All Heavens: A Role-Playing System Starting from Tianlong

Mu Wanqing looked up at the bluish-gray mist drifting in the mountains and frowned, saying:

"It seems the Shennong Gang has already begun their assault on the mountain. That smoke is probably poisonous."

Zhang Cheng nodded, then ripped open the package that was originally used to hold the rope with a "rip," tearing it into several wide strips of cloth, and handed them to Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling respectively.

"Cover your mouth and nose, and we'll sneak up quietly."

Zhong Ling took the strip of cloth and quickly tied it into a knot behind her head, revealing only her big, bright eyes.

She looked at Zhang Cheng and suddenly chuckled: "Brother Zhang, you look like a bandit trying to rob someone on the highway."

Zhang Cheng ignored her and waved for the two of them to follow.

The three of them stealthily made their way toward the location of Yue Laosan.

Along the way, he encountered Wuliang Sword and Shennong Gang disciples fighting. He avoided them if possible, but if he couldn't avoid them, he would casually reach out and use the Beiming Divine Art to drain their internal energy and knock them down.

After walking for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the three arrived at a huge tent halfway up the mountain.

Judging from the style, this should be the camp of the Shennong Gang, but strangely, there is not a single disciple guarding it.

As Zhang Cheng approached, he heard familiar voices from inside the tent—one clear and bright, the other hoarse and rough—it was Duan Yu and Yue Laosan.

Duan Yu's voice carried a hint of helplessness: "Senior, please have mercy and let me go. This junior has no intention of learning martial arts, much less of a desire to become an apprentice."

Then came Yue Laosan's deep, gruff voice: "As long as you agree to become my disciple, I'll release you immediately!"

"Senior, look at me. I am just a scholar, weak and frail, with thin arms and legs. How could I possibly learn your divine skills?"

There are many talented young people on Wuliang Mountain, and there must be suitable disciples in the Shennong Clan. You can pick any one of them, and they would be more suitable than me to inherit his mantle...

"Pah! Pah! Pah!" Yue Laosan's voice suddenly rose, "Those rotten fish and shrimps, do they even deserve to inherit the mantle of my South China Sea School?"

"Let me tell you, you look exactly like me, you're a perfect candidate for martial arts!"

Duan Yu was clearly bewildered by these words: "Extremely similar?"

"Not bad! You have long arms and legs, a protruding skull, a supple waist and ribs, you're clever and quick-witted, not very old, and a man. Aren't you just like me?"

The rough, hoarse voice paused, as if making some kind of gesture, "Of course, most importantly, look at the back of your skull, isn't it exactly the same as mine?"

Zhang Cheng, who was outside, immediately recognized that Yue Laosan was pestering Duan Yu to become his disciple, just like in the original story. But wasn't his task for Yue Laosan to protect him secretly? Why was he still showing his face in front of Duan Yu?

Zhang Cheng, listening from outside the tent, immediately knew that Yue Laosan was once again pestering Duan Yu to become his disciple, just like in the original story.

He had clearly instructed Yue Laosan to protect him secretly, so how did this scoundrel end up running into Duan Yu again?

He lifted the curtain and entered. He immediately saw Duan Yu with shackles on his feet, tied to a thick wooden stake in the tent, standing opposite Yue Laosan, who was wearing a cloak he had bought.

"Second brother, what are you doing?" Zhang Cheng asked, frowning.

When Duan Yu saw him enter, his face lit up immediately, and he spoke before Yue Laosan could say, "Hey, Zhang Zhuangshi, we meet again."

Do you know this senior? He's always wanted to take me as his apprentice, but how can a mere scholar like me inherit his mantle? Please, kind sir, speak to him for me."

At this moment, Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling also came in.

Upon seeing Duan Yu's expression, Zhong Ling immediately chuckled, "Hehe, you silly boy, I told you you'd be in big trouble if you didn't run away. Didn't I tell you I was right?"

After gloating, Zhong Ling turned to look at Yue Laosan, whose face was covered except for his beady eyes.

"Brother Zhang, is this the second brother you mentioned? Why is he all bundled up like a dumpling?"

Zhang Cheng felt completely overwhelmed and raised his hand to stop everyone: "Stop! Can you guys calm down for a bit? Let me figure this out first."

He glanced at the three people in front of him: a talkative bookworm, a troublemaking girl, and a simpleton who couldn't think straight. If he let them chatter away, the day would probably go on until dark.

"Second brother, didn't I tell you to secretly look after Young Master Duan? How come you've taken on a disciple?"

Yue Laosan said confidently, "I did start out in secret! But this kid found out, and I figured there was no point in hiding anymore, so I showed myself!"

Then he launched into a long, rapid-fire account of what had happened.

It turned out that after separating from Zhang Cheng, he hid in the shadows of the corridor, waiting for Duan Yu to come out.

Unexpectedly, although Duan Yu was preparing to leave, he did not go down the mountain directly. Instead, he returned to the martial arts hall to bid farewell to Ma Wude, the tea merchant from Yunnan who had brought him there.

Although Wuliang Sword did not make things difficult for Duan Yu because of the previous incident with Zhang Cheng, Duan Yu encountered the Shennong Gang coming to issue a challenge when he was saying goodbye.

Upon receiving the challenge, the members of the Boundless Sword Sect all wore solemn expressions and immediately began to deploy manpower and set up defenses.

Duan Yu listened to the whole thing and knew that this was a life-or-death struggle between two sects.

For some reason, he suddenly stepped forward, wanting to act as a peacemaker and persuade both sides to stop fighting and make peace.

The Wuliang Swordsmen were busy preparing for battle and had no time to pay attention to him. Zuo Zimu simply waved his hand dismissively and continued to direct his disciples to set up defenses.

Duan Yu was rebuffed, but he was still not giving up. He figured that since the Shennong Gang had come to "issue a challenge," they must be nearby, so he might as well go and reason with them directly.

So he walked alone towards the Shennong Gang camp halfway up the mountain.

Throughout the entire process, Yue Laosan followed closely behind Duan Yu. His martial arts skills were exceptional, and he deliberately concealed his presence, so even when he stayed close to Duan Yu, the latter remained unaware.

It was during this process that Yue Laosan remembered Zhang Cheng's earlier words and carefully examined the back of Duan Yu's head.

Upon closer inspection, it was astonishing that Duan Yu's head back was indeed uniquely shaped, exactly like his own, making him a martial arts prodigy, one in a million!

Yue Laosan grew to like Duan Yu more and more, and thus paid even more attention to him.

Duan Yu was completely unaware of this and walked into the Shennong Gang's camp in a daze.

The gatekeeper was taken aback when he saw him gently waving his folding fan and exuding composure. He claimed to have something to ask the gang leader and led him to see the gang leader, Sikong Xuan.

It was a thin, old man with a goatee, standing among more than twenty gang members, talking to them. He stopped when he saw his disciple bring in a strange young man.

Duan Yu was not intimidated when he met Sikong Xuan. He stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and then launched into a long lecture full of profound principles, quoting classical texts.

From "Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life" to "It is better to resolve grudges in the martial world than to let them fester," then to "Shennong Gang's current actions violate national laws," and finally asking him to "return home quickly and not seek revenge against Wuliang Sword again."

Sikong Xuan patiently listened to him finish, then stroked his goatee and squinted, asking, "Who are you, young man, coming to amuse me? Who sent you?"

Duan Yu said frankly, "Did anyone teach me how? I'll teach you myself."

Sikong Xuan didn't believe him. He snorted coldly and waved his hand, ordering his men to step forward and seize the man.

Yue Laosan was hiding nearby at this time, and naturally he would not let the other side capture Duan Yu.

He casually picked up a few clods of earth and stones from the ground, rolled them into small pieces the size of his fingers in his palm, and with a flick of his wrist, the clods flew through the air, accurately hitting several acupoints on Duan Yu's back.

Duan Yu felt a sudden heat on his back, and his body began to move uncontrollably.

He swung his right arm forward while kicking his left leg backward. Although the movement was stiff, he managed to avoid the first disciple's tackle and even managed to strike the disciple's ribs with his elbow.

The disciple cried out "Ouch!" and staggered back in pain.

Immediately afterward, Duan Yu's body, under the continuous blows of the clods of earth, made movements such as turning to the side, swinging his arms, and kicking his legs, knocking the other disciples off balance as well.