Mang Shusheng's Ink Painting Practice

Chapter 314 Does having a high seniority mean you can do whatever you want?
Zhao Yifu observed his surroundings and then understood the situation.

As he appeared, the people around him reacted and made way for him.

Because Zhao Yifu's portrait had always been hung in the ancestral hall for worship, the Zhao family members recognized him as their ancestor.
Then he exclaimed in surprise, "Our ancestors have descended! Huihui has summoned our ancestors!"

For a moment, people were on their backs.

An elderly man, trembling, approached Zhao Yifu and asked, "But...but Uncle Junxin?"

Zhao Yifu looked at the elderly man and was momentarily dazed.

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Little dog?"

"Yes!!" the old man responded excitedly.

Then, her face fell and she said somewhat embarrassedly, "Second Uncle, that's my nickname, I haven't used it for decades."

Zhao Yifu said nonchalantly, "Those are the only capable people who are dead. That's why I'm back to check on them now."

The other elders of the Zhao family were extremely excited when they saw this, feeling that everything would be easier to discuss now that their ancestor had arrived.

Zhao Yifu then said with emotion, "Little dog, you must be my eldest brother's youngest child. I never imagined that you would be the only one left alive among my eldest brother's descendants."

Looking at Zhao Yifu, the old man from the Zhao family said with tears welling up in his eyes, "I often miss the days when my father was alive... Back then, we were truly carefree."

Zhao Yifu said irritably, "That's because my father and your father took such good care of you."

"Tell me, what problem are you facing right now?"

Old man Zhao Xiaogou quickly wiped away his tears and said, "Second Uncle, you don't know, the imperial court kept increasing taxes on the estate. After Second Uncle and you passed away, no one from my Zhao family held an official position in the court, so we gradually couldn't support ourselves."

"In the past two years, production has been declining year after year. Even if we don't say there's no harvest at all, it's barely enough to feed everyone. There's really no surplus grain to deal with those exorbitant taxes."

"Now, we've only resisted taxes once, and the prefect of Mozhou has already dispatched his navy to besiege us..."

As he spoke, Zhao Xiaogou started crying again, feeling wronged.

Those around them also secretly shed tears.

With their ancestors still alive, they were naturally aggrieved, making no mention of how valiant they had been during their previous tax resistance.

Zhao Yifu knew his family's temperament all too well; they would certainly be very happy when resisting taxes, but he never expected to be besieged by the navy.

So he said irritably, "A bunch of idiots, they came from the water, couldn't you have hidden in the mountains?"

Zhao Xiaogouzi said with a grim face, "But this estate..."

Zhao Yifu said, "Back then, my Zhao family moved here from elsewhere. I chose to build a new estate here because this place is nestled against the mountains and beside the water, offering more retreat options."

“A manor can be rebuilt, but if people are gone, everything is gone…”

He started lecturing them at length, leaving the seventy- or eighty-year-old men in front of him with no choice but to obediently stand at attention as punishment.

Zhao Xiaogouzi glanced at Zhao Huihui, his eyes filled with disdain. This kid was really too underhanded; how could he suddenly call out his ancestor like that?

Zhao Huihui was terrified by the disdainful looks he received. He quickly interrupted, "Grandpa, the situation is critical. It's too late to move the clansmen into the mountains. Please, Grandpa, give us some guidance!"

Zhao Yifu was still not satisfied; it was a rare opportunity to reprimand someone as an elder, and he hadn't had enough yet.

He thought to himself that it would be better to keep the Zhao family around, otherwise he would have nowhere to relieve the pressure in his heart if he continued to be a grandson in heaven.

So he said irritably, "Since the officials are forcing the people to rebel, then they have no choice but to rebel!"

Zhao Xiaogouzi: "??!"

Zhao Huihui: "??!!"

The Zhao family members: "!!!"

How could such blasphemous words be uttered so fluently?
Zhao Yifu looked at everyone and said irritably, "What's the big deal? I'm not afraid to tell you all now."

He pointed at Zhao Xiaogouzi and said, "Your ancestor Yunhe Gong has the bearing of an emperor, and with the unparalleled talent of Guhe Gong and the brave talent of Yehe Gong as his assistants, you have a real chance to change the world!"

"Back then, I was on good terms with Ying Cong, so I planned the Northern Expedition to fulfill his father's and grandfather's wishes. Of the three heroes of the Zhao family, only Zhao Guhe participated in the Northern Expedition. My father Zhao Yunhe and my third uncle Zhao Yehe lived in seclusion in the countryside. It was all a matter of time and fate."

Good heavens, everyone was stunned by the old ancestor's words. Was this just bragging?

Of course, it's fine for them, as the younger generation, to listen to their ancestors boast, but the key question is, what time is it now?

Do we really have to wait until their warships get close before we can get there?

So the group of people frantically gave Zhao Huihui meaningful glances: You're in charge of dealing with the old ancestor you found!
Zhao Huihui said with a bitter face, "But Grandfather, we are now unable to deal with the imperial navy."

The Zhao family elders nodded repeatedly, indicating their agreement.

Zhao Yifu chuckled and said, "You're afraid of the navy because of their warships?"

Zhao Huihui glanced at the elders around him and, seeing that no one was willing to step forward, could only bite the bullet and say, "Grandfather, the imperial court's navy in the Mozhou area consists of only three large ships and eight warships, totaling two thousand men. If it weren't for the navy's strong ships and sharp arrows, my Zhao family would not be afraid of such a large number of people."

Zhao Yifu smiled and said, "Well said. If that's the case, then what are you afraid of if the imperial warships run aground?"

Upon hearing this, everyone looked puzzled.

Just then, a young tribesman ran in excitedly, saying, "They're stranded! They're stranded! All the big ships are stranded!"

Everyone was extremely surprised upon hearing this, and then looked at Zhao Yifu.

Zhao Yifu nodded slightly and said, "Then let's go take a look."

The elders who were having a meeting at the ancestral hall rushed outside with nimble legs... It seems they haven't given up their family's martial arts skills.

The group ran to the outer wall of the village and immediately saw the naval fleet that was threatening Zhao Family Village not far away. All three large ships and eight medium-sized warships were stranded.

The river water suddenly receded at this moment!
This was a completely unexpected low tide, and you could even see from afar that the river water level behind those ships was so high that it almost exceeded the masts!

Good guy!
This extraordinary phenomenon undoubtedly struck a chord with everyone.

Meanwhile, the naval soldiers on those ships all showed signs of terror. Some were muttering to themselves in a frenzy, while others were kowtowing repeatedly to the river surface behind them, which rose up like a wall. Still others were ashen-faced and couldn't muster even the slightest fighting spirit towards Zhao Family Village.

Zhao Huihui looked at Zhao Yifu in astonishment and asked, "Grandpa, did you make this?"

Zhao Yifu smiled and said, "This body of mine, having entered the mortal world, is only capable of controlling water."

So humble.

But in Zhao Huihui's eyes, this was nothing short of pretentious.

He discovered that while the description of his ancestor's temperament in the book "The Story of the Northern Expedition" might be accurate, the description of his abilities was definitely a case of subtle manipulation!

Perhaps our ancestors weren't exaggerating? Could it be that the Zhao family can truly become royalty?

Zhao Huihui's thoughts couldn't help but drift off in other directions.

Zhao Yifu watched everyone's reactions with a smile. It was so great to be a respected senior figure.

He felt that he had gone to heaven too early. If he could stay in the mortal world for a longer time like his master, wouldn't he also be able to enjoy the feeling of being a senior?

Pity.

Zhao Yifu felt a pang of bitterness when he thought about the reality that he could only be the 'youngest' in the People's Education Bureau.

At this moment, a man suddenly leaped onto the mast of one of the large ships and shouted, "Where did this sorcerer come from, daring to use sorcery to interfere with the operations of my Great Xu Navy? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"

The Zhao family members were all shaken. This statement seemed to make sense. Wasn't that what the picture book said?
Zhao Yifu then asked Zhao Huihui, "How's your Qi cultivation going?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huihui perked up and said, "It has already reached a high level of mastery."

The Zhao family members looked at Zhao Huihui with surprise and delight, clearly not expecting this unassuming clansman to say such a thing.

Because in the Zhao family, 'mastery of Qi cultivation' is the level of an unparalleled expert.

In today's martial arts world, unparalleled masters have almost disappeared, and their status is now so high that it is equivalent to that of the leaders of some cultivation sects.

This is the effect of the rapid decline of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Zhao Yifu nodded and said, "It's acceptable. Then please ask him for me where that person's teacher is."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huihui disregarded the fact that he had revealed his cultivation level and quickly exhaled from the top of the wall, saying, "Who is your master? Don't be so arrogant!"

The sound was booming and carried far without diminishing at all.

The man said loudly, "I am Li Shuang, a disciple of the Demon Subduing Path. And who are you all from?"

This is about introducing each other's families.

Zhao Yifu thought for a moment and said, "Tell him that considering the past righteousness of the Demon Subduing Path in the Northern Expedition, we will not pursue this matter this time, and he can leave quickly."

In fact, Zhao Yifu refrained from harming the human lineage only because of his relationship with the Demon-Subduing Emperor. Zhao Huihui immediately answered truthfully.

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Yifu waved his hand, and the towering river surface calmed down again.

This scene nearly startled the entire Xu navy, as their ships would likely be unable to withstand the sudden drop in water level.

But all of this river water just slid in from under the fleet at once, the whole process was so smooth that you could hardly feel any bumps...

Such incredible skill can only be described as both astonishing and awe-inspiring.

Once the fleet could sail on the river again, it naturally turned tail and sailed away without looking back.

It is estimated that the Zhao family's Shenhe Manor has been designated as a forbidden area by them.

Zhao Yifu said helplessly, "Fine, I was originally thinking of simply capturing this fleet, which would serve as capital for the Zhao family's uprising."

"Let it go for now. At least the Zhao family can protect themselves in this chaotic world."

Just then, a member of the tribesmen who was looking at the river suddenly shouted, "Why is there another small boat?"

Indeed, a small boat was sailing towards the spot where the fleet had originally been in the river.

There was someone on the small boat; it was Li Shuang, a disciple of the Demon Subduing Path.

Zhao Yifu gestured to his grandson to go and strike up a conversation.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huihui immediately stepped forward and asked, "Brother Li, what is the reason for this?"

This time, he didn't look at the elders' expressions anymore. Unbeknownst to him, he had already established a new position within the Zhao clan.

The clan elders seemed unfazed by this, and the reasons for that need no further explanation.

Li Shuang stopped at the ferry crossing inside Shenhe Manor and said, "I have something I must say, and I would like to share it with the experts in the manor."

Zhao Huihui cupped his hands and said, "Brother Li, please. The Ancestor has been waiting for a long time."

He did not consult Zhao Yifu because he had already discerned Zhao Yifu's intentions.

Upon hearing this, Li Shuang immediately cupped her hands in greeting, then stepped ashore and followed Zhao Huihui into Shenhe Manor.

He hadn't thought much of it at first, but upon entering the Divine Crane Manor, he realized that its layout was so exquisite that it subtly conformed to the principles of military strategy, clearly making it an incredibly sturdy fortress!

Along the way, the members of the Zhao clan were all full of energy and skill, and they were all experts in martial arts.

Such strength is truly terrifying.

At the same time, I am also very puzzled as to why such forces usually keep a low profile in the martial arts world.
If it weren't for the prefect of Mozhou's strict warning about unruly people resisting taxes, he would never have known that such a powerful force existed here.

He arrived at the main hall of the manor and saw a group of elderly men with bright eyes and bulging temples standing on either side, while a humble young man sat in the main seat in the middle, waiting for him.

This made his heart skip a beat. What was wrong with these old men? They were all top-notch experts.
He looked around, and when he saw Zhao Huihui, who had led him in, he felt something was different; he couldn't see through her at all...

He said helplessly, "The Zhao family members are truly hiding their true strength. But if they have such power, why do they still need to use such magic to suppress others?"

Zhao Huihui also showed a surprised expression. Obviously, he had not thought of this question before. At that time, he only felt that the situation was critical and could not help but call the ancestor who had not been called for a long time.

He looked apologetically at Zhao Yifu, who was sitting in the middle, and said, "Grandpa, I was being presumptuous and shouldn't have disturbed you."

Li Shuang was startled, and her expression towards Zhao Yifu changed.

Zhao Yifu waved his hand and said, "It's alright. It's good that you called me here. Otherwise, if these good-for-nothings were to act recklessly, the Zhao family might really become the target of public criticism."

The old men, including "Little Zhao," all showed expressions of dissatisfaction, declaring that they were not fools...

Zhao Yifu pointed at an old man with annoyance and said, "You want war? That's right, it's not difficult for the Zhao family to destroy that navy, but let alone how many clansmen will die in the process, have you thought about what will happen afterward? Without a long-term plan, acting like this is nothing but courting destruction!"

Then he pointed to another old man: "And you, tell me what you meant by surrendering back then? Don't think I don't know your filthy thoughts. Did you want to pretend to bow down and admit defeat, and then find an opportunity to go to Mo City and stab that prefect?"

The old man opened his mouth as if to speak.

Zhao Yifu interrupted again, saying, "Don't try to deny it. By killing a prefectural-level official, especially in the economically and culturally prosperous Mozhou, are you planning to send the army that was originally there to suppress the bandits to Mozhou first?"

Finally, he concluded, "I know you guys all too well. You've been hiding in the shadows for so many years, you must be itching to get out of it, right?"

He gave them a good scolding, so much so that the old men couldn't even lift their heads.

The group of old men immediately gave Zhao Huihui meaningful glances.

Zhao Huihui said helplessly, "Grandpa, Brother Li is still waiting to speak with you."

Zhao Yifu then stopped.

He felt apologetic; he had genuinely lost his temper. He finally understood why his stepmother had been able to yell at his foolish younger brother all night.

Sometimes, you really can't control yourself.

He looked at Li Shuang and said, "You flatter me. But since you are from the Demon Subduing Path, we are family. I wonder how much of the essence of the sword technique you have grasped?"

Li Shuang's expression froze, and she also started to feel a headache.

This feeling of being examined by a senior colleague made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He clasped his hands in a fist and said, "My skills are not very good and are not worth mentioning. May I ask how you should address me, senior?"

Zhao Huihui immediately said, "This is my Zhao family's ancestor, Lord Junxin."

Zhao Yifu nodded gently, maintaining a very proper air.

Li Shuang was startled and immediately asked, "May I ask if it is the immortal Fu Yin in person?!"

Zhao Yifu wasn't surprised; it seemed the Demon Subduing Path had left records about him. He nodded and said, "It was indeed... um, this old man."

He found it very strange and called himself "this old man".

Thinking back to when he was just "Little Zhao," now he's "Old Zhao." It's impossible not to feel the passage of time.

That's how he came to feel it.

Li Shuang exclaimed in utter astonishment, "My elders from the Demon Subduing Sect said that Immortal Fu Yin had already ascended to the Heavenly Realm, yet he is able to descend to the mortal realm again?"

Zhao Yifu smiled gently and said, "Who told my descendants to be so disappointing?"

The Zhao family members were stunned. Had their ancestor really become an immortal?
Zhao Xiaogouzi couldn't help but murmur, "Before my father passed away, he kept talking about how my second uncle was doing in heaven. I thought that heaven referred to the afterlife, but it really is heaven?!"

Suddenly, the eyes of the group of old men turned to Zhao Yifu with fervor.

People say that when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. Since our ancestors cared so much about their families, perhaps they could also become immortals?
Only one person seemed to be deep in thought. Zhao Yifu looked at Zhao Huihui and said, "Kid, everyone seems to want me to take you to the Heavenly Realm. Don't you want to?"

Zhao Huihui was taken aback upon hearing this, then solemnly replied, "Because I think it must be a very difficult thing to bring people to the Heavenly Realm, right? I don't want my great-grandfather to go through so much trouble for this."

Everyone agreed that it made sense, but they still felt unwilling to accept it.

Zhao Yifu laughed and said, "What may be extremely difficult for others is a piece of cake for me."

Zhao Huihui's expression immediately froze, and he said somewhat awkwardly, "It was my presumptuous speculation. Please punish me, Grandfather."

Zhao Yifu comforted him, "I don't blame you, but now that you know I can take you to the Immortal Realm, aren't you tempted?"

Now, not only the Zhao family members, but even Li Shuang was tempted.

However, after thinking about it carefully, Zhao Huihui shook his head and said, "It would be a lie to say that I am not tempted, but since my great-grandfather loves my Zhao clan so much, there must be a reason why he has never had this thought before."

Zhao Yifu nodded and said, "Very good. I've watched you grow up. It's really good that you've grown like this."

He glanced at the crowd and said, "It's no use listening to matters of the celestial realm. You only need to know that what you are like in the mortal world is the same as what you are like in the heavens. The pursuit of immortality lies in one's own cultivation; without cultivation, one is still just a mortal."

These words dampened the enthusiasm of many.

Because they know very well whether they have the talent for cultivation.

These old men, despite their advanced age, only possessed the internal energy cultivation of first-rate masters. They hadn't even mastered their family's martial arts techniques and already knew they had no hope.

Li Shuang immediately realized her mistake and said, "Thank you for reminding me, Immortal Fu Yin. I almost misunderstood."

"But there is one more thing I would like to ask the immortal, and I hope that the immortal will not hesitate to answer it."

Zhao Yifu said, "No need to be so polite, just ask me what you want to say."

Li Shuang's polite manner made him feel very comfortable...

Li Shuang asked, "Is the fate of my great Xu dynasty already sealed?"

The question suddenly came up, making everyone present shudder.

(End of this chapter)