Chapter 344 Hidden Immortal! (Seeking monthly votes)
Senior Uncle?
Xiao Jinghong looked up into the depths of the night sky and saw two figures, half-hidden in the full moon, about twenty miles above the ground.
It was none other than Gongye Bai and his disciple Shui Hetong.
Xiao Jinghong nodded slightly to the two people, then waved to Su Zhenyue not far away before leaping into the air.
Su Zhenyue looked up as she leaped into the sky, followed the two figures westward, and then returned to her camp with the roster of Xuanjia Army soldiers in her arms.
The experts stationed in Xuanjia Army Town also witnessed this scene and all showed some envy.
"General Jinghong is exceptionally talented and possesses formidable martial arts skills, far surpassing us untrained peasants."
"A few days ago, news came from Canglang Town that General Jinghong's master was the 'Sword Saint' Li Wudang. I don't know if it's true or not."
"Li Wudang? Perhaps it's true."
"I heard that General Jinghong once killed more than ten evil demons and heretics with a single sword strike, which is very similar to the Sword Saint's ultimate technique, 'Qingfeng'."
"It's a pity we'll never have the chance to meet."
"Yes, I was fortunate enough to accompany General Jinghong on her expeditions outside the pass, and I mostly saw her charging into battle with her spear..."
Soldiers in the army valued killing and combat, and the weapons they used were mostly heavy weapons such as knives, spears, hammers, and axes, with the aim of charging into battle and killing the enemy.
While swordsmanship is equally sharp, it is ultimately too delicate compared to weapons like spears, halberds, and axes.
Otherwise, Xiao Jinghong would not have practiced the spear technique together.
Wanghe Mountain, located outside Xuanjia Town, is known for its ruggedness and is named for its proximity to the Chishui River, which allows for panoramic views.
The rocks are jagged and bizarre, and not a blade of grass grows on the steep cliffs.
However, at the top of the mountain, there is an exquisitely built pavilion with nanmu wood pillars and a finely carved "Pine and Crane Longevity" painting, which looks like the abode of immortals.
Gongye Bai stood in the pavilion, looking down at the rushing Chishui River, a hint of reminiscence on his face:
"Years ago, when I first came to Shuzhou, I had a drink and conversation with some friends here. Eighty years have passed in the blink of an eye."
"The world changes, things are no longer the same."
Xiao Jinghong stood to his left, remaining silent upon hearing this, her gaze calmly fixed on the distant Xuanjia Town.
She could vaguely see soldiers who had just left Xuanjia Town and were heading south. As they galloped away, the black banners bore the red-gold character "定" (ding).
Shui He glanced at the half-nail on her face from the other side and said with a smile:
“Master, you didn’t have so many feelings when you met Granny Shan this time.”
"she?"
Gongye Bai's face showed a rare hint of helplessness, his superior demeanor faltering slightly, and he snorted:
"I have never thought much of Confucian classics, but the great scholar from the previous dynasty’s academy said something quite right—'Only petty men and women are difficult to deal with.'"
"Liu Guihua is getting more and more unreasonable as she gets older, this time..."
Gongye Bai looked at Xiao Jinghong and reminded him, "Nephew, you have cooperative trade relations with the mountain tribes, so there are some things you shouldn't tell her."
Xiao Jinghong silently recited Liu Guihua's name in his heart and nodded: "Don't worry, Uncle-Master."
She wasn't a gossipy person to begin with, especially since it involved the private grudges between two seniors.
Seeing this, Gongye Bai sighed, his helplessness towards Granny Shan lessening somewhat. He shook his head and smiled bitterly, saying:
"When I went to Wumeng Mountain this time, I passed through the mountain tribe and just wanted to say hello to her. I didn't expect her to have such a big reaction."
"They laid out all sorts of strange witchcraft techniques, including Gu worms and poisonous insects, insisting on discussing some old stories with me."
"Tell me, this happened decades ago, how can we possibly reach a conclusion?"
Shui Hetong suppressed a laugh and chimed in, "Master, Granny Shan wants you to return the money."
Gongye Bai coughed and asked, "What silver?"
"That year, the government offered a reward for the capture of a heretic, and I personally killed him. What business is it of hers?"
"Grandma Shan said that she threw two bottles of poison, which destroyed five Gu worms, one of which was an extremely rare Illusion Gu."
"She says whatever she wants? You..."
Xiao Jinghong watched the master and disciple arguing, but was in no hurry to ask them what they had come for.
Let's exchange a few jokes.
Gongye Bai slightly raised his hand and saw Shui Hetong's face turn red and stand there dumbfounded, his fists clenched as if he were under immense pressure.
Gongye Bai glanced at him sideways, "Good disciple, your master needs to say a few words to your junior sister Xiao. Please be quiet for a while."
Shui He's handsome face, as beautiful as a demon, was throbbing with veins. He struggled to turn his head and squeezed out a "good" through gritted teeth.
Seeing this, Xiao Jinghong spoke up at the opportune moment, asking, "Uncle-Master, what brings you here?"
Gongye Bai sat down at the stone table inside the pavilion and gestured for her to follow.
Xiao Jinghong naturally did not refuse, and sat down next to him, waiting for him to continue.
Only Shui and the other person remained standing on the edge of the cliff, trembling slightly as they gazed at the Chishui River under the distant night sky.
Gongye Bai ignored him and looked at Xiao Jinghong with a smile, asking, "I wonder if your master has ever mentioned the matter of 'discussing the Dao and competing for the first place' to you?"
"Debating and competing to be the first?"
Xiao Jinghong thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Master never mentioned this."
Meeting Gongye Bai's gaze, she asked, "Please enlighten me, Senior Uncle."
Gongye Bai looked as if he had known this all along, and shook his head with a wry smile: "My junior brother is truly carefree, he doesn't want to get involved in anything."
"Otherwise, I wouldn't have been the one to participate in this 'discussion on the Dao and competition for the top'."
He tucked his hands into his sleeves, and said like a saint:
There are truly remarkable people in the world who stand proudly alone.
"Junior Nephew Jinghong, as the commander of the Dingyuan Army, must know that in all the conquests of our Great Wei Dynasty, as well as the barbarians and the Vaishsa Kingdom, there has never been anyone with cultivation as high as your master or I on the battlefield, right?"
Xiao Jinghong was slightly taken aback, then thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "What my senior uncle says is true."
She paused, then asked, "Does your senior master know the reason?"
She had actually had doubts for a while.
Leaving aside distant events, let's just talk about the great battle five years ago when Left King Muhag marched north to attack Mengshuiguan.
At that time, the pressure on the city gate was immense, with countless deaths and injuries every day, including soldiers from both the barbarian tribes and the Wei Dynasty.
Even so, both sides still consisted only of generals and soldiers, with the highest cultivation level being only at the first rank.
There are almost no martial arts masters at the Grandmaster or Great Grandmaster level.
It wasn't until Xiao Fengchun died at the hands of the barbarian master Wenkel that any master from Shu Prefecture went to Mengshui Pass.
Therefore, the martial arts world of Shu Prefecture, including the Xiao family, suffered heavy casualties in that great battle.
Gongye Bai nodded slightly and said, "Originally, I should have told you these things after your cultivation level had broken through."
"However, due to the urgency of the situation, I have no choice but to reveal some secrets."
"Fortunately, you have exceptional talent and are not far from the Grandmaster realm, so telling you now is not breaking the rules."
Gongye Bai rarely spoke in such detail, and seeing Xiao Jinghong nod in understanding, he continued:
"Martial arts have nine ranks, with the first rank being the highest, followed by Grandmaster, Great Grandmaster, and then the Immortal Realm."
"With each new realm, there is a new world, and the intensity of martial arts combat will increase several times over."
"Just like you, with your cultivation at the upper level of the second rank, you can already fly and escape into the earth, not to mention the powerhouses at the Grandmaster or Great Grandmaster levels."
Gongye Bai slightly raised his head, looking at the full moon in the night sky, and said with a somewhat complicated expression:
"To prevent the heavens and earth from being damaged, several land deities from the Central Plains, the barbarian tribes, and the western barbarian tribes established rules a thousand years ago."
"Above the first rank, one is forbidden from participating in worldly disputes."
He paused slightly, looked at Xiao Jinghong, and added, "Of course, there are exceptions; sparring and fighting are not included in this category."
Xiao Jinghong's eyes showed a look of sudden realization, and he understood.
However, she soon realized a problem: "If it's a rule, who will punish someone who breaks it?"
"Of course."
"But five years ago, the barbarian grandmaster Venkla killed Jinghong's parents. Why did he...?"
Seeing that she hesitated to speak, Gongye Bai sighed and said, "This involves what I just mentioned, 'discussing the Dao and striving to be the first.' Let me tell you about it slowly."
"When our ancestors established these rules, their purpose was to prevent wars between different races from escalating into real conflict and causing the terrestrial immortals to fight each other and suffer divine punishment."
"At the same time, they were aware that friction between different ethnic groups was inevitable, so they established rules that all ethnic groups were required to abide by."
"The first is what I just mentioned—it is strictly forbidden for experts with cultivation levels above the first rank to interfere in worldly disputes."
"Secondly, the various land immortals will take turns supervising the world, punishing and inspecting, etc."
"The saying 'to debate and compete for the first' originated from this."
“Every hundred years, people from all races who have reached the realm of terrestrial immortals in terms of cultivation and skills will compete in a battle. The race that wins will be able to oversee the world.”
"And the person in charge of the patrol also has an honorific title: Hidden Immortal."
Gongye Bai looked at Xiao Jinghong and sighed, "It's a pity that they are currently being patrolled and supervised by the barbarians."
"So when Venkla made his move five years ago, he was not severely punished."
"However, at that time, the barbarian 'hidden immortals' also allowed the human race to have grandmaster-level experts appear on the battlefield."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghong pursed his lips slightly, his hand unconsciously pressing on the hilt of his sword, and said in a slightly stiff tone:
"Then what difference does it make whether this rule is established or not?"
Gongye Bai shook his head: "The barbarians steal from their own posts, and so does our dynasty. It's not a matter of rules, but rather a matter of people's hearts."
He sighed and said, "In fact, the reason why the barbarians act this way is largely related to the 'Hidden Immortal' who was on duty during the Ganyang Dynasty."
"At that time, the barbarians occupied the land of Shu and oppressed our people."
“A grandmaster passed through this place and saw some injustices, so he took action and killed a thousand barbarians.”
“That time, our clan’s ‘Hidden Immortal’ let it go lightly, only punishing that Grandmaster to face the wall and reflect on his mistakes for a year.”
"..."
Xiao Jinghong was speechless for a moment. She had not expected that her parents' deaths would hide such a secret.
The Hidden Immortal oversees all the grandmasters in the world.
The various land immortal realms competed to determine which race would become the "Hidden Immortal" through a "Debate on the Dao".
Gongye Bai roughly understood her thoughts and comforted her, saying, "Nephew Jinghong, the deceased is gone, we should focus on the present."
Xiao Jinghong gave a soft "hmm," lowered his head and pondered for a moment before asking, "If my cultivation breaks through to the Grandmaster realm, will I still have to abide by this rule?"
Gongye Bai smiled and shook his head, saying, "No need."
“The hereditary succession of the Marquis of Wu is not included here, just like the ‘kings’ of various barbarian tribes and the vassal kings of the Buddhist kingdoms in the Western Regions.”
"Even if you reach the Grandmaster level, or even if you become a terrestrial immortal, you can still guard the frontier and even conquer the world."
"However, if you kill too many people at that time, you may attract the terrestrial gods of other races to surround and kill you, causing great chaos."
Xiao Jinghong stared at him blankly, never expecting that there was such a secret behind the inheritance of the Wuhou family.
She suddenly thought of the Liu family in Jingzhou, who clearly had their eyes on the position of Marquis of Wu.
I don't know if they are aware of this matter.
Or perhaps, this is why the Xiao family is coveted by others?
A moment of silence.
Xiao Jinghong suppressed his distracting thoughts and looked at Gongye Bai seriously, saying, "I wonder why you've come to tell me all this, Uncle-Master?"
Gongye Bai looked pleased, but didn't offer any praise. Instead, he explained:
"Two years later, on the South China Sea, during the 'Discussion on the Dao and Competition for Excellence,' I hope your master will also make an appearance."
"Hmm? Master?"
“In each of the ‘Discussions on the Dao’ competitions, the terrestrial immortals of various races fought against each other, and the one who won the most matches was named ‘Hidden Immortal’.”
"But now, although there are fifteen terrestrial immortals in our Great Wei Dynasty, most of them are reclusive hermits who do not come out of the world."
"Just like Abbess Jingci on Mount Wumeng, I had to use all my persuasion to get her to agree to participate."
Gongye Bai sighed and continued, "Furthermore, the competition is extremely dangerous; a slight mistake could lead to death and the annihilation of one's cultivation, so..."
Xiao Jinghong asked in surprise, "Uncle-Master, will there be casualties?"
Yes, and there are quite a few.
"Barbarians value the inheritance of their tribes most, and they fight to the death in every battle, which naturally provokes my tribe and other tribes to fight with real passion."
"Just like last time, of the twelve terrestrial immortals of the Great Wei Dynasty, only five returned alive."
Before Xiao Jinghong could speak, Gongye Bai smiled and said:
"However, the barbarians suffered even greater casualties, with only three of the fourteen Land Immortals remaining."
"If they hadn't fought and won against experts from the Western Buddhist Kingdom, Vaishsa Kingdom, and Japan, we would have been the ones to sit on the throne of 'Hidden Immortal' that time."
He looked towards the direction of the barbarians to the south, saying, "Every drink and every bite is ordained by Heaven."
"Although the barbarians have obtained the position of 'Hidden Immortal,' the land immortals within their tribe can no longer support them in marching north to attack our dynasty."
“Otherwise, five years ago, it wouldn’t have been just one barbarian king, Zuo Wang, but several, or even… the entire tribe, who came.”
Xiao Jinghong understood and gained a clearer understanding of the matter of the Hidden Immortal. He also became less fixated on the fact that Wenkela had not been punished for his actions.
Our ancestors fought desperately but could not defeat the barbarians; though defeated, they were still honorable.
Conversely, since the barbarians achieved this result through a Pyrrhic victory, they deserve this benefit.
If you want to turn things around, you need to win the next "Debate on the Way" competition.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jinghong nodded: "Uncle, don't worry, I will definitely tell Master about this next time I see him."
Unfortunately, two years is too short a time.
If given more time, her cultivation and swordsmanship might also reach the realm of a terrestrial immortal, granting her the opportunity to travel to the South China Sea to participate in the "Discussion on Dao Competition".
Gongye Bai waved his hand: "There is still some time before the 'Discussion on Dao and Competition' takes place. I just want to take precautions."
"After all, I and your master are from the same lineage. If something happens to either of us, wouldn't the sect's lineage be cut off?"
Of course, that's just a nice way of saying it.
He has disciples and the Fengyulou (Wind and Rain Pavilion), and his martial arts techniques and skills have been passed down.
Li Wudang also had a successor named Xiao Jinghong.
Gongye Bai was worried that if he and Li Wudang died, no one would be able to protect Xiao Jinghong, Shui Hetong, and the others.
Thinking this, Gongye Bai stood up and walked to Shui Hetong's side, saying in a leisurely tone:
"A century passes in a cycle, who can rival us?"
"This old man..."
Please vote for me! Please vote for me!
I need your help urgently, please vote for me!
May there be five thousand, Amen.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com