Chapter 60: Duke Zhuang's Fishing
The Wei River downstream, a young man in a green shirt, hurried along the road with quick steps. Every step seemed close, but in the blink of an eye, he had walked out a few feet. Even so, it didn't give people any special feeling, as if this young man was floating exceptionally, and transcended the mundane world!
Every step the young man took, a small sword would emerge from under his foot, and with the next step, the small sword would disappear, but the young man had walked over ten feet.
The whole scene is hazy and extraordinary!
"This sword shadow step is indeed an extraordinary skill, the speed has increased a lot, if I were to meet those foundation stage cultivators again now, it would be much easier to escape!"
But after finishing speaking, Wang Chen had a sudden smile, and his face revealed a faintly confident smile. "Now that the sword intent has been formed, what is to be feared from the initial foundation-building cultivators?"
As he spoke, Wang Chen suddenly manifested a series of illusory sword shadows around him, stirring up the air with wave after wave of vibrations! After finishing his words, Wang Chen withdrew his sword intent, and the illusory sword shadow behind him vanished. However, an unusual sword intent aura had unknowingly left its mark on Wang Chen's body, and no matter what, it couldn't be eradicated!
Wang Chen continued walking forward and found two thatched cottages ahead.
The thatched cottage was nothing special, but what was peculiar was an old man fishing by the river. The old man was a very ordinary person, and Wang Chen could tell at a glance.
However, the aura on the old man's body made Wang Chen extremely surprised, because this aura was very similar to his own aura, also a transcendent aura. The only difference is that the old man's transcendence and Wang Chen's transcendence had obvious differences, as for where the difference lay, Wang Chen didn't know either.
Wang Chen walked up to the old man and sat down as if no one was there. The old man opened his eyes, slightly surprised, and said: "Little friend came just in time, wait a moment, at noon there will be fish soup to drink!"
The old man did not ask Wang Chen where he came from, and his words were as if they had known each other for a long time. Wang Chen also felt an inexplicable comfort in body and mind when talking to the old man, smiled and nodded, and sat quietly beside him.
The old man's fishing skills were quite good, and in a short while he had caught several fish.
After about half a minute, the noise came from afar and started to rush towards the thatched cottage. Wang Chen was surprised, and the old man didn't say anything, just shook his head slightly.
Silk gauze, satin and embroidered canopy with gold trim, majestic guards, all showing the extraordinary status of this group of people.
As they approached, a sixty-year-old elder came out and bowed to the elder, saying: "Zhuang Gong, I have paid my respects!"
The old man put away his fishing rod, and bowed to say: "I am a rustic fellow from the countryside, please forgive my slowness! May I ask who you are? What brings you here?"
Although the old man in Chinese clothes was not an ordinary person, he was extremely polite to Zhuang Gong, "Zhuang Gong, what are you talking about? Today, the world is at peace, and King Liang is a wise and virtuous ruler. He sincerely invites Zhuang Gong to take office and pray for the people, opening up a peaceful era for all eternity!"
Marquis Zhuang shook his head, and the old man continued: "Marquis Zhuang is unaware that originally the Emperor himself was going to come in person. Due to illness, he ordered us to set up the imperial canopy to invite you to come out of retirement and take office!"
Zhuang Gong didn't say a word, but sat down again and cast out his fishing rod. The old man from the Hua Fu saw this and also didn't speak, standing behind him. After a while, Zhuang Gong said: "I heard that in Liang Guo there was a divine turtle, which when killed was already three thousand years old. The king of Liang treasured it in a bamboo box, covered it with brocade, and worshipped it on the temple hall above. I ask you, sir, would this turtle rather die and leave its bones to be valued, or would it rather live and swim in the muddy water, dragging its tail?"
The old man in the capital was stunned when he heard this, and only then said: "Of course, I'd rather swim in the mud and drag my tail!" Zhuangzi smiled and said: "Thank you for your kind intentions, sir. I also wish to swim in the water and drag my tail. Please go back now, sir!"
The old man in the capital's eyes dimmed for a moment, but after thinking for a while, he said: "Zhuang Gong is a great virtuous person, and talking to him for a few words can make people think deeply! However, life is short, and it passes in the blink of an eye. Who has the three thousand years of longevity like the divine turtle to indulge in? If one doesn't do something great, wouldn't that be a lifelong regret?"
"What's more, after a hundred years, the turtles that have been secretly infiltrating will not know what is in people's stomachs, and the turtles that are worshipped in temples will still be remembered by the nation. What can be evaluated between gains and losses, advances and retreats?"
The old man in the capital spoke with a gentle tone, and even Wang Chen thought it made sense. But Zhuang Gong listened and smiled: "Doctor, you really have a good tongue! However, you are not that divine turtle, how do you know its choice? Maybe if you tell it that being able to swim in the muddy water for a moment, even if it dies a thousand deaths, it will be worth it!"
"Though I die a thousand times, I have no regrets!"
Listening to this sentence, Wang Chen was extremely shocked in his heart, and the old man's gaze was even more filled with admiration. He thought back to his own cultivation process, wasn't it just like that?!
As a secular martial artist, he slaughtered cultivators and charged forward bravely in the beast tide, ultimately obtaining the Jiaolong egg. If not for daring to fight head-on with the foundation-building cultivators, eliminating the cowardice in his heart, it would be another story whether he could comprehend the sword intent!
Thinking of this, I suddenly felt a lot more relieved. The way to transcend must be filled with hardships. If one doesn't have the determination to die for it, then what's the point of cultivating immortality or transcending the Great Way?
The old man in the capital listened, his face awkward, and after a while, he waved his sleeve and said: "Since Master Zhuang wants to be that carefree cloud! I won't force it either. After returning to the palace, I will report the truth to King Liang!"
Having said that, he turned around and left with his entourage.
Wang Chen waited in Zhuang Gong's thatched cottage for three days, watching Zhuang Gong fish during the day and discussing all things under heaven. Occasionally, he could also drink a few bowls of fresh and delicious fish soup.
Zhuang Gong is not a cultivator of immortality, but Zhuang Gong's broad-mindedness and insight have made Wang Chen admire him greatly.
"In the northern darkness there is a fish, its name is Kun. The size of Kun is unknown, it may be several thousand miles long. It transforms into a bird, its name is Peng. The back of Peng is also unknown, it may be several thousand miles wide. When angry and flying, its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky. Water hits three thousand miles, swirling and shaking upwards nine hundred thousand miles. Breaking through the clouds and mist, carrying the blue sky on its back, then it heads south."
Wang Chen could imagine such a scene: the surface of the sea was turbulent, with waves surging and endless, a several thousand li long fish was flipping in the sea. With a swish, the fish leaped out of the water, its back sprouting wings. Two giant wings, each several thousand li long, flapped once, stirring up endless waves!
The waves suddenly spread out three thousand miles away, Kunpeng borrowed the momentum to fly up to the high altitude of 90,000 miles, white clouds and blue sky are all under it!
The sound of the book, freely recited from Zhuang Gong's mouth, had a different flavor. Wang Chen listened with rapt attention. This legend about Kun Peng may not be entirely false after all. It is said that in ancient times, there really were such strange creatures. Being both fish and bird, one can imagine the thousands of miles long wings, under which even the most powerful practitioners would turn to ashes.
Perhaps only the immortals in the immortal realm can be compared with it!
Wang Chen spent three days communicating with Zhuang Gong and then decided to return to the Men's faction.
On the other hand, something big happened at Qingyunmen.
Qingyun Hall
For thousands of years, the Qingyun Gate had been a solemn and dignified place for handling affairs. But today, it gathered most of the high-ranking warriors of the Qingyun Gate. One Yuan Ying period cultivator, eight Jindan period cultivators.
The lowest cultivation was unexpectedly a Qi Foundation stage sect master and a young man in the Practicing Qi stage from Qingyun Gate.
"Feng Wuji, do you know your crime? You've killed over a dozen Qingyun Sect disciples in just one month since entering the sect. I sentence you to death! Can you accept this?" The Foundation Stage sect leader stood opposite Feng Wuji, his voice loud and clear. Although his tone was severe, his expression betrayed a hint of fear - this young man was not someone to be trifled with, among the dead were even a few Foundation Stage cultivators.
It's terrifying to hear that cultivators in the Qi Refining stage can annihilate foundation-building stage cultivators!
As soon as the words of the Qingyun Gate's leader fell, a series of sword shadows burst out from the young man's body. The clanging sound of swords seemed to come from all directions, and the young man's body emitted an even more intense and sharp sword intent. The foundation-building period gate master was actually trembling with fear under this sword intent, and he could hardly stand still.
"Some scoundrels intend to be unruly, kill them and that's it, what can you do to me?"
Arrogant and overbearing! This is the boundless sharpness, as soon as this was said, a middle-aged cultivator who was originally at the back also opened his eyes, eight Golden Dan looked at the young man and felt their eyes sting, as if a sword was about to cut them!
"How arrogant!", a Golden Core cultivator finally couldn't bear it, and the overwhelming pressure was also released. This person's cultivation in the Golden Core stage is considered to be at its peak, but when encountering the young man's sword intent, he was completely suppressed!
The master of the foundation period was also squatting on the ground at this moment, his face pale.
A battle seems almost inevitable.
"Alright!"
A voice that sounded very ordinary entered the ears of the crowd in Qingyun Hall, shocking everyone's mind and making them lose their composure. The Golden Elixir cultivators at the peak were even more intimidated by an even greater pressure after this voice, and they didn't dare to speak!
The only one who can still speak and has a burning desire for battle is that young cultivator in the Qi Refining stage.
"You're awesome, let's have a match!"
The young man's eyes shone brightly, and the magical instrument on his back let out a "ding" sound as it flew out. Instantly, several one-meter-long sword auras burst forth, stirring up the air.
Rumbling, crackling and popping!
In the Qingyun Hall, a burst of fighting sounds suddenly rang out. However, this sound came and went quickly! After the battle, the old ancestor of the Qingyun Gate issued an order to specially reward Feng Wuji as the elder of the Qingyun Gate.
The three major gate elders of the Liang State are all Golden Elixir period cultivators or extraordinary alchemists, but a Qi Refining period cultivator actually became an elder of the Qingyun Gate. For a time, Feng Wuji's name shook the entire Liang State and even had a tendency to spread to other countries!
