The crowd filed out of the great hall, leaving behind only the corpses of Chen Dagou and Wu Di.
The county magistrate took his leave first, and the others, unwilling to linger at the garrison, followed him out the main gates.
Though Li Cheng'an, Yang Shuling, Zhang Huai, and the rest maintained solemn expressions, their hearts were considerably lightened.
A clash between Zhang Yunfeng and the Daoist abbey that ended in dead bodies—this was no small matter!
Just dealing with the aftermath of Wu Di's murder would leave Zhang Yunfeng with no energy to make trouble for them.
Since Zhang Yunfeng had departed early, everyone naturally voiced their support for Zhou Wuji and Wuzheng, vehemently denouncing the heretic for courting his own destruction.
They were all seasoned figures of the Jianghu; their words were pleasant to hear, but none of them truly wished to get involved. Whether it was the Daoist abbey or the Iron Clothes Guard, both were tightly organized, colossal powers. A feud between them was not something small, local households could afford to meddle in.
Though Wuzheng lacked extensive experience in the Jianghu, he could see right through their intentions. He did not mind; he had never expected their help, nor had he counted on them to testify for him. Fortunately, the county magistrate had been present. As an imperial official, the magistrate was unlikely to take the Zhang family's side. With reason on their side, they did not fear a legal battle. As for resorting to force, that was even less of a concern.
Zhou Wuji was completely indifferent to these worldly calculations as well. He was even in the mood to pull Yang Shuling aside to thank him. The old man was remarkably skilled in his Eagle Claw technique and had done a wonderful job setting Zhou Wuji's bones previously. Having crossed paths today, Zhou Wuji naturally wanted to show his gratitude. For this occasion, he had brought along a jar of red blossom honey as a gift. No matter how pleasant polite thanks sounded, they could never match the practicality of a substantial present.
Yang Shuling was somewhat surprised. For someone so young and exceptionally capable to remember a small favor and present such a generous gift, Zhou Wuji was truly a decent man. After exchanging a few polite words, Yang Shuling accepted it.
"My grandson Tieying is at a critical juncture in his cultivation. With this red blossom honey to aid him, his chances of breaking through to hidden force will increase considerably." Yang Shuling cupped his hands in gratitude toward Zhou Wuji. "Old Yang cannot thank the Daoist enough for such a generous gift."
"Able to attempt a breakthrough to hidden force already? Your grandson is truly an extraordinary talent." Zhou Wuji knew little of the Yang family's affairs, only having heard that Yang Shuling had a grandson of good martial talent who was around seventeen or eighteen. If he could truly attain hidden force at that age, he could indeed be called a genius. At the very least, no one in Siming County could compare.
Yang Shuling took great pride in his grandson's martial aptitude, but because Zhang Xinhu had been so vicious, he had always kept an extremely low profile for fear of bringing calamity upon the boy. Now that Zhang Xinhu was dead, he had far fewer reservations.
From his interactions with Zhou Wuji, he felt the young Daoist possessed fine character. Having witnessed Zhou Wuji unravel the gu sorcery and slay the gu insect today with his own eyes, Yang Shuling could not help admiring his skill. Before such a powerhouse, he could not resist showing off his grandson a little.
Receiving Zhou Wuji's praise, Yang Shuling hurriedly adopted a modest tone. "My grandson is still young, and his temperament has yet to mature. Even if he achieves hidden force, he must remain humble. He cannot be allowed to grow arrogant, lest it invite disaster."
As he spoke, an idea suddenly struck Yang Shuling. "Once my grandson achieves hidden force, I would like him to take you as his master, Daoist!"
Zhou Wuji declined. "How could I possibly presume to do so?"
Yang Shuling said with utmost earnestness, "The boy is clever enough; let him follow you to learn a thing or two. Even the slightest guidance from you would benefit him for a lifetime."
Faced with such flattery from the old man, Zhou Wuji could not help smiling. "Old Master Yang flatters me too much. When the time comes, if he is willing, he may come to the temple to study some Daoist arts..."
A Daoist temple naturally needed to maintain good relations with prominent local families, and taking disciples was the most common way to win people over. Although Zhou Wuji had no desire to instruct formal disciples, taking him on as a nominal disciple would pose no problem.
Zhou Wuji declined Yang Shuling's invitation to dine and returned to Canglong Temple with Wuzheng.
"Junior Brother, don't worry! We have reason on our side. A mere Company Commander Zhang cannot bully us!" Back inside Canglong Temple, Wuzheng's reservations vanished, and his voice rose by two notches.
Zhou Wuji nodded and asked, "Do we know which faction that heretical cultivator with the gu insects belonged to?"
"Most likely the Five Dragons Gang."
Wuzheng had a fair understanding of Yunyang Prefecture. He had long heard of the Five Dragons Gang's formidable gu witchcraft, but this was his first time witnessing gu sorcery in person. The enemy had failed to harm others with it and ended up devoured by his own gu insect instead, proving just how sinister and terrifying gu arts truly were.
Wuzheng said, "The Five Dragons Gang boasts vast numbers. Though top-tier experts are few among them, they are all proficient in gu witchcraft. Their gang chief, Chen Dalu, is a sixth-rank martial artist. We must report this to the lower abbey as soon as possible and let the abbot and the others handle it."
With one of their experts dead, the Five Dragons Gang would never let the matter drop. Though reason was on the temple's side, the Five Dragons Gang was not necessarily a group that listened to reason. Wuzheng possessed enough self-awareness to know that only his master or the abbot stepping forward could suppress this crisis.
He said to Zhou Wuji, "Junior Brother, do not step outside during this time. Wait until the matter is settled."
"Very well. I will concentrate on concocting pills and cultivating the Dao in the temple."
Zhou Wuji had originally intended to find an opportunity to eliminate Zhang Yunfeng, but now that the conflict had erupted so loudly, it was inconvenient to make a move. For now, he could only remain quietly inside the temple, taking advantage of the available time to properly study alchemy under Wuzheng.
The lower abbey certainly had more accomplished alchemists, but none would pass on their craft without reservation the way Wuzheng did. Zhou Wuji had already surpassed Wuzheng in theoretical knowledge, yet the most crucial aspect of alchemy was practice and technical detail. For instance, when it came to gathering and preparing medicinal ingredients, no matter how clearly a book explained it, countless practical nuances were inevitably omitted.
Wuzheng had been immersed in alchemy for nearly twenty years, giving him an abundance of practical experience. Siming County was rich in medicinal herbs, so Wuzheng led Zhou Wuji through identifying and processing various ingredients, guiding him hand-in-hand through the foundational yet essential techniques.
Relying on his formidable divine sense, Zhou Wuji could memorize everything Wuzheng explained after hearing it only once. Integrating this with the pharmacological texts he had already mastered, he could even infer new insights from what he was taught.
Wuzheng was more than willing to teach Zhou Wuji alchemy. He felt that Zhou Wuji had saved his life multiple times, putting him in a debt of gratitude he could never fully repay. Imparting some alchemical knowledge served to return a portion of that favor. Furthermore, Zhou Wuji possessed extraordinary talent in alchemy. In Wuzheng's eyes, Zhou Wuji was destined to become an alchemy master, perhaps even a grandmaster. If he truly reached that stage, his alchemical prowess alone would be sufficient to revitalize the Arctic Sect.
Carrying such high expectations for Zhou Wuji, Wuzheng felt that passing on his craft was of paramount importance, holding immense significance for the future. He even felt the weight of a solemn and sacred duty. For these two reasons, Wuzheng taught with exceptional earnestness and enthusiasm.
Sensing Wuzheng's sincerity, Zhou Wuji felt a touch of shame—his senior brother was simply too honest!
That night, having completed his daily lessons, Zhou Wuji lay down on his bed without undressing. He had always been cautious, and having had a falling-out with Zhang Yunfeng today, along with the death of a gu-wielding expert, he naturally had to remain on guard. Sleeping in full clothing was merely slightly uncomfortable. In a crisis, however, it allowed him to enter a combat-ready state immediately. Compared to that, a small discomfort was entirely negligible.
Opening the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, he saw the gu insect recorded upon it, which could be converted into three liang and eight qian of Primordial Profound Essence.
A gu insect was a corporeal creature after all, fundamentally distinct from incorporeal entities like ghosts, demons, and evil spirits. A tiny gu insect was only one qian short of a bear demon. This demonstrated how much effort that cultivator had poured into the insect to make it so formidable.
Had he not possessed the Five Yin Pouch today, countering the enemy's gu sorcery would have been arduous, let alone dispatching him with ease. The brilliance of the Five Yin Pouch lay in its ability to isolate space, which granted a tremendous advantage in low-level combat. Its flaw, however, was its low grade; it could neither trap powerful beings nor withstand potent attacks.
Fortunately, he possessed the Heavenly Puppet, which could disperse across his entire body to form an enclosed suit of inner armor whenever necessary, providing excellent protection. Combined with his seventh-rank Transforming Jin physique, his seventh-rank true qi cultivation, and his realm-mastered Xiaoxiang Sword, killing Zhang Yunfeng would not take much effort.
Zhou Wuji had seen clearly today that Zhang Yunfeng was merely a seventh-rank martial artist. In terms of true martial cultivation, he was likely inferior to Zhang Xinhu. That Zhang Yunfeng had attained the post of company commander was due to his noble lineage rather than martial excellence.
Zhou Wuji had previously been somewhat skeptical of Jin Chuan's claims, but today's events had proven that Zhang Yunfeng's malice was intense indeed. He could only lament that so many people had died in Siming County in succession; countless eyes were undoubtedly watching Canglong Temple from the shadows, meaning he truly could not make another move right now.
Turning back to the three liang and eight qian of Primordial Profound Essence from the gu insect, it was enough to heal a severe injury. Since his physical condition was currently at its peak, using it to slightly boost his health was of little value; it was better to reserve the gu insect for unexpected emergencies.
The gu master had also been recorded by the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, possessing a destiny pattern of three liang and six qian.
Zhou Wuji was somewhat surprised by this. Strictly speaking, he had not slain the gu master, so why had it been credited to him? Perhaps a portion of the gu master's spirit had fused with the mother gu, and by severing the mother gu and slaughtering the rest of the swarm, the gu master's life had been counted under his name.
A destiny pattern of three liang and six qian was quite valuable.
Zhou Wuji was tempted to use it to elevate the Northern Dipper Celestial Pivot Scripture, which was his foundational qi-refining method. However, the scripture had already reached the grand mastery realm; a destiny pattern of only three liang and six qian was far from enough to advance it further. The same applied to his other major arts—at this stage, higher-tier destiny patterns were required to achieve a breakthrough.
After some thought, he decided to save it for now. Come the third month, he would travel to the lower abbey for his talisman conferral and officially advance to the seventh rank. At that time, he would need to learn several crucial arts. The Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment held other destiny patterns, but none were of high grade. A three-liang, six-qian pattern could not be squandered.
Zhou Wuji always felt that Zhang Yunfeng remained a threat, and once he arrived in Yunyang Prefecture, he would have to face countless complications. While he had time on his hands, he had to enhance his strength as much as possible.
He still possessed a root of centennial purple blood ginseng. Originally, he had planned to save it for alchemy, which would maximize its spiritual efficacy. But upon repeated consideration, he felt that using the centennial purple blood ginseng for pills carried more risks than benefits.
Wuzheng would naturally never betray him, yet the temple was a place of many loose tongues. Furthermore, after brewing superior pills, he could hardly keep them entirely for himself. A spiritual herb like the centennial purple blood ginseng was rare, and its appearance could easily be traced back to Zhang Xinhu and Wu Di. After weighing the matter, Zhou Wuji decided to consume it himself, as it was both the simplest and safest approach.
Stepping down from the bed, Zhou Wuji retrieved the centennial purple blood ginseng from the medicine case. The root was roughly a foot long, shaped like a human figure. It had been stored for who knew how long; though withered, it retained a faint reddish hue and gave off a subtle, enduring medicinal fragrance.
Zhou Wuji snapped off a section of rootlet, placed it in his mouth, and chewed slowly. The flavor was slightly bitter with a gentle, lingering sweetness, reminiscent of tea.
The spiritual efficacy of the purple blood ginseng quickly diffused. Zhou Wuji felt as though he had fallen into a furnace, the blood and qi throughout his body boiling violently. He initially considered circulating his Northern Dipper Tianshu true qi to dissolve the medicinal potency, but felt that would be inappropriate. The power of the centennial purple blood ginseng acted entirely on the physical body; utilizing true qi would not be as efficient as employing the Five Tigers Fist. The Five Tigers Fist tempered the muscles, bones, and internal organs, making it the ideal vehicle for absorbing the ginseng's potency.
Unfurling his stance within the room, Zhou Wuji practiced several rounds of the Five Tigers Fist. Iron Tiger tempered the skin, muscles, and bones externally while nourishing the five viscera and six entrails internally, serving as a martial discipline specifically designed for physical tempering. Black Tiger directed force outward, mobilizing the combined might of muscles, bones, and organs into a ferocious explosion. Iron Tiger worked inward while Black Tiger drove outward; together, inward and outward laid the most crucial foundation of the Five Tigers Fist. Flying Tiger unified the interior and exterior of the entire body, conferring lightness and speed akin to flight.
The first three forms were methods of physical tempering; only upon reaching Mind Tiger did one temper internal fist intent, truly crossing the threshold into superior martial ways.
Zhou Wuji had reached grand mastery in the Five Tigers Fist and had genuinely touched upon the Mind Tiger fist intent, which was vastly different from the Xiaoxiang sword intent. With his current level of attainment, he could not yet truly unify his swordsmanship and fist techniques. However, relying on the Mind Tiger fist intent, he could effortlessly govern his physical vessel, swiftly absorbing the medicinal power through his fist routines and allowing the boiling blood and qi throughout his body to gradually settle.
Opening the Northern Emperor's Book of Heavenly Punishment, Zhou Wuji saw that his physical attribute had risen by three points.
It seemed minor, yet it brought Zhou Wuji considerable delight.
With his Five Tigers Fist at grand mastery, his physical attribute had already reached four hundred and thirty points. In terms of sheer physical durability and strength across all aspects, he was already far superior to an ordinary seventh-rank martial artist. Eating just a tiny piece of the rootlet had raised his attribute by three points. By this calculation, the full purple blood ginseng was sufficient to elevate his physical attribute to five hundred points.
Even someone as formidable as Zhang Xinhu had only possessed five hundred points!
Judging by his experience, reaching five hundred points should place him close to the absolute limit for a seventh-rank martial artist. If he truly reached that stage, his combat prowess would undoubtedly ascend to another tier!
A martial artist's power was more direct and violent, consistently conferring a massive advantage against all manner of low-tier spells. Just like the gu master today—against Zhang Xinhu, he would have been utterly helpless. Gu insects might appear eerie and bizarre, but they struggled to inflict substantial harm on a powerful martial artist in a short span of time. Conversely, a gu master could hardly withstand the onslaught of a mighty martial artist.
Putting himself in their shoes, Zhou Wuji knew that after losing an expert, the Five Dragons Gang would not let the matter rest. Gu witchcraft had a long history; although the Five Yin Pouch was ingenious, it might not be able to restrain every type of gu insect. If he ever encountered an insect he could not suppress, unleashing his blood and qi to directly blast the opponent to death would be the best approach.
Chapter 76