A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 71 Heavenly Pool Manual
"Water in the sky, fire in the water, ice in the fire, martial arts in the ice."

Gu Xu arrived at the snow-covered Tianchi Lake and thought about the two unique skills of the legendary Tianchi Eccentric Hero: the Absorption Technique and the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill.

The latter belongs to the top-tier martial arts of the metal element. After arriving in this world, Gu Xu went to Tianchi to retrieve the treasure as soon as possible.

Before him lay the Tianchi Lake, a place that never freezes, shrouded in mist and emanating a chilly aura. Gu Xu inhaled deeply, gathered his strength, and leaped into the water.

Although it is winter, the water is unusually warm, like falling into a hot spring. The reason for this strange phenomenon is that there is a volcanic crater beneath the lake. The clash between hot and cold water creates a sensation similar to a hot spring.

After diving for a while, Gu Xugong focused his eyes and finally saw a glimmer of light at the bottom of the dark lake—a small ice palace.

"arrive"

Gu Xu quickened his pace and soon swam to the outside of the Ice Palace. Upon arriving there, the pressure around him decreased dramatically, and the surrounding water flow seemed unable to penetrate inside. Carefully pushing open the Ice Palace door, Gu Xu slowly walked into the palace.

The space inside the ice palace was not large. Apart from a dozen ice pillars, there was only an ice sculpture altar in front of it. Gu Xuxin had an idea and went to the altar. There were two jade boxes on it, which contained the "Absorption Technique" and the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill".

"My name is Gu Xu. I have come here today only to see the secret manual. Please do not take offense, senior."

Although the Eccentric Hero of Tianchi is dead, he still deserves the respect he deserves.

After bowing, Gu Xu first looked through the "Absorption Technique" and found that this martial art was far superior to Liu Xi's Absorption Technique.

There are no hidden dangers in practicing this martial art. The more you absorb, the stronger your power becomes. In the end, you can even turn inanimate objects into living beings. This skill has transcended the scope of ordinary martial arts. It is only slightly inferior to the Pure Yang Profound Skill that Gu Xu himself cultivates.

"No wonder Zhu Wushi said that this martial art was more suitable for him; it was truly tailor-made for him."

Although Zhu Wushi's martial arts talent was not bad, it was not among the top tier. Otherwise, even after absorbing the power of more than two hundred people, he could only fight Cheng Shifei to a draw in the end. It should be noted that Cheng Shifei had only been cultivating the Vajra Indestructible Divine Art for a few short years.

Putting down the "Absorption Technique," Gu Xu picked up the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill," carefully read it through, and memorized all its contents.

"Let's leave these two things here and wait for Gu Santong and Zhu Wushi."

After erasing all traces, Gu Xu slowly withdrew from the Ice Palace.

Returning to the lake surface, Gu Xu dispelled the protective shield of true qi outside his body.

After descending from Tianchi Lake, it took Gu Xu several days to ride back to his home in town.

The courtyard is not large, but it is more than enough for one person to live in. Gu Xu likes to live alone and usually does everything himself.

After lunch, Gu Xu went to his bedroom and slowly circulated his internal energy according to the mantra of the "Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill".

An hour later, Gu Xu felt a sharp energy being generated within his body, constantly circulating and stimulating his meridians. The Pure Yang Profound Art of Water, Wood, and Fire circulated on its own, with Metal generating Water, which in turn contained Metal energy. The previously somewhat stinging meridians gradually calmed down. Another hour later, the Four Elements Profound Art began to cycle again, spontaneously giving birth to the Earth element based on the principle of mutual generation of the Five Elements.

"Finally, the Pure Yang Profound Skill and the Five Elements have been integrated, and this skill now has greater room for improvement."

Slowly opening his eyes, Gu Xu looked at the gleaming white jade on his arm, reached out and took out a dagger to slash it. Apart from leaving a white mark, the skin and flesh were unharmed.

"This divine skill has only been initially mastered. If it is truly mastered, subduing dragons and tigers is not impossible."

Gu Xu was quite satisfied, and the next step was to cultivate using the water mill technique.

Gu Xu was not interested in the affairs of the imperial court, but he could not stand idly by while the martial arts world of Japan was wantonly harassing the coastal towns.

"Now that I have mastered this divine skill, let me test this Japanese martial arts."

In "The World's Number One", although a large portion of the story takes place in the Central Plains, the people of Japan always appear at the most crucial moments.

Yagyu Tajima-no-kami, Yagyu Hyōshū, and the other two all followed the orders of the later Iron-Blooded Marquis. The former killed Master Jie of Shaolin, causing Guihai Yidao to suffer an injustice and earning Iron-Blooded Marquis sympathy for nothing; the latter infiltrated Duan Tianya's side, and although he lived in seclusion, his every move was under the control of Iron-Blooded Marquis.

Later, Liu Sheng Piaoxu even killed Shangguan Haitang, causing Guihai Yidao to lose his beloved, resulting in a tragedy.

"For the people of Japan to meddle in the affairs of the Central Plains is truly overestimating their abilities."

The reason why Yagyu Tajima-no-kami obeyed Zhu Wushi's orders was more to use his power to make the Yagyu family a top family in Japan, and then to control the Emperor and seek greater benefits.

"Before retiring, I want to do something for the Central Plains," Gu Xu secretly decided, preparing to wipe out the Japanese ronin who were harassing the coast.

Seven days later, Gu Xu successfully sold the courtyard and rode south to Qingyan Town, the most prosperous of the nine coastal towns. This place was attacked by Japanese pirates every now and then, and many people lost their lives as a result.

"Please come in, sir," the waiter greeted him warmly, gesturing for Gu Xu to sit at an empty table.

"Sir, what would you like to eat?"

"A bowl of rice, a serving of vegetables, and a serving of beef, please."

"Alright, please wait a moment, the food will be ready soon." The waiter noted down the name and, seeing that Gu Xu had nothing else to say, immediately went to prepare.

The waiter brought over a pot of tea, and Gu Xu drank it while looking at the people in the hall.

Among them, the three people in the northwest corner who caught Gu Xu's attention were weapons on the table, clearly indicating that they were martial arts practitioners.

"Inns are indeed one of the best sources of information," Gu Xu thought, listening intently to the conversation of the three.

"The next two days are the days when the Japanese pirates will invade. I wonder how well the officers and soldiers are prepared. I hope they won't be routed like last time."

The dark-faced man sighed, "You know the character of those government soldiers. They're fine dealing with their own people, but when it comes to those fierce Japanese pirates, they all turn into cowards and watch helplessly as the pirates plunder their wealth."

Upon hearing this, the gaunt young man said angrily, "The former commander of Qingyan Town, Jiang Bohuan, was a man of iron will. He led his men to kill many Japanese pirates. With him around, the losses were not too great. But the court actually transferred him away. I don't know what it means. You all know what the new commander, Liu Zun, is like. He's just a good-for-nothing. Qingyan Town is going to have a lot of trouble from now on."

"Who says otherwise? General Jiang is the only one in recent years who has taken the initiative to fight against the Japanese pirates. Moreover, he is a straightforward person and treats us Jianghu people with great courtesy, without the slightest contempt. Unlike this general, who has little ability but a big ego."

The skinny young man was full of resentment. Liu Zun came from a prestigious family and looked down on people from the martial arts world, always maintaining an arrogant attitude.

"Alright, that's enough. Matters of the court are not for us to interfere in. We just need to stay true to ourselves."

The middle-aged man offered a reminder, and the two said no more. After finishing their meal, they left.

"Sir, your meal is ready. Please enjoy your meal." After the waiter finished setting out the dishes, he was about to leave when Gu Xu called him back.

"Waiter, is Qingyan Town frequently attacked by Japanese pirates?"

"To be frank, sir, many people die in this town every few months, all because of the Japanese pirates. Last month, one of the Wang family's cargo ships was robbed by the pirates. Not only were the goods gone, but the dozens of people who accompanied the ship were also killed without a trace. The imperial court sent troops to suppress them, but there has been no news. Sir, the Japanese pirates are very fierce, so you must be careful."

"Alright, thank you for telling me," Gu Xu said, taking out five copper coins and handing them to the waiter, who accepted them somewhat embarrassedly.

After finishing his meal, Gu Xu took out half a tael of silver, instructed the waiter to prepare a room and feed the horse some hay, and then strolled around the town. As he walked, he arrived at the dock.

Although the imperial court issued a ban on maritime trade, local powerful families still secretly conducted maritime transactions because the profits were so considerable that they were willing to take the risks.

At that moment, three cargo ships were docked at the pier, and some boatmen were unloading cargo. Gu Xu watched from afar, and suddenly his eyes sharpened.

"Old Wu, ten ships are arriving tomorrow. These people alone won't be enough. You need to find more people to avoid delays."

A middle-aged man who looked like a foreman tilted his head back, drank some tea, wiped the sweat from his face, and vigorously fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan.

"The weather is getting increasingly gloomy; it looks like a downpour is coming." "Don't worry, it won't delay things. There are plenty of people willing to do the hard labor. If we just spend a few more coins tomorrow, we'll have enough manpower."

"That's good. I heard those Japanese pirates are coming again soon. General Liu was worried about the goods, so he brought the ship ashore early and has been unloading them day and night. Alas, it's tough on us supervisors."

The servant who was delivering water overheard their conversation without them noticing.

After the servant poured the tea, he pretended to have a stomachache. Old Wu waved him away in disgust. The servant thanked him a few times, clutched his stomach, and left the dock, heading straight for the southeast corner of town.

Although the servant was secretive and kept looking back from time to time, he knew nothing about martial arts, so how could he have discovered that Gu Xu was following him?

After several twists and turns, the servant arrived at a secluded courtyard. He looked around and knocked on the door five times, three long and two short.

Gu Xu hid behind him and carefully observed the scene. After a while, the gate opened, and a man in blue robes came out. He pulled the servant in, leaned out to check, and, finding nothing amiss, immediately closed the gate.

"Judging from the appearance of that man in blue, although he looks similar to people from the Central Plains, he is much shorter and his hairstyle is different from that of people from the Central Plains. Could this be the stronghold of the Japanese in Qingyan Town?"

Thinking of this, Gu Xu hurried a few steps, leaped onto the roof of the small courtyard, scanned the surroundings, found no guards, and silently landed on the ground, walking towards a brightly lit room.

He stepped close to the door and heard voices coming from inside. One was a servant, and the other was a rough voice with a heavy Japanese accent.

"Is it confirmed that ten cargo ships will dock tomorrow?"

"That's right. I overheard the conversation between the two supervisors on duty today, so the information should be accurate."

"Hmm, that matches the intelligence from inside. You've done a good job this time. Don't go to the docks tomorrow; stay home."

"Yes"

After the two chatted for a while, the servant walked out of the room with a money bag on his face.

"As expected, he's from Japan," Gu Xu thought, suppressing his murderous intent as he looked at the man with the rough voice.

Yagyu Chikamaru was about thirty years old, with a resolute face and sharp eyes. He was dressed in Japanese clothing, with two samurai swords, one long and one short, hanging at his waist, and wearing wooden clogs.

"Go, go and tell them to proceed as planned tomorrow," Yagyu Kinmaru instructed his subordinate.

"Yes, sir," the subordinate said, and left. Yagyu Chikamaru stood in the courtyard, looking at the bright moon in the sky, his eyes growing increasingly determined.

Yagyu Chikamaru was originally a collateral descendant of the Yagyu family. Because his martial arts skills were unmatched among his peers, Yagyu Tajima-no-kami sent him here to guard the area. Once he completes this mission, he can return to the main family and will be recruited into the family as a candidate for the next head of the family.

Gu Xu glanced at Yagyu Kinsei. This man had a long and steady pace, and could be considered a master. It seemed that the Japanese were indeed plotting something big, otherwise they would not have allowed such a master to stay here.

With a swift movement, Gu Xu followed his subordinates to another courtyard. The guards here were more stringent than before. Gu Xu quickly discerned that, excluding the visible sentry posts, there were four people lurking in the shadows. If anyone broke in, they would be alerted.

Although Gu Xu was absolutely certain he wouldn't alert the guards, he didn't want to cause any trouble. In any case, they would definitely take action tomorrow, so he would just wait and see. In the face of absolute power, any schemes or plots were useless.

After noting the location of the courtyard, Gu Xu withdrew and returned to the inn. He meditated and circulated his internal energy all night without feeling tired at all.

After having breakfast in the lobby, the sky grew increasingly dark, a fierce wind howled, and thick clouds gathered, signaling an impending downpour.

On the dock, foreman Old Wu was shouting, "Hurry up, all of you! If you get soaked in the rain, you won't get paid! Hurry up, hurry up!"

The boatmen carried sacks, their clothes soaked through in the sweltering heat, not even having time to wipe themselves dry, for fear of losing their wages.

Just as the foreman was shouting orders, a group of Japanese pirates suddenly surged up from the beach.

"The Japanese pirates are coming!" a sharp-eyed boatman shouted in alarm.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed, and they hurriedly dropped their sacks and fled for their lives, causing chaos at the dock.

People tend to follow the crowd; if one runs, another will follow. No matter how much the overseer shouts, it is to no avail. The Japanese pirates take the opportunity to attack and fight the government troops, with shouts of battle rising and falling.

The Japanese pirates came prepared, and with the help of experts among them, the government troops suffered heavy losses in less than half a quarter of an hour. Just then, a group of martial arts practitioners suddenly rushed out and suppressed the Japanese pirates' momentum.

"Quickly finish this!" Yagyu Chikamaru shouted in Japanese. He then chose his opponent, and as his katana slashed across the ground, blood splattered in the wind, and screams of agony filled the air.

First, a few raindrops fell from the sky, followed by a torrential downpour. The wind howled, and the rain curtain blurred people's vision.

Just as Yagyu Chikasei was wreaking havoc on all sides, and the martial arts practitioners and government troops of the Central Plains were retreating one after another, a bright sword light suddenly entered the battlefield, forcing Yagyu Chikasei to retreat three steps.

Regaining his footing, Yagyu Chikamaru gripped the hilt of his sword, his heart filled with astonishment. The sword light he had just witnessed had given him a sense of invincibility. He looked around warily, but found nothing.

"Ah, ah," the continuous screams made Yagyu Chikamaru feel like he was facing a formidable enemy. The newcomer's identity was unknown, and his martial arts skills were high. It seemed that this operation was going to fail.

A moment later, the screams subsided, and Yagyu Kinsei's body tensed as he watched Gu Xu emerge from the rain.

"Who are you?" Yagyu Chikamaru asked clearly, word by word.

Gu Xu glanced at him, held his sword horizontally to his chest, and raindrops hit the sword and scattered. Yagyu Kinsei instinctively swung his sword, and an invisible sword aura collided with the sword aura. The sword aura immediately dissipated and exploded into water droplets. Yagyu Kinsei's pupils widened, and then he looked down at the long sword stuck in his heart, fell backward, and his blood mixed with the rainwater, making it impossible to distinguish between them.

The group of martial arts practitioners only knew that reinforcements had arrived, but they knew nothing about the specifics. When the reinforcements arrived, they discovered that dozens of Japanese pirates had been killed with a single sword stroke, and their leader had been killed by a piercing through the heart.

"What terrifying swordsmanship!" Everyone shuddered. It was fortunate that such a person was one of their own; if he were a Japanese pirate, they would probably be the ones lying on the ground today.

"There are very few sword masters in the martial arts world, and none of them are here. What is his background?"

As the clouds cleared and the rain subsided, Liu Zun also learned of the news and became interested in this expert.

"This man is qualified to be my bodyguard. An Shen, how are the goods?"

"Sir, 10% of the goods were flooded, but the rest are fine."

"I can afford this loss. Speed ​​things up; these goods are all destined for the palace, so there can't be any mistakes."

"Yes"

For a period of time afterward, murders kept occurring in Qingyan Town, and without exception, the victims were Japanese pirates or their spies, which both surprised and delighted Liu Zun.

During this period, the Japanese pirates have been killed one after another by that mysterious person, and now they dare not show their faces in Qingyan Town anymore. With this achievement, I am qualified to return to the capital and be rewarded with a high official position.

"These gold and silver treasures are perfect for bribing officials both inside and outside the court, so I can secure a lucrative position."

Liu Zun packed all sorts of rare treasures into boxes according to each person's preferences.

"Lord Li is fond of calligraphy and painting, so these paintings are a gift for him."

"Lord Zhang is fond of antiques and jade, so we'll reserve this white jade pagoda for him."

"Lord Sun is a highly accomplished calligrapher; these rubbings of inscriptions should suit his taste perfectly."

Just as Liu Zun was in high spirits, a flash of sword light appeared, and his body fell into the box.

(End of this chapter)