Me and countless me.

Chapter 524 Unfulfilled Desires and Greed, Anger, and Ignorance

No, if I say you look like Zhang Min, you'll actually play Zhao Min, right?

Li Ke was speechless for a moment, then shook his head and put away the silver notes.

"It seems that the Murong family is indeed completely ignorant about power."

The Murong family was a nobody in the area, not even a poor family. He could easily find a middleman to contact the local magistrate and get Azhu and Abi's indentures registered under his name.

Because he was 100% certain that the Murong family had not cultivated good relations with the local prefect or anyone like that, so no one would obstruct this matter, and there was no need to use the Murong family's indenture.

His Murong family was at most a remnant of countless dynasties, while Li Ke was a true member of the imperial family and a trusted confidant of the current emperor. If it weren't for the fact that too many of his family members were in the army, forcing him to retire from public life to avoid suspicion, he would at least be able to command tens of thousands of troops by now.

Even so, his family's soldiers and servants were all inseparable from his businesses, and his intelligence network was about to spread throughout the country. He had never heard of any deeds by the Murong family, so he was certain that the Murong family neither knew how to rebel nor understood power.

So when Li Ke returned to the inn, he had someone take care of the matter, and things did indeed go as he expected. The local county magistrate didn't even know who the Murong family was, and he just slipped some silver into his pocket and changed A Zhu and A Bi's contract.

However, he didn't tell Qiao Feng and Duan Yu about this, since the two of them might not be able to stand such a thing. Also, after Qiao Feng learned of his status as a duke, he actually intended to maintain a certain distance and respect.

This was undoubtedly due to his status as the leader of the Beggars' Sect. If Duan Yu hadn't been holding him back, Qiao Feng probably wouldn't have been so friendly; instead, he would have treated Li Ke with respect.

In private, Qiao Feng could naturally be on friendly terms with Li Ke, but in public, he would never dare to overstep his bounds. In fact, when Li Ke was doing something, Qiao Feng would try his best to remain silent.

After all, he was the leader of the Beggars' Sect and had to be responsible for the sect.

Fortunately, it's a martial arts world, and the Beggars' Sect doesn't engage in any acts of mutilation or torture. Instead, they crack down on such practices. It just goes to show that martial arts is indeed a fairy tale for adults, but there's really no need to be suspicious of such wonderful things.

It can only be said that this is indeed the way the world is, but the Beggars' Sect in history was truly a place that harbored filth and evil.

Therefore, after having a few more drinks with Li Ke and Duan Yu, Qiao Feng agreed to meet at Xingzilin. He went to handle some other matters of the Beggars' Sect on his own, and took the "Sunflower Manual" written by Li Ke to show to Kumārajīva.

As for Duan Yu...

"After leaving home this time, I have come to realize that while one should not take advantage of being weak to bully others, one must also be able to protect oneself."

Duan Yu looked at A'Zhu and A'Bi recuperating in Li Ke's room and couldn't help but sigh. Then he looked at Li Ke solemnly.

"So, Brother Li, I plan to go back to Dali to explore the secret realm of my Duan family, find the legendary Hell Pillar, and learn the Six Meridians Divine Sword before coming out."

He spoke very seriously. In the past few days, whether it was because Kumārajīva captured him or because he was powerless to protect Azhu and Abi, Azhu and Abi were instead ostracized and driven away by Murong Guang.

Although they didn't say it, it was obvious that A'Zhu and A'Bi were actually quite unhappy, and all of this unhappiness was because of Duan Yu.

Although Azhu and Abi gave him the same warm feeling as Murong Guang and Li Ke, they should never have a romantic relationship with him.

However, Duan Yu also understood that their unhappiness was all because of him.

With his eyes closed, he could see Azhu and Abi's suffering every time, feel the helplessness of not being able to see the Wang mother and daughter, and see Kumārajīva's slander of the Dharma and his unreasonable arguments based on his martial prowess.

as well as……

In my dream, my father happily pointed at the women I saw along the way and laughed, saying to me, "Your sister!"

Duan Yu clenched his fists in anguish, for only by mastering the Duan Family Inner Strength Technique to its highest level could he instantly recognize whether someone was a member of the Duan Family! He had to master the Duan Family Inner Strength Technique to its highest level!
That's why I need to ascend the pillar of hell to help me quickly master the Duan family's inner techniques!

"This is so that no woman will suffer misfortune or unhappiness because of me, and also so that those who cannot reason will understand the truth... I, Duan Yu, must master the unique skills of my Duan family! I didn't understand before, but since I learned the Ripple Technique, I understand that those who stand there pointing fingers and making judgments cannot bring happiness to anyone!"

Duan Yu clenched his fists. In the past few days, his originally thin figure had become very strong, and his personality had also become more positive and sunny.

Li Ke thought this was a side effect of the ripples, but it didn't seem to be a side effect for Duan Yu. However, in order not to make Duan Yu regret it, he still said it.

"Your performance might be related to the ripples..."

Duan Yu nodded. He knew there was a connection, but he didn't want anyone to be sad or upset because of him!

“I know, Brother Li, but I will not regret it.”

"I understand, but what is the Hell Pillar?"

"It's an iron pillar in a deep greasy pit, filled with countless traps and hidden weapons, even mechanisms that simulate the power of my Duan family's One-Finger Divine Skill and Six-Pulse Divine Sword. If you go in during the day but can't reach the top at night using the power of the ripples, you'll die. This is something I saw in my family's collection of books. When I was little, I thought it was just a legend, but now it seems that both the vampire monsters hiding in the darkness and the legendary ultimate life forms could be real."

"Ah this..."

Li Ke really wanted to tell Ding Chunqiu that he was currently working on this ultimate life form, but after thinking about it, he decided it wasn't necessary, because after he solved the problem in Xingzilin, he would probably be going to cause trouble for Ding Chunqiu soon.

After all, he was already planning to recruit Qiao Feng into his ranks as one of his generals, so there was no need to mention the plot of Tianlong. He wouldn't keep any of the useful ones, and he would just kill someone like Ding Chunqiu who was completely incompetent.

As for Duan Yu, the Dali Duan family itself paid tribute to the Central Plains court and became a vassal state. So from the perspective of a potential rebel, it's best to leave him alone, but it's also necessary to try to win him over.

So Li Ke patted Duan Yu on the shoulder.

"Hmm, I have high hopes for you. I have a martial arts manual here called 'The Four Symbols of Heavenly Will,' which may be related to your family's Six Meridians Divine Sword and Ripple. I'll give it to you."

As Li Ke spoke, he took out a book of scriptures he had written himself and handed it to Duan Yu.

This Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is a martial art he created by referencing the Demon Sword Life and Death Chess. Like the Duan Family's inner strength technique, it is a move driven by both ripples and internal force, and it is also a finger technique. The Duan family members only need a little practice to master it.

The Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique consists of four moves: Wind God's Wrath, Fire God's Wrath, Thunder God's Wrath, and Lightning God's Wrath. Each move can create a phantom image of internal energy and ripples behind the user. Furthermore, Lightning God's Wrath requires mastery of the Wind, Fire, and Thunder moves to the point of 'at will' before it can be used in combination. Wind God's Wrath can control the wind and spread ripples and internal energy within it to form sharp blades. Fire God's Wrath can generate extremely high temperatures and control flames, integrating ripples and internal energy into the flames. Thunder God's Wrath is even more powerful, capable of using ripples and internal energy to unleash lightning, and even summoning celestial thunderbolts to strike down.

As for the wrath of the Thunder God...

The Wrath of the Thunder God is the ultimate move of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique, which can use the power of ripples to manipulate the power of magnetic fields!
However, the greatest effect of the Heavenly Will Four Symbols Technique is that it forms a Dharma image behind the back, similar to the Murong family's Star Shift Technique, which allows one's moves to be unrestricted by one's own meridians and unleash even greater power.

After all, no matter how you compare a person's meridians, you can't compare to the width of a giant's. This is why Li Ke felt that Murong Guang's "Star Shift" technique wasn't up to par!
She can manipulate the meridians of the Dharma Image behind her to deflect the enemy's attacks, so why not add some internal energy to make her already powerful attacks even stronger!
"Brother Li, what should we do?"

Duan Yu was reluctant to accept it. He had been receiving favors from Li Ke all along, but could only repay them with some money that Li Ke would never care about. Now, Li Ke was even going so far as to give him a martial arts manual, which made him feel extremely guilty.

Li Ke stuffed the scriptures into Duan Yu's arms, because he really wanted to turn Duan Yu into a complete being with a substitute, and he didn't mind suffering some losses for it.

After all, if we disregard lust, Duan Yu is a man with the golden spirit!
"Just take it. If you really feel bad about it, ask your elders if two or three more of the same techniques can be exchanged for the legal right to use your Duan family's internal cultivation method. Besides, this technique and internal cultivation method are powerful, but they actually have a fatal flaw!"

Duan Yu was very curious about this, so he immediately asked.

"What flaw?"

"After cultivating, you will become a two-meter-tall, muscular man! You might even be able to smash a piece of marble with a single punch!"

Duan Yu: "…………"

He eventually accepted the manual, stating that Li Ke was a legitimate user of the Duan Family's mental cultivation method, so he simply left behind both the Duan Family's mental cultivation method and the One-Finger Divine Skill manual, showing no sign of caring at all.

Judging from his expression, Li Ke knew that the misunderstanding between him and Duan Zhengchun had not been resolved, but he had nothing to say about it, since such a misunderstanding would be difficult for anyone to resolve.

After everyone left, Li Ke took A Zhu and A Bi, whose injuries had stabilized, back to the academy manor and reunited with Wang Yuyan and the others. He then taught Wang Yuyan the Beiming Divine Art, which incorporated the Ripple Qi Gong, the Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Supreme Art, the Lesser Formless Art, and many scriptures.

After seeing this, Wang Yuyan and Madam Wang were practically sitting on the ground like hens laying eggs. They lost all their fairy-like demeanor, and their voices became like silk threads, leaving Azhu and Abi dumbfounded.

"Young master... this manual can no longer be called the Northern Darkness Divine Art, can it? How about giving this book a new name?"

Wang Yuyan clung to Li Ke as if she had no bones, acting coquettishly as if she would do whatever Li Ke said.

And that's exactly the case; she will never object to anything Li Ke says now!
"Then let's call it the Northern Darkness Rebirth Method."

Li Ke said it casually, but he couldn't help but shake his head. The threshold for the new Beiming Divine Art he created was actually quite high. Only those with good aptitude could successfully cultivate it and maintain the effect of immortality.

Even someone with the talent of his mother, Duan Zhengchun, would find it difficult to cultivate to this level, let alone ordinary people, who would struggle even to get started.

Therefore, Li Ke was thinking about how to simplify the secret manual. He didn't want ordinary people to achieve immortality, but at least they should be able to live for two or three hundred years, and be able to regenerate severed limbs and be immune to all diseases.

"This... the Northern Darkness Rebirth Method is indeed very good, but Ding Chunqiu also created a Northern Darkness Rebirth Method... Of course, Your Majesty's Northern Darkness Rebirth Method is the truest Northern Darkness Rebirth Method! That Ding Chunqiu is just a piece of trash! He will be here to check the accounts in the next few days, and I will kill Ding Chunqiu for Your Majesty then!"

Madam Wang spoke somewhat nervously, but when she mentioned killing Ding Chunqiu, her tone became extremely cold, completely devoid of the warmth Ding Chunqiu had shown them over the years, as if he were just an unrelated person.

Li Ke glanced at her and couldn't help but shake his head. The reason he was so cold to Wang Yuyan and Madam Wang was because of this. The Qiu Shui sisters were not normal human beings at all. They would side with whoever was beneficial to the development of the Third Law, and did not care about their previous feelings at all.

Rather than being human, they are really just living robots with predetermined goals.

"It seems I still need to make a trip to Leigushan Chess Game to get my hands on Wuyazi's research materials, so as to save some time and end this tragic cycle as soon as possible."

However, looking at the remaining books in the collection that he hadn't finished reading, Li Ke decided to finish reading the books in the Xiaoyao Sect's collection first.

However, after reading for a while, he suddenly looked up.

"Ding Chunqiu knows the Northern Darkness Rebirth Technique? Why does it feel so familiar?"

But at the same time, the Beggars' Sect branch—

“Ugh! Ugh!!”

Kumārajīva looked at the Li Ke version of the "Sunflower Manual" that was open in front of him. His tightly bound body struggled constantly because he had already realized that this page of the scripture contained supreme martial arts principles. If he could see the next page, he would even be willing to give up his life savings and all his honor!

Even the identity of the Tibetan National Preceptor is not as precious as the next page of the Sunflower Manual at this moment!
However, his internal energy was completely disrupted, his meridians were severely damaged, his bones were shattered, and even his skull and finger bones were broken! He was still alive only because the internal energy of Li Ke and Qiao Feng was still supporting his bones in his body, but it was a pipe dream for him to move or use his internal energy on his own!
Even on the day he recovered, he was unable to speak or move his fingers, so even if he had seen it all now, he would have no chance of cultivating!

"Show me! Show me! Show me! Buddha! Come, bird! Turn the page of the scripture for me! Buddha!!! Or show mercy! Let me die right now!"

Staring at the next page that he couldn't move, seeing the profound martial arts principles right in front of him but he couldn't see them, Kumārajīva felt as if he were already dead, and that he was now facing the infernal hell!
The idea that one must castrate oneself before practicing divine skills was not a big problem for Kumārajīva, since as a monk he was not allowed to have relations with women, so he didn't care at all. However, being able to look at this exquisite martial arts but not being able to see the aftermath was a real and heavy torment for him!
However, at that very moment, a voice came from the sky, accompanied by the screams of countless beggars. As the beggars screamed, a person with white hair and beard, who looked like an immortal, walked in and immediately saw the Sunflower Manual and Kumārajīva.

"Oh, I wondered why these stinking beggars who wouldn't give me protection money cared so much about this place. Turns out it's a cripple... the 'Sunflower Manual'?"

The newcomer glanced disdainfully at the unfolded Sunflower Manual, then became engrossed in reading it, just like Kumārajīva. However, after flipping through half of it, he suddenly realized that this was not his territory. So he looked around and, seeing only a crippled Kumārajīva, sneered.

"Hmph, this manual is a waste on a cripple like you. I, Ding Chunqiu, will take it!"

Having said that, the man who called himself Ding Chunqiu picked up the Sunflower Manual and leaped into the air, causing the immobile and speechless Kumārajīva to open his eyes wide! He stared at Ding Chunqiu in disbelief, and kept shouting in his heart!

"My secret manual! Mine! Mine!!! Duke Li Ke promised to give it to me!!"

However, he could do nothing. Just as he couldn't turn the page of the manual before, Kumārajīva was also unable to stop Ding Chunqiu from taking the manual away at this moment.

Thus, Master Kumārajīva shed tears of blood!
(End of this chapter)