of Two Swords 1

After leaving the Song warship, Su Yuchen quickly boarded a passenger ship returning to Yangzhou. Along the way, he saw many people migrating south along the riverbank with their families. Seeing the suffering of the people, Su Yuchen felt helpless, unless he could end the chaos.

When the ship reached Yangzhou, news came that Du Fuwei's army had captured Liyang. At this time, a large number of refugees had gathered in Yangzhou, and Yuchi Sheng had ordered Yangzhou to enter a state of war.

Seeing that the area outside the city was no longer safe to live in, with refugees wandering everywhere, thugs and thieves running rampant, and bandits roaming the streets, Su Yuchen lost all interest in returning to the manor.

Shilong Dojo.

Jiang Wenzheng has already organized his many fellow disciples to practice martial arts every day without fail, waiting for the right opportunity.

Su Yuchen quietly returned to the dojo to oversee operations and taught martial arts to a few of his personal disciples, without alerting anyone.

After checking the three's cultivation progress, Su Yuchen was fairly satisfied...

"Not bad. Wenzheng and Haibin's Dragon Subduing Palm has reached a certain level. I will pass on the subsequent moves and techniques to you."

“Zhiruo suffered quite a bit from practicing this palm technique. It is a powerful palm technique, and women are naturally weak, so it is not suitable for them to practice this martial art.”

"I was busy before and came and went in a hurry. I neglected this point. Today I will teach you martial arts again. Come to my study tomorrow and I will give you my instructions."

After dismissing the other two, Su Yuchen kept Jiang Wenzheng behind and praised him, "You did well and didn't act rashly. Before I came back, I was worried that you would rush into trouble and become the first to stick your neck out. I am very pleased that you were able to be patient and responsible for your fellow disciples."

Jiang Wenzheng cupped his hands and said, "The government troops in the city are powerful now, and they won't cause chaos unless absolutely necessary. Yuchi Sheng is capable. The best time for me to make my move is when the people in the city are in a state of panic."

Su Yuchen waved his hand and said, "I'm not an expert in these matters. You just need to have your own plans. But can you be sure the Jiang family will support you?"

Jiang Wenzheng shook his head, then nodded and said, "I am still trying to persuade my father and my elder brother. That is why I have not acted rashly."

Su Yuchen said calmly...

"Family can be an asset or a liability. Since you are not the eldest son, it will be difficult for you to gain support."

"Even if you gain their support, the real power will still be in the hands of your father and brother. If you are not willing to be a stepping stone for them and cause your father and brothers to turn against each other, you should make plans early."

Jiang Wenzheng smiled bitterly and said, "Disciple understands, but at present, disciple does not have capable people. I can only rely on my fellow disciples to consolidate military power first, and then slowly make plans."

[Without capable advisors and lacking in strategic planning, it is difficult to achieve great things; however, without the right opportunity, one could become the governor of a prefecture.]

Upon seeing the narrator's assessment, Su Yuchen fell silent for a moment: "If that's the case, you'd better have made it clear to the other disciples from the very beginning. If I find out one day that you deceived your fellow disciples, I will surely kill you with my own hands. Do you understand?"

Jiang Wenzheng's expression turned solemn, and he raised his hand to swear that he would never disregard the lives of his fellow disciples. Only then did Su Yuchen let him leave.

The next morning, in the study.

Su Yuchen handed one completed manuscript to Jiang Wenzheng and another to Yang Zhiruo...