Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Xu Ziling shook his head and said...

"But how many people understand this principle? And even among those who understand it, how many can actually put it into practice?"

"Just look at Du Fuwei after he captured Liyang. He forcibly conscripted soldiers from the people everywhere. The people in the Liyang area are already boiling with resentment. Just as Shi Shi said, he has lost the hearts of the people. When his army is defeated, he will probably become like a drowning dog."

Su Yuchen shook his head, letting them continue. Although Kou Zhong wanted to ask, seeing that Su Yuchen wasn't interested, he could only memorize the names he mentioned.

………………

The two then mentioned that they had overheard a secret conversation among the Yuwen clan and planned to steal the ledgers stored on the 'Dongming' ship. The two went to the Dongming ship first and met Lady Dongming.

I listened to them talk about the banquet on the Dongming, and then I heard the news that Su Yuchen had defeated Song Que.

"You haven't recognized your mothers, have you?" Su Yuchen teased.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling touched their noses, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Xu Ziling said, "Xiao Zhong did have that thought. It's just that Madam is too good to us, treating us like her own children. It's a pity that after we stole the account books from the 'Dongming' ship, we were too embarrassed to go back."

"Ha!" Kou Zhong said dismissively, "But Madam is the only person we've met besides Master Shi who is truly kind to us!"

Su Yuchen couldn't help but sigh, "The connections between people are so inexplicable. Perhaps she had her own calculations, but her kindness towards you was genuine."

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling nodded upon hearing this.

Su Yuchen thought for a moment and said, "Although I don't know why you feel the need to acknowledge her as your mother! Hey! But if you really feel sorry for her, why not kill someone? I think she would forgive you if she knew."

"Who is it?" Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling asked in unison.

“Elder of the Yin Gui Sect, Mo Yin Bian Bu Fu,” Su Yu Chen said calmly.

Seeing that the two didn't understand, Su Yuchen glanced at the narration and shook his head...

"You two lads don't even know her background, yet you want to acknowledge her as your mother. Isn't that a bit too casual?"

"Lady Dongming, now should be called Shan Meixian. She is the daughter of 'Empress Yin' Zhu Yuyan and 'Overlord Blade' Yue Shan after a one-night stand, and is also the previous generation's Holy Maiden of the Yin Kui Sect."

"Oh! You don't know about the Yin Kui Sect? It's the most powerful branch of the Demonic Sect right now. Led by 'Empress Yin' Zhu Yuyan, they cultivate the 'Heavenly Demon Great Art' from the 'Heavenly Demon Strategy'."

"Bian Bufu is Zhu Yuyan's junior brother. Back then, he raped Shan Meixian, causing her to become pregnant. Later, Zhu Yuyan did not punish Bian Bufu for this. In a fit of anger, Shan Meixian betrayed the Yin Kui Sect and joined the overseas 'Dong Ming Sect'."

"This incident is an indelible shadow for Shan Meixian. If you can kill Bian Bufu, the matter of stealing the account book will be completely insignificant."

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling nodded and added Bian Bufu's name to their kill list.

"Alright, you can continue," Su Yuchen said calmly.

Chapter 361 A Novice's First Experience in the Martial World (Part 2)

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziling asked, "Master Shi, could you tell me more about the Yin Kui Sect and Bian Bufu?"

Su Yuchen shook his head...

"How could I possibly know more about some of those petty clowns?"

"Don't even mention Bian Bufu. As for Zhu Yuyan, I only became interested in learning about her because she cultivated the Heavenly Demon Technique. However, after guessing the general principles of the Heavenly Demon Technique, I lost interest."

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling lowered their heads, stuck out their tongues, and exchanged a helpless glance. Zhu Yuyan, known as the 'Empress of Yin' and the leader of the most powerful force in the Demonic Sect, was, in Shi Shi's eyes, a dispensable nobody.

The two of them once again realized the gap between themselves and Su Yuchen.

“If you really want to know, you can ask Qingxuan when she wakes up. Perhaps she knows more,” Su Yuchen suggested.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling nodded and continued to talk about how they met Li Shimin and his sister Li Xiuning.

………………

"So, this is why you want to conquer the world, Kou Zhong? You're willing to risk everything for a woman!" Su Yuchen asked.

Kou Zhong suddenly raised his head and said, "Master Shi already knows."

Su Yuchen said calmly...

“I’m not blind. You asked me about the forces of the righteous armies across the land, so you obviously already have something in mind. You also memorized the names I mentioned earlier, so it’s clear what you’re thinking is written all over your face.”

"However, what I didn't expect was that your reason for vying for supremacy is so absurd, Kou Zhong! Just because Li Xiuning looks down on you?"

Kou Zhong frowned and said, "Does Master Shi also think that I have no chance of winning the world?"

Su Yuchen shook his head and said…

"Anyone can contend for supremacy. It's simply a matter of success or failure."

"If you treat this so lightly, have you ever considered how you will be responsible to the people of this world? Have you thought about strategies for governing this world? Have you considered that this one thought could cause the lives of tens of thousands of people?"

"Or are you waiting until you're locked in a fierce battle with the Li clan, until Li Xiuning begs you to give up the world, until you lose interest for a moment, and then abandon it all!"

"The world is not a game; it's about the life and death of countless people in the Central Plains, the destruction of countless families. If you haven't considered these things, what difference is there between you and the likes of Du Fuwei's men you killed?"

“I am not interested in who rules the world. But if you, Kou Zhong, are only playing around for your own moment and disregarding the common people, I would not hesitate to kill you.”

Although Su Yuchen's words were calm, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were terrified. Their minds were screaming warnings, sensing the ultimate threat of death. Even in their tranquil, still minds, their inner worlds were filled with overwhelming dark clouds.

Kou Zhong forced a smile and said, "But Master Shi said that anyone has the right to contend for supremacy. If I can defeat the other rebel armies, could I end the chaos sooner and save countless people?"

"Is that what you think too?" Su Yuchen asked Xu Ziling.

Xu Ziling didn't hesitate and said, "I don't like this kind of life. But Xiao Zhong likes it, so I'm willing to try it with him."

Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong revealed a hint of joy, a joy born of brotherhood and shared life and death.

Su Yuchen shook his head, withdrew his divine aura, and said, "I cannot judge whether what you said is right or wrong. But you can carefully consider what I have said. If it causes more war because of you, I will not hold back."

Feeling as if he had been brought back to life, Kou Zhong took a deep breath and nodded, saying, "I will keep Master Shi's words in mind."

………………

The two then talked about leaving the Li family's large ship and landing in Dongping. Kou Zhong then vowed to conquer the world and make Li Xiuning, Chai Shao and others who looked down on them regret their decision.

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziling recounted Kou Zhong's embarrassing experience of being dumped before even starting a relationship, and Kou Zhong smiled sheepishly. Afterwards, the two strolled through Dongping County and inadvertently saw the moon reflected in a well, thus gaining an understanding of the state of mind described in the poem "The Moon in the Well."

"A remarkable life experience."

Su Yuchen clapped his hands and said...

"This is enough to be a treasure for your whole life. When you are old and look back, you will find that nothing is more precious than these."

"These experiences and the insights gained from the 'moon in the well' will propel you toward becoming grandmasters. This is something you cannot obtain by staying in Yangzhou."

Xu Ziling said upon hearing this…

"Looking back, these experiences are indeed more interesting than I ever noticed. Ha! We must have been running and fighting all along! There has never been such peace as this."

"But tonight's banquet, the sword fights, and the instruction from Master Shi have transformed our previous gains into real strength. I can feel that I am completely different from who I was before."

Kou Zhong said, "It's very strange. I used to get angry and furious very easily. But I managed to suppress it!"

Xu Ziling asked in surprise, "Why have I never heard you mention this before, Xiao Zhong?"

Kou Zhong shrugged and said, "Because I don't know why either! Why should I make you worry? Besides, it doesn't seem like a big deal. Xiao Ling, can you let me finish?"

Under Xu Ziling's furious glare, Kou Zhong guiltily promised that he would never hide anything from his good brother again. Only then did he say…

"When I heard what Master Shi said just now, although I was angry, I didn't feel the same uncontrollable rage as before."

"Ha! I hope Master Shi won't mind my offense! I wonder if Master Shi could enlighten me?"

Su Yuchen nodded and said...

"I think this is probably related to the Longevity Technique you cultivate. As I said before, the Longevity Technique that you two have mastered is one that I have never mastered either."

"Do you know that, according to common sense, any cultivation of true qi must begin in the dantian and return to the dantian?"

"But Kou Zhong, your true energy originates from the crown of your head and returns to the crown of your head. This strange method of true energy circulation may be the reason that affects your spirit."

"As for the difference between your current state and before, it is probably related to the fact that you just entered a state of yin and yang in harmony and mutual generation."

"The flow of Yin and Yang energies weakens the pressure of your true energy on your mind, Kou Zhong. At the same time, the mutual generation of Yin and Yang also strengthens your spiritual power."

Seeing that the two didn't understand, Su Yuchen had no choice but to explain...

"There is a saying in Taoist cultivation: 'Isolated yin cannot grow, isolated yang cannot produce.' This means that pure yin or yang will only disrupt the balance and cannot promote the evolution of the human body."

“Before, one of you practiced pure Yang Qi and the other practiced pure Yin Qi. If you continued, it was very likely that your Qi would go out of control and you would suffer a qi deviation. However, the fact that you previously transferred your Qi into each other's bodies and then withdrew it made up for the missing link in each other’s bodies.”

Xu Ziling nodded and said, "So my true energy lost that trace of heat, becoming more skillful and easier to control."

Kou Zhong also said, "So when my true energy circulates in my body, it's not so cold, which is actually a good thing?"

Su Yuchen nodded, indicating that was the case.

At the same time, he sighed helplessly...

"This is the most basic common sense for me at the beginning of my cultivation. But I forgot that you two lads are completely unaware of this common sense."

"You two, haven't you ever thought about reading a book? Don't you even have this much common sense?"

"Uh!!!" Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling looked at each other in bewilderment upon hearing this, and lowered their heads even more guiltily when faced with Su Yuchen's angry gaze.

P.S.: Only three chapters today and tomorrow, due to a last-minute assignment.

I haven't checked this place in a long time, and I haven't asked for updates or given gifts. If you can, go ahead and browse; the ranking has dropped.

Thank you all for still watching, thank you very much.

Chapter 362 Entering Xingyang

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling repeatedly promised that they would go to school, and Xu Ziling even asked what books they should read.

Su Yuchen wondered if the fact that the two of them had stumbled upon such extraordinary achievements was related to their willingness to try new things. With this in mind, Su Yuchen changed his mind and simply recommended some basic Taoist classics.

As the sun gradually rises on the horizon, and the first rays of sunlight peek into the sky, the primordial energy and yang energy of heaven and earth become more vibrant than ever before.

Su Yuchen got up and stretched. As he stood up, a huge purple aura seemed to be forcibly pulled down from the horizon, filling the small courtyard.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were startled. Before they could react, they saw Su Yuchen inhale through his mouth and nose, and the purple mist that filled the courtyard flowed into his mouth like water, as if everything they had just seen was an illusion.

Su Yuchen felt the warmth rapidly dissipating from his cold primordial spirit and couldn't help but shake his head.

"It's better than nothing!"

"Alright, you two. Our time together is over. You two stay here and wait for her to wake up. I hope you'll give me some surprises next time we meet."

After saying that, Su Yuchen's figure disappeared completely. The two of them couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.

Kou Zhong couldn't help but say, "Master Shi's appearances are always unexpected. I wonder when we'll meet again?"

Xu Ziling complained, "And you still dare to say that? If it weren't for Master Shi's generosity, would we have already turned into Yangzhou snake soup?"

Kou Zhong didn't take it to heart and put his arm around Shi's shoulder, saying, "I believe Master Shi is very reasonable! He would never get angry at us two newbies."

Xu Ziling asked in surprise, "Why are you so sure?"

Kou Zhong asked in surprise, "Isn't what they say in the novels true? Aren't immortals all indifferent and unconcerned with worldly affairs?"

Xu Ziling asked incredulously, "Just for this reason?"

Seeing Kou Zhong's attitude, Xu Ziling angrily grabbed his shoulders and shook him, as if he wanted to shake his head out to see what was wrong.

Kou Zhong grabbed his arm to stop him, saying, "I have something very important to say right now!"

Seeing the way Xu Ziling was looking at him, Kou Zhong grinned and pointed to the horizon, saying, "Do you think we should learn from Master Shi and absorb some of the Great Sun Purple Qi?"

Xu Ziling asked in surprise, "Do you have a method to absorb the power of the Great Sun?"

Kou Zhong winked and said, "Have you forgotten the *Nine Yin Manual* we secretly memorized? Absorbing moonlight and absorbing purple energy—shouldn't they be the same thing?"

Xu Ziling frowned slightly and said, "If it's that simple, why did Master Shi divide martial arts into the 'Pure Yang Limitless Scripture' and the 'Nine Yin Guanghan Scripture'? And what is this so-called Six Yang Qi of Heaven?"

Kou Zhong paused upon hearing this, then said, "Now I understand the importance of studying! Shouldn't we first find a teacher and ask him about the six yang energies of heaven?"

Xu Ziling plopped down on the ground and said, "What we need to do first is wait for Miss Qingxuan to wake up. You'd better pray that no trouble comes during this time. Otherwise, you won't be able to explain to Master Shi next time we meet."

………………

Just outside the Dongping County, Su Yuchen learned from the refugees and merchants along the roadside that Wagang had been captured by Wang Shichong and returned to the Sui army. However, Li Mi had also used this to gain the opportunity to capture Xingyang.

When Su Yuchen arrived in Xingyang, Wang Shichong's army was facing off against Li Mi, and war could break out at any moment.

Su Yuchen queued up and arrived at the gate of Xingyang City.

The Wagang soldiers guarding the city gate looked at him, dressed as a Taoist priest, and observed him silently for a moment: he had a good temperament, a thin figure, no swords or weapons, and his eyes were cold and indifferent, but there was no divine light emanating from him like that of a master.

One can't help but conclude that he's just an ordinary wandering Taoist priest, who may also be a charlatan or a person who performs rituals to save souls; in short, he's just trying to make a living.