The Prince of Beiping

Scripture Depository.

Unlike the gloomy and eerie yet grand Mahavira Hall, the Scripture Depository was dark and damp, with narrow, cramped aisles between the bookshelves.

It felt suffocating.

By the light of the candle in his hand, Zhu Yuanzhang could even see the thick mist of water vapor drifting in the air.

Walking through the Scripture Depository, the old monk continued to hold his black umbrella.

The candlelight cast no shadow for him, and Zhu Yuanzhang could not hear his footsteps either.

Still as sinister as ever!

Inside the misty Scripture Depository, the Umbrella Monk walked ahead, appearing like a ghost in Zhu Yuanzhang's line of sight.

"We have arrived. Come closer..."

The Umbrella Monk pointed to the very top of a six-story bookshelf.

A solitary, pitch-black ancient tome sat there.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised the candlestick in his hand.

Three large, sweeping characters were written on the cover.

"Mountain-Shrinking Fist."

The cover of the ancient book seemed to be made from the hide of some marine creature, with a few black, fish-like scales still clinging to its side.

Amidst the mist of the Scripture Depository, Zhu Yuanzhang could even see the scale-covered cover reflecting a faint blue light from the candlelight.

It looked as if it had just been freshly harvested.

Zhu Yuanzhang held the candle in one hand and reached toward the manual with the other.

The moment Zhu Yuanzhang's hand touched the Mountain-Shrinking Fist on the shelf, he suddenly found himself standing on a reef. The sky was gray, and a gale was whipping across the sea.

Amidst the turbulent waves, the surf crashed against the reef with a roar like thunder.

And beneath the ocean, something massive seemed to be rising.

Zhu Yuanzhang struggled to steady himself in the gale, squinting his eyes as he peered at the vague, indistinct, and massive black shadow beneath the surface.

However, before he could see clearly what was beneath the sea, a salty, humid gust of wind blew into his face.

Zhu Yuanzhang's vision went black.

A few scarlet characters appeared before his eyes.

[You have died]

"?"

How did he die this time?

Zhu Yuanzhang felt baffled.

How did he even enter that place?

"An illusion"?

No, it didn't feel like one.

[Try again]

This time, Zhu Yuanzhang did not touch the Mountain-Shrinking Fist directly.

Instead, he stared at the eerie scripture and suddenly asked, "Master Mingde."

Zhu Yuanzhang performed a disciple's salute toward the Umbrella Monk, who had the words [Yinglong Temple (Imperial Awakening Temple) Master Mingde] hanging prominently above his head, and asked, "Can the Mountain-Shrinking Fist truly negate the side effects of the Dingguang Demon-Subduing True Technique?"

"To be precise, the Mountain-Shrinking Fist cannot negate the side effects of the Dingguang Demon-Subduing True Technique."

The Umbrella Monk's reply was blunt: "The Mountain-Shrinking Fist is a martial art created by the Boat People of the East Sea to battle the wind and waves; it has nothing to do with the Dingguang Demon-Subduing True Technique."

Following this, the Umbrella Monk extended a hand.

Seeing this hand, Zhu Yuanzhang's pupils constricted.

Under the candlelight, the hand the Umbrella Monk extended from beneath the umbrella was extremely thin, like a layer of leather draped over bone.

And this hand was deathly white, like that of a water ghost drowned for many days.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed that the Umbrella Monk did not pick up the Mountain-Shrinking Fist directly, but instead used his finger to hook a pair of copper rings attached to the side of the book.

The Mountain-Shrinking Fist, however, looked as if it had been soaked in water for a long time.

The pages and the cover were fused together; even when suspended in mid-air, there was not the slightest sign of them coming apart.

"Boat People."

Upon hearing this name, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed.

The so-called Boat People, or Danjia, were a specific group.

At this time, the term was primarily used to refer to the water-dwelling residents distributed across the various branches of the lower Pearl River.

And the Mountain-Shrinking Fist was a martial art developed by these seafaring people for self-defense on their boats.

But thinking back to the scene he witnessed before his last death.

Clearly, things were not that simple.

"However, beyond daily combat, it possesses other special effects..."

At this point, the Umbrella Monk paused, a look of profound secrecy flashing across his face.

It was as if merely speaking of it would cause one to be targeted by some terrifying existence.

"For instance... extending one's lifespan."

Why would it extend one's lifespan?

Considering the nature of this world, Zhu Yuanzhang had to ask himself this question in his heart.

He secretly raised his guard.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked sincerely, "How should I cultivate it?"

Regardless of the difficulties, in order to avoid being burned to death by the True Fire, he would just have to wrong Minghe for the time being.

"Clever."

Watching Zhu Yuanzhang, who made no move to reach out and demand the original copy of the Mountain-Shrinking Fist from him.

A flash of appreciation appeared in the eyes of Master Mingde.

"It is merely following the map to find the horse... An ordinary martial artist, through thirty years of grinding away at the Mountain-Shrinking Fist while battling wind and waves, would barely reach the threshold to contemplate the 'Visualization Diagram'."

Mingde placed the Mountain-Shrinking Fist back on the bookshelf, took a common, oil-paper-wrapped printed booklet from his robes, and tossed it into Zhu Yuanzhang's arms.

"As for you, with the help of the True Fire, you should succeed in about half a day."

Zhu Yuanzhang opened this version of the Mountain-Shrinking Fist, which appeared much more normal.

Every move and stance was drawn with exceptional clarity.

In the author column on the cover, the eight characters for "Tiantai Temple, Dharma Master Shi Yibiao" were written.

"I wonder how many years of life I can gain after mastering the Mountain-Shrinking Fist."

Zhu Yuanzhang did not rush to practice, but asked in a deep voice instead.

"It can likely extend your life by about three months... It is a pity you started too late. If you could have mastered the Mountain-Shrinking Fist before practicing the Fixed-Light Demon-Subduing Art, unless you had already cultivated three strands of True Fire, not only would it not shorten your life, it would actually extend it."

Mingde shook his head, his eyes, black as deep pools, staring at Zhu Yuanzhang.

"In that case, do you still wish to cultivate the Mountain-Shrinking Fist?"

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed that when the other party said this, his gaze toward him became profound for an instant.

It was as if waves were surging within his eyes.

Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head, hiding his expression.

A flash of contemplation crossed his eyes.

Mingde is very concerned about whether I cultivate the Mountain-Shrinking Fist?

Why?

Zhu Yuanzhang felt the True Fire before his forehead.

Although the Dingguang Demon-Subduing True Technique repeatedly warned that directly visualizing the True Fire with one's intent held great terror.

But as a cheater capable of infinite resurrection, Zhu Yuanzhang naturally did not care about such nonsense.

As an investigator! One must research exactly what this "True Fire" thing is!

Because of his many failures, he even suspected that his understanding of the True Fire surpassed that of Dharma Master Mingguang of Yinglong Temple.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt the True Fire burning fiercely before his forehead.

Wait... something is wrong.

At the current rate of the True Fire's growth, Minghe definitely won't live past three months.

I'm afraid he won't even last a month... or even half a month!

Realizing this, a look of shock flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes.

Almost in an instant, Zhu Yuanzhang realized one thing.

Regardless of what this Umbrella Monk is trying to plot against me.

"Neither he nor the people behind him wish for me to die anytime soon."

"If one hears the Way in the morning, one may die content in the evening... This disciple has but one thing he does not understand."

Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his posture, holding the Mountain-Shrinking Fist manual between his palms as he pressed them together and asked, "Why did you save me, Master?"

"It was not I who saved you."

Having received a definitive answer from Zhu Yuanzhang, Mingde was clearly in a good mood as he replied.

"The one who saved you is the Prince of Beiping, even though that lord is currently stationed at Dingshui, tasked by His Majesty to purge the remnants of Kaidu's rebellion."

"Yet, as the full brother of Crown Prince Zhenjin, that lord's gaze has never once left the interior."