Journey to the West: Starting by becoming an apprentice of Emperor Donghua

The immortal from earlier was none other than him. Entering dreams to transmit teachings is the most common and frequently used skill among the disciples of Donghua Sect.

In the courtyard, Li Jun swallowed a pill and smashed a tree in two with a single punch. Then, carrying a bow and carrying a knife, he headed straight for the county town.

Ji Sheng knew that his trip to the county town would inevitably cause a great deal of bloodshed.

He looked towards the capital of the Southern Continent Kingdom, where black mist filled the sky to the south, and had some ideas in mind before flying away on a cloud.

He didn't have anything urgent to do this time.

Since I have some free time, I'd like to see what the tyrannical ruler and treacherous officials of the Southern Land Kingdom look like.

In the capital city of the Southern Land Kingdom, the bustling streets were teeming with people, shoulder to shoulder, a scene of vibrant activity.

A Taoist priest dressed in a gray-blue robe and wearing a headscarf was walking down the street.

The Taoist priest carried a cloth satchel on his shoulder, with a Tai Chi symbol sewn onto it.

As he moved, the divination sticks in his cloth bag rustled.

This Taoist priest was none other than Ji Sheng.

Upon entering the city, he didn't rush to find the king. Instead, he transformed into the appearance of the fortune teller and prepared to wander around the city first.

As we were walking, a commotion suddenly arose ahead, and we heard someone cursing:

"You son of a bitch! You dare to cheat me out of my money!"

Then came a cry of pain, and the crowd in front suddenly swarmed around to watch.

Ji Sheng pushed his way through the crowd to the front and saw a burly, dark-skinned young man grabbing someone by the collar and yelling insults at them at the entrance of the gambling den.

The boy was about sixteen or seventeen years old, eight feet tall, with wide-open, angry eyes, and looked quite imposing.

The man opposite him had a shifty, weasel-like appearance, looking like a thug. After the boy's punch, his nose was bleeding profusely, and he was howling in pain.

"Grandpa, Grandpa Zhao, your money was won honestly and fairly. How can you say I cheated you? You can't deny it just because you lost!"

The thug begged for mercy repeatedly; if the boy hadn't been holding him by the neck, he probably would have been kneeling on the ground long ago.

The young man surnamed Zhao said:

"I clearly saw you cheat! Still trying to deny it? Take this!"

With a soft "thud," another punch landed.

The thug was beaten until his mouth was crooked, his eyes were glazed, and his body was stiff. It took him a while to recover before he continued to beg for mercy.

"I cheated! I cheated! Grandpa Zhao, please stop hitting me! I admit it, okay?"

The boy said:

"You admit defeat? Let me ask you this: did you steal the money you squandered at this gambling den from Widow Fan at the East Gate?"

The thugs dared not answer, and the boy waved his fist, as big as a clay pot, again:

"You won't talk? I'll kill you right now if you don't!"

The thug finally said:

"It was...it was Widow Fan who offered to give it to me..."

The boy was furious and yelled, throwing two more punches.

The thug coughed up two mouthfuls of blood, hung his head, and fell silent.

The boy casually threw the thug on the ground, snatched his money bag, grabbed an iron bar leaning against the entrance of the gambling den, and strode away.

The crowd blocking the road scattered with a roar, all afraid of angering this evil god.

Ji Sheng used his Qi Observation Technique to look at the boy, but was taken aback.

A golden light shone brightly above the young man's head, soaring straight into the sky, with a golden dragon faintly swimming within it; he was indeed the countenance of an emperor.

This young man is clearly not a member of the royal family; it's likely that the future of the Southern Continent Kingdom will belong to him.

How interesting! I've only just arrived and I've already encountered such a person?

Asking around, Ji Sheng learned that the boy's name was Zhao Xingshuo, who had practiced martial arts since childhood and was naturally inclined to fight for justice.

Within this capital city, there lived a notorious and ruthless figure.

Seeing the dragon aura above Zhao Xingshuo's head, Ji Sheng stepped forward and followed.

Zhao Xingshuo walked through the streets and alleys until he arrived at the East Gate. He turned into a small alley and stopped in front of a dilapidated wooden door.

"Where is everyone inside? Open the door!"

Zhao Xingshuo pounded on the wooden door, causing dust to fall from the porch and nearly smashing the old door to pieces.

After a while, a woman with swollen eyes peeked out from the crack in the door.

Zhao Xingshuo threw the silver into the woman's arms and said:

"The money you were robbed of is all in here, hide it well, lest it be coveted by bad guys again!"

The woman was startled, weighed her money bag in her hand, and said:

"I don't have that much money..."

It turned out that all the money Zhao Xingshuo had lost was in that money bag. Zhao Xingshuo said impatiently:

"Take it if I tell you to, and stop talking nonsense. If anyone dares to cause you trouble again, just mention my name, Zhao Xingshuo, and I'll scare them out of their wits!"

With that, Zhao Xingshuo turned around and walked out of the alley.

As soon as he stepped out of the alley, a Taoist priest in a tattered robe blocked his way.

Zhao Xingshuo tried to walk around the Taoist priest, but the priest seemed to be deliberately trying to cause him trouble, taking a step and blocking his way again.

"You Taoist priest, you're so blind! Go away, don't provoke me!"

Hearing Zhao Xingshuo's words, Ji Sheng wasn't annoyed, but instead asked in surprise:

"Young master, you are truly blessed with a handsome appearance! Could you be a dragon descended to earth?"

Zhao Xingshuo was startled:

"Hey! Sir, don't talk nonsense. The current emperor is in his prime, ruling this peaceful and prosperous era, where the people live in peace and health. If we're talking about a true dragon, there's only one!"

Ji Sheng, however, said:

"Young master, do you have your birth chart so I can see it? I'll know who the true dragon is at a glance."

Zhao Xingshuo had intended to leave, but hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, and then said:

"Sir, please speak here."

Zhao Xingshuo pulled Ji Sheng into the alley and said eight words:

"Sir, please take a closer look and don't talk nonsense."

Ji Sheng calculated for a long time, then nodded and said:

"Your destiny is governed by the Heavenly Stems Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, and Geng, representing the Qian, Yuan, Heng, Li, and Zhen principles. It is a perfect 'One-Character-Linked-Pearl' configuration, with three stars of prosperity. You are the son of the Southern Red Emperor, a descendant of the Purple Star!"

Zhao Xingshuo gasped, and after a long while, he said:

"To be honest, sir, the current emperor sits on the throne in vain, appointing treacherous officials. He often oppresses the people with harsh policies, imposes frequent corvée labor, and indulges in extravagance and debauchery. As a result, the people are suffering greatly, and the common people are already in dire straits!"

Though I am young, I have always harbored a desire to set things right, but alas, I have no land to rely on. I wonder if you, sir, could point me in the right direction?

Ji Sheng pondered for a moment and said:

As the saying goes, a single tree cannot make a forest. To achieve great things, one needs the help of capable people.

You may join the army and first make friends with heroes among the soldiers. When the world is in chaos, recruit soldiers and horses to build a great enterprise.

Zhao Xingshuo nodded:

"Sir, your words resonate deeply with me. To be honest, I have long held this same thought. If I can truly pacify the world one day, I will certainly invite you to be my national advisor! Today, I humbly request that you accept this small gift..."

As he spoke, Zhao Xingshuo reached into his pocket and felt around. Only then did he realize that he had already given all the money to Widow Fan, and he said awkwardly:

"Sir, I don't have any money on me right now. Would you be willing to come back to the manor with me to get some?"

Just then, an old man suddenly peered into the alley from outside. When he saw Zhao Xingshuo, he rushed forward, grabbed him, and said anxiously:

"Zhao Dalang! You dare to loiter here! You've caused trouble!"

Zhao Xingshuo asked:

"What calamity could there be?"

The old man said:

"You just punched that scoundrel to death, and now the officials are searching the whole city for you! Run!"