Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 84 Announcement (Please Subscribe!)

When Chen Jianghe stepped into the Xingyi Sect's mountain gate, the two disciples on night watch barely recognized him.

The blue robe was tattered, and a shocking dark red patch stretched from the right shoulder to the chest, the blood congealed into a hard scab, sticking the torn fabric to the flesh.

"Senior Brother Chen?!" one of them exclaimed, rushing forward to help him up.

Chen Jianghe waved his hand, indicating that he could still walk.

"Mission Hall—is anyone still on duty?"

The disciple was taken aback and quickly replied, "Yes, yes! Tonight, Steward Zhao is on duty."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Jianghe had already walked past him. Although his steps were no longer as light and swift as usual, his speed was still not slow.

He stepped over the bluestone steps, crossed the square that was bustling with people during the day but was now empty and desolate, and headed straight for the half-closed vermilion wooden door of the mission hall.

The interior was brightly lit.

Deacon Zhao was bent over behind the long desk checking the task cards that had not been cancelled that day.

Hearing the sound, he looked up, about to reprimand who was rudely staring at Chen Jianghe, but his words stopped abruptly.

He sat up abruptly, causing the chair to fall to the ground.

"You—the one from mission number seven, number Bing?" Deacon Zhao's voice tightened; he had already recognized the Lingmu Academy disciple who had just received the mission token from him this morning.

Chen Jianghe nodded.

He took the bloodstained mission card from his pocket and gently placed it on the table.

"Disciple Chen Jianghe, on patrol mission outside Hunting Ground No. 7, Class C, return to report."

He paused, his voice remaining calm: "The five of us are: Sun Hongyao, the steward of the Golden Pivot Academy; Xu Tian; Liu Yu; Chen Yuan; and Zhou Mao—"

"They all died in battle."

Deacon Zhao's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at Chen Jianghe.

"Black Wind Cave." Chen Jianghe didn't wait for him to ask and went straight to the point. "Manager Sun found out the bandit leader's lair and insisted on pursuing him."

After entering the cave, the bandit leader Black Wolf suddenly revealed his internal energy cultivation, unleashing the "7" technique.

He paused, then said, slowly and deliberately, "The Sun and Moon Demonic Art."

As the last four words were spoken, Deacon Zhao's expression changed drastically.

He was nearly fifty years old and had served as a steward in the Xingyi School for twenty-five years, witnessing too many ups and downs in the martial arts world.

He understood the meaning of the four words "Sun and Moon Demonic Art" better than most of the younger disciples.

That was an evil technique that was eradicated a hundred years ago by the combined efforts of the five sects and should have been completely extinct.

That is a taboo that relies on devouring the essence and blood of martial artists to improve one's cultivation level, and is unacceptable to the entire righteous martial arts world.

That is a bloody path from which there is no return once you get involved.

"Are you sure?" Deacon Zhao's voice was extremely low, his Adam's apple bobbing. "This is no laughing matter."

"This disciple witnessed it with his own eyes." Chen Jianghe met his gaze without flinching. "The black wolf's eyes were bloodshot, with a waning crescent moon reflected in its pupils. Its veins were crimson, like a dense spiderweb. Its internal energy was nascent, its strength weak yet extremely insidious. Steward Sun—was the first to be affected."

He lowered his eyes and slowed his speech: "I was on the edge of the battlefield, responsible for perimeter support. Steward Sun—ordered me to retreat immediately, while she held off the enemy with a gun—"

""

His throat bobbed, but he didn't say anything more.

Deacon Zhao remained silent for a long time.

He looked at the hideous claw wound on Chen Jianghe's shoulder.

The injury caused by Gang Jin is completely different from that caused by Hua Jin. The skin and flesh at the edge of the wound are an abnormal dark red, with a faint tendency to disintegrate. This is a characteristic of Gang Jin's residual force eroding the muscle texture, and it cannot be faked.

He took a deep breath.

"Wait here."

He turned and strode into the back room of the main hall, where there were communication bells that led directly to the various courtyards inside the main gate.

Half an incense stick later.

The main hall of the mission hall was brightly lit.

Two deacons from the Criminal Law Hall arrived first, followed by Elder Sun Yuhai, who was on duty that night at the Jin Shu Academy.

The nearly seventy-year-old elder was thin and had white hair. His only outstanding feature was his hands, which were as thick as iron and had large knuckles. The calluses from holding a gun for forty years had piled up like hills.

He entered with a very steady gait, his face solemn, revealing neither joy nor anger.

He stood before the table, his gaze passing over Deacon Zhao and the two other deacons of the Criminal Law Hall, landing on Chen Jianghe.

"Sun Hongyao".

He spoke, his voice low but filled with sorrow: "How did you die?"

Chen Jianghe bowed respectfully.

He described the encounter outside Black Wind Cave, how Black Wolf fought and retreated while luring the enemy deeper, and the sudden burst of powerful energy from the burly body inside the cave.

He described the instant Sun Hongyao's gilded spear broke in two, the moment Xu Tian and Liu Yu were blasted away by the aftershocks of the force and embedded in the cave wall, and the moment when the two disciples of the Golden Pivot Academy were cut in half before they even had time to scream.

He described how he was more than ten feet away from the battlefield, and used his full power to perform the Shadow Step, desperately escaping the cave entrance while being chased by the black wolf.

Then, he rolled up his right sleeve.

The grotesque claw mark was exposed in the lamplight.

The skin and flesh were turned outwards, with abnormally dark red ulceration at the edges. In the deep wound that exposed bone, faint, dense, dark blood lines spread outwards like a spider web.

The intense erosion has distinct characteristics.

Sun Yuhai stared at the wound for a long time.

"You escaped."

He spoke slowly, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Yes." Chen Jianghe lowered his sleeves. "This disciple's skills are insufficient to rescue my fellow disciples. I can only—bring back the message."

Sun Yuhai did not ask any further questions.

He turned and walked towards the door.

His steps remained steady, but the moment he stepped across the threshold, his right hand, which had been rubbing his cuff, suddenly clenched tightly.

Blue veins meandered up from the back of his hand.

Three breaths later, he relaxed.

"Prepare a coffin."

The voice was not loud, as if it were an instruction given to the disciples of the Golden Pivot Academy following behind.

"My granddaughter—she's always loved to dress up. Find her a good piece of fabric, don't let her suffer."

He didn't turn around.

The disciple of the Golden Pivot Academy responded in a low voice.

Sun Yuhai's figure disappeared into the night.

Based on the accounts of the disciples of the fourth and fifth of the five Black Mountain bandits who were previously detained, as well as Chen Jianghe's confession, the Criminal Law Department acted swiftly.

The following day at noon, a document bearing the vermilion seal of the Criminal Law Hall was posted on the notice board inside the Criminal Law Hall.

The wording was concise and uncompromising: "Sun Hongyao, a disciple of the Golden Pivot Academy, was tasked with patrolling Hunting Ground No. 7 (Category C). He arbitrarily altered the mission details, forcing his disciples to cross the boundary to pursue the enemy, resulting in the complete annihilation of the team and bringing disaster upon his fellow disciples. Although he died, he cannot escape blame. The Golden Pivot Academy is to be punished for its inadequate supervision and ordered to conduct a self-examination and rectification."

Below, in smaller print, is a line that reads: "Chen Jianghe, a disciple of Lingmu Academy, remained calm in the face of danger and returned with crucial intelligence. He deserves commendation. He is hereby awarded three boxes of Jade Muscle Bone-Regenerating Ointment, one bottle of Blood Qi Pill, and two hundred taels of silver to reward his courage."

The news spread, and the inner sect was abuzz with discussion.

Most of the disciples of the Golden Pivot Academy remained silent. Occasionally, a disgruntled individual would mutter, "When a person dies, the debt is settled; why be so harsh on the deceased?" But this was met with—

The older senior brother glared at him coldly, making him shut up in embarrassment.

On Lingmuyuan's side, the atmosphere was much more subtle.

"The Jade-Bestowing Bone-Regenerating Ointment? That's a top-grade medicine for healing internal injuries!" A disciple of Lingmu Academy lowered his voice, his eyes filled with undisguised envy.

"They risked their lives for him." Another person scoffed, gesturing towards the notice board. "Four members of the Golden Privy Academy died, and Sun Hongyao, who led the team, was also killed. He's the only one who came back alive. This is your good fortune, do you want it?"

The man who had spoken earlier shut up sheepishly.

Amidst the murmurs, a figure emerged from outside the crowd.

The man was nearly seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back. His tight-fitting clothes accentuated his exaggerated muscle contours, and his bare arms and bronze skin gleamed in the sunlight.

It was none other than Liu Shuling, the senior sister of Lingmu Academy.

She stood in front of the notice board, looked up, and read the words from beginning to end.

Then, he turned around.

"Where is Chen Jianghe?" she asked, her voice cheerful.

A disciple quickly pointed in the direction of the secluded courtyard on the west side of the disciple peak.

Liu Shuling nodded and strode over there.

On the west side of Dizi Peak, in the main courtyard.

Chen Jianghe sat cross-legged on the couch in the quiet room, his upper body bare, revealing his strong muscles and crisscrossing old wounds.

The powerful claw mark on his right shoulder has been cleaned and stitched up. After applying the Jade Skin Bone-Regenerating Ointment, the dark red bloodline at the edge has faded significantly and no longer spreads outwards.

He raised his hand and gently pressed the edge of the wound.

Tingling.

But it's seven points lighter than last night.

He glanced down at the bottle of Blood Qi Pills beside the bed, then looked up at the window.

At the gate, a figure strode in.

Liu Shuling did not knock on the door.

She walked straight across the cobblestone path, stepped over the threshold, and stood at the entrance to the quiet room.

-

His gaze fell on Chen Jianghe's bare upper body, lingering for a moment on the carefully bandaged claw mark.

"How is the injury?" she asked.

"The Jade Skin Bone-Regenerating Ointment bestowed by the sect is extremely effective." Chen Jianghe stood up, picked up a robe from the side and put it on. "The remaining energy has dissipated; after three to five days of rest, I will be fine."

Liu Shuling nodded.

She didn't speak immediately, but pulled over a wooden stool by the couch and sat down. Her posture lacked any of the gracefulness a woman should have, but instead exuded a calm and composed demeanor.

"Have you seen the court's handling of the case?" she asked.

"I've seen it."

"What do you think?"

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment.

"Sun Guan was indeed at fault," he said slowly, "but the man is dead, and it is only right to punish him according to the sect rules."

Liu Shuling stared at him, then suddenly smiled.

That smile was hearty, with a clear and insightful quality.

"You're really good at keeping your mouth shut."

She leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, and said casually, "I've dealt with that old hag Sun Hongyao a few times. Everyone in the Golden Pivot Academy, from the headmaster to the ordinary disciples, is arrogant and conceited. She's especially so. Relying on her grandfather being an elder and herself being at the peak of the Transformation Realm, she frequently beats and scolds ordinary inner disciples, and calls our Lingmu Academy 'useless.'"

She paused, then looked at Chen Jianghe: "This time, she was defeated in Black Wind Cave, and all the disciples of the Golden Pivot Academy she led were wiped out. Only you, the Lingmu Academy trash she despised the most, returned alive, bringing back crucial information about the reappearance of the Sun and Moon Demonic Art."

"Tsk." She clicked her tongue softly. "That slap was really loud."

Chen Jianghe did not respond.

He simply looked back calmly, and Liu Shuling met his gaze for a moment.

"Sun Yuhai didn't make a scene at the Golden Privy Council today, not because he believed your story," she lowered her voice, "but because the Court of Criminal Law has already reached a conclusion. If he were to make a scene now, it would only make the Golden Privy Council seem like a sore loser, and further solidify the charge that his granddaughter's dereliction of duty led to the team's downfall."

She paused, her eyes sharp: "But he won't give up so easily."

"Sun Hongyao is his granddaughter whom he raised himself. Although her talent is not top-notch, she is the only bloodline of the Sun family in this generation to enter the inner sect. Others may not know how much effort and resources he has put into this granddaughter, but the elders of the Golden Pivot Academy know it all."

"Now that the man is dead, he's been branded with a crime, and the Golden Privy Council has been implicated and is being purged. He can't swallow this insult."

Liu Shuling looked directly at Chen Jianghe: "He needs an outlet. And you..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Chen Jianghe nodded: "This disciple understands."

Liu Shuling raised an eyebrow: "That's it?"

Chen Jianghe thought for a moment and added, "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister."

Liu Shuling stared at him, then suddenly raised her hand and lightly tapped his forehead with her finger.

"Stop playing dumb with me."

She withdrew her hand, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness, and a hint of—it was hard to tell whether to call it protectiveness or resigned indulgence.

"Now that you've entered Lingmu Academy, you're my junior brother, Liu Shuling's junior brother. No matter how powerful Sun Yuhai is, he wouldn't dare to openly bully anyone from Lingmu Academy in front of me."

She stood up, walked to the door, and turned back: "During this time, focus on recovering from your injuries and avoid going out too much. Area number seven of the Bing-character zone is temporarily sealed off; the sect will send a Gangjin elder to Black Wind Cave to investigate. You've said everything you need to say; there's no need to say anything more."

He paused, then continued, "Take one Blood Qi Pill a day, don't skimp on it. Your foundation is solid, but unfortunately, you haven't been cultivating for very long, so your blood and qi reserves are a bit weaker than those who have cultivated for many years to reach the Great Perfection stage. Only after you overcome this hurdle will you be qualified to talk about the next step."

Chen Jianghe stood up and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute: "I will remember your teachings, Senior Sister."

Liu Shuling waved her hand and strode out of the courtyard.

At the same time, at the Golden School.

Sun Yuhai sat alone on a futon in the quiet room, with a long table in front of him.

A gilded spear was placed on the table.

The gun barrel is made of fine iron, eight feet three inches long, and weighs forty-seven pounds.

This was the initiation gift that he personally selected for Sun Hongyao when she entered the inner sect at the age of twelve, supervised the craftsmen, and spent three months crafting.

He remembered that when his granddaughter received the gun that day, her eyes crinkled into crescents, and she smiled as if she had received the most precious treasure in the world.

"Grandpa, what's the name of this gun?"

"Once you make a name for yourself, you can take it."

"Then I'll call it 'Cloud Breaker'! From now on, I'll use it to cleave through the clouds with a single thrust, so that the entire Xingyi School will recognize my name, Sun Hongyao!"

Cloud-Piercing Spear.

Now the gun is broken in two, its tip stained with dried blood, lying quietly on the long table, its sharp, cold gleam gone.

Sun Yuhai stretched out his right hand and gently stroked the broken area.

The fracture is jagged, indicating it was broken by immense force.

He closed his eyes and mentally rehearsed the scenario.

The granddaughter is at the peak of the Transformation Realm, and the gilded spear is made of refined iron through a hundred refinements.

The force capable of shattering this gun.

Gangjin (罡劲).

It is absolutely certain.

And the claw marks on the shoulder of that Lingmu Academy disciple—

It was also caused by the force of the internal energy.

The skin and flesh were turned inside out, blood vessels were spreading, and the traces of the remaining force eroding the muscle were clearly visible.

Everything matched up, but he knew perfectly well what his granddaughter was like.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as an ancient well.

"Someone come here."

The disciple outside responded and entered.

"Investigate." Sun Yuhai's voice was not loud. "About Chen Jianghe, everything about his background in Yilin County before he entered Lingmu Academy. Who was his master, when did he reach the Transformation Realm, who did he fight, and what were his battle records?"

He paused for a moment.

"Report everything, big or small, to me."

The disciple accepted the order and departed.

The quiet room returned to silence.

Sun Yuhai lowered his head, his gaze returning to the broken gilded spear.

The gun was cold; there would never again be that girl with the curved eyebrows holding it, excitedly calling him "Grandpa."

He raised his hand and gently wiped away the last bit of blood from the tip of the gun with his rough thumb.

a long time.

"Red medicine—"

He called out softly.

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