Playing with fantasy beasts in the martial arts world

Chapter 136 First Encounter with the Gate of Realms

Woo~woo~!

The sound of the longhorn rang out, followed by a series of rhythmic, muffled drumbeats.

Accompanied by the rhythm and cadence of the drums, the Mongol soldiers who had been numb and charging towards the Xiangyang city wall to their deaths all stopped in their tracks. They rolled their eyes and then looked back.

The flags waving backwards behind them were indeed sending the signal they expected.

retreat!

This is not a temporary rest, but a real retreat!

Ding-ding-ding-ding!

Many Mongol soldiers subconsciously loosened their grip on their weapons, feeling a sense of relief, as if they had been given a new lease on life after being choked, but also a strong sense of shame and indignation.

With so many lives sacrificed, was it still destined to fail?

Looking once more at the dilapidated city walls of Xiangyang under the setting sun, many of the retreating Mongols all shared the same thought... They would come back!
Next time, we'll definitely destroy this place!
The shame that has faded away today, they will soon reclaim.

The wealth and glory of the Song Kingdom in their imagination! They will never give up their ambition to plunder it.

In Xiangyang, Guo Jing and his companions, who were about to climb the city walls again to defend against the enemy invasion, heard the horns and drums of the Mongol army retreating. Instinctively, they all looked at the mangled corpse of the Prince of Xiaoyao.

Could it be that news of the Prince of Xiaoyao's death has spread so quickly?
Are there spies still inside the city?

If it weren't for the large cave-in at the chest, which meant the heart was shattered, the corpse of the Carefree King would have looked more like he was just asleep, with a slightly rosy complexion.

The body has been handed over to Huang Yaoshi for disposal.

He will study the secrets on the body of the Carefree King, and perhaps he can decipher some more secrets about the Grandmaster from the body.

Although Yang Guo once said that a Grandmaster is a martial artist who has mastered three realms of intent, this is only a very general statement. In fact, even the top masters in the martial arts world are comprehensive, complex, and composite individuals.

In their areas of expertise, they possess exceptional qualities. No master is entirely homogeneous or assimilated with others. Even if they are at the same level in a broad sense, the methods to deal with them are not the same.

For example, Fang Dongbai's strength lies in his superb swordsmanship and extremely fast sword speed. So much so that even without using the Nine Yang Divine Skill and the Great Shift of the Universe, Zhang Wuji still needed to learn Tai Chi swordsmanship to exchange a few moves with him... Hey! Come to think of it, he's actually pretty amazing!
Standing on the city wall, I watched the Mongol army retreat like a tide, and then gradually, before the sky completely darkened, most of them disappeared into the distance on the horizon.

This time, they left no scouts on horseback, no elite cavalry units ready to support them from the left and right, and retreated completely.

The eagle trained by the Guo family cried out in the air, and Huang Rong's face showed a look of surprise.

"The Mongols have really retreated!!"

"Brother Jing! The Mongols have retreated!" Huang Rong exclaimed joyfully.

Although everyone knew that the Mongols would eventually return, time was on their side.

Cha Nan's appearance gave Guo Jing and his wife new hope.

Given enough time, they are confident that they can build Xiangyang into an impregnable fortress.

After all, wars are fought with money, supplies, and manpower, and money means manpower.

Cha Nan has an inexhaustible supply of 'Yuanqi Stones,' which is money, and the rapidly growing wheat, which sprouts in batches, is grain.

With such a foundation, why worry about not having anyone to use it?
Of course, all of these belonged to Cha Nan, and they couldn't just shamelessly ask for them directly. So Guo Jing and his wife had already planned that in exchange, they would not only serve Cha Nan for a long time, but also work with Huang Yaoshi to customize martial arts for Cha Nan.

With their combined efforts, they can surely create the martial arts that Cha Nan needs and that best suits him.

As Huang Rong announced this, the soldiers on the city wall, who were still hesitant and confused, cheered.

A true survivor!
After all, no one knew how long they could hold out in this city. Faced with the seemingly endless attacks, everyone's hearts were in their throats until now, when they finally felt at ease.

The Mongols have retreated, but the matter is not over. Xiangyang will be busy for a long time, such as repairing the city walls, re-digging the moat and horse-tripping ditches, and properly collecting the corpses inside and outside the city, burying those that should be buried and cremating those that should be cremated, in order to prevent the spread of plague after the spring.

Finally, we must also make full preparations for a long-term resistance, such as collecting large quantities of wood, rolling stones, tung oil, iron ore, and other things that can be used to defend the city.

In conclusion, although the war has ended, it is not yet time to truly relax.

Moreover, the reason why the Mongols suddenly withdrew their troops is also questionable and needs to be investigated.

Three days after the Mongol army retreated, Guo Jing finally received news from the Beggars' Sect disciples that the Mongol Khan Möngke had been assassinated, and that the killer was Qiu Chuji of the Quanzhen Sect.

"Excellent! Master Qiu is truly a hero!" Upon reading the letter, Guo Jing slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, his face filled with excitement.

However, while he was very excited, Huang Rong and Huang Yaoshi did not believe him at all.

They had already read the letter before Guo Jing saw it.

“Brother Jing! It’s not that I’m underestimating Master Qiu. He is indeed of noble character and fearless of death, but Master Qiu is now quite old, and I’ve never heard of him reaching the Grandmaster level in martial arts. How could he find Möngke’s hiding place amidst a vast army, and even kill the Mongol Khan under heavy protection?” Huang Rong raised her doubts, but without waiting for Guo Jing’s reply, she explained directly: “I suspect that Kublai Khan was the one who killed Möngke. He’s framing Master Qiu. And given Master Qiu’s personality, I’m afraid even if he explains, he won’t emphasize it again and again, or even have someone verify it.”

"Given Master Qiu's reputation in the martial arts world and the imperial court, everyone would believe this statement. Even if Master Qiu himself denies it, everyone would assume that he is just being modest!"

After Qiu Chuji traveled west to meet Temujin and advised him against committing too many atrocities, his reputation in the martial arts world and in the imperial court far surpassed that of the Five Greats.

In short, it has broken out of its niche!

After all, in the martial arts world, it's not simply a matter of having the highest martial arts skills to be the most famous and renowned. Besides being a martial arts figure, Qiu Chuji was also one of the founders of the Northern Quanzhen School and a leading figure in Taoism. His achievements would be praised and amplified, leading to his mythologizing.

To many who don't understand, Qiu Chuji is the most powerful master in the martial arts world. Even the Five Greats can't last three moves against him.

It was precisely because of this reputation that Kublai Khan's choice of Qiu Chuji to take the blame seemed the most 'appropriate' option.

This statement aligns with popular perception.

"Is...that so?" Guo Jing was somewhat disappointed, but he didn't take it too seriously. He just felt a little sorry for his former brother, Tolui. Brothers fighting among themselves...If Tolui knew this in the afterlife...

He shook his head. He and Tore had long since severed all ties, and thinking about these things now seemed ridiculous.

"Ha! Truly dull and stupid..." Huang Yaoshi stopped mid-sentence, leaving the rest unsaid.

Guo Jing, however, was not annoyed at all. He bowed respectfully as usual and said, "Father-in-law is right!"

“You’re right to teach me a lesson, then tell me… what is there that you didn’t think of?” Huang Yaoshi asked.

Upon hearing this, Guo Jing remained silent for a long time. He was not a quick-witted person, and he was truly helpless against some of the more intricate schemes and plots.

Although Guo Jing is a different kind of 'genius' in a practical sense, he is indeed not good enough in some aspects in a worldly sense.

"I think what Senior Huang wanted to tell Uncle Guo was the sinister intentions behind Kublai Khan's actions!"

"Master Qiu is the leader of the Taoist sect in the Central Plains, with a great reputation. His killing of Möngke will surely arouse the Mongols' hatred towards us. Moreover, by using the pretext of avenging Möngke, Kublai Khan can inherit more political legacy even if he cannot completely control the entire Mongol Empire."

Cha Nan walked in from outside the door, her expression somewhat strange.

Huang Rong noticed the strange expression on Cha Nan's face and asked, "Is something the matter?"

Cha Nan said, "I saw a door... a door that glows!"

"A boundary gate!?" All three showed expressions of understanding, but none of them were particularly surprised.

Huang Yaoshi remarked, "The time interval between the opening of the boundary gates seems to be getting shorter and shorter!"

(End of this chapter)