Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Kou Zhong said with distress, "But we can't maintain that state of mind all the time. It's always better to be careful. And who knows how many evil martial arts like this exist in the martial world? I don't want the Yangzhou Twin Dragons to turn into Yangzhou Snake Soup."

Xu Ziling sighed, "Then we can only constantly remind ourselves to maintain that mindset when we encounter an opponent."

Kou Zhong patted him on the shoulder and said, "Good brother, it's all up to you now."

Xu Ziling couldn't help but laugh and scold, "You'd better pay attention, I don't want any day next year to become your death anniversary."

Chapter 358 The Unreasonable Choice of the Chosen One

Just as Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were joking around, Su Yuchen's right hand had already left Shi Qingxuan's brow, and he channeled his energy through his fingers, sending golden-red energy energies towards her acupoints.

"Its aura is pure Yang, brimming with vitality. Is this the Pure Yang Limitless Skill?" Kou Zhong asked curiously.

Xu Ziling nodded and said, "That should be it." As he spoke, he glanced at Kou Zhong, and the two exchanged a knowing look.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stared intently at the changes in Su Yuchen's fingertips, their minds entering the 'Moon in the Well' state they had comprehended. Their thoughts became free of desire and wants, like clear water in a well, and everything around them became quiet and peaceful.

Even the energy emanating from Su Yuchen's fingertips slowed down, stirring the calm states of mind of the two, as if transforming into ripples. The speed, angle, and force of the changes in his fingers were reflected in their tranquil hearts, which were like a still well. The two watched with great interest, having discerned the variations in this finger technique.

Su Yuchen's fingertips trembled slightly, yet the force of his energy varied greatly, sometimes as swift as wind and fire, sometimes as fast as thunder and lightning, sometimes as gentle as flowing water, and sometimes as still as a virgin; the changes in his energy were complex, sometimes carrying a sense of elegance and agility, and sometimes being fierce and swift. The two of them also grasped these various changes in his energy.

Countless thoughts flashed through Xu Ziling's mind. His eyes grew brighter and brighter. He vaguely grasped the pure Yang essence within them. The changes in his moves were no longer confined to finger techniques. Many of the changes were also consistent with sword techniques.

Kou Zhong's eyes gleamed with a strange light. He felt that many of the changes in his qi were quite in line with his own character, and that the rapid changes in qi could also be applied to his swordsmanship.

Both men simultaneously recalled the duel between Ouyang Xiyi and Ba Feng Han, and finger techniques, sword techniques, and saber techniques flashed through their minds. Being self-taught, neither of them understood their current state.

While Su Yuchen used his energy to help Shi Qingxuan refine her mind, he glanced at the two men with a slight smile. At that moment, the two thugs simultaneously grasped the changes in their mental state and true energy, utilizing their essence, energy, and spirit to the fullest extent.

At this moment, the "Longevity Manual" that the two had haphazardly practiced suddenly revealed an astonishing anomaly, uncovering the treasures that the Longevity Manual had already unlocked within them.

Su Yuchen, who had originally intended to stop, changed his fingertips again. Streams of pure yang energy flowed along the acupoints and meridians, constantly changing the flow of qi and blood, helping Shi Qingxuan to cleanse her marrow and re-stimulate her human potential.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling seemed to have returned to the state they were in when they were cultivating the "Longevity Technique". Their expressions were blank but clear and calm. Various thoughts collided in their minds like sparks, like a greedy, arid desert absorbing its essence.

At a certain moment, their fingertips stopped moving, and the two of them paused, as if two gluttons had lost a delicious meal, feeling a sense of loss.

Coming to their senses, both of them grasped the strange changes within themselves. A mere quarter of an hour had felt like many days of hard work and struggle in the martial world. They had comprehended the fusion and transformation of their inner energy and techniques, benefiting immensely—enough to change their entire lives.

………………

When Shi Qingxuan woke up, she first noticed the abnormality in herself. Her whole body felt warm as if she were soaking in a hot spring. The weakness from the loss of her true energy had disappeared, and she was instead filled with an indescribable sense of ease.

Given her background and experience, how could she not understand that this was the effect of being cleansed by the I Ching? A sense of gratitude welled up within her. It was simply because Su Yuchen had absolutely no need to do this.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling sitting to the side, their faces beaming with excitement. The two of them were talking and debating in hushed tones, their words filled with their insights from just now.

"Alright, you two can talk later. Let's leave first." Su Yuchen flicked his sleeve and stood up.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stood up immediately, both unaware of the subtle, clandestine gazes lurking in the shadows. However, these people hadn't revealed themselves, and they were confident that with Shi Shi present, no one would be foolish enough to harass them.

The three of them turned into a side alley and, led by Su Yuchen, made several turns and soon arrived at the gate of Dongping County.

The soldiers guarding the gate seemed not to see the four men at all, allowing the city gate to open a crack, and the four men left Dongping County without a sound.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were extremely curious about this miraculous change, but they also knew that Su Yuchen might not tell them. Anyway, they didn't suffer any losses. On the other hand, Shi Qingxuan had several legendary Taoist supernatural powers flashing through her mind, but she couldn't guess what they were.

Not long after leaving the city, we turned into the woods and came across a dilapidated house. Upon closer inspection, we discovered that it was a ruined temple. We didn't know which deity it was dedicated to. The statues on the altar were gone, leaving only the crumbling temple, which still provided shelter for travelers from the wind and rain.

Unfortunately, no one dared to stay here at night, because it was near Wagang, a place ravaged by war. The government soldiers were like bandits, and the rebels were undisciplined. The chances of dying were greater than the chances of surviving.

Therefore, those who can travel quickly will not be tempted by such a small advantage, since their own lives are more important.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were both very perceptive. They knew that one of these two people seemed like a celestial being, and the other was their mentor. Neither of them would do any odd jobs.

Fortunately, the two were both experienced in such matters, and they were quite efficient in their work. Under the moonlight, they quickly cleared a clean space in a corner of the dilapidated temple.

Xu Ziling circulated his true energy, mimicking Su Yuchen's finger techniques. His true energy flowed from his Yongquan acupoint, and the pure Yang energy directly ignited the weeds in front of him, setting off a campfire.

"Great! I'll never have to worry about losing my tinderbox again when I go out!" Kou Zhong cheered, feeling that his good brother was truly amazing.

"You've mastered the One-Finger Divine Skill quite well. Both of you are indeed exceptionally talented. With the added blessing of the Longevity Manual, your future is limitless." Su Yuchen rarely nodded in praise.

The four sat around the campfire. Su Yuchen looked at Shi Qingxuan and said, "In the past, Bodhidharma transmitted the Dharma through mind-to-mind transmission, thus passing down the lineage of Zen Buddhism. Although I am not as good as Bodhidharma, I am still quite experienced in transmitting thoughts through the mind. Look closely at my eyes."

Upon hearing this, the three of them simultaneously raised their heads and looked into Su Yuchen's eyes.

A phantom purple-blue lotus flower, shimmering with seven-colored light, appeared in Su Yuchen's eyes. The next second, the lotus flower expanded infinitely, blotting out the sky and the sun, and countless characters floated down from within it, drifting towards him.

Shi Qingxuan's mind was shaken. As the characters fell, a scripture called "Nine Yin Guanghan Scripture" landed in her heart and was firmly imprinted there.

As the text multiplied, becoming dense and resembling snowflakes, Shi Qingxuan's mind began to feel weary. Just as she felt she was about to collapse, a warm sensation arose throughout her body, invigorating her spirit. It was Su Yuchen's residual pure Yang energy spontaneously circulating, helping her stabilize her mind.

Meanwhile, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were trying to spy on each other, were also bombarded with a flood of information. Even with the mental enhancement of "Moon in the Well" and the replenishment of the Longevity Technique's true energy, they found it increasingly difficult to process the chaotic information.

Just as they both felt it was difficult to continue, they unconsciously clenched their hands together, unintentionally grasping each other's hands. True energy, originating from the same source yet different in yin and yang, involuntarily flowed through their palms into each other's bodies.

The different attributes of true energy, cold and hot, surged into each other's bodies, causing both of them to be invigorated. Their minds returned to a state of calm and stillness. On one hand, they allowed each other's true energy to flow through their bodies, and on the other hand, they guarded their minds and received the words that floated onto their 'clear water'-like minds.

The two had known each other since childhood, trusted each other, and shared the same true energy. Through these coincidences, they entered a state of mutual support and mutual generation for the first time.

Chapter 359 The Descent of the Lunar Essence

After a long while, the strange phenomenon in Su Yuchen's eyes dissipated. The three people diagonally opposite him, having lost their guidance, closed their eyes and began to sort out their own gains.

Looking at Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's tightly clasped hands, Su Yuchen couldn't help but sigh. These two lads were truly lucky. By sheer accident, they had entered a state of yin and yang in harmony, a state of mutual support between dragon and tiger, allowing them to persist until his primordial spirit completed its transmission of the Dharma. They had certainly gained a great advantage.

Shaking his head, Su Yuchen didn't care. To have such an opportunity was fate. He glanced distractedly at the narration in his mind…

[You taught Shi Qingxuan the "Nine Yin Manual of the Vast Cold," and her destiny began to shift.]

[The daughter of the Demonic Sect, from this day forward, her heart belongs to the Daoist Sect.]

[She dedicated her life to the Dao, and at the beginning of her cultivation, she received a gift from heaven and earth. Thereafter, using the *Nine Yin Manual of the Moon* as her foundation, and integrating other knowledge, she became the first Daoist prodigy in this world to cultivate the Moon Immortal Embryo, thereby shattering the void.]

[He passed down the Taiyin Guanghan Sect at the secluded forest cottage in the Hidden Valley, which is a branch of the Stone Dragon Dojo. He is skilled in medicine, sonic techniques, and mechanical secrets.]

You indirectly changed Kou Zhong's fate.

Kou Zhong, based on the "Longevity Manual," the "Nine Yin Manual," and the "Nine Questions of the Heavenly Blade," and integrating his own knowledge, was able to establish a solid foundation and break through to the Grandmaster realm.

After many extraordinary encounters, Kou Zhong finally glimpsed the secret of the shattered void of this realm, mastered the Ice Soul Blade Heart, and broke through the realm to leave. His successor received a copy of the "Heavenly Questions on the Ice Soul Theory," becoming one of the branches of the Stone Dragon Dojo in this realm.

You indirectly changed Xu Ziling's fate.

[With much guidance, Xu Ziling combined the fragments of the "Longevity Manual" and the "Pure Yang Limitless Skill," along with the Nine True Words Seal, to cultivate the Pure Yang Limitless Body. This allowed him to glimpse the secrets of shattering the void.]

[He authored a book called "Pure Yang Limitless Seal," which is one of the branches of the Shilong Daoist Temple.]

Seize the gifts bestowed upon you by heaven and earth, and reap the greatest rewards of this world! Young man!

Just as Su Yuchen was reviewing the narration, the primordial energy of heaven and earth, mixed with the power of the moon, formed a funnel and poured down onto Shi Qingxuan's head. It turned out that she had unintentionally aligned her mind and body with the essence of the "Nine Yin Manual," and the mental technique was operating on its own, refining the primordial energy for her own use.

As she practiced her cultivation, the primordial energy of heaven and earth continuously transformed into true energy, causing the temperature inside the dilapidated temple to drop suddenly. This was because the power of the Taiyin Moon Essence displayed unparalleled ice soul power, which was even more imposing than the Yuwen Clan's 'Mysterious Ice Force'.

As her true energy increased, the speed at which she refined the primordial energy also increased. A chilling aura of Taiyin began to spread, starting from the area around where she sat cross-legged. A cold aura began to freeze the moisture in the air, and white frost spread from her side to the surroundings.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were sitting cross-legged, both shivered. The true energy of the Longevity Technique in their bodies circulated even faster, surging and pouring into each other's bodies.

At first, they didn't notice, but as their true energy circulated continuously, Kou Zhong's icy true energy began to take on a hint of warmth, while Xu Ziling's fiery true energy simultaneously lost some of its heat and became much warmer.

Under the pressure of Shi Qingxuan's true energy, the two simultaneously entered a state of perfect tranquility and purity, keenly sensing this change and confirming that it was for the better; their true energy circulated even faster.

Meanwhile, as the power of the moon's radiance grew stronger, white frost began to spread from the ground towards Shi Qingxuan's body. It was neither empty nor empty, and extremely cold. With her extremely rational mind, Shi Qingxuan keenly noticed this.

But her keen awareness also warned her how indescribable her current state was, and that if she withdrew now, she would definitely miss an opportunity.

Just as she was wondering whether to continue or stop practicing her internal energy, a warm energy naturally flowed from her acupoints. At the same time, an energy as powerful as the sun rose from the depths of her heart, as if she were embracing the sun.

At this moment, with each rotation of the true energy flowing through her meridians, a trace of pure yang true energy would be drawn from the nearby acupoints, dispelling the severe cold within her, and the white frost began to fade from her body surface.

As the practice continued until midnight, a chilling cold suddenly descended from the sky. The next second, a drop of silver water, as thin as a hair and only one millimeter long, seemingly illusory, fell from the sky and landed on the Baihui point on Shi Qingxuan's head.

"Taiyin Moon Essence! How is this possible?" Su Yuchen suddenly stood up, watching the drop of silver water fall into Shi Qingxuan's body. A thin layer of ice rose on her body surface at an extremely fast speed, as if to freeze her.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling suddenly leaped up. While in mid-air, they both shivered. Looking around, they saw that a layer of ice was spreading from where they were sitting cross-legged, quickly covering the ground.

The next second, Su Yuchen flicked his sleeve, and before the two could land, a gentle force pushed them out of the dilapidated temple and onto the small courtyard outside.

Looking at Shi Qingxuan again, in his primordial spirit eyes, he saw an extreme pure yang essence within her body gather into a ball, like a phantom sun, intertwined with the falling Taiyin Moon Marrow. The Taiyin and pure yang forces intertwined and moved together, performing a second Yi Jing cleansing on Shi Qingxuan, widening her meridians and changing her constitution.

Having confirmed she was unharmed, Su Yuchen's mind stirred, and he was already outside the courtyard, avoiding the spreading ice. The moonlight in the courtyard was exceptionally bright, like water. Looking up at the sky, Su Yuchen's divine eyes pierced through the clouds, and he suddenly understood.

Above, the Taiyin star was as round as a full plate, with seven stars arranged in a line. The Taiyin star was the dominant star, and the moonlight descended, but it encountered the Taiyin year and month, which is extremely Yin and cold, and only appears once every ten thousand years.

………………

With a thought, his primordial spirit manifested using the power of heaven and earth at that moment, and the sky above the dilapidated temple suddenly darkened, then became exceptionally bright.

In Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling's eyes, a huge, silvery-white full moon, as tall as a person, appeared behind Su Yuchen, as if the moon had fallen to earth.

A thin, hair-like silver thread fell from the sky and landed in the full moon behind Su Yuchen. The full moon shone brightly, as if it were covered with a layer of silvery light. The next second, the full moon disappeared, and Su Yuchen returned to normal.

High in the sky, unnoticed by the two, the Moon once again shifted away from the other seven stars, dimmed, and returned to its usual state.

[You absorbed a wisp of the (real) illusory Taiyin Moon Essence that came from another realm, greatly purifying your primordial spirit and propelling you towards ultimate Yin purity.]

When the Dao is full, it overflows. You can continue your cultivation. At the age of three Jiazi (60 years), Yin can turn into Yang, and the Yin spirit can transform into the Yang spirit. You can use rare and precious materials to transform the Yin spirit into Yang, but the risks are unknown.

[Your primordial spirit (Yin spirit) has been baptized by the illusory image of the Taiyin Moonlight, and comes with a trace of the illusory image of the Taiyin Ice Soul Divine Light (cannot be cultivated, cannot be advanced, and will disappear after use). When your primordial spirit advances, you will be able to ignore the troubles of the Heavenly Demons.]

[Your form is further transforming towards immortality; you have grasped the greatest gain of this world; your Great Dao Azure Lotus Chapter has advanced.]

At this moment, Su Yuchen's primordial spirit felt satiated. The power of his primordial spirit cleansed his entire body, and the circulation of the Great Dao Azure Lotus True Qi was subtly adjusted, becoming more harmonious.

Su Yuchen finally understood the difference between "a poor, remote place and a native of the capital." In just a quarter of an hour, he was spared at least sixty years of arduous cultivation, and he couldn't help but envy those beings born in worlds like the prehistoric era or Journey to the West.

At this moment, Su Yuchen understood why Shi Qingxuan was able to cultivate the Guanghan Immortal Embryo, and he understood the meaning of the narration's description of "receiving gifts from heaven and earth at the beginning of cultivation."

Chapter 360 A Novice's First Experience in the Martial World (Part 1)

"Master Shi!!"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance, then looked at Su Yuchen, who was deep in thought, and couldn't help but call out.

Su Yuchen subconsciously raised his head, startling Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling into taking a step back. It was because his eyes were silver-white, and with just one glance, the two felt as if their bodies and minds were frozen.

Su Yuchen instantly sensed the abnormality, shook his head, concealed his primordial spirit power, and his eyes returned to normal, his pupils returning to their normal color.

"It's alright, I just made a step forward in my cultivation and didn't notice anything unusual for a while," Su Yuchen comforted him.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling swallowed hard, exchanging bewildered glances. Kou Zhong reacted faster, grinning and saying, "Congratulations, Master Shi, on your remarkable improvement in martial arts, making you invincible."

Su Yuchen shook his head and cursed, "Slippery!" He then looked inside the dilapidated temple. The ice on Shi Qingxuan's body had stopped spreading and was melting under the residual pure Yang true essence, so she was clearly no longer in danger.

Then he turned to Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling and said, "You two have changed a lot since we last met. What's rare is that you have made a breakthrough in your mental cultivation. Why don't you tell me about your experiences?"

Kou Zhong looked around with a grin, moved a broken table from the corner of the wall, wiped it, and let Su Yuchen sit down. The two brothers sat on the floor opposite him and then began to talk about their experiences over the past few days.

………………

I heard that the two brothers, new to the martial world, offended Du Fuwei's men, met Li Jing, and learned the "Ten Styles of Blood Battle" sword technique. I also heard him comment on the righteous armies of the world, and later the two brothers were chased by Du Fuwei.

"You two rascals, you actually recognize someone as your father." Su Yuchen shook his head and scolded with a smile.

Kou Zhong scratched his head and said helplessly, "Master Shi doesn't allow us to mention you! If he knew we were Master Shi's disciples, he would definitely kneel down and respectfully send us away, and then go to Yangzhou to apologize."

Su Yuchen shook his head: "Du Fuwei is arrogant and conceited. He is a master of the 'Sleeve Universe' technique and is all over the Huai River area. Getting him to kowtow and admit his mistakes is harder than killing him."

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong asked, "Brother Li, what is your assessment of the forces of the righteous armies across the land, Master Shi?"

Su Yuchen gave him a deep look, which made Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling feel extremely guilty. They both lowered their heads before speaking...

"Li Jing, huh? He's quite remarkable. His military strategies were highly praised by the Minister of War of the Sui Dynasty and Yang Su, who called him a 'talent fit to assist a king.' However, he always looked down on the rebel forces of commoners and only wanted to associate with powerful clans."

"However, what he said makes a lot of sense. The aristocratic families do have unparalleled advantages. Just the various talents they have cultivated are something that those rebel forces cannot possess."

"But his words are also biased. He doesn't know that there are also outstanding talents among the common people. Not to mention others, Shen Luoyan, who was under Li Mi, was no less capable in military affairs. There are also Xu Shiji, Shan Xiongxin, Wang Bodang, Qin Shubao, Cheng Yaojin and other military leaders."

"These people are all from commoner backgrounds, but they have shown dazzling brilliance in Wagangzhai. They are no less than those trained by aristocratic families, and in fact, they are even better."

"As for Du Fuwei, although I have never met him, I know that he is not capable of anything. Just by looking at his lax military discipline, which has aroused the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, I know that his defeat is not far away."

"He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world."

"The fate of this world ultimately depends on the approval of countless ordinary people, who are like ants."

When Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling heard him say, "He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world," they were stunned for a moment. They felt that many things they couldn't understand seemed to be explained, but they couldn't grasp the meaning behind it, so they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Xu Ziling sighed, "Master Shi is indeed more insightful about the nature of the world than Brother Li! This is the first time I've heard of this principle, but I find it very reasonable."

Kou Zhong nodded and said, "This is the secret to conquering the world. My God, so the greatest asset for conquering the world is just this one sentence."