The Great Seminary

Chapter 22 Pie in the sky

Silence enveloped the main hall of the Kuroki Town Hall.

After a while, Zhang Gui said:

“Although I am a descendant of the Zhang family in Pingyang, I didn’t even have nine pounds of ‘favorite rice’ when I was born.

Growing up, my mother collected worthless dead fish and rotten shrimps from the fishing port, made them into "fresh sauce" and sold them to raise me.

I have never eaten a grain of rice given by my clan in vain in my life.

He was not qualified to go to the clan school to study classics, history, and literature.

Even learning to read was done by my mother who bought me books and taught me word by word.

It wasn't until he turned fifteen that he managed to get a job in the clan's business by clinging to his thick skin.

I am very grateful for this.

No matter what, if my last name isn't 'Zhang', no matter how much I try to curry favor with him, this job will never fall on me.

But dying because of this is a bit too much.

Although I haven't read any serious books, I know this.

The principle is "the superiors should treat their subordinates like scholars, and the subordinates should serve their superiors like state officials; the superiors should treat their subordinates indifferently, and the subordinates should serve their superiors indifferently."

What do you think, Commandant Guan?

Guan Xihui looked at Zhang Gui in surprise, as if he hadn't expected him to answer him at this moment. He thought carefully and said, "That's right."

As soon as he finished speaking, the green skin on Guan Xihui's body disappeared and his teeth returned to normal.

He returned to his advisory appearance, slowly returned to Zhang Yan's seat, calmly sat down, and reaffirmed, "This is how one should behave.

Okay, let’s stop talking nonsense.

Just now, you all had some misunderstandings about the sudden passing of owner Zhang Qitong.

Now that the misunderstanding has been resolved, just get on with doing your job well.

In addition, Lord Zhenzheng felt that there had been a series of unexpected events in the town in recent days.

It was horrible that the official's life was not saved.

So I found some techniques that could lead to enlightenment and gave them to all the officials to practice.

I hope everyone will work hard and not let down Zhenzheng’s good intentions.”

The changes that happened to Guan Xihui just now were either because he practiced high-end martial arts or possessed a sharp divine power.

And he just showed his hand directly,

It's like, "I'm not pretending anymore. I'm not a weak scholar who can kill you easily."

According to the plot of the pretentious movies Zhang Gui had seen in his previous life, it was not a psychopath who was going to start a massacre;

It means to subdue the opponents and recruit traitors.

In the latter case, we must kill the chicken to scare the monkey.

So after Guan Xihui forced Zhang Baqing, the "chicken", to death, Zhang Gui took the initiative to talk to him, hinting:

'I'm not familiar with the Zhang family in Pingyang, and our relationship is just vague.

The situation is similar to that of your eldest brother Zhang Yan.

Wasn't it because of the "indifferent" treatment given to him by the Zhang family of Pingyang in the past that he became a rebel?

Can I help you start your own business?

We are all spiritual companions, and we should not kill each other.'

Unexpectedly, Guan Xihui did not accept any traitors, but instead gave everyone some inexplicable skills to practice.

It's really confusing with one foot in the sky and one foot underground.

But 'others are the butchers and I am the fish'.

No one present dared to ask more questions.

One by one, they bowed to Zhang Yan with a sullen face and thanked him, and then were led by Guan Xihui to the inner room of the town office.

The morning sun in summer is exceptionally bright.

The garden is colorful, and the pavilions are decorated with carved railings and painted buildings.

Come to the kitchen.

I don’t know what mechanism Guan Xihui activated, but the ground suddenly softened and layers of water waves appeared, sinking everyone under.

In a trance, when everyone's feet touched the ground again, they were already standing in an extremely spacious training room.

In the center is a huge diamond-shaped stone pillar several meters high.

One side of the stone pillar is equivalent to a stone slab.

The patterns and characters engraved on the board shifted and changed constantly, repeating themselves endlessly. Before Zhang Gui could see the connection, the portly Zhang Basheng suddenly exclaimed, "This is the 'Zongheng Shu'!"

“It’s the Book of Vertical and Horizontal Strategies.

Here are four kinds of skills: 'Flying Kicks', 'Fire Fist', 'Wind-Grabbing Hand', and 'Crossbow Master'!"

The Book of Zongheng is the foundation of the Zhang family's private military protection in Pingyang.

It records all nine kinds of cultivation techniques of the 'Zongheng Series'.

The best of these techniques are said to be able to be cultivated to the level of 'Shang Yi', or the third grade.

Even the inferior ones can cultivate to the 'Shang Bing', which is the fourth grade.

The so-called "vertical and horizontal" has a very simple meaning in the general interpretation of supernatural powers:
"Move forward, backward, left, right, and in all directions."

This kind of ability doesn't sound high-end and classy.

For example, the 'Zongheng Swordsman' who died some time ago, when using the sword, he "jumped like flying, and the sword energy split the air and did not dissipate", which sounds pretty good.

But who can I compare my score with?

The true superior swordsmanship requires the following:
'The sword moves freely, and inspiration arises and disappears thirty-six times in the blink of an eye'.

In other words, when you fly the sword in the air and think about attacking the enemy, dozens of attacks are completed as soon as you think about it.

The same ninth rank, no matter how fast you jump or how sharp your swordsmanship is, how can you stop him? 'Inspiration arises and disappears thirty-six times in the blink of an eye'

So in the eyes of those real bigwigs, "Zonghengshu" is just that.

The only advantage is that the Pingyang Zhang family has a relatively complete collection of martial arts techniques.

It’s just that the quality of some of the skills is higher.

However, as a method of entering the Dao, apart from direct instruction between master and disciple, there are only two ways to get started.

First, watch the mirage reflected by the 'Shadow Water Lingbi'.

The second is to use the spell of 'Profound and Stirring', which is recorded in the 'Jade Talisman Book'.

Then use the 'Dangying Wenzhen' to reverse the records on the 'Jade Talisman Book'.

Learn from the 'Returning Spirit Monument'.

However, the 'Shadow Water Lingbi' is a natural wonder and is extremely rare.

There are only nineteen known locations within the entire Ming-Song territory.

The more powerful and higher-grade the martial arts, the better the 'Profound Spirit' and 'Jade Talisman Book' required for recording.

In addition, the 'Jade Talisman Book' will be damaged every time it is used, and the better the skills are, the greater the damage will be.

As a result, even the most useless cultivation techniques are difficult for ordinary people to see.

Zhang Guijing was reminded by the fat man that the diamond-shaped stone pillar in front of him was actually the "Returning Spirit Monument".

The picture and text on the stele were "Zonghengshu", and his eyes widened immediately.

He rolled his eyes and didn't care why the pie suddenly fell on his head, but memorized it silently.

The other managers are either cultivators who have practiced cultivation or laymen who are not familiar with cultivation.

I was shocked and stunned at first when I saw the pictures and texts on the Return to Soul Monument, but after looking at them a few more times, I was somehow captivated.

If they are cultivators, they may involuntarily mobilize their Qi and blood to perform various flying and running movements, or sit cross-legged with their five hearts facing the Yuan to regulate their Qi.

Bai Ding felt an irresistible whisper ringing in his ears.

It was as if it was the secret he most wanted to know, tempting him to listen hard, but he couldn't hear it clearly no matter how hard he tried.

The main hall of the town hall, in front of a pool of water.

Zhang Yan looked at the group of managers who had become crazy and demented, and said with some regret:

“Although it is a four-door bare-handed technique, it can still reach the fourth-grade ‘Shang Bing’ level.

It would be a shame to let these fish belly go to waste.”

He Kaihai heard this and said with a serious expression:
"Sir, if we don't do this, how can we cause internal strife within the Zhang family of Pingyang?

If you don't want to throw away your shoes, you can't catch the wolf."

"He Kaihai, there's only a peanut-sized amount of brain matter in your skull, and the rest is just lumps of flesh. You still want to be like a strategist and come up with strategies?

Xihui, it's almost time, you should throw those head and senior servants into the training room."

"Yes, sir, I will go right away."

Guan Xihui held back his laughter, looked at He Kaihai who was scratching his head, nodded, and left.

They are serious and respectful in front of outsiders, but they are very close friends in private.

It is no wonder that the gentry of the Ming and Song dynasties gave up their duties and turned against the Tiangang to become the Pirate King.

(End of this chapter)