Water elemental became a god, ultimately becoming the master of heaven, earth, mountains, and rivers

Chapter 82: Learning Martial Arts by Observing Birds and Beasts, Fighting Immortals with a Humble Life!
After listening to Lin Shouzhou's account.

Chen Shunan then learned that many people had died in the chaos of the meeting that morning, both at Wanlong Dam and Shuiwozi.

Both sides are now in a state of panic, especially the lower-level members of the gang, who are afraid that they might be ambushed by the Guolu Society's secret agents while walking on the street.

In addition, a group of outlaws from outside the martial arts world were stirring up trouble, becoming a destabilizing factor.

So, after thinking it over, San Dezi and Liu Daoba decided to seek refuge with Chen Shunan for mutual support!

Lin Shouzhou, burdened with a transfer order, was worried about leaving his grandson alone at home. Inexplicably, he also went to Chen Shunan to "entrust his grandson" to him.

Chen Shunan's despicable and cunning behavior left a deep impression on everyone.

Chen Shunan seemed to be able to sense any movement in advance.

Being with him, I can't say for sure about other things, but at least you'll be quicker to sense danger.

Moreover, characters like San Dezi and Liu Daoba have an excellent sense of propriety.

Although they came seeking asylum, they maintained a proper distance and did not stay at the Chen family's house. Instead, they bought beds in several houses near the Chen family's house.

San Dezi was rich, and he generously covered everyone's food, clothing, and daily necessities during this period!
"He Qiqiang broke the hidden power of the silk thread and became a great hero. Now he is leading a group of boatmen to hunt down criminals?"

When Chen Shunan heard this news, his expression was extremely strange.

With a little thought, it became clear that Zhao Dongjia was deliberately shirking his duties while concealing the fact that a mysterious expert had intervened at the Wanlong Rice Mill.

Moreover, Chen Shunan vaguely sensed that there seemed to be some kind of ambiguous relationship between Zhao Dongjia and the Guolu Association.

Therefore, this so-called pursuit of the criminals is nothing more than a formality.

Lin Shouzhou, He Qiqiang, and the others will most likely escape unscathed and will not be attacked by the Guolu Society.

Faced with the requests from San Dezi, Liu Daoba, and Lin Shouzhuo, Chen Shunan did not refuse and opened the door to let them in.

Being poor cares themselves, being wealthy cares the world.

Now that Chen Shunan has the resources to protect his relatives and friends, he will not hide away in his own little world, stand on the sidelines and watch the people he cares about suffer.

As a result, Chen Shunan's small courtyard suddenly became lively.

The San Dezi family, the Liu Daoba family, and the Lin Shouzhuo family, totaling seven or eight adults and six children.

Four boys and two girls were hiding behind their parents, looking at Chen Shunan with curious and innocent eyes.

Lin Shouzhou lived with only two people in his family; he and his grandson, Dou Dou, depended on each other for survival.

The phrase "widowed, widowed, lonely, and isolated" perfectly describes Lin Shouzhou's situation, as he embodies both the characteristics of a widower and an isolated individual.

He was an old man without a wife or children, who had died many years ago, leaving behind only one son.

Lin Shou-chou even remarried once, but he eventually died of illness.

Cases like Lin Shouzhou's are quite common in the Holy Dynasty.

Human life is cheaper than grass.

A male can be adopted multiple times and inherit from several families, all for the purpose of continuing the family line. He can have three or four 'fathers'.

If a woman is spared the suffering of being abandoned or drowned, she may be raised as a child bride, or subjected to forced abortion and mutilation, and eventually become a wife, giving birth this year, next year, and year after year, adding sons to the family.

Even the fact that Chen Shunan had lost five wives did not cause any stir in the capital.

Lin Shouzhou and San Dezi had no interest in discussing it during their leisure time.

That's perfectly normal.

It's just the tip of the iceberg of the Holy Dynasty.

The yard was full of children playing and frolicking.

This allowed Chen Shunan to experience the joy of doting on his grandchildren.

Of course, the premise is that the child is quiet, well-mannered, and likable, and not a troublemaker.

Chen Shunan hates idiots the most.

With guests arriving today, Chen Shunan naturally couldn't take a nap.

Wan Niang, San Dezi's wife, and Liu Daoba's wife went to the market together to buy meat and vegetables.

Chen Shunan subtly glanced at Liu Daoba's wife.

She was an ordinary woman with average looks and figure, but her face was dry and lacked radiance.

The occasional glances he gave Liu Daoba were fierce, but he still gave Liu Daoba some face when there were outsiders present.

Liu the Scarface remained silent, only offering a forced smile.

"How pathetic..."

Chen Shunan sighed inwardly, feeling a resonance unique to middle-aged and elderly people.

After a while,
The men were responsible for slaughtering live ducks and chickens and cleaning the pigs' internal organs.

The women were in charge of the kitchen, kneading dough and making traditional Beijing home-style dishes such as horseshoe-shaped sesame cakes, roast chicken, and roast duck.

Chen Shunan also assisted from time to time.

The atmosphere was joyful and harmonious, reminiscent of the lively preparations for New Year's Eve dinner.

Lin Shouzhou did not stay for long.

Seeing that Dou Dou had become familiar with the other children and was getting along well with them, he got up to say goodbye.

Chen Shunan saw him to the door.

Lin Shouzhou saw that San Dezi and the others were busy with their work and did not look in their direction.

After hesitating for a moment, he whispered to Chen Shunan,
"Old Chen, I have something to tell you. From now on, don't touch tobacco from unknown sources. If someone offers you anything high-end or from Nanhai Prefecture, refuse it all!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Shunan's heart stirred.

Lin Shouzhou stood behind the threshold, one hand on the door frame and the other hanging down on his outside thigh.

His arms were extremely long, and now his sleeves had slipped down, revealing his bulging, muscular body, a pair of ape-like arms and iron fists, with veins slowly pulsating like earthworms.

Lin Shouzhou continued, "Recently, a type of tobacco called 'Hibiscus Ointment Fire' has been circulating secretly in Wuqing County, which will cause endless trouble."

It seems beneficial for martial arts training, but while no one loses their head, it secretly drains one's very marrow! Even the master and his family avoid it like the plague. Those members of the Guolu Society are only after Furong's oil lamp!

Lin Shouzhou's face showed a hint of sarcasm as he said,
"Of the four people who died here today, three were secretly burning hibiscus oil and had dealings with Wanlong Mill or the Ghost Market's money-making scheme... The government will be purging those who burn hibiscus oil!"

So the Guolu Society and the Gelaohui came to the capital to eradicate Furongbaohuo?!

Chen Shunan was shocked.

Under the emperor's nose, danger lurks everywhere, with even officials and businessmen colluding and working together in concert.

But the members of the Guolu Society still risked their lives to go to the capital.

From this perspective, the Guolu Association actually possesses a chivalrous spirit and did a good deed.

However, their actions tend to be radical.

Seeing Chen Shunan's surprised expression, Lin Shouzhou assumed he was frightened by the 'Hibiscus Ointment' and whispered,

"When buying tobacco, just go to a familiar shop, and you usually won't have any problems. Those cigarette burners, well, they're very conspicuous; you can spot them if you pay a little attention."

"Thank you for your advice, Coach Lin."

Lin Shouzhou nodded and was about to leave when Chen Shunan suddenly called out to him.

"Instructor Lin, I have a question about martial arts that I would like to ask you about."

Lin Shouzhou turned around, his hand unconsciously resting on the door frame, like a monkey leaning against a tree.

Lin Shouzhou said, "Go ahead and speak."

Chen Shunan said, "I don't understand why we martial artists all have nicknames that include the names of birds and beasts..."

Chen Shunan had one more question he didn't ask.

The more one practices this martial art, the more it resembles a beast. This includes top-tier masters such as Lin Shouzhuo (Great Ape), Sun Xiao (Spider Venom Hand), Yang Lu (Sick Tiger), and even Zhou Qing (Jade-Faced Duck).

In other words, Chen Shunan rarely made a move and never established a reputation for himself.

If one frequently uses lightness skills in front of the world, the flowing energy of flying immortals will cause the wooden lacquer color of his body to drift and scatter like spores.

People had already nicknamed him "Flesh Lingzhi".

Lin Shouzhou was somewhat surprised and said,
"Haven't these nicknames in the martial arts world been given in this way for thousands of years?"

Our martial arts were originally developed by our ancestors through observing insects, fish, birds, and beasts, imitating the five birds, turtles, tortoises, and white cranes. Therefore, it is perfectly normal for our nicknames to include abbreviations of birds and beasts.

Is that the case?

Watching Lin Shouzhou's departing figure, Chen Shunan stood at the door, his eyes filled with contemplation.

He always felt that this was no coincidence.

Is martial arts truly created by observing insects, fish, birds, beasts, and the natural world?
You, Lin Shouzhou, are far too much like a violent ape.

They are always climbing and leaning on branches.

Master Li, who repaired "Golden Snake Entwining Silk Hand," could actually shed his skin.

Chen Shunan felt that the more he cultivated his "Flesh Immortal" technique, the more it resembled a fleshy spirit mushroom.

The waters of this holy dynasty are far too deep.

……

"Nothing suspicious was found?"

As dusk approached, the heat gradually dissipated.

The Zheng family mansion features arched corridors, rocks, and flowing water.

And in front of the stone cave in the backyard.

Zheng Shicheng stood like a stone statue, blood seeping from the bandage on his head.

Bai Manlou's sword, with its chilling aura and flowing Qi, completely destroyed his ear meridian.

In other words, Zheng Shicheng will be called Half-Ear from now on.

"We've searched all the homes of nearly a thousand people in the western part of the county, including Shui San'er's residence, but found nothing. Holy Maiden, could it be that you've guessed wrong... that person isn't from Shui Wozi?"

"Is it……"

Tianxuan Saintess's voice also hesitated somewhat.

Zheng Shicheng, who had been keeping his head down, raised it slightly and looked into the deep stone cave with a look of inquiry, curiosity, and even disrespect for the immortals.

Why did Tianxuan Saintess hide in the stone cave all the time?

Why didn't Tianxuan Saintess possess the power to overturn mountains and seas, and kill the Guolu Society members with overwhelming force?
Instead, he was entangled by Red Laowu.

Even immortals have varying degrees of strength; can they also get injured?
Do cultivators, like martial artists, need to circulate their qi and blood and take elixirs to heal themselves?

How did they cultivate themselves...?

At that moment, a peculiar seed began to grow in Zheng Shicheng's heart.

He seemed to think that immortals weren't so high and mighty after all.

Zheng Shicheng said respectfully, "Holy Maiden Tianxuan, we mortals are incompetent and have failed to find the Qinggang match. I'm afraid we can only trouble you to take action in person, which may help us find some clues."

In the cave.

Tianxuan Saintess sat cross-legged on the ground, her hands forming a mudra, her god-like face revealing a hint of gloom.

She naturally noticed the change in Zheng Shicheng's attitude towards her.

These mortals, who fear power but not morality, truly deserve to die!
"Step back. I have my own plans for this matter."

"Yes, Saint Aunt."

Zheng Shicheng withdrew.

Tianxuan Saintess sat in the stone cave for a long time, as if a gentle breeze swirled around her body, and wisps of dark Qi came from the stone cave and underground.

Pfft!

Her throat was churning with blood and gas, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.

"Red Fifth Brother!"

She murmured softly, her voice filled with deep hatred.

Although she wished she could tear Hong Laowu to pieces and avenge herself.

But she didn't move, nor did she leave the mansion.

Because of a domineering and majestic intent, without any concealment, it locked onto her from afar.

The moment she moves, her will transforms into a towering mountain, and that person will charge forward with unparalleled killing intent, ready to destroy everything in their path!

Hong Laowu was just outside the Zheng residence.

She remained squatting there.

She dared not leave the mansion.

"The Guolu Society... these bandits who disregard the imperial court and are utterly disloyal! One day, we cultivators will slaughter you all!"

……

Zheng Mansion, outside several wide streets.

The narrow alleyways, winding and turning like chicken intestines, are filled with mobile vendors.

There are pedicure shops, shoe repair shops, dental and eye repair shops, and vendors selling all kinds of snacks and treats, including those that you can eat with your eyes wide open.

Master Hong took off his tattered coat, and with a pained expression, spent one tael of silver to have a mender repair the damage.

The mender said, "Hey, was your clothes chewed by a dog? They're all pitted and uneven... That'll waste a lot of fabric and cost a tael of silver."

These days, a piece of clothing isn't cheap, and mending clothes according to the materials used is naturally not cheap either.

But Master Hong's coat was made of ordinary material, and it wouldn't cost more than a tael of silver to mend it.

It was obvious that the mender knew that Master Hong was from out of town and that he was just ripping off outsiders, so he took advantage of him.

Master Hong Wu naturally noticed this.

But Master Hong was proud and unwilling to waste words haggling over the price.

She was almost completely naked.

Hong Wuye, shirtless and in shorts, ordered a bowl of sweet rice porridge and some braised pork offal with wheat cakes.

Then he stood at the entrance of the alley, holding a bowl, eating while keeping watch over something.

The porridge shop owner laughed when he saw Hong Wuye's expression.

"Out-of-towners? We locals eat sweet rice porridge and street food while squatting down, carrying our food around as we eat!"

Fifth Master Hong glanced in the direction of the Zheng residence and smiled.

"I have a problem with my legs; I can't bend over or lower my head. I was born with a lowly fate!"

The porridge shop owner pursed his lips, smiled slightly, and said nothing more.

Meanwhile, Fifth Master Hong ate his porridge attentively, keeping watch over the person.

Because of their lowly status, they are not afraid to risk their lives.

If we could fight to the death of an immortal, that would be even better.

(End of this chapter)