Warm spring in March, the grass growing high and swallows flying.
A gentle breeze blowing slowly.
On the imperial road, an old horse leisurely trod along.
On its back lay a young man, one arm half-covering his face, the other holding a wine gourd, occasionally taking a sip.
"Ah... Traveling time is really so uninteresting..."
After an unknown amount of hours had passed, Zhong Shenxiu sat up, shook the wine gourd, and discovered it was empty.
Since he had left the Shanyao Gang, over a month had passed.
And most of that time had been wasted on aimless travels.
His trip this time was primarily to acquire the Marrow Refining Martial Arts to break through to Grandmaster.
However, such secret techniques were mostly in the hands of powerful factions like the Eight Great Sects. Though they welcomed Human Ranking Experts like Zhong Shenxiu to join them, it was not realistic to expect them to impart the true methods without several to many years of investigation.
Even the most enlightened royal court didn’t offer such deals!
Zhong Shenxiu guessed that if he joined the royal court, he would definitely be assigned to toil in the Divine Capture Sect.
Such restrictions were significant, and though he might manage to acquire the Martial Arts that could help him break through the Divine Skills level, it would be tough.
As for studying the authentic Divine Skills passed down by the Grand Ancestor of the Wu Dynasty like those veteran tributes of the imperial family, or even to comprehend the "Heavenly Stele"? He might as well wash up and go to sleep early...
Unless he ended up marrying a princess and becoming part of the imperial family, then there might be a slight chance.
"Besides that, it seems Gu Qingying has a book of Divine Skills? I wasn’t paying attention before because my own skills were lacking, but now if I find him and catch him off guard, I could acquire the Wang Family’s Secret Manual... Yet I would have to face the pursuit from the Five Poison Sect, which is a bit troubling... Of course, the bigger problem is, if the Five Poison Sect hasn’t found him, how can I?"
As Zhong Shenxiu aimlessly wandered the four directions, he entered the area of Shang County.
In ancient times, this place was within the territory of Shang Country, hence its name, Shang County.
Being somewhat curious about this suspected transmigrator and founding emperor, he unconsciously headed in this direction, planning to visit a few ancient relics of Shang Country to pay his respects.
Suddenly, there was a congestion of people ahead on the imperial road.
Once he drew closer, Zhong Shenxiu discovered that someone had privately set up a roadblock to collect fees.
This was an act deeply detested by people through the ages, yet it persisted.
In nature, it could be likened to the ’evolved version’ of claiming ownership over a mountain and planting trees, practically an overt act of highway robbery.
Often, those who set up such roadblocks were not the government but various local bullies, even royal relatives, who ignored national interests for their own profits, causing blockades to commerce and transport.
"Old sir, who set up the roadblock ahead?"
Zhong Shenxiu approached among the crowd and randomly grabbed someone to ask.
"The roadblock ahead is set up by the Shangjia Castle, they are the local tyrants for miles around, with hundreds of valiant followers, each skilled in martial arts, able to ride big horses, and draw tough bows. The castle master’s three brothers are also reputed fighters in Jianghu. Young man, don’t stir trouble; just pay the fee and pass through safely..."
The old man answered in a chattering way, clearly with good intentions.
Zhong Shenxiu, finding it amusing, moved closer and saw a few young knights and heroines hung up on the trees beside the roadblock. Obviously, they were idealists influenced by stories of heroic deeds, who had come out to enforce justice but failed and ended up getting tied up instead.
’Those who make themselves known definitely have some skills. Those what, three brothers joining hands, could perhaps match the Nine ElementsSect Master... Adding a hundred cavalry, they indeed possessed some capital...’
Just then, there was suddenly some commotion up front.
The crowd split as if avoiding a snake, revealing a young monk in the center, dressed in a tattered Kasaya patched all over, yet tall and strong, with dark skin.
"This Master, are you also going to cause trouble with us three brothers?"
In a roadside pavilion, where they were having tea, Shang Laoer from the Shang Family came over and first clasped his hands in salute, "Us three brothers belong to Jianghu, and we dare not forget the rules. For all Martial Arts roads, we don’t charge a fee. Those young heroes insisted on causing trouble, so we tied them up to teach them a lesson. We’ll let them down when it gets dark..."
They, the three brothers, had established their power and dominated an area because they were insightful.
Martial Artists never provoked nor messed with government officers; they only exploited common folk and businessmen ruthlessly, which made their business grow bigger and richer, and incredibly, their reputation in Jianghu was not bad either.
But pleasantries were one thing, when facing real troublemakers, they had to be suppressed with full force, otherwise, they couldn’t earn their living.
Shang Laoer, bold yet cautious, noticed there was something extraordinary about the monk, so with a wave of his hand, several of his men immediately went to call for reinforcements.
Shangjia Castle was nearby, and a large force would arrive momentarily; unless they were Human Ranking Experts, no one would make them bow down.
"Amitabha, this humble monk would like to request the master to kindly destroy this roadblock."
The monk placed his palms together in prayer.
"You, monk, have quite the audacity! Without this income, what would my brothers and I eat?"
Shang Laoer bellowed, throwing a punch directly into the monk’s chest.
It was like a heavy hammer striking a cowhide; the monk remained unfazed, while Shang Laoer staggered back several steps, his face showing traces of shock and uncertainty.
He was just trying to figure out a way to stall for time when suddenly he saw a cloud of dust in the distance.
The sound of horse hooves—reinforcements from Shangjia Castle had arrived.
"Ha-ha, monk, let’s see how you die today!" Shang Laoer was overjoyed to see the reinforcements, regaining his arrogant demeanor.
"Amitabha, esteemed masters carry such malicious aura. Would you please listen to a scripture read by this humble monk?"
The monk sat cross-legged and began to chant a scripture: "When the World Honored One, practicing deep Prajna Paramita, perceived that all five skandhas are empty..."
The melodious chanting began.
Zhong Shenxiu, however, drastically changed his expression.
To his ears, the monk’s quiet murmur turned into a hammer constantly striking his eardrums, the ambiguous words gradually becoming indecipherable in nature. Each phrase of the scripture seemed to transform into living worms, burrowing into his ears and agitating his Inner Strength...
A cavalryman could no longer bear it, falling off his horse to the ground, bleeding from all orifices, struggling incessantly, his facial muscles contorted in extreme pain.
This seemed to set off a certain sequence; one after another, the Shangjia Castle knights fell from their horses, their ears covered, yet unable to block the seemingly hellish murmurs.
"Master, we admit defeat, please withdraw your Divine Skills!"
Eventually, Shang Laoer, the eldest of the Shang Family, knew he had provoked someone he shouldn’t have, and swiftly capitulated.
The monk ceased his chanting with another utterance of the Buddha’s name.
Zhong Shenxiu looked around at the civilians who appeared unaffected, suddenly realizing, "This monk’s chanting only affects those with Inner Strength? No, rather than that, could it be that Martial Artists who have developed Inner Strength meet certain conditions that allow them to hear what normal people cannot?"
For instance, to those ordinary people, what they heard was merely a typical Buddha Scripture, imbued with great compassion.
But to Martial Artists, it appeared fierce, dreadful, and sinister.
"Ha-ha... This master possesses a formidable Buddhist Sound Wave Skill."
Suddenly, a voice of admiration came from the crowd.
Zhong Shenxiu heard it but rolled his eyes internally: "Sound Wave Skill? My ass, that’s a Sound Wave Skill!"