A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 46 The Divine Dice
"The Six Ren Divine Dice should be hidden in Tu Jiaojiao's house now. We should get this matter settled as soon as possible."

In this world, the most powerful martial art is the Wedding Dress Divine Skill, and the final layer of its inner power, "Transplanting Flowers and Grafting Trees," is hidden in the Six Ren Divine Dice. Jiang Yuyan used this skill to transform herself from a weak woman with mediocre martial arts skills into the number one expert, which shows how powerful this skill is.

"Master, I have already opened up the meridians of Zhong'er and the other two. For the next few years, they can cultivate their Qi according to the Qi cultivation method I taught them. In order to replenish their vital energy, you can get medicine according to this prescription. This will also help to solidify their foundation."

Gu Xu handed a prescription to Murong Wudi, who glanced at Gu Xu, carefully took it, and after reading it, immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said to Gu Xu, "Brother Xu, this gift is too much, I really..."

Such a prescription, in the hands of a noble family, is no less than a foundation. With this prescription, the younger generation can lay a solid foundation and have more room for advancement than others, so that they can go further in the future. Murong Wudi had no choice but to accept this favor.

"You flatter me, Master. As long as it doesn't get out, it's fine." Since Gu Xu has taken him as his disciple, he should naturally do his best. In any case, the Murong family is large and powerful and can afford to spend money.

"By the way, Master, do you know anyone in the Jiangnan region who is named Tu Xiao? His ancestors were generals of the imperial court who once led troops to attack the Western Regions," Gu Xu asked Murong Wudi.

"Tu Xiao? I don't remember him. Fang Ren, go and check him out," Murong Wudi said to Fang Ren beside him. Gu Xu's serious inquiry must be urgent, and he couldn't be negligent.

After Fang Ren accepted the order and left, Murong Wudi still couldn't suppress his curiosity, "Brother Xu is looking for this Tu Xiao, is it...?"

“My ancestors and Tu Xiao’s ancestors had some connection. My ancestor once entrusted me to find the descendants of the Tu family and fulfill a request, but I have not been able to find them. Later, I heard that the Tu family moved to Jiangnan, which is why I asked this question.”

Jiangnan is such a vast area. If we were to search for the descendants of the Tu family ourselves, it would take an unknown amount of time, and things might change if we were to delay. It would be better to borrow the power of the Murong family.

"Brother Xu, rest assured, as long as he is in Jiangnan, with the power of the Murong family, we will definitely find the Tu family. Even if he is not in Jiangnan, I will secretly spread the word to help you find him," Murong Wudi made a direct promise. He wasn't just boasting; the entire Jiangnan region was the Murong family's territory.

An hour later, Fang Ren rushed back, carrying several sheets of paper in his hand.

"Master, this is information about the Tu family," Fang Ren handed the paper to Murong Wudi, who glanced at it and then passed it to Gu Xu.

"Sir, Mr. Xu, Tu Xiao moved here ten years ago. Now there are only four people in his family: Tu Xiao and his wife, their daughter Tu Fang, and her husband Zhao Hu. They are all very honest and law-abiding members..."

Gu Xu listened and watched, quickly digesting the information about Tu Xiao's family.

"As expected, Brother Murong. I'll be visiting them these next few days, so I'll trouble you to look after Zhong'er and the other two. Make sure they don't slack off."

"Don't worry, my dear brother, go ahead and take good care of them. Also, I've had some gifts prepared, please take them with you as a token of my appreciation," Murong Wudi noticed the change in Gu Xu's address and was overjoyed. The closer the relationship, the more advantageous it was for him, so he immediately flattered him.

Gu Xu nodded upon hearing this. Just as the two were talking, the South Sea Divine Nun entered with Murong Shu. Upon seeing Gu Xu, the South Sea Divine Nun chanted a Buddhist prayer, "Young Master Xu, it's good that you're here. This humble nun has something to ask of you."

"Please speak, nun."

"I have a personal matter to attend to and will be unable to instruct Shu'er for the next period of time. In order not to delay her martial arts training, I can only ask for your help, Young Hero Xu," the South Sea Divine Nun said sincerely.

Murong Shu is her direct disciple. Although she doesn't expect her to inherit the sect, she ultimately doesn't want to waste her talent. Gu Xu's martial arts level is profound, and it would be most suitable for him to guide her.

“You flatter me, Nun. The young lady and I are practically teacher and student, so it is only right that I give her some guidance. However, I would like to ask Nun to grant me a few more days. I happen to have a personal matter to attend to, which will only take three to five days. Can Nun wait that long?”

"Amitabha, with Young Hero Xu's words, this humble nun is relieved. This humble nun will wait for Young Hero Xu for six days before leaving." The South Sea Divine Nun silently calculated that it would take a few days, which was still manageable.

"Brother Murong, Nun, since that's the case, I'll go and return quickly." Gu Xu bid farewell and left, riding eastward on horseback, arriving at a town called Binhe according to the information.

Gu Xu led his horse into the town. Because of its proximity to the river and convenient water transportation, the town had a strong commercial atmosphere. In just a short distance, he saw two restaurants, three teahouses, and several grain and oil shops.

After walking for about 15 minutes, Gu Xu arrived at a secluded house.

"Is anyone home?" Gu Xu called out as he knocked on the door, and soon footsteps could be heard from inside.

A dark-skinned man peeked through the crack in the door before carefully unlocking it.

"Who are you looking for?" the dark-skinned man asked nervously. Seeing the other person's clothes, he knew that the other person was either rich or powerful and not someone his family could afford to offend.

"My surname is Xu, and I'm looking for Tu Xiao."

Upon hearing the name "father-in-law," Zhao Hu knew that the other party was likely related to his father-in-law, and dared not be negligent.

"Young Master Xu, please come in and have a seat. Your father-in-law is home," Zhao Hu said, gesturing for Gu Xu to enter while running into the house.

After tying the horse to a tree, Gu Xu looked around. The house wasn't particularly nice, but it was very clean and tidy inside, and there were some unfinished pieces of furniture in the courtyard.

"you are?"

Tu Xiao, who was over sixty years old, looked at Gu Xu and asked, but he really couldn't remember the other person, and his ancestors had no connection with anyone surnamed Xu.

"My name is Xu Gutong. I have come here for something that you have, sir," Gu Xu said, placing the gift on the table and stating his purpose directly.

"Hmm, Young Master Xu is quick to speak his mind. I wonder what you want?" Tu Xiao said calmly, his expression unchanged, while Zhao Hu seemed a little scared.

"The Six Ren Divine Dice," Gu Xu said slowly, looking at the other person.

"Indeed, it is this thing. Well, keeping this thing will only cause trouble. It's better to give it to you, young master. Please wait a moment. Little Tiger, take good care of the guests. I'll be right back." Tu Xiao seemed unsurprised when he heard that Gu Xu wanted the Six Ren Divine Dice. Moreover, his expression was very natural, without any panic, which made Gu Xu look at him with new respect.

“His ancestors included generals; his composure is truly extraordinary,” Gu Xu thought. He wasn’t worried about the other party playing tricks; the other party must have known that he had found this place so easily.

Not long after, Tu Xiao came in carrying a wooden box covered in mud and gently placed it on the table.

“Young Master Xu, this is the ‘Six Ren Divine Dice’,” Tu Xiao said, opening the wooden box and removing the yellow cloth covering it, revealing a spherical object.

"Young master, I dare not keep this harmful thing. You should take it." Tu Xiao stroked the Six Ren Divine Dice. Although reluctant, he still pushed it to Gu Xu. It was because of this thing that he had been ruined and his family had been destroyed. He had fled here. Gu Xu found him so easily, so he must not be an ordinary person.

"Old man, this thing is indeed very useful to me. As for the reasons behind it, it's best if you don't know, lest you bring trouble upon yourselves."

"However, I can't just take it without a reason. How about this, if you trust me, let me make arrangements for you."

Although Tu Xiao didn't know what was hidden inside the Six Ren Divine Dice, seeing Gu Xu's serious attitude, he knew it was no ordinary object. For the safety of his family, he thought for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Then I'll trouble you, young master."

"No need to be so polite, sir. This matter should be handled sooner rather than later. Once everyone is ready, we'll set off immediately." Gu Xu planned to personally keep Tu Xiao and the others under his watchful eye. With the Murong family's protection, there shouldn't be any problems. As for Murong Wudi, he's a smart man and would never interfere in this matter without permission.

"Xiao Hu, call your mother-in-law and your wife, pack your things, we're leaving right away," Tu Xiao said decisively, immediately instructing Zhao Hu. The latter responded and ran to the backyard. After a while, an old woman and a young woman carrying a package followed Zhao Hu in. "Young master, you can leave now."

Gu Xu nodded, picked up the Six Ren Divine Dice, and walked out of the room. Tu Xiao and the others followed closely behind.

Considering that Tu Xiao and his wife were getting old and could not withstand the fatigue and bumpy ride, Gu Xu specially bought a horse-drawn carriage in town.

The group of five spent three days arriving at Murong Manor. By then, servants had already informed them of Gu Xu's return.

Gu Xu led Tu Xiao and the other three into the living room. Murong Wudi glanced at them and smiled at Gu Xu, saying, "Brother, you're finally back. The nun has been waiting for five days."

"I've kept you waiting, Sister Murong. It's my fault. I have a favor to ask of you."

"Oh, what's the matter?"

Gu Xu immediately said that he wanted to find a place for Tu Xiao and the others to stay, and preferably also a job for them.

After listening, Murong Wudi laughed and said, "This is just a small matter. Fang Ren, I'll leave this to you to handle personally."

Fang Ren agreed and prepared to lead Tu Xiao and the others down. Gu Xu said to Tu Xiao, "Uncle, if you encounter any difficulties, you can come here to find me anytime."

Tu Xiao was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and immediately replied, "Okay, okay."

Watching Tu Xiao and the others leave, Gu Xu said to Murong Wudi, "Have they been slacking off these past few days?"

Murong Wudi said, "These two lads are making things much easier for me now. They wouldn't practice martial arts before even when I forced them, but now they practice on their own initiative. They're currently meditating and practicing their internal energy in the secret room."

Tea and refreshments were served, and the two were talking when the South Sea Divine Nun brought in Murong Shu. Gu Xu stood up and bowed.

"Young Master Xu, now that you have returned, I can rest assured. I will temporarily entrust Shu'er to your instruction. Shu'er, you must be diligent in your martial arts training with Young Master Xu, understand? When your master returns, he will check if you have made any progress."

"Don't worry, nun, I will definitely teach you with all my heart."

"In that case, this humble nun will take her leave now. Master, Young Hero Xu, until we meet again," she said, and then the South Sea Divine Nun drifted away.

"Shu'er, you must study diligently by your master's side," Murong Wudi said. He would be very satisfied if Shu'er could learn even one level of Gu Xu's skills.

"I understand, Father. Master, when will you start teaching me the Golden Bell Rope technique? I've never been able to master it."

Since seeing Gu Xu easily break through the solid stone with white silk, Murong Shu had longed to do so, so she practiced diligently every day, but she was still weak and powerless, which made her very discouraged.

"No need to rush. Your internal strength is not yet fully developed, so of course you can't unleash its power. Just practice the moves until you have mastered them. Once your internal strength is developed and you are proficient in the moves, you will be able to reach that level."

Gu Xu always regarded internal strength as the primary cultivation method. As long as his internal strength was sufficient, he could unleash tremendous power from any move. Conversely, blindly pursuing the exquisiteness of moves would lead to inferiority.

“Brother is right, Shu’er. You should first learn the moves from your uncle and correct your mistakes so that you won’t go astray in the future,” Murong Wudi agreed with Gu Xu’s words.

His swordsmanship was only passable, but it was far from as profound as the Mad Dragon Palm. This martial art emphasizes internal strength, and if the internal strength is insufficient, its power will be greatly reduced. Therefore, he no longer pursued exquisite swordsmanship, but focused only on internal strength. This is how he defeated many masters known for their exquisite moves and gained a great reputation.

When Murong Shu heard her father say this, she looked up at Gu Xu, who smiled and said, "Starting tomorrow, within an hour after breakfast, I will teach you the unique secrets of the Golden Bell Rope. First, practice the moves until you are proficient."

"Thank you very much, Master," Murong Shu said happily, while Murong Wudi stroked his beard and smiled.

After talking for a while, Gu Xu went to the secret chamber in the stone cave. At this time, Murong Zhong and Murong Zheng had finished their Qi cultivation and were looking at a picture book with great interest.

Upon hearing the stone gate open, Murong Zhong and his companion immediately hid the sketchbook on their bodies. When they saw that the person who came was Gu Xu, they exclaimed with delight, "Master!" The two hurried forward, but in their rush, they dropped the sketchbook on the ground.

The two were at a loss. Gu Xu looked at the two who were somewhat frightened, picked up the sketchbook, and quickly scanned it.

The story in the picture book is about an ordinary boy who offends his senior brother and is knocked off a cliff. He accidentally enters a cave and obtains unparalleled martial arts skills next to a skeleton. After eating the thousand-year-old Vermilion Fruit, he becomes a martial arts master and is favored by all kinds of beautiful women. He defeats and humiliates the scions of martial arts families who come to invade, then defeats the biggest villain in the martial arts world, eradicates the Heaven-Defying Cult, becomes the new leader of the martial arts alliance, and finally lives happily ever after with a group of beautiful women.

“You guys just like watching this kind of stuff,” Gu Xu said, somewhat amused.

"Master, we will never dare to do it again. We will definitely practice our skills well from now on," Murong Zhong said ingratiatingly, seeing that Gu Xu was not angry.

Murong Zheng, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly, "Master, I am the same as my brother."

"I won't get angry over such a small matter, but you mustn't try to learn from what's in this story. It's just a story; there are no shortcuts in martial arts."

Seeing the puzzled expressions on their faces, Gu Xu asked them to sit down and slowly said, "Practicing martial arts is like building a house. The stronger the foundation, the higher the upper level can be built, and the better it can withstand the test of wind and rain. On the contrary, those who cut corners and take shortcuts are easily brought back to their original state once they are attacked by external forces."

"Things have two sides. Those martial arts that can be learned quickly can make you a top master in a short time, but they will definitely have major flaws. When you practice this kind of martial art, your future is already determined. It becomes a stagnant pool with no vitality left."

Murong Zhong and the other girl turned pale upon hearing this. Seeing this, Gu Xu continued, "A person's future is inherently unpredictable. Once the future is blocked, one can only become a puppet without autonomy. Do you want to be that kind of person?"

"Master, we don't want to. We want to become masters like you," Murong Zhong and the other man were terrified and immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

"Get up. I am just giving you a word of advice. There are no free lunches in life. If there are, it's because they want to extract even greater benefits from you. I hope you won't be easily blinded by immediate gains. You should observe and listen carefully."

"Yes, disciples understand," the two decided in their hearts that after returning to their room, they would burn all those picture books and only follow their master to practice martial arts.

"After dinner tomorrow, if you have any questions about your breathing exercises, come here and find me. I will answer them for you. Now, go and have some fun," Gu Xu said, taking out the Six Ren Divine Dice from his bag after dismissing the two.

This object resembles a Rubik's Cube, but it is actually a puzzle box that requires precise steps to open.

Gu Xu looked at the pattern, which resembled a mural. He continuously calculated in his mind, and after about a quarter of an hour, Gu Xu took the divine dice in his hand and kept rotating the mechanism to gradually restore the mural to its original state.

With a final snap, the Six Ren Divine Dice shattered into six pieces, emitting a blue light that shone on Gu Xu's face, revealing strange characters written all over the inner wall.

"These characters seem to be Sanskrit. It seems I need to find some Sanskrit books to read." Gu Xu opened the Six Ren Divine Dice. He only wanted to learn the essence of the Transplantation Technique to improve the Pure Yang Profound Skill. He would never abandon his martial arts to practice it. The best martial art is the one that suits him best. The Pure Yang Profound Skill has unlimited potential and is enough for him to cultivate.

(End of this chapter)