Under One Person: The Sea Emperor Who Shattered Heaven and Earth

“…Uncle-Master? Uncle-Master!” Fang Dongtian’s voice rose a few decibels, interrupting Jiang Zhen’s dream.

Jiang Zhen suddenly woke up, wiped away non-existent drool from the corner of his mouth, and laughed awkwardly, "Ah? That... 'chaotic unity', um, I'm listening, I'm listening."

Seeing Jiang Zhen's appearance, Fang Dongtian's face turned ashen with anger, his once handsome features now contorted. He took a deep breath and told himself: This is my martial uncle, an elder; I cannot scold him, I cannot hit him.

"Uncle-Master, how much of what you've heard?" Fang Dongtian suppressed his anger and asked patiently, "We've read this volume seven or eight times already. The simplified version I gave you to memorize is only about six hundred words. You've been reading it with me for so long and you still can't memorize it?!"

"Almost there, almost there, I've memorized it all." Jiang Zhen said with a forced smile, but in his heart he was bitter, knowing he would have to go through the hardship of studying all over again.

Fang Dongtian looked at Jiang Zhen, his eyes filled with despair. He had never seen such a stupid and incompetent student.

He had always thought this mission would be easy. In his view, Jiang Zhen should be a genius with a clear mind, unparalleled comprehension, and the ability to understand the beginning and end of a path, comprehend a thousand things from a single hearing, and see the big picture from small details.

But now! I've read the key points of a mere 600 words seven or eight times, and I still can't memorize them completely. I'm as stupid as a pig!

Not to mention that just two days ago he dared to ask a sudden question: would practicing the Reverse Life Triple Technique be more suitable to offset the effects of his innate superpower on his body? This made Fang Dongtian's lips tremble at the time.

Putting aside the issue of lineage, it's important to know that their Quanzhen Internal Alchemy is the most balanced and moderate, requiring almost no aptitude, just a slow and steady process. The Reverse Life Triple Level is a universally recognized ultimate skill in the martial arts world, and it is even more exquisite and complex. There are many classic texts and theories that Jiang Zhen can memorize, and the risk of breaking through to the next level is extremely high.

If it weren't for Jiang Zhen's extremely high seniority and the fact that his master had accepted him as a disciple on his behalf, Fang Dongtian would have definitely jumped up and started cursing at Jiang Zhen.

Fang Dongtian silently repeated the words countless times in his heart before finally calming down. Looking at Jiang Zhen's innocent eyes, he knew that forcing him would only make him more resistant.

"Alright, alright." Fang Dongtian sighed and put away the Daoist scriptures. "Since you can't listen to these classics, let's try another method. Whenever I see you unconsciously drifting off, I'll tell you some interesting stories from the martial arts world, just to keep you awake."

Upon hearing "interesting tales of the martial world," Jiang Zhen's previously listless eyes immediately lit up. Compared to those rigid scriptures, the grudges and affections of the martial world were far more interesting.

"Great! Great! Tell me quickly, what's been happening in the martial arts world lately?" Jiang Zhen asked eagerly, his attention instantly focused.

Fang Dongtian looked at Jiang Zhen's appearance and shook his head helplessly. He thought to himself that having a high seniority really had its advantages. If any of his junior brothers in the sect dared to act like this, he would have slapped them away long ago.

"Hmm... let me think." Fang Dongtian pondered for a moment and then said, "Recently, the biggest commotion in the martial world, besides your 'Slay the Sun Order' and the annihilation of the Bihe Ren leader, is probably the Quanxing faction."

"'Quanxing'? What did those lunatics do this time?" Jiang Zhen asked. He did have some impression of Quanxing; in the original story, they were a bunch of troublemakers.

"A new leader has emerged in the Quanxing sect, named Wugensheng. It's been so many years. The last leader of the Quanxing sect was back in the Ming Dynasty, that black-robed prime minister Yao Guangxiao..." Fang Dongtian said with emotion.

“Wugensheng…” Jiang Zhen stroked his chin. He knew that this was one of the key characters in the original work, and also one of the key figures in the Jia Shen Rebellion.

Fang Dongtian continued, "There's also a rumor circulating in the martial arts world about a guy named Li Muxuan who caused a huge scene at Yinghe Tower. That wouldn't have been a big deal, but then I heard that Li Muxuan announced to everyone that he had officially joined the Quanxing Sect. As a result, he angered several sects, who joined forces to take him down."

"I never expected that the newly appointed leader of Quanxing Sect, Wugensheng, would actually show up with his men."

As Fang Dongtian spoke, his tone became somewhat serious. "It is said that he did not use any earth-shattering killing moves. He simply relied on his strong life-saving skills to move freely amidst the attacks of many masters. He was even able to withstand the golden fire of Huo Dezong Fengping and finally rescue Li Muxuan."

"And most importantly, according to those who were present at the time, the methods they used against Wugensheng at the end inexplicably failed."

……

Jiang Zhen never expected that these things would happen during this period.

It seems that Wugensheng has begun to show his talent. During this period, he was busy first recovering the Cao Gang, and then rushed to the north to ambush the leader of the Bihe Renren. His mind was entirely focused on these two major events, so he was somewhat out of touch with news about the strange people in the martial arts world.

“Rootless…is the spirit of the gods…” Jiang Zhen murmured to himself.

"What did you say, Uncle-Master?" Fang Dongtian didn't hear Jiang Zhen's mutterings clearly.

"It's nothing, please continue," Jiang Zhen waved his hand and said, "And then what happened?"

Fang Dongtian shook his head: "I don't know. It is said that Wugensheng is an elusive person who acts entirely according to his whims. No one knows his origins or his true purpose."

"However, after this battle, Wugensheng's name has become famous throughout the martial arts world. With Quanxing in his hands, they will probably become even more troublesome."

Hearing these interesting tales of the martial world, Jiang Zhen's attention was indeed drawn back. Compared to those stories of fire and water, these living, breathing people and their bizarre methods were more intriguing to him.

Along the way, Fang Dongtian adopted this "slap and then sweet date" teaching model: first, he would recite a boring scripture, and when Jiang Zhen was about to fall asleep, he would throw out an interesting anecdote about the martial arts world.

Although this move left him physically and mentally exhausted, it at least allowed Jiang Zhen to barely memorize the key points of those six hundred words, even though Jiang Zhen still didn't understand the true meaning behind them.

You must know that the "Supreme Mysterious Treasure Limitless Salvation Scripture" has a total of sixty-one volumes. If he is already struggling to learn the first volume, let alone the other scriptures, Fang Dongtian felt an unprecedented despair for the future.

……

Just as the group passed through a mountain hollow and prepared to rest for a while, Jiang Zhen suddenly looked up into the distance, and then a burst of rapid and dense gunfire suddenly came from that direction.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

In the quiet mountains and fields, the sound of gunfire was particularly jarring.

Jiang Zhen's expression hardened, and he instantly entered battle mode.

"In that direction! Let's go take a look!" Jiang Zhen waved his hand and spurred his horse to gallop towards the direction from which the gunshots came.

"Follow me!" The elite members of the Canal Gang did not hesitate at all, drawing their weapons and following closely behind Jiang Zhen.

Fang Dongtian was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed. Looking at Jiang Zhen's lightning-fast figure, he sighed inwardly once more, "How can such a stupid, pig-like brain produce such a terrifying body and fighting instinct?"

By the time Jiang Zhen and the others arrived at the location where the gunfire had started, the shooting had stopped.

It was a small to medium-sized valley. Jiang Zhen stood at the edge of the valley and looked out; the battle was clearly over.

A small squad of Japanese soldiers, about twenty men, were now all lying on the ground, their bodies cold and lifeless.

Their deaths were bizarre: some bodies were twisted beyond recognition, as if forcibly crushed by a tremendous force; some had only a red dot between their eyebrows, as if pierced by a sharp needle; and some were completely disfigured, as if they had suffered some kind of inhuman torture.

In the middle of the valley, a few people were still standing.

They didn't appear tired or excited after their recent victory. On the contrary, they seemed rather relaxed and content after the battle ended.

Fang Dongtian arrived at Jiang Zhen's side at this moment. When he saw the group of people standing in the center of the canyon, his originally handsome face instantly became extremely serious, his pupils contracted sharply, and his eyes revealed deep fear.

He turned to look at Jiang Zhen, lowered his voice, and spoke with an unprecedented seriousness:

“Uncle-Master…is a member of the Quanxing Sect.”

Fang Dongtian pointed to each person in the center of the canyon and introduced them to Jiang Zhen one by one, as if reciting a familiar list of names that were notorious in the eyes of the righteous path.

“That’s Liang Ting, the ‘White Owl.’ Rumor has it that he is not only ruthless, but also a grandmaster with unparalleled skills in both mechanisms and talismans. Anyone who falls into his hands is lucky to even die. He is the most notorious villain in the Quanxing Sect.”

Jiang Zhen followed Fang Dongtian's finger and looked in the direction Fang Dongtian was pointing. A man with an ugly appearance but a tall stature was handling the corpse of a Japanese soldier, with something like a tentacle attached to his waist.

“That’s ‘Gu Jiting’,” Fang Dongtian continued. “He comes from a family of geomancers, and I’ve heard he’s quite knowledgeable in feng shui.”

“That’s Gao Gen,” Fang Dongtian said. “He was originally a top disciple of the Yi Qi Stream, but I don’t know why he joined the Quanxing Sect.”

"That's Changming Yegan, Yuan Jingui, a weapon refiner. He's a smooth talker who's good at spreading rumors."

"And that little girl, her name should be Mei Jinfeng. Like you, she has innate superpowers, except her superpower is telekinesis."

“That one in theatrical costume is Xia Liuqing,” Fang Dongtian said. “He comes from a background of performing arts and is skilled in using divine masks. He can disguise himself as any deity or general. His methods are varied and he is extremely difficult to deal with.”

Fang Dongtian finally fixed his gaze on the most ordinary-looking man standing in the very center.

He was wearing a simple Chinese-style short shirt, had a handsome face, and was fiddling with a tortoise shell box in his hand.

"Uncle-Master, if I'm not mistaken, the one holding the gun, the one who looks the most ordinary but whom all the other Quanxing demons subtly regard as their leader..." Fang Dongtian's voice grew increasingly solemn, "...should be the newly appointed Quanxing leader who has recently become famous throughout the martial world—Wugensheng."

Jiang Zhen stood on the slope, looking down at the group of people in the center of the canyon. He hadn't expected that, having just finished listening to Fang Dongtian's tales of the martial world, he would run into this group as soon as he turned around.

Quanxing, Wugensheng, Liang Ting, Gu Qiting...

Wugensheng, who was in the center, was still playing with the tortoise shell box in his hand when he suddenly stopped. He looked up and his gaze fell directly on Jiang Zhen.

His lips, which had been slightly upturned, drooped, and he uttered a few words with a troubled expression:

"This is troublesome, we've actually run into this gentleman."

PS:

(The author is currently working a regular job while writing a novel and also studying for the Level 5 Construction Engineer exam. Are there any readers in the civil engineering field here? The exam is at the end of May. How is everyone's study progress?)

Chapter 48 You can leave, but he can't.

As Wugensheng made his movements and whispered, the Quanxing members all looked towards Jiang Zhen in the distance, and the two groups stared at each other.

Jiang Zhen held the reins, riding a horse. He didn't speak, just looked at the Quanxing people in the valley.

The people of Quanxing were all looking him over.

Within the Quanxing sect, a hodgepodge of individuals, strength varies, but their knowledge is exceptionally comprehensive. Without much explanation, they recognized the identities of the newcomers.

Jiang Zhen smiled coldly: "Hmph, since we've run into each other, let's have a ride and see what kind of quality they are." With a scrutinizing gaze, he gently patted the horse's neck, and the horse took a step forward.

With very few exceptions, every single one of the Quanxing members present was a ruthless character who would strike fear into the hearts of the martial arts world. But at this moment, as Jiang Zhen's horse took its first step forward, an invisible wave burst forth from his body and rushed straight towards them.

Almost involuntarily, everyone in the Quanxing sect took a step back in unison.

Even Liang Ting, who was usually the most arrogant, stopped smiling. Mei Jinfeng's legs immediately gave way and she knelt on the ground. Xia Liuqing's divine mask, which was originally on his face, trembled slightly, and he immediately stood in front of Jinfeng to protect her...

"This is... that 'Shaking River Dragon'?" Gu Jiting's legs trembled, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Gao Gen lowered his head, and Yuan Jingui hid behind Wugensheng.

They all looked at Jiang Zhen as if facing a formidable enemy.

Everyone felt as if some ancient behemoth was approaching; their brains were screaming warnings, every hair on their bodies stood on end, and a fear originating from the depths of their genes instantly seized their hearts. It was an absolute suppression of power.

As Jiang Zhen approached, Mei Jinfeng felt her whole body trembling, her breathing became difficult, and the world around her began to spin. She immediately rolled her eyes back and collapsed to the ground.

"Jin Feng!" Xia Liuqing tremblingly picked up Jin Feng as if under some pressure, put on gloves as if he was about to do something, when Wu Gengsheng suddenly stopped him with one hand, looking at Jiang Zhen with a solemn expression.

"That's strange, what's wrong with them?" Jiang Zhen was a little confused as he looked at the Quanxing members who suddenly seemed frightened. "But just now, I suddenly felt something shoot out from my body..."

"And judging from Mei Jinfeng's condition... could it be?!"

As Jiang Zhen approached, he pondered deeply, as if trying to grasp the feeling he had just experienced.

Little did they know that after his sudden moment of confusion, the entire Quanxing group immediately felt the oppressive feeling easing considerably.

Jiang Zhen rode his horse slowly back and forth among the Quanxing demons, and none of them dared to make a move.

The tentacles around Bai Xiaoliang's waist twitched incessantly, as if he wanted to burst out, but the memory of the icy sense of crisis he had just experienced made him abruptly stop.

Jiang Zhen finally came to his senses. Just as his horse was passing in front of Gao Gen, Jiang Zhen gently pulled on the reins and stopped in front of Gao Gen.

Gao Gen, once a top student of the Qilin School, now kept his head bowed tightly. It wasn't just out of fear, but also out of a complex emotion he couldn't express.

In the martial arts world today, the person Gao Gen admires most is Zuo Ruotong, the Great Ying Immortal. However, since Jiang Zhen's famous deeds and the "Slay the Sun Order" spread throughout the country, he has become the second person in Gao Gen's heart, second only to Master Zuo.

Jiang Zhen looked down at the silent man from his high position and suddenly spoke.

"It's not easy to be a human being in this world, don't waste it here."

The sound wasn't loud, but it could be heard clearly in the silent valley.

These words seemed directed at everyone, yet also seemed directed only at Gao Gen. Gao Gen's shoulders trembled subtly, but he still didn't look up.

Jiang Zhen didn't look at him again, turned his horse around, and came to Wugensheng.