Pledge of Allegiance

"My master has passed away!" Xia Daoming replied.

"Passed away?" Liang Jingtang froze upon hearing this, falling into a long silence.

"Alas!" After a long while, Liang Jingtang finally sighed deeply and said, "Tell me about your master. How did he pass away? You can tell me. He was a Fourth-Rank Martial Master, so he shouldn't have died so young."

"Yes." Xia Daoming bowed slightly and recounted the past events of Qiu Zhiheng establishing his martial arts school in Black Stone City, and how he was killed.

However, the matter of the hundred-year Dragon-Patterned Purple Blood Ginseng was replaced by Xia Daoming with a dispute over other benefits.

After listening, Liang Jingtang remained silent for a long time before sighing with emotion, his face filled with sadness. "The world is in chaos now. We martial artists seem to have more self-preservation abilities than ordinary people, but because of this, we are unwilling to live a mundane life and are more easily drawn into disputes and killings, often meeting an unfortunate end. Your master was able to live to the age of sixty, and after his death, you risked danger to avenge him. He can rest in peace in the netherworld."

"The hatred for my master's murder is irreconcilable. What is risking danger to Daoming!" Xia Daoming said.

"Well said, 'The hatred for my master's murder is irreconcilable'!" Liang Jingtang exclaimed, patting the armrest of his chair. A trace of admiration appeared in his gaze as he looked at Xia Daoming.

"How old are you this year? And when did you cultivate the Dragon Serpent Art to the fourth level?" Liang Jingtang asked.

"Reporting to the Pavilion Master, this junior is twenty-four years old. I cultivated to the fourth level at the age of twenty-two," Xia Daoming replied.

Liu Qiaolian had once told Xia Daoming that martial arts schools generally did not give martial artists under twenty-five the opportunity to observe the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram.

Xia Daoming would turn twenty-five in a few months, so he had just managed to squeeze in under the age limit. This age would definitely not be favorable, and he might very well be rejected. Therefore, before coming, Xia Daoming had already decided that besides leveraging his connection to Qiu Zhiheng, he would also claim to have reached the Fourth-Rank Martial Master realm at the age of twenty-two. Xia Daoming had also considered altering his real age, but the harsh conditions in the northern regions had caused this body to mature prematurely. If he tried to appear younger, it would be difficult for Liang Jingtang not to become suspicious.

"Cultivating to the fourth level at twenty-two, in a remote place like Black Stone City, would certainly be considered outstanding. However, among the younger generation in Li City, it's only considered very average. Moreover, you delayed coming to Li City for two years, which also caused you to waste two years of time taking secret medicine to cultivate Hidden Strength. Even if I allow you to observe the Hidden Dragon Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram out of respect for Zhiheng, it would likely be futile, and would only end up wasting your money and the divine rhyme contained within the diagram," Liang Jingtang said with a slight frown.

Xia Daoming was both surprised and secretly relieved. Fortunately, he had employed a little cleverness, otherwise, he might have had to reveal only a portion of his true abilities to gain the chance to observe the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram. Now, hearing Liang Jingtang's tone, it seemed he was more concerned about Xia Daoming's efforts being in vain rather than outright refusing him.

"This junior traveled thousands of miles and endured many dangers to reach Li City, with a firm heart for learning martial arts. I implore the Pavilion Master to grant my request!" Xia Daoming said, kneeling on one knee.

Liang Jingtang looked at Xia Daoming, whose face was filled with determination. He stroked his silver beard and pondered for a long time before speaking, "Each time the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram is activated, its divine rhyme diminishes by a fraction. Therefore, the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagrams of any sect or family are secrets that are not passed down. They are only reserved for disciples who have the potential to reach the Great Martial Master realm to observe, to avoid misuse and the depletion of opportunities for future generations, thereby dooming the future of the sect and the family. Although the martial arts school openly accepts disciples for profit, when it comes to the transmission of the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram, money alone is not enough. Furthermore, I am old, my martial path has reached its end, and I have no children. Wealth holds little temptation for me now. My greatest wish is to cultivate a truly formidable Great Martial Master who can bring glory to the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School. Therefore, for the past five years, I have not accepted any disciples, unless someone with genuine martial talent can impress me. You only became a Fourth-Rank Martial Master at twenty-two, your martial talent is not outstanding in Li City, and you have wasted two years. If it weren't for your deceased master's sake, I would absolutely not have given you this opportunity!"

"Thank you, Pavilion Master!" Xia Daoming said, overjoyed.

"Don't be too quick to rejoice and thank me. I am giving you an opportunity out of respect for your deceased master, but the rules for transmitting the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram cannot be broken. Listen first, and if you can accept and complete them, then thank me and formally become my disciple," Liang Jingtang said, waving his hand.

"Please speak, Pavilion Master!" Xia Daoming said with a solemn expression.

"First, tuition fees. Five thousand taels. However, my master and your master were close fellow disciples back then, so I am considered your martial uncle. And you come from a remote place, so I assume you don't have much wealth. I will reduce the fee by two thousand taels, so you only need to pay three thousand taels." Xia Daoming was first surprised, then his gaze towards Liang Jingtang held a different kind of appreciation.

"Second, a Pledge of Allegiance! Once the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram is transmitted, you will be considered a personal disciple, different from those who pay to learn martial arts in the outer court. It is necessary to test one's will and ensure loyalty to the sect. Third, you will only have ten opportunities to observe, one hour each time, once every six months. This means that within five years, if you cannot comprehend the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram and cultivate Hidden Strength, you will have no further opportunities. Moreover, except for the first time, each subsequent observation will require an additional hundred taels of silver or the completion of a task," Liang Jingtang stated.

"Why is each observation only one hour, and only once every six months?" Xia Daoming asked.

Liang Jingtang looked at Xia Daoming with some surprise. He had expected Xia Daoming to be more concerned about the tuition fees and the Pledge of Allegiance. After all, even with the reduction, three thousand taels was still a huge sum for a young Fourth-Rank Martial Master from a remote place. As for the Pledge of Allegiance, it certainly wouldn't be easy, otherwise, why would this condition be set? Yet, Xia Daoming had bypassed these two conditions as if money and the Pledge of Allegiance were not issues for him. However, after his surprise, Liang Jingtang replied, "The Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram is the condensed martial arts essence of a Martial Dao Grandmaster. It contains a magical martial rhyme that has a significant impact on one's spiritual consciousness and intent. Most people's brains can fall into chaos if they observe for more than an hour, and some may even fall into a coma and become mentally incapacitated. The six-month interval is because after observing the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram, one can repeatedly recall and ponder it in their mind within six months. After six months, that memory will be lost, and one will need to observe again. Of course, observing once every one or two months might yield better results, but the divine rhyme within the diagram will also be depleted more rapidly."

"I see!" Xia Daoming said, enlightened. In his heart, he was secretly amazed and his desire to see the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram grew even stronger.

"You will understand all this when you have the opportunity to observe the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram," Liang Jingtang said.

"This junior understands. Please tell me what kind of Pledge of Allegiance is required, Pavilion Master?" Xia Daoming asked.

Several days later.

About thirty miles outside the east city of Li City, on a country road, Wu Changlu was riding a horse, a dry blade of grass in his mouth. With one hand on the reins, he occasionally slapped the backside of the young girl lying across the horse's back in front of him.

Behind Wu Changlu followed two household servants, both with a blade of dry grass in their mouths, swaying precariously on their horses.

As they watched the struggling girl in front of them, her mouth stuffed with cloth, emitting muffled "Wuwu!" sounds, their eyes gleamed with lust, and wicked smiles spread across their faces.

This was because after their young master had his fun, he would hand the girl over to them.

After they had their fun too, they could sell the girl to a slave trader and even make a little extra money for free.

And by doing this, their young master would take the blame, so they wouldn't have to bear any risk at all.

Just as the master and two servants were thinking about taking the girl back to Wu Family Fortress for some fun, a man dressed in black tight-fitting clothes, wearing a bamboo hat that completely concealed his face, suddenly appeared on the road ahead.

"Get out of the way, get out of the way! This is Young Master Wu Changlu, the legitimate son of Elder Wu Yueming of our Wu Family Fortress," the two servants shouted as they saw someone blocking their path.

"So you're Young Master Wu Changlu!" The man in the bamboo hat glanced at the girl being held across Wu Changlu's lap. A flash of killing intent flickered in his eyes, and he leaped from his horse.

Mid-air, he unleashed the Soaring Serpent Through Mist technique. Leg shadows rained down, and in an instant, he swept the two charging servants off their horses.

Then, using the momentum, he flipped in the air and executed Python Emerging from its Lair, his hands like a blade stabbing directly towards Wu Changlu's neck.

Wu Changlu's face turned ashen with shock. He raised his arms to block, shouting, "Who are you? Why are you..."

Before Wu Changlu could finish his sentence, he felt a terrifying force slam into his crossed arms.

Then, Wu Changlu was involuntarily sent flying off his horse.

Before he could recover, the attacker landed right behind him, now holding a sharp short knife.

The knife glinted coldly in the sunlight, and Wu Changlu's head was severed from his body.

The attacker then quickly turned, finishing off the two servants who were struggling to get back up.

"Wuwuwu!"

The girl on the horse watched the horrifying scene unfold. Seeing the man in the bamboo hat walking towards her, she struggled even more violently, her eyes filled with terror.

"Don't be afraid, I won't kill you." The man in the bamboo hat untied the girl's ropes.

"Thank you, great hero, for saving my life!" The girl, her face pale, repeatedly kowtowed to the man in the bamboo hat in gratitude.

"Leave here quickly." The man in the bamboo hat waved his hand.

The girl kowtowed twice more, then, without looking back, stumbled and sprinted away in the direction she came from.

"The rumors outside are wrong. This Wu Changlu is actually a Fourth-Rank Martial Master, and strangely, his internal strength contains Hidden Strength, though it's very weak. Fortunately, I intervened, otherwise, this would have escalated into a major incident!" After the girl left, the man in the bamboo hat walked to Wu Changlu's side, squatted down to search the body, and muttered to himself.

The man in the bamboo hat quickly searched the three bodies. He then placed Wu Changlu's head in a black leather bag, hastily buried the three corpses, mounted his horse, and galloped towards Li City.

An hour later.

Xia Daoming, dressed in a green tight-fitting outfit, walked into the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School carrying a leather bag.

Yuchi Xiao, who was directing and supervising the martial arts practice in the outer courtyard, saw Xia Daoming enter. His gaze swept over the leather bag in his hand, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes.

"You succeeded so quickly?" Yuchi Xiao stepped forward and asked in a low voice.

"Mm," Xia Daoming nodded.

"Were there any complications?"

"No! Is the Headmaster here?"

"Yes, follow me."

Soon, the two passed through an arched gateway and walked along a winding corridor to the inner courtyard.

Another update will follow later.