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Chapter 134: Current State of Affairs (Congratulations for reaching Silver! )

Chapter 134: Current State of Affairs (Congratulations for reaching Silver! )

The sixteenth year of Emperor Ming of Da Liang.

Emperor Ming took direct control of the government, leading to intense conflict with the Empress Dowager's faction and the Chancellor's faction, ultimately forcing the Empress Dowager to her death.

The Chancellor's faction, in their death throes, retaliated by allowing rebel forces into the capital, slaughtering the imperial clan and ministers. . . horses trampled through the imperial palace, blood flowed like rivers. . .

Historical records named this 'The Night of the Long Knives'!

After this night, the Da Liang court utterly collapsed, and the empire entered an era of warlord fragmentation, with 'flood dragons' rising everywhere!

......

Although Emperor Ming was dead, the empire remained without a true master, and so the Da Liang era continued to be used for dating.

It was now the thirty-third year of Emperor Ming.

After casually settling the Taisui in a temporary cave dwelling he'd opened up in a mountain, Fang Xi arrived at this city.

Above Three Yuan City, the Da Liang imperial dragon banner was long gone, replaced instead by a dark-golden 'Liang' character flood dragon banner!

"King Liang? !"

Fang Xi silently recited the name of this king who had risen in Ding Province, then smiled faintly and walked into the city.

Neither the soldiers guarding the city nor the passersby seemed to notice him, allowing him to pass through the city gates as if no one were around.

"Have you heard? This time, King Liang mobilized his troops to attack King Gui, and it was a great victory!"

"How come I heard that King Liang fell into an ambush at Twin Dragon Mountain?"

"Hush. . . You dare to speak such words? Be careful, lest you disrupt military morale and get executed!"

All along the way, the hushed conversations of passersby flowed into Fang Xi's ears as if unimpeded.

Clatter-clatter!

Occasionally, a few fully armed personal guards and generals swaggered through the streets on horseback, bumping into pedestrians, who all dared not speak their anger.

In times of chaos, military power reigned supreme!

The status of martial artists had greatly risen; as trusted personal guards of the rebel warlords, they could truly kill at will with no royal law to restrain them!

On the market, all goods were exorbitant, and grain prices soared.

Thinking of the countless wandering refugees in the outer city, living like walking corpses, hoping to settle within the city, Fang Xi couldn't help but sigh, "In chaotic times, common folk are worse than dogs. . ."

As he pondered, he arrived at the location of the Youjian Martial Arts Hall.

However, he found that this place was no longer a martial arts hall; it had been converted into a large manor, and soldiers were even guarding its entrance.

"What place is this?"

Fang Xi's gaze shifted, and he casually stopped an old man passing by.

The old man, seeing someone block his path, initially felt a bit of anger, but upon seeing a young man in a green robe with an extraordinary aura, he dared not be negligent and replied deferentially, "This is the residence of Lord Zhou Shenglong, the 'Guerrilla General' under King Liang. . ."

"What about the original Youjian Martial Arts Hall?"

"Youjian Martial Arts Hall? " The old man was bewildered for a moment, then slapped his head after a long pause: "That must have been decades ago, wasn't it? Oh my. . . back then, that martial arts hall was incredibly popular; many high-ranking officials and nobles flocked to it. . . It's a pity that its rise was swift, and its fall sudden. Later, it's said that the two hall masters had an internal conflict, fought a big battle, and many people died, then they went their separate ways, and after that, the martial arts hall declined. . ."

"Two martial arts hall masters had an internal conflict? " Fang Xi thought of the brotherly bond between Qing Mu and Qing Sang, feeling it was unlikely.

But then, he couldn't help but chuckle wryly.

Decades had passed, how could people remain unchanged?

"And then, King Liang attacked the city; the succeeding hall master, after its decline, resisted, and was killed after the city fell, and the martial arts hall was also seized by King Liang. . ."

The old man had unwittingly said a lot, and finally, realizing his slip of the tongue, quickly covered his mouth.

Finding no one around, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"So that's how it is. Thank you, old sir."

Fang Xi casually tossed out a golden bean and turned to leave.

The old man rubbed his eyes, and upon realizing it was a golden bean, immediately tucked it into his embrace, then glanced around like a thief. . .

......

White Cloud Martial Arts Hall.

Compared to the Youjian Martial Arts Hall, which had scattered like wind and clouds, the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall had stubbornly taken root in Three Yuan City.

Even though it encountered the rebel army attacking the city, Mu Piao Miao, against all objections, maintained neutrality, and finally managed to avoid the purge after the city's fall.

"Even with my intervention, I couldn't stop the decline of a dynasty. . ."

Fang Xi stood before the martial arts hall's entrance, gazing at the mottled signboard, and couldn't help but let out a sigh of lament.

"Who are you? Do you wish to come to the martial arts hall to become a disciple and learn skills?"

A disciple walked out, saw Fang Xi, and noting his exquisite green bamboo Daoist robe, dared not be negligent and asked.

"I've come to see a few old acquaintances. . ."

Fang Xi swept his Divine Consciousness and had already located Mu Piao Miao, who was lying in a rattan chair in the backyard: "Never mind, I'll go myself. . ."

His figure flickered, and he had already entered the interior of the martial arts hall.

Meanwhile, the disciple hadn't even noticed, merely rubbing his eyes before letting out a shriek: "There's a ghost! ! ! !"

......

Mu Piao Miao, with a head full of silver hair, lay on a soft chair, gazing at the grape trellis laden with fruit, verdant and dripping with dew.

For ancient people, sixty years old was already considered a long life.

She had suffered many hardships in her youth, but thanks to the spiritual pills Fang Xi later provided for her nourishment, she was still able to hear and see clearly at this time, though she was also filled with sorrow over aging and fear of death.

"Junior Sister. . ."

Suddenly, a figure in a green robe appeared before her, softly calling out.

The person stood there, like a verdant jade bamboo, imbued with vibrant vitality, a surging youthful vigor unique to young people.

"Youth. . . how truly wonderful. . ."

Mu Piao Miao's face was full of bewilderment, and she murmured to herself, "I seem to have returned to the past, seeing Senior Brother. . ."

"Cough, cough, Junior Sister, it really is me," Fang Xi coughed, reminding her.

Only then did Mu Piao Miao snap out of her daze. She touched her face, now covered in wrinkles, then fixed her gaze on Fang Xi: "I'm not dreaming, am I? !"

"No. . ."

Mu Piao Miao looked at Fang Xi again and suddenly laughed: "Are you his son? Or grandson? Don't play such jokes on your granny. . ."

"Back in Black Stone City. . ."

Fang Xi thought for a moment and then recounted an embarrassing incident of Mu Piao Miao from the time of the demonic tree disaster: "You secretly ran to the kitchen in the middle of the night and nearly got beaten by Master Mu. . ."

"Why would your grandfather even tell you such things?"

Mu Piao Miao was slightly embarrassed, but as she looked at Fang Xi, the expression on her face gradually shifted from certainty to doubt.

It was understandable for their appearances to be identical, but this aura, this demeanor, and even this subtle, inexplicable feeling?

"Senior Brother?"

She called out tentatively.

"Is something the matter, Little Junior Sister?"

Fang Xi smiled, counter-questioning.

"Don't say another word, I want to die!"

Mu Piao Miao picked up the cattail fan beside her and covered her face with it.

"Hahahaha!"

Seeing that this little junior sister was still so lively and adorable, Fang Xi couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.

"You're really Senior Brother? How can you be so young?"

Mu Piao Miao asked, astonished.

"The pinnacle of martial arts can reverse life and death, return youth. . . all these are as easy as turning one's palm!"

Fang Xi stood with his hands behind his back, exuding the image of a Grandmaster.

"Alas, I, your junior sister, have limited achievements; I'm still merely in the True Force realm. . ."

Mu Piao Miao sighed. Although Fang Xi had given her pills back then, she had kept them all to nurture succeeding hall masters.

This led to the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall's line of successive hall masters never breaking, but their personal cultivation had ultimately been delayed.

"How are the others doing?"

Fang Xi thought of Zhang Minting, and Bai He. . .

"The old have aged, the dead have died. . . Not many of that original group are left," Mu Piao Miao said, putting down her cattail fan. "As for Zhang Minting, he truly lives up to his talent, and with your guidance and the help of your pills. . . he later broke through to True Vigor, became a Martial Master, and traveled the world to strive for the Grandmaster realm. He has now indeed forged a formidable reputation as a great hero, I just wonder if he has achieved Grandmaster status yet?"

She also spoke of news regarding several other people.

For mortals, thirty years was two generations; birth, old age, sickness, and death were all unavoidable within that time. . .

Finally, she said, "Bai He moved out of the martial arts hall. I bought her a small courtyard nearby to live in. She. . . her life has been very hard, and she never married. . ."

Mu Piao Miao likewise never married, saying she wanted to guard her father's martial arts hall.

Hearing this, Fang Xi couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.

Just then, a spirited burly man walked in from outside: "Old Hall Master, a disciple said he saw a ghost outside; I was a bit worried, so I came to check. . . Hm? Who are you?"

The burly man gazed at Fang Xi, his face filled with astonishment and uncertainty.

How was it that he didn't know there was an outsider in the martial arts hall?

Mu Piao Miao looked at Fang Xi, and seeing that he didn't refute, she said directly, "This is your Senior Martial Uncle-Ancestor. . . Why aren't you quickly stepping forward to pay your respects?"

She then introduced to Fang Xi, "This is the current master of the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall—Mu Baizheng! Baizheng, aren't you going to pay your respects?"

"Senior Martial Uncle-Ancestor? Junior Martial Aunt, I've met all your senior and junior brothers, surely this isn't. . ."

Mu Baizheng scratched his head in an honest, simple manner, no matter how he looked at it, he felt something was off with this 'pretty boy'.

Fang Xi, however, couldn't be bothered to say more to him, and flicked his finger.

Boom!

An invisible True Vigor manifested, pressing the man onto his knees, causing cracks to appear on the very floor.

"Ah. . . True Vigor manifested externally? !"

Mu Baizheng was someone with discerning eyes; greatly astonished, he quickly bowed his head, "Greetings, Senior Martial Uncle-Ancestor. Could it be that you are a Grandmaster?"

Legend had it that only a Martial Saint could manifest True Vigor externally.

But to do so with such an ethereal, non-existent trace, it was truly inconceivable!

"Good boy!"

Fang Xi smiled warmly and casually rewarded him with a bottle of first-order Blood-Qi Pills.

Mu Baizheng took the bottle, opened the stopper, and immediately caught a familiar medicinal fragrance. His expression changed dramatically, and he quickly tucked the pill bottle into his embrace like a thief, his heart still thumping wildly.

He remembered this scent!

Back then, he was merely an orphan, adopted by the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall. His talent was only ordinary, but he excelled in being steady and honest.

Later, his Junior Martial Aunt bestowed a pill upon him, and he immediately broke through to the realm of True Force martial artists, standing out among his fellow disciples, and ultimately succeeded to the position of Hall Master!

The pill from back then had this exact scent!

Even though he was an honest man, at this moment, he wished he could kowtow to Fang Xi a few more times. . .

"Senior Brother, what brings you back this time?"

Mu Piao Miao waved her hand, indicating for Mu Baizheng to stand aside, her expression also turning serious. R?aNO​b​Еs

"To conclude some worldly affairs. Oh, and how is Yuan He Mountain outside the city?"

Fang Xi asked casually.

"More than ten years ago, King Liang rose to power, sweeping through the martial world, and personally ascended Yuan He Mountain to seek the secret manual for the 'Yuan He Five Thunder Hand'. However, the old Grandmaster Linghu of Yuan He Mountain had already passed away, so no one could stop them, and their sect gate was breached. . ."

Mu Piao Miao recounted slowly.

"How. . . Could it be that the prestige of my Peerless Grandmaster status can no longer suppress people?"

Fang Xi was slightly surprised.

"Peerless Grandmaster?"

Mu Piao Miao rolled her eyes: "We are just mortals. You've been gone for thirty years; how much prestige could possibly be left?"