Chapter 70: Five Forms and Six Forces, A Half-Step Away

Late at night, An Chenyu stroked the body of the man beside her and said in a trembling voice, "Little Song, Xiegu County in the North Land has been slaughtered by the barbarians."

This city must have been slaughtered long ago, but to prevent panic, this information was sealed off.

Now it can no longer be contained at all and is about to spread; the Prefecture City felt that once it got out, everyone would flee, which is why they sealed the city in time."

"Little Song, it seems our guesses have all been confirmed."

The scale of this Ghost Tide is unprecedentedly large.

It is likely that quite a few of the North Land barbarians have come down.

Even the Six Towns cannot hold them back.

This is an avalanche; the sky is falling."

Young Miss An is usually incomparably calm on the outside, as if even if the sky were to fall, she would not be startled, making people feel very at ease.

But at this moment, her whole body was shaking, and the nerves on her forehead were jumping non-stop.

Song Cheng leaned against the headboard, legs spread, letting Young Miss An lie in his arms. His hands gently massaged her scalp to help her relax, and he said, "An Jie, how much longer do you think it will be before the barbarians are at the city gates?"

An Chenyu had actually pondered this question long ago, and after thinking about it again, she said, "The Prefecture City is difficult to attack and has three major powers, so the barbarians won't come immediately. But they will come sooner or later."

Song Cheng said, "Do you also think it wasn't the barbarians who killed the Ma Family?"

An Chenyu was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "The three major powers were just killing the chicken to warn the monkeys."

Once the Ma Family died, it cut off the thoughts of other families in the city who wanted to sneak away.

However, I cannot be entirely certain.

After all, I have read some historical records, and the books describe how the North Land Demon Beast Cavalry often likes to let their horses run wild to plunder, using their speed to penetrate deep behind enemy lines to intercept the opponent's provisions or retreating personnel.

So, it is not entirely impossible."

Song Cheng said, "Then in history, has Hanping Prefecture ever been breached by the barbarians?"

An Chenyu shook her head, but then added, "It's just that the scale of the Ghost Tide has never been this large before."

Song Cheng asked, "An Jie, do you think Hanping Prefecture can hold?"

An Chenyu pondered for a long time and said, "The Great Shang Dynasty does not just have the Prefecture City; long after the Ghost Tide settled, those with intent should have reacted, so... other places will take action, and the Huangcheng might even dispatch great generals to lead troops north."

Song Cheng said, "But Hanping Prefecture is the territory of the Mountain River Martial Arts Hall, White Camel Manor, and Zhushan Temple; why would other powers help?"

An Chenyu said, "These powers are intertwined and are not isolated. Whether it is the Mountain River Martial Arts Hall, White Camel Manor, or Zhushan Temple, they very likely have higher-level powers behind them."

These great powers are composed of local forces and Huangcheng forces, forming a behemoth as a whole.

And these behemoths have a tacit understanding to let the smaller powers and families below develop without interference, so much so that ordinary people see a complete dynasty."

Even within this Hanping Prefecture, very few people know that the actual controllers of the Prefecture City and the eighteen counties outside are the Mountain River Martial Arts Hall, White Camel Manor, and Zhushan Temple."

So, other powers will definitely provide support, because they will not tolerate the loss of land."

Song Cheng said, "Population is important, and grain land is also important... but gradually, everyone will realize that livestock and demon beasts are equally important."

The barbarians have clearly realized this point, so they only snatch women, grain, and livestock.

They don't even want cannon fodder, because cannon fodder consumes grain.

Moreover, on the battlefield, the gap between the strong and the weak is too vast; cannon fodder... doesn't even have the value of existing."

Before crossing over, Song Cheng had seen in history books "scenes of barbarians driving commoners to attack cities," but in the world before he crossed, "the gap between people was not that large," yet in this world... the distinction between strong and weak is very clear.

While he pondered, he lightly massaged the Young Miss's forehead, bridge of her nose, eye sockets, and cheeks... An Chenyu's emotions also recovered during their conversation.

"Little Song, what do you think we should do?"

"Lacking enough information to make a judgment."

"I think so too, let's just watch for now." The Young Miss, who was usually unflappable, sighed, then turned over, hooked her arms around the youth's neck, and said, "Little Song, stop rubbing, come down."

Song Cheng curled into the bedding.

They rolled up and down a few times.

Song Cheng suddenly said, "Other families' cultivation arts..."

"Forget it, I'll find a way for that myself."

No matter how chaotic the situation is, getting stronger can never be delayed; he must find a way to obtain cultivation arts from other martial arts halls or small sects—force techniques, power techniques, anything will do.

This sudden "spell interruption" and sudden scene change made An Chenyu unable to help but "fiercely" bite him, then took the opportunity to flip on top.

Casting continued, casting successful, spell critical hit; the night was hot... The panic of the city lockdown did not stir up a huge disturbance, as if it were the calm before a storm.

Five days passed in a flash.

Seven "Soul Strengthening Pills" had already been taken, and Song Cheng only felt that his Soul had strengthened quite a bit, and his spirit was always exceptionally good.

At this time, he sat in front of the Library Pavilion, grinding that rusted saber bit by bit under the sunlight; the floating rust fell in rustles, turning yellow when mixed with clear water.

Suddenly, his heart stirred; he gripped the saber and walked to a deserted place, the Qi unique to the "Xing Realm Peak" surging violently into the rusted saber.

His five fingers shook.

Clatter, clatter—the remaining rust flew off completely.

The youth's fingers swept across the blade surface.

Smooth, cold; it was a good saber for killing.

At this moment, his data also changed to "124~248".

And when he first got this rusted saber, it was only "119~236".

'Still 26 points short of that person from White Camel Manor in terms of lower limit of strength, and 44 points in the upper limit.'

'Then, Add Points.'

Song Cheng glanced at the panel: 【Add Points: 112 points】

【Realm: Yellow Grade Grade B】

【Cultivation Arts】

Flying Wheel Force (Yellow Grade Grade C) (Completion (30/64)) Splitting Force (Yellow Grade Grade C) (Entry (1/8)) Recently, he had tried to cultivate arts himself; after all, "cultivating from high to low" is actually very smooth, but these days he had only managed to bring Splitting Force from non-entry to entry, and pushed the progress of "Flying Wheel Force" forward by 1 point.

It is not so easy to form a new type of Jin.

Now, he prepared to "assault-cultivate" for a round.

"34 points, Flying Wheel Force, cultivate." In an instant, a mysterious feeling surged up.

Mysterious Turtle Hard Force and Flying Wheel Force fused together completely, and then connected with the Pounce, Shu, and Jue Jin Jin Jins, becoming a seamless whole.

New information emerged:

【Cultivation Method】

Xuanwu True Form (5 Forms) (Yellow Grade Grade B) (Completion)

Splitting Force (Yellow Grade Grade C) (Entry (1/8)) "The Four Forms technique has become five forms."

"Although the Xuanwu Second Style has not changed, the Jiaoshan that originally had some flaws seems to be more perfect."

The youth stood with his blade held horizontally, his left hand lowered, and the "Mechanism Shield" slid down from his sleeve, turning into a shield at a single thought.

The Five Forms of Gang Qi intertwined in one place; among them, the Hard Force and the spiral Horizontal Force of the Flying Wheel turned into Gang Qi and entangled on the shield, while the Pounce, Shu, and Jue Jin Jin Gangs were attached to the long blade.

The five Jins turned into five Gangs, circulating around the youth's body, making him exist like a fortress, capable of both offense and defense.

Song Cheng glanced at the data.

133~266.

"Continue."

The youth glanced at the remaining 78 points.

"55 points, Splitting Force, cultivate."

In a moment, Splitting Force reached Completion.

The information changed again.

【Cultivation Method】

Xuanwu True Form (5 Forms) (Yellow Grade Grade B) (Completion)

Xuanwu True Strength (6 Jins) (Yellow Grade Grade C) (Completion) Strength: 139~278!

It was surprisingly not far from the "145~280" of that person at White Camel Manor.

In other words, he, Song Xiazi, was also fast approaching the combat power ceiling of this Prefecture City.

Rare! A pleasant surprise!

Why?

Song Cheng thought for a moment and quickly reached a conclusion:

Although he had not reached the other person's realm, his foundation was solid; others had one or two Jins, while he had five or six. Others mostly had moves for one weapon, while he had two weapons.

The sense of security in Song Cheng's heart increased slightly.

Splitting Force is a type of vertical Jin, a force from top to bottom; it flows through the upper limbs, torso, and lower limbs, and it is an important connecting force for the spiral Flying Wheel's Horizontal Force to turn from defense to offense.

If Hard Force is about the skin being tough to resist blades and weapons.

The spiral Horizontal Force of the Flying Wheel is about the "Eighteen Falls of Touching Clothes."

Then, Splitting Force is about "kneeling upon touching clothes."

With six Jins wrapping his body, Song Cheng only felt his understanding of the "Jin Realm" deepen again and again, far exceeding a moment ago.

Jin, to put it plainly, is a flow of force.

And flowing requires opening up "river channels."

These "river channels" are composed of a series of factors such as breathing, flesh and blood, tendons and bones, inertia, and so on.

They are not revealed on ordinary days, but once force is exerted, they appear immediately.

This kind of opening up is quite difficult; it not only requires hard work to refine and eating Demon Beast Meat to endure, but it even requires guidance from others to avoid practicing incorrectly.

However, the six Jins had already formed a "Jin Web" around his entire body.

No matter what other Jin he practiced, it would just be adding "tributary river channels" to this "Jin Web."

Perhaps if another Jin method came along, he would not need to improve it through Add Points, but could completely rely on his own cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds.

"Must think of a way to get some new Jin methods."

Song Cheng pondered slightly, intending to observe the situation; if it really didn't work, he planned to follow the same method he used in Shanghe County and go directly to other martial arts halls to "pay a visit."

Just as Song Cheng was thinking, a commotion suddenly came from the front courtyard.

Before long, an An Family Steward hurried over, and upon reaching the Library Pavilion, shouted: "Everyone, the Prefect has sent officials; he wants to see you!"

After speaking, the Steward looked at Song Cheng and said: "Son-in-law, the officials have arrived and said they want to see every Martial Artist of the family. They said that even those who only know a little bit of farm-work style must go."

Seeing that Song Cheng did not move, the Steward added anxiously: "Son-in-law, they are already standing at the door."

Inside the Library Pavilion, Zhao Hua ran out first, came to Song Cheng's side, and said: "Big Brother, what should we do?"

Song Cheng said: "See them."

Zhao Hua nodded.

On the other side, the remaining Martial Artists and the An Family experts also walked out one after another.

Upon arriving at the front gate, the official read the Prefect's order.

In short, it was that in these special times, the government wished to recruit heroes from the common people to fight against the Northern Barbarians together.

As for the benefits.

One, give silver;

Two, grant official status directly based on military merit; three, experts from the Mountain and River Martial Hall and White Camel Manor would come to select and take the genius disciples among them into their sects; even if they were not geniuses, as long as their military merit was sufficient, or they passed the test, they could also join these two major forces.

After explaining these things, the official added: "You may know very little about the Mountain and River Martial Hall and White Camel Manor, but I tell you, this is an extremely rare, once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity.

Wealth and honor are sought in danger; will you be a family slave and guard for a lifetime of mediocrity, or will you take a step to the sky and stand in a place higher than your own masters in the future? It all depends on your choice today."

After speaking, he glanced at the Steward nearby, as well as the Young Miss An who had just arrived, and said indifferently: "The Prefect has ordered that if a Martial Artist has the heart to go, no one is allowed to stop them; if there is a deed of sale, the deed of sale is also void. If there are those who violate this, those who feign compliance..."

The official runner let out a cold snort, then looked at the Martial Artists and said, "Those who want to join, stand directly behind me."

"Those who haven't decided, just come to the government office within seven days."

"After seven days, no more people will be accepted!"

(End of this chapter)