Chapter 54: Chapter 37: Strategy_1
Translator: 549690339
And so, another month passed.
Inside the Security Hall, within the quiet chamber.
“Fu Junjuan is dead?”
Xu Yang sat cross-legged on a brand-new thousand-year-old Cold Jade Bed, looking somewhat surprised as he asked Su Beixuan, who had come to report: “How did she die?”
Su Beixuan spoke solemnly: “After they left Xuzhou, they headed towards
Yongzhou. Three days ago, they were ambushed by the Demon Sect’s Yinkui Sect. The sect leader, the Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan herself, made an appearance. Fu Junjuan was no match for her, and in order to cover Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s escape, she sacrificed herself to delay the enemy and was ultimately killed by Zhu Yuyan.”
“Zhu Yuyan?”
Xu Yang murmured, pondering in his heart.
Because he was conducting an experiment on the “protagonist’s halo,” Xu Yang had withdrawn all forces monitoring Fu Junjuan and the Twin Dragons, to avoid his own “external force” causing interference and affecting the outcome of the experiment.
Now that Fu Junjuan had died, although the person who killed her had changed from Yuwen Huaji to Zhu Yuyan, she had still died, and it was just as originally, in order to protect the Twin Dragons.
Could it be that there is indeed some sort of “protagonist’s halo” or “force of destiny” working to ensure the development of the original course?
Or was it merely a coincidence?
There were too few leads, making it difficult to corroborate, and Xu Yang wasn’t able to come to a conclusion for the moment.
But even if there were indeed forces like “destiny” capable of correcting trajectories to ensure that events follow a certain course, these would also need to be “rationalized,” not simply occurring without reason.
What does “without reason” mean?
For example, if a meteorite were to fall from the sky and deliberately kill Fu Junjuan, who was not supposed to be alive, that would be “without reason,” completely illogical—as if you had to die, no ifs or buts about it.
Such force is beyond human resistance, akin to the “will of heaven,” which harshly enforces corrections, indicating that this type of “destiny” is of a very high level and possesses tremendous strength.
Xu Yang doesn’t believe that such a high-level force of destiny exists in this world.
Therefore, even if there truly is a force of “destiny” in this world, it should be relatively weak, unable to actively correct the course or change things directly, but rather subtly helping from the side, achieving its mission in a “rational” manner.
The ambush of Fu Junjuan by Zhu Yuyan is a display of this ‘rationalization’.
Fu Junjuan possessed two great treasures, which kindled others’ greed: one was the Longevity Jue, the other, clues to Yang Gong’s Treasure.
The Longevity Jue needs no further discussion as it is a coveted martial arts scripture among those in the Martial World.
Yang Gong’s Treasure, on the other hand, is a treasure left by the Sui Dynasty’s high official Yang Su, said to contain all the gold, silver, treasures, and divine weapons amassed throughout his life.
Therefore, there has always been a rumor in the Martial World that whoever possesses either the Heshi Jade or Yang Gong’s Treasure could rule the world.
With Fu Junjuan carrying these two treasures, it was reasonable that others would covet them and attempt to ambush her, whether that person be Yuwen Huaji or Zhu Yuyan.
Thus, Xu Yang could be somewhat at ease.
Even if he changed the course of this world and killed the two protagonists, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, the “force of destiny,” if it exists, would have a hard time harming him, and certainly couldn’t just drop a meteorite on him, eliminating him as an “anomaly from beyond the heavens.”
Of course, this is only within the confines of this world. If he were to travel to worlds like Journey to the West or Investiture of the Gods, where he directly interfered with the “protagonists,” it’s highly likely that a meteorite would fall from heaven, or even immortals and demons might cross the realm to take action.
Special circumstances require special treatment and can’t be rigidly applied or generalized.
Xu Yang’s thoughts returned, and he continued to inquire: ‘What about Kou
Zhong and Xu Ziling?”
Su Beixuan replied: “After Fu Junjuan sacrificed herself to buy time, the two of them escaped by jumping into a river. After that, their whereabouts became unknown. Shall I send people to search for them?”
“No need.”
Xu Yang shook his head and calmly said, “Everyone has their fate; let them be.”
“Yes!”
Su Beixuan didn’t ask any further questions. He agreed and then left the quiet chamber.
Leaving Xu Yang alone, sitting on the Cold Jade Bed, lost in his thoughts.
Fu Junjuan had died, still as in the original story, sacrificing herself to cover Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling’s escape.
In that case, would these two protagonists be motivated by revenge to advance vigorously and embark on their own path, achieving the legend of “The Twin Dragons of the Great Tang”?
Xu Yang was not entirely sure.
But it didn’t matter. He had no familial or personal relationship with those three. His previous intervention had only been to vie for the Longevity Jue and contend against the Yuwen Sect, without any intention to cling to the protagonists’ coattails. Now, even more so, they were each destined to their own lives, and however things unfolded was of no concern to him.
Since it didn’t concern him, there was no need to think further about it. Xu
Yang redirected his focus, continuing to peruse the Longevity Jue in his hands.
Over the past month, Xu Yang had focused on only two matters. One was to consolidate his cultivation and stabilize his realm, fully mastering the power of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao. The second was to comprehend the Longevity Jue, decrypting its oracle bone inscriptions and human meridian diagrams.
He had made gains in both regards.
Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao requires no further elaboration. Relying on the accumulation of a lifetime and the profound mysteries of the Martial Arts Scripture, within just a month, Xu Yang had solidified his newly attained cultivation level and masterfully harnessed the formidable power of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao.
Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao involves converting Gang Qi into Gang Yuan. At this stage, a martial artist’s Inner Strength is no longer Gang Qi, but a tangible liquid called Gang Yuan. Whether in terms of quality and potency or the volume stored, both have increased manifold, by as much as tenfold or more.
After all, stepping into this realm requires Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, absorbing the forces of heaven and earth into the body, which is a rebirth, a profound transformation that transcends the mundane, hence the dramatic improvement in effects.
Besides the enhancement of strength, the extension of lifespan should not be overlooked.
As mentioned before, the maximum lifespan of a mortal is about 120 years.
Under the premise of cultivating the Martial Arts Scripture, a martial artist who has reached the True Gang stage, which is the third realm, can live up to
180 years and beyond..