Qin Shi: I went astray in the Heavenly Sect

Chapter 178 Saving Others and Oneself: Encountering Xiang Family Army
"Rong'er?"

Seeing Duanmu Rong return with a somewhat strange expression, Nian Duan couldn't help but speak up.

Duanmu Rong first glanced at the people around the campfire, and seeing them chatting and laughing around the fire, the girl couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

She learned a lot of information from her master. The matter they were facing now involved the royal family and nobles. No one knew what the future held, and even whether she and her master could return to Mirror Lake safely was uncertain.

These people in front of us seem to be laughing and having fun now, but will their future fate be the same as hers and hers?

As for the powerful and influential people of Chu, what kind of existence do they hold in the eyes of the other party?
Mortals? Ants?
"master."

Duanmu Rong slowly walked up to Nian Duan and then sat down.

For some reason, the girl hugged her knees and buried her head in them.

"Master, what do you think is the meaning of our saving lives?"

After a long while, Duanmu Rong finally spoke softly.

Upon hearing this, Nian Duan sighed inwardly. Perhaps she already knew what her disciple was thinking.

Physicians enter the world solely to heal the sick and save lives, regardless of social status. However, in the end, saving lives often comes at the cost of their own lives. In such cases, if they manage to save a person, they will die; if they fail to save a person, they will also die.

Then what is the point of their rescue efforts?

The murderer escaped execution, while the one who saved him was killed.

There are countless principles in the world, but none of them could convince her that this principle was correct.

“Rong’er, doctors save lives by following their own hearts, not the opinions of others. If we expect something in return for saving lives, then we lose our benevolence as doctors. When a person gives up their principles, they become a walking corpse in this mundane world.”

"As Qingxu said, if a person has no attachments and just goes with the flow, he won't even know what it means to be alive!"

"Why is the martial arts world so exciting? It's definitely not because of those cunning and treacherous villains, nor those scheming and treacherous people. The martial arts world is so fascinating because of those chivalrous heroes who uphold righteousness, because of their unwavering commitment until death, and because of the companionship that transcends life and death."

"I have thought about these issues you mentioned before. As doctors, we should always have something to uphold. This path needs to be walked, and this world needs to be illuminated. We may encounter many problems along the way, but I always believe that the light will shine on us one day."

Upon hearing Nian Duan's words, Duanmu Rong gently raised her head.

"Saving others also means saving yourself?"

Nian Duan smiled and nodded. As her disciple, how could she not know her character? The reason why the other party had such thoughts was simply because she was at a loss after this incident.

"In the martial arts world, things like today's are actually rare, and even the assassin's incident is rare. More often than not, those who are saved are grateful. The key to the Medical Manor's ability to stand firm in the martial arts world lies in this."

"If we set up various barriers to save people, the Medical Manor will live up to its previous reputation. Even if it is schemed against or persecuted one day, those people in the martial arts world will probably just say that it deserves its fate."

At this point, Nian Duan shook her head inwardly. Although she never cared about these things, she knew how to influence her actions.

"Just like Qingxu and the others, if it weren't for their previous help, do you think they would have interfered in this treatment?"

When Nian Duan heard about the two young men from the Heavenly Sect, he felt a strange unease.

Although the boy believed he was out of step with the teachings of the Heavenly Sect, his actions were more in line with the sect's core principles.

As for why he thinks this way, one thing can explain everything: if someone else had his strength, they would probably be famous all over the world by now.

Instead of the fact that there is no legend about him among the seven kingdoms, this is enough to show that he is extremely low-key, or that he has not meddled in any matters that are not his business.

To say that such a person is compassionate and empathetic is something Nian Duan would never believe.

Of course, this may also be related to the other party's level of cultivation. In the martial arts world, the concern for the weak may be seen by the most shallow-minded people as helping the weak and punishing the strong, and helping the distressed.

But in the eyes of those with a broad enough perspective, the situation may be different.

They might ponder more questions, such as why this situation occurs in the martial arts world, what the reasons are, how to prevent it from happening again, and what the solutions are.
Most people know what happens, but not why, and they certainly don't seek solutions.

Hearing her master mention that boy, Duanmu Rong sighed softly.

“Master, that person said that Qingxu might not be a Grandmaster, but a Great Grandmaster.”

Upon hearing this, the physician from Jinghu Medical Manor narrowed his eyes.

In the martial arts world, the Grandmaster level is actually the limit for most people. The leaders of various sects are mostly at this level. For example, the leader of the Mo family, Six-Fingered Black Knight, is a Grandmaster.

In the traditions of traditional Chinese medicine, there are certain rules regarding the division of realms. This involves the eight extraordinary meridians and acupoints, and several realms are drawn above the innate realm to distinguish the combat power of the grandmaster realm.

Among those at the Grandmaster level, some approach the level of a Great Grandmaster, while others may lose to someone at the Innate level. Here, the medical experts offer their own answer.

Qingxu never claimed to be a Grandmaster, but her combat strength was vastly different from that of the assassin from that day. She guessed that this might be due to differences in acupoints and meridians.

To give a simple example, it's like a two-digit number where the smallest is ten, but the largest is ninety-nine. Even though they are both two-digit numbers, the difference between them is significant.

However, different schools and sects have their own views on the division of realm and combat power, and there is no unified standard.

Therefore, Nian Duan did not completely believe what that person said, but she had no doubt about the boy's strength.

"Rong'er, perhaps the only hope for our survival lies with them."

Nian Duan had almost no other thoughts about Shou Ying and his ilk. People in high positions probably only looked down on those in the martial arts world a little better than dogs wagging their tails and begging for mercy!

Looking at the blazing fire not far away, Nian Duan felt a pang of nostalgia and stopped talking. The nights in Chu were not peaceful; besides the fireflies that occasionally wandered around, there were also jackals and tigers. So the group did not continue their journey into the night.

As night fell, Duanmu Rong leaned against Nian Duan and fell into a deep sleep. Perhaps for this girl, Nian Duan was the anchor that held her together.

On the other side, Xiu Yuan and Xiao Meng settled in a dilapidated courtyard. The war between the Qin and Chu states had been raging for many years, and this place had also been affected.

Compared to Nian Duan and Duanmu Rong, who were sleeping in the open, their situation was much better. Two pheasants on the fire were gradually emitting a fragrant aroma. Xiu Yuan was becoming more and more proficient in this technique.

As for the girl beside her, she was sitting cross-legged at this moment, and her aura fluctuated, with a mysterious and profound Daoist essence permeating her surroundings.

Some people and some things, you'll understand once you've experienced them.

For this young woman, her trip to Daliang City was nothing short of a rebirth. She learned many lessons, but she also understood one thing more clearly: in this chaotic world, strength is the only true source of power.

If you want others to calm down and listen to your reasoning, you must have the confidence to quiet them down.

Therefore, during her rest, she chose to enter a meditative state.

Xiu Yuan, sitting opposite her, was twirling a wooden stick in his hand while staring blankly at his fingertips.

Above his fingertips, several beams of light flickered. Upon closer inspection, one would find that there were eight beams in total, seven of which formed a special arrangement of the Big Dipper, and another beam echoed the Big Dipper from afar.

The eight beams of starlight flicked by the boy's fingertips seemed to have a mysterious connection with the boundless starry sky above. With a flick of his finger, the light flashed and then began to rotate along a specific trajectory.

"The constellations of the heavens are quite interesting."

Xiu Yuan murmured to himself. During his last encounter with Yan Fei, he discovered that there was an extremely close connection between the stars in the heavens. Even the independent Big Dipper Star Region was not entirely separate from the entire star space.

Now, the other star he created using starlight is the Ziwei Star.

The movement of stars connects heaven and earth, and compared to this world, the power of stars is undoubtedly a more powerful force.

"smell good!!"

Suddenly, a voice brought Xiu Yuan back from his reverie. Xiu Yuan then dispersed the starlight from his fingertips and turned to look outside the courtyard.

Several men in military uniforms walked in from outside. The one who spoke was a young man, about seventeen or eighteen years old.

"Huh, there's someone here!!"

Upon hearing the young man's words, the man with a red ribbon tied around his forehead next to him laughed heartily.

"You little brat, did you really think the pheasant would jump into the fire on its own?"

The young man gave an awkward smile.

"Uncle Quan, I never said that!!"

Upon hearing this, the man reached out and patted the young man on the shoulder, chuckling.

"Then what are you making such a fuss about, kid!"

As they spoke, the group of people walked over. Looking at the bonfire in the hall and Xiu Yuan and Xiao Meng beside it, their eyes were somewhat strange.

In the middle of nowhere, at night, which was not very safe, the appearance of two little ones was quite a surprise.

After giving Xiu Yuan and his companion a quick once-over, the man slowly walked over, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "My name is Xiang Quan. We are from the Xiang Family Army. We just happened to be passing by and are looking for a place to rest since it's so dark. Please forgive us for disturbing you."

Upon hearing the other person's self-introduction, Xiu Yuan nodded slightly, but did not reply. He simply gestured with his hand, indicating that it was fine for him to do as he pleased.

Upon seeing Xiu Yuan's actions, the man who had spoken looked at him strangely, wondering if he had encountered a mute.
But then he noticed that the other person was dressed in extraordinary clothes, so he didn't say anything more. He didn't think that a young man who could travel in the martial arts world was without any skills.

Just then, the young man standing next to him suddenly frowned.

"Hey, my uncle is talking to you!!"

Offering a warm welcome only to be met with a cold shoulder might not be acceptable to some passionate young people.

Seeing the young man speak up for him, Xiang Quan reached out to stop him. He was much older than the young man and knew more about the ways of the martial arts world. When traveling, it's always good to help others, which is good for yourself.

"Qian'er, don't be rude!" Xiang Quan scolded the boy while glancing at Xiu Yuan. He was naturally displeased by Xiu Yuan's silence, but for the sake of the bigger picture, he didn't want to cause trouble.

Seeing Xiang Quan blocking his way, the young man took a deep look at Xiu Yuan and Xiao Meng by the fire, then returned to the crowd without saying another word.

Seeing this, Xiang Quan shook his head helplessly. Who doesn't have a few naughty kids at home? Then he clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xiu Yuan and arranged for someone to find tree branches and start a fire in another room.

Xiu Yuan watched the men come and go, a thoughtful look flashing across his face.

Xiang Quan, Xiang Family Army.

Located within the territory of the State of Chu, this place is likely home to Xiang Yu's army, which is probably the invincible force that the future Hegemon of Western Chu will wield to dominate the world.

During the negotiation just now, he could sense that the young man seemed to be somewhat dissatisfied with them, but Xiang Quan was extremely experienced in handling matters and remained calm in the face of change.

"Senior brother, who are they?"

At this moment, Xiaomeng also woke up from her meditation. The coming and going of the group of seven or eight people inevitably disturbed her.

"Like us, we are all just passing through."

Xiu Yuan reached out and handed over the nearly roasted pheasant. The little girl's eyes lit up, and she tore off a chicken leg and a chicken wing before pushing the pheasant back.

Seeing the little girl's actions, Xiu Yuan smiled and shook his head, but he did not insist.

He then placed the pheasant above the fire, his gaze gradually drifting into the distance.

Among the seven states, Chu was not weak. To some extent, the biggest obstacles to Qin's unification were Zhao and Chu. As for the other states, they did not play a significant role in Qin's unification efforts.

Having already witnessed the general situation of Zhao during his time there, he had little expectation for the Zhao court.

The eldest prince of Zhao is probably no match for the prime minister, and the outcome will be decided soon.

He had not yet learned about the situation in Chu, but based on his deduction, Qin was able to achieve unification not only because its military strength far surpassed that of the other six states, but also because the other states themselves were dragging their feet.

From this perspective, the Chu court is probably not going to be too stable.

"Uncle, why did you stop me just now?"

In another room, the boy seemed unable to hold back any longer and asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.

"Does everyone also think I shouldn't have stopped them just now?"

Xiang Quan sat on the ground, one hand on his sword and the other on the ground. He first glanced at the boy beside him, and then looked at the others.

Upon hearing Xiang Quan's words, the people present exchanged glances and then shook their heads.

They were all around the same age as Xiang Quan, and they didn't find anything wrong with what Xiang Quan had just done.

Seeing everyone's reaction, the young man was taken aback.

The men around him were all skilled fighters in the army, capable of taking on ten men each, and they killed enemies without batting an eye. Why had they become so cowardly after encountering just two teenagers?

"uncle??"

The young man then looked at Xiang Quan with some confusion.

Xiang Quan stroked his beard and smiled, then gave a wink to a burly-looking man beside him.

The man understood and said, "Young master, General Quan did the right thing."

The young man didn't respond, seemingly waiting for an explanation.

He didn't have to wait long before the man's words came through.

"Young master, have you considered where this place is, and what time it is now?"

The young man thought for a moment and then replied, "What's so special about the area near Wuligou in Chu State at night?"

Seeing the young man's nonchalant expression, the man shook his head.

He then continued to explain, "Wuligou is not a safe place. Wild animals roam here all year round. In addition, it is nighttime now. Those two people were young boys. Didn't you think about why they were able to sit here and rest without getting their clothes dirty?"

Upon pointing to this spot, the young man's expression darkened, as if he had thought of something. When he first came in, Xiang Quan had observed the other man's clothing and appearance.

Hearing the man's words, Xiang Quan sighed inwardly. At first, he hadn't thought of it that way, but he felt that the man's clothes were so distinguished that there was no need to provoke him.

Later, while waiting for the others to find firewood, he noticed something unusual about their robes.

The man next to him was right. The two little ones were not only well-dressed, but they were also almost completely free of dust, which was quite strange.

Even they arrived here covered in dust and dirt, their armor stained with the grime of their journey.

"Is he an expert?"

The young man, Xiang Qian, was impulsive and hot-blooded, but he was not a fool. On the contrary, he reacted quickly. However, he had been in the army and had not traveled much in the martial arts world, so he did not know much about these things.

"He is probably an extremely terrifying expert."

The man who had spoken earlier nodded, his tone now more serious.

"Last time, when we followed the General back to the capital along this road, we also stopped here. Even the General, who came from the military camp, looked tired, and his armor and boots were covered in dust. But those two people, especially the boy, didn't have a speck of dust on their clothes."

Although he didn't say exactly how strong the boy was, the comparison in this incident left everyone present speechless.

The only general he mentioned was Xiang Yan, the general of the Chu state. His strength was unfathomable and comparable to Li Mu, the general of the Zhao state. Both were masters of military strategy.

On the battlefield, he was an invincible force. In the clash between Qin and Chu, if the troop strength was roughly equal, Xiang Yan's chances of winning were even greater.

"He's only thirteen or fourteen years old, right?"

Xiang Qian suddenly felt a toothache. He had seen the boy earlier, and in his opinion, the boy was no more than thirteen or fourteen years old.

"It should be about right!"

The others nodded in agreement.

They had met all the people, so they each had their own answer regarding age.

"A thirteen-year-old Grandmaster?!"

Xiang Qian gave a wry smile. You have to understand, he is already eighteen years old and is only at the Innate Realm. Such a level is considered a rare rising star in the army.

He simply couldn't imagine a thirteen-year-old Grandmaster.

Xiang Quan stroked his beard. He was still unsure about this claim, as he had never heard of any school among the Hundred Schools of Thought that had produced such a young Grandmaster.

Such a genius could even disrupt the current balance between various sects and factions. Even if he doesn't know it, the other sects will know it, but there is no news about it at all.

"Qian'er".

"This is just our guess, but the cleanliness of their clothes doesn't necessarily mean they are martial arts masters. It's normal for a general to get some dust on his horse while returning to the capital. But when we came in, I found that there were no other mounts nearby besides ours. This means they weren't riding horses. If they were walking, even someone at the Innate Realm could keep their clothes clean with a little care."

At this point, the men present remained silent. Even the Innate Realm was a significant shock to them. An Innate Realm expert at this age could very well become a Grandmaster by the age of eighteen.

"When you're out and about, there are a few types of people you should try to avoid provoking."

Xiang Quan looked at the fire in front of him and spoke again.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Qian turned and looked over.

Then the other party's words were heard again.

"The elderly, children, and women, especially those you think are incapable of navigating the world alone, yet they thrive in it. Such people usually possess extraordinary skills or are extremely cunning. It's best to avoid them if possible, and if you do, eliminate them completely."

Xiang Quan tightened his grip on the long sword. As a general who came from the battlefield, he was not exactly a kind person. By the end, his tone had become more murderous.

Upon hearing this, Xiang Qian nodded thoughtfully. Xiang Quan's words were straightforward, but easy to understand. The more impossible something seemed, the more suspicious it was. This kind of situation also occurred during battles between two armies.

In such situations, danger lurks everywhere. One wrong move and you could face utter ruin.

"Uncle, those two wouldn't be..."

As if he had thought of something, Xiang Qian's expression changed, and he couldn't help but ask.

Xiang Quan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

"It shouldn't be. We received a secret order that others shouldn't know about. Besides, they arrived first, and we came later. Furthermore, our decision to rest here was made on short notice."

Everyone nodded upon hearing this.

"Alright, don't think about anything else. Leave two people to take turns on night watch, and we'll set off at dawn."

In the main hall, Xiu Yuan frowned, as he heard every word these people had just said.

"It seems something has happened to Shouying?"

(End of this chapter)