This place is fun

Chapter 182 Villain
Song Xier left.

Su Daoshan sat down on the edge of the bed, deep in thought. The organization Song Xier mentioned was probably the survivors of those families implicated in the Crown Prince case.

This made Su Daoshan once again deeply aware of the turbulent undercurrents hidden beneath the calm surface of Xi Kingdom.

He didn't know who was behind it or what their purpose was, but it was clear that the fact that these survivors were able to survive, hide in the shadows under various identities, and even form an organization was enough to demonstrate the strength of the forces secretly opposing the Xi Kingdom's royal family.

Thinking about it, Su Daoshan couldn't help but sigh.

Just over ten days ago, I was preparing for the civil service exam while also drawing talismans and doing feng shui for people to improve their luck. I was single and had no family to worry about. Life was a bit monotonous, but I was also quite free.

But who knew that just over ten days later, he would find himself in this unfamiliar town, listening to the rain outside, the crunching of wheels over mud and water, and the shouts of men and the neighing of horses. Amidst the chaos of war, he racked his brains to figure out how to save his family.

The more Su Daoshan thought about it, the more depressed he became.

Before I arrived, the Su family had lived peacefully for over a decade. But as soon as I arrived, the Mi family attacked the Su family. What's even more frustrating is that the Su family just seemed to be giving up.

Grandfather lived a secluded life in Luoxia Mountain, indifferent to worldly affairs. Uncle was a good-for-nothing. And his own father was an idle, carefree man who did nothing but drink and fish all day, living a leisurely life. The entire Su family depended on the eldest sister, Su Wan, to hold them up.

If I hadn't become a disciple of Han Gu and had Xie Xunbai's support, wouldn't the Su family have been destroyed long ago?

Now, the Su family's crisis seems to have been resolved on the surface. In fact, because they saved Tang Mo'er and the military camp happened to be located in Yishan City, they even received support from the military, making them appear quite prosperous.

But he was the only one who received the news from Ao Jiu that the Bureau of Investigation had sent people to deal with the Su family.

And so, without realizing it, his small body was once again thrust into the limelight, becoming the first and only line of defense in front of the Su family against the storm from the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

People say that when the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up. Why am I the one who's in the front for no reason?

Su Daoshan felt increasingly aggrieved. He longed to lie down and ignore everything, to let the sky truly fall down and see what happened, but there was a bottom line drawn in his heart that he could never cross.

Damn it, this is the damned worldview formed by twenty years of education in my previous life. I always want to be a good person, always thinking that everyone has to look out for themselves, but at the same time I can't let go of the responsibilities on my shoulders.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Su Daoshan opened the door and saw Liu Xiangyi and Li Yulian standing there with smiles on their faces.

"Uncle Liu, Uncle Li..." Su Daoshan greeted them respectfully.

"I heard you were unconscious before," Liu Xiangyi patted his shoulder as he entered the room, and asked with a smile, "Are you feeling much better now? Are you alright?"

"Thank you for your concern, my two senior uncles," Su Daoshan said respectfully, standing with his hands at his sides. "I am fine now."

“This child,” Li Yulian followed behind Liu Xiangyi and pretended to be angry when she saw this, “I have long heard that you have been studying since childhood, researching the classics, following the words of the sages, and practicing the way of a gentleman… These rules are certainly important, but to be so rigid with us is a bit too distant.”

Upon hearing this, Su Daoshan instinctively cupped his hands to indicate that he would follow his elder's teachings. However, as he raised his hand, he seemed to realize that he was going against his elder's instructions, and he froze for a moment, looking rather embarrassed.

Liu Xiangyi and Li Yulian exchanged a wry smile, realizing the rumors were true. This kid really was a bit dull from studying too much.

However, the two of them looked at Su Daoshan with increasing affection.

In this world, cunning and wicked people are everywhere. But such a simple, polite, and even endearingly upright and reserved young man is a rare sight these days.

Of course, this was also because Su Daoshan had saved Liu Hua. Moreover, they had already gathered relevant information and knew that although this young man was dull-witted, he possessed extraordinary talent, even to the point of being considered exceptionally gifted. As a result, Han Gu went so far as to break the rules and directly recruit him into their sect during the lower-level county examination, even placing him among their personal disciples.

If it were a stupid or clumsy character, it wouldn't be cute, but rather dull and annoying.

At this moment, Su Daoshan seemed to wake from a dream and quickly poured tea for the two of them. Liu Xiangyi and Li Yulian did not stop him, but just smiled and watched him busy himself.

As a pampered young master from a wealthy family, he was naturally not good at serving tea and water. So Su Daoshan hurriedly and clumsily brewed the new tea, served it to everyone respectfully, and stood aside with his eyes downcast and mindful of his own thoughts.

Li Yulian couldn't help but laugh again. She got up and pulled him to sit down with her, saying, "Alright, let's just chat casually, no need to be so reserved."

"Yes," Su Daoshan replied earnestly.

"Just as Hua'er said, he is indeed a gentleman, gentle and refined," Li Yulian looked Su Daoshan up and down, amused. "No wonder you risked your life to save them last night, but when you woke up, you thanked them first..."

"This..." Su Daoshan was about to explain, but Liu Xiangyi waved his hand to interrupt him, "Daoshan, you don't need to say anything more. If you hadn't taken action last night, they would have been dead long ago. That's why you're unconscious. It's only right that they serve and take care of you. If they ignored you, wouldn't they be worse than pigs and dogs?"

Without saying much, Liu Xiangyi took out two small brocade boxes from his sleeve.

He opened the first box and pushed it in front of Su Daoshan. Inside was a pale blue pill the size of a longan, shimmering with iridescent light, clearly no ordinary item.

"Hua'er was fortunate to be saved by you, Daoshan. The entire Liu family of Ji Nong City is deeply grateful. Now that you have just entered the seventh rank, it is the perfect time to strengthen your foundation and cultivate your vital energy. This Marrow Strengthening Pill can replenish your blood and qi, and has miraculous effects on internal qi cultivation and physical tempering..."

Before Liu Xiangyi could finish speaking, Su Daoshan was already filled with fear, waving his hands repeatedly and saying, "How can this be... No, no... Senior Sister Liu and I are both from the righteous path, and we should treat each other like brothers. Helping her is only my duty..."

Even the most ignorant martial artist has heard of the Marrow Strengthening Pill.

The saying goes that blood originates from marrow. For martial artists at the seventh rank, the biggest problem is insufficient qi and blood. To improve qi and blood, the internal qi needs to circulate to a certain extent, reaching the internal organs through the opened acupoints, in order to slowly improve the condition little by little.

But that's basically for those at the sixth rank or higher, or even the fifth rank or higher.

However, the Marrow-Strengthening Pill is a precious elixir specifically for seventh-grade martial artists, capable of significantly enhancing their qi and blood. Taking just one would bring numerous benefits…

In Su Daoshan's own words, if the current internal energy circulation of a seventh-grade martial artist is likened to a 3.0 car engine, then the effect of the Marrow Strengthening Pill is to directly add twin turbochargers to this engine!
The extracted power, or the stimulated energy, increased by at least 40% compared to before. Strength, speed, and the generated force increased significantly.

Moreover, and most importantly, with the help of the Marrow-Strengthening Pill, lighting the dragon lantern becomes twice as effective.

It's important to understand that the spine is the main support of the human skeleton. However, unlike other bones, the spine cannot be forged through external force. It can only be tempered by the flow of qi and blood, like being tempered in a furnace.

The more abundant one's Qi and blood, the faster the tempering process will be, and the better the results will be.

This is why the Marrow Strengthening Pill is so renowned among martial artists. Especially among low-level martial artists, it is almost considered a divine product.

However, the formula for the Marrow Strengthening Pill is an ancient secret recipe from the Old Era. It was extremely rare even in the Old Era, let alone now. In addition, the ingredients are also extremely rare and hard to come by. Therefore, the amount of Marrow Strengthening Pill produced each year is pitifully small, and it is basically monopolized by a few specific forces. Outsiders can't even smell it.

Especially in remote prefectures like Xia Prefecture, it's almost unheard of for a martial artist to obtain a Marrow Strengthening Pill at the seventh rank.

To Su Daoshan's surprise, the Liu family actually offered a Marrow Strengthening Pill as a token of their gratitude. This was a perfect gift, directly hitting the spot in his heart. He was overjoyed.

Of course, on the surface, Su Daoshan still tried his best to decline, showing his sincerity.

But Liu Xiangyi said with a stern face, "Daoshan, you have been well-versed in the classics since childhood and have set an example for others. Don't you know the principle that one should not refuse the gifts of elders?"

Su Daoshan was instantly stunned, speechless and dumbfounded, unsure how to refute. Liu Xiangyi and Li Yulian found it amusing and both laughed.

Li Yulian took the brocade box and forced it into Su Daoshan's hand, saying, "Since it's for you, you should keep it. As a disciple of Hangu, you are closely connected with Hongzhao Palace. In the future, Hua'er and the others may need your help again. The more your strength increases, the more prosperous the righteous path will become."

Having said that, Su Daoshan had no reason to refuse. He respectfully accepted the brocade box.

"As for this, it was personally requested for you by our Deputy Palace Master Feng Baozhi of Hongzhao Palace..." Liu Xiangyi opened the brocade box and pushed it in front of Su Daoshan.

The Vice Palace Master? Su Daoshan was taken aback and looked down. He saw a bracelet lying inside the brocade box.

The bracelet had a strange design, like a bamboo joint bent into a shape that resembled the chicken blood vine style that Su Daoshan had seen in his previous life.

“This is a secret weapon called the Hammerhead Cudgel,” Li Yulian said, picking up the bracelet and putting it on her wrist. A look of pain immediately appeared on her face.

A few seconds later, she regained her composure, and without any visible movement, she flipped her wrist, and a long metal rod suddenly appeared in her hand.

The stick is entirely black with dark gold patterns resembling flame scales. At one end of the stick, there is a petal-like tip.

With a flick of Li Yulian's hand, the end of the rod rapidly spun and blossomed, expanding quickly into a small mallet about the size of an orange, just like a flower blooming and bearing fruit. With another flick, the mallet disappeared, transforming back into a straight iron rod.

When Li Yulian let go again, the iron rod disappeared into thin air.

Li Yulian said, "The Hammerhead Cudgel was obtained by an elder of the Red Illumination Palace in a secret realm decades ago. It has two mysterious aspects. First, it has the property of being able to hide in the void. Only a few secret artifacts listed in the 'Records of Strange Things' on the Heaven, Earth, and Man lists possess this property. It is easy to carry and hide in daily life, and can often be used to strike unexpectedly."

"Secondly, as you should know, secret artifacts come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but most are objects. Weapons are extremely rare. This hammer-headed staff is one of them." As Li Yulian spoke, she took the bracelet off her wrist and sighed, "However, although it is a secret artifact, it has no other use besides these two advantages."

"In the early stages of martial arts, one can certainly use the ability of this item to hide in the void and catch the opponent off guard. However, once one reaches the grandmaster stage, one has the ability to see the subtle signs and anticipate the situation. Even the slightest danger or killing intent from a hundred meters away can make the hairs on one's body stand on end. How can one gain an advantage with such a stick?"

"Moreover, this staff is not only violent and mad, but also difficult to control. Each use requires five coins of spiritual energy. If it were used as an everyday weapon, I'm afraid few people could withstand it. Therefore, it has been sealed in the Red Illumination Palace."

Liu Xiangyi nodded and continued Li Yulian's words: "Ten years ago, your Uncle-Master Meng the Woodcutter came to Hongzhao Palace as a guest. During the martial arts competition, he saw this staff and fell in love with it. He said that all kinds of staff and hammer techniques in the world were not compatible with this staff, but only the Mad Demon Eighteen Hammers of Hangu could fully exert the power of this staff."

Li Yulian covered her mouth and laughed, "He wanted to exchange it for the rare treasures of the Cold Valley, but the Palace Master refused. He's been holding a grudge ever since, and he even asked about it a few days ago. Clearly, he hasn't given up."

Liu Xiangyi laughed and said, "A few days ago, you fought with the disciples of Yun Jing Sect. At that time, my sect's deputy palace master, Feng Baozhi, witnessed it firsthand. She praised you for being so young and already having mastered the Mad Demon Eighteen Hammers. In terms of talent for this skill alone, there is no one else like you in Han Gu. So when I heard that you saved Hua'er, I specifically asked for this to be given to you..."

Upon hearing Liu Xiangyi's words, Li Yulian pulled Su Daoshan's hand, slapped the bracelet onto his wrist, and laughed, "Hongzhao Palace doesn't have anything to offer. Try this hammer stick. If you can handle it, this will be Hongzhao Palace's token of gratitude. If it's not suitable, don't force it. You can go to your Uncle Meng and ask him to exchange it for something better."

The moment Su Daoshan put the bracelet in his hand, his mind went blank. Then, he felt as if he had been dragged into hell. Countless mutterings filled his ears, and countless indescribable demons and monsters appeared before his eyes.

Along with these overwhelming auditory and visual hallucinations, a malevolent aura rose from the depths of his heart. At this moment, Su Daoshan felt only extreme anger.

An unnamed rage, as if doused with oil, shot straight to the top of his head.

All reason vanished at that moment.

The saying goes, "Anger arises from the heart, and evil springs from the gall." After extreme anger comes pure malice. At this moment, everything in Su Daoshan's eyes seemed bloodshot; even Liu Xiangyi and Li Yulian before him became irreconcilable enemies. Only one thought occupied his mind: to smash everything in the world and turn it into a sea of ​​blood!
The apocalyptic information in his mind also made him instinctively know how to use the bracelet. Unconsciously, the black iron rod had already appeared in his hand.

Kill kill kill!

Holding the iron rod, Su Daoshan had only one intense desire: to swing it out. A thousand times, ten thousand times, countless times… until he destroyed the entire world.

The next second, as the cool power of the Dao Seed flowed through his sea of ​​consciousness, Su Daoshan immediately regained his senses.

To Su Daoshan's surprise, he discovered that his consciousness and body were in an extremely mysterious state. He seemed to maintain a certain degree of anger, his blood and energy were more vigorous, and he was more aggressive. But his brain was calmer, and his reactions and perceptions were more acute.

This feeling is like the reaction of a large amount of adrenaline being secreted in a past life.

"What a 'hammer stick'! That sounds awful," Su Daoshan thought to himself. "From now on, I'll call you 'villain'."

With a thought, Su Daoshan discovered that the iron rod in his hand had responded. It seemed quite satisfied with its new name.

Of course, having learned from the experience of the Golden Abacus, Su Daoshan simply closed his eyes, his expression contorted in pain, until he silently counted to five before he seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief and calm down.

In his view, Li Yulian had taken about three seconds to suppress the mental pollution when she used the hammer, so he certainly couldn't be faster than her.

However, what Su Daoshan didn't know was that from the moment he took the mallet, Liu Xiangyi and Li Yulian had been watching him intently. When they saw that he had suppressed the effects of the mallet in just five seconds, the two exchanged a shocked glance, their eyes filled with amazement, and nodded to each other.

"This young man is indeed naturally simple and pure-hearted."

Only the two of them knew that the mental pollution from this hammer and club was most capable of stirring up the deepest malice in people's hearts. To suppress it, besides one's moral character and cultivation, the most important thing was to have a kind heart and a pure mind. Only when one's heart is free of evil thoughts can one remain unaffected by the hammer and club. Otherwise, one would immediately reveal their true nature.

In the Red Palace, Li Yulian, having lived a secluded life for many years and rarely venturing out except to teach her disciples, was almost completely detached from worldly affairs. As a result, she was simple-minded and resolute, and was considered one of the least affected by the hammer and stick.

Others, including Liu Xiangyi, would need at least ten seconds to resist the evil thoughts.

To their surprise, Su Daoshan, a seventeen-year-old boy, was at the age when he was full of vigor and his mind was easily distracted. He actually broke free from the influence only two seconds later than Li Yulian. This was enough to show that the boy had truly absorbed the teachings of the sages and put them into practice. He was a man of perfect purity of mind.

As for the slight struggle on his face, to the two of them, it was perfectly normal. It would be strange if a person had no emotions or desires and couldn't even feel a spark of anger.

After a short while, seeing that Su Daoshan had recovered, put away the mallet, and bowed deeply to express his gratitude, the two nodded repeatedly.

Li Yulian smiled broadly, secretly nudged Liu Xiangyi with her elbow, and her eyes seemed to ask, "How is it?"

Liu Xiangyi coughed, stood up, and said to Su Daoshan, "Alright, we won't bother you anymore. We'll be here these next two days, so you should stay put and not run around with your senior sister. We won't be at ease until we hand you over to Hangu ourselves. As for your family, don't worry, Hongzhao Palace will send a message..."

Su Daoshan's heart stirred upon hearing this, and sure enough, he heard Liu Xiangyi say, "I heard that your family encountered some trouble before, but from now on, I want to see who dares to mess with Hongzhao Palace."

Su Daoshan was moved to tears and bowed deeply to the ground.

Liu Xiangyi's gaze softened further as he helped him up, patted his shoulder, and turned to leave with Li Yulian. Just before reaching the door, he suddenly seemed to remember something and turned back, saying, "By the way, you and Hua'er are about the same age and both love reading. If you have free time, you might as well spend more time together..."

"Yes," Su Daoshan said respectfully. "Senior Sister Liu is kind-hearted, intelligent, and knowledgeable. I have long admired her and have been seeking her guidance ever since."

Seeing that Su Daoshan agreed readily but looked completely blank, Li Yulian couldn't help but laugh.

Liu Xiangyi also found it amusing and turned to leave.

"Everywhere is fine, it's just a bit dull."

(End of this chapter)