Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

"Then you probably don't know that before Shi Zhixuan, Zhu Yuyan's talent and ability were no less than his. Moreover, at that time, Zhu Yuyan had already cultivated the Heavenly Demon Great Art to an extremely high level, and she could break through the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Great Art at any time and become the first master to unify the Demon Sect after Cang Qu."

"Shi Zhixuan was just a nobody in the Flower Sect back then. Although he was determined to unify the Demonic Sect, how could he possibly be a match for Zhu Yuyan? So, he used a scheme to arouse Zhu Yuyan's heart and make her fall in love with him, and then he deflowered her."

"However, the Heavenly Demon Great Art has a flaw: it must never be broken. Once the body is broken, one can never reach the highest level, the eighteenth level."

"After that, Shi Zhixuan avoided seeing Zhu Yuyan. How could Zhu Yuyan not understand? But by the time she realized it, it was too late! It is said that Zhu Yuyan's master was so angry that he vomited blood and died."

"After that, Zhu Yuyan wished she could kill Shi Zhixuan, but unfortunately her martial arts skills did not improve, while Shi Zhixuan's martial arts skills became higher and higher. So she set her sights on the Evil Emperor's Relic, intending to use the essence in the relic to break through the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Great Art."

Xu Ziling smiled wryly and said, "Does that mean that once we activate the Evil Emperor's Relic, we will be hunted down by the Yin Empress and her disciples?"

Su Yuchen nodded in agreement and said with a smile:

"Moreover, the Evil Emperor's Relic has always been in the hands of the Demonic Sect, and the primordial essence contained within it is also the primordial essence of the Demonic Sect's masters throughout the ages. Therefore, it emits strange fluctuations that attract nearby Demonic Sect masters."

"So, once the Evil Emperor's Relic appears, unless you two have a way to shield yourself from the strange power it emits, you can expect to be hunted down!"

"Moreover, it's not so easy for you to absorb the primordial essence from the relic. Without the correct method that Xiang Yutian has figured out, it's easy to go into qi deviation and explode and die."

"Huh???" Xu Ziling was stunned upon hearing this, then cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He asked, "Why has Master Lu never mentioned this?"

Su Yuchen glanced at him and said strangely, "Lu Miaozi is not a member of the Demonic Sect, and he is only keeping the relics for Xiang Yutian. How could Xiang Yutian tell him these things?"

Xu Ziling wasn't embarrassed and quickly said, "Master Shi, could you please give us some pointers? We also want to use the essence of the relic to improve our skills so that we can have better martial prowess and avenge Lady Dongming!"

"Rare indeed! Rare indeed that you two haven't forgotten." Su Yuchen said.

Chapter 390 An Encounter in Luoyang (Part 4)

Seeing Xu Ziling's anxious expression, Su Yuchen nodded and said:

"As I just mentioned, the Evil Emperor's Relic has been in the hands of the Demonic Sect from the very beginning. The essence contained within it also belongs to the experts of the Demonic Sect."

"The demonic arts are extreme and can easily distort a person's personality. The relics contain not only the essence and power of those demonic masters, but also their remaining spiritual consciousness."

"After generations of masters have infused it with their primordial essence, the energy within is not only extremely mixed, but also contains a vast amount of chaotic consciousness. If one were to absorb it rashly, the residual spiritual consciousness would cause one to be plagued by illusions, and if one were not careful, one would suffer from qi deviation."

"To safely absorb the energy from relics, you must have the right method."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziling frowned and asked, "Has no one ever absorbed the primordial essence from a relic before?"

Su Yuchen said, "Besides the Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian, there is no other one. And the method of absorbing the primordial essence was also figured out by Xiang Yutian himself. Before him, the Demonic Sect could only store the primordial essence, but could not absorb and utilize it. Therefore, the Demonic Sect's attitude towards the Evil Emperor's relic is that it is important, but also unimportant!"

Xu Ziling asked, "Does Master Shi have a method to use the essence of the relic so that we can safely absorb the energy of the Evil Emperor's relic?"

Su Yuchen shook his head and said, "I have no interest in the Evil Emperor's Relic, so I haven't studied it. But if you are interested, you can ask Zhu Yuyan. She is the only one in the world who knows the method."

Xu Ziling smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid the first thing the 'Empress of the Underworld' will do is seize us and interrogate us to find out the whereabouts of the relic! How could she possibly tell us how?"

Su Yuchen said:

"Then you can also try to forcibly absorb the primordial essence from the relic."

"You and Kou Zhong were able to learn the 'Longevity Formula' that no one else could learn, so you're naturally lucky. Maybe you'll absorb the energy from the relic and be unharmed?"

Xu Ziling thought for a moment and said, "Then could we wait until Xiao Zhongqi and I produce the relic and give it to Master Shi for safekeeping? We would also like to ask Master Shi and Zhu Yuyan to exchange for the method of absorbing the essence of the relic. We can leave half of the essence in the relic to her, which should be enough for her to step into the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Great Art."

Su Yuchen shook his head. Ever since he learned of the immense terrors of ascension in this realm, he had kept his distance from the He Shi Bi jade, the Evil Emperor's relic, and the War God's Temple. He wouldn't rashly take on these three hot potatoes until he could guarantee his absolute safety.

Xu Ziling gave a wry smile. Now, his and Kou Zhong's plan to come to Luoyang had been half ruined. As for whether or not to activate the Evil Emperor's Relic, he could only discuss it with Kou Zhong later.

………………

After a moment, Xu Ziling put these thoughts aside and said, "Master Shi just said that he came to Luoyang to take away the He Shi Bi jade? But is it for the Song Clan?"

Su Yuchen nodded and then shook his head, saying:

"Taking away the He Shi Bi is only one aspect. Since the First Emperor established the dynasty, he cast the He Shi Bi as the imperial seal. The He Shi Bi has been the symbol of power of the Central Plains dynasty."

"If the Song dynasty obtains the He Shi Bi jade, it can indeed unite the people during wartime. Even if it reduces casualties by any means, it would be a good thing. Moreover, after establishing a new dynasty, it will be easier to appease the people, stabilize their hearts, and gain their acceptance of the new dynasty's rule."

"On the other hand, it is for Cihang Jingzhai and the Li clan."

"The Cihang Jingzhai privately possessed the imperial seal. The appearance of the He Shi Bi in Luoyang this time is also a way for the Cihang Jingzhai and the Buddhist sect to promote the Li clan under the banner of choosing an emperor on behalf of Heaven, in order to promote the unification of the north and confront the south."

Xu Ziling frowned. His impression of Cihang Jingzhai and the Li clan had worsened because of Li Jing. He couldn't help but say, "Nowadays, everyone with eyes can see that the Song clan's unification of the world is an inevitable trend. Why does the Li clan still go against the tide and consider themselves the chosen ones?"

Su Yuchen shook his head and said:

"You and Kou Zhong should read more books!"

"This is because, since ancient times, it has been easier for the north to unify the south than for the south to unify the north."

"The north is close to the grasslands and is often invaded by foreign tribes. Therefore, in order to resist invasion and plunder, the people of the north are more fierce. Moreover, the north is mostly plains, such as Guanzhong and Taiyuan, which are more suitable for large-scale cultivation. Agriculture is developed and can support a large population and military force."

"Southerners, living in the Jiangnan region, are fond of singing and dancing, but not good at fighting. Just like Yangzhou is known for its lean horses and the people of Chu for their slender waists, they are naturally weaker in combat than those from the north. In addition, the south is mountainous, and its economy and agriculture are also weak."

"Therefore, although the Song Clan has the greatest hope now, the Li Clan, Li Mi, Wang Shichong, Dou Jiande and others are still unwilling to accept defeat and feel that they still have a chance. In their minds, at the very least, they can rule across the river from the Song Clan. The Song Clan will monopolize the south of the Yangtze River, and the rest of them will divide the north equally."

Xu Ziling asked in surprise, "Xiao Zhong and I always thought that the Song Clan's unification of the world was a done deal. Is there still a possibility of change?"

Su Yuchen smiled and said:

"This is just the resentment of ambitious people! The actual situation is much better."

"The Song Clan has already unified Yuhang and has also taken Jingling and Feima Ranch. The Jianghuai Army has also been fighting for many years and is already the best army in the country. In addition, there are the cavalry from Feima Ranch and the tens of thousands of troops from the Song Clan who are attacking Sichuan. The North has no chance anymore."

"Putting aside everything else, the large fleet of ships owned by the Song clan alone can transport a large number of troops to the north by waterway without worrying about long marches and exhausted soldiers."

"Under Xu Xingzhi's leadership, the south is currently cracking down on bandits and pacifying deserters. When the time is right and the rear is secure, the northern expedition will begin."

"When the army arrives downstream, what will the north use to resist?"

Xu Ziling shook his head upon hearing this: "Yang Guang built the Grand Canal, but it turned out to be a raft for the Song Dynasty. I wonder what he would think if he knew this in the afterlife."

Su Yuchen shook his head, offering no comment. He acknowledged that Yang Guang's fate was indeed a pity, and continued:

“Ambitious people are never willing to accept defeat. So I don’t bother with anything else and don’t want them to accept defeat, otherwise there will be rebellions in the future. So I let them cause trouble in the north.”

"However, the Cihang Jingzhai and the Buddhist sect dared to raise the banner of choosing an emperor on behalf of Heaven, which has already crossed my line. Since when has the throne of the Central Plains been decided by a group of nuns and bald monks? Do they think my blade is not sharp enough?"

"It is also Cihang Jingzhai's destined calamity. As for the Li clan? If they remain obstinate, I will not show them any mercy."

"Moreover, the Buddhist sect maintains thousands of monk soldiers at the Jingnian Zen Temple in Luoyang. These people do not engage in production but focus solely on martial arts, posing a significant threat to the Song dynasty's unification of the north from the south. This is a perfect opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop."

When Su Yuchen spoke of Cihang Jingzhai and Buddhism, his tone was icy, and although the hidden killing intent was not obvious, it still made Xu Ziling's heart pound.

Xu Ziling recalled the battle in the southern suburbs of Danyang, and the colossal hand that blotted out the sky. He couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly, fearing that Cihang Jingzhai and the so-called Jingnian Zen Temple would be completely reduced to ashes.

At the same time, he couldn't help but worry about Kou Zhong. He wondered if Li Xiuning was among the people from the Li clan who came this time. Given Shi Shi's attitude, he was afraid that these people were just ants that could be easily crushed. But could Kou Zhong accept Li Xiuning's death?

Thinking of this, Xu Ziling was eager to see Kou Zhong and find the Li clan before Shi Shi appeared.

Chapter 391 An Encounter in Luoyang (Part 5)

"Ziling, what do you think the reaction of Cihang Jingzhai and the Buddhist community would be if I were to appear in Luoyang?"

Xu Ziling paused, and couldn't help but say:

"Cihang Jingzhai must have considered the possibility that Master Shi would be coming to Luoyang, but they still did it. Does this mean they have something to rely on?"

"This reliance cannot be Ning Daoqi. Anyone with eyes can see that he is no match for Master Shi. Has Master Shi already guessed this?"

"Could this selection of an emperor on behalf of Heaven actually be a trap set for Master Shi?"

Su Yuchen shook his head: "I don't know either, but I think their reliance must be in Jingnian Temple, which is the only place they can keep it from everyone."

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziling asked, "Master Shi, do you require Xiao Zhong and me to go to Jingnian Temple to test the waters?"

Su Yuchen shook his head and laughed, "No! Not only do you and Kou Zhong not need to test me, but you also need to secretly leak the news of my arrival, preferably to the Li Clan and the Cihang Jingzhai."

"Now is a good time," Su Yuchen said with a smile, looking downstairs.

Xu Ziling followed his gaze and saw a figure wearing a straw hat and samurai clothes mixed in with the crowd, heading towards the restaurant in his direction.

Xu Ziling stared at the figure for a moment, then his ears twitched, and he exclaimed in surprise, "It's Li Shimin!!"

His face immediately darkened. "It must be Li Jing! He leaked the news of my encounter to the Li clan. Doesn't he realize that the rest of the Li clan doesn't have a good impression of me and Xiao Zhong?!"

Su Yuchen looked at him and exclaimed, "Your understanding of the Way of Nature is truly extraordinary. Has it given you superhuman vision and hearing, as well as keen spiritual perception?"

Xu Ziling shook his head and said, "I'm also confused, but ever since we exchanged our true energy with Xiao Zhong, our vision and hearing have indeed been constantly improving."

As they spoke, the figure appeared at the top of the stairs on the second floor. The mere appearance of the figure exuded a powerful and imposing aura. Without pausing, the figure walked straight toward Xu Ziling.

The figure was completely unaware of Su Yuchen's presence and stood directly beside Xu Ziling.

Xu Ziling looked at the newcomer and said calmly, "I didn't expect the King of Qin to arrive so quickly. May I ask what brings you here?"

Li Shimin removed his bamboo hat, revealing a face filled with astonishment. His features were sharp and dignified, as if carved by a knife. He asked in surprise, "Ziling knows it's me? But why is Ziling completely different from when we last met? Why is he so hostile towards me?"

Xu Ziling did not answer, nor did he even look up.

Li Shimin gave a wry smile and said, "I don't know where I offended Ziling. May I sit down?"

Xu Ziling glanced up at the person opposite him. Su Yuchen smiled faintly, his figure already vanished. Xu Ziling was used to this. He said calmly, "King Qin, please sit!"

Li Shimin's body stiffened, and the bitterness in his eyes intensified. He said bitterly, "It seems that Brother Ziling has indeed drifted further and further away from Shimin."

Instead of answering, Xu Ziling said, "If the King of Qin came for Li Jing, then there's no need to say anything more. I don't want to discuss this matter any further."

Li Shimin: ...

………………

[There are many Buddhists in Luoyang. You have stopped concealing Xu Ziling's aura, and he has been discovered by the Buddhist community and Cihang Jingzhai. This is how Li Shimin found him.]

Shi Feixuan remained hidden to the side, deciding to reveal herself at the opportune moment and bring up the topic of choosing an emperor. She needed to test whether you had already arrived in Luoyang.

The Buddhist sect and Cihang Jingzhai have buried ten thousand kilograms of gunpowder in the bronze hall of Jingnian Temple, vowing to take this opportunity to blow you to ashes and restore their dominance to the world.

You have achieved the status of an enemy of Buddha in this realm, and the Buddhist community's relationship with you has turned to hatred.

[Xu Ziling, following your instructions, leaked information before leaving that you might have already arrived in Luoyang. The Buddhist operation is underway.]

Su Yuchen stood downstairs for only a moment before Xu Ziling gracefully descended. Su Yuchen then headed towards the Luo River.

Xu Ziling quickened his pace and caught up, saying, "Master Shi should already know that a fellow named Qin Chuan has come upstairs, testing Li Shimin on how to be an emperor! Is this person a successor of Cihang Jingzhai?"

Su Yuchen nodded, saying nonchalantly, "This person is named Shi Feixuan, the current Holy Maiden of Cihang Jingzhai. Her martial arts are quite good; she has already reached the 'Sword God's Selflessness' realm in the Cihang Sword Manual, and is only one step away from the 'Sword Heart Clarity' realm. Unfortunately, her talent is limited!"

Xu Ziling smiled wryly and said, "But I find her very scary. If we were to fight, I'm afraid I wouldn't be her match."

Su Yuchen smiled and said:

"The so-called Sword God's Selflessness is similar to the Yi Sword Technique. In that realm, the mind is completely immersed in the sword, and all choices and moves made are in the best interest of oneself."

"Moreover, she has been practicing martial arts for much longer than you and Kou Zhong, so it's normal that you feel you are no match for her."

"But you don't need to underestimate yourself. You just don't fully understand your current abilities. Once you spar with her, you'll find that her swordsmanship is just so-so."

Xu Ziling shook his head. Although Su Yuchen didn't think highly of Shi Feixuan, it didn't mean he could ignore her. He had already begun to think about how to deal with their encounter.

After walking for a while, Su Yuchen paused and said, "Alright! You have a friend here, I should go too."

Xu Ziling looked over in surprise and saw a carriage coming towards him. With just one glance, Xu Ziling revealed a sincere smile. The driver was none other than Kou Zhong, who had already disguised himself.

The carriage didn't stop, and after it passed by, Xu Ziling had already disappeared.

He lifted the carriage curtain, revealing Ba Feng Han's smiling face: "I would like to ask Zi Ling and Kou Zhong to help me kill someone."

Xu Ziling paused slightly, then smiled wryly and said, "Old Ba, you'd better have a good reason, otherwise I'm afraid Xiao Zhong and I will have to send you to your funeral first!"

Ba Feng Han was taken aback for a moment, then said, "This person is an elder of the Yin Kui Sect. I need to settle a score with him. I wonder if this reason is appropriate?"

Xu Ziling breathed a sigh of relief and said easily, "Then there's no problem. But can we go eat now? I also have a lot to discuss with Xiao Zhong."

Ba Feng Han asked curiously, "Why was Zi Ling so afraid just now? And why did he bluntly say he wanted to send me off to my funeral? Could it be that my archenemy Bi Xuan has arrived?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Ziling said, "He is a million times more terrifying than 'Martial Venerable' Bi Xuan."

Before Ba Feng Han could speak, the carriage suddenly stopped, and Kou Zhong's face was already sticking out of the curtain. He asked in surprise, "Has Master Shi already arrived in Luoyang?"

Xu Ziling laughed and said, "Not only did I come to Luoyang, but I also spent most of the day with Master Shi. Just now, he was right next to the carriage, but he just left."

Kou Zhong groaned and said, "Old Ba, you really are lucky to be alive!!!"

Xu Ziling said, "I know many secrets from Master Shi. These things are related to the three of us. Do you want to hear them?"

"Of course!!!" Kou Zhong and Ba Feng Han said in unison.

Chapter 392 Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong's Thoughts