Chapter 390: Seeking the Master, Hearing of Wanxiu Mountain

Zhou You was in no rush to inquire about the specific requirements for things like the three-family joint guarantee or the Pass Seven Barriers.

The next day, he took a few people out to pay visits.

It couldn't be rushed in a moment, and since he had food and shelter for now, he wasn't anxious about his livelihood and would first scout out the path.

Zhuang Tie had heard news of Ceng Fuzi; after moving to Fucheng, he had become quite successful in the circle of scholars.

Ceng Fuzi's foundation in Seal Script was among the best in Beixuan Zhou; although scholars often belittle one another, his peers all admitted they were far inferior to him.

After he moved to Fucheng, the young talents who came to apprentice under him were as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river.

Even the noble families in the city sent people to pay their respects, bringing gifts and greetings.

One might ask, since Ceng Fuzi does not practice martial arts and comes from a commoner background, why does he have such status and standing?

Others might not know, but Zhou You knew very clearly.

It turns out that because some sects have such long histories, their branches and lineages are too numerous, leading to many discrepancies in the fist techniques passed down by their ancestors due to different interpretations by their successors.

Every so often, they must recompile their sect's fist technique classics, consolidate the choices from various sides, and establish orthodox teaching materials.

An essential role in such a grand undertaking is a great scholar proficient in both ancient and modern scripts.

The older the sect, the more the text used to record their fist techniques approaches the Nine Cauldrons Seal Script; how could a bunch of rough men understand it? They must invite an authoritative research expert to help.

Ceng Fuzi is a leading authority in this regard; he does not know martial arts, so there is no fear of him stealing their techniques, and his level of Seal Script is unrivaled in all the cities of Beixuan Zhou, so the fist techniques he reviews are absolutely authoritative.

"Being good at a branch of learning is just that lucrative."

When Ceng Fuzi explained this, he could not help but feel a bit regretful.

Originally, Zhou You could have achieved similarly high accomplishments in Seal Script.

Unfortunately, Zhou You has always had the identity of a martial artist; no matter how deep his foundation in Seal Script might be, he feared no sect would invite him to help recompile their fist techniques, for no other reason than the fear that he would steal them.

After Ceng Fuzi moved to Fucheng, sects and noble families all had to show him respect, gifting him a house, servants, furniture, and the like, so he was able to set up a new household in Fucheng without any effort.

Some martial masters even sought his favor and, like Pan Jinshan, came to rely on him as bodyguards.

When Zhou You visited Ceng Fuzi's home in Fucheng, he saw a martial master practicing fists behind the gate, concurrently holding the important post of gatekeeper.

Hearing that it was a disciple of Ceng Fuzi visiting, the martial master was somewhat surprised, "You are also a martial master, how can you be a disciple of Ceng Fuzi?"

"To tell you the truth, I am the type who is proficient in both literature and martial arts."

The martial master, half-doubting, turned to report, and a moment later invited him inside.

In the courtyard, Zhou You saw old acquaintances like Pan Jinshan and Dujuan, and could not help but sigh with emotion.

Pan Jinshan grabbed him and asked about their master; hearing that Mao Laoliu's entire family had been killed by rebel forces and that Mao Lang had disappeared after killing his master, he felt a sense of powerlessness amidst his grief and anger.

The rebel forces that had occupied Gongliang City had vanished like smoke, the Five Birds had been wiped out, and Mao Lang, while bearing the infamy of killing his master, was also the most innocent and tragic victim; even if he survived, he would be trapped in an endless purgatory from which he could not escape.

A thousand thoughts and ten thousand words all condensed into a single, "Damn this world."

After seeing his old acquaintances, Zhou You walked further in and met Ceng Fuzi and his junior sister Ceng Ruyu, whom he had not seen for many days.

"Fuzi, what are you doing?"

Ceng Fuzi bowed low to Zhou You, "Zhou You, if not for you showing mercy and letting my family leave the city, Gongliang City would have been the burial ground for my entire family."

He had only learned of the tragedy in Gongliang City afterward, and looking back, he felt a lingering fear.

Beside him, Ceng Ruyu watched Zhou You quietly; seeing her again, she had become much more refined, elegant and serene like an epiphyllum under the moonlight.

After drinking half a cup of tea, the two sides conversed and learned a bit about each other's situations. Ceng Fuzi's situation in coming to Fucheng was roughly the same as what was circulating outside; the focus was on Zhou You, hearing about his experience of escaping the city at the last moment, drifting to a mountain village to avoid the limelight, and then coming to Fucheng.

Ceng Fuzi nodded after listening, "You have finally tasted the sweetness after the bitterness; it hasn't been easy. Hmm, since you are already a martial master, do you intend to open a martial arts school?"

"I have exactly that thought. I don't have many connections in Fucheng, and as it stands, the only way is to Pass Seven Barriers."

Ceng Fuzi devoted himself to literature and was almost a layman regarding martial arts; if not for having Pan Jinshan and the martial master bodyguard at home, he might not have known the significance of Zhou You's identity as a martial master.

"Wait a moment, I remember something that might be useful to you."

He turned and rummaged through a large stack of books, flipping through a dozen or so before finding a letter from between the pages.

"Some years ago, I recompiled the classics for Wanxiu Mountain and corresponded with their Mountain Chief."

"Although this letter is just pleasantries, that Mountain Chief mentioned that if I had any juniors who needed help, I could take this letter to seek assistance from any disciple of Wanxiu Mountain."

Ceng Fuzi smiled, "I am but a scholar and have no use for this; you take it."

Zhou You held the letter and took a hurried glance at the characters on the envelope, feeling a stinging pain in the corners of his eyes.

The familiar aura—the person who wrote it was definitely beyond the level of a martial master; the 'Mountain Chief' was undoubtedly at the Strong Martial Level.

This gift was too heavy.

Zhou You was about to speak, but Ceng Fuzi pressed his hand down, "Great kindness need not be spoken of; I will not thank you for the grace of saving my whole family, and you should not mention anything else. If this letter is useful, keep it."

Zhou You nodded and tucked the letter into his robe.

Beside them, Ceng Ruyu spoke up, "Senior Brother Zhou, have you married the daughter of the Qi Family?"

Why ask this? Zhou You shook his head honestly, "The Qi Family disappeared too quickly; how could there be time? I am still inquiring about their whereabouts to this day."

There was no help for it; Qi Qingdi missed his sister and kept asking where the family had gone.

"The Xu Family and the Qi Family did not act honorably this time."

Ceng Fuzi commented, "Not firing a single arrow, abandoning the city and fleeing, leaving Gongliang City to be devoured by wolves and tigers."

"As far as I know, those two families were scared out of their wits and have already left Beixuan Zhou to go to Dijing and rely on the main branch of their families."

There was no way around that; the road from Beixuan Zhou to Dijing was too far, and given the current situation, it was difficult to reach.

Zhou You suddenly asked, "Fuzi, there aren't many years left for Junior Sister Ceng's marriage, right?"

Three years of mourning—it is not long to say it is long, and not short to say it is short; it was looking like it was almost over.

Ceng Fuzi nodded, and a dissatisfied huff came from beside him.

Ceng Ruyu stood up and left, giving no face at all; he didn't know which part of his words had been wrong.

……

Zhou You watched Ceng Ruyu leave, stunned. What happened? Ceng Fuzi shook his head with a smile, "This child's temperament has been changing lately, and I can't quite grasp it either. You'll get used to it."

After Zhou You bid farewell to Ceng Fuzi, he went to visit Li Hao.

Li Hao was, after all, involved in the martial arts circle, so the information he knew was certainly more in-depth and detailed.

Furthermore, he had the backing of Wanxiu Mountain, so he could inquire about the specific identity of the "Mountain Chief" and their status within the mountain.

Once Zhou You knew the specific situation, he could prescribe the right remedy and maximize the effectiveness of this letter.

(End of chapter)