Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Su Yuchen had only walked for a short while when a figure resembling an elf appeared beside him.

"Your talent truly impresses me. In such a short time, you have already made the initial foray into the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Demon Great Art!"

The newcomer was Wanwan. She looked like an innocent young girl, without a trace of coquettishness. Her laughter was clear and melodious. She said, "I must thank Master Shi for his guidance time and time again. It was through his guidance that Wanwan was able to reach this level."

Su Yuchen sat at a tea stall under the bridge and said, "Your aura is rapid, and you carry a hint of murderous intent as you walk. Are you chasing someone to Luoyang?"

Wanwan nodded and said:

"Master Shi is wise! Wanwan did indeed come all the way from Yangzhou after Qu Ao!"

"Ha! All three of his disciples died in Jiangnan. In his haste, this old man disregarded whether Master Shi was in Yangzhou and sneaked into Yuhang to kill Du Fuwei. I just happened to run into him."

"However, his Eagle Transformation Thirteen Forms are indeed powerful. Even when I was just entering the Grandmaster realm, he was still able to escape. I was driving him all the way to Luoyang. But I was careless and he managed to escape."

Su Yuchen shook his head and said:

"Qu Ao has been able to lead the Tiele people to escape from Bi Xuan's hands several times, so his combat strength should not be underestimated. He has more experience in dealing with Grandmasters than you do."

"Moreover, since you've just entered the Grandmaster realm, your energy is restless, and your combat strength has actually declined, which is normal. However, you'd better find a place to settle down and consolidate your cultivation, otherwise I'm afraid you'll make a mistake and lose to Shi Feixuan, which would be quite laughable."

"Shi Feixuan! Has Master Shi already met her? Wanwan has lost interest in her now." Wanwan shook her head and asked listlessly.

Su Yuchen shook his head and said, "Xu Ziling has already met her, but I have no interest in her. Alright, I'm leaving now. If you have nothing else to do, find a place to consolidate your cultivation."

Wanwan asked curiously, "Where is Master Shi going? Would you like Wanwan to accompany him?"

Su Yuchen shook his head and said, "I'm going to see Ning Daoqi, you don't need to come with me."

………………

Inside a guest room in the backyard of an inn.

After hearing Xu Ziling recount the mental imprint Su Yuchen left on Ba Feng Han, Kou Zhong fell silent. Ba Feng Han, on the other hand, had a sullen face, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling exchanged a glance, and Kou Zhong comforted them, "Old Ba, don't worry too much. Didn't Ziling say that there are other ways to solve your problem with that 'four-nine escape one' thing?"

Xu Ziling sighed, rubbing his forehead, "It means that Heaven uses the number 49, and one of them is missing. There must be a glimmer of hope."

Kou Zhong waved his hand and said, "Don't worry about these small details. Anyway, there's still a way to salvage the situation, isn't there?"

Ba Feng Han shook his head and simply said, "I understand. I also want to thank Zi Ling for telling me this news. I'd like to go and wait for a while by myself."

Having said that, without waiting for Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling to stop him, he got up, pushed open the door, and walked out.

After a moment, Kou Zhong let out a sigh and muttered:

"Is this a case of 'the arrogant will be punished by heaven'? If Old Ba hadn't been so arrogant that day, would Master Shi have kept an eye on him?"

"Ha! That's right, for Old Ba, isn't Master Shi like the heavens?!"

Xu Ziling rolled his eyes and said, "So, after saying all that, Young Master Zhong, have you thought of the method Master Shi mentioned?"

Kou Zhong reclined lazily in his chair and said, "Even someone as intelligent as Xiao Ling doesn't know, how could I possibly know? Why don't you go ask Master Shi again?"

Xu Ziling shook his head and said, "You know how much Master Shi values ​​racial identity. In recent years, the Tiele and Turks have invaded from the south. The fact that Master Shi didn't kill him is already a sign of mercy."

"Why!!!"

Kou Zhong sighed and said, "According to you, only when that brat Song Shidao invades the grasslands and incorporates the Turks into the Central Plains will Master Shi treat Lao Ba differently."

"Alright, Old Ba has left. Do you have any other news to tell me? Is it about Yang Gong's Treasure Vault and the Evil Emperor's Relic?"

Xu Ziling nodded and repeated what Su Yuchen had said.

Kou Zhong was startled and sat up abruptly. He paced back and forth several times, his brow furrowed with worry, and said:

"The Evil Emperor's Relic has such a drawback! My God, one 'Empress of the Underworld' is enough to give us trouble, and now we have to add the entire Demonic Sect to the mix. Are they telling us to hide in a ditch and never come out?"

"Why is it so difficult to improve our strength? We've already given up on conquering the world. If we still can't roam freely in the world with our martial arts skills, what's the point? We might as well go back to Yangzhou and sell steamed buns!"

Xu Ziling wasn't in a hurry. He didn't have a great need for the Evil Emperor's Relic. Instead, he advised, "Why don't we give up the idea of ​​activating the Evil Emperor's Relic and just let it stay quietly in the treasure vault?"

Kou Zhong said unhappily, "Are we just leaving it in the treasure vault to gather dust? This kind of treasure is good enough to help us become first-class masters, of course we should take it out and make use of it."

Xu Ziling countered, "Even if we only use the relics in the treasure vault, do you know how to extract the essence of the relics? Even Master Shi doesn't know; only Zhu Yuyan has the correct method."

"Is Master Shi unwilling to help?" Kou Zhong sighed.

Xu Ziling thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "I noticed that Master Shi seems to be quite averse to the Evil Emperor's Relic. Logically speaking, given Master Shi's level of cultivation, he shouldn't be so disgusted by an inanimate object. Could it be just because it belongs to the Demonic Sect?"

Kou Zhong asked in surprise, "You were actually able to see through Master Shi's thoughts?"

Xu Ziling shook his head and said, "It's just a feeling. At that moment, Master Shi revealed a thought, but I'm not sure if that's the case."

Kou Zhong, however, said seriously, "No! Trust your intuition. This intuition has saved us countless times! My God, even Master Shi dislikes this thing, what secret does this damned thing hold?"

Xu Ziling asked, "Should we give up?"

Kou Zhong said with a grin:

"No! Quite the opposite, I'm even more motivated! And I wonder if we're overthinking it?"

“Look, since the Evil Emperor’s Relic was placed in Yang Gong’s Treasure Vault by Lu Miaozi, does that mean that he had contact with the Relic before?”

"Moreover, besides the so-called Evil Emperor Xiang Yutian you mentioned, the Empress Yin is also searching for the whereabouts of the relic and trying to use it to enhance her power!"

"Do you think it's possible that Master Shi thinks this thing is rather 'dirty'? After all, it contains the residual consciousness and essence of many people. For Master Shi, it's not only useless, but also very troublesome, like that chicken rib."

Xu Ziling's spirits lifted, and he said, "It's not impossible. But this is just our speculation."

Kou Zhongdao:

"So I think that once we get the relic, we should return to Yangzhou immediately. Ha, if there are any problems, we can ask Master Shi for help nearby; and tell me, who would dare to act recklessly in Yangzhou? Even the Empress of the Underworld wouldn't dare to set foot in Yangzhou easily."

"Wouldn't it be better if we could find a way to contact the Queen of the Underworld then, and everyone could share the relics equally?"

"Ha! Let's go find Old Ba right now. After we've collected the debt for him, we'll go and investigate the Jingnian Temple. Since we're going to use Master Shi's reputation, there has to be give and take. I, Kou Zhong, will never owe anyone a favor."

After saying that, Kou Zhong took the lead and walked outside. Xu Ziling shook his head and followed him.

P.S.: I really dread facing relatives during Chinese New Year.

Chapter 393 Ning Daoqi's Death

Su Yuchen walked along the Luoshui River embankment and soon arrived at a river wharf.

This place, however, is where the local residents wash clothes, rinse rice, rest, and trade, while a small fishing boat is moored near the river wharf.

When Su Yuchen arrived, a group of children were playing and laughing around the fishing boat on the shore. On the fishing boat, an old figure sat upright, wearing a straw hat and a raincoat, holding a fishing rod made of green bamboo with a fishing line hanging down.

The children's playful antics frightened the nearby fish, and none dared to approach. The old man, though occasionally revealing a glimpse of his face, showed no anger and did not shoo the children away.

The old man's face was pale with a sickly pallor, and his eyes revealed an undisguised weariness.

Su Yuchen did not stop, but stepped directly onto the fishing boat, which automatically headed towards the center of the Luo River.

"Did you come here specifically to see me?" Standing on the boat for the first time, Su Yuchen felt a surge of interest as he experienced the scenery along the banks of the Luo River up close, even more so than his interest in the old man.

"Ning Daoqi greets Fellow Daoist Shi! My master, Yi Guozhen, passed away recently," the old man said calmly, sitting cross-legged at the bow of the boat.

Su Yuchen didn't care and said, "I have no connection with Louguandao. If you want to impress me with this, you've probably chosen the wrong topic."

The silk thread in Ning Daoqi's hand remained unshaken as the fishing boat moved through the water, demonstrating a terrifyingly precise control. He said calmly, "I never thought I could move your mind with this. But I have a reason to come."

Su Yuchen shook his head, looking bored.

"What's the point of all this?"

"Since you chose Li Shimin and refused to give up, and even after things have deviated from your expectations, you still haven't chosen to stop. So you must bear my wrath. Isn't that normal?"

Ning Daoqi sighed, "Before this, I traveled all over the north and south and have seen many talented people. Among them, only the Li family is most suitable to contend for the world..."

Su Yuchen scoffed, saying, "If you want to offer your blessings for saving the world and bringing peace to the people, then there's no need for further words. You should know that since I've made my choice, you can only follow it."

"Why are you being so aggressive, fellow Daoist?" Ning Daoqi sighed.

Su Yuchen sneered, "I only asked you to call me 'fellow Daoist' out of consideration for our shared Daoist sect, but that doesn't mean you can be presumptuous in front of me. It seems that being called the number one in the world for so long has made you lose sight of your place. Do you want to challenge me?"

Ning Daoqi remained calm and said, "If this old Daoist can force you to a draw, could you please return to Yangzhou and cease your involvement in worldly affairs?"

Su Yuchen chuckled and asked, "Is this what the Louguan Dao means?"

Ning Daoqi was silent for a moment, then said, "Before I came here, my master had already expelled me from Louguan Dao."

Su Yuchen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good! After this matter, I will only exterminate the Buddhist sect and will not pursue the Louguan Sect's mistakes. I will only make one move. If you don't die, I will let you go. Make your move."

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Yuchen remained standing at the bow of the ship, but Ning Daoqi's forehead was already covered in cold sweat. This was because the aura of Su Yuchen that he had been locking onto had become empty the moment the words fell, and there was no longer any trace of Su Yuchen in his aura sensing.

Under the pull of the qi, Ning Daoqi's fishing rod suddenly drooped down, as if dragged by a thousand-pound object. Then, the fishing rod suddenly swung up, and the supple fishing line swept towards Su Yuchen's neck with the power to cleave the sky and split the sea.

A mocking glint flashed in Su Yuchen's eyes. Without him making any move, the previously empty aura filled all directions. Ning Daoqi, who was attacking with all his might, was drawn by the aura, and the silk thread in his hand twisted and fell to the side without any pattern.

This contradictory feeling of seeing his opponent right in front of him, yet attacking an empty spot like a blind man, caused him to grunt. As his true energy circulated, the silk thread naturally straightened, then turned and flew up as if a fish was hanging on the thread, carrying a force that could penetrate metal and stone, aiming at Su Yuchen's throat.

Faced with such a petty trick, Su Yuchen shook his head in disbelief. As if by illusion, the fishing line in Ning Daoqi's hand easily sliced ​​past his neck without stirring up a wisp of wind.

"If this is all the tricks you have, then let's stop here."

Upon hearing Su Yuchen's words, Ning Daoqi's already serious expression turned solemn for the first time. He flashed into the air and appeared in front of Su Yuchen like a shadow. With a wave of his sleeves, a gentle yet powerful energy swept towards Su Yuchen's face.

At the same time, Ning Daoqi's right hand had already reached out from his sleeve, his fingers clenched like a phoenix's beak, and pointed at Su Yuchen's chest. Then, a loud, booming sound like a bell or drum erupted in the air.

Su Yuchen stood at the bow of the boat, letting the phoenix peck at his chest. Then, to Ning Daoqi's astonishment, a sound like metal clashing was heard.

A powerful and domineering force surged from Su Yuchen's chest, climbing up Ning Daoqi's fingers, making him see stars and a look of bewilderment flash across his eyes. He was then pushed backward through the air.

As the deafening explosions echoed through the sky, experts from all over Luoyang leaped onto rooftops and rushed towards this location.

………………

As soon as Ning Daoqi landed, his powerful energy burst forth from his feet, causing the fishing boat to pause slightly. A surge of current rose on the river, and the surrounding boats were pushed and squeezed toward the riverbanks.

Before the people on the ship could scream in agony, Ning Daoqi, with his hair and beard flying and his clothes fluttering, appeared in front of Su Yuchen again. His right hand was tucked behind him, while his left hand stretched out and kept changing. His fingers, palms, fists, and hand seals switched back and forth between opening and closing. His moves were natural and simple, in accordance with nature, and there was no trace of them.

As he approached Su Yuchen, he naturally clenched his fist and curled his fingers like a spear. His unpredictable and powerful energy, like the tip of a spear or a wind drill, aimed to break through Su Yuchen's physical defenses.

Su Yuchen shook his head, his clothes fluttering in the river breeze, rising and falling like the wind. The force of the energy, like a spear, touched his chest and robes, then slid away smoothly to the side, yielding to the force.

Ning Daoqi slid his left hand and stepped in front of Su Yuchen. He flicked his right sleeve, and a gentle burst of energy lashed out at Su Yuchen like a whip. At the same time, his body was pushed back by the energy.

"Boring moves, my turn!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a strand of Su Yuchen's hair, which had been fluttering in the wind, broke off and was blown towards Ning Daoqi.

Ning Daoqi waved his sleeves, like a gentle breeze and a fierce mountain, exuding a contradictory yet unified energy. However, no matter how he defended, his supple and powerless hair always moved with the wind, like a dividing line between yin and yang, light and dark, slowly falling towards the target with a strange rhythm.

Unbeknownst to Ning Daoqi, Su Yuchen shook his head and sighed softly before disappearing from the bow of the ship.

Only then did Ning Daoqi feel his energy dissipate, his sleeves hanging limply. After a long while, a line of blood appeared on his neck, and he stood quietly on the fishing boat.

This man, renowned throughout the Central Plains martial arts world as the number one martial artist, died quietly.

Chapter 394 Aftermath

After a long time.

One by one, the martial arts masters who had been hiding on the rooftops revealed themselves, but everyone hesitated and wavered. No one dared to go forward to confirm their identities. Everyone was waiting, waiting for the person who was supposed to come.

A cacophony of voices lingered nearby; some were hoarse, some were gloating, and some were filled with indignation…

"It's... Ning Daoqi!"

"Completely devoid of vital energy! This..."

"he died!"

"Who was that person just now? Did he kill Ning Daoqi?"

"Stone Dragon!"

"Hiss... He's come to Luoyang!"

"Ha... Cihang Jingzhai dares to choose an emperor on behalf of Heaven, yet it doesn't allow that person to come to Luoyang."

"Trouble!"

"There's no trouble. Ning Daoqi proved that person's strength with his own death."

Will the stone dragon get hurt?

"will not!"

"how do you know?"