Underworld entries, starting with ghost stories.

So, I actually traveled to a martial arts version of the chaotic late Sui Dynasty?

Wu Qing has a big head.

He didn't know whether he should go and seek refuge with Li Erfeng now.

Upon closer examination, although the world was gradually descending into chaos and refugees were everywhere at this time, even Dou Jiande had only just begun his rebellion.

In other words, the eighteen rebel kings and the sixty-four rebel factions had not yet taken shape.

At this time, Li Erfeng was only a teenager. The tyrannical emperor had not yet fled to Jiangnan, and the Li family had not yet occupied Chang'an.

I'm just a refugee. Even if I went to him for refuge, he probably wouldn't accept me.

Besides, this place is far from Li Yuan's territory. Without a travel permit, with my limited abilities, I would die countless times on the way there.

The foolish emperor, fearing that the displaced people would gather and rebel, ordered his troops to disperse any gatherings of displaced people.

Wu Qing himself had been scattered by the waves, trampled by horses' hooves, and killed people like cutting grass. Those government soldiers didn't care about the lives of the refugees at all.

Even after death, one can earn experience points through the "corpse demon duality" ghost story state.

But if he encounters a truly skilled and daring martial artist, he might not be able to write three "miserable" characters on the opponent's thigh.

Although the ghost's state is hidden, it cannot write.

While a zombie is stronger, it's still no match for a real martial artist.

Kong Fengjiao was mainly frightened.

If she were bold enough, she would kick him whenever she saw him. With his current abilities, he really wouldn't be able to complete the resurrection ritual within three days.

Wu Qing decided to give it a try and see if he could learn martial arts.

That night, as soon as it got dark, the Dou family began to organize their troops to leave the village.

The martial artists secretly trained by the Dou family, the wandering swordsmen they took in, and their servants gathered into a group, along with a large number of farmers and their families who followed them.

They pushed carts of all sizes, loaded with grain and fodder, and headed north overnight.

Because Wu Qing was injured and still quite weak, he was arranged to ride in the same carriage as Master Cen.

Lift the carriage curtain and look ahead.

Dou Xianniang, dressed in a long, bright red robe and draped in a soft cloak, rode at the head of the procession, carrying a gleaming silver spear.

Her silhouette, tall and slender in the moonlight, was like a pillar of strength, bringing peace of mind.

Wu Qing hooked the carriage curtain onto the iron hook beside him, turned to look at Master Cen, and asked, "Master, do you think someone like me can still begin practicing martial arts?"

He looked at Master Cen with expectant eyes.

It should be possible, right?

After all, I am a time traveler.

Which time traveler isn't exceptionally talented and gifted, able to achieve in a month or two what others take over a decade to accomplish?

Master Cen's "Qingxu Gong" seems to be a very powerful internal energy cultivation method, with miraculous effects in healing and saving lives.

If he sees that I have extraordinary potential and is willing to teach me, then I can be considered to have officially embarked on the path of martial arts.

Master Cen stroked his beard and smiled, "Young man, don't overthink it."

"Practicing martial arts requires strengthening your muscles and bones from a young age. You can't carry anything on your shoulders or lift anything with your hands. It's obvious that you've been pampered since childhood and haven't done much physical labor. It's too late for you to start practicing martial arts now."

"Although there are internal energy cultivation methods in this world, their main function is to strengthen the body, heal injuries, and cure diseases. For example, the reason why the young lady was able to bring you back after you were seriously injured was because of the Qingxu Gong that I taught her."

"But this kind of skill must be practiced from a young age. Don't be fooled by how the young lady maintained your injuries; she was exhausted in just a few hours. That's more than ten years of training."

"Your physique is too frail, so forget about external martial arts. Although you're not that old, it's too late for you to start cultivating internal martial arts. If you start cultivating the Qingxu Skill now, it will probably take you forty years of arduous training in the deep mountains to reach the level of your current internal martial arts skills."

Wu Qing's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, died.

Forty years of ascetic practice in the deep mountains?

I'd rather die a few more times to earn more weird points and see what the next level of ghost stories is.

Master Cen sat in the carriage and brewed a pot of tea: "Besides, there's nothing good about practicing martial arts. If you charge into battle, you might die on the battlefield, or at best, you might suffer serious injuries and a short lifespan."

"It's better to be a scholar, writing and painting, which is less dangerous."

Wu Qing looked out the car window.

The mountains slowly receded, and the moon gradually rose to its zenith.

On both sides were martial artists escorting the escort team, and a long line formed behind them.

He said, "But with chaos looming, if we don't know martial arts, won't we be powerless to even protect ourselves?"

Master Cen laughed and said, "Does knowing martial arts mean you can protect yourself? A low-level martial artist can't beat a mid-level one, and a mid-level one can't beat a high-level one. As long as you make a move, you'll always encounter someone stronger."

"I know you young people always want to stand out and make a name for yourselves in this chaotic world with your passion and enthusiasm."

"But listen to me, if you don't have the ability, don't force it. A moment of patience brings peace, and taking a step back opens up a vast sky. Not having the ability isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"You can read, right? Just follow along with everyone, teach them some basic skills and do some accounting, and leave the rest to fate."

Wu Qing said, "Leave it to fate?"

Master Cen said, "After all, it's about joining the rebellion. Success means wealth and honor, failure means the end of your entire family. Even if you manage to overthrow the tyrannical ruler, there can only be one emperor's throne."

"Besides, historical records show that those who started the rebellion always suffered the most. But there was no other way; they had to do it."

Wu Qing said, "I see... Master, you are right."

He chatted idly while activating the license plate verification function and looking around.

I just joined Doujiazhuang and don't know many people yet.

Therefore, not many of them have their names directly displayed in their profile entries.

But they are no longer "a man" or "a woman," but rather labeled as "Dou family servant," "Dou family bodyguard," or "Dou family maid."

Some of them were people he had never seen before, but they also revealed the person's identity in Doujiazhuang.

Looking further out, words like "a mountain" and "a forest" floated in the distance.

Wu Qing will no longer say things like, "I need you to tell me that it's a mountain."

Because this license plate verification function is indeed useful when needed.

His gaze passed through the open curtain at the front of the car and looked into the distance, his eyes suddenly narrowing.

He saw a blue word floating on the mountainside in the distance.

—"An ambush!"

ambush?

Wu Qing climbed out of the carriage, stood next to the driver, and looked up at the road ahead.

It wasn't a full moon tonight, and the surrounding mountains were shrouded in mist, making them difficult to see clearly.

But on the road ahead, halfway up the mountain, there was indeed a sign that read "an ambush."

"Hey, young man!" the driver called out, "Don't step out, or you'll fall and no one will care about you."

Wu Qing shook his head, not having time to respond.

He needs to organize his thoughts.

Simply telling everyone there's an ambush ahead without explaining why is too unusual and would easily arouse suspicion.

He needed to inform everyone of this important information, while also making his own statement reasonable.

He took a deep breath and suddenly called out to a martial artist beside him, "Brother, could you please invite the young lady over here? I have something important to tell her."

The martial artist didn't recognize him and frowned.

Master Cen glanced at the boy's retreating figure, then drew back the curtains: "Shi Jiu, invite the young lady over."