Chapter 218: Grandmaster’s Relic
With that said, Miss Zhang forcibly held back and pretended to be mature, suppressing the urge to pat Chen Shun’an on the shoulder.
She then followed Gou Dianye and Tie Jian Yuan to the Martial Monument Stone Forest of the Martial Arts Hall, where the restricted area was located.
Meanwhile, Chen Shun’an recalled what Miss Zhang had just said.
A tremendous opportunity?
Chen Shun’an shook his head.
Miss Zhang was merely a Martial Artist, a young fledgling still smelling of milk, probably not yet aware of the Sacred Dynasty’s secrets.
The Zhang Family had not informed her of these either.
The opportunity was indeed real.
But Chen Shun’an felt that behind this opportunity, there was likely some ulterior motive.
If Chen Shun’an guessed correctly, the Tongzhou Zhang Family must also have Immortals, and quite a few in number.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to hold such a pivotal position at the Ao Shan Daoist Academy.
That Zhang Family probably had all sorts of spiritual humans, spiritual horses, humanoid treasure ginseng, and beings who had practiced 《Flying Immortal Strength》 to Great Accomplishment, nearly becoming demons everywhere.
As for the supreme mystery of 《Flying Immortal Strength》, the Six Sceneries Rotation True Cultivation Manual that few had comprehended in hundreds of years, how could it be as simple as it appeared on the surface?
The only thing Chen Shun’an needed to do was to become as strong as possible.
Slaying the Six Thieves, Martial Dao Grandmaster, Path of Divinity Ninth Rank, welcoming back the Water Origin authority…
As long as his own strength was sufficient, all schemes and intrigues would make way.
The opportunity was there, and no one could take it away.
Moreover, with Chen Shun’an’s current strength, would ordinary opportunities catch his eye?
It would be better to go to the Vast Ocean, Four Seas Ferry to seek, where opportunities were everywhere in the water.
The highest good is like water, not competing or grabbing—that was Chen Shun’an’s way.
……
“Sigh, if Miss Zhang goes to the Martial Arts Hall restricted area and doesn’t come out for days or nights, won’t we have to wait bitterly?”
“Miss Zhang just glanced at me, right? She looked at me more, so she must be interested in me!”
“I finally managed to get a suspected handwritten annotation by Master Tie Yu, though it’s incomplete, and I said I’d appreciate it together with Miss Xiangling… What now?”
“Your scribble-like junk dares to claim it’s left by Master Tie Yu? This is Mi Xiangyang’s rare painting 《Smoke and Rain Diagram》, containing Immortal secrets—Miss Xiangling will surely like it!”
Chen Shun’an was about to leave when his ears twitched, noticing the words “Master Tie Yu annotation.”
Wait, a Martial Path outline personally written by Master Tie Yu?
Opportunity!
For Chen Mou, it was no less than a tremendous opportunity!
Perhaps it could serve as a stone from another mountain to polish jade, helping Chen Mou slay the Mind Thief, or even glimpse the Grandmaster Realm!
Chen Shun’an’s eyes lit up instantly.
He had to compete for it!
Xiao Lian Gong Wang Zhicheng saw that this local youth was arrogant and dared to refute him, and was about to argue back when suddenly his vision blurred, and Chen Shun’an’s figure appeared before him.
This person’s Lightness Skill attainment was actually so profound?
While Wang Zhicheng was astonished, he saw Chen Shun’an with a full smile on his face, cupping his hands and saying,
“Why should everyone be worried? I am willing to act as an intermediary and deliver your heartfelt gifts on your behalf.”
“You can enter the Martial Arts Hall restricted area? Miss Xiangling will listen to you?” Someone looked skeptical.
Wang Zhicheng said nothing, narrowing his eyes and sizing up Chen Shun’an.
Chen Shun’an said calmly,
“By generation rank, Miss Zhang Xiangling is Chen Mou’s youngest aunt, and it’s just the Martial Arts Hall restricted area—I have Leader Lu’s waist token here, so where can’t I go?”
Leader Lu’s waist token?
At these words, many people’s eyes lit up.
Wang Zhicheng suddenly sneered,
“You rascal, talking nonsense—if you take our treasures and run off?!”
Chen Shun’an shook his head, looking solemn as he said,
“Everyone is from the Wuqing nobility, renowned talented persons and heroes, and Xiao Lian Gong is a proper Juren Scholar—how dare an old commoner like me, who sells mats and weaves shoes, abscond with your things?”
Wang Zhicheng thought for a moment and nodded,
“I suppose you wouldn’t dare—take it!”
With that, Wang Zhicheng directly pushed the wooden box containing Master Tie Yu’s handwritten annotation to Chen Shun’an.
It was this easy to get his hands on it?
Chen Shun’an stood there, even stunned for a moment.
It was mainly because he wasn’t used to obtaining an opportunity so easily.
Seeing this, Wang Zhicheng couldn’t help but scoff,
“Petty mindset—do you think I, Wang Zhicheng, am the type to haggle like you? Employ people without doubt, doubt not those employed… But if you don’t give me an explanation, don’t blame me for not upholding righteousness!”
“Alright, alright, alright…”
Chen Shun’an held the wooden box, retreated a few steps, then turned joyfully and strode toward the Martial Arts Hall restricted area.
At the restricted area entrance, elite Martial Arts Hall guards stopped Chen Shun’an, but after he showed Leader Lu’s waist token and said a few words, they let him in.
Seeing this, many nodded silently.
“I heard this guy has the ability to communicate with birds and beasts, completed Leader Lu’s personal bounty task, and after claiming the Purple Iron Cattail Milk, he holed up in the Martial Arts Hall, not daring to step out, afraid someone would take it.”
“Oh? So he’s using the Purple Iron Cattail Milk to first slay the Mind Thief and step into the True Intent Realm? Quite bold!”
“Indeed… But Chen Shun’an is already a Three Refinements Martial Body—if he really steps into the True Intent Realm…”
Some showed wary looks.
“Heh, you’re all overthinking it.”
Wang Zhicheng lightly stroked his beard and smiled faintly,
“At fifty years old, merely slaying one thief—how could it threaten us? This year-end Grand Celebration has such a high threshold precisely because it’s extremely important… He, Chen Shun’an, is too old!”
At these words, everyone nodded in agreement.
Clearly, everyone present knew that this year’s Grand Celebration, due to the Qianning Envoy Mission Visit the Sacred Dynasty, was highly valued by the court, with unprecedented resource allocation.
And discerning eyes could tell whom to choose between youths with infinite potential and late bloomers who were already decrepit old men.
Thus, the crowd stopped talking about it and discussed other matters.
Throwing Chen Shun’an to the back of their minds.
……
“Miss Zhang, someone named Chen Shun’an outside requests to see you.”
In a Scripture Repository, while Miss Zhang was being led around by Gou Dianye and Tie Jian Yuan, a martial youth hurried over and bowed to report.
“Oh? He’s come around?”
Miss Zhang’s eyes lit up; she apologized to the two beside her and hurried to the nearby Tea Room.
Upon entering the Tea Room, Miss Zhang saw Chen Shun’an standing under a landscape painting, waiting silently for her.
“Nephew Shun’an, I’m here!”
Miss Zhang lifted the door curtain and strode in quickly, her advances and retreats like a gentle breeze on the face, appearing ahead then suddenly left or right, flickering and shifting like a ghost, elusive.
The guiding martial youth only saw a blur before Miss Zhang had crossed over ten zhang, appearing behind Chen Shun, her fist breaking through the air toward his back—yet without the slightest whistle of wind.
However, Chen Shun’an seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, with precognitive ability; his feet unmoving, he slightly shifted his body.
Instantly, the force dissipated, and Miss Zhang’s move became useless.
“Eh?”
Miss Zhang was somewhat surprised and uncertain, not expecting Chen Shun’an to react so perfectly and dodge her move.
She was about to press the attack when Chen Shun’an’s voice came.
“Hold on—there’s a Master Tie annotation here!”
Miss Zhang’s expression changed, and she immediately withdrew her strength, suppressing her Qi and Blood.
Moments later, the two sat opposite each other across a low table, with a somewhat tattered, mold-spotted book in the middle.
“Where did this come from? Is it really left by Master Tie?” Miss Zhang poked her head forward, asking curiously.
“Wang Zhicheng gave it—should be genuine.”
“Ah? That old turtle’s? Then I don’t want it—he’s bound to arrange a banquet and invite me to boat and admire snow or something.”
Miss Zhang shook her head like a rattle drum upon hearing this, refusing repeatedly.
Chen Shun’an gave her a strange look and said,
“Just accept the gift—neither refuse, nor take initiative, nor agree, that’s all.”
In Chen Shun’an’s view, Miss Zhang’s earlier maneuvers were still somewhat immature.
Not grasping the essence of mixing in the Sacred Dynasty’s officialdom and workplace.
“Ah? You can do that?”
Miss Zhang widened her eyes, her clear, flawless gaze staring blankly at Chen Shun’an.
“Isn’t that deceiving people?” Miss Zhang hesitated.
“Who said it’s deceiving?”
Chen Shun’an frowned and said solemnly,
“You didn’t agree! They’re the ones desperately trying to give it! We accept the gift, and they should thank us!”
Miss Zhang couldn’t help but open her mouth wide, looking at Chen Shun’an with a hint of shock in her eyes, as if her worldview from over a decade was being reshaped.
“Fine, do it that way then. If you really can’t get over this hurdle in your heart, just handwrite an invitation, set a time, and invite that Wang Zhicheng to admire snow at West Mountain.”
“This…” Miss Zhang immediately grew anxious.
“I haven’t finished.”
Chen Shun’an waved his hand, interrupting Miss Zhang, and continued,
“Write more—I reckon, hmm, a total of sixteen. Invite all those outside. Wait, not just them—best to invite all the prominent figures in Wuqing County, like the Tie Jian Yuan of Liangjiang Military Academy, those from the Water Station, Caobang, all of them!”
Chen Shun’an said faintly,
“Jade fragments whirl, flying swords dance in the sky; the celestial river is silent, profound arts swallow the winter solstice qi. Since Youngest Aunt you are obsessed with the Martial Path, take the chance to widely invite Wuqing heroes for a West Mountain sword discussion!”
“It’s just treating to a meal—sword discussion can have food too!”
Miss Zhang was slightly stunned, then showed excitement, especially as if envisioning a storybook scene of snowy mountain martial contests; the thrill surged through her limbs and bones like an unstoppable warm current.
“Great, great, great—I’ll write them now!”
……
The matter was settled.
Sixteen heavy gifts received, sixteen invitations sent out.
Each person, upon receiving an invitation, guarded it tightly with wary eyes toward others, then secretly tucked it into their bosom, peeked at it through a slit, and revealed a sly delighted expression.
After doing this, they still pretended to be nonchalant, chatted and probed left and right, then hurried away one after another.
In the end, many even grabbed Chen Shun’an’s hand, thanking him profusely with fervent words, quite reluctant to part.
Shopkeeper Chen is truly a good man!
