Chapter 136: Clay Bodhisattva

Bewilderment Technique.

Dealing with a minor character like Madam Ma was effortless.

As she turned her head, she discovered her husband, Ma Dayuan. He stood there with blood flowing from the corners of his mouth, his hair disheveled, his face deathly pale. He stared at her fixedly, emitting a mournful voice: "You lecherous woman, why did you kill me?"

"Ah..."

Madam Ma let out a shrill scream and collapsed. She tried to cry for help, only to find that there was no one else around, save for Ma Dayuan slowly walking toward her.

"Don't come over, don't come over!" Panic seized her, and her thoughts began to unravel.

"Why did you kill me?"

"I—I only gave you the Ten-Fragrance Soft-Bone Powder! It was Bai Shijing who killed you, yes, it was him, not me! Wuu-wuu-wuu..."

"Why did you harm me?"

"I—I wanted to frame Qiao Feng. I am as beautiful as a flower; the entire Beggar Sect coveted my body. Even Duan Zhengchun, the Prince of Dali, knelt at my feet, yet only he ignored me. I couldn't accept it, I couldn't accept it! Ma Dayuan, I accidentally discovered that you held the secret of Qiao Feng's background. Ha, he is actually a Khitan! How wonderful, truly wonderful. With such a massive secret, you could have absolutely driven him from the position of Sect Leader, but you, you useless trash, you wouldn't agree! I had no choice but to act myself. Heh heh, Qiao Feng’s good brother Bai Shijing, didn't he also fall at my feet? In bed, he’s more pathetic than a dog. And Quan Guanqing, Elder Ma, all the elders of the Beggar Sect—I turned them all into dogs. Yes, yes, and Qiao Feng, I want to ruin his reputation completely!"

Madam Ma acted as if she had gone mad.

Yet, these words left everyone around them stunned and dumbfounded.

Even Qiao Feng was stupefied.
Ye Hongyu was left speechless.
Jian Chen stood there with his mouth agape.

"You—what kind of sorcery are you using?" Bai Shijing was terrified, looking at Jiang Ming with horror. He hurriedly pleaded to Qiao Feng, "Sect Leader, I—I—I..."

Under Qiao Feng's piercing gaze, he lowered his head. "I was seduced, Sect Leader. I was framed, I had no choice, truly, I had no choice."

"My lifelong reputation, ruined! I killed a brother and framed the Sect Leader!"

"I have no face left to see anyone!"

"It’s all you! You monster, you ruined me, you completely destroyed me!"

Bai Shijing’s eyes turned toward Jiang Ming, his expression twisted with hatred, and he lunged forward.

He arrived quickly, but he departed even faster, sent flying by a single kick from Jiang Ming. He fell into the distance and breathed his last.

Jiang Ming turned to Qiao Feng and transmitted his voice: "The 'Leading Big Brother' is the Abbot of Shaolin. He has a mistress, Sun Erniang, one of the Four Evils, and they have a son. By the way, your father is not dead. Now that you know your origins, he will likely go to kill your foster parents. The true mastermind is Murong Fu's father, Murong Bo. He faked his death to escape and is hiding in Shaolin alongside your father. Brother Qiao, the world is vast and the journey long; may we meet again!"

He cupped his hands and turned to leave.

"Many thanks!" Qiao Feng was deeply shocked. Once he regained his composure, he bowed solemnly and asked, "May I ask for the benefactor's name?"

"Jiang Ming!"

"Take care, Brother Jiang!"

Jiang Ming departed.

Ye Hongyu and Jian Chen, having watched the spectacle, lost interest and left as well.

As for Wang Yuyan?

She was very beautiful.

Jiang Ming had no interest in bothering with her, but she stepped into his path. She looked at Jiang Ming with her beautiful eyes, appearing hesitant and confused, with a trace of shyness: "Young Master Jiang, may I ask... may I ask, was that a mental technique you used just now?"

"It was obviously a mental technique!" Ye Hongyu stepped forward. She was well-traveled and knowledgeable; the Haotian Dao also possessed similar arts.

It was just that they were too difficult to cultivate and rarely yielded great results, so she only had a slight understanding.

"I have heard of you—the daughter of Li Qingluo of Mantuo Villa. You have read extensively through the martial arts manuals of the Song Dynasty and can discern the moves of every school. You are a master of martial arts theory, but I wonder why you do not practice martial arts yourself." Ye Hongyu asked curiously, "Why don't you learn? I have never understood it. As a girl, it is very difficult to control one's own destiny, especially for a woman as beautiful as you. You have such unique advantages, yet you waste your time. If you marry a man in the future, you will only be able to live within the confines of a courtyard. Are you willing to accept that?"

Wang Yuyan was timid and did not know how to answer.

"Young lady, you are wrong about that," Duan Yu stepped forward and argued. "Not practicing martial arts is simply a matter of preference. I was forced to practice since I was young, but I just didn't like it, so I didn't learn. Life is nothing more than the word 'like'."

"If you were born into a common family, would you still talk about 'liking'?" Ye Hongyu said with a sneer.

"Ignorant of the dangers of the world, ignorant of the hardships of life—how uninteresting!" She lost interest. "Brother Jiang, let’s go!"

"Right!"

Jiang Ming turned to leave, but he transmitted his voice: "Miss Wang, do you know your true origins? Your biological father is the Prince of Dali, Duan Zhengchun. You can ask your mother! Your maternal grandmother is Li Qiushui, the Empress Dowager of Western Xia and the third disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect. Your maternal grandfather is Wuyazi, the leader of the Xiaoyao Sect."

"By the way, Wuyazi was paralyzed by Ding Chunqiu and is currently living in seclusion on Leigu Mountain. Who knows when Ding Chunqiu might find him and finish him off."

"Also, your cousin Murong Fu is obsessed with restoring his kingdom, inciting conflicts between the Song, Western Xia, and Liao dynasties. As for you? He merely views you as a burden."

"Oh, right, the conspiracy behind the murder of Qiao Feng's mother was planned by Murong Fu's father."

"Miss Wang, meeting is fate. Let me give you some advice: the world is treacherous. If you do not practice martial arts, walk in the world less."

"One last reminder: if you want to learn martial arts, go to Leigu Mountain to find your grandfather! Otherwise, you will soon be separated by life and death."

Jiang Ming’s figure had already vanished deep into the forest.

Wang Yuyan stood there, stunned.

My father is Duan Zhengchun?
Duan Yu’s father?
Madam Ma’s mistress?
My grandmother is the Empress Dowager of Western Xia?
My grandfather is the leader of the Xiaoyao Sect?

She was completely overwhelmed.

"Miss Wang, what is wrong?" Duan Yu saw her pale expression and hurriedly stepped forward with concern.

Wang Yuyan looked at him, feeling an urge to scratch her head.

Is this... my brother?

Deep in the forest.

"Miss Ye, you seem to like Wang Yuyan quite a bit," Jiang Ming remarked.

"Hmm," Ye Hongyu nodded. "She has good aptitude and comprehension. If she were to practice martial arts, she would surely achieve something. If she were within the borders of the Great Tang, I would do everything in my power to bring her to the Haotian Dao. It is a pity, however, that we are in the Great Song territory; it is too far."

"She has been coddled to the point of waste by Li Qingluo," Jiang Ming sighed slightly.

Telling Wang Yuyan about Wuyazi on Leigu Mountain was a chance for her. If she went there, given Wuyazi's condition, he would likely pass his cultivation to her.

"Wang Yuyan has appeared, so Wuyazi must exist as well, right?" Jiang Ming pondered.

But thinking of Yan Chixia and the Xuanxin Sect made his head ache.

This place was too chaotic, yet it still followed the relative 'plot.'

As for what chaos his words to Qiao Feng or his guidance to Wang Yuyan might cause, he could not care less.

"Wang Yuyan, what a pity," Ye Hongyu said helplessly. "With her talent, she might even have a chance to enter the Academy. Just as you said, Brother Jiang, she has been ruined."

The three continued on. Most of the time, Jiang Ming and Ye Hongyu chatted, while Jian Chen remained relatively silent.

Whether slaying demons or eliminating evil, they traveled and stopped. One day, they reached the border of the Great Song.

Standing on a mountain peak, looking at the great river ahead, Jiang Ming was truly shocked.

The river was enormous, over a thousand meters wide, surging and flowing day and night.

"This is the border of the territory. Cross the river, and ahead lies the territory of the Great Wu!" Ye Hongyu pointed forward.

Along the way, she had been deeply impressed by Jiang Ming's erudition.

No matter what was discussed, he had a clear, rational, and profound perspective.

What was even more incredible was his cultivation; whether it was sword techniques or fist arts, he had mastered them to a far deeper level than her.

His achievements in the Divine Way were far beyond her reach as well.

The more they talked, the more compatible they became, and the more she admired him. It even led to her gaining significant insights in her own cultivation.

"Relatively speaking, the Great Wu territory is even more chaotic," Jian Chen sighed. "The supreme martial arts authorities are weak, sects and the underworld reign supreme, factions are disorganized, bandits are everywhere, and battles occur constantly. In truth, the area ruled by the Heaven Association is relatively peaceful; Xiongba can be considered a formidable overlord."

As they spoke, they leaped down and traversed the water.

Just as they reached the middle of the river, Jiang Ming suddenly stopped, his feet standing on the surface of the water, which rippled beneath him.

"What is it?" Ye Hongyu asked. She tapped her toes, leaped into the air, and used the rebounding force of the water to gain height again. She could not do what Jiang Ming was doing.

Jian Chen was the same.

"A water monster, it's coming out!" Jiang Ming said. Suddenly, the water ahead exploded, sending spray everywhere as a giant python surged out.

The python was massive, nearly two meters thick, its body covered in scales that shimmered in the sunlight.

On its triangular head, there were two distinct protrusions.

It opened its mouth, and a fishy, foul stench washed over them.

"Is this close to becoming a dragon?" Jiang Ming said. He clenched his hand, condensing energy into a sword, and with a single strike in the air, he sliced the python in two.

"It is indeed close to becoming a dragon," Ye Hongyu nodded, though she said with regret, "Why did you kill it? If we had waited a hundred years, it might have transformed into a dragon. If we slaughtered it then, we could have harvested many precious things!"

"In a hundred years, would you even care?" Jiang Ming laughed.

He continued forward.

"That's true," Ye Hongyu realized. "If I can live another hundred years, not to mention the Land Immortal realm, I am certain I will reach the Heavenly Human realm!"

This was her self-confidence.

They crossed the river and climbed over the mountains.

The population gradually increased.

Passing through a town, the three took a brief rest. In an inn, through the window, Jian Chen pointed to two people walking on the street: "Those are disciples of the Heaven Association. They are very formidable!"

Jiang Ming looked over.

Good heavens, they were indeed not simple.

Even the two patrolling the street had the cultivation of the second stage of the Martial Way; that was impressive.

He learned from Jian Chen that Xiongba had three disciples: Qin Shuang, Bu Jingyun, and Nie Feng.

Currently, all three disciples were out fighting, carving out territory for him.

"The Great Wu territory is very strange," Ye Hongyu frowned. "In this land, strength is honored, yet true powerhouses are few. Xiongba is only at the Heavenly Image realm, yet he dominates a region and has become almost the most powerful force in the world. This is highly unreasonable."

Jian Chen’s expression was strange.

Ye Hongyu glanced at him. "I know. Your master, the 'Martial Arts Myth' Wuming, once challenged various sects. At that time, his strength surely wasn't very high, and he posed no threat to the older generation of experts, yet no true top-tier figures emerged. The Great Wu territory has the Fire Qilin, and legends say there are divine dragons hidden somewhere. In such a region, it is impossible that there are no Land Immortals."

Jian Chen’s expression shifted.

It seemed that was a valid point.

"It can only be said that the water here runs very deep!" Jiang Ming commented.

Ye Hongyu agreed deeply. She smiled and said, "Xiongba has immense ambition, but his vision is ultimately lacking; otherwise, he wouldn't be expanding so high-profile. Once some reclusive powerhouse decides they don't like him, there will be trouble."

After resting, they continued on their way.

Not long after, they encountered a bamboo forest and heard the sounds of fighting ahead. Soon, they saw a group of people, some dead and others injured.

"Nie Feng, Bu Jingyun, do you truly dare to oppose my Wushuang City?" a young man shouted sharply.

He sounded fierce but weak, clutching his chest.

"Brother Dugu, this old gentleman is an honored guest of our Heaven Association. Please, turn back; let's not damage the peace!" The man was dressed in white with long hair, possessing a graceful, gentle demeanor.

Beside him stood another man with hair curled like instant noodles.

On the other side stood an old man covered in pustules, holding a little girl by the hand.

"That is Dugu Ming, the young master of Wushuang City. The other two are Xiongba's disciples, the 'God of Wind' Nie Feng and the 'Weeping God' Bu Jingyun. Why are they gathered together and in conflict? Could the Heaven Association be going to war with Wushuang City?"

"How do you know them?" Ye Hongyu asked curiously. "I remember you said you just came out of the mountains!"

"I have seen their portraits. They are all very distinctive, and because of their unique status, I remembered their faces!" Jian Chen said.

Ye Hongyu nodded.

"Fine, very well! Nie Feng, Bu Jingyun, I will remember this!" Dugu Ming left in resentment.

In the blink of an eye, most of the people had left.

Nie Feng glanced at Jiang Ming and the others, paying them no mind, and turned to the old man carrying a medicine basket and holding the little girl. He smiled and said, "Mud Bodhisattva, you made us search hard."

"Sigh, what must come will come. You cannot dodge it, you cannot escape it. Fortunately, I have lived ten years in freedom," the old man said with self-mockery, as if he had seen through fate.

He glanced over, his expression freezing, then turning dazed. Following that, a sharp light erupted in his eyes as he came to Jiang Ming’s side. He looked at him intently, with a hint of excitement: "I peer into fate, yet I am teased by it. My body is covered in pustules that will not heal, and I am destined to die a violent death. This is my destiny, and I have never complained. Everyone must die eventually; I saw through that long ago. But now, I have a concern: the little granddaughter I adopted. I can die, but she cannot. If I go to the Heaven Association, I will certainly face a disaster."

At this moment, Bu Jingyun lost his patience.

He flew forward, intending to seize the Mud Bodhisattva and take him away, but Jian Chen blocked him, shouting, "The Mud Bodhisattva is a senior in the martial arts world; you are too rude."

In truth, he was very surprised.

He had actually encountered the Mud Bodhisattva here.

This man was famous in the martial arts world; his master, Wuming, often mentioned him, though they had never met. Today, seeing him, and knowing he had something to discuss with Brother Jiang, he could not let Bu Jingyun ruin the situation.

"Get lost!" Bu Jingyun struck out with a palm.

"Truly worthy of being the 'Weeping God'!" Jian Chen was angered as well. He forced him back with a strike of his sword, and the two began to fight.

Jiang Ming glanced at them and stopped paying attention.

Bu Jingyun had not yet reached the fifth stage of the Martial Way and was no match for Jian Chen. After all, he was still young, and Xiongba had held something back while teaching his disciples.

"Mud Bodhisattva, what is it exactly that you want to say?" Jiang Ming asked.

The Mud Bodhisattva looked up at the sky, his expression very complex.

A new month, a new beginning; I wish us all a wonderful July.

It is the beginning of the month; I am asking for a monthly ticket.

Thank you very much!