A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 156 Each with their own plans
Tianhua Prefecture, Anle City

Outside the Dragon King Temple, even though it was noon and the sun was at its strongest, it was still packed with people and very lively.

"Ever since the Dragon King Temple manifested its power, the incense offerings have become even more abundant, with people even coming from other states to burn incense."

"Who says otherwise? It's no wonder they don't have such a powerful god. I heard that the entire landmass of Xiyuan Prefecture sank due to a calamity. Now that a god has appeared, they'd better hold on tight for peace of mind."

"I heard that a few months ago, the Dragon King Temple held a sacrificial ceremony, which was attended by all the prominent figures in Anle City. They even ate divine offerings bestowed by the Dragon King himself, which are said to prolong life."

"Really? They've truly been blessed with a golden opportunity. It's a pity we don't have that fortune. We can only offer incense and ask the Dragon King to bless us with peace and happiness."

The temple keeper was overjoyed. The Dragon King Temple used to be quite popular, but it was nothing compared to now. Not only had the temple been expanded, but even the Dragon King statue was made of gold. The statue was ten feet tall and looked very dignified.

His status as a temple keeper rose with the Dragon King's influence. Some high-ranking officials and nobles had to treat him with respect if they wanted to offer incense, otherwise they would end up like the wealthy foreign merchants before them, losing all their wealth.

“Temple keeper, Master Chen is almost here,” a young Taoist priest said as he entered the gatehouse.

"Master Chen has arrived so quickly! Order someone to go out and greet him immediately!"

Upon hearing this, the temple keeper immediately gave an order, then changed into a simple Taoist robe, took a whisk, and led a group of Taoist boys out of the Dragon King Temple. His appearance immediately silenced the noisy crowd.

"Master Fu has come out."

Upon hearing this, the pilgrims behind immediately craned their necks, all wanting to see this legendary representative of the Dragon King. They had heard that this person possessed great supernatural powers, especially his medical skills, which were unparalleled. He had cured many difficult and complicated diseases, and even the most famous doctors in Anle City admitted that they were inferior to him.

"Although this Taoist priest is dressed in a simple Taoist robe, he possesses an innate Taoist aura, truly worthy of being the Dragon King's representative."

The worshippers nearby, hearing this man's blatant flattery, were filled with disdain and immediately said, "Master Fu is blessed with divine talent, possesses an ethereal appearance, and is born with a Daoist heart. Otherwise, how could he have been chosen by the Dragon King? It's all fate."

After speaking, the man clasped his hands and bowed respectfully to the Dragon King Temple. This gesture left the man who had been flattering him speechless. He secretly sighed, realizing that his own skills were still lacking. How could he flatter so subtly and effectively, making people feel as comfortable as a gentle breeze?

While the two were flattering each other, Master Fu was already talking with several pilgrims standing in front. A short while later, a powerful sound came from behind. The pilgrims turned to look and saw a troop of armored soldiers leading the way, followed by a five-colored chariot drawn by two pure white horses. The chariot was made of the finest wood and adorned with various decorations that shone brightly in the sunlight. A flag was planted on the chariot, with four large characters woven in gold and silver thread.
"Chen Clan of Yuannan"

A group of strong soldiers followed beside the carriage, each carrying a long spear and a sword at their waist. Their eyes were bright and piercing. As the carriage moved, they followed in unison, their steps steady and their timing precise, making them a very pleasant sight to behold.

The grand entrance clearly indicated the arrival of an important figure, prompting worshippers to step aside and create a large open space in front of the Dragon King Temple.

As soon as the carriage approached, Master Fu waved his whisk, and twelve Taoist priests stood on either side. Master Fu personally greeted them, stopping six feet away from the carriage. He nodded slightly to the driver, who clasped his hands in a salute, called out to the driver, and lifted the curtain. A well-to-do old man stepped out.

The driver helped the old man out of the car and saw Fu Daoren looking at him with a smile. Chen Cong immediately took a few steps forward.

"Greetings, Master Fu."

"Chen Jushi is courteous"

Fu Daoren dared not act arrogantly towards this important person, but in order to maintain his own status, he did not flatter him too much. However, this made Chen Cong think more highly of him.

The more capable a person is, the less they value wealth and fame. This Master Fu is truly extraordinary, far surpassing the alchemists I've met before.

"Layman Chen, the inner courtyard has been cleaned. Please come in for a chat."

Seeing the crowd outside, Fu Daoren gestured for Chen Cong to follow him in. Chen Cong nodded and gave an order to his trusted confidant before entering the Dragon King Temple with Fu Daoren.

After the group disappeared, the people outside began to discuss who this person was, that Master Fu had come out to greet them.

"I see"

A surprised voice rang in everyone's ears, and they all looked toward the source of the voice, where they saw a man dressed as a merchant.

"Brother, do you know who that distinguished guest is? Tell us quickly, so we can have a look at him."

The others were also staring intently at him, hoping to get some information out of him.

Seeing so many people staring at him, the merchant felt a surge of nervousness, but then he seemed to enjoy the attention. He coughed and addressed the crowd, "Have you all seen the flag on the carriage?"

"Chen Clan of Yuannan"

Someone immediately spoke up, but everyone was puzzled as to the origin of this name. However, the merchant soon provided the answer.

"Although the Chen family of Yuannan is not well-known, it is one of the most prestigious noble families in Tianhua, far superior to those newly rich noble families. The Chen family of Yuannan has passed down its family tradition of both literature and martial arts for hundreds of generations and through three dynasties. There are countless outstanding talents in the family. To say nothing of the distant past, just take Chen Ge, the current garrison commander of Qi State in the north of Tianhua Prefecture, as an example. He comes from this family."

Those present were unaware of the Chen family of Yuannan, but they knew that the current Qi Kingdom was one of only two powerful dynasties, and that the palace guard was certainly no ordinary person.

"Hiss, no wonder Master Fu was so serious, it turns out the other party has such an important background."

The others were taken aback, but they nodded repeatedly, saying things like "I see," and "So that's how it is."

Even though they only have a superficial understanding, it doesn't stop them from pretending to understand in front of others, and that feeling is quite wonderful.

The merchant, upon seeing the person who spoke, inwardly scoffed. This palace guard could only be a trusted confidant of the king, and it was no exaggeration to say that he held a high position and great power. This nobleman must have a high status in his family, otherwise he wouldn't be escorted by armored soldiers.

Inside the Dragon King Temple courtyard, Master Fu led Chen Cong to an exquisitely decorated room and instructed his young apprentice to serve fragrant tea. Chen Cong, smelling the delicate fragrance emanating from the purple-gold incense burner, was delighted and felt instantly refreshed. He exclaimed, "Master Fu is right! This incense is truly the 'divine' among incense varieties!"

Upon hearing this, Master Fu nodded and smiled, "I can't hide it from Layman Chen; it is indeed the wondrous fragrance 'Kuang Shen'."

"This incense is extremely rare; even our clan possesses only one box. A single whiff of it soothes the mind and clears the meridians. For cultivators, long-term use can greatly aid in improving their cultivation."

Chen Cong picked up the white porcelain teacup, took a sip, and praised it again.

"Top-tier snow-capped pine"

Fu Daoren listened to Chen Cong's words and smiled calmly. Both of these items were bestowed by the Dragon King. He had never had the opportunity to use such good things before. If it weren't for showing off his status, he would never have been willing to spend so much money.

After enjoying the tea for a while, Chen Cong felt that it was about time and explained his purpose.

"Master Fu, I have come here for two reasons: first, to offer incense to the Dragon King; and second, to ask you for a favor."

"Mr. Chen, please speak frankly. I will certainly not refuse to do anything within my power."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cong pondered to himself, "If Master Fu says it's within his power, then he's powerless to help."

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Cong said, "To be honest, Daoist Master, one of my clansmen has contracted a strange illness. A ghostly face has inexplicably grown on his back, and as time goes by, the face is getting bigger and bigger. Now it covers half of his body."

Chen Cong was terrified when he heard this. Whenever he thought of this scene, he felt a chill run down his spine and was filled with fear.

"Oh, is that so? That's truly strange. I wonder what this ghost face looks like? Does Layman Chen have a portrait of it?"

Upon hearing Chen Cong's words, Fu Daoren became somewhat interested. Regardless of whether it was possible or not, he had to adopt the right attitude.

"Master Fu, please take a look."

Chen Cong took out a scroll and was about to hand it to Fu Daoren when the latter flicked his whisk, reached out and grabbed it, and the scroll was pulled towards him. He then opened the scroll, and the portrait revealed made Fu Daoren frown and his expression become more solemn.

Seeing Fu Daoren display his supernatural powers, Chen Cong's eyes flashed. Although he remained expressionless, he was overjoyed. This Fu Daoren was indeed capable. It seemed that his trip had not been in vain. Even if he couldn't solve the ghost face problem, it was still a stroke of luck to make friends with such an extraordinary person.

Fu Daoren looked at the strange ghost face in the portrait. It had three eyes and four ears, with its mouth taking up more than half of the space. The eyes were long and narrow, making it very uncomfortable to look at. Eight snake-shaped copper rings hung on its four ears, making it look like a shaman. As he looked at it, the portrait seemed to come alive. The ghost face flickered, its bloody mouth opened wide, and it broke free, biting at Fu Daoren.

Suddenly, a golden light flashed from Fu Daoren's body, and a wisp of red smoke drifted out, like a sharp sword shooting out and piercing the ghost face. The ghost face let out a mournful cry and instantly turned into a cloud of black ash, while the blank scroll also burned without fire.

Chen Cong was unaware that Fu Daoren had already clashed with the ghost face, but upon seeing the scroll burning, he immediately stood up in alarm and exclaimed in fear, "Daoist Master, this is..."

"Layman, there's no need to panic. This little trick can't harm me. But this ghostly face is quite interesting. I already know its origin, so you can rest assured."

It wasn't Fu Daoren who removed the ghost face just now, but the incense-based supernatural power that the Crimson Python had used on him. However, this didn't prevent him from establishing himself as a superior person in front of Chen Cong.

"Is what you say true, Daoist Master? That's wonderful! I wonder what this thing is all about, and why none of the doctors can tell the difference?" Chen Cong was overjoyed to hear what Fu Daoren said, and then asked in a puzzled tone.

"This thing is a form of witchcraft. The Yuannan region is close to the southern border, where poisonous insects abound. If one is not careful, it is easy to fall victim to it. This ghost face is one of the rarest types, called 'Body Stealer'."
This poison initially appears as a ghostly face, but if left untreated or mistreated, it will spread rapidly. Once the entire body is covered in the poison, the person will become a completely different individual, but will inherit everything from the original owner.

At this point, Chen Cong, who was standing to the side, felt a chill run down his spine. He trembled and slumped into the wooden chair. Seeing this, Fu Daoren did not say anything more. After a while, Chen Cong finally came to his senses, stood up, and bowed to Fu Daoren.

"Master Fu, please help me."

"Layman, there's no need for such formality. Since I've already promised you, and this matter is within my power, I certainly won't stand idly by. However, you'll need to bring the patient to the temple."

Fu Daoren had no intention of traveling thousands of miles to Yuannan. Anle City was his territory, and he certainly wouldn't feel at ease in Yuannan. Moreover, the Dragon King needed his care, and he was already very busy. If it weren't for the Chen family of Yuannan, he wouldn't have taken on this task.

"That's only right. I'll write a letter right away and have the clan send the patient over. Please wait patiently for a few days, Daoist Master."

Chen Cong was unaware of Fu Daoren's thoughts; he only knew that he could cure the patients.

"I should have brought my nephew along; it would have saved us all this trouble."

In fact, Chen Cong hadn't had high hopes for this trip beforehand, thinking it was just some exaggerated rumors. His nephew was suffering from a serious illness, and there were famous doctors in Yuannan who could alleviate his pain. The long journey would only do more harm than good for the patient. Now, seeing Fu Daoren's abilities, he suddenly regretted his decision.

"If that's the case, then I will wait patiently."

Fu Daoren picked up the freshly brewed tea and took a sip. Seeing this, Chen Cong also raised his cup and took a sip. This time, he tasted the "Snow Ridge Pine" tea, which was sweet and smooth on the palate and had an endless aftertaste.

"Master Fu, I wish to offer incense to the Dragon King. Are there any specific rules or customs involved?"

Having resolved a matter on his mind, Chen Cong immediately wanted to make a gesture and sincerely asked.

"They've finally arrived!"

Fu Daoren felt reassured and stroked his beard, smiling, "Although the Dragon King resides in the mortal world, it is not good to disturb him too much. Layman Chen comes from a distinguished family. If we were to hold a grand ceremony, it would truly go against the Dragon King's wishes. We must not do that. We only need to sincerely offer incense."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cong's eyes flickered, and he then smiled and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Daoist Master. Otherwise, I would have broken a taboo. I will offer incense tomorrow; is that alright?"

"Tomorrow is an auspicious day according to the Chinese almanac; did Mr. Chen perhaps calculate this day correctly?"

Master Fu calculated with his fingers and immediately made a joke.

Upon hearing this, Chen Cong laughed heartily, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of tea. Fu Daoren drank from the same cup, and for a moment, the room was filled with laughter.

Just as Chen Cong arrived at the Dragon King Temple in a grand manner, several familiar figures appeared in Anle City. The one in the lead was He Fang, a disciple of the Supreme Dao, with his junior brother Zhou Chen beside him, and several other disciples of the Supreme Dao following behind them.

"Senior brother, did the Master send us to Anle City just to inquire about the demon race's movements? I think something's not right."

Zhou Chen took out an exquisite compass, and with a burst of true energy, the compass needle spun continuously until it stopped in the east. Moreover, the originally golden needle turned black.

He Fang glanced at the compass and looked in the direction indicated. He saw that the distant sky was clear and there was no unusual phenomenon. After thinking for a moment, he took out a talisman and ran it across his eyes. A flash of light appeared, and He Fang opened his eyes. He saw that the originally clear sky seemed to have been dyed red, and a red column of smoke shot straight into the sky.

"This is a strange phenomenon created by incense offerings. Judging from the concentration of incense, the demon race is indeed quite fast at creating gods."

He Fang dared not look any longer, for fear of alerting the enemy, and quickly withdrew his gaze.

"Let's find a place to stay first, then make further plans. Let's go."

Seeing this, Zhou Chen led the group to follow, and soon they arrived at an inn.

"Shopkeeper, are there any rooms available?"

Zhou Chen stepped forward to inquire, and the innkeeper, seeing their simple attire, did not neglect them, immediately saying, "Esteemed guests, I'm truly sorry, we are fully booked."

Zhou Chen didn't say anything upon hearing this. After thanking He Fang, he left first, and the others followed.

After searching several guesthouses, all of which were fully booked, they finally found one in a relatively remote area and were able to settle down.

He Fang and the others went back to their rooms to rest, leaving the task of gathering information to Zhou Chen.

"Shopkeeper, why is Anle City so lively lately? Look at the streets, they're full of vendors."

The shopkeeper took the silver tael with a broad smile, and upon hearing this, he immediately became interested.

"Sir, you may not know this, but it's been like this for the past few months, even more lively than the Lunar New Year."

"Why is that? Is there any explanation?"

"The Dragon King of the Dragon King Temple manifested his power, eliminating the blackfish demon that was threatening the waters surrounding Anle City. Moreover, the temple keeper, Master Fu, possessed unparalleled medical skills, saving many people in the city suffering from strange illnesses. With these two achievements combined, he gained a great reputation, attracting many high-ranking officials and nobles from afar, all seeking peace and tranquility..."

The shopkeeper was also a talkative fellow. After being guided by Zhou Chen for a few minutes, he recounted most of what had happened in the city. Some of it was true, some was false, and Zhou Chen was able to distinguish the exaggerated parts.

Half an hour later, Zhou Chen left satisfied, while the shopkeeper, holding another tael of silver, beamed with joy.

I went upstairs to He Fang's room, knocked on the door, and went inside.

"Senior brother, I just got some information from the shopkeeper that might be useful."

"tell me the story"

After a moment, He Fang stood up and paced around the room after listening to Zhou Chen's words. Then, his expression turned serious, and he said to Zhou Chen, "Come with me to the Dragon King Temple later to find out the details before reporting back to the chief."

"Yes, senior brother."

In the northern part of Tianhua Prefecture, outside the capital of Qi, Wei Feng and his two companions appeared. Looking at the majestic and magnificent capital city in front of them, Wei Feng sighed inwardly. This capital city was originally the capital of the previous dynasty, but now it has become the capital of the new dynasty. Truly, the world changes.

"This is our first time back here since the fall of the previous dynasty. We must complete the tasks assigned by our superior."

"Senior brother, do you think the King of Qi will agree?"

Meng Yu waved his folding fan, looking ahead with a solemn expression. The Qi and Jin states were of the same lineage and had inherited most of the legacy of the previous dynasty. Originally, the Jin state would have been a good choice, but the chief official said that the Jin state had inherited the etiquette of the previous dynasty and had its own rules and regulations. It would be very difficult to promote education here.

In contrast, the people of Qi were crude and barbaric, always judging others by force. Their civilization was still in its infancy, making it the perfect time for the Supreme Dao to make its mark.

"On the way here, the chief revealed that the demon race has moved their operations to the southeast of Tianhua. In the three coastal cities, Anle and Yongding are already bustling with activity, and Jiyuan will be soon to follow suit. If we are any slower, we'll make a fool of ourselves."

"How dare these mere demons be so presumptuous? They didn't contribute a single ounce of strength in the Bloodbath War, yet they want to reap the benefits in the end. What kind of logic is this?"

At this point, Meng Yu was filled with anger. The Supreme Dao and the True Martial Hall had worked hard and suffered heavy losses, yet those furry and horned demons just sat idly by.

"This is not our business. The Dao Lord and the others have their own considerations. Let's go into the city and find Chu Fan, the guardian general of the temple. With his introduction, it will save us a lot of trouble."

Nanling Prefecture, Yunmeng Marsh

On a low hill, Gu Xu swept his sleeve and blew away the black ash on the ground.

"I never imagined that such creatures existed on the outskirts of Yunmeng Marsh. Truly, the mysteries of heaven are unpredictable and beyond our comprehension."

Gu Xu had only come to investigate after seeing the pillars of smoke rising from the ground, never expecting to encounter the legendary, extinct Mountain Spirit.

"These mountain spirits are always gregarious, so it seems there's something wrong with this place."

This mountain spirit is not among the targets trapped by the formation. If it were to escape, it would be a major disaster. If it were to cause a plague, countless lives would be lost.

Thinking of this, Gu Xu used his escape light to fly westward, following the gathering energy.

(End of this chapter)