Chapter 14

"Master has already passed away!" Xia Daoming replied.

"Passed away?" Liang Jingtang was stunned upon hearing this and remained silent for a long time.

"Sigh!" After a long time, Liang Jingtang let out a long sigh and said, "Tell me about your master, and how he passed away. You should also tell me; he was a fourth-rank Wu Shi, so logically speaking, he shouldn't have been so short-lived."

"Yes." Xia Daoming bowed slightly and roughly recounted some past events of Chou Zhiheng opening a martial arts hall in Black Stone City, as well as the matter of his being killed.

It was just that the matter concerning the hundred-year-old Dragon-Pattern Purple Blood Ginseng was replaced by Xia Daoming with other interest disputes.

After Liang Jingtang finished listening, he remained silent for a long time before sighing with emotion, his face full of sadness: "The world is very chaotic now. We martial artists seem to have more self-protection ability than ordinary people, but because of this, we are unwilling to be ordinary and are more easily involved in interest disputes and killings, often finding it difficult to have a good end.

Your master was able to live to the age of sixty, and after his death, he had you disregarding danger to avenge him; he can rest in peace in the netherworld."

"The hatred of killing a master is irreconcilable; what does it matter if Daoming risks danger!" Xia Daoming said.

"What a good 'hatred of killing a master is irreconcilable'!" Upon hearing this, Liang Jingtang slapped the armrest of his chair, and the gaze he looked at Xia Daoming with added a hint of appreciation.

"How old are you this year? And when did you practice the Dragon Snake Art to the fourth layer?" Liang Jingtang asked.

"Replying to the Hall Master, this junior is twenty-four years old this year, and I practiced to the fourth layer when I was twenty-two," Xia Daoming replied.

Liu Qiaolian had once mentioned to Xia Daoming that martial arts halls generally would not give twenty-five-year-old Great Martial Masters the opportunity to observe the Divine Charm Secret Map.

Xia Daoming would be twenty-five in a few months, so it could be said that he had just squeezed into the age threshold.

This age was definitely not favorable and would very likely lead to being turned away.

Therefore, Xia Daoming had already thought it through before coming: in addition to playing the origin card of Chou Zhiheng, he also had to advance the time he practiced to a fourth-rank Wu Shi to twenty-two.

Xia Daoming had also thought about changing his real age, but the conditions in the north were harsh, and this body had grown prematurely due to environmental influences; if he were to pretend to be young, he feared it would be difficult for Liang Jingtang not to be suspicious.

"Practicing to the fourth layer at twenty-two, placed in that remote little place of Black Stone City, definitely counts as outstanding, but among the younger generation in Li Cheng, it can only be considered very average.

Moreover, you delayed for two years before coming to Li Cheng, which also made you waste two years of time taking secret medicine for practicing dark energy; even if I grant you permission to observe the Qianjiao Divine Charm Secret Map out of consideration for Zhiheng, I fear it will be in vain, and instead, it will waste your silver and the divine charm contained in the Divine Charm Secret Map," Liang Jingtang said, his brows slightly furrowed upon hearing this.

Xia Daoming felt both surprised and secretly relieved upon hearing this.

Fortunately, he had played a little smart; otherwise, he feared he would only have been able to win the opportunity to observe the Divine Charm Secret Map by revealing a part of his true ability.

Now, listening to Liang Jingtang's tone, it was more that he didn't want him to come away empty-handed, rather than not giving him any chance at all.

"This junior traveled thousands of miles and experienced many dangers before arriving in Li Cheng; my heart for learning martial arts is firm, so I ask the Hall Master to fulfill my wish!" Xia Daoming knelt on one knee and said.

Liang Jingtang looked at the firm-faced Xia Daoming, twisted his silver beard, and pondered for a long time before saying: "Every time the Divine Charm Secret Map is opened, its divine charm will pass away by one point.

Therefore, the Divine Charm Secret Map of any sect or family is a secret that is not passed on, reserved only for disciples who have hope of reaching the Great Wu Shi realm, to avoid abusing the Divine Charm Secret Map, cutting off the opportunities of future generations, and thereby burying the future of the sect and family.

Although the martial arts hall is open to the public to accept disciples and make money, in terms of teaching the Divine Charm Secret Map, it is absolutely not something that can be done just by having money. Moreover, I am old, my martial arts path has reached its end, and I have no children; money no longer has much temptation for me.

My greatest wish now is to be able to cultivate a truly powerful Great Wu Shi who can carry forward the Qianjiao Martial Arts Hall. Therefore, since five years ago, I have stopped accepting disciples, unless a truly talented person in martial arts can move me.

You only became a fourth-rank Wu Shi at twenty-two; your martial arts talent is not outstanding in Li Cheng, and you wasted two years for nothing; if it weren't for the sake of your deceased master, I would absolutely not give you a chance!"

"Thank you, Hall Master!" Xia Daoming was overjoyed upon hearing this.

"Don't be in a hurry to be happy and thank me; I am giving you a chance for the sake of your deceased master, but the rules for teaching the Divine Charm Secret Map cannot be broken. Listen first; if you can accept and complete them, it won't be too late to thank me and become my disciple," Liang Jingtang waved his hand and said.

"Please speak, Hall Master!" Xia Daoming said with a solemn expression.

"First, the tuition fee is five thousand taels, but your master and I were deep in friendship as fellow disciples in those days, so, strictly speaking, I can be considered your martial uncle, and you come from a remote place, so I imagine you don't have much money, so I will reduce it by two thousand taels for you; you only need to pay three thousand taels."

Xia Daoming was surprised upon hearing this, and then his gaze toward Liang Jingtang added a hint of something different.

"Second, submit a nomination letter! Once the Divine Charm Secret Map is taught, you are considered a personal disciple, which is different from those who pay to learn martial arts in the outer courtyard; you must test your will and ensure your loyalty to the sect.

Third, you only have ten opportunities to observe, each for one hour, once every six months, which means within five years, if you cannot comprehend the Divine Charm Secret Map and practice dark energy, you will never have another chance.

Not only that, except for the first time, every subsequent observation requires an additional payment of one hundred taels of silver or the completion of a task," Liang Jingtang said.

"Why can it only be for one hour each time, and only once every six months?" Xia Daoming asked.

Liang Jingtang looked at Xia Daoming with some surprise.

He had thought that Xia Daoming would be more concerned about the tuition fee and the nomination letter.

After all, even with his partial reduction, three thousand taels of silver was still a huge sum for a young fourth-rank Wu Shi from a remote place.

As for the nomination letter, it certainly couldn't be an easy matter; otherwise, why set this condition?

But Xia Daoming had directly bypassed these two conditions, as if money and submitting a nomination letter were not problems for him at all.

However, after the surprise, Liang Jingtang still replied: "The Divine Charm Secret Map is the martial arts heart's blood condensed by a generation of Martial Arts Grandmasters, containing magical martial arts divine charm, which has a great impact on a person's spiritual sense and will.

For ordinary people, observing for more than an hour easily leads to brain confusion, and some even fall into a coma or become mentally retarded. The six-month interval is because after observing the Divine Charm Secret Map, one can repeatedly recall and ponder it in the mind within six months.

After six months, that memory will be nowhere to be found and will need to be observed again. Of course, if one could observe it once every month or two, the effect might be better, but the divine charm contained in the Divine Charm Secret Map would also be greatly consumed."

"So that's how it is!" Xia Daoming realized, but he felt secretly amazed in his heart, wanting to see the Divine Charm Secret Map even more.

"You will naturally understand these things when you have the opportunity to observe the Divine Charm Secret Map," Liang Jingtang said.

"This junior understands; may I ask the Hall Master to clarify what nomination letter is needed?" Xia Daoming asked.

A few days later.

On a country road more than thirty miles outside the east gate of Li Cheng, Wu Changlu was riding a horse, chewing on a dry blade of grass, holding the reins with one hand, and occasionally "Slap! Slap!" hitting the buttocks of the young girl he had placed horizontally across the horse's back in front of him.

Behind Wu Changlu followed two servants who were also chewing on dry blades of grass, swaying on horseback.

Seeing the young girl's body twisting constantly in front of them, and hearing the "Woo! Woo!" sounds coming from her mouth stuffed with cloth strips, they couldn't help but let their eyes shine with lewd light, and lewd smiles appeared on their faces.

Because every time their young master had fun, he would hand the person over to them.

After they also had their fun, they could sell the young girl to a human trafficker and make a small fortune for nothing.

And by doing this, with their young master taking the blame, they didn't have to bear any risk at all.

Just as the master and two servants were thinking about bringing the young girl back to Wu Family Fort for a good time, a man wearing black martial clothes and a bamboo hat, covering his entire face, suddenly appeared on the road ahead.

"Move aside, move aside; this is Young Master Wu Changlu, the direct son of Elder Wu Yueming of our Wu Family Fort," the two servants immediately stepped forward and shouted when they saw someone blocking the way.

"So you are Young Master Wu Changlu!" The man in the bamboo hat swept his gaze over the young girl pressed horizontally in front of Wu Changlu, a flash of killing intent in his eyes, and he had already leaped from the horse's back.

In mid-air, he had already used a move of the Soaring Snake Walking Through Mist, his leg shadows heavy, and in the blink of an eye, he swept the two servants who rushed up off their horses.

Then, borrowing force in mid-air, he somersaulted, used a Soaring Snake Emerging from the Cave, and his knife-hand stabbed straight at Wu Changlu's neck.

Wu Changlu was terrified, raising his arms to block while shouting: "Who are you? Why do you..."

Before Wu Changlu could finish his words, he felt a terrifying force slamming into his crossed arms.

Then Wu Changlu's entire body flew off the horse's back uncontrollably.

Before he could recover, the man had already landed right behind him, holding a sharp short knife in his hand.

The short knife flashed with a cold light in the sunlight, and Wu Changlu's head and body were separated.

Then the man turned around quickly and ended the two servants who were struggling to get up.

"Woo woo woo!"

The young girl on the horse's back watched the horrific scene before her, and seeing the man in the bamboo hat walking toward her, she couldn't help but struggle even more violently, her eyes full of terror.

"Don't be afraid, I won't kill you," the man in the bamboo hat untied the young girl's ropes.

"Thank you, hero, for saving my life!" The young girl kowtowed repeatedly to the man in the bamboo hat with a pale face.

"Leave here quickly," the man in the bamboo hat waved his hand and said.

The young girl kowtowed twice more and then ran away stumbling back the way she came without looking back.

"The rumors from the outside world are wrong; this Wu Changlu is actually a fourth-rank Wu Shi, and it's very strange that his internal force actually contains dark energy, though it is very weak. Fortunately, it was me who made the move; otherwise, things would have become a big deal!" After the young girl left, the man in the bamboo hat walked to Wu Changlu's side, squatting down to search the corpse while muttering in a low voice.

The man in the bamboo hat quickly searched the three corpses, used a black leather bag to pack Wu Changlu's head, buried the three corpses roughly, then flipped onto his horse and galloped toward Li Cheng.

One hour later.

Xia Daoming, wearing cyan martial clothes, walked into Qianjiao Martial Arts Hall carrying a leather bag.

Yuchi Xiao, who was guiding and supervising everyone's martial arts practice in the outer courtyard, saw Xia Daoming enter, swept his gaze over the leather bag in his hand, and revealed a hint of surprise.

"You succeeded so quickly?" Yuchi Xiao stepped forward and asked in a low voice.

"Hmm," Xia Daoming nodded.

"No slip-ups?"

"No! Is the Hall Master in?"

"Yes, follow me."

Soon, the two passed through the arched gate, walked through a curved corridor, and arrived at the inner courtyard.