Chapter 45: People from Zhongzhou Have Arrived

"Flame Spirit True Explication?"

"Mu, how did you see these four characters?" Fang Xu asked strangely.

In his eyes, the stone tablet was just some complicated patterns, a chaotic mess; he had studied it for two days and found no characters at all—how could Chu Mu see four characters as soon as she got hold of it?

Chu Mu tilted her head and said: "These characters are mischievous, appearing and disappearing; now they're hiding beneath those diagrams."

Looking at her serious demeanor, Fang Xu felt somewhat incredulous.

A broken stone tablet—could the characters on it be alive?

And they can hide?

What is this?

The skeptical him took the stone tablet again, stared at the patterns carefully, wanting to see if the "mischievous characters" Chu Mu mentioned really existed.

No matter how he strained his eyes until they sore, he still didn't see any characters appear.

Alright!

This broken stone tablet either recognizes people or my comprehension is insufficient; anyway, I can't see anything on it.

"Fang Xu brother, go eat; Mu will first record the characters and diagrams on it."

Being able to help him, Chu Mu was obviously happy; at least it proved she still had some use, not completely a burden.

"Not hurry, we'll talk after eating." He snatched the stone tablet from her hands, Fang Xu directly pushed the wheelchair to the courtyard.

The two sat opposite each other, after simply eating something, Fang Xu tidied up the bowls and chopsticks, washed them clean, then brought Chu Mu indoors.

He cultivated on the bed, while Chu Mu focused on deciphering the technique on the stone tablet beside him.

At noon, Fang Xu woke from his cultivation state, discovering that Chu Mu had already filled a sheet of paper in front of her, and another sheet in her hand was half-filled.

The delicate handwriting looked very neat; Fang Xu didn't disturb her, lightly picking up the finished white sheet to read.

What Lu Zhiyuan said was correct; the stone tablet indeed records a cultivation technique named the Flame Spirit True Explication. As for the technique's rank, Fang Xu wasn't clear, but he could roughly see that practicing this technique would gradually transform one's power into scorching fiery true qi.

Regarding these, although he didn't fully understand, judging from some settings in his previous life's online games, non-elemental attacks are definitely weaker than elemental attacks.

The Flame Spirit True Explication can transform one's internal power into fire attribute; it is indeed a remarkable technique.

"Fang Xu brother, done."

While examining the text on the paper, Chu Mu had already transcribed the remaining characters of the Flame Spirit True Explication.

Taking another blank sheet, Fang Xu roughly estimated that the entire Flame Spirit True Explication contains about five hundred characters, these characters are extremely obscure and hard to understand.

Putting it plainly, these characters, when broken down, each one he recognizes, but put together, he doesn't know what they mean.

"Ah, it's already noon!"

"Fang Xu brother, take your time reading; Mu is going to cook."

Stretching, Chu Mu hurriedly turned the wheelchair to prepare lunch.

Fang Xu pushed her to the doorway, reminded her to be careful, then returned indoors to continue studying the Flame Spirit True Explication.

Chu Mu had transcribed over five hundred characters, which Fang Xu could now recite fluently, yet he had no insight whatsoever.

Could it be that he has no affinity with this technique? Fang Xu couldn't help feeling a bit disheartened.

Setting down the two blank sheets, he picked up the stone tablet beside him and gently stroked its patterns.

It's always said that martial cultivators need opportunity and comprehension.

The golden finger has awakened; opportunity-wise it's not lacking, but this comprehension—I seem to be lacking a bit.

Hum!

Recalling the content of the Flame Spirit True Explication in his mind, his palm lightly stroking the stone tablet, Fang Xu suddenly felt the stone tablet in his hand vibrate slightly.

Subsequently, a large amount of fiery red light burst from the stone tablet, individual flame-emitting characters floated before his eyes, gradually forming the entire content of the Flame Spirit True Explication.

Staring at those flame characters, Fang Xu could clearly feel his Blood Qi Power moving along a strange path.

At the same time, a multitude of complicated information surged into his mind.

This information is like presenting that obscure, hard-to-understand technique in a simpler way before him, allowing Fang Xu to instantly grasp the specific content of the technique.

The Flame Spirit True Explication consists of nine layers; the stone tablet records only the first three layers' technique.

Among them, the first layer realm is Flame Spirit Power!

Cultivating Flame Spirit Power can turn one's power into fire attribute; the power permeates the body, able to make enemies endure unbearable burning pain.

The second layer realm is Flame Spirit Fire, using the externalized power of a Warrior realm as a carrier to emit terrifying substantive flame attacks, with tremendous power.

The third layer realm seems to require aid from certain external objects to cultivate; Fang Xu couldn't fully grasp it for a moment.

"Fang Xu brother, meal's ready."

Chu Mu's gentle voice sounded in the courtyard; Fang Xu immediately put down the stone tablet in his hand and rose to go to the courtyard.

The following days were plain yet fulfilling; daytime, aside from accompanying Chu Mu for meals, occasionally pushing her out for a stroll.

Evenings were for massaging her feet, then routine cultivation.

During that period, Madame Wang came once, but considering Chu Mu lived in the adjacent wing, both restrained themselves somewhat, feeling unable to let go.

After some discussion, Madame Wang suggested that Fang Xu should go to her house from now on, so they wouldn't have to endure such pain.

The peaceful life left Fang Xu somewhat dazed for a while; it seemed that passing days like this would also be quite nice.

But until half a month later one day, a group of people arrived in Maple Forest Town.

On his way back from the Hall of Reaching Far, Fang Xu personally saw a crowd of golden-armored martial artists escorting a splendid luxurious carriage traveling along the streets of Maple Forest Town; regardless of whether they were commoners or gold prospectors from hunting squads, all hurriedly cleared the road.

Because, a slight delay, the leading golden-armored soldier would slash them down with one blade!

In their eyes, human life seemed not even human life, like roadside weeds that could be arbitrarily slaughtered!

Standing in the crowd, Fang Xu gazed from afar at the carriage bearing a black four-clawed divine dragon flag.

That is the imperial emblem.

The dynasty of this world also seems to believe in the Five Elements and Five Virtues theory; the Great Yu Dynasty claims to be water virtue, water is black, thus the emblem of the Great Yu royal family is a black dragon.

When the emperor travels, he should hang a five-clawed black dragon flag; the carriage ahead hanging a four-clawed black dragon banner must be that of a prince of the Great Yu, or someone of similar rank like a prince.

Inside the carriage, a middle-aged man wearing a dark blue robe with gold patterns, a round collar, and long sleeves, his face pale and clean-shaven, with narrow eyes, held in his arms a small fox that was entirely black, without a single hair of another color.

Seated beside him was a child who looked somewhat odd.

He is considered odd because, although he appears to be only eight or nine years old, his face bears a maturity and weariness utterly mismatched with his age.

Facing them, a middle-aged woman dressed in a white silk-embroidered long gown, her hair coiled in a bun, holding a jade-green long flute.

Hearing the occasional wails from outside the carriage, the middle-aged woman furrowed her brows slightly and, looking at the middle-aged man gently stroking the fox in his arms, said respectfully, 'Seventh Prince, slaughtering the common folk like this—surely that is not right?'

The middle-aged man said nothing, his attention seemingly wholly on the fox in his arms.

Meanwhile, the odd child beside them gave an embarrassed smile: 'Aunt Jin, why bother taking these lowly folk to heart?'

The middle-aged woman heard him, gave a slight smile, clasped her hands, and said, 'Heir Apparent, you jest; they too are subjects of the Great Yu, merely a little slow in yielding, and their offense does not merit death.'

As soon as her words fell, the middle-aged man before her lightly tapped the carriage window: 'Sister Yun Jin has spoken; tell them to restrain themselves.'

The groom outside the door replied respectfully, 'Yes!'

I feel a bit pressured; after reading all the comments, many criticize the little author, but today I suddenly received encouragement from 'Want to walk together next'—a big name—saying to be tolerant, which made me a bit overwhelmed; thank you, big name, for this book, the little author will persist in writing no matter what!

(End of chapter)