True Understanding of All Artifacts

"The Zhao Family was lucky too. Master Ciren just happened to be passing by."

"Otherwise, they'd probably have followed that family from last time into the grave."

"Exactly."

"These days are getting more and more chaotic."

"Zombies, bandits who kill for a living."

"I heard fighting could break out in the northern region at any time."

Inside the Noodle Shop.

Song Chengan ate his noodles as he listened to Boss Shi and the others boast.

He rather enjoyed this atmosphere.

As for why these people had not mentioned Song Chengan, it was because he had deliberately instructed them yesterday not to spread word that he had saved the Zhao Family.

Song Chengan did not want to be disturbed.

Thus, in Boss Shi and the others' eyes, Scholar Song was still that useless Scholar Song.

"The Wu Family zombie?"

"Has the zombie transformed from the Wu Family's old patriarch not been dealt with yet?"

Someone asked in confusion.

Boss Shi said, "It's already been dealt with."

"Several monks from Xuanqing Temple went over yesterday and killed and burned the zombie."

"It was just that those monks arrived a little late. That zombie harmed another family in the morning."

"Other than the woman who had happened to take her daughter up the mountain to gather firewood, everyone in that household died."

"By the way, Old Sun, did your boy go to take part in the Demon Suppression Division's recruitment?"

"I heard they're taking more than ten people!"

Upon hearing this, the man called Old Sun revealed a meaningful smile.

"My boy only learned a few three-legged cat tricks. How could he compare to others?"

"Don't joke around."

"So you mean your boy isn't going to give it a try?"

Old Sun shook his head.

"Not going, not going."

"This is a chance to ascend to heaven in a single step."

"There's a huge shortage of people right now, and they're recruiting plenty. As long as you can last three to five moves at the recruitment event, you'll have a good chance."

"If you don't go now, it'll probably be difficult later."

"Our small household doesn't think about such things." Old Sun paid and left.

"By the way, Scholar Song, I heard Zheng Duo found herself a husband in Liangzhou. Aren't you anxious?"

After seeing Old Sun leave, someone who loved gossip spoke to Song Chengan.

Song Chengan chuckled. "Why should I worry over something caught from the wind and seized from the shadows?"

"People used to say your son looked like Wang San'er from next door too!"

Song Chengan merely chuckled.

The speaker was called Hu Lu, a pig castrator.

This man had never had a gate on his mouth.

But it seemed the Zheng Family had not announced to the public that Zheng Duo had completely severed ties with him.

Or perhaps Zheng Duo had left too hastily.

"Bullshit."

"Which bastard said that?"

"Hu Gou'er is my own seed."

Hu Lu's face flushed crimson.

"Fine, Scholar Song, you dare spout nonsense? I'll beat you to death today."

As Hu Lu spoke, he rose to strike Song Chengan.

"Old Hu, don't act on impulse!"

"Enough, enough. Words are words, why are you getting physical?"

"Scholar Song, hurry and leave. Old Hu drank a couple taels and is a little muddleheaded."

Although the people around them usually joked with one another, seeing Hu Lu truly angered and about to hit someone, they hurriedly rose to restrain him.

At the same time, they told Song Chengan to leave quickly.

"You plague god of a rotten gambler, if it weren't for everyone's sake today, I'd have beaten you to death."

Song Chengan shrugged.

Carrying the Demon Subduing Staff wrapped in strips of cloth, he walked out of the Noodle Shop.

"Hu, you really got your eyes red."

"Could Hu Gou'er really be Wang San'er's son?"

"I heard your wife lived in the same courtyard as Wang San'er when she was little."

"Exactly, exactly."

"Bullshit from all of you! He's my son."

"I'd say it's hard to tell."

"Otherwise, Scholar Song only said one thing and you wanted to hit him."

"I simply look down on that man. A rotten gambler like him thinks he deserves to joke about me, Old Hu?"

A burst of noisy arguing came from inside the Noodle Shop.

Song Chengan strolled toward the city gate.

At the city gate.

Song Chengan saw a notice.

Its general meaning was that the Spirit Mound Demon Suppression Division was recruiting skilled people.

They required martial artists of third rank or above, as well as several clerks.

But what puzzled Song Chengan was that it did not mention recruiting Qi Refiners.

Martial arts was a road that ended at the guillotine.

Even a first-rank martial artist was only comparable to a Foundation Establishment Qi Refiner.

Even after becoming a Martial Arts Grandmaster, one still could not match a Golden Core Cultivator.

And becoming a Martial Arts Grandmaster was not so easy.

Out of ten thousand martial artists, perhaps not even one could become a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

This caused martial artists to hold low status in the Chen Kingdom.

Of course, that was only in comparison to Qi Refiners.

Compared to ordinary people, martial artists were still important figures.

As for Martial Arts Grandmasters, if one could become a Martial Arts Grandmaster, one could be directly granted the title of general.

For example, that Liangzhou General was a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Strange.

Song Chengan shook his head and left the city.

He had been saying he would find a chance to join the Imperial Court.

After all, Lingqiu County had no sects. If Song Chengan wanted to grow quickly, he still needed to join some faction.

This was Song Chengan's first time visiting Xuanqing Temple.

From far away, the golden roof of the temple amid the forest shone with golden light, like a palace.

Once he drew near.

Song Chengan was even more amazed.

Glazed tiles formed the roof, and huge pillars were painted red.

Golden Buddhas sat high above, while worshippers streamed in without end.

Dharma bells hung beneath the eaves.

Under the eaves.

Song Chengan listened quietly.

The Dharma bells made pleasant sounds in the wind, calming one's mind and spirit.

"They're all dharma artifacts."

Song Chengan exclaimed in amazement.

Was this the strength of Xuanqing Temple?

"Little Master!"

Song Chengan stopped a young monk.

"I came at Master Ciren's invitation to find him in the temple."

The young monk glanced at Song Chengan, his expression somewhat strange.

"Benefactor, follow me!"

Song Chengan followed behind the young monk, winding this way and that until they reached the rear of Xuanqing Temple.

Song Chengan saw Monk Ciren.

It was a vegetable patch.

Monk Ciren had rolled up his trouser legs and sleeves, and was weeding in the field!

He still wore that ragged old monk's robe covered in patches, utterly out of place amid the splendid Xuanqing Temple.

"Benefactor Song has arrived!"

Monk Ciren smiled and walked out of the vegetable patch.

"Are you thirsty? Have some water."

As Master Ciren spoke, he drew a ladle of water from the well in the courtyard and gave it to Song Chengan.

Song Chengan thanked him.

He took a sip. It was exceptionally sweet.

"May I ask why Master Ciren invited me here?"

"It is about the Demon Suppression Division."

"The Demon Suppression Division?"

Song Chengan was somewhat puzzled.

He seemed to have nothing to do with the Demon Suppression Division.

"A few days ago, Lord Wu from the Demon Suppression Division came to see me and wished to invite me to join the Demon Suppression Division."

"But I am old, so I declined."

"However, I wished to recommend you to him. What do you think?"

"Recommend me?" Song Chengan said.

Although he did not know the Old Monk's exact strength, judging from his actions that day, he was at least a Foundation Establishment expert.

But Song Chengan himself was merely a Qi Refiner at the Initial Dao Seed Stage.

What they wanted was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, not a beginner at the Initial Dao Seed Stage.

"Master, my current strength is only at the Initial Dao Seed Stage."

"Lord Wu seems to want an expert like you."

The Old Monk smiled. "I merely began cultivating over a hundred years earlier than you."

"If Benefactor Song were given the same amount of time, you would have long surpassed me."

"Moreover, joining the Demon Suppression Division, when all is said and done, is for the people of Lingqiu County."

"Though Benefactor Song is only a Rogue Cultivator, you hold compassion in your heart. If you do not join the Demon Suppression Division, who will?"

"I saw on the Demon Suppression Division's notice that it did not say they were recruiting Qi Refiners."

"Could it be that the Qi Refiners the Demon Suppression Division wants do not enter through public recruitment?"

Monk Ciren said, "That is not entirely the case."

"In great places such as the capital and Liangzhou, the Demon Suppression Division already has a complete method for selecting people."

"It is a selection method known as the Lesser Martial Examination. Only those with clean backgrounds who triumph on the arena may enter the Demon Suppression Division."

"But in remote places like Spirit Mound, personnel selection still mostly follows the earliest method of recommendation."

"So, when all is said and done, the local commandants make the decision alone?"

Monk Ciren nodded. "On one hand, the Imperial Court temporarily lacks the manpower and resources to do all this. On the other, it is to make things easier for local commandants."

"After all, every place has its own rules."

"If Lord Wu wants to work conveniently in Spirit Mound, he needs the help of Spirit Mound's Lineages."

"Therefore, the positions in Lord Wu's hands have all been divided among Spirit Mound's major powers."

"And now, Lord Wu has given me one position."

"I wonder what you think?"

Upon hearing this, Song Chengan knew that if he did not accept Monk Ciren's recommendation, he likely would have no chance to join the Demon Suppression Division.

At first, he had thought the Demon Suppression Division would select Qi Refiners later.

Now it seemed that recruitment for Qi Refiners was not open to ordinary people at all, at least not for the time being.

The earlier recruitment, which required at least third-rank martial artists, was presumably for ordinary strongmen.

"Then many thanks to Master Ciren!"

"I am merely a Rogue Cultivator and am in need of attaching myself to some faction."

Master Ciren nodded. "Very well, I'll write Lord Song a personal letter at once."

"Oh, Benefactor Song, let me see your weapon."

"My weapon?" Song Chengan removed the Demon Subduing Staff from his back and handed it to Master Ciren in confusion.

Song Chengan's eyes widened at once.

Crimson-red flames suddenly sprang up in Master Ciren's hand, and the Heavenly Master Demon Subduing Staff began changing continuously in his grasp.

Now large, now small!

Now long, now short!

"This is..."

"Crimson Flame True Qi."

"Ranked five hundred and eighty-first among Mid-grade True Qi, it belongs to the middle fourth rank and excels most at refining magical artifacts."

"In my youth, I was fortunate enough to receive its teachings from a senior of Crimson Mountain."

"I inscribed a Magic Formation onto your weapon, called the 'As-You-Wish Formation.' It can alter the size of magical artifacts."

"The As-You-Wish Formation?"

"Yes." Master Ciren nodded. "Nearly every magical artifact has this Magic Formation. Its ability is to alter an artifact's size. That is why those magical artifacts can grow as great as mountains and shrink as small as grains of rice."

"With but a thought, you can make the artifact smaller."

"Besides that, I will teach Benefactor Song a method for nurturing artifacts."

"So long as you nurture it day after day, the magical artifact will turn at your heart's command."

Song Chengan clasped his fists. "Thank you, Master, for imparting the Dao. But what does it mean for it to turn at my heart's command?"

Monk Ciren accepted the salute with a genial smile.

"As for turning at one's heart's command, take this Demon Subduing Staff of yours as an example."

"Though it can transform to the size of chopsticks, it still weighs more than a hundred jin."

"If you nurture it with the artifact-nurturing method until the artifact gains spirit, then it will feel weightless in the benefactor's hand, while to others who touch it, it will weigh more than a thousand jin."

"Why not try it now, Benefactor?"

With a thought from Song Chengan,

the Demon Subduing Staff truly became the length of chopsticks.

Yet its weight remained unchanged.

"Benefactor Song, listen carefully. This is the artifact-nurturing method that senior passed down to me."

"It is called True Understanding of All Artifacts!"

Song Chengan hurriedly focused his attention.

"Please bestow the method upon me, Master!"

Song Chengan said respectfully.