Chinese Superman

Day after day, perhaps seven days have already passed.

Xia Xinghan examined almost all of the heirloom-level relics.

He was like a perpetual motion machine, drawing nourishment from the vast legacy of civilization, effortlessly mastering various martial arts styles, some emphasizing movement, others focusing on offense and killing, and still others excelling in defense.

however.

When Xia Xinghan turned his attention to the national treasure artifact again, the progress suddenly stalled.

The suppressive intent of the Houmuwu Ding is too overwhelming and vast, as if facing the ancient mountains and rivers directly. With his current state of mind and accumulation, he is unable to bear its weight.

The melodies of the Marquis Yi of Zeng's chime bells are elegant and profound, seemingly containing the order of heaven and earth, ethereal and elusive, and difficult to find their joy in.

The agility and transcendence of the Hongshan Jade Dragon seem to touch upon a trace of innate Daoist charm, mysterious and profound, yet the great Dao is simple.

Xia Xinghan's small eyebrows furrowed slightly.

He looked at the Hongshan Jade Dragon behind the thick glass and muttered to himself, "Being separated by this layer always feels like scratching an itch through a boot... the artistic conception is vague and indistinct."

"If I could touch it and truly feel its texture and temperature, I might have a clearer understanding of it, but unfortunately I can't..."

"Who says you can't?"

An old and peaceful voice suddenly rang out from not far away.

Xia Xinghan was startled and turned around abruptly.

The old man in hemp clothing, who was holding a bamboo scroll, had been standing in the shadows several meters away, smiling at him.

Alarm bells rang in Xia Xinghan's mind, and his azure eyes were filled with astonishment and confusion.

With his superhuman hearing and vision, he didn't even notice Guo Lao's presence from beginning to end!

The other party seemed to be completely integrated into the light and shadow of this space, existing there itself.

Old Guo seemed to have seen through Xia Xinghan's thoughts, and his smile deepened as he slowly said, "This is called 'the enemy is in the light, we are in the dark.' The best defender hides deep underground."

It is the mysterious power of the bamboo slips of "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu!

Xia Xinghan suddenly realized, and at the same time felt a sense of awe.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'the enemy is in the light, we are in the dark'... Is it that insidious?"

The mysterious power of a national treasure relic can actually obscure the perception of a superhuman level?

He was suddenly relieved that he hadn't given up; the power of the relic was not to be underestimated!

In this world where spiritual energy is reviving and relics are manifesting their divine power, it is undoubtedly a pipe dream to think that one can rest easy simply by relying on bloodline talent.

"Are you secretly criticizing me for being 'cunning'?" Old Guo suddenly asked, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate one's heart.

Xia Xinghan was startled again: "Mind reading?"

Old Guo shook his head, stroking the ancient bamboo slips in his hand: "No. Warfare is based on deception. To strategize and command troops like a god, the first priority is to 'win hearts and minds'—to understand what your subordinates are thinking and to guess what the enemy is considering. Over time, by observing the subtle changes in people's expressions and aura, you can know their general intentions."

"This is not mind reading, but 'mind observation'."

That's cunning!

These bamboo slips truly live up to the reputation of being the work of the military strategist!

Upon hearing this, Xia Xinghan's small face showed admiration: "Even if it's not complete mind reading, it's not far off. Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, truly impressive."

"Ahem, let's get back to the main topic..."

Old Guo coughed lightly, ceasing his scrutiny, lest he keep "hearing" the one-year-old kid in front of him muttering, "Is this sinister? Is this sinister?"

He glanced at the national treasures, then changed the subject: "Young...friend, which one has caught your eye? I can decide for you to take it out and examine it closely."

Xia Xinghan's eyes lit up, and he immediately perked up.

He thought for a moment, then pointed to the massive set of Marquis Yi of Zeng's chime bells: "Grandpa Guo, I'd like to take a look at it first."

During his observation, he has developed various types of artistic martial arts, including fist, palm, finger, seal, and footwork, but he lacks "sound skills" that are based on music and can mobilize spiritual power to produce special effects.

The chime bells are important instruments for ritual music, and perhaps they can fill this gap.

Mr. Guo nodded and did not ask any further questions.

He walked to an inconspicuous control panel next to the chime bell display case and performed a series of complicated permission verifications.

A soft "hiss" sound rang out, and the reinforced glass cover enveloping the chime bells slowly sank into the ground. A wisp of serene and elegant spiritual energy, which had been largely blocked out, suddenly rushed towards us more clearly.

Xia Xinghan approached and looked up at the set of bronze musical instruments that spanned more than two thousand years.

Up close, the shape, patterns, and even the subtle traces of time on each clock are clearly discernible.

He reached out his little hand and gently touched one of the largest Yongzhong (a type of ancient Chinese bell).

A cool, bronze-like touch came through.

At the very moment their fingertips touched—

"bite……"

It wasn't a physical sound, but a crisp, pure musical image, seemingly originating from the long river of time, that resounded directly in his mind!

As the musical imagery rippled outwards, the scroll of history unfolded around Xia Xinghan with a "whoosh."

The scene in the nearby national treasure trove suddenly changed, as if time had reversed. He saw a magnificent palace, with musicians in ancient robes solemnly playing their mallets.

Upon hearing the chime bells resound together, the magnificent sound of the great bells and drums arose.

The music was not only pleasant to the ear, but also seemed to contain a kind of power to regulate yin and yang and stabilize the mountains and rivers!

Xia Xinghan immersed himself in the vast musical realm, striving to capture its patterns and attempt to transform them into "laws" that could drive spiritual power.

However, the artistic conception of the Marquis Yi of Zeng's chime bells is too lofty and profound, like standing at the foot of a mountain and looking up at the cloud-shrouded peak. You know its magnificence, but it is difficult to see the path to climb it.

The music I perceive is sometimes as clear as if it were right next to my ear, and sometimes as ethereal as if it were on the horizon, always separated by an invisible barrier.

After a long while, Xia Xinghan withdrew his hand, let out a soft breath, and a hint of regret appeared on his small face.

"The way of music is profound and extensive, and it also has the great significance of protecting the country and ensuring peace... My accumulation is still too shallow, and my knowledge is limited. It seems that I am not able to create a national-level music martial art for the time being."

Old Guo, who was standing nearby, didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

In just a few days, you created several world-class martial arts techniques. You call that "lacking talent and knowledge"?

If you are ignorant and incompetent, how are others supposed to live?

He gently comforted him, "Young friend, you have already done something truly astonishing. The various martial arts techniques you created before are all exquisite and extraordinary. Given time to perfect them, they will surely shine brightly. There is no need to belittle yourself."

To everyone's surprise, Xia Xinghan didn't need any comforting words at all, and replied with a grin, "I know, thank you, Grandpa Guo."

After speaking, his gaze turned to another national treasure.

"Grandpa Guo, I want to see that too!"

He was referring to that fragment of the original Yongle Encyclopedia.

Mr. Guo smiled helplessly and followed the instructions to open the protective shield.

Xia Xinghan was practically lying on the edge of the display stand, his little nose almost touching the yellowed, fragile pages of the book.

Mr. Guo introduced from the side: "According to historical records, the Yongle Encyclopedia was copied in 22877 volumes, with a 60-volume index, and a total of 11095 books. It compiled seven or eight thousand kinds of ancient and modern documents, totaling about 370 million words."

"Although this is just a fragment before us, the relic has been restored and its mystery is self-evident. This scroll carries the full true meaning of the Yongle Encyclopedia, just like my bamboo slips. Although they are not the complete version of Sun Tzu's Art of War, they are enough to show the way of the Sage of War."

Xia Xinghan was extremely focused on the text, and upon hearing this, he murmured in response, "No wonder... I see one word as if I see ten thousand, with countless interpretations flowing through it; viewing this page is like seeing a vast ocean, the knowledge is as boundless as the sea!"

"Incredible, truly incredible... This artistic conception is so complex and vast; my foundation is still far from sufficient."

Similar to the Zeng Hou Yi chime bells, Xia Xinghan also found it difficult to approach the Yongle Encyclopedia, a relic that embodies the wisdom of countless sages and can be considered an encyclopedia of civilization. He was unable to extract a martial arts conception that matched its level in a short period of time.

He was not discouraged; instead, he was inspired to be even more interested.

Then, Xia Xinghan pointed to the Hongshan jade dragon.