From Under One Person: Sincere Journey Through the Heavens

Page 217

The main gate features a traditional Chinese-style four-cornered overhanging eaves gatehouse, with the words "Haiyan Pavilion" inscribed on the gate plaque. The door frame is decorated with relief-style banana leaf patterns, and the veins of the leaves are outlined with gold thread, making it both solemn and luxurious.

"This place was originally the property of the Xu family, a prominent family in Haiyan, but it was later occupied by that smiling tiger." Lu Jin knew something about this "Haiyan Pavilion".

Just then, the soldiers patrolling outside changed shifts. Jiang Liu, Lu Jin, and Hong Guniang exchanged a glance, then climbed over the wall one by one and entered the courtyard.

The building was brightly lit. The three of them jumped onto the roof and cautiously looked through each window. They only saw the smiling tiger's wife, concubine, and children, but not the smiling tiger himself.

"Could it be that you went to see a play?"

After confirming that no one was in the room, Lu Jin guessed.

"Walk."

At Jiang Liu's command, the two immediately followed him away from the place and quickly headed towards Boss Cha's theater.

Inside the theater, Boss Cha was singing "The Legend of the White Snake." The audience below was mostly older people who preferred the traditional singing style, so Jiang Liu and others did not need to use props to assist them.

But there was no sign of that smiling tiger.

After Boss Cha finished his song, Jiang Liu and his two companions went to the back to ask him if Smiling Tiger had come to watch the show today.

"No."

Boss Cha also signed up for the martial arts tournament, but the theater was open during the day, hosted by the other apprentices, from whom we could find out which audience members had come.

While not every single one of them would be remembered by the apprentices at the theater, they would at least have an impression of which prominent figures came and which didn't.

"That's strange. He didn't come to the theater during the day, and he's not home at night either. Where did that Smiling Tiger go?" Lu Jin finally realized something was wrong.

As the organizer of the martial arts tournament, not only did they not attend, but now they've completely disappeared!

"How about I have the theater apprentices ask those high-ranking officials who have a close relationship with the Smiling Tiger tomorrow?" Boss Cha suggested.

Not all the wealthy and powerful people enjoy watching martial arts competitions; many in the city prefer listening to music and watching plays.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Boss Cha."

Jiang Liu expressed his gratitude.

After bidding farewell to Boss Cha, Jiang Liu, Lu Jin, and Hong Guniang put on their masks again and went out to fight for justice at night.

However, since the rumors of the "two beauties in green and white" emerged in Yuhang, coupled with the establishment of the cultural street providing a large number of jobs, organized crime has been decreasing day by day.

If they could live a peaceful life, most ordinary people wouldn't consider taking such a risk...

···

The moon sets and the sun rises.

At dawn, a golden ray of light fell from the east, illuminating Jiang Liu, who was already up and doing his morning exercise in the courtyard.

After the others had finished washing up and had breakfast, Jiang Liu ordered Xiao Yun, Xiao Yu, and Miss Liu to go out and investigate the Smiling Tiger.

The rest of the group went to the arena to watch the preliminary rounds of the martial arts tournament.

Hong Guniang, Sai Huohou, Dili Chuai, Zhao Xinchuan, and Zhao Qian all took to the field in today's preliminary rounds. However, apart from Hong Guniang and Zhao Xinchuan who successfully advanced, the rest were defeated.

Peng Qizi of the Tai Chi School was unlucky and encountered Zhuge Yu of the Wuhou School. The Nine Dragons Combined technique was no match for the myriad spells and he lost.

To the average viewer, Peng Qizi's loss seemed rather inexplicable, as if he had deliberately thrown the game.

After that, Lu Jin went on stage in the 21st group and encountered Zhang Huaiyi.

The two men understood each other implicitly, cleared the area of the remaining eight people, and then bowed to each other.

“Lu Jin, a disciple of the Sanyi Sect, a member of the Ghost Hand Wang Cai Opera Troupe, and the vice president of the Confucian Association, greets the esteemed disciple of Longhu Mountain.”

Hearing this long list of titles, Zhang Huaiyi realized that he couldn't lose his composure, after all, he was now representing the Celestial Master's Mansion!

“Zhang Huaiyi of the Celestial Master's Mansion of Longhu Mountain greets the Vice President of the Confucian Association.”

"Please!" X2

The ceremony is over.

One person chants mantras, and golden light covers their body; another person circulates Qi throughout the body, and ribbons swirl around them.

This caused a constant stream of gasps and exclamations from the crowd below the arena.

Zhang Huaiyi's body was surrounded by golden light and blazing flames, like the radiance of a god or Buddha in a temple!

Lu Jin was enveloped in white qi, like a banished immortal descending to earth!

How could this not surprise them? Even after witnessing the extraordinary abilities of many strange people yesterday, they were still questioning their existence—could this also be a form of kung fu?

"In fact, people with supernatural abilities should not display their skills in front of others just because of a martial arts competition."

Zhang Zhiwei walked over from a short distance away and told Jiang Liu about the matter, "It will cause unnecessary trouble... I can already imagine how many people will go to Longhu Mountain to become apprentices and learn martial arts after this matter spreads."

"Don't worry, even if there are some, most of them can't stand the loneliness." Jiang Liu knew that the most taboo thing in mountain cultivation was impetuosity, and most adults couldn't endure the hardships of cultivation.

Just as the people in the town at the foot of Sanyi Mountain all know the skills of the Sanyi Sect, even setting aside their aptitude for Qi cultivation, how many people would truly be willing to send their children to the mountain to learn the arts?

Whether one can cultivate Qi depends on first being taught simple methods of observation; it cannot be determined at a glance!

"You know, that's not what I meant."

Seeing that Jiang Liu was going off on a tangent, Zhang Zhiwei could only put it more bluntly: "There is a line between extraordinary people and ordinary people."

"But as you know, this line is not straight, and it is very blurry, even winding and spiraling, in a state of yin within yang and yang within yin."

Jiang Liu glanced at Zhang Zhiwei, whose eyes were now serious and unlike yesterday's playful gaze. He knew that in the past two weeks, Zhang Zhiwei must have learned more about his own actions, those of the Caixi Troupe, and even the Confucian Society in Yuhang. As a result, Zhang Zhiwei was worried that he might be going astray and wanted to come and persuade him.

But the primordial Qi and Qi cultivation are objective realities!

We need change!

Let's be thorough and let the public know about the existence of Qi-cultivating extraordinary people and understand the principles of Qi cultivation!

As for whether everyone can cultivate Qi—

That's another issue.

Problems are always coming, but we should solve them one by one. Why should we be afraid of the challenges they present?

If it's just someone who keeps solving problems—

While it may be simple, crude, and effective, what kind of revolution is that? It's just turning back the clock!

“This road is not easy to travel,” Zhang Zhiwei sighed.

"All things carry yin and embrace yang, and achieve harmony through the interaction of these energies. In this unprecedented era of change, the fusion of yin and yang to achieve the infinite is both an opportunity and a challenge."

Jiang Liu gave Zhang Zhiwei a deep look. "If you miss this period, when the world is at peace, it will be an unprecedented golden age. It will be extremely difficult to obtain the Dao of Limitlessness again. Even if you have extraordinary abilities, you can only stay on the mountain for the rest of your life."

Zhang Zhiwei laughed: "Isn't this exactly how the Celestial Masters of all dynasties have been?"

“Think about the meaning of Celestial Master, Brother Zhiwei. Staying on the mountain, guarding the Celestial Master’s Mansion’s legacy, and ruling the entire Zhengyi sect, what kind of Celestial Master are you?” Jiang Liu laughed as well. “Aren’t you just a ‘mountain king’?”

The term "Celestial Master" first appeared in the "Zhuangzi: Xu Wugui": The Yellow Emperor bowed twice and kowtowed, calling him "Celestial Master" before withdrawing.

What is a Celestial Master?

A person who possesses the wisdom to understand the laws of heaven and earth and to harmonize the laws of nature.

Zhang Zhiwei was aware of all this, but after figuring out Jiang Liu's true thoughts, he was genuinely afraid that one day it would ignite a great war between supernatural beings and ordinary people.

"I don't have dreams as big as yours—"

"Then you should go back to the mountain after this conference and don't come back to cause trouble."

"I go!"

Zhang Zhiwei was taken aback, then retorted, "Who are you? How dare you order me around?"

"Truth lies in the fist."

Jiang Liu's fists cracked as he chuckled, "You can't beat me right now."

"cut!"

Zhang Zhiwei scoffed, but deep down he had to admit that, without worldly experience, even if he managed to balance the yin and yang energies within his heart, he was no match for Jiang Liu.

He now understands a bit about what his fellow disciples at the sect think of him.

But he still has to try!

“When we meet again, let’s have another match. If I lose, I’ll go crazy with you when I inherit the position of Celestial Master. How about that?” Zhang Zhiwei made the bet.

"Oh? You're so sure you'll become a Celestial Master?" Jiang Liu asked with a smirk.

"how to say?"

Zhang Zhiwei's gaze fell on Zhang Huaiyi. "Although my junior brother has good talent and is more than capable of inheriting the position of Celestial Master, he is still far inferior to me."

Obvious.

At this time, Zhang Zhiwei did not know much about the Celestial Master lineage and thought that the lineage of Celestial Masters relied on talent, hard work, strength, personality, character, and so on.

In fact, these are the normal things that should be relied upon.

But the Celestial Master's Mansion relies on the Celestial Master's precepts...

"Before that, let's make a small bet."

"What are you gambling?"

"Who will win between those two on the field?"

“Okay, I’ll bet on Lu Jin!” Zhang Zhiwei was the first to speak, placing his bet on Lu Jin.

Jiang Liu: "..."

Jiang Liu then beckoned to Zhao Qian and said, "Zhao Qian, go to the edge of the arena and tell Lu Jin to deliberately lose."

"Huh?" X2

The sound came from Zhao Qian.

He could bet all his money on Lu Jin.

The other voice came from Zhang Zhiwei, whose eyes widened in disbelief: "Damn it! You can do that? I'll bet on Junior Brother Huaiyi!"