Then and Now, Mountain Collapse and Water Extinction

Myriad Nations Martial Arts Tournament.

At first glance, this conference seems to bring only benefits.

However, in reality, maintaining order during this conference was more than twice as difficult.

Whether those skilled martial artists from the common people had any ulterior motives after gathering in large numbers near Chang'an, or even what the envoys from those small countries might think, can be left aside for now.

The Turks, Tubo, and Dashi alone—powerful enemies with old grudges against the Great Tang —are not to be underestimated.

Tubo has been fragmented, but the Qingtang Tubo have always insisted that they are the legitimate successors. While inheriting the glory of Tubo, they also have to inherit the hatred.

The Turks and the Great Tang were mortal enemies for hundreds of years, and their rise and fall were closely related to the Great Tang.

The present-day Göktürks Khaganate is a new power that has risen in the last century, controlling large salt-producing areas on the steppe and annexing the Uyghur Khaganate.

Under pressure from the Great Tang, they had no choice but to expand westward and northward.

However, going west was too far. The Turks territory was already long and narrow, and it would be extremely difficult to govern if it stretched further west.

To the north, although they occupied large tracts of land, the permafrost was difficult to thaw and the climate was harsh, making it impossible to support a large population.

Therefore, whether for personal or public reasons, they still had their eyes on the Great Tang and were thinking about heading south.

As for the Dashi Empire, it was quite far from the Great Tang Dynasty, and the battles that had taken place were all in the Western Regions, with very few major wars, so it can be said that the enmity between them was not deep.

The Dashi Kingdom was the Far West Great Qin.

When the Abbasid Dashi rose to power, it seized the most fertile land in the Far West, and it took decades for it to be reclaimed by the Far West Great Qin.

However, the Dashi Empire also had its own unique circumstances.

The state religion of the Far West Great Qin has become too powerful to control. Priests, carrying icons, go door-to-door begging and still act arrogantly. They do not engage in any productive work and even incite believers to donate their property, causing assets to accumulate in the hands of the priests and become difficult to circulate.

In contrast, the Dashi Empire is now more enlightened than the Far West.

In the capital of the Dashi Caliphate, even those who are not members of the state religion can engage in various industries. They only need to pay an additional tax compared to those who belong to the state religion, and they will be protected by Dashi Caliphate law.

Therefore, the Dashi were proud of their civilization, their national power was growing, and they were never afraid of their old neighbors to the west.

However, compared to the Great Tang Dashi Kingdom was outdone.

It should be noted that in the Dashi Empire, almost all officials came from Persia Lineage.

These Persia colluded with each other, keeping their knowledge of officialdom secret only within their own Lineage, and refusing to divulge it.

The rest of the people in the Dashi Empire, though helpless, had no choice but to endure it, at least they could still engage in commerce, military service, and other similar pursuits.

However, when the ideas of the Great Tang spread there, the contrast made many people in their country unable to tolerate it.

The Persia nobles angrily suppressed rebellion after rebellion, but each time, the flames of rebellion would soon reignite.

As long as the Great Tang Dynasty stands, those within the Dashi Empire who wish to rebel will always have a role model.

Therefore, the hatred of these nobles in the Dashi Kingdom towards the Great Tang in recent years is no less than that of the Turks.

They didn't even dare to dream of occupying the rich lands of the Great Tang, but they desperately wanted to see the Great Tang decline, to see the Divine Land fragmented and divided into various regions.

Only in this way can we verify that the Great Tang's system was flawed.

Only in this way could they completely suppress and quell the ideological trends within the Dashi Kingdom.

"In today's world, we are surrounded by formidable enemies."

Chu Tianshu recalled the situation in his hometown. A thousand years had passed, and they were in different worlds, yet they were so similar. He couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

"Under such circumstances, being able to hold the Martial Exhibition of All Nations time and time again is truly the best way to demonstrate national strength besides total war."

However, this conference couldn't possibly be held in Chang'an City, could it?

Su Xian stroked his beard and said, "Of course it's not in the city, but in the Mount Zhongnan."

Mount Zhongnan is located south of Chang'an City.

The idioms "May you live as long as the Southern Mountain" and similar expressions originate from this.

Since Li Shimin passed away in the Cuiwei Palace of Mount Zhongnan, this ancient mountain range has forged an even deeper bond with the Great Tang.

Later Tang People, whether they were fond of seeking immortality and longevity or aspired to make a name for themselves in officialdom, mostly frequented the Mount Zhongnan.

Among the mountains, there are countless old and new palaces, temples, thatched cottages, and wooden houses.

The Myriad Nations Martial Arts Tournament is a perfect opportunity to organize, utilize, and renovate these ancient legacies.

"In fact, most of the world's top masters hold important positions in their own countries, and it's impossible for them all to mobilize in large numbers. Otherwise, their home country would be thrown into chaos, and their backyard would be on fire, wouldn't that make them a laughing stock in the world?"

Nie Hongxian said, "In previous conferences, those powerful countries only recommended one or two top experts as team leaders. Most of the team members were young talents, under the age of forty."

As for those small countries, many of them are entirely independent and don't even have a single Plain King. Their martial arts level is practically stuck a hundred years in the past.

They participated in the martial arts tournament simply to broaden their horizons.

Chu Tianshu stood with his hands behind his back and nodded slightly.

The young people will represent the essence of their respective schools' martial arts, exchange ideas, and then report back to their own masters.

While this method of communication is relatively inefficient, it is indeed the most reliable approach.

"Such a lively event, we can't miss it!"

Chu Tianshu smiled and said, "It seems it's time for me to set off for Chang'an."

As he spoke, he turned back to the already crumbling incense pavilion and reached out to grab it.

Inside the fragrant pavilion, many things were shattered by the howling of wolves.

The wooden box that originally contained the Mountain King Divine Drum had been reduced to pieces, and the Divine Drum had rolled far away, leaning against the wall.

As Chu Tianshu grabbed it, the Divine Drum flew out with a hum and was caught in his hand.

"I'll bring this drum with me..."

The Sanqi in Cheng Xin's hand also buzzed at this moment.

"Ah, Grand Uncle, your sword."

Cheng Xin vaguely sensed Sanqi's emotions and quickly stepped forward, solemnly holding the longsword in both hands, and returned it to Sanqi.

"Hahaha!"

Chu Tianshu couldn't help but laugh out loud, sheathing his sword and leaving it hanging at his waist.

"I'll take my sword and drum with me and go for a stroll around Chang'an."

Although he had already made up his mind, he still went to eat after saying that.

These past few days, he's been either practicing martial arts or taking drugs, and he's barely eaten anything. But after killing those assassins today, he suddenly felt a great appetite.

The group decided to accompany him to a side hall of the palace to wait for the royal kitchen to serve the dishes.

Later generations often heard people say that the imperial meals of the Ming and Qing dynasties were frequently reheated, and although there were many varieties, they were the kind of food that no one would want to eat if they were thrown away. The emperors ate from the small kitchen.

At least in this era, the Nanzhao did not have such bad habits.

In the imperial kitchen, dishes were prepared quickly, and some were clearly pre-prepared semi-finished products.

For example, a plate of crispy fried fish has definitely been fried twice and will be served in a short while, but it will still be delicious, crispy and melt in your mouth.

What's even more remarkable is that stir-frying has become quite common nowadays.

The iron-smelting furnace, if only one or two third-rate martial artists are hired to help, can be made to have excellent sealing properties, resulting in thin iron pots of extremely high quality.

The seasonal specialties of Nanzhao, such as mushrooms, flowers, and chicken pieces, are stir-fried together, resulting in a lingering and delicious flavor.

There was also a type of sweet flower stem that Chu Tianshu couldn't name. After shredding it, it was stir-fried with thick slices of fish, resulting in a dish that was both fresh and tender, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth.

After eating, Cheng Xin went to attend to the official documents.

Chu Tianshu then chatted with Nie Hongxian about some martial arts-related topics.

Nie Hongxian said, "Although my master has achieved great success in Heart and Blood Martial Dao, because I am a woman and there is a difference between men and women, I cannot fully master the techniques he created. Therefore, I can only say that I have learned half of them."

Many martial arts techniques take into account the differences between men and women.

Internal energy cultivation is relatively better, but there are still some techniques that can only be practiced by women or only by men, otherwise practicing them will cause gender reassignment.

In the path of Heart and Blood Martial Dao that emphasizes physical prowess, the differences between men and women become even more pronounced at the advanced stages.

According to Nie Hongxian, Hai Donglai named his martial arts techniques very casually.

Over the years, he compiled his own cultivation techniques and titled them "Mountain Collapse and Water Extinction".

Nie Hongxian learned the Water Extinction method, which mainly focuses on how to control the blood flow rate to refine the body.

When one reaches a high level of skill, the nature of the blood changes drastically in each of the twelve two-hour periods of the day, unlocking the potential of the blood vessels and even expanding their range.

Chu Tianshu was greatly inspired by what he heard and secretly made comparisons in his mind.

Zheng Tianchang's "Rainy Day and Windy Day: The Wisdom King Finger Spear" technique, although it can be cultivated to the level of the Plain King, is far from reaching the Mortal Transcendence Great Accomplishment.

And this set of books is titled "Mountain Collapse and Water Extinction".

Even if it's just the part that Nie Hongxian cultivates, if she cultivates it to the highest level, it seems that she can reach the level of "Mortal Transcendence Great Accomplishment".

Correspondingly, it should be "Leakless True Force" among the three achievements of Mortal Transcendence Great Accomplishment.

Nie Hongxian herself hasn't reached that level yet.

But Hai Donglai now is probably at least one with "Leakless True Force".

"If I don't use the divine sword and the Heavenly Eye, I won't use the extraordinary techniques and unique skills refined from the ' General Outline of Superior Methods '."

I wonder if my current state is sufficient to achieve Mortal Transcendence Great Accomplishment of a single-path approach?

However, in the so-called "Heart and Blood Martial Dao," the Hai Donglai comes before the blood. Could this Hai Donglai be a Double Flawlessness?

Chu Tianshu pondered this in his heart, but dared not draw such a conclusion.

Of the three Leakless states of Mortal Transcendence Great Accomplishment, once one is mastered, the second becomes increasingly difficult.

Even if Hai Donglai creates a technique that achieves Double Flawlessness, he himself may not be able to reach the realm of Double Leakless.

"Those people behind the scenes, even if they don't know my abilities, they must know something about Hai Donglai. Yet they still dare to covet him. There must be at least a few Single Flawlessness among them."

Thinking of this, Chu Tianshu felt his heart surge with emotion.

"Chang'an, what a wonderful place. It's a pity you couldn't get a leader Single Flawlessness to fight me and answer my question."

"Hey, I won't give you that chance!"

"On this journey to Chang'an, I will cultivate my Leakless Mystic Art before discussing anything else."

"Let me see what surprises you can come up with after more than a hundred years!!"

(End of this chapter)