Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Page 59

Chapter 115 Zhu Family Village, a Family of Villains

Su Yuchen was taken aback. Given the original owner's foolish personality, how could he have hidden books? Was he pretending to be stupid? And if so, what was the reason?

On second thought, he shook his head; it was probably true that the original owner of this body was an idiot.

Such a thick book under the pillow—someone from the original owner's family should have noticed. The fact that it was placed so casually under the pillow shows that the original owner had no intention of hiding it at all.

So, was it given to you by the original owner's parents? Or...?

Su Yuchen couldn't figure it out, but he didn't care. He reached out and pulled it out, only to find that it wasn't a thick book, but two volumes.

Su Yuchen took a look and saw that the first volume was titled "One Finger Divine Skill" and the second volume was titled "Orchid Flicking Acupoint Technique".

"This is... the martial arts of the Dali Duan family and Huang Yaoshi of Peach Blossom Island? So, is this The Legend of the Condor Heroes? Or The Return of the Condor Heroes?" Su Yuchen was stunned.

Looking at the small print in the lower left corner, 'One Finger Divine Skill' was written by Zhu Ziliu; 'Orchid Flicking Acupoint Technique' was written by Wu Xiuwen.

"Wu Xiuwen, isn't this Guo Jing's apprentice?" Su Yuchen thought.

Only then did the system's narration finally arrive in his mind...

At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, Xiangyang fell.

Guo Jing and his wife died for their country; Wu Sansi, his son Wu Xiuwen, Zhu Ziliu of Dali, and others wandered the world.

[After the city fell and the country was destroyed, in order to avoid being hunted down by the Yuan court, the Zhu and Wu families traveled all the way to the foot of Kunlun Mountain in the Western Regions and established the Zhu-Wu Lianhuan Manor.]

The two families had been on good terms for generations. Zhu Changling, the son of Zhu Ziliu, married Wu Wan'er, the daughter of Wu Sansi, and they had a son, Zhu Yuchen. Wu Wan'er died in childbirth.

Before her death, Wu Wan'er entrusted you to the care of her eldest brother, the head of the Wu family, and left behind the Wu family's secret technique, "Orchid Flicking Acupoint Technique."

[With Wu as a witness, Zhu Changling swore to raise you to adulthood, and left behind a copy of "One Finger Divine Skill" written by Zhu Ziliu as proof.]

As he grew older, Zhu Changling discovered that his only son, Zhu Yuchen, had been mentally challenged and intellectually deficient since childhood, and therefore disliked him.

[Later, Zhu Changling, for the purpose of a political alliance, married a woman from the Wei family of Kunlun as his secondary wife, and they had a daughter, Zhu Jiuzhen.]

Because Zhu Yuchen suffers from dementia, Zhu Jiuzhen is repeatedly ridiculed by Wu Qingying, the daughter of the Wu family, and Wei Bi, the nephew of the Wei family.

[Zhu Jiuzhen and Wu Qingying secretly harbor feelings for Wei Bi. To compete for a chance at love, under the guise of hunting, Zhu Jiuzhen secretly instructed her trusted servant to take Zhu Yuchen into the woods outside the manor. Zhu Yuchen caught a cold, developed a high fever, and died at the age of six years and three months.]

To protect his daughter's reputation, Zhu Changling had secretly executed the servants. He was slightly curious that you were still alive, but didn't care.

Zhu Jiuzhen felt three parts annoyance, one part fear, and six parts resentment that you weren't dead. Why don't you just die?

Although Zhu Weishi felt a little regretful that you didn't die, she had no intention of killing you. After all, she didn't care about a fool.

Wei Bi of the Wei family is very angry that you are not dead. He feels that as long as you are alive, you will have the protection of the Wu family, which means he will not be able to obtain the Zhu family's million-dollar fortune.

Wu Qingying felt a slight curiosity about your survival. Of course, she wasn't concerned about you; rather, she could use you to make fun of Zhu Jiuzhen again.

The head of the Wu family is very disappointed that you didn't die. Since you're still alive, he can't take back the "Orchid Finger Technique" that Wu Wan'er left you.

Your servant, A Niu, is very happy because you have transferred him from the woodshed to the inner quarters, where he can finally eat and dress well. He is grateful to you and has decided to take good care of you.

Hahaha... Young man, congratulations on finding true friendship in this cold world. Keep it up!

………………

"Good guy!"

Su Yuchen (who was later called Zhu Yuchen) exclaimed, "Good heavens, this whole family are villains!"

Apart from the newly arrived servant A Niu, no one in Zhu Wu Lianhuan Manor wanted the original owner to be alive.

The indifference of Zhu Changling, Zhu Weishi, and the head of the Wu family, the viciousness of Zhu Jiuzhen at such a young age, and the greed and malice of Wu Qingying, Wei Bi, and others.

Zhu Yuchen couldn't help but shiver; the room suddenly felt colder than the snow and ice on Kunlun Mountain outside.

"So, you're incredibly lucky to have survived until I came!"

"So, this is Zhu Wu Lianhuan Manor, it's... The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber!"

Zhu Yuchen stuffed the secret manual back under his pillow, leaned against the bed, and couldn't help but feel worried. Living in an environment full of villains was very stressful.

This six-year-old body has clearly been malnourished for a long time, and has not been exercised or cultivated internal energy. If it wants to reach a higher level later, it must first be nourished.

"The Great Dao Azure Lotus Chapter is vast and profound, incorporating some functions of the Purple Cloud Divine Art. Since it can absorb the purple energy of the rising sun, it should be able to absorb the power of the moon's essence. I'll try it sometime. If it works, the body will be able to replenish itself much faster by using the faint essence of the moon and the sun."

He then realized that even with the "Great Dao Green Lotus Chapter" as a safety net, which allowed him to absorb the essence of the sun and moon to nourish his physical body, reshape his bones, and expand his meridians, it would still take several years.

"It seems the only option is to try cultivating trusted confidants. As long as I survive these two years and my health improves, I'll be able to protect myself," Zhu Yuchen thought to himself.

………………

"Ah Niu, Ah Niu! Come in."

Zhu Yuchen called out.

With a creak, the door was pushed open, and a head poked in from the outside. The person was clearly cold, with white steam coming out of their nostrils as they breathed. They looked at Zhu Yuchen and said, "Young Master, did you call me?"

Zhu Yuchen sighed helplessly and said, "Come in and close the door."

"Oh……"

Ah Niu belatedly nodded, then poked his body in from outside the door, closed the door behind him, walked to Zhu Yuchen's side, and just looked at him without saying a word.

Looking at his honest eyes, Zhu Yuchen felt helpless and began to instruct him...

"From now on, when I call you in, you should knock on the door first and then say: Young Master, I'm here."

"Wait until I call out again: 'Come in.' Then push open the door and come in confidently."

"After you come in, turn around and close the door. Stand three to five steps away from me. Don't peek around, understand?"

Ah Niu smiled blankly and said happily, "Young Master, I understand, I'll remember."

Zhu Yuchen nodded and said...

"Don't stand outside anymore. When you're free, you can bring a stool and sit in the corner by the door. If you hear someone knocking, just get up and open the door."

"Who else is in your family? What do they do for a living? Where did they work before?"

Ah Niu nodded, scratched the back of his head to make sure he remembered, chuckled, and then answered...

“I have an elderly mother and father, a younger sister and a younger brother. We live in Chenjiazhuang, which is about ten miles away.”

“My father was a hunter in the mountains. He hunted wild animals for the village, and occasionally he would get some fox pelts or something.”

"My younger brother and sister are still young. They stay at home with their mother, herding sheep and cattle, and supporting the family by exchanging goods with merchants from the Central Plains."

“I used to work in the woodshed, doing things like cutting firewood in the woods and carrying water.”

Zhu Yuchen nodded, looked at his stance and hands, and asked, "Have you practiced martial arts?"

Ah Niu was very happy and said, "The head steward of the estate sent someone to teach me some Taizu Changquan (a style of Chinese martial arts). He said there are wild beasts in the forest, so I need to have the ability to protect myself."

Chapter 116 Teaching Ah Niu, One-Finger Divine Skill Advancement

Zhu Yuchen nodded. Zhu Ziliu had been the prime minister of the Dali Kingdom after all. No matter how stupid his descendants were, they would always recruit people with a clean background.

Although Zhu Changling was somewhat treacherous and despicable, he was quite adept at managing his family business. Just by looking at the layout of this room and the millions of dollars in wealth mentioned in the system's narration, one could tell that the Zhu Family Village was extremely wealthy.

He looked at Ah Niu and said, "My requirements aren't high. Talk less and observe more. Don't spread rumors. If someone asks you anything, just say you don't know."

Ah Niu nodded and said affirmatively...

"I know, young master."

“My father said that one should be honest and loyal in one’s conduct. Now that I’m following the young master, I will treat him well and will not listen to others.”

"Anyway, I'm stupid, even if you ask me, I wouldn't know," Ah Niu said, scratching his head.

Zhu Yuchen nodded and smiled, saying, "If there's anything you don't know how to do in the future, just ask me. Don't keep it to yourself."

Seeing him nod, Zhu Yuchen said, "You'll be serving me from now on, so you'll be quite busy. You can't afford to be unwell."

Ignoring Ah Niu's hands pounding his chest, he waved his hand and continued, "I'll teach you a breathing technique. You should use this technique to breathe whether you're walking or sleeping, understand?"

Ah Niu looked troubled and said, "Young Master, I'm not very smart. How can I need a method to walk and sleep?"

Zhu Yuchen didn't bother to explain, saying, "Just do what I say. Didn't you just say you should be loyal?"

Ah Niu nodded with a troubled expression.

………………

After a whole morning and afternoon of effort, Zhu Yuchen finally got Ah Niu used to the new breathing method.

He instructed, "Remember, don't tell anyone about this. Not even anyone in the village, understand?"

Ah Niu looked bewildered and nodded.

Zhu Yuchen smiled and said, "When you feel a warm little mouse running around inside your body, don't panic. Just keep breathing like this and remember to tell me."

"Oh!" Ah Niu nodded habitually.

The system's narration suddenly popped into my mind...

[You taught A Niu the "Song of the Complete Path of Truth," and he possesses the heart of a child; tomorrow he will experience the sensation of Qi.]

His father went hunting in the mountains and accidentally obtained a 158-year-old ginseng. He had unintentionally eaten the ginseng fruit that had formed on it.

He was strong and healthy from a young age, with abundant energy, and his internal strength progressed extremely quickly.

[A-Niu secretly told his father, Chen A-Gen, about this. Chen A-Gen was knowledgeable and knew what Qi Sensation was. He was so excited that he decided his family would follow him to the death.]

[You've unintentionally cultivated a most loyal martial arts master and a most loyal family of servants for yourself. You've struck gold; Ah Niu's achievements are limitless.]

He has the potential to become a top-tier master in the future, one of the world's leading experts, similar to Guo Jing.

Zhu Yuchen was slightly taken aback. He looked at the unassuming and adorable A Niu and was surprised that the narration system had such a high opinion of him.

Moreover, this way I can teach him some other martial arts, but there's no rush. The spirit ginseng, however, is useful to me.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuchen sat up, put on his shoes, walked to the desk by the window, and casually opened a drawer, taking out a few gold leaves and a pearl the size of a pigeon egg.

After counting them, Zhu Yuchen sighed. These were all left behind by the original owner's mother before her death. They were only preserved because Zhu Changling and the others didn't value them.

He pushed the gold leaf and pearl towards Ah Niu, gesturing for him to put them away, and said...

“You don’t need to stay with me tonight. Go home and if anyone asks, just say I gave you a day off so you can go home and see your parents.”

“Go home tonight and ask your dad if he has any good ginseng. If he does, have him find me one, depending on the amount of money.”

"If you don't have enough money, I'll give you the rest when you come tomorrow."

"Don't tell anyone in the village about this. Only let your father know. Understand?"

Seeing Ah Niu nod, Zhu Yuchen breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's getting late, you should go now and come back soon. Remember, if anything happens, feel free to ask me."

Watching Ah Niu turn and leave, Zhu Yuchen sat for a moment, shook his head and smiled, got up and took the two secret manuals from under his pillow, and slowly flipped through them on the desk.

………………

After dinner, as the city lights came on, the courtyard where Zhu Yuchen lived was quiet, with only the occasional hooting of an owl breaking the silence, except for the bright moon.

On the desk, Zhu Yuchen had already turned to the last page of a copy of "One Finger Zen".

As he closed his eyes and sank into the light of his mind, a phantom figure materialized, and the system's narration began in his mind...

[You've perused the secret manual of "One-Finger Divine Skill," you've mastered it, and your One-Finger Divine Skill level is advancing.]

Your "Great Dao Azure Lotus Chapter" possesses the characteristics of the Supreme Yang Internal Skill Sunflower Manual, and your One Yang Finger can be promoted to the first rank.

[Your inner light continues to evolve into the One-Finger Divine Skill]

[Your One-Finger Divine Skill possesses a fiery effect; the person touching the middle finger will feel as if they are engulfed in flames. Wherever the force of the finger passes, the meridians will be burned, and the internal organs will be severely damaged beyond saving.]

[Your One-Finger Divine Skill possesses acupressure and immobilization effects. The immobilization and acupressure effects remain intact, depending on the depth of your internal energy.]

[Your One-Finger Divine Skill has advanced to the first rank, possessing healing and life-saving effects. It can use pure Yang True Qi to nourish and heal injuries without the aftereffect of losing all internal energy.]

[Your Sunflower True Qi is too explosive. You can learn the Nine Yang Manual, which will be even more effective when combined with One Yang Finger, and will also have the function of self-defense.]

【Leave Zhujiazhuang and head southeast for fifteen li, then turn left and continue straight for seven li through the woods. Enter the mountain valley and follow the stream. You will then enter the Peach Garden of Kunlun Mountain and obtain the Nine Yang Manual.】

Within the inner light, a burst of true energy, as intense as the blazing sun, flowed continuously along the energy path of the One-Finger Divine Skill. With a flick of the finger, the fingertip resembled a blazing sun in the sky. A line of fire shot out with the force of the finger, as if one could smell the scorching heat; its power was overwhelmingly domineering.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and everything went black. As his spiritual energy was exhausted and his spiritual light shut down, Zhu Yuchen let out a long breath and rubbed his temples to relieve the fatigue brought on by his mental strength.

"One-Finger Divine Skill isn't difficult, as long as your body and internal energy can keep up. But obtaining the position of the Nine Yang Manual by chance is truly an unexpected surprise," Su Yuchen pondered.

Looking at the sky, the moon was high in the sky, and it was getting late. Zhu Yuchen put the manual into the drawer, blew out the candle, and sat quietly by the desk to wait.