"This..." Zhang Rongfang was at a loss for words. The decline was too much, wasn't it?
"Of course, high-ranking masters are absolutely fierce when they are at their peak — strong and robust. But when they grow old and sick, it's a different story.
Moreover, the martial world is treacherous, people are so fragile, aside from martial arts, there are many other ways to end someone's life." Sun Yuanfeng explained. "For example, bows and crossbows, poison, firearms."
"Then what's the point of diligently practicing martial arts in the future?" Zhang Rongfang asked.
"What's the point?" Sun Yuanfeng shook his head, "The government is strict, only the army can have bows and crossbows, firearms even more so. Poison can be freely concealed, but ordinary people wouldn't dare to touch it. In this situation, all sects rely on martial arts to traverse the world and protect themselves, so martial arts have great use."
After listening, Zhang Rongfang was deep in thought.
"Something else puzzles me. The gap between grades seems smaller than I thought."
Upon hearing this, Sun Yuanfeng smiled again.
"Senior Brother Zhang hasn't been involved with martial cultivation for long and doesn't understand the principle here. I heard Master Xiao Rong say before, that the true strength and victory can only be known after a real fight. The more victories, the stronger the person, naturally."
"Moreover, when martial cultivators face off, they generally go all out.
Because you don't know the true strength of your opponent, how much force to use, you can only give it your all, to first knock down the opponent.
Otherwise, if you use eighty percent of your strength and your opponent uses one hundred percent, you're the one who will end up injured."
Sun Yuanfeng explained.
"Therefore, martial cultivators rarely easily engage in battle, but once they do, it usually results in death or injury.
And the time to decide victory and defeat is often very fast. That's if both are unarmed, of course."
Zhang Rongfang understood immediately.
Indeed, if everyone goes all out, fearing using too little strength and getting hurt instead.
With this, once struck, without inner strength and the like, it's certainly death or injury.
Chatting idly all the way, the two quickly arrived at Xiao Rong's small pavilion.
Just as they were about to enter the main gate, Zhang Rongfang suddenly saw Xiao Qingying walking alongside someone, slowly exiting the pavilion.
To his surprise, that person was Chen Wuyou!
His heart skipped a beat; from past judgments, he was almost certain that there was something wrong with Chen Wuyou.
He had mentioned his suspicions to Xiao Rong previously, yet now, Xiao Rong was still allowing the two to be together!?
Seeing them laughing and chatting happily, it was clear they had completely reconciled.
Zhang Rongfang felt a chill in his heart.
Originally, Xiao Qingying in his mind was naive and sweet, but now it seemed she was helping someone count money even after being sold.
The two quickly clasped their hands in greeting.
Xiao Qingying and Chen Wuyou completely ignored them and walked through the corridor and alleyway to leave.
Inside the pavilion, Zhang Rongfang and Sun Yuanfeng entered together.
Facing them was Xiao Rong, standing with hands behind his back, admiring the masterpieces hanging on the wall.
"I've understood all about what happened." Xiao Rong turned around, calmly staring at Zhang Rongfang.
"Zhang Rongfang, although you informed us in time, regardless, your senior sister was still lightly injured and frightened, delaying Chen Wuyou in finding her."
He paused, sighing.
"If you hadn't told Xiaoying to hide, Chen Wuyou would have found her long ago and joined us.
Besides, since you thought to hide Xiaoying and escape to Qinghe Palace, why didn't you take Xiao Qingying with you? Wouldn't that have been faster to meet up with us?"
Xiao Rong's meaning was obvious.
Chen Wuyou had always been looking for Xiao Qingying and hadn't found her because Zhang Rongfang had hidden Xiao Qingying.
Precisely because of this, they missed their best escape timing, resulting in injuries and fright.
His words also implied that Zhang Rongfang ran alone under the pretense of sending messages out of cowardice.
Zhang Rongfang was speechless. He completely hadn't expected Xiao Rong's line of thinking to be this way.
"I....."
"Alright, none of this is important now. Fortunately, Xiaoying is fine. Let's leave it at that, just deduct your salary for two months, and in the future, do your work well." Xiao Rong said lightly, dissatisfaction almost spilling out in his words.
If not for his gentle nature, it wouldn't be just a simple two-month salary penalty.
Zhang Rongfang was dumbfounded. Had he not made a decisive decision, who knows where Xiao Qingying might have been taken by now?
But the result was that he was blamed for almost getting Xiao Qingying hurt?
He couldn't understand Xiao Rong's logic, but recalling Chen Wuyou and Xiao Qingying leaving together, he guessed that Chen Wuyou probably said something privately to them.
"Alright, no need to say more, you may leave now." Xiao Rong waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
Filled with speechlessness, Zhang Rongfang wanted to explain but was ignored as Xiao Rong turned away.
So he could only clasp his hands in salute, turn, and leave.
Leaving the pavilion, his heart was heavy with frustration, having meticulously planned and risked his life to save someone — only to receive this outcome?
Feeling agitated, he turned to the martial cultivators' training ground.
In the early morning, the sparse martial cultivators were already exercising their muscles and bones on the training ground.
Standing by the sidelines, Zhang Rongfang quietly watched, his mood gradually calming down.
Observing each person's data, he believed it wouldn't be long before he could complete the attribute data of most Qinghe Palace members.
"I knew you'd be here." Zhao Dachong's voice came from behind.
"Senior Sister Zhao..." Zhang Rongfang turned his head, seeing Zhao Dachong approaching, sitting down on the ground beside him.
"Actually, when Chen Wuyou came this morning, I was there too, just listening to him talk from the side."
She paused.
"He lost a servant, got injured himself, and we were completely unharmed. Among the four of us, only you were untouched. What do you think Master would think about this?"
Zhang Rongfang was speechless.
He didn't know what to say because the facts were indeed like that. The trouble with this situation was that he wasn't injured.
If all of this was orchestrated by Chen Wuyou, then his scheming and disguise would indeed be troublesome.
In his previous life, Zhang Rongfang was just an office worker writing drafts for his boss, encountering such matters left him at a loss.
Over there, Chen Wuyou had people killed, lost valuables, and was injured himself. Yet he remained unscathed, which indeed aroused suspicion.
"I just feel a bit frustrated." Zhang Rongfang fell silent for a moment, then replied.
"Yes, even Master is starting to doubt you now. Suspecting the previous poisoning incident of being an opportunity for you to get close to Junior Sister Xiaoying. This time deliberately hiding someone again..."
Zhao Dacong nodded; she actually trusted Zhang Rongfang more. There was no particular reason, she just felt that Chen Wuyou's gentle smile seemed too fake.
"Let's not talk about this matter anymore. Senior Zhao, I'd like to ask you a question. Yesterday, I saw you and Master fighting someone. Were those men in black really that formidable to make you struggle so much?" Zhang Rongfang asked curiously.
"In combat, every move can be a matter of life and death. That's why one must focus completely, and show no mercy. It's certainly exhausting." Zhao Dacong shook her head with a smile.
"Were those men really that powerful?" Zhang Rongfang inquired.
"Not really, even if they were weaker, it would still be tiring, since everyone has to use all their strength.
Besides, Master is old, and he previously suffered hidden injuries. Those men in black were ruthless and had military training, wielding knives. Their skills were indeed decent." Zhao Dacong explained.
"Then, may I ask, Senior, in terms of martial prowess, how does our Qinghe Palace of the Great Dao Teaching rank in the martial world?" Zhang Rongfang asked again.
"Uh... that depends on the region. Within a hundred miles, Qinghe Palace is second to none.
Moreover, we mainly cultivate longevity, fighting is merely a way to safeguard the Dao..."
Although Zhao Dacong spoke naturally, Zhang Rongfang still felt a certain way in his heart.
That is, Qinghe Palace might actually be somewhat weak...
"Come on, you seem to be in good shape now, let me test your strength!" Zhao Dacong could tell Zhang Rongfang's expression.
However, she couldn't just tell him the truth, that Qinghe Palace is merely a small branch of the Great Dao Teaching, surviving in a corner of the martial world, depending on numbers and government connections to secure its dominance within a hundred miles.
At once, she grabbed Zhang Rongfang.
"Let's go, today I'll formally teach you the Talisman Manual! The Rejuvenation Purification Talisman Manual of our Great Dao Teaching is an advanced martial manual for aiding the world and self-defense combined! I'll show you its power!"
Zhang Rongfang was forcefully dragged by her to a corner of the training ground.
The two stood face to face, three meters apart.
"Come, attack me with all your strength! Don't be afraid!"
Zhao Dacong puffed up her chest, patting it firmly like a steel board and shouted.
"....." Zhang Rongfang also wanted to know how he compared to these martial cultivators.
Immediately, he hesitated no longer, clenched his fist, and struck forward with all his might.
He used all his strength, but....
Pa.
The fist landed in a warm, broad hand.
Then.
Puff!
Zhang Rongfang only felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and his whole body curled up from a knee strike.
"Today I'll teach you the first move of the seventh Mountain-shaped Talisman: Wuxin Breaks the Willow!"
She lifted Zhang Rongfang up and steadied him.
"Come, again! The entry-level part of the Talisman Manual is the Mountain-shaped Talisman, comprising thirty-two styles, each possessing great power, you must master them well!"
Zhang Rongfang struggled to stand, feeling his abdomen slightly better, knowing she used just enough force to make him remember the pain.
"Alright!" He was surprised his vitality increased to 10, yet he was still so weak.
Falling with just one move.
Thinking back, if he had been slightly slower in reacting when faced with those men in black, he would have been defeated in a single move.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
Again and again, Zhang Rongfang was knocked down by the same move, but at the same time, he gradually understood the power and various changes of this Mountain-shaped Talisman move.
No matter what angle he attacked from, the result was the same.
As he officially began learning the Mountain-shaped Talisman, Zhang Rongfang's leisurely days vanished.
He found that learning just one or two moves of the Mountain-shaped Talisman did not even register on his attribute page, not even forming a skill.
Remembering his past experience learning the Void Observation Skill, he realized that only by completely mastering the entire Mountain-shaped Talisman could it form into a skill.
From then on, he was fully focused, practicing with Senior Zhao Dacong every day, even when following Xiao Qingying, he was remembering and secretly practicing the moves.
In this way, when one's entire spirit is focused on a single matter, time seems to fly by.
Time swiftly passed by, July was over, August was calm, and soon it was September.