Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 346 What is the Jianghu? The Taste of Walking Sideways
Without cultivating oneself to a certain level, one's view of the world is like a frog at the bottom of a well trying to see the moon.

They thought that what they saw at the wellhead was the whole world.

When one truly cultivates to the level of a Grandmaster of the Finger Profound Realm, or even above the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, one will feel increasingly insignificant when looking at this vast world. There are indeed masters in the martial world, but some are indifferent to fame and fortune, while others pursue the supreme martial path, yearning to shatter the void and ascend to heaven. They do not often roam the martial world.

Only a few ambitious and ruthless figures who dream of dominating the martial arts world or becoming the leader of the martial arts alliance and ruling over a region are relatively common in the martial arts world.

This gives people the misconception that there are not many strong people, and that celestial phenomena can dominate the world.

The same was true for the Ming Dynasty, and also for the Song Dynasty.

Otherwise, Zhu Jinzhen's Heavenly Sword Formation wouldn't have been able to suddenly summon dozens of terrestrial immortals to join the battle.

Leaving aside distant places, in the capital of the Ming Dynasty alone, Zhu Jinzhen could sense nearly a handful of terrestrial immortals. However, on the surface, excluding Zhang Zhenren of Wudang, it was rare to find a terrestrial immortal who had roamed the martial arts world for more than thirty years.

Seeing that Huang Rong still seemed to know the facts but not the reasons behind them.

Zhu Jinzhen smiled and said, "The reason I'm saying all this is to tell you that all the truly top masters in the world have inextricable connections with the imperial court."

"The saying 'masters are often found among ordinary people' may be true, but any royal family or court must possess the power of a decisive, top-tier expert."

"Otherwise, the imperial power will fall into the wrong hands, and the decline from prosperity to decay will only be a matter of time."

Upon hearing this, Huang Rong's expression turned solemn.

Only after Zhu Jinzhen's guidance did she gradually see the truth of the so-called martial arts world.

"So, the Five Greats of the world are basically all related to the imperial court, even my father?" Huang Rong felt like her worldview was being reshaped. What she thought was the Mount Hua Sword Tournament and the competition among the Five Greats was not just about the joys and sorrows of the martial arts world, but also contained all sorts of scheming.

"Although Wang Chongyang was a grandmaster of Taoism, he had an inexplicable relationship with the Song Dynasty royal family."

"The Nine Yin Manual was lost to the martial arts world, and it just so happened to fall into his hands."

"Hong Qigong, the Northern Beggar, is a member of the Beggars' Clan. He seems carefree and roams the martial world. He has a chivalrous and compassionate heart that cares about the country and its people, but it is undeniable that he also has intricate connections with the Song Dynasty royal family."

"Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, came to the Song Dynasty from the Western Regions. After several battles, he made a name for himself in the martial arts world. But even Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, had the shadows of the Jin Kingdom and the Prince of Xiaoyao behind him."

"As for the Southern Emperor, needless to say, he is a member of the Dali Duan family."

"Your father..."

Zhu Jinzhen hesitated for a moment, then looked at Huang Rong with a mocking expression, "Want to guess which force your father, Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, is involved with behind the scenes?"

Huang Rong shook her head blankly.

Even her own daughter had no idea that Huang Yaoshi, who was renowned in the martial arts world and known as the Eastern Heretic, was actually involved with a certain force.

"Most of your father's martial arts skills were self-created, but a few of his extraordinary skills contained traces of the Xiaoyao Sect."

"The Free and Unfettered Sect?" Huang Rong frowned, her face full of curiosity. "Did this sect exist in the Ming Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty? How come I've never heard of it?"

Yan Yimei, who was standing to the side, patiently explained to Huang Rong, "The Xiaoyao Sect is a reclusive sect and rarely active in the martial arts world, but if I mention the reputation of the Xiaoyao Sect disciples, I think you will know."

"Li Qiushui, the Empress Dowager of Western Xia, and Tianshan Tonglao of Lingjiu Palace on Piaomiao Peak in Northern Song Dynasty."

"Ding Chunqiu, the eccentric old man of the Northern Song Dynasty's Starry Sky School."

Huang Rong was indeed taken aback upon hearing this.

"They're disciples of the Free and Unfettered Sect? My father is too?"

"Ah."

Zhu Jinzhen nodded slightly and said, "The Xiaoyao Sect was founded by the extraordinary Xiaoyaozi. Based on the techniques of immortality and wind control, it created basic peerless martial arts, which were then passed on to its four disciples."

"Among them, the eldest disciple, Wu Xingyun, is also known as the Heavenly Child Granny of Lingjiu Palace."

"The second disciple, Wu Yazi, is the current leader of the Xiaoyao Sect. He was betrayed by his disciple and was paralyzed in his early years. Now he is barely surviving in the Northern Song Dynasty."

"The third disciple, Li Qiushui, was originally married to Wuyazi, but later, for various reasons, they parted ways. She went to Western Xia and married the then-emperor of Western Xia, becoming the current Empress Dowager of Western Xia." "The fourth disciple, Li Canghai..."

As Zhu Jinzhen spoke, a strange glint flashed deep in his eyes.

Huang Rong was incredibly intelligent and adept at reading people. Seeing Zhu Jinzhen's expression, she guessed that this Li Canghai was probably her father's master.

"Due to past events, Li Canghai became enemies with his elder sister Li Qiushui and senior sister Wu Xingyun, and disappeared without a trace, taking with him the treasure of the Xiaoyao Sect, the Jade Linglong."

"But according to the secret guards' investigation, they discovered that your father disappeared suddenly for a period of time in his early years, and when he re-entered the martial arts world, he suddenly possessed extremely remarkable martial arts skills. His internal energy and movement techniques were extremely graceful and agile, clearly following the style of the Xiaoyao Sect."

From the day Huang Rong stepped into Jiayuguan, the secret guards secretly investigated her background.

The final result greatly surprised Zhu Jinzhen.

It wasn't because Huang Yaoshi's lineage came from the Xiaoyao Sect and Li Canghai; in this chaotic world of martial arts, Zhu Jinzhen had already seen all sorts of bizarre things.

Compared to Song Qingshu, who is already old, and Zhou Zhiruo and Zhao Min of the Emei Sect, who are still beautiful, the protagonist Zhang Wuji is still a young man, and is even a castrated man with the Xuan Yin in his destiny—such an absurd thing.

The entanglement between Huang Yaoshi and Li Canghai is really nothing.

What truly surprised Zhu Jinzhen was that the Xiaoyao Sect in the crossover martial arts world had incorporated some of the movie's settings.

Furthermore, Li Canghai not only did not die, but also seems to have gone into hiding in the Ming Dynasty.

Huang Rong's beautiful eyes flickered: "So, that Li Canghai is my master?"

"Ninety percent chance."

Zhu Jinzhen nodded. "Now, do you still think that the martial arts world is black and white, either this or that? Even the famous Mount Hua Sword Tournament in the Song Dynasty was like that. Mount Hua, one of the Five Sacred Mountains Sword Sects in the Ming Dynasty, is only worthy of being called one of the Nine Great Sects. Mount Song is located next to Shaolin. If it doesn't play both sides and find a powerful backer..."

"Do you really think those monks on Mount Song are vegetarians?"

Huang Rong clicked her tongue, feeling as if her childhood longing for the martial world and the various legends she had heard seemed to have shattered in an instant. She understood even more clearly what Zhu Jinzhen meant at the end.

Throughout history, Shaolin has always been a formidable force that cannot be ignored.

In contrast, the Songshan Sect was merely a small-scale operation in a corner of the Ming Dynasty.

Without the support of the imperial court, could Shaolin tolerate the Songshan Sect establishing itself on Songshan Mountain?

Everyone understands the principle that one should not allow others to snore beside one's bed.

Shaolin practices vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist scriptures, but they are definitely not vegetarians.

The three masters of Shaolin are all grandmasters at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm. And the three masters of the Ming Dynasty are not even the most senior. It is said that there are also eminent monks in the Chuanmo Cave who sit in seclusion in order to seek the profound mysteries of the supreme Buddha Dharma.

"Hahaha."

"You don't need to be so disappointed."

"In the martial arts world, there is fighting and killing, and of course, there is also joy and vengeance."

"It's just that there are many dirty schemes involved."

Zhu Jinzhen laughed and pulled Huang Rong into his arms, teasingly saying, "But you won't have the chance to experience that again. These deep palace walls won't confine you for life, but with your identity, even if you wanted to travel, you would only see countless secret guards or ordinary people and martial arts practitioners disguised as members of the Eastern and Western Depots and the Embroidered Uniform Guard under my command."

These words were spoken in jest.

To Huang Rong, however, it sounded more like a promise and an affirmation.

"Hehe, it's settled then."

"Your Majesty, whenever I feel like venturing into the martial world someday, remember to send a group of secret guards, the Eastern and Western Depots, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards to surround me."

"This young lady is going to experience what it's like to roam the martial world with an air of superiority."

(End of this chapter)