The Eagle Shooting Heroes: From Golden-Knife Prince Consort to Emperor Guangwu of the Great Zhou Dyn

Guo Liqing's casual remark made Xu Zhu somewhat embarrassed.

He quickly said, "I'm sorry! I wasn't talking about you! I just look down on those hypocritical guys from Shaolin Temple!"

Guo Liqing guessed that although Xu Zhu came from Shaolin, he had after all left Shaolin.

The people of Shaolin Temple are the most hypocritical. Although they talk about the equality of all beings, they are the most attached to their status in the martial arts world.

At that time, the Sweeper Monk was already old and would not live much longer. If Xuzhu had learned the Yi Jin Jing, he would naturally have become the number one martial arts master of his time.

How could the world's number one master be outside of Shaolin?

Guo Liqing was just guessing and didn't tell Xu Zhu.

Xu Zhu sighed. After all, he came from Shaolin Temple and still had feelings for it.

Duan Yu also cursed back then, but if they don't want to give it to you, they don't want to give it to you, and there's nothing you can do about it.

"And then what happened?"

"Later, the people of Lingjiu Palace discovered such a blessed place in the Tianshan Mountains and invited me to come here to recuperate. My wife and children also lived here with me. During this time, I studied Buddhism every day to calm my mind."

Is Buddhism truly effective?

He said, "It should be useful. However, while I am studying Buddhism, I am also practicing several techniques of the Xiaoyao School, trying to find a way to resolve the problem of mixed internal energy."

One day, I suddenly mastered the *Eternal Spring Skill*. During the process of rejuvenation, the three types of internal energy within my body automatically merged. At the same time, I also mastered several techniques from the Free and Unfettered Sect. After that, I no longer had any problems with internal energy, allowing me to live past forty years old, and to this day.

Guo Liqing sighed, "So, it turns out you gained longevity by chance in order to be with your loved ones. Although you were able to accompany your loved ones to the end of their lives, the rest of the journey is for you alone."

"Yes," Xu Zhu nodded. "When my wife passed away, I wanted to follow her in death. However, I had studied Buddhist scriptures since childhood and feared that I wouldn't be able to meet her in the underworld after death, so I dared not commit suicide!"

Guo Liqing also clasped his hands together and said, "In Buddhism, suicide is a grave sin, which will prevent one from being reincarnated!"

"Young hero, you also have some knowledge of Buddhism?"

"I know a little bit about it!"

Xu Zhu nodded. "That's right, that's exactly it. Later, I intended to pass away here, but for some reason, I ended up wasting several decades here!"

Guo Liqing looked around and couldn't help but wonder: Could it be that the environment here allowed Xu Zhu to live to this day?

"Master Xuzhu, could the Everlasting Spring Technique truly grant you immortality?"

"No!" Xu Zhu said, "These past few days, I've felt my time is almost up! I think living to my age is probably the limit."

"Master Xuzhu, I have a favor to ask!"

Xu Zhu seemed to see through Guo Liqing's thoughts and said, "You want to learn the Everlasting Spring Skill?"

"I want to learn all the martial arts techniques you have here!"

Xu Zhu smiled slightly and said, "Back then, Senior Wu Yazi passed on his martial arts to me and also passed on the leadership of the Xiaoyao Sect to me. Later, Tong Lao entrusted the Lingjiu Palace to me. I once thought about passing on their martial arts, but unfortunately... it's not that I'm being cowardly, but even if I gave you these techniques, you might not be able to learn them."

Guo Liqing was somewhat skeptical.

"You just sparred with my junior, didn't you?"

"You mean Li Mengxue? Yes, they fought!"

"I have passed down all my martial arts skills, but it is difficult for the younger generation to reach the level of their predecessors. You possess the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms, and your strength is superior to hers, so why bother learning the martial arts of the Free and Unfettered Sect?"

"Having more skills is never a bad thing!"

Xu Zhu shook his head and said, "Too many different martial arts techniques can easily lead to qi deviation! I'm doing this for your own good!"

Guo Liqing looked at Xu Zhu and for a moment didn't know what to say!

"This junior would like to give it a try!"

Xu Zhu smiled slightly, "Since that's the case, I can teach you!" He looked at Guo Liqing and said, "However, to have mastered the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms to this level, you must be an extremely talented martial artist. Back then, I went to great lengths to find a successor for the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms before finally finding one!"

"May I ask, is the successor you're looking for surnamed Hong?"

"Even if he were alive today, he would be over a hundred years old!"

Guo Liqing calculated that it wasn't Hong Qigong, but possibly Hong Qigong's master!

At this point, Xu Zhu became somewhat puzzled and asked, "You just said that you are Han Chinese, a disciple of the Beggars' Sect, yet you became the Grand Marshal of the Mongols?"

"Yes."

"I have been out of the world for a long time and am unaware of its changes. What is this Mongolia?"

Guo Liqing said, "The Mongols were a tribe that rose to power on the northern grasslands after the Song and Jin dynasties joined forces to destroy the Liao dynasty!"

"Are they a tribe from the northern grasslands?"

"Yes."

"Wouldn't that be similar to the Khitans!"

"Yes."

"You are Han Chinese, yet you grew up in Mongolia!" Xu Zhu recalled some past events, saying, "My elder brother was originally a Khitan, but he grew up in the Song Dynasty. You are the exact opposite of him!"

"You mean Xiao Feng?" Guo Liqing thought for a moment, then laughed, "That's right, exactly the opposite!"

"My elder brother was once the Southern King of the Liao Dynasty. Unwilling to see the Song and Liao go to war, he committed suicide outside Yanmen Pass, sacrificing his life to bring decades of peace to the Song and Liao dynasties..."

Thinking of this scene, Guo Liqing pounded his chest and exclaimed, "Master Xiao's death was so undeserved!"

Hearing Guo Liqing say this, Xu Zhu was somewhat displeased. "My elder brother sacrificed his life for the peace of the world. What's wrong with that?"

In his early years, Xu Zhu did feel sorry for Xiao Feng, but later he gradually came to understand that for the sake of all living beings, there was no such thing as worth it or not. This was the great righteousness of his elder brother!

"Back then, the Liao emperor and Xiao Feng were sworn brothers. The emperor appointed him as the Southern King and even promised him the title of King of Song after conquering the Song Dynasty! If he had been able to conquer the Song Dynasty, there wouldn't have been the 'Jingkang Incident'!"

"Although my elder brother is a Khitan, he grew up in the Song Dynasty. Even though he suffered many misunderstandings back then, he would never help the Liao destroy the Song!"

Having lived for so many years, few things could excite Xu Zhu, except when talking about his brothers from back then!

Guo Liqing clasped his hands together and said, "Master Xuzhu, please allow me to explain slowly."

Xu Zhu was curious about what this kid would say.

"Back then, Master Xiao seemed to be in a dilemma, but in fact, it was easy to resolve as long as he stepped out of the ethnic conflict."

Guo Liqing makes it sound so easy. Xiao Feng isn't a time traveler. How could he possibly break free from the limitations of his era?

Thinking of this, Guo Liqing smiled and said, "Master Xuzhu, you married a princess from Western Xia. In your opinion, what is the difference between the Western Xia people and the Song people? Do you believe your descendants will be Western Xia people or Song people?"

Xu Zhu put his hands together and said, "My Lingjiu Palace lineage does not participate in the secular world, so naturally we belong to neither side."

"That's an evasive idea of ​​yours. In my view, what about the Western Xia people? What about the Song people? There's no difference between them."

Although Master Xiao was a Khitan, he grew up in the Song Dynasty. In your view, he was not recognized by the Song people, nor could he fully integrate into the Khitan society.

But if he wanted to, he could be both a Song person and a Khitan person!

"Such indecisiveness is hardly befitting of a leader!"

"No! This is ethnic integration! Universal harmony! In my opinion, if Master Xiao wants peace in the world, he shouldn't commit suicide! Instead, he should first lead his troops to destroy the Song Dynasty, and then turn around and destroy the Liao Dynasty. After that, the world will be under his control. As long as he can treat the Song people and the Khitan people equally and kindly, will these identities matter then?"

Even though Xu Zhu had lived for over a hundred years, he had never heard such outrageous remarks.

"Wouldn't that make me an unfaithful and disloyal person to both sides?"

"To the Zhao family of the Song Dynasty and the Yelü family of the Liao Dynasty, they were indeed disloyal and unjust. But what about the common people? As long as there is peace in the world, it is the greatest righteousness for the common people!"

In comparison, what does loyalty to a single dynasty or family amount to?