parentshiftbook Chapter 110, First True Instruction
Chapter 110, First True Instruction
Chapter 109 The First True Inheritance
A wind rose on Black Stone Island, gradually turning cooler, carrying the stench of blood. Liang Cheng sat cross-legged behind a half-tilted reef, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.
After taking the Warm Sun Pill, the True Qi of the Broken Wave Technique circulated within his body like the ebb and flow of the tide, regulating his internal energy. At this moment, he was at the peak of the Golden Armor Realm, and his physical body had an extremely strong self-healing ability. The wounds on his shoulder and chest were slowly healing, and the subcutaneous bruising was being dissolved by the powerful Qi and blood.
Half an hour later, he exhaled a breath of stale air, opened his eyes, and found that his injuries were no longer serious.
On the battlefield, martial arts academy disciples and Black Dragon Guards were collecting the remains of their comrades and clearing out the remaining Zoroastrians. Lu Bingchen was talking quietly with several teachers, his expression solemn.
Liang Cheng leaned against the reef, not getting up, enjoying a rare moment of peace.
everything is over.
With the destruction of the Zoroastrianism and the deaths of Situ Lang, Wu Zhenshan, and others, he had no more grudges in Linwu City and could now cultivate in peace.
At this moment, Lü Bingchen saw him open his eyes and walk over with a smile.
"Master."
Liang Cheng quickly spoke up.
Lu Bingchen nodded, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes as he saw that the man's complexion had improved, but he still asked with concern, "How are your injuries?"
"It's all fine now, thank you for your trouble, Master."
Liang Cheng shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the ruins of the altar in the distance, and suddenly asked, "Elder Huang didn't actually come to Blackstone Island, did he?"
Upon hearing this, Lü Bingchen gave an awkward smile.
He patted Liang Cheng on the shoulder and lowered his voice: "Old Huang said that you will definitely surprise us. With him stationed in Linwu City, we can be at the forefront without any worries. I told a lie so that you could be free of worries and go all out."
"And that's exactly what happened; you really surprised everyone."
Liang Cheng remained silent for a moment, a sense of helplessness passing through his heart, but then he felt relieved.
Whether it was scheming or trust, the ending was good.
He nodded and didn't pursue the matter further.
That old man is a tough nut to crack; who can do anything about him?
"Then you should continue to rest. The search of the island will take some time. The Zoroastrian Church has been operating here for many years, so there must be some secrets they are hiding."
"Disciple understands."
The search then lasted for most of the day.
Beneath the altar ruins, a hidden stone chamber, sealed off by Situ Lang with a giant rock, was finally discovered.
After it was broken open, there were many boxes and cages piled up inside.
Most of them consist of correspondence and account books, as well as some minerals and medicinal herbs tainted with evil spirits.
After opening several carefully placed jade boxes, inside were dozens of dark red Blood Marrow Pills, as well as several leather scrolls recording the methods of blood sacrifice and the key points of cultivating the Blood Erosion Force.
"Evil and crooked ways can cause great harm to people."
Bai Hong picked up a leather book, flipped through two pages, and looked grim.
-
He immediately ordered his men to gather the pills and evil cultivation manuals in an open space. He looked around at all the martial arts academy disciples present and said in a deep voice, "The Blood Marrow Pills and these cultivation methods that I have seen today are all evil paths built with the blood of countless living beings. Although taking these pills and practicing these methods can lead to quick success, one's true energy will inevitably be impure and one's foundation will be weak."
Lu Bingchen added from the side, "Situ Lang and Wu Zhenshan are examples of what should have happened. They had the cultivation of True Yuan Realm, but they were no match for the seriously injured city lord and dean. The right envoy was even killed by Liang Cheng, who crossed the realm."
"There are no shortcuts on the path of martial arts. From this day forward, anyone found secretly practicing martial arts will have their cultivation revoked and be expelled from the Martial Academy and Linwu City. The most serious offenders will be executed on the spot. There will be no leniency!"
After Bai Hong and Shen Jun finished speaking, their eyes swept over everyone with lightning speed.
On the other side, Liang Cheng and Yun Jinghong nodded solemnly. Their Dao hearts were firm, and they had no greed for such external things.
Shen Jun then quickly browsed through some of the key letters, his face turning terribly grim.
"Good, very good."
He held a stack of letters in his hand, his knuckles turning white.
"So many families in Linwu City are secretly colluding with the Zoroastrian Church! Even the City Lord's Mansion has its corrupt elements. Upon returning to the city, we must thoroughly purge them all, leaving no one alive!"
His words were filled with murderous intent, clearly indicating that he was genuinely enraged.
After this battle, the power structure of Linwu City will inevitably undergo a complete reshuffle.
While the items were being inventoried, a disciple carrying an inconspicuous iron box approached: "Master, City Lord, this box was found in a hidden compartment in the stone chamber. Inside were only some old parchment."
The iron box was opened, and inside lay three pieces of yellowish kraft paper with a unique texture.
Lu Bingchen picked it up to examine it, raising an eyebrow slightly, but couldn't make heads or tails of it. Liang Cheng's gaze fell on the parchment, and a thought struck him.
He stepped forward and said casually, "The leather seems similar to that used in some ancient books. I have some interest in antiques; may I have a look?"
Lu Bingchen glanced at them and waved his hand: "These are all seized items. As long as they don't involve evil pill cultivation techniques, you can look at them as you like. If you can find other clues about the Fire Worship Cult from them, that would be even better."
"Thank you, Master."
Liang Cheng took the three pieces of kraft paper. They felt slightly heavy in his hand, and the texture was exactly the same as the ones he had received before.
He quickly scanned the area and understood.
The textures and lines of two of them are the same as those of the fragments he already had.
But the third one is brand new!
He had never seen the patterns and symbols drawn on it before.
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, calmly put away the three pieces of parchment, and cupped his hands, saying, "I will study them carefully when I return, and report back immediately if I find anything."
Lu Bingchen, without suspicion, nodded.
A short while later, Lü Bingchen handed another letter, which had been placed separately, to Liang Cheng, his expression complex: "Liang Cheng, take a look at this letter."
Liang Cheng took it and unfolded it. As his gaze swept over the words on the paper, his pupils suddenly contracted, and his aura fluctuated uncontrollably for a moment.
"—Lin Chong is completely under control, and the lives of his entire clan are in his grasp. We have already learned some of Liang Cheng's whereabouts from him, as well as details of the internal shift work at Dongshan Mine—"
It turned out to be the case.
The leak of information about Dongshan Mine was not caused by Chen Ping, nor by any other manager.
The Dongshan Mine was attacked; Cheng Wen was killed in action, Wang Teng was seriously wounded, and Zhao Yuan was injured.
So that's the answer.
The Lin family has been operating in the mine for many years, so how could they not have some trusted confidants left behind?
"This matter—" Lu Bingchen looked at his changing expression and slowly spoke, "You can decide for yourself how to handle it."
The Lin family and Liang Cheng cooperated to thwart the Zoroastrian conspiracy, and their friendship remains.
"Disciple understands."
He folded the letter and placed it close to his body, saying, "I will handle this matter personally after I return to the city."
Lü Bingchen nodded: "Okay."
After the search was completed, all items related to Zoroastrianism, except for letters and other evidence, were piled up in the center of the altar ruins.
Shen Jun personally lit the torch and placed it on the torch.
boom!
Flames shot into the sky, accompanied by the hissing sound of the burning Blood Marrow Pill. Black smoke billowed, and a foul stench filled the air. It burned for a full hour before gradually dying down.
All the martial artists involved in the battle watched in silence.
This cancer of Zoroastrianism must be eradicated completely, leaving no possibility of its resurgence.
The atmosphere on the return sea journey was much more relaxed than on the way there.
Yun Jinghong was called over by Lü Bingchen alone.
He broke through to the True Qi Realm in the heat of battle; his talent and temperament were both top-notch. According to the rules of the Martial Academy, he was already qualified to be promoted to a true disciple.
"After returning to the city, prepare for the grand ceremony of passing on the true teachings."
Bai Hong smiled and said to him, "The Martial Academy needs young people like you."
Yun Jinghong accepted the order with her sword in hand and left the room, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the lone figure in black standing at the bow of the ship.
Liang Cheng —
Although he had already broken through, the distance between him and the other had not narrowed. This did not discourage him; instead, it made his fighting spirit burn even brighter.
Although Liang Cheng was invited to participate in the subsequent discussions, he politely declined, citing his injury as the reason.
He stood at the bow of the ship, watching Black Stone Island recede into the distance. He turned back and saw Yun Jinghong, nodded in acknowledgment, and then returned to his cabin.
Practice!
At the Linwu City dock, the triumphant procession was welcomed by the entire city.
As the bugle sounds, the heroes return in triumph!
Liang Cheng didn't linger. After a brief farewell to Bai Hong and Shen Jun, he went straight back to the Martial Academy and ascended the True Inheritance Peak.
Seeing that he breathed a sigh of relief, Ning San Niang immediately took San Le and began to prepare the meal.
After exchanging pleasantries, Liang Cheng had someone call Zhao Yuan and Li Mu over.
Zhao Yuan's face was still pale, and the wound on his chest had obviously not yet healed. He walked with a somewhat unsteady gait.
Liang Cheng handed the letters he kept close to his body to the two of them. After they finished reading the letters, they were somewhat incredulous.
"Lin Chong? How is that possible?"
Li Mu was somewhat incredulous, but Zhao Yuan shook his head.
"The Lin family was only forced to settle in Linwu City; to put it bluntly, they were imprisoned by the City Lord's Mansion."
"In this case, given Situ Lang's methods, it is perfectly normal for him to control the Lin family and threaten Lin Chong with the lives of the entire clan."
Liang Cheng nodded; he thought so too.
"Li Mu, Zhao Yuan is injured. I would like to trouble you to go to the Lin residence and see if the Lin family is still there. I suspect that the Lin family has probably already left."
Li Mu obeyed the order and left. Not long after, he returned with news that was both unexpected and reasonable.
"Senior brother, the Lin family father and son, Lin Yue, Lin Chong, and their core members, a total of seventeen people, all disappeared on the night of the chaos in the city."
"They used pre-prepared caravan identities to sneak out of the city, and it seems they headed north."
"North?"
Liang Cheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
"It seems they had already prepared a way out and had no intention of being controlled by others for long."
Li Mu said in a low voice, "Actually, it's better that they left. Otherwise, we wouldn't know what to do when facing Lin Yue."
Liang Cheng nodded.
Lin Yue is a smart and decisive person.
"What was the City Lord's Mansion's reaction?"
"When Lord Shen learned of this, he only said that the city was in dire need of reconstruction and the Dongshan Mine was in ruins, so he couldn't take care of them for the time being."
"Understood. The Zoroastrianism has been destroyed. Let's put the Lin family's matter aside for now and see how things develop later."
"Yes."
After resolving these matters, Liang Cheng went to the alchemy room on the back mountain.
Old Huang was fanning the fire in front of the medicine cauldron without even looking up.
"Master Huang."
Liang Cheng stepped closer and cut to the chase, "You never intended to go to Black Stone Island, yet you had Master Lü lie to me and say you would go."
Old Huang paused in his palm-leaf fan, glanced sideways, took out a small jade bottle from his robes, weighed it in his palm, and smirked: "Perfect timing. I've just prepared a new medicine, so I'll test its effects."
Liang Cheng's eyelids twitched, and without saying a word, he turned and left.
"Where are you going?"
Old Huang's leisurely voice drifted from behind, "With your current cultivation level, you definitely won't die from eating it."
Liang Cheng quickened his pace.
Old Huang didn't pursue the matter. He picked up the palm-leaf fan again and began to fan the fire at a leisurely pace.
In the dim firelight, he hummed a wild, off-key tune.
The room was filled with the aroma of medicine.
That night, Liang Cheng took out the parchment he had obtained from Black Stone Island, only to find that it could not be pieced together. It seemed that at least several sheets were missing, so he had to put it back into the hidden compartment.
Perhaps when the time is right and the pieces are complete, the secret of this parchment will be revealed.
However, from the ordinary bandit Liu Biao to the Zoroastrian sect of Jubaoxuan, they all possessed parchment, and no one knew what the secret of this parchment was.
Afterwards, Liang Cheng calmed his mind and focused his spirit, meditating and cultivating himself.
Meanwhile, the purge in Linwu City was faster and more thorough than expected.
Shen Jun and Bai Hong joined forces, using the letters seized from Black Stone Island as irrefutable evidence, and acted swiftly and decisively.
Within three days, seven families that had secretly colluded with Zoroastrianism were uprooted, their leaders were beheaded in public, and their property was confiscated.
Inside the city lord's mansion, five stewards were dragged out and their blood was spilled on the execution ground.
The stench of blood lingered for days, but no one dared to complain.
Colluding with cults and plotting against fellow comrades is a serious crime that crosses the line.
After this battle, the atmosphere in Linwu City became much more orderly, and Shen Jun's authority as city lord reached an unprecedented level.
Amidst the turmoil, the Martial Academy remained silent, yet it stood like a pillar of stability.
On the fourth day, the summons from Mingxin Pavilion was finally delivered to Liang Cheng at Zhenchuan Peak.
Inside the pavilion, Bai Hong, Lü Bingchen, and Yan Song were all present.
"Liang Cheng, you made a great contribution in the Battle of Black Stone Island."
Bai Hong looked at the composed young man in black before him, his eyes full of admiration. "He slew the Right Envoy of the Fire Worship Cult, rescued me and Lord Shen at a critical moment, and stabilized the rear of Linwu City, creating an opportunity for the final victory. According to the rules of the Martial Academy, such merits should be richly rewarded."
He took out a pale gold jade pendant and pushed it in front of Liang Cheng.
"This order has already deposited 300,000 contribution points. In addition, the No. 3 courtyard of True Inheritance Peak will be permanently registered in your name. Your mother and all your relatives may reside there permanently and be protected by the Martial Academy."
300,000 contribution points!
Even though he was mentally prepared, Liang Cheng was still shocked.
This is almost equivalent to the accumulated knowledge of a senior master in the martial arts academy over many years.
He took a deep breath and accepted the jade token with both hands: "Thank you, Dean, and thank you for your guidance and training at the Martial Arts Academy."
"You deserve it."
Lu Bingchen laughed and said, "After this battle, your name, Liang Zhenchuan, is known to everyone in Linwu City. I hope you will remain humble and diligent in your training, and you will surely achieve true mastery."
"Your disciple will remember this."
Yan Song rarely showed a smile, and added, "Three days from now, the Martial Academy will hold a True Inheritance Ceremony for Yun Jinghong. If you are in seclusion, you can postpone it for a while and attend the ceremony."
They all knew Liang Cheng's character. Now that things had settled down and resources were plentiful, the young man would definitely go into seclusion and focus entirely on cultivation.
"Yes."
Yun Jinghong's True Inheritance Ceremony was held in the main hall of the Martial Academy.
Although it didn't cause as much of a city-wide sensation as Liang Cheng's event, it was still solemn and grand.
All the prominent forces in Linwu City sent people to attend the ceremony, and many of their gazes were fixed on Liang Cheng, who was sitting at the front of the audience.
This person is the true number one among the younger generation in Linwu City today.
Yun Jinghong, dressed in white, still stood with his sword in hand, his face cold and stern. When he received the true inheritance token, his gaze met Liang Cheng below the stage for a moment. Beneath the calm surface, there was an undisguised high fighting spirit.
Liang Cheng nodded slightly in response.
Standing not far from Liang Cheng, Lu Qingzhou looked at the outstanding Yun Jinghong on the stage, his eyes filled with deep envy and a hint of resentment.
His injuries had begun to heal, but the effects of his failed breakthrough were still present, and his cultivation progress was slow. Now, seeing Yun Jinghong surpass him, he felt a mix of emotions.
After the ceremony, Lu Qingzhou found Liang Cheng and said with a wry smile, "Brother Liang, it seems I can't catch up with you guys."
Liang Cheng patted him on the shoulder: "Martial arts is a long-term endeavor. There's no need to rush. If you take steady steps, you might just be able to surpass others. The Lu family needs you now, so don't lose your composure."
Lu Qingzhou nodded emphatically, suppressing his slight dejection, and took a deep breath.
As long as he is under thirty, he still has a chance.
Linwu City has finally settled down.
For the next two months, Liang Cheng lived a secluded life, with plenty of elixirs, and focused on his secluded cultivation.
Now possessing a fragment of the true meaning of crossing the sea, and having obtained the method of refining essence into qi, although incomplete and less efficient, it allows the power of elixirs to be tempered and transformed with one's own abundant qi and blood, thus increasing the speed of cultivation to a new level.
Every day, it's like opening up new channels within the body. As the medicinal effects dissipate and the blood and qi surge, the flow of true qi becomes increasingly robust.
Each time the Qi circulates throughout the body, it flows like a warm torrent, sweeping across the limbs and bones. Wherever it passes, the meridians are widened, and the foundation becomes more solid.
With the fate of a mayfly, two months of hard work will lead to everything falling into place.
[Second Level of the Breaking Wave Technique: Mastery (9583/15000)]
[Mysterious Yin Sword Technique: Mastery (3134/12000)]
【Wind and Thunder Slash: Mastery (5281/12000)】
Just as Liang Cheng was making sure to continue his secluded life and diligent cultivation, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.
A disciple outside the gate relayed a message: Mingxin Pavilion has invited Liang Cheng to go there immediately for a meeting.
Inside Mingxin Pavilion.
Bai Hong and Lü Bingchen had been waiting inside for a long time. When they saw Liang Cheng walk in, Bai Hong smiled and spoke.
"arrive?"
"Greetings, Dean and Master."
Bai Hong smiled gently and got straight to the point: "I called you here today to discuss the Autumn Grand Competition. After discussion within the academy, it has been decided that you will preside over this competition."
"I?"
Liang Cheng was taken aback upon hearing this.
"good."
Bai Hong's eyes were piercing at that moment.
"With your current cultivation and combat strength, you are already on par with the instructors in the academy. The Martial Academy will use this competition to announce to the entire city—"
Bai Hong paused for a moment, then spoke clearly, each word distinct.
"You, Liang Cheng, are the foremost disciple of our Martial Academy in this generation!"
Lu Bingchen looked at Liang Cheng with a smile: "Well, do you dare to accept?"
Upon hearing this, Liang Cheng was startled.
The Martial Arts Academy is asserting its position.
From this point on, the resources and prestige of the martial arts academy will be completely tilted towards him.
He took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a respectful salute, and replied in a deep voice, "Disciple, you dare!"
"Ha ha----"
The room was immediately filled with laughter.
Bai Hong patted Liang Cheng on the shoulder with satisfaction.
"In that case, you should ask Master Lü and Chief Yan for the people these next few days. You will be in charge of this autumn competition. Don't let us down."
"Yes, disciple obeys."
""