From a refugee to a martial artist

Chapter 306 Castration
Meng Yuan had also witnessed the brilliance of the four disciples of Chongxu Temple.

Among them, Zhao Jingsheng seems polite, but he starts rambling when he drinks; Yuan Jingfeng is better, but he is irresponsible, unambitious, and never works hard, spending his days idly.

Jingchen was the most prone to boasting and empty talk, always wanting to kill Qingguangzi and Zizai Buddha.

The youngest, Jingshan, is even more extraordinary. He looks very scholarly, but he is actually single-mindedly plotting a rebellion!

Seeing that Zhao Jingsheng and Yuan Jingfeng came to the door in a great hurry, they must have really encountered some trouble.

"Could it be that you're here to borrow money?" Lin Yan, with his keen insight, looked at Wang Buyi with a grin.

Wang Buyi's expression was off, and he whispered, "It seems they were trying to rescue someone, but Commander Ding detained them."

"Ding Chonglou personally took action?" Lin Yan frowned. "He's a fifth-rank martial artist, how dare he lay a hand on two pieces of trash?"

“No, that’s not it,” Wang Buyi quickly explained. “Commander Ding has already returned to Lanruo Temple with Master Zhichen. It was Commander Ding Qianyun who detained the two Taoist priests, Zhao and Yuan, saying that they would be imprisoned and interrogated slowly.”

"Chongxu Temple has truly declined," Cangshan Jun sighed. "If Li Weizhen were still here, who could possibly harm the people of Chongxu Temple?"

"Besides Master Xuanji and Li Weizhen, Chongxu Temple doesn't have anyone else worth mentioning," Lin Yan mocked.

“Miss Ying is Xuanjizi’s junior sister, so she can be considered a member of the Taoist sect,” Zhou Ying muttered.

Cangshan Jun didn't say anything more. His black robes fluttered as he nodded slightly to everyone. "Since an old friend has come to visit, I won't disturb you any longer. I'm just about to go and report to Elder Miaoyin."

"I wonder when we will be able to see Elder Miaoyin's beautiful face?" Meng Yuan was not in a hurry to rescue the person, but instead pulled Cangshan Jun back.

Cangshan Jun pointed to the direction of Wulou Mountain in the north and said, "The Arhat Wusheng is currently discussing the Dao with the monks of Lanruo Temple. The outcome should be clear in the next two days. When the Wuzhe Assembly takes place, the two elders will naturally make an appearance."

Without saying another word, Meng Yuan and the others immediately returned to Baoquan Temple.

Baoquan Temple is small. There is an incense burner in the entrance courtyard, followed by the main hall, and behind that is where the monks eat and sleep.

At this time, there were many people from the Demon Suppression Division around the main hall, including many bald monks from Baoquan Temple.

"You? You're nothing but a dog kept by the imperial court!"

Even through the crowd, one could hear the commotion coming from inside the main hall, and Zhao Jingsheng, unusually, showed his temper.

Zhao Jingsheng has always had a good temper, so he must have drunk too much this time!
Pushing through the crowd, one could see Zhao Jingsheng and Yuan Jingfeng being held down in the main hall, while Ding Qianyun was questioning them.

Ding Qianyun was a relative of Ding Chonglou. He was around forty years old, tall, and had a full beard, making him look very imposing.

At this moment, Ding Qianyun saw that Zhao Jingsheng was full of alcohol and was pointing at him and cursing. He was not angry. Instead, the centurion below was so angry that he stepped forward and slapped Zhao Jingsheng across the face.

Meng Yuan immediately transformed into a streak of light, and in the blink of an eye, he pulled Zhao Jingsheng to safety.

"So it's you, my worthy brother." Ding Qianyun's hand rested on the hilt of his sword at his waist, and he said coldly, "What does Commander Meng mean? Commander Ding ordered me to imprison these two men. Are you going to stop me?"

"What did they do wrong?" Zhou Ying asked.

“Last night, someone was inciting ignorant farmers to rebel outside the city. It was none other than Jing Shan of Chongxu Temple!” Ding Qianyun looked at Zhao Jingsheng and Yuan Jingfeng. “As their senior brothers, how could they not know?”

When Zhou Ying heard this, she thought it was outrageous, but if Chongxu observed the four boys' temperaments, they could do it too.

"So what if I know?" Zhao Jingsheng shouted loudly, "It's just that Jingshan was useless and failed!"

"Senior brother, please say less." Yuan Jingfeng tugged hard at Zhao Jingsheng's sleeve.

“Brother Ding, these two are disciples of Master Xuanjizi of Chongxu Temple.” Meng Yuan cupped his hands and said, “Our Demon Suppression Division once borrowed the management of Chongxu Temple, so we have a relationship. Since these two are suspected, let me take them away and hand them over to Commander Xiao for handling and questioning.”

"This was decided by Commander Ding." Ding Qianyun had no intention of releasing the man, but stared into Meng Yuan's eyes and said with a smile, "If I don't release him, what will Brother Meng do?"

"I have nothing of value on me except an old knife," Meng Yuan said, pressing his hand on the knife at his waist.

Ding Qianyun remained silent. He looked at Meng Yuan for a while, as if assessing whether Meng Yuan was willing to fight to the death.

After watching for a while, Ding Qianyun looked at Lin Yan again, only to find that Lin Yan was not looking in her direction at all, and his expression was relaxed, which showed that he was extremely confident in Meng Yuan.

Looking at the scene, apart from the bald monk from Baoquan Temple, the rest of the people in the main hall were all from the Demon Suppression Division, and most of them were at the seventh rank.

There were only three people at the sixth rank: two on the opposing side and one on their side.

“Brother Meng, we both work for the Demon Suppression Division, so I won’t refuse you face.” Ding Qianyun still had his hand on the hilt of his sword. “There’s no need for us, family members, to fight over two little Taoist priests.”

“Brother Ding is right. Buddhist temples are places of tranquility, and I have no intention of resorting to violence,” Meng Yuan said.

“Brother Meng, if you want to take people away, that’s fine.” Ding Qianyun didn’t stop him at all, but said, “Brother Meng, you have experienced the upheaval in Songhe Prefecture and witnessed the suffering of the people. You must know better than anyone how hard-won your current status and position are. Don’t make a mistake.”

"Brother Ding, what guidance do you have?" Meng Yuan asked.

Ding Qianyun stroked his beard and said earnestly, "How does my brother compare to the two Lord Yings?"

"Fireflies are more powerful than the sun and moon," Meng Yuan said.

“When you were at the seventh rank, you were able to kill Xi Yisheng, who was above your level. If you compare yourself to a firefly, we should die of shame.”

Ding Qianyun's bushy beard twitched as he gripped the hilt of his sword and stepped forward. "Brother, you bear the name of a disciple of the Ying family and have been promoted by the Grand Eunuch, so you think your future is limitless. But what kind of people are the two Lord Yings? Aren't they still just a handful of dust?"

"I don't quite understand what Brother Ding means," Meng Yuan said.

"Go with the flow." Ding Qianyun made a lot of sense. He said, "These two people are nothing, and Jingshan's matter is nothing either. It's just a matter of how big or small it is. It's just that it's really inappropriate for you to insist on saving them, my brother."

"What's wrong with it?" Meng Yuan asked.

“Chongxu Temple has too deep ties with the Ying family; they are all ignorant old friends. My brother is wise and will naturally understand.” Ding Qianyun earnestly advised, “The mighty Yangtze River has already swept away two Lord Yings; why should my brother set foot in it?”

"Brother Ding, I'm already soaked," Meng Yuan said with a smile.

“We can turn back now.” Ding Qianyun said very seriously, “The Ying family will have a hard time succeeding again. Ten, twenty, or fifty years from now, who will remember them?”

Ding Qianyun stepped forward, his gaze intense. "I've heard that you've married two beautiful wives and made rapid progress in your cultivation. Your future looks bright. If you continue to make mistakes, how can you possibly keep your wealth and women?"

He loosened his grip on the hilt of the knife and spread his hands, saying, "What we martial artists seek is nothing more than beauty, money, and power. My brother is exceptionally talented; even if you don't follow the Ying family, those things are within your grasp."

“Brother Ding’s words are invaluable.” Meng Yuan pressed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Seeing that Meng Yuan wouldn't budge, Ding Qianyun asked again, "I heard that you were a castrator by trade?"

“Exactly,” Meng Yuan said. “Since you are a castrator, you should be good at understanding the ‘power’,” Ding Qianyun continued, launching into a long explanation. “The situation is what it is; how can you possibly stop it?”

“Brother Ding, I am a castrator, and my job is to remove dead bodies,” Meng Yuan said.

“Castrending pigs and sheep is not difficult, but what about the general trend of the world?” Ding Qianyun asked.

"Brother Ding, I am very grateful for all you have said." Meng Yuan did not answer, but instead asked, "Brother Ding said that martial artists seek wealth, power, and lust, and that the two Lords Ying have turned to dust. So, what should we martial artists do if we do not wish to blend in with the world?"

“The realm is like an insurmountable chasm.” Ding Qianyun was truly insightful. “There are countless people in the world, but the highest martial artist is only at the fourth rank. Most of them are people without ambition, not even as good as Prince Xin. But the fourth rank is already the pinnacle of martial artists in the world. What can’t one obtain? Worldly prosperity and wealth are within easy reach, and the blessings for one’s descendants will be endless.”

Ding Qianyun looked at Meng Yuan and smiled, "If you really want to act within the bounds of propriety, you must break through the barriers between realms. The third rank of martial artist is not enough; you may even need to reach the second rank or higher."

"Brother Ding means that it must be able to cause the heavens and earth to collapse!" Meng Yuan said.

"Exactly!" Ding Qianyun clapped his hands, but then frowned and became serious. "Brother, your talent is extraordinary, progressing by leaps and bounds. You must want to go further. But the path of a martial artist is more difficult with each step. Throughout history, countless brilliant talents have struggled to even reach the threshold of the fourth rank. Even if one reaches the fourth rank, who can truly face death and live, defeating enemies beyond their level to prove their Dao?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Ding," Meng Yuan said.

Upon hearing this, Ding Qianyun saw Meng Yuan smiling and knew he had wasted his breath.

“As I said before, these two people are nothing, and Jingshan’s matter is nothing.” Ding Qianyun actually stopped blocking him and even made way for him. “Brother, if you want to go back the way you came, it won’t be so easy.”

"The road is under your feet, there's always a way to go," Meng Yuan said with a smile and a cupped-hand salute.

Ding Qianyun returned the greeting and said no more.

No one spoke in the main hall of Baoquan Temple; it was unusually quiet for a moment.

"Let's go," Meng Yuan said, walking out of the main hall side by side with Lin Yan.

The others followed, and Zhao Jingsheng and Yuan Jingsheng also hurriedly caught up.

After leaving Baoquan Temple, the group rode slowly on horseback.

"Junior brother, now I understand why the Third Miss likes you so much," Lin Yan said with a grin.

"Why?" Meng Yuan thought the Third Miss liked him because he was capable!
"Hehe, you can ask Miss San later." Lin Yan didn't say much more.

“They were just trying to recruit Commander Meng!” Zhou Ying spoke up at this moment. She looked at Meng Yuan and said, “Ding Qianyun is actually a pretty good person.”

Meng Yuan nodded in agreement.

"It's a pity we're on different paths!" Lin Yan sneered. "If a family produces a martial artist who makes a name for himself, the next generation will just keep trying to get ahead of him."

“That’s not how it works.” Zhou Ying’s family was also a once-prosperous family that had fallen on hard times. “It is the easiest path for martial artists to enter the Dao, so the path for martial artists to advance cannot be blocked.”

"Yes," Lin Yan said with emotion. "I heard that twenty years after the founding of the dynasty, the founding emperor of this dynasty was nearing the end of his life. He invited eminent figures from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism to the capital to ask how to cut off the path of martial arts practitioners and sever their access to martial arts."

None of them had ever heard of such a secret, and they were all confused for a moment. The founding emperor was also a warrior, who established the country through countless battles using martial arts.

Moreover, Emperor Taizu himself came from a poor background. It is said that he was once a refugee and begged for food. He was the most benevolent towards the poor.

"That's it!" Zhao Jingsheng exclaimed, still reeking of alcohol. "Once you sit down, you don't want to get off; you just want to live forever! Jingshan did a perfect job!"

"What did the masters of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism say?" Yuan Jingfeng asked curiously.

"Of course not!" Lin Yan chuckled. "How could such a thing possibly be accomplished? Throughout history, countless paths of cultivation have been severed because the 'opportunity' for attaining enlightenment was lost. Among them, only the Confucian school had its path to enlightenment cut off by the sages, and even then, it was only with the help of the Dao Ancestor!"

Lin Yan patted his horse's head and said disdainfully, "Martial artists are meant to be 'defeated,' but who can 'defeate' a martial artist?"

“That makes sense,” Yuan Jingfeng agreed.

"By the way," Lin Yan glanced at Yuan Jingfeng, "is your junior brother really going to rebel?"

"Slander! Absolutely slander!" Yuan Jingsheng was furious. "They're accusing Jingshan of rebellion! Junior Brother is such a kind and gentle person. He gets red-faced and irritable just talking to a stranger. He can't even manage to conduct a proper temple ceremony. How could he possibly rebel?"

Let's not even talk about slander, okay? I saw Jingshan inciting the people last night with my own eyes!
Meng Yuan rubbed his temples and asked, "And then? What happened to Jingshan?"

“This…” Yuan Jingfeng said, embarrassed.

"What can't be said?" Zhao Jingsheng, still a little drunk, shouted, "Jingshan and Jingchen got into trouble outside and got arrested!"

"Let me tell you," Yuan Jingfeng sighed helplessly. "Jingchen ran back in the middle of the night and said that Jingshan had been arrested."

"Why was he the only one arrested?" Lin Yan asked curiously.

Yuan Jingfeng immediately began to explain in detail. It turned out that after the incident last night, all the people who were chasing them had gone mad. Jingchen and Jingshan escaped safely, but Jingshan even tried to turn back and rally the crowd for another big fight. As a result, when they came to their senses, they were caught.

“Jingshan said that a master is secretly helping us, and we should take advantage of that master’s help! Jingchen was too hungry, so he didn’t go!” Yuan Jingfeng said.

Unlocking the screen makes you a master!

Meng Yuan didn't even want to say anything anymore. Now that today's events have happened, they should go all out to capture Jie Kaiping! And isn't Jingchen just too unreliable?
"Where is Jingchen now?" Meng Yuan asked.

“He said he was going to find the senior brother! He said none of us are reliable!” Yuan Jingfeng said.

“He’s unreliable too!” Lin Yan laughed.

"What's going on at Baoquan Temple? Are the monks going to rebel?" Yuan Jingfeng's face also darkened as he changed the subject.

"It was Elder Zhihe of Lanruo Temple who was assassinated by thieves last night, and his body was never found." Lin Yan chuckled. "I reckon it was that expert who helped your junior brother Jingshan last night who did it!"

"Great!" Zhao Jingsheng shouted. "Who brought the wine? We should drink three bowls!"

No one paid any attention to Zhao Jingsheng, but Yuan Jingfeng was quite surprised. "Who is so bold? Lanruo Temple is holding the Unobstructed Assembly right now, with many masters staying there. How dare someone touch the bald monks of Lanruo Temple?"

"Isn't this just dogs fighting? Good! Good for them!" Zhao Jingsheng shouted again.

"What are you talking about?!" Meng Yuan rubbed his temples and said, "Why don't you go and find Daoist Xuanjizi?"

"How shameless!" Yuan Jingfeng said.

"Sigh!" Zhao Jingsheng sighed as well, "We can only wait for Jingchen to find our senior brother before we can get our revenge!"

(End of this chapter)