The World's Number One Medical Hall

Chapter Sixty: The Spirit of Martial Arts

Mo Bai's eyes suddenly narrowed: "Didn't you say that countless warriors were willing to sacrifice their lives for the humiliation suffered by Tianjin, even if it meant shedding blood every five steps to avenge the national shame?"

Tie Xiong's lips moved a few times before he realized what was happening. He quickly said, "Sixth Master, you misunderstand. Those are not people from the 108 Mountains, but rather brave and martial people from all over the world, like my Tie family. Some of my ancestors once entered the Taoist sect. After they left the world, they established the family lineage. Then my Tie family taught many disciples, who then passed on their knowledge to others. So although many of them open their own schools and teach students, they are not all direct descendants of the Taoist sect. They can only be called martial artists."

"No one from the Daoist sect has made a move?" Mo Bai suddenly sat up straight, his eyes flashing with cold light as he stared at Tie Xiong.

Tie Xiong was puzzled as to why Mo Bai had suddenly become so imposing, but he could only explain: "Sixth Master, people in the Daoist sect generally do not go down the mountain to participate in worldly struggles. They mainly focus on cultivation and seeking longevity. Unless the country is in complete chaos, they will not actively participate in the struggle. Moreover, the purpose of holding the Daoist debate is actually to restrain cultivators from participating in actual struggles. It is mainly for deterrence."

Mo Bai stared at Tie Xiong silently for a long while before finally speaking, "The war has already invaded our country's borders. Can we still be bound by treaties?"

Tie Xiong could tell that Mo Bai was angry, and he understood where Mo Bai's anger came from. He thought to himself, "Sixth Master is still a prince of the dynasty after all."

However, in her heart, she felt a greater sense of approval for Mo Bai and sighed slightly, "Sixth Master, there was no real war in Tianjin and Haikou, and the Qi Kingdom did not declare an attack on our country. They have signed an agreement with the National Dynasty and are legally in compliance with the law in the Tianjin and Haikou concession, so the Daoist sect has not gone down the mountain."

"The invasion of territory doesn't count as a national war?" Mo Bai was unusually serious, and the dim life force in his eyes lit up. "If that's the case, then why are there still so many warriors in Jin Hai willing to risk their lives to avenge this humiliation?"

A heavy look appeared in Tie Xiong's eyes, but after glancing at Mo Bai, he remained silent for a long while before softly saying, "The imperial court is also suppressing these martial artists, and quite a few of them have died at its hands!"

Mo Bai paused, unable to utter another word.

When Tie Xiong glanced at him, for some reason, at that moment, even his calm emotions were suddenly shaken.

Guo Chao, Guo Chao!

He was also a member of the imperial family. Mo Bai closed his eyes slightly, speechless for a moment. After a long while, he softly uttered, "To repel external threats, one must first pacify the internal situation..."

He seemed to recall Zhang Bangli, this important minister, and the forbearance of Emperor Dingwu...

It is precisely this mindset of those in power—that they must first secure internal stability before dealing with external threats—that has led to the current situation.

After a long silence, Mo Bai stood up, facing the sunlight, and remained silent for a while before finally speaking: "How's the situation outside these past few days?"

The topic changed so quickly that Tie Xiong was momentarily confused: "You mean...?"

"My health won't improve in a day or two, and I need many precious medicines to help me. We have nothing here now, which won't do. We should leave and head to Mingzhu," Mo Bai said softly.

Mo Bai already knew that all the money and valuables were in the hands of Tie Xiong, and even the many precious medicines bestowed by the Empress had been arranged in advance and did not travel with the caravan.

Now Mo Bai believes that Tie Xiong wouldn't be greedy for these things, otherwise why would he need to save his own life?

"I don't know what's going on these past few days, but the noise has actually subsided. There seem to be fewer soldiers roaming around than before. If we're careful, there shouldn't be any major problems. It's just that you've been traveling a long way, and your health..." Tie Xiong glanced at the door and said after a moment's thought.

Mo Bai nodded upon hearing this: "It's alright. In that case, let's set off tomorrow. Let's be careful. The country is unstable right now, and there will be too many upheavals. Someone might try to get me involved, so it's not advisable for me to show myself for the time being."

Tie Xiong readily agreed. In fact, he wasn't so afraid anymore, since Mo Bai had come back to life. Even if he were found out, it wouldn't be as dangerous as before.

He went to make the arrangements, while Mo Bai walked into the house alone.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he found it difficult to calm his mind. Even the most composed person seemed to have been stirred up today.

Today, having determined the era he lives in, and knowing that this dynasty is incompetent, he cannot help but feel a surge of emotions.

Thinking back to his past life, he realized how tragic the war that destroyed a nation was. He was born into a military family in his previous life, so he felt it far more deeply than ordinary people.

Moreover, the fact that this sect could remain indifferent to foreign invasions by claiming to be detached from worldly affairs and focused on cultivation only fueled his anger.

This was not because he was making excuses for the sake of the dynasty, but because compared to his identity as a prince, what was more deeply ingrained in his mind was his identity as a Taoist, of course, from his previous life.

At that moment, his eyes shone with light; he was reminiscing.

Throughout history, regardless of the dynasties, whenever foreign enemies invaded, whether they were reclusive Taoists or martial arts heroes, who didn't risk their lives to protect the country?

In the midst of chaos, they forged their loyalty with blood; they did not serve the state or the regime, but only the people and their nation.

Especially during that war that destroyed the country, countless martial arts heroes bravely stepped forward to revitalize the nation. They risked their lives and shed their blood, refusing to bow their heads even amidst a hail of bullets. Even when they were about to die a violent death and have their heads cut off, they would still bite off a piece of flesh from the executioner.

They may not have been able to change the course of history, but they left behind a spirit that will be remembered forever.

"A spirit of martial arts!"

It inspired an entire generation to stand up and resist. In fact, it was this spirit that made the Chinese people feel that they still had spirit and hope during that humiliating era.

It was precisely because of this that the peaceful and prosperous era that followed came about!

When the world is at peace and in a prosperous era, have we ever seen these chivalrous figures stirring up trouble?

They all returned to the ordinary, silently passing on their skills and crafts.

But looking at the present era, how could Mo Bai, who was once a direct descendant of the Taoist sect and a figure in the martial arts world, not be angry?

This gate is the exact opposite of the previous one; during prosperous times, they served as ministers and worked for the dynasty in pursuit of glory.

In times of chaos, they become aloof and arrogant, seeking only immortality.

What silenced Mo Bai even more was that they still possessed immense glory and prestige, as if they were above the law.

He seems to live a carefree and immortal life, with a pure and desireless heart, yet he dares to kill himself for the sake of profit and hatred. Is this a sign of being detached from worldly affairs?

Mo Bai remained silent and closed his eyes. Now, he had nothing.

To survive in this mortal world, the first thing to do is to recover!

The next morning, before dawn, two figures appeared at the gate of the compound.

A horse-drawn carriage was parked there quietly.

A burly man with a full beard, dressed in coarse linen clothes, stood beside the carriage and said to a well-dressed young man, "Sixth Master, everything is arranged. We can leave now!"

Judging from his voice, it was Tie Xiong, but you couldn't tell from his face at all.

This young man was none other than Mo Bai. He was wearing a top hat, and his face appeared to have been altered, though his eyes still lacked luster. He boarded the carriage and said softly, "Alright, let's go!"

The wheels rolled on, and their figures disappeared into the distance that morning.