Chapter

Countless fierce beasts on Flag Mountain were almost completely wiped out by Yan Nu.

The young man watched in a daze, utterly unable to imagine what kind of divine martial arts Yan Nu was using.

Weren't they talking about him only having half a percent of his true qi left? The result was that he slaughtered the entire beast herd?

The nightmare of countless wandering knights was broken just like that?

"Brother... What on earth are you practicing? Uh, if it's inconvenient to answer, then never mind..." He really couldn't help wanting to ask.

Yan Nu had a straightforward personality and smiled. "The Great Emperor White Jade Scripture."

"Ah!" The young man was shocked at first, because this cultivation technique was too famous.

The destruction of the Mount Tai Immortal Sect forty years ago was a world-shaking event. Many of its cultivation techniques were scattered to various places and became well-known.

Yet immediately afterward, the young man showed a perplexed look. "This technique is indeed powerful, but it focuses on healing injuries and defense, and the more restorative items used to strengthen the constitution and nourish the origin, the faster one cultivates."

"Yet... it doesn't have ultimate skills with extremely low consumption and tremendous might."

He had backed himself into a corner, assuming that Yan Nu was young, even looking a few years younger than himself. Even if he practiced a supreme technique, at most he would have thirty or forty years of true qi, and that would be the absolute limit! The reason every move had tremendous might was because he possessed special martial arts.

The Great Emperor White Jade Scripture was an immortal cultivation classic, and immortals all used spells. Naturally, there wouldn't be any martial arts ultimate skills recorded in it.

"This technique tempers the Yin Yang Energies, but I see that Brother can harness the Three-Phase Power... What else have you practiced?"

Yan Nu didn't speak for a long time.

The young man hurriedly said, "Don't misunderstand, I'm just curious. If Brother doesn't want to say, just pretend I didn't ask!"

Yan Nu didn't get angry at all. He purely didn't understand what the other party wanted to ask, and said somewhat dazedly, "Uh, could what you're asking about be... Hammer True Qi?"

The young man's eyes lit up, and he murmured, "True Qi of Peaceful Governance?"

In his heart, that must be a peerless divine technique, which was why those four large characters automatically surfaced in his mind.

"This is Brother's ultimate skill?"

Yan Nu calmly said, "Aside from the true qi of the Great Emperor White Jade Scripture, I only have this."

A brilliant light danced in the young man's eyes. "So that's how it is. Peaceful... Peaceful... The phrasing comes from the Book of Documents: 'Be gracefully poised, and there is peace/tranquility under heaven!' What a good name!"

"Ah? Doesn't it just mean iron hammers?" Yan Nu was utterly astonished, not knowing what the young man was talking about. This was just a name he casually picked out; didn't he know it himself since he was the one who came up with it?

The young man exclaimed with emotion, "Not at all! The name of this divine technique has profound meaning behind it!"

"It implies effortlessly bringing peace to the myriad people and tranquility to the world!"

"The true meaning matches the marvelous nature of this technique, where half the effort yields twice the result! The one who founded this technique had lofty ambitions!"

Yan Nu didn't quite understand, but upon hearing the word "peace," he still said with a solemn expression, "I am precisely aiming to bring peace to the world."

"Brother has lofty ambitions!" The young man bowed to him in salute.

He originally just wanted to know the name of Yan Nu's ultimate skill that had "only a few consumptions yet possessed tremendous might." Now, didn't this name of graceful poise completely match his intentions?

Just like the Secret Canon of Xi Yi from Changle Valley, it was taken from Old Daoist: "Looked at but cannot be seen, it is named Yi; listened to but cannot be heard, it is named Xi."

The names of divine techniques in the world mostly had classical allusions and origins.

Although Yan Nu's technique sounded a bit like a "hammer" at first hearing, it was actually nothing of the sort.

Just like the Sudden Sword Dao of Swift Sword Manor, at first glance the name didn't seem right either, but it actually originated from Zhuangzi: Questions of Heaven: "Between heaven and earth, human life is like a white horse passing a crevice—suddenly, that is all."

Therefore, Yan Nu's divine technique was definitely called "Peaceful Governance," rather than Hammer.

The young man saw that Yan Nu didn't look like an educated person either, and his attire was wretched, leaving only a pair of trousers—he was probably a bumpkin from the mountains. He guessed in his heart that this divine technique had been passed down to him by an expert, and since this youth didn't understand its meaning, he had pronounced it as Hammer.

In addition, the True Qi of Peaceful Governance referred to the true qi, while the entire set of cultivation techniques itself probably had another name, such as being called the Scripture of Peaceful Governance.

As for how this technique was practiced, where it came from, and who created it, there was no need to ask too much, so as not to displease others.

Most divine techniques and ultimate skills in the martial world were like this, with only their names and characteristics being passed down, while the true secrets were known only to the users.

The young man silently remembered it and bowed to thank Yan Nu. "Many thanks, Brother, for saving my life this time. May I ask the benefactor's noble name?"

"My name is Yan Nu."

"Your surname is Yan? Which Yan?" The young man felt this name was a bit strange, not sounding like a formal name, whereas baby names like 'Tannu' or 'Hunu' were very common.

Yan Nu blinked. "Two fires make Yan, my surname is Jiang."

The young man nodded. He could tell that Yan Nu was much younger than himself, and he bowed again, saying, "So it is Brother Jiang Yan! I am Huang Ai, Huang Banyun."

Yan Nu felt a bit strange. "Why do you have two names?"

Huang Banyun was stunned. Thinking that Yan Nu was a person from the mountains, he didn't mind it and immediately smiled. "My courtesy name is Banyun. Brother Jiang can just address me by my courtesy name!"

Yan Nu gave a hearty laugh. "Oh, courtesy name, hello!"

"Ah?" Upon hearing this address, Huang Banyun was almost depressed to the point of clinical gloom!

The monkey on his shoulders danced about, clapping its hands and laughing while making a rattling, strange noise.

Huang Banyun waved his hands, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "No, no, don't call me courtesy name... Uh, what I mean is, you can just call me Banyun."

"Banyun, I've remembered it. Thank you for your spear." Yan Nu handed the long spear back to him.

Huang Banyun looked at this family-heirloom Mysterious Iron Spear, and after hesitating for a long time, he said, "The kindness of saving my life is hard to repay. This Mysterious Iron Spear displayed tremendous might in Brother's hands. I previously said I would gift it to Brother, and at this moment I certainly cannot go back on my word. Please accept it!"

"Isn't this your father's spear?" Yan Nu asked in surprise.

Huang Banyun's expression turned sorrowful. "My father was formerly one of the Eight Heroes of Qingzhou. Sixteen years ago, he banded together with numerous wandering knights to eliminate demons, coming to this Flag Mountain, but he died at the hands of a dog demon."

"My late father's legacy should not normally be given away to others, but in today's battle, I couldn't even kill a single spirit dog, so how can I speak of seeking revenge against the Flag Mountain dog demon? Perhaps I will never be able to catch up to the monsters' footsteps. Rather than letting this spear gather dust in my hands, it's better to present it to my benefactor."

"Benefactor bears supreme techniques, and one day he will surely make a name for himself in the pugilistic world. If he has the intent, perhaps he can slay this demon..."

His spirits were low, as he seemed to feel that there was no hope of revenge in this life, and he couldn't help stirring up thoughts, instead pinning his hopes on a youth like Yan Nu who possessed the divine technique of the 'True Qi of Peaceful Governance.'

"How powerful is that big dog demon of Flag Mountain, exactly?" As Yan Nu walked, he curiously inquired.

Regarding the Flag Mountain dog demon, what he knew was limited to stories he had heard as a child; he had no clear idea just how powerful it was.

Huang Banyun followed closely and said gravely, "He has entrenched himself in this mountain for sixteen years, waylaying and killing nearby villagers and travelers... You could say he has devoured countless people and attained climate."

"But to tell you the truth, I don't know how powerful he is either..."

Yan Nu asked in confusion, "I see that the nearby villages are doing all right, though. The villagers aren't terribly afraid of the monsters in this mountain. I heard this dog demon has quieted down in recent years. What is the reason for that?"

"Heh..." Huang Banyun suddenly emitted a cold laugh. "A Half-Immortal came into Fei County, styling himself 'Old Daoist Wulong,' and sells 'Demon-Repelling Talismans,' having the villagers hang them at their doorways. Ever since then, the dog demon has never entered the villages again, only snatching away travelers who don't have talismans."

As he spoke, he fished several pieces of peachwood talismans out from his bosom.

Yan Nu came to a sudden realization. "I've seen them in the nearby villages; every household hangs this kind of peachwood talisman. So this talisman is so powerful, protecting the peace of the common folk!"

"Powerful? They're fakes!" Huang Banyun angrily threw all the peachwood talismans onto the ground, gritting his teeth in hatred.

"Fakes?" Yan Nu frowned.

Shortly afterward, he also realized that Eldest Sister had gone to that village too, and upon seeing these talismans, she hadn't reacted to them at all.

Huang Banyun said with indignation, "I was the one who was hoodwinked, thinking this talisman was useful, which was why I eagerly rushed into the mountain to seek revenge..."

Right after that, he gave Yan Nu another deep bow. "If it weren't for Brother saving me, I certainly would have lost my life right here!"

"Please accept another bow from me!"

"Small matter, small matter!" Yan Nu grinned broadly.

As the two walked and walked, they arrived before a towering cliff face. Yan Nu circled it for half a circle and discovered there was no path, and that stream of spring water had already dried up.

He sensed that the water talisman had an upward pulling force, and there were no signs of a fight around. He figured Eldest Sister should be healing her injuries above this cliff face, and the so-called Flag Mountain Old Monster was not in the mountain.

Hence, Yan Nu sat down and asked, "Since these talismans are fakes, why is it that the monsters and wild dogs really don't harass the villagers anymore?"

"That Old Daoist Wulong is probably the alias of the Flag Mountain dog demon!" Huang Banyun said resentfully.

Yan Nu quickly reacted and said, "You mean the dog demon sells talismans himself to drive away himself?"

"That's right!" Huang Banyun said in a deep voice. "That 'Old Daoist Wulong' suddenly emerged in recent years, and the villagers of the ten leagues and eight villages all bought his peachwood talismans. Not only did he rake in great wealth, but his fame also shook the surrounding regions."

"In order to avenge my late father, when I heard about this matter, I also bought a few pieces."

"Yet what demon-repelling talismans—they're all frauds! They're simply ordinary peachwood plaques!"

"Of course, I don't understand talisman-making." Huang Banyun pointed at the small monkey on his shoulder. "But Wanzi was also enlightened by the Heavenly Dao and possesses spiritual apertures. It had no reaction whatsoever to the peachwood talismans."

"Yet I still held onto wishful thinking, assuming it was because Wanzi's cultivation was too low to count as a demon. But the big yellow dog we encountered just now has eaten many people and is already a half-demon, lacking only a single breath to condense its demonic bones."

"When it saw me take out this talisman, it even drooled and mocked me. Only then did I figure it out and realize I had been thoroughly conned."

"Since these talismans are useless, yet the villages that hung these talismans specifically avoided being invaded by the dog demon and his subordinates... There are only two possibilities. Either Old Daoist Wulong is in cahoots with the Flag Mountain dog demon, or he is the Flag Mountain dog demon!"

"I think the latter possibility is even greater!"

Yan Nu didn't quite understand this and asked strangely, "Why is the latter possibility greater?"

Huang Banyun said with a gloomy expression, "The dog demon disguising himself as a human and committing fraud in the city is probably aiming to make a move on officials and scholars, and might even covet the scions of great clans."

"Many monsters with advanced metamorphosis skills who excel at deception love to do this kind of thing."

"The Flag Mountain dog demon should have comprehended a formidable transformation technique, subsequently wanting to eat upper-class people, and thus let go of ordinary villagers while casually creating the fake identity of Old Daoist Wulong to build momentum for himself."

As they were talking, a crisp voice suddenly came from overhead. "That's right, one must have reputation in order to hobnob with the literati."

"However, this stupid dog is still too foolish, truly thinking this bit of trickery could fool a great clan? The more talismans he sells, the greater the flaws become."

"Nowadays there are too many fairies and demons in the world; does he really think the literati are still as easy to fool as they used to be?"

Yan Nu pleasantly surprised raised his head. "Eldest Sister!"

A radiance like moonlight poured down, and Huang Banyun looked in shock at an exquisite beauty who was bright, vivid, peerlessly striking, light and ethereal, stepping through the waves and descending from mid-air.

Could this be the expert who founded the True Qi of Peaceful Governance? No, this must be an immortal, right?

If there is an immortal family to assist, a great revenge can also be reported!

He couldn't help but bow in excitement and salute. "Huang Ai of Pingyuan Commandery, also known as Huang Banyun, pays respects to the immortal family!"

"The immortal fairy has skin like ice and bones like jade, refined, clean, and elegant, spiritual as autumn water, and fluttering like light rosy clouds. Today, getting to gaze upon her immortal countenance is like bathing in a spring breeze. If I might know the fairy's Dao title, it would be my supreme honor."

Seeing him launch straight into a series of sycophantic flatteries the moment he came up, Shen Leling felt displeased inside. With a faint smile on her face, she said, "We cultivators of the Shen family do not ascend to immortality for a single day, and thus we do not use Dao titles to address ourselves for a single day... This seat has intensively cultivated at Mount Cangwu for ninety years, and only goes by Leling Shen Wangxin."

Ah? Yan Nu stood to the side, looking astonished.