Devouring Evil Martial Arts, Eliminating Demons from All Heavens

Chapter 173 The cheater came purely for martial arts.
Xiahou Feishan led everyone to the gate of the Southern Shaolin Temple.

Since we are here on behalf of Xiahou Manor, we should go up through the front gate and pay our respects openly and legitimately.

Xiahou Feishan gave this explanation, but then took Lu Shuangyan and went directly around to the back of the mountain.

There is a pavilion at the foot of the back mountain. There seems to be someone in the pavilion, but it is not clear.

There were over a hundred fine horses and more than a hundred people waiting around the pavilion.

People and horses are arranged in a staggered manner, stretching from both sides of the pavilion all the way to the distant woods.

The horse was tied to a tree, and its dissatisfied neighing could be faintly heard.

But none of the people waiting there made a sound.

Lu Shuangyan looked at these people with some curiosity. Apart from a few monks, most of them were either rich or noble, judging from their clothes and appearance.

Some of them were clearly wearing official boots, with protruding bellies, yet they looked quite nervous.

“There are quite a few people in the various government offices along the coast who collude with the Japanese pirates. After they are punished, someone needs to take their place.”

Xiahou Feishan explained, "These people were originally on the Southern Shaolin Temple's recommendation list, but Chu Tianshu asked them to come over in batches so that he could take a look and then confirm their promotions."

Lu Shuangyan was a little surprised: "The fact that they can wait for promotion means that they already had a certain status and should be considered former allies of the Southern Shaolin Temple. How could they be so obedient and come so readily?"

Xiahou Feishan chuckled and said, "After all, they watched their own superior lose his head."

"Moreover, the imperial decrees for promotion are all in Chu Tianshu's hands."

"With both sides combined, they no longer have the opportunity to be fence-sitters."

Lu Shuangyan understood: "They're coming in batches to report on their work, isn't it? It's a way for colleagues to meet and consolidate their authority?"

This trip made these people realize more clearly that they were no longer allies, but subordinates.

Xiahou Feishan's voice suddenly lowered: "If it were only for such a small purpose, Chu Tianshu might not have made such a big fuss. I think he must have other intentions."

Lu Shuangyan looked closely and saw that everyone who entered the pavilion seemed to be dismissed after only a few words.

When the two first arrived, they saw that there were still more than a hundred people in the woods.

In just over an hour, most of the people had left.

With the meeting so rushed, even if there were other motives, would there really be enough time for them to be effective?
Inside the pavilion, Chu Tianshu would write down the name of each person he met on the list in his hand.

After everyone left, Chu Tianshu handed the list to Miaokong and Miaoguo, who were standing next to him.

Miao Guo glanced at it and saw that most people had a checkmark in red ink, but a few were circled.

In addition, more than ten people were marked with an X.

Those marked with a checkmark are barely usable, while those circled are both talented and virtuous.

The items marked with an "X" must be replaced.

The positions originally intended for these dozen or so people will now need to be filled by a new pool of candidates.

"It's truly miraculous; just by meeting them and exchanging a few words, they can know the ins and outs of these people."

This wasn't the first time Miao Guo had seen such a list, and she was still deeply shocked.

Miao Kong nodded in agreement from the side.

When Chu Tianshu did this for the first time, Miao Kong and the others were actually quite skeptical.

Those on the recommendation list have had dealings with the Southern Shaolin Temple for many years.

However, there are too many people, and the Southern Shaolin Temple cannot delve into every single one of them. In the past, they only sought to ensure smooth business operations and did not have the motivation to delve into anything in depth.

The number of people removed from Chu Tianshu's first list was not large, so the Southern Shaolin Temple mobilized its manpower to carefully investigate.

It turned out that those people were indeed up to something, and they hid it quite well.

If we hadn't assumed they had a problem and deliberately investigated, we probably wouldn't have found anything at all.

"Seven or eight out of ten of these people are just being used as a makeshift solution. The focus going forward should be on selecting new talent from the grassroots."

Chu Tianshu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked very relaxed.

His demeanor didn't suggest that it took considerable effort to quickly grasp the personalities and abilities of over a hundred people.

It was more like casually viewing some paintings.

Not only did I not feel tired, but I also used it as a time to relax after practicing.

Since his battle with Chen Zuqi, Chu Tianshu has been diligently studying the secrets of "refining spirit into qi" and has made many explorations into the "Secret Blessings of the Vertical and Horizontal Realms".

He gradually discovered that the "Smoke and Cloud Observation Technique" could reflect more than he had expected.

Although very few people in the world today can actively perceive the ethereal realm, everyone is actually affected by it.

The interaction between a person and the realm of mist and clouds is closely related to that person's life experiences.

Whether this person has done more good or bad deeds, how many people have been rescued from trouble, and how many have been put in danger, he may be able to gain fame and reputation, deceive the eyes of the world, and even this person himself may not have a clear judgment.

After all, in officialdom, besides those who know whether they are doing good or evil, there are always fools who are equally common.

However, none of this could escape the perception of the Misty Cloud Realm.

Chu Tianshu initially used his method of insight to observe people through the mist and clouds, but he could only see a person's emotional fluctuations at that moment.

Now, however, he can roughly know a person's merits and demerits for half a lifetime by distinguishing the color of light.

This feeling is truly magical.

It allows you to directly see the ability level and factional leanings of your subordinates.

It's almost like playing a management game set in ancient times.

"In the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, there was a great talent named Lun Wenxu. He was exceptionally skilled in martial arts and had once passed the provincial examination with top honors. However, he had a conflict with the henchmen of the Eastern Depot and had to live in anonymity for several years."

Zen Master Miaokong said, "This person recently wrote a letter recommending himself, and in his words he revealed that he has traveled to several provinces in recent years and has made many friends."

"Our self-organized imperial examination still requires careful preparation. If you have the time, Mr. Tian, ​​you can arrange a date to meet these people first."

Chu Tianshu nodded: "Sure."

There is no shortage of talent in any era; what is lacking is the opportunity for them to emerge and continue to grow.

Gu! !

Chu Tianshu downed the remaining half-cup of hot tea in one gulp, stood up and said, "You guys continue with your work, I'm going out for a walk." He walked out of the pavilion and headed straight into the woods, heading towards Xiahou Feishan and Lu Shuangyan.

There must be very few swordsmen in the world who have cultivated divine intent.

Chu Tianshu laughed and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you are the swordsman who defeated Xiahou and specializes in killing assassins?"

Lu Shuangyan stared at him with a strange expression: "It's me. You're much younger than I imagined."

"Likewise, you don't look that old either."

Chu Tianshu invited, “The scenery at the foot of this mountain is rather plain. There are clear springs gurgling over the rocks on the mountain, and inside and outside the temple, there are various martial arts practitioners’ equipment and traces of martial arts performances.”

"Shall we go up the mountain and sit for a while?"

He turned and led the way, looking extremely relaxed, his pace as slow as if he were taking a stroll.

Lu Shuangyan didn't rush to speak and followed along for half the distance.

While Xiahou Feishan found the journey tedious, the two of them enjoyed it immensely.

It was as if the two people's clothes, expressions, minds, and gazes were drifting along this mountain climbing journey, changing with the scenery.

Even halfway up the mountain, you can see many monks practicing their martial arts among the trees on both sides of the mountain road.

They tied straw and cowhide to the tree trunks to practice their palm techniques.

In places like the Arhat Hall and Bodhidharma Hall of the Southern Shaolin Temple, there are training grounds for martial monks, and the fertile fields at the foot of the mountain also serve to hone their mental skills.

However, there are many types of martial arts in Southern Shaolin, and for some palm techniques, practicing on naturally growing trees is the most suitable method.

A large tree with deep roots possesses a resilience that is both strong and tough in its counter-force.

Once their kung fu has reached a certain level of proficiency, and they can shake off a large number of leaves with a single palm strike, they will be called to practice elsewhere.

Leave these trees to the next generation of disciples.

That ancient, lush tree, with its old leather binding marks on its trunk, has probably witnessed the arduous training of several generations.

"Although the Southern Shaolin Temple has fewer unique skills than the Songshan Shaolin Temple, its spirit of diligent practice is in no way inferior to that of the Songshan Shaolin Temple."

Lu Shuangyan said, "This place could have been a pure land for martial arts, but unfortunately, the monks were too worldly in the past and were unwilling to completely turn away from worldly life. They were stuck in the middle and wasted the hard work of their descendants."

"Now that you have completely led them to secularism, it is a great thing."

"Even if it can no longer be a pure land for martial arts, it can become a fertile ground for martial arts."

Chu Tianshu's eyes lit up, and his gaze toward Lu Shuangyan was quite different.

He dominated one region and gradually came to rule the world.

With the expansion of this power along the coast, it will be impossible for a group of monks to occupy high positions in the future.

This is fundamentally contrary to the tenets of Zen Buddhism.

Miaoguo, Miaogao, Miaoji, and others will most likely return to secular life in the future, while the newly promoted core members have never been monks in the first place.

However, it would be inappropriate to abandon the pilgrimage and reputation that the Southern Shaolin Temple has built up among the people.

Chu Tianshu's idea was to transform the Southern Shaolin Temple into a martial arts school and a military academy.

He has already provided a lot of guidance and laid a solid foundation for this, but even Miao Fan and others, being in the thick of it, have not yet clearly realized it.

The swordsman in front of them immediately grasped the changing atmosphere of the Southern Shaolin Temple.

"turn out to be……"

Chu Tianshu suddenly realized, "You came here not for anything else, but only for martial arts?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Shuangyan smiled.

Strangely enough, this swordsman wasn't someone who liked to keep a stern face.

He hitched a ride with someone from the Xiahou family and reunited with Xiahou Feishan, revealing a smile on his face several times.

But it was more like his expression, blending in with the overall atmosphere around him, creating a natural change.

Therefore, those laughs don't leave a deep impression on others; they're just blended in with the atmosphere at the time.

Now, when he laughs, it's as if he has stepped out of the leisurely mountain breeze and become independent.

He held the black-sheathed longsword in his left hand, slung diagonally behind his waist.

The chirping of cicadas, the mountain wind, and the shadows of the forest cannot create such a straight, powerful slant as a swordsman among men.

"Civil and military affairs are the foundation of all human achievements throughout the ages."

Lu Shuangyan said, "I am not proficient in literature and science, and I cannot find enjoyment in them. Since childhood, I have only wanted to become a part of the study of martial arts."

"When I see Liuyun, I go to Japan. Seven parts of my motivation is martial arts, and three parts are displeasure."

"But to see you, I can do it entirely for martial arts."

Chu Tianshu said with delight, "I've heard Xiahou mention your swordsmanship. He said it's the most suitable sword for killing people in the world. I wonder if it has a name?"

"I've thought of many names for my sword moves, but they're either too long or too short. What seemed appropriate yesterday now seems pretentious tomorrow."

Lu Shuangyan thought for a moment, "When I debated with Xiahou, his sword technique had a total of thirteen moves. Since he said it was suitable for killing people..."

"Then let's call it 'The Thirteen Deadly Swords'... Hmm, let's call it 'The Thirteen Deadly Swords'."

Chu Tianshu blinked: "The Thirteen Deadly Swords?"

He used to watch a TV series about a man surnamed Xie and a swordsman surnamed Yan who had a sword duel.

This sword technique is among them and is considered the pinnacle of martial arts.

Speaking of which, among the four great martial arts families, there seems to be one that is surnamed Xie.

However, the Xie family is small in number and weak compared to the likes of Xiahou and Murong, and they don't have much of a presence in the martial arts world now.

"you……"

Chu Tianshu still asked, "Do you know Yan Shisan?"

Lu Shuangyan shook her head and said, "Never heard of it."

(End of this chapter)