Urban Martial Saint

Ye Qing couldn’t help but be astonished; he hadn’t expected that it was because he didn’t understand Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia that he couldn’t master this stepping technique.

”Is there such a saying?” Old Madame Shen wondered, ”It’s just a set of steps, isn’t it? Once you’ve memorized it, surely you can walk it out. Why can’t you master it if you don’t understand Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia?”

”This is the most mysterious part of Heavenly Gangs and Northern Dipper,” Shen Tianjun said. ”The Way of Zhouyi: Tai Chi gives birth to Two Instruments, Two Instruments give birth to Four Symbols, Four Symbols give birth to Eight Trigrams. The Way of Natural Laws means one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, and three gives birth to all things. Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia seems simple, but in fact, each contains thousands. The positions of Heavenly Gangs and Northern Dipper actually include all the variations of Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia. Although it looks like a simple set of steps, it contains countless variations. However, to master all these variations, one must first thoroughly study Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia. Otherwise, many of the changes can’t be used. Ye Qing doesn’t understand Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia at all, so it’s already quite difficult for him to manage three steps. To master the rest of the steps, he must match the variations of Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia with the subsequent movements, otherwise, it would be impossible to master it.”

Both Ye Qing and Old Madame Shen listened with great astonishment. Old Madame Shen wondered, ”According to you, if someone really could thoroughly study Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia and then master this stepping technique, wouldn’t this technique be able to produce countless variations, making that person invincible under the heavens?”

”Even though the words say so, the fact is, thoroughly studying Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia is fundamentally impossible.” Shen Tianjun said, ”From ancient times to the present, except for the Great Sage Guiguzi of the Taoist Sect, no one else has been able to master Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia. Even I, having studied for so many years, have only grasped the surface.”

”Is it that difficult?” Old Madame Shen exclaimed in surprise.

”All things originate from this; attempting to thoroughly study Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia is tantamount to studying everything in the world, certainly not an easy task.” Shen Tianjun paused, then continued, ”It’s like the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, which were created by Great Sage Guiguzi using Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia. If someone can thoroughly study Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia, perhaps they could unlock the mysteries of Heaven Earth Man Three Gates and completely open them. No one has been able to accomplish this for thousands of years, showing how rare a sage like Guiguzi is.”

Ye Qing took a deep breath, more amazed by Shen Tianjun’s words. He hadn’t expected that thoroughly studying Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia could potentially grant such abilities. Just how powerful was Great Sage Guiguzi back then? Not to mention anything else, just mastering the Heavenly Gangs and Northern Dipper stepping technique would be enough for him to traverse the world.

”If you put it that way, then this set of steps is basically useless.” Old Madame Shen said, ”Since you can’t thoroughly study Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia, then you can’t master this stepping technique at all.”

”Not necessarily,” Shen Tianjun said, ”With the knowledge I have about Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia, it’s far from enough to master this stepping technique. Therefore, the steps are basically useless for me. However, for Ye Qing’s current situation, they are very useful. Although it’s just a simple three steps, it’s enough for Ye Qing to compete with peers of his age. As long as he doesn’t encounter opponents who are exceedingly more powerful, these steps are enough for him to protect himself.”

Shen Tianjun’s research into Tai Chi Bagua Qimen Dunjia is already quite profound among the Five Unmatches of the World. Even what he has learned can’t be used to master the stepping technique, so others shouldn’t even consider it. It seems these steps have no impact on these peak masters, but for someone like Ye Qing, the steps are indeed useful. Ye Qing had already felt this while facing Bei Shisan.

Ye Qing nodded, indeed preparing to practice these steps diligently. Initially, he didn’t want to get involved in this matter, but now having reached this point, not getting involved was impossible. In this chaotic era, if he wants to live well, he must become stronger. This stepping technique can rapidly enhance his abilities, serving as a quick method for him.

As for the inner strength Northern Fist King Li Changqing had passed on to him, previously Ye Qing had no idea. Even now, knowing about it, he doesn’t have much in mind. After all, according to Shen Tianjun, opening all his meridians is definitely not an easy matter—several peak masters must join forces to achieve it. Yet these Five Unmatches are all independent; who would be willing to help him with such a huge task?

It should be known that if Ye Qing’s meridians were fully opened, he could unleash the full strength of the Northern Fist King, becoming a person on par with the Five Unmatches of the World. In this situation, the Five Unmatches are representations of power; who would want to create another peak master capable of challenging them?

Old Madame Shen nodded, suddenly recalling the nearby Gold Silk Armor, promptly picking it up, ”By the way, besides this, see if you recognize this item.”

Shen Tianjun reached out to touch the Gold Silk Armor, and his brows instantly knitted tightly. He said solemnly, ”This is Dragon Blood Wood!”

Upon hearing Dragon Blood Wood, Ye Qing’s heart skipped a beat. Previously, the Netherworld Taoist said it was Dragon Blood Wood, yet he didn’t quite believe it. After all, the Netherworld Taoist was similar to Old Wang Ba, sometimes speaking words not quite worth trusting; perhaps the so-called Dragon Blood Wood was just a fabrication. But unexpectedly, Shen Tianjun also identified the material of the box, proving the Netherworld Taoist wasn’t lying—this box was indeed made of Dragon Blood Wood.

Thus, the Buddhist Texts and Taoist Incantations inside the box must be genuine, and this Gold Silk Armor is indeed related to the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates, hiding the great secrets left by Guiguzi?

Shen Tianjun, upon careful observation, was even more astonished, ”This is actually a lock made of Dragon Blood Wood!”

”A lock?” Old Madame Shen exclaimed in surprise, as she hadn’t discerned what exactly the wooden box was.

Shen Tianjun nodded slowly, gazing at the Gold Silk Armor inside, ”Dragon Blood Wood is extremely rare, worth a fortune. Just this piece alone defies valuation. Exactly who used Dragon Blood Wood to make this lock? Moreover, what could be so valuable as to require such an extraordinary lock?”

Ye Qing promptly said, ”The Gold Silk Armor seems to be a possession of the Wanyan Family, with Prince Wan Yan always in pursuit of it. He blocked me outside mainly to have me hand over this Gold Silk Armor. Furthermore, according to the Netherworld Taoist’s estimation, this item has been buried for eight to nine hundred years, a relic from the Jin Dynasty.”

”I see,” Shen Tianjun pondered for a moment, ”Your words remind me of an incident that occurred during the height of the Wanyan Clan.”

”What incident?” Ye Qingqi asked.

”During the height of the Wanyan Family, coinciding with the peak of the Jin Dynasty, the clan’s vast domain nearly dominated all Han people. Yet during its zenith, the Wanyan Family didn’t continue conquering the entire Huaxia Nation, but stagnated for a period. Historians deduced that around that time, the Jin Dynasty dispatched people to rob many ancient tombs, seemingly searching for something.” Shen Tianjun glanced at the Gold Silk Armor, ”Could it be that they were searching for this item?”

”Does this Gold Silk Armor truly warrant the Jin Dynasty’s national effort to seek it?” Old Madame Shen exclaimed in surprise, ”The value of the Gold Silk Armor itself isn’t high.”

”A Gold Silk Armor alone certainly doesn’t warrant a national campaign to find it, but who knows what secrets might lie behind it?” Shen Tianjun said.

Ye Qing promptly replied, ”Right, this Gold Silk Armor seems related to the Heaven Earth Man Three Gates and involves a great secret left by Guiguzi.”

”What secret?” Shen Tianjun and Old Madame Shen asked simultaneously.

”I don’t know,” Ye Qing shook his head, ”There’s text describing this inside, but the text uses Taoist Incantations and Buddhist Texts. The meaning can only be fully understood by finding people fluent in those texts to merge the observations. The Netherworld Taoist only knows Taoist Incantations, hence he only understood part of it; the rest remains unknown.”

”Taoist Incantations? Buddhist Texts?” Shen Tianjun frowned even more tightly. He reached into the box and touched around for a while, then said solemnly, ”Indeed, they are Taoist Incantations!”

”You understand Taoist Incantations?” Ye Qingqi asked in wonder.

”I don’t understand them, but I have seen them,” Shen Tianjun replied. ”Taoist Incantations and Buddhist Texts differ from other languages. These texts require individuals with Wisdom Root in Dao or Buddha to comprehend them. Otherwise, even if you’ve seen every Taoist and Buddhist text, you won’t understand any portion of it.”

Ye Qing nodded; at that time, the Netherworld Taoist had explained it similarly to him. Unexpectedly, whatever the Netherworld Taoist stated turned out to be true. It seems this Gold Silk Armor indeed relates to a great mystery. But what exactly is this secret?

Old Madame Shen remarked, ”In that case, this Dragon Blood Wood lock should be crafted by the Wanyan Family. However, if they unearthed this item, why secure it again? What does this mean?”

”Perhaps, at that time, they obtained the Gold Silk Armor but couldn’t use it,” Shen Tianjun said. ”Otherwise, why would Prince Wan Yan seek the Gold Silk Armor now? During those eight or nine hundred years, why did the Wanyan Family remain silent?”

”Does that mean the Gold Silk Armor can be utilized now?” Old Madame Shen took a deep breath, ”The Heaven Earth Man Three Gates are about to open, and with the turmoil of the Era of the Turmoil of the Three Stars of Sirius, the world is already chaotic enough. Adding the Gold Silk Armor and the great secret left by Guiguzi, ah!”