Martial Cultivator

Chen Chao smiled, ”Better to dredge than to dam. If we were to exterminate Purple Leaf Grotto to the last man, who knows whether there might be some of their cultivators outside the mountain? If they hid in the shadows and, driven mad, did something reckless, who could say?” ”The Art of War says: when besieging an army, leave an outlet. The meaning is simple - give them a path to live. If you leave them no way out at all, then they’ll have no choice but to fight you to the death.”

Chen Yi opened his mouth as if he still had a question, but in the end did not voice it.

Chen Chao seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, “Purple Leaf Grotto is different from Three Streams Manor and Glaze Temple before. Those two sects were united from top to bottom in committing great evil, so this official left them no room at all. But Purple Leaf Grotto is not so extreme. Moreover, Daoist Redsky’s actions at the end scattered people’s hearts.”

Chen Yi sighed in admiration. “Lord Warden Commander, your thoughts are meticulous. You see what ordinary people cannot. You are truly a model for our generation.”

He Liang turned to look at Chen Yi, thinking that with such a smooth tongue, Fellow Daoist Chen’s master must surely like him very much.

Chen Chao smiled faintly and glanced at Xu Qiu in the distance. The female cultivator was still dazed. Watching Lu Chu die before her, especially the indifferent look in his eyes at the very end, had left her unable to accept it.

Chen Chao shook his head. The word ”feelings” had been hard to explain since ancient times. He had no wish to say more.

While they were chatting, a sizable group of officials was already ascending from the foot of the mountain. All wore black official robes, official boots, and sabers at their waists.

At their head was none other than Chen Wannian.

This former number-one martial artist in the foreign lands cupped his fists and said, “This subordinate greets Lord Warden Commander. In accordance with your instructions, this subordinate has brought men and arrived.”

As he spoke, Chen Wannian was visibly excited. The state of Mt. Tai Xuan as he climbed had been shocking to behold, and he could not help but worry about Chen Chao’s safety. But seeing Chen Chao now completely unharmed, this Nepenthe martial artist admired him to the utmost.

Both were martial artists, he knew all too well how difficult it was for one man to invade a mountain. And this was no ordinary cultivation sect, but one renowned throughout the world.

Chen Chao smiled. “Commander Chen, I’ll have to trouble you further.”

Chen Wannian nodded with a grin. “Lord Warden Commander has handled the important matter. The remaining trivial matters can be left to this subordinate.”

Chen Chao instructed, “As for the cultivators in the mountain, they must not be wronged at will. This official will have officials from the Ministry of Penalty come to assist. Once the investigations are clear, those without guilt may be released on the spot, there is no need to report upward.”

Chen Wannian nodded.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Chao asked, “How are things at Genglou Mountain?”

Chen Wannian replied, “Commander Song brought this subordinate to Genglou Mountain. We reclaimed it without much effort. It’s just that there wasn’t much Dragonblood Stone stored there, most of it should be within Mt. Tai Xuan. However, the Divine Capital has already dispatched people. In a few days, mining can begin. The prefectural authorities have also started clearing the roads; within half a month, access should be fully opened.”

“As expected.”

Chen Chao smiled. “Then I’ll trouble Commander Chen to locate the Dragonblood Stone within Mt. Tai Xuan and transport it to the Divine Capital. Have Commander Jiang make another trip.”

This journey had never been intended as a long stay. Now that Purple Leaf Grotto was resolved, it was time to return to the Divine Capital. However, since He Liang was with him, Chen Chao intended to travel more slowly - consider it a solitary journey through the jianghu with his disciple.

By the time he returned to the Divine Capital, the first batch of armor from the Ministry of Works should be coming off the line.

Chen Wannian then asked, “Lord Warden Commander, what of the treasures of Mt. Tai Xuan? How should they be handled?”

Chen Chao said, “Have officials from the Ministry of Revenue come to register them, then transport everything to the capital to replenish the national treasury. Those items we do not need can be traded with the various foreign cultivators. Barter is fine, or they may purchase them with skygold coins.”

After arranging everything, Chen Chao looked toward the two from the Mountains and Rivers Sect and said with a faint smile, “Come. This official will escort you back to the Mountains and Rivers Sect.”

......

......

On the way back to Mountains and Rivers Sect, Chen Yi was brimming with excitement, while Xu Qiu still looked utterly dispirited.

Chen Chao took out a flask of alcohol and sipped as he walked.

He Liang asked softly, “Master, that enormous dharma idol, was it not a cultivator’s technique, but a condensation of your qi?”

Chen Chao smiled at He Liang and nodded.

He Liang exclaimed with vicissitudes of emotion, “But it looked incredible! It shouldn’t be any worse than a cultivator’s methods, right?”

Chen Chao nodded. “When you reach your master’s realm, you’ll be the same. At that time, one punch can level a mountain; one stomp can leave behind a massive crater. Move a little, and you might create an entire lake.”

“I don’t think that’s good. A mountain looks so nice, why smash it with a punch?”

He Liang opened his mouth, then seemed to realize that didn’t sound quite right, and hurriedly amended himself. “But Master, earlier you were really impressive!”

Chen Chao laughed it off.

Chen Yi also raised a thumbs-up in praise. “Lord Warden Commander, that dharma idol of yours was far more spectacular than any cultivator’s techniques. For a martial artist to reach such a level and be so terrifying, it’s truly hard to imagine. It makes this lowly daoist want to try tempering myself in the martial path.”

Chen Chao glanced at Chen Yi, reached out and patted his shoulder, then shook his head teasingly. “Fellow Daoist Chen, with your natural constitution, if you took the martial path, I’m afraid your prospects wouldn’t be great.”

Chen Yi looked disappointed and was just about to speak when Chen Chao added with a smile, “If you’re not afraid of hardship, this official does have a method for tempering the body. Cultivate your physique diligently, and perhaps one day you’ll have an unexpected delight.”

Chen Yi was straightforward. The moment Chen Chao said this, he immediately expressed his thanks. “Many thanks to Lord Warden Commander for bestowing this secret art!”

Secret art?

Chen Chao shook his head. It was nothing more than a refinement he had devised from the common body-tempering methods used by ordinary martial artists. The effect was somewhat better, but it certainly wouldn’t remodel a person from the marrow out. Still, ever since he began promoting it, nearly all within the Lord Warden Commander’s line had adopted this new formula.

Earlier, Chen Chao had even sent the method to the northern frontier. Ning Ping later wrote back, saying, No wonder your physique is so resilient, Chen Chao, turns out you simply endured more suffering.

What Chen Chao never told them was that with that method, ordinary people could barely endure an hour of tempering. Each time, he endured two to four hours.

It was by enduring more hardship that he had become the Lord Warden Commander he was today.

What Chen Chao did not expect was that this casual remark of his would one day shape the future Mountain Lord of Mountains and Rivers Sect, a daoist whose mastery of daoist techniques would reach the heavens. Yet when trading blows with others, he would often roll up his sleeves and shout that they should settle matters with fists and feet.

“Come, come, come! If Fellow Daoist is unwilling to compete in daoist spells with this penniless daoist, this penniless daoist also knows a bit of boxing and kicking. Why don’t we loosen up and have a proper fight today?”

By then, that Mountain Lord of Mountains and Rivers Sect would already be a great daoist sage of Daoism, and would have given himself a resounding title.

Ordinary in daoist techniques - Daoist Martial Arts.