Growth
Seeing that Murong Qing was about to make a move, Chai Wanyang quickly tugged at her sleeve, gesturing that she had a few words to say to her.
Seeing this, Si Ming felt even more that the girl was very clever, because Murong Qing was not afraid of being overheard when she spoke, while Chai Wanyang did not have such cultivation. Her ability to realize this proved that she was quick-witted.
"Let Little Wu take her down. If she goes out alone, they'll easily suspect she has accomplices lying in ambush. With Little Wu there, they'll be able to dispel their suspicions."
After a moment's thought, Murong Qing nodded in agreement and said to Murong Wu, "Remember to protect Sister Chai well, and make sure she doesn't get hurt."
Murong Wu solemnly replied, "I understand."
Murong Qing stared for a while, then sighed, "No, you don't know... Never mind, let's hurry up and make our appearance, lest we let them get away."
Chapter 884 Growth
The barbarian chieftain slapped his forehead and said, "I almost forgot, Brother Shang, have the statues that the shaman instructed us to bury been properly buried? This is the most important thing."
Shang Zhen said, "Commander Temur, please rest assured. How could I not take the matters entrusted to me by the Shaman Lord to heart? I had them buried in the courtyard long ago. I just don't know what this thing is for?"
"The shaman communicates with spirits and deities; how could we possibly fathom their thoughts? Don't ask questions you shouldn't."
"It was my overstepping of bounds; please forgive me."
"Haha, ignorance is no excuse. Just remember that the Witch Gu Sect is the state religion of our Great Qian Dynasty. The words of a shaman are equivalent to the orders of Thousand Commander. Don't take it lightly," Temur instructed, then looked at Shang Zhen's hair and frowned, "Shaving your head and changing your clothes is an elegant policy of the Qian Dynasty. Wearing tall hats and wide belts is a bad custom of the Southern Court. Brother Shang, since you have pledged allegiance to our Great Qian Dynasty, you should shave your head and change your clothes as soon as possible to avoid giving others something to talk about and leave them with a handle to use against you. Look at our braids, they are both hygienic and refreshing."
Shang Zhen looked at the other man's pigtail and felt a surge of irritation. However, he had no way out now, and personal aesthetic preferences were insignificant. He immediately smiled ingratiatingly and said, "What you say is true, sir. In fact, the Su State has long pointed out that long hair easily breeds lice, which can be a source of disease in the event of an epidemic. However, a bunch of pedantic scholars always shout, 'Our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents, and we dare not damage them; this is the beginning of filial piety,' clinging to outdated customs. Actually, I have wanted to cut my hair for a long time."
"Senior Brother, how could you utter such disrespectful and ungrateful words?"
Chai Wanyang was carried by Murong Wu and leaped into the courtyard. After landing, she looked at Shang Zhen with a shocked expression, as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
"Junior Sister, what are you doing here?"
After a brief eye contact, as if provoked by the other person's gaze, Shang Zhen couldn't help but turn his face away.
The middle-aged man laughed heartily, "My dear niece, you misunderstand. As the saying goes, if the ruler is not righteous, the minister will flee to another country; if the father is not kind, the son will run away to another land. The Song emperor himself is incompetent, so isn't it the same as selling ourselves to the Red emperor? We've only changed our ruler, not become fatherless and rulerless. In fact, as long as we have enough to eat and wear, who the hell cares whether it's a barbarian's country or a Chinese country!"
Chai Wanyang glared at him, her small face tense, and said, "Sixth Uncle, you and Father are from the same school, both receiving the True Disciple of the White-Browed Hero. The White-Browed Hero has always taken it upon himself to expel the Tartars and restore Huaxia. How can you do this to the White-Browed Hero who taught you martial arts?"
The middle-aged man laughed heartily and said, "Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher—even the emperor is more important than the teacher's kindness. From the very first day I entered the court as an official, I have always prioritized the emperor and the affairs of the state. How could I possibly care about the petty obligations of my teacher?"
Then he reached out and patted Shang Zhen on the shoulder, saying, "In the old dynasty, there was stagnation between superiors and inferiors, suspicion between the emperor and his ministers. The emperor treated his ministers with harsh laws and severe punishments, while the ministers responded with perfunctory and deceitful words to the emperor and his father. Now, I have come to serve in this holy dynasty and have met a wise ruler. It is like withered grass meeting spring, nourished by rain and dew, warmed by the sun, and caressed by the gentle breeze. As the ancients said, 'If the emperor treats me as a national talent, I will repay him as a national talent.' The Great Qian Holy Emperor is good at recognizing and using people, and he is humble and respectful to scholars. I should repay him as a national talent. Why should I feel ashamed?"
After being persuaded, Shang Zhen seemed to have gained confidence and turned to say, "Junior Sister, I did betray Master, which was indeed a breach of principle and a moral failing. But now the North and South are separated, and the war is endless, with blood flowing like rivers. The people have suffered for too long. Let the world return to peace and let the war end and recuperate. That is the greater good."
Although Heavenly Lion King was of Barbarian Hu origin, he treated the Chinese equally. Moreover, he was a man of great talent and ambition, and worked diligently to govern the country. He was a wise and virtuous ruler. This is not an exaggeration. After more than ten years of division in the North, even the Chinese recognized Heavenly Lion King's rule, and the number of heroes and valiant men willing to serve him was in the millions.
My master, driven by selfish desires, ignited war, plunging a corner of the people into misery. I pleaded with him to no avail, and could only sacrifice personal matters for the greater good. If you want to blame me, then blame me; history will prove who is right and who is wrong.
Chai Wanyang stood there stunned for a moment, then said with heartache, "Senior Brother, this is the last time I'll call you Senior Brother! Father and Uncle Zhao both say that you betrayed everyone, but I refused to believe it. I felt that you must have had your own reasons, unless I saw it with my own eyes... Now I'd rather I had never seen you."
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she shouted angrily, "Shang Zhen, you betrayed your teacher for personal gain first, and then you forgot your ancestors. You truly deserve to die!" After she finished speaking, she burst into tears on the spot.
Chai Wanyang had always acted like a little adult, and this was the first time Murong Wu had seen her so out of control. Even when they were cornered by the Barbarian Hu pursuers, the little girl had never panicked and had even acted more maturely than an adult. But now she was sobbing uncontrollably, and Murong Wu couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness and an unprecedented protective instinct—he had always been the one being protected in the past.
Murong Wu reached out and patted Chai Wanyang's head, stepped forward, looked at the crowd, and solemnly said, "In the past, I always believed that the higher our cultivation, the more compassionate we should be, and that we should not easily harbor murderous intent. Even if we encounter the most vicious and wicked villains, as long as we don't happen to be there when they are committing atrocities, we should give them a small punishment as a warning and leave them a way to repent. Besides, since we came ashore, we have seen more than ten million people serving the Barbarian Hu. Can we kill them all?"
The middle-aged man clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Young brother, you are quite sensible. That's right, the Emperor of Great Qian is the will of the people and the mandate of heaven."
The six barbarians present quietly moved their feet, surrounding Murong Wu. They could sense that this young man had profound cultivation, reaching the level of Quasi-Spirit Transformation. However, he seemed to have just completed a long march and was exhausted, so his aura was somewhat unstable. If they could seize the opportunity, they could still kill him on the spot in one fell swoop.
Murong Wu ignored the barbarians' petty actions and shook his head, saying, "But after seeing your true colors, I realized I was wrong. Si Ming is right. These evil people can't be killed all by killing alone, but for every one killed, five or ten others who are equally evil will be deterred, and fifty or a hundred people harmed by them will be saved. So killing is saving lives! Some people must be killed! Without killing them, the world will not be warned!"
The middle-aged man sneered, "Killing you stubborn traitors will serve as a warning to those accomplices who harbor delusions!"
"Do it!"
The Barbarian Hu leader roared and launched the first attack, leaping out like a hungry tiger or eagle. His sharp claw, filled with surging Vicious Qi, aimed at Murong Wu's face. The other five barbarians followed closely behind, launching a pincer attack.
Murong Wu remained calm and unhurried, throwing a backhand punch that struck first, aiming for the Barbarian Hu chieftain's chest.
The Barbarian Hu leader was no ordinary man; he immediately used his left hand to protect his chest while continuing to grab at his opponent's face with his right.
Then, Murong Wu's seemingly simple and ordinary punch contained the power of a volcanic eruption, crushing the Barbarian Hu chieftain's five fingers in one fell swoop. Then the force of the punch penetrated into his chest, breaking his ribs and injuring his internal organs.
The Barbarian Hu chieftain coughed up blood and flew out.
An opponent of equal skill was defeated in a single move. The other five barbarians were shocked by this scene, but they were all seasoned warriors. They recovered after a slight pause and continued their attack.
However, this brief pause gave Murong Wu a chance to catch his breath. It should be noted that the Hundred-Refinement Medicinal Body recovers its energy extremely quickly, with almost no time to stiffen. He took a deep breath, and the clothes he was wearing rapidly expanded like an inflated hydrogen balloon, with all the attacks from the five Barbarian Race experts landing on them.
Bang!
Murong Wu's outer garment burst open on the spot, and the True Qi accumulated inside the garment instantly burst outward, blasting away all five Barbarian Race experts. He then took the opportunity to carry Chai Wanyang and escape from the courtyard, jumping out of the encirclement.
"Where do you think you're going? Stay here!"
The middle-aged man shouted, spread his arms, and darted out like a flying eagle. In the blink of an eye, he caught up with Murong Wu. His five fingers ripped through the air, leaving five white marks without making a sound. Clearly, his claw skills were superior to those of the barbarian leader.
Murong Wu was holding Chai Wanyang in one arm, so he could only counterattack with one hand. However, the fist technique he used at this moment was grand and righteous, and the Fist Intent was majestic and awe-inspiring. He actually suppressed the middle-aged man with his aura, making his attack slow down.
In an instant, the two exchanged more than thirty blows, and the middle-aged man, who also possessed the cultivation of Quasi-Grandmaster, was unable to defeat Murong Wu, who only used one hand.
Upon seeing this scene, Murong Qing, who was originally planning to make a move, immediately stopped and showed a look of surprise and delight, because what she saw was a scene of transformation from a cocoon to a butterfly.
The younger brother who has always been protected by everyone has finally grown up!
Si Ming sensed the Fist Intent emanating from Murong Wu and suddenly realized, "He is no longer using the Shennong Fist Art, but the Flame Emperor Fist Art."
This commotion naturally alarmed everyone in the manor. However, there are not many experts in the world. Although Si Ming has encountered one powerful enemy after another with a higher cultivation level than him, that is a matter of level and perspective. Therefore, even though the battle between Murong Wu and the middle-aged man has not yet reached the Spirit Transformation level, the guards and servants of those manor do not even have the right to get close. If they are swept by the residual force, they will be seriously injured and sent flying.