Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Flying Feather Needle

"A single sword strike parts the Cyan Sea, churning the clouds that fill half the sky?"

Jiang Ran heard this and clicked his tongue in amazement. "Is that real, or just a boast?"

"The tales of the martial world often have a flair for the dramatic."

Dao Wuming said with a smile,

"Brother Jiang, don’t worry about such minor details. In short, that nameless Taoist of yesteryear truly shocked the martial world with the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra.

"His martial skill was, one could say, simply inconceivable.

"He once said that the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra might have been the ultimate hidden art of the Righteous Heart Sect.

"Its intent is vast, its principles abstruse, its charm profound. From a single point of ancestral qi, it transforms and flows through the four seasons... It truly lives up to the name ’Creation’.

"Unfortunately, to practice this martial art, one must not harbor a competitive spirit. You must maintain a pure heart and abide by the principle of non-action.

"Only with such a clear state of mind, a righteous heart, and a righteous path, can one begin to circulate their qi.

"After that, it’s a slow, grinding process. Day after day, year after year, like dripping water piercing stone.

"And the first six stages of the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra are utterly unremarkable in power, even weaker than some basic introductory Heart Methods.

"Although it can open the Ren and Du Meridians, it doesn’t significantly increase one’s Inner Strength.

"But if you can cultivate it to the seventh stage before the age of eighty, the power of the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra will undergo a complete transformation, far surpassing that of your peers."

"..."

At first, Jiang Ran listened quite attentively.

But when he heard that last sentence, he could barely take it.

’Before eighty... reach the seventh stage?’

He glanced at Dao Wuming, remembered this was the guy who carried around a copy of *Golden Cicada’s Love Story*, and turned to look at Li Tianxin.

Li Tianxin nodded.

"He’s right... Also, the reason that nameless Taoist was nameless is because after he finished saying all that, he died of old age.

"Based on his last words, he practiced the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra his entire life.

"He only ever acted at the very end, just that once or twice.

"With his experience as a cautionary tale, every martial artist in the world now avoids the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra like the plague.

"Even members of the Taoist Sect, who pride themselves on their righteous orthodoxy, have never tried to reclaim this sutra... It’s almost as if they want to disown it."

Jiang Ran was speechless for a moment. To put it simply, the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra was incredibly powerful.

Once mastered, it was on a whole other level...

But no one in the martial world could master it.

Jiang Ran also understood now why he had been able to cultivate the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra to the seventh stage.

It was because of the sixty-five years of pure Inner Strength within him, plus the fact that when he started cultivating the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra, he began from the second stage.

Therefore, he had used that sixty-five-year foundation to forcefully push this martial art to the seventh stage.

’No wonder Mu Silang said he thought he’d seen a ghost when he discovered I was practicing the Creation of the Righteous Heart Sutra.’

’When Dao Wuming found out, he couldn’t believe it either.’

’After all, at my current age, how could I possibly have mastered such a technique?’

Just then, Dao Wuming sidled closer to Jiang Ran.

"Brother Jiang, what stage are you at now?"

Jiang Ran glanced at him without a word.

Li Tianxin silently shot Dao Wuming a look, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Dao Wuming coughed.

"Fine, fine. I misspoke.

"By the way... Brother Jiang, if you still don’t believe me, how about we watch it together?"

Jiang Ran froze for a second before remembering what this rascal wanted to watch with him.

He immediately shook his head.

Li Tianxin, however, couldn’t help but ask,

"What are you two... watching together?"

Jiang Ran felt as if he’d been granted amnesty. He grabbed Li Tianxin and pulled him over.

"Have him watch with you. You two should be kindred spirits."

"Huh?"

Li Tianxin looked completely baffled.

Dao Wuming asked in surprise,

"Could it be... Brother Li also enjoys reading ’gazetteers’?"

As he spoke, he was looking mainly at Jiang Ran.

Jiang Ran nodded repeatedly. "Precisely."

"Oh?"

When Dao Wuming looked at Li Tianxin again, he had a feeling of, ’I am not alone on this path.’

"They’re all right, I suppose."

Li Tianxin thought he was just talking about local gazetteers and didn’t think much of it, simply saying,

"When the need arises, I’ll take a look at one."

"That’s wonderful!"

Dao Wuming was overjoyed. "After this martial arts assembly is over, I happen to have a rare treasure in my collection. I’ll invite Brother Li to appreciate it with me then."

"A rare treasure?"

Li Tianxin was a little confused. ’A rare edition of a gazetteer?’

He thought for a moment and asked, "Could it be a copy transcribed by a famous master?"

"Precisely!"

Dao Wuming nodded again and again.

"Well then... it would be rude to refuse."

Li Tianxin cupped his fist in thanks.

Jiang Ran listened to their conversation from the side, barely managing to control his expression by invoking the four-word mantra of deceit.

Otherwise, he was genuinely afraid he would laugh out loud.

’It’s amazing how these two can talk past each other and still get along so well.’

Looking back at the main grounds, Shopkeeper Wan’s men were busy all over, receiving guests.

Jiang Ran’s gaze swept over them one by one, but he didn’t see Cheng Jimo.

Just then, a strange feeling arose in his heart, as if someone were watching him.

He subconsciously followed the feeling and saw a person in the distance, staring at him from behind a pillar. The moment their eyes met, the person took a step back and turned to leave.

Jiang Ran’s eyebrow twitched. He said to Li Tianxin and Dao Wuming,

"You two continue your chat. I’m going to the latrine."

With that, he got up and left.

Li Tianxin immediately stood up to follow.

But he was pulled back by Dao Wuming.

"Don’t go, Brother Li. Let’s chat a little longer."

In that brief delay, Jiang Ran had already slipped away, vanishing into the crowd.

Li Tianxin’s brow furrowed slightly. He shot Dao Wuming a cold glance and reluctantly sat back down.

...

...

The Wan family estate was vast.

After leaving the main area and following the person from before, a few twists and turns brought them to a remote, seldom-used room in just a few moments.

The person pushed the door open and stepped inside, with Jiang Ran close behind.

After Jiang Ran entered, the person closed the door.

Jiang Ran turned to see the person take something from within their robes and hand it to him.

"Young Master, Li Feiyun is planning to use poison."

"Did you suggest the plan to him?"

Jiang Ran took the object and glanced at Qingyi before him.

His face was disguised.

He had added a beard, but his eyes were the same as ever.

That was why Jiang Ran had recognized him the moment their eyes met; otherwise, he wouldn’t have followed.

"No... What I have here isn’t the poison he plans to use, but the antidote."

Qingyi’s brows were tightly knitted.

"I entered the city yesterday. Before we left the mountain, Li Feiyun gave these antidotes to our group.

"He said that on the day of the assembly, Shopkeeper Wan will host a banquet for all the heroes.

"We are to take this medicine before the banquet. Otherwise, once the poison takes effect, we will collapse, paralyzed."

Jiang Ran wasn’t careless. He cautiously opened the small paper packet in his hand, brought it to his nose to sniff, and nodded.

"He’s likely using a paralyzing agent. This packet is an antidote specifically for that type of poison."

As he said this, his brow suddenly furrowed slightly.

He glanced around the room and asked,

"Have you been in this room before?"

"No... I just brought you here because it’s deserted."

Qingyi was a bit puzzled.

"Is something wrong with this room?"

Jiang Ran didn’t answer, instead surveying the room again.

It was a side room. The furniture looked somewhat old, and while some areas were covered in dust, others were spotless.

The floor, in particular, had been swept perfectly clean.

Jiang Ran’s gaze swept over every corner of the room, inch by inch, finally landing on the corner of a ceiling beam.

Qingyi followed his gaze and saw a silver needle embedded in the corner of the beam.

"A Flying Feather Needle!?"