Zongwu: Aspiring to be the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 224 The Power of the Holy Ancestor, the Border of Qin State

"For thousands of years, our people have still regarded Chiyou as their ancestor, and called him their holy ancestor."

Aizen said, "The Classic of Mountains and Seas records that Yanhuang and Chiyou fought at Zhuolu. Yanhuang won and Chiyou was defeated. They were torn apart by five horses and buried separately at the five extremes of heaven and earth."

However, this account is extremely false. The death of the Holy Ancestor was the greatest secret of that era, and it is likely that no one except the Yan and Huang Emperors knew the truth. Our clan once sent people to search the five extremes of heaven and earth, but to no avail.

Thousands of years have passed, and countless hatreds have turned to ashes. Yet, the faith in our Holy Ancestor remains the foundation of our race. Whether it be the Four Emperors or us Seven Sages, whoever can retrieve the Holy Ancestor's remains will surely gain the support of many of our people!

Jin Jiu continued, "Not long ago, we used ancient divination techniques to predict that the power of the Holy Ancestor would appear in the world this year. Whatever that power is, it is an opportunity for us."

If we obtain it and bring it back to our tribe, it will undoubtedly garner more support from our people, allowing us to suppress the Four Emperors!

Aizen said, "I have sent people to investigate this power for a long time, but unfortunately these actions have been noticed by the Four Emperors, who have placed our subordinates under close surveillance."

Therefore, some force completely unknown to them must intervene in order to bypass their surveillance and seize this power!

Upon hearing this, Mu Daoren and A Gui instantly understood why the two of them had inexplicably said such a long thing.

"Your subordinate is willing to serve the organization like a dog or a horse!"

"Your subordinate will do everything in his power to retrieve the Holy Ancestor's power for the organization!"

The two immediately pledged their loyalty.

Aizen smiled and said, "I understand your sincere intentions. But this matter is not as difficult as you two imagine. The organization has already made sufficient plans."

Both of you are currently organizational cadres, bearing heavy responsibilities. You must not neglect your important duties because of this matter.

Jin Jiu said, "Chang Le, your fleet is still being built, so it's not convenient for you to leave for the time being. As for Gin Jiu, the position of the Giant Whale Gang is completely secure, so Gin Jiu will go instead."

"Yes!" The two men clasped their hands in acceptance of the order.

Aizen said, "In that case, three days from now, take a few people with you. The organization will open a portal for you and send you directly to the mission location. At that time, you can find the organization members in that location to cooperate. For specific details, use the Heavenly Secret Token to contact them."

"Your subordinate will certainly live up to the organization's expectations!"

"By the way, we just asked everyone to raise their questions and provide answers, but neither of you spoke up. Why don't we use it here?"

"Thank you, sir!"

Both of them were delighted.

While there may not be countless martial artists of the Grandmaster level on this land, there are certainly not few either.

There are also many records of related martial arts experience and secret manuals.

However, once one reaches the Grandmaster level, openly speaking, in the entire Ming Dynasty, there is only one Zhang Sanfeng.

Even Zhang Sanfeng himself had to ponder, understand, and overcome any difficulties he encountered in his cultivation.

Not to mention Mu Daoren and A Gui.

Faced with this entirely new realm, the doubts that the two had accumulated during their cultivation were simply indescribable.

Now that Aizen is here to answer their questions, it is naturally excellent.

Of course, in fact, the one who truly answered their questions was Ken-gaku, who was standing to the side.

Although the two are grandmasters, they have already stood at the top of the entire martial arts world.

However, in terms of the Grandmaster level, both of them have only been in this realm for less than half a year, so they can be considered to be true beginners.

All the problems they encounter during their cultivation process are, for a Grandmaster, just the most basic and common problems.

Jian Yue originally came from Zhongzhou, a region where martial arts flourished and was extremely prosperous.

The Sword Sect he belonged to was a top-tier power even in the Central Plains, with a long history and formidable strength.

In his time, Jian Yue could be considered the most outstanding disciple of the Sword Sect.

The Sword Sect has two great unique skills: the Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin and the Heaven-Returning Sword Technique. These skills have been passed down for countless years, yet very few people have been able to master them.

But Jian Yue had mastered it all.

This demonstrates his exceptional talent.

Later, because of the Ancestral Sword, Jian Yue mistakenly entered the Sword Realm, became obsessed with it, and ended up trapped in the Sword Realm.

Since he couldn't leave, he decided to study the martial arts of the entire sword world.

Although all martial arts in the sword world are sword techniques, the saying goes, "If you understand one technique, you understand all techniques." In the more basic aspects, regardless of the martial art, they are all interconnected.

Thus, not only were the two asking basic questions, but Jian Yue was also able to answer even more advanced or difficult questions.

If all else fails, there's always the Demon Lord.

That is a spirit born from the Sword Realm, born with knowledge.

However, Aizen wasn't truly all-knowing and would answer all their questions.

The main point is, if all their doubts are truly dispelled, what use would grandmasters like them have for merit?
He was already at the top of the entire martial arts world, able to get whatever he wanted, and could obtain gold, silver, jewels, and rare materials through his own power.

The merits were of little use to them.

Its greatest use, without a doubt, is to answer their questions and resolve their problems related to spiritual practice.

If Aizen really solves these problems for them, they might not be able to use their accumulated merits.

Therefore, after answering only five questions for each of them, Aizen excused himself, turned around, opened a portal, and left.

Mu Daoren and A Gui were not particularly dissatisfied.

As the saying goes, true teachings can be conveyed in a single sentence, while false teachings can fill countless volumes.

In this era, knowledge is inherently valuable; this is a consensus shared by everyone in the world.

Moreover, it's knowledge at the Grandmaster level or above!
Master Mu then took his leave and went into seclusion. He spent a day absorbing what he had learned before preparing for the mission two days later.

He made arrangements for the Giant Whale Gang, and then summoned the three men to inform them of the matter.

These three were the people he planned to take with him on the mission.

They are Vodka, his disciple Shi He, and Zhong Wugu.

Vodka was someone arranged by Gin; he had a special status.

Having been by his side for some time, he discovered that this person was not only exceptionally strong, but also very capable.

The only drawback is that he's not very bright; sometimes he can't quite grasp things and needs some pointers.

But once he understands something, he can do it exceptionally well.

Shi He was a loyal disciple of Mu Daoren.

In this kind of thing, you naturally have to involve him and let him get some credit.

Zhong Wugu, the last one, was actually a disciple of Mu Daoren.

However, Zhong Wugu was a lay disciple of Wudang. Even though he studied under Mu Daoren, his status as a disciple was not as prominent as that of Shi He.

This can be roughly understood as a 'registered disciple'.

However, Zhong Wugu was exceptionally talented, and Mu Daoren never compromised on his teachings.

After completing his training, Zhong Wugu returned to his hometown and established the now infamous "Black Tiger Hall" in the underworld.

However, no matter how accomplished a gangster may be, he will ultimately find it difficult to gain respect in society.

However, clearing one's name is extremely difficult.

At this time, the Wood Taoist approached Zhong Wugu.

Without saying a word, Zhong Wugu abandoned the Black Tiger Hall he had already built and joined Mu Daoren, assisting him in building Ghost Manor.

Regardless of ability, strength, or loyalty, Zhong Wugu can be considered one of the best under Mu Daoren.

So much so that when Mu Daoren first joined the organization and started working for it, he wasn't transferred out.

Firstly, he was needed to stabilize Ghost Manor.

Secondly, it's because Mu Daoren also needed to leave himself a way out. This shows his trust in Zhong Wugu.

But times have changed.

The organization was developing better and better, and its own depths were unfathomable. Therefore, Mu Daoren also brought out Zhong Wugu.

However, even if such newcomers are exceptionally capable, they do not make many contributions within the organization, so they are naturally not easy to promote.

As a result, Zhong Wugu is currently only a prospective member.

This time, Master Mu intends to bring him along, and after completing this mission, he will take the opportunity to promote him to a formal member.

Three days have passed since the gathering.

After setting the time, Master Mu summoned the three of them to his presence.

A moment later, golden ripples appeared in the void.

In just a few breaths, a golden light gate was formed.

Shihe and Vodka had already seen it before.

But Zhong Wugu, who was still a probationary member at the time, was seeing it for the first time, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

He immediately made up his mind that he must seize this opportunity and perform exceptionally well.

No matter what, I need to elevate my status as a prospective member!
"Let's go."

The four of them passed through the golden portal, and a gust of hot wind greeted them.

Yellow sand rolls up.

Everywhere you look, there is desolation!
"This is...a desert!"

"To be precise, it's the northern border of Qin. If you go a few dozen miles further, you'll leave Qin and enter the Western Regions!"

The Wood Taoist said.

"In just a few steps, he traversed an unknown distance; such a method is truly astonishing!"

Zhong Wugu exclaimed in surprise.

The Wood Taoist was also surprised.

After all, it was his first time, but he was mentally prepared, so he remained calm.

"Let's go, let's find the local organization members first."

"it is good!"

The group used their lightness skills to run swiftly, and soon they saw a small town.

That was the northernmost border city of the Qin state, and it could also be defined as the border between the Qin state and the Western Regions.

Because of this characteristic, the city became a place for trade between the Qin state and the Western Regions, so although it was located in a desert area, it appeared to be prosperous.

It is naturally inferior to those first-rate major cities.

However, it is in no way inferior to some ordinary county towns in the mainland.

On the city wall, Qin soldiers clad in black armor patrolled back and forth, their long spears sharp and their eyes fierce.

"Rumor has it that after Qin conquered the six states, it became the largest country in the Nine Provinces. Now, seeing that the soldiers of this small city are so fierce, the rumors seem to be true."

"As this place is on the border of the Qin state, it often has to face the bandits from the Western Regions. The soldiers who can be stationed here are naturally elite."

Vodka and Shihe were both quite surprised by this.

But Zhong Wugu understood perfectly.

Because his hometown was in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty, he later established the Black Tiger Hall, whose influence swept across the northwest and reached the border.

At that time, he also frequently dealt with people from the Western Regions, the Yuan Dynasty, and the Central Plains, doing business with them.

As a criminal organization, his so-called business dealings naturally violated the laws of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, they also had some understanding of the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty stationed on the border.

Although the countries are different, they are both at the border, so the principles are naturally the same.

The four entered the city.

The streets were bustling with people, and shops lined both sides, creating a vibrant commercial atmosphere.

"They even sell fruit here?"

Shi He was surprised to find that there were not only fruit stalls in the city, but also a wide variety of fruits.

But then I looked at the price...

"This is too expensive!"

"Hehe, fruits from the desert, what do you say?"

"No problem! Please feel free to help yourselves if you'd like!"

Behind the fruit stand, a blond-haired, blue-eyed man from the Western Regions smiled and said, "Confucius said, 'Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?' The fruit in this desert is indeed a bit expensive, but nothing is more expensive than friendship."

Master Mu's expression shifted: "Could you perhaps be...?"

"My name is Marco."

The man from the Western Regions said, "Please come in, everyone."

Behind the fruit stand is a spacious courtyard.

The group followed Marco into the courtyard, served him tea, and closed the door.

Marco said, "I witnessed the elegance of Lord Gin at the gathering a few days ago. I never expected that the organization would invite you to take charge of this matter today. It is truly an honor for this junior."

Master Mu laughed and said, "We're all working for the organization, there's no such thing as senior or junior. This time, we're here to help, or more precisely, to cooperate with your operation."

"Don't dare."

After a few pleasantries, Marco began to explain the situation.

"A legend about the ancient Loulan Kingdom has been passed down in this land for generations."

Legend has it that in the past, Chi You and Yan Huang fought a great battle. Yan Huang, with the help of the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, were able to defeat Chi You. Under Chi You's command was an extremely terrifying weapon called the War Demon God, which was sealed away by the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden, who ordered the Loulan Kingdom to guard the seal, where it remains to this day.

The wooden Taoist nodded.

This may just be a legend to others.

But in the eyes of Mu Daoren, who knew the organization's origins, it might be historical fact.

However, the origins of the organization are naturally top secret.

Moreover, the organization has a long-standing tradition of hierarchy and information gaps.

A formal member can only access information up to the cadre level. Going any higher would be considered a violation of regulations.

The things that Mu Daoren knew were not even told to Shi He, Vodka, and others.

They were simply told that an important mission had been assigned to them by an organization, and that they needed to carry it out.

Naturally, they wouldn't inform Marco of this information.

Marco, as a formal member of the organization, was involved, but he was clearly unaware of the truth.

"No one has ever taken this legend seriously. But not long ago, old man Lü in the city obtained a treasure that is said to be related to Loulan!"

"Old Man Lü?" the Wooden Taoist asked. "Who is he?!"

Marco shook his head: "No one knows his true origin. I only know that he comes from the Central Plains and is extremely skilled in mechanical arts. He seems to be a member of the Mohist school."

(End of this chapter)