A Rift Takes Root

Silence...

Even as Chu He left, he never heard Hong Shou's answer. Perhaps silence was another kind of answer.

As Chu He departed, the great doors slowly closed, drawing away the last thread of sunlight from the hall. An oil lamp set in the corner lit itself without wind, its wavering orange flame casting light across the Land God's kindly face, carved as if by knife and axe, adding a hint of eeriness.

"Your disciple is very clever."

A hoarse voice, like a whetstone grinding, sounded from behind the Land God statue. The village chief gathered his graying hair and walked out calmly.

"Clever? Anyone who isn't a fool would spot something wrong if they stared at that statue long enough. You and I both know that."

Hong Shou crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the village chief.

"Yes. No matter how well it is disguised, letting even a trace of its aura leak out is enough to make people tremble." The village chief reached out and gently stroked the statue, an unfathomable gleam flashing through his eyes. "But now it is our guardian deity. It has helped us ward off danger more times than we can count. I think you should let go of your prejudice..."

"Bullshit!"

Hong Shou's face darkened as he cursed, "The bloodshed in Plow Village is still fresh in my mind. How do you expect me to trust it? Relying on those greedy ghostly things is less practical than relying on your own fists!"

"Hong Shou! Times have changed. Do you still not understand?" The village chief stared coldly at Hong Shou and shouted sternly.

At that moment, an invisible rift seemed to lie between them. In public, they were close friends, but in private, they stood opposed to each other with swords drawn and bows bent.

The village chief shed the weak image he presented outside and said harshly, "The strange thing from Plow Village has broken free. What does that have to do with our Earthhead Village? You know that perfectly well! Only by fully harnessing the Land God's power can we stand against it!"

"Hmph! Rather than trust a strange thing to save people, I'd sooner trust the blade in my hand!" Hong Shou gripped his sword hilt, killing intent bristling around him. "I could kill back then... and I still can now!"

Bang!

The village chief slammed a hand heavily onto the altar table. Pointing at Hong Shou, he retorted coldly, "Hong Shou, you're old!"

"Do you still think you're the man you were back then?"

Hong Shou stroked the gleaming bronze hilt and said unhurriedly, "If I can't do it, then I still have my disciple... In any case, if it truly is that ghostly thing, I'll be the first to charge out."

"Heh... You're counting on that piece of trash who fell into a delusion the first time he saw a strange thing? Is that your naive plan?" The village chief tore away his hypocritical mask and mocked him without restraint.

"Think whatever you like."

Hong Shou turned around, no longer willing to argue over the matter. "I am a warrior appointed by the imperial court. Without my consent, don't even think about breaking the seal! Give up on that idea!"

With a bang, the doors shut. The hall plunged into gloom once more, leaving only the village chief, his face as dark as water.

Clang—

At last, the furious village chief swept his sleeve as if venting his rage. The incense burner atop the altar table was knocked to the floor, scattering ashes everywhere.

"A worthless brat, unfit to plot with!"

Thick fog... Plow Village's destruction... floating human skin... Zhang Li's abnormality... the strange thing inside the clay statue...

On his way back, Chu He recalled everything that had happened over the past two short hours, and the lack of security in his heart grew ever stronger.

He did not know how long he could survive if he left the village.

No! No matter what, I have to live!

No one is going to kill me!

Chaotic thoughts filled his mind. A fierce light appeared in Chu He's eyes as he clenched his fists tight, his desire to live stronger than ever before.

"Whew..."

After calming his surging emotions, Chu He summoned the panel.

[Chu He]

[Martial Art: Golden Bell Shield (Level One)]

[Energy: 0]

This was what he could rely on to survive in this world!

Upon reaching the end of the village, he pushed open the gate of the walled compound. At a glance, he saw small groups of disciples in black practicing punches and staff techniques on the training ground, while others chatted idly, as though nothing had happened.

Chu He gave them a glance, then crossed the training ground and headed for his senior brother's residence. Unfortunately, when he reached the courtyard of his senior brother, Han Zhong, he found no one there.

So he could only settle for the next best thing and head to the martial lecture hall in the compound, where he took out two pale yellow, thread-bound copied manuals.

The only difference was that he would miss out on his senior brother's personal guidance. But for Chu He, who possessed the modifier, such guidance was neither here nor there.

Chu He returned to his own small courtyard and sat on a stone bench beneath a withered old willow tree. He first opened the Golden Bell Shield manual.

He read it carefully and committed it to memory.

As the sky gradually darkened, Chu He closed the manual. With the influence of the original body's memories, he had barely managed to memorize its contents.

Golden Bell Shield, as its name suggested, was a hard-body martial art focused on strengthening defense. It had three levels in total. With every breakthrough, the golden light on the body's surface would grow brighter, and the condensed golden bell would become ever more indestructible. Reaching the third level granted nearly two thousand jin of immense strength.

As for its cultivation method, it broadly involved striking the body every day to stimulate its potential, then soaking in a specially prepared medicinal bath to meditate. By using a unique breathing technique to open the pores and meridians, the weakened, hungry body could fully absorb the medicinal power and strengthen its defenses.

"Ten-year Dragon Whisker Grass, the tail of an adult Silver-Tail Rat, twenty-year Redblood Lotus roots..."

Chu He curiously glanced over the medicinal bath recipe, then suddenly froze. He recognized most of none of these herbs. Even the few he knew of were precious medicinal ingredients he had only heard about and never seen.

No wonder so many people cultivated Golden Bell Shield, yet so few could reach the second or third level. Without the support of these medicinal baths, relying solely on beatings and meditation to break through was unimaginably difficult.

Chu He did not look too deeply into the other Red Line Fist manual. He only knew that one had to break through Golden Bell Shield before cultivating this fist technique. Starting with it too early might leave severe lasting damage in both arms.

As for its power, there was no need to say more. Since it stood alongside Golden Bell Shield as one of Hong Shou's two great arts, it naturally could not be underestimated.

However, the annotations in the book stated that martial arts with only three levels were considered low-tier martial arts, among the weaker techniques.

But... so what?

As long as it could keep him alive, it was the strongest martial art.

He raised his head toward the river of stars and realized that night had fallen at some point.

Chu He returned to his room, sat cross-legged on the heated brick bed, rolled up his bedding, and stared at the swaying oil lamp, unable to help falling into thought.

Right now, the most urgent matter was to figure out the source of energy, while also bringing Red Line Fist to the beginner level during this time.

He could not wait any longer. The village was becoming stranger and stranger.

As the night deepened, drowsiness washed over him. Chu He wrapped himself in his bedding, gripping a wooden stick warily in his hand as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

When Chu He's breathing became long and steady, the tightly latched courtyard gate was suddenly blown gently open by a gust of wind...

Tap—

A faint footstep sounded in the courtyard. Through the dim light, a human silhouette was cast upon the oiled-paper window.

Chu He's eyes snapped open as he thundered, "Who is it?!"