Chapter 71: Finally Obtained the Secret Manuals

The moment the jade tablet was in his hand, Wu Chengyu only felt a blur before his eyes, and the jade tablet vanished instantly; the next moment, Lao Dengtou was holding the jade tablet, examining it closely, as if he had been sitting in the seat the whole time, never having moved at all.

A master — Wu Chengyu knew he had encountered a true master; although Lao Dengtou was already old beyond recognition, judging by that split-second movement alone, he could easily have slit his own throat, leaving absolutely no time to react.

Among everyone he had met since transmigrating to this world, only Hong Qigong and Bai Yu Chan had martial arts above Lao Dengtou; truly worthy of being the descendant of Deng Baichuan, who was second in Jiangnan palm strength back then — one could also imagine that Tianlong's martial arts level was above that of the Legend of the Condor Heroes world.

He dared not move rashly at this moment, watching Lao Dengtou expressionlessly, waiting for his answer.

Lao Dengtou's eyes remained fixed on the jade tablet as he asked, "Let me ask you again: what is your mother's name?"

Wu Chengyu immediately understood and replied, "My late mother's name was Murong Qingyin."

"Good, good — to finally hear the surname Murong again; ever since the Murong Family moved here and changed to the Mu surname, only us old folks know how glorious the Murong clan once was; what a pity that the Southern Murong no longer has any descendants.

Back then, the old Head of the Family Murong He disliked martial arts; strangely enough, every subsequent Head of the Family also had zero interest in practicing martial arts, and the Murong Family was no longer the martial aristocracy it once was.

After moving to Changzhou, everyone thought we were just an ordinary clan.

When your mother was born, the Head of the Family and his wife had no other children, so they ordered me to make this jade tablet as the Family Inheritance token.

If the Young Miss's descendant ever came here holding the jade tablet one day, it would mean he knew the Murong Family's past and was willing to accept the Murong Family's inheritance; I thought I would never live to see this day, yet today you have come.

If you hadn't produced the jade tablet, I would have treated you as knowing nothing — just a descendant come to pay respects; now my heart's wish is finally fulfilled.

Young Master, let me ask you: why do you practice martial arts?"

Wu Chengyu answered frankly, needing no high-sounding reason: "For revenge, so I won't be bullied, so I can freely teach a lesson to anyone who displeases me."

"Well said — that is exactly how martial arts should be: simple and decisive; to not repay a grudge is inhuman, to let oneself be bullied is inhuman, to have an unenlightened mind is also inhuman.

What restoration of the nation, what righteous heroics — they are all just cages one puts on oneself; why bother?

If I were ten years younger, I would have personally killed those horse bandits back then to avenge the son-in-law and the Young Miss; Young Master, you truly understand my heart."

After speaking, Lao Dengtou turned and entered the Inner Hall; a short while later he came out carrying a Large Wooden Chest and handed it to Wu Chengyu.

"The Murong Family's inheritance — Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations, Interlocking Fingers, Longcheng Sword Technique, and other martial arts are all here; take them with you."

Wu Chengyu was somewhat surprised — just placed directly in the room like this? Normally aren't they all hidden in secret rooms full of mechanisms, or in some secret realm?

Seemingly knowing what Wu Chengyu was thinking, Lao Dengtou laughed heartily: "The Murong Family people have long since seen through these things; to martial artists these are priceless treasures, but no matter how high your martial arts, in the end you're just a pile of yellow earth.

If you hadn't come, before I die I would have burned it all in one fire, letting the Murong Family vanish utterly like smoke and clouds scattering.

Young Master, remember what you just said — practicing martial arts is to make your own life comfortable; everything else is unimportant."

Wu Chengyu rose and bowed deeply to Lao Dengtou, saying, "I respectfully accept your teaching."

He opened the chest; the huge wooden box held only half a box of secret manuals — the top few were precisely Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations and Interlocking Fingers, far fewer than he remembered, for the Murong Family's Huanfushuge used to hold an entire roomful.

Lao Dengtou said, "Most of the martial arts in Huanfushuge were stolen or seized; the old Head of the Family Murong Yuan felt other sects' martial arts would only bring disaster to the household, so he burned them all.

What remains now, besides the Murong Family's own inheritance, are just some Unowned Items — you can cultivate them with peace of mind, absolutely no future trouble.

These martial arts alone are enough for you to practice for a lifetime."

Then he took out four more books and handed them to Wu Chengyu, who accepted them, puzzled.

"I see you're a bit disappointed, so I'll add something — these four secret manuals are the martial arts of the Murong Family's Four Great Generals back then, also counted as part of the Murong Family inheritance.

Our four families have no one left either; leaving them to you as a Memorial.

Here is my Deng Family's Furious Palm Technique, the Gongye Family's Hengjiang Blade Technique, the Bao Family's Jie Gu Qin Na Shou, and the Feng Family's Fierce Wind Leg Technique — all given to you.

Haha, now this old man has no more worries; I can wait for death in peace."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lao Dengtou busily urged Wu Chengyu to leave, but Wu Chengyu couldn't just walk away like that — this old man refused to go live in Gusu; if he died here someday with no one to collect his corpse, how could Wu Chengyu bear it?

"Elder Deng, once I return to the Shop, I'll have the Shop's people hire some men to tend the Lingyuan and also look after your daily life; if there's anything you need me to do, just have the Servant contact me."

At this moment Lao Dengtou lay in the seat, eyes closed, humming a Small Tune, not caring at all what Wu Chengyu said, too lazy to bother with him, merely waving his hand dismissively to hurry Wu Chengyu along.

Wu Chengyu returned to the Shop, took out two hundred taels of Silver, asked the Shop's people to help tend the Lingyuan, and the next day returned to Suzhou with the Caravan.

"Brother, you're finally back — while you were gone I didn't dare go out."

Ever since Gushan, except for the two days she was kidnapped, A Ku had never left Wu Chengyu's side; normally when Wu Chengyu cultivated at home, she could play all over Wu Family Slope, but once Wu Chengyu left the house, A Ku would guard the Small Courtyard and go nowhere, until she saw Wu Chengyu again, whereupon she would beam with joy.

"I said I'd be back within three days — when have you ever seen me break my word? But seeing how well-behaved you are, I'll reward you with Changzhou delicacies."

Finishing his words, Wu Chengyu produced a bundle; this trip to Changzhou, whether or not he found the Secret Manuals, bringing A Ku good food was absolutely not to be forgotten.

Changzhou Sesame Cake, Jin Qian Cake, Wang You Roll, Dried Radish, Crab Shell Yellow Pastry, Hawthorn Cake, Plum Blossom Cake, Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Lotus, Silk Thread Roll — twenty-odd varieties in total; just these cost three taels of Silver altogether, enough for A Ku to eat for a long time.

This child suffered greatly in her early years — even swill could pass as a delicacy; now that life is better, she treats any food with reverence, absolutely never letting any tasty thing slip by.

What Wu Chengyu told Yu Xiaowu in the Broken Temple — "In this world only good food must not be betrayed" — she now upholds as a maxim, repeating it daily.

Watching her once again nod and sway with delight at the sight of food, Wu Chengyu felt only Warmth; sometimes when cultivation was too exhausting, seeing A Ku made all irritation vanish.

A Ku seemed to be his Anchor Point in this world, and the meaning of Wu Chengyu's transmigration seemed to be to let A Ku gain Happiness.

The only problem is, if this continues, the Young Miss will probably end up more than just Fat as a Ball — what if she can't get Married?

(Chapter End)