Chapter 136: Chapter 136: A Request
“That’s correct,”
Zhou Heng nodded in acknowledgment, a smile on his face, “I have been accepted into the Pure Yang Palace’s Jade Void Peak lineage and have learned the unique martial arts of the Pure Yang Dan Scripture.”
He did not go into detail about the fact that he was the sixth generation true disciple of the Pure Yang Palace.
That was too astonishing and shocking.
It was also rather complicated to explain, and there was no need to be so explicit.
Simply being a true disciple of the Pure Yang Palace was enough to give Yu He a strong sense of reassurance.
“You’ve really, truly become a true disciple of the Pure Yang Palace!” Yu He’s eyes widened, and then he burst into laughter, “Hahaha! Good, very good! Zhou Heng, you’re incredibly powerful! Now, that old thing Liu Songshan definitely won’t dare to make a rash move!”
For a small place like Huangtong Mansion City to have a true disciple of the Pure Yang Palace was like having an unattainable existence.
And true disciples of the Pure Yang Palace were entirely different from those of the inner or outer sect; they were the chosen ones, destined to carry on the unique martial arts of the Pure Yang Palace, the future of Pure Yang Palace!
Even if Liu Songshan had ten thousand times the courage, he would not dare to harm a hair on a true disciple of the Pure Yang Palace.
Meng Xing also came over, looking at Zhou Heng with amazement and said, “Earlier, I heard from the lord of the mansion that you were not a common person and would achieve great things in the future. I didn’t quite believe it, but now I see that I was far too superficial.”
He was now extremely shaken, having originally thought of Zhou Heng as merely an outer disciple of the Pure Yang Palace, or at most an inner sect one. He had not expected that Zhou Heng would actually become a true disciple!
This was a true disciple!
A true disciple of a top martial dao sect like the Pure Yang Palace might not necessarily reach the Middle Third Rank or achieve great accomplishments, but eight or nine out of ten could step onto the Sixth Rank.
Martial Dao Sixth Rank!
Within the region of Huangtong Prefecture, the strongest martial dao sect, the Chang Xing Sect, had a sect leader who was only a Fifth Rank grandmaster of martial dao. A Sixth Rank was already qualified to serve as an elder.
The Liu Songshan that had earlier instilled fear in Yu He, was at the level of a Sixth Rank.
And with the talent and aptitude Zhou Heng had shown, obtaining the true teachings of the Pure Yang Palace, it was almost an inevitability for him to reach the Sixth Rank, or even higher, in the future.
This was a great figure in the making.
Even though he was merely an Eighth Rank martial artist at present, the status of a true disciple of the Pure Yang Palace was incredibly noble. He could almost sit on an equal footing with Wu Zongshan, the lord of Huangtong Mansion.
“So, Big Brother Zhou is fine now, isn’t he?” Yu Yingying didn’t quite understand the affairs of martial dao, but she could hear the joy in her brother’s voice.
“Haha, of course!” Yu He nodded and laughed, “No problem at all, we’re all safe this time, Zhou Heng is amazing, really amazing! Ouch!!”
He was too excited and accidentally aggravated his wound, immediately crying out in pain.
“Don’t move, let me heal your wounds,” Zhou Heng said as he placed his palm on Yu He’s shoulder, transferring his inner qi into his body to treat the injuries.
A moment later, Zhou Heng withdrew his hand, and Yu He was surprised to find that his injuries had healed significantly.
“That’s incredible, big brother, please also help heal my father’s wounds,” Yu He said joyfully.
“Let’s go,” Zhou Heng said with a smile.
“Young Master Zhou, could you please accompany me to the prefectural city’s yamen later?” Meng Xing couldn’t help asking. “Don’t misunderstand, this is definitely not an action against you. It’s just that having killed six Seventh Rank martial artists, you will inevitably need to meet with the lord of the mansion.”
“No problem,” Zhou Heng nodded his approval. He did not have a bad impression of Wuzong Shan, and he would give him this bit of face, “but it will have to wait until after I’ve treated someone’s injuries.”
“Of course,” Meng Xing nodded. “I’ll wait outside the door.”
…
The prefectural city’s yamen remained as it was before, no different from Zhou Heng’s last visit.
In Wuzong Shan’s study room,
Meng Xing had already left, and Zhou Heng was sitting across from Wuzong Shan at a tea table.
The lord of Huangtong Mansion brewed a pot of clear tea and poured a cup for Zhou Heng, apologizing, “Mr. Zhou, er, or should I call you Taoist Zhou?”
Pure Yang Palace was one of the three great Taoist palaces, its disciples mostly Taoists.
“Just call me Zhou Heng,” Zhou Heng replied with a smile as he accepted the clear tea.
“Then I’ll still call you Taoist Zhou,” Wuzong Shan poured himself a bowl of tea, and with a wry smile said, “Regarding the earlier matter with the Yu Family and Longxing Martial Arts Hall, please do not take offense, Taoist Zhou. I really couldn’t intervene in matters related to the sects.”
“I understand,” Zhou Heng nodded.
After reading “The World” and “Pure Yang,” he had come to generally grasp that the relationships among sects, noble families, and the Imperial Court had always been quite delicate.
Especially between the sects and the Imperial Court, caution was always paramount.
Wuzong Shan, being merely the lord of Huangtong Mansion, held a position that was neither high nor low; taking action against a sect on his own might cost him more than he could bear.
This was understandable.
“However,” Zhou Heng continued, looking at Wuzong Shan, “while I understand your lordship’s difficulties, understanding does not mean I can pretend nothing happened.” Zhou Heng paused and then added with a smile, “Of course, I’m also aware that your lordship’s people helped them out in secret.”
“Next time you speak, Taoist Zhou, try not to pause for so long,” Wuzong Shan said with a sigh of relief. “Whatever your requests may be, feel free to bring them up. As long as they do not involve official Imperial Court matters that provoke conflict with the sects, I will do my best to comply. Let this be my apology.”
If this had been the Zhou Heng of the past, he might merely have taken special care owing to the face of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer’s Star Envoy, but not have been so deferential. However, now he was facing a true disciple of Pure Yang Palace.
He dared not show the slightest negligence.
Should there be an oversight that soured the relationship of Pure Yang Palace with the Imperial Court, a sin of such magnitude was beyond what he, Wuzong Shan, could afford. To say nothing else, his career would certainly come to an end.
“Being an official is difficult, ah,” Wuzong Shan sighed inwardly, feeling deep frustration.
“Your lordship has looked after me quite a bit previously, and I wouldn’t make things difficult for your lordship. There’s no need to worry about that,” Zhou Heng said, drinking a cup of clear tea with a smile. “In fact, I have just a small request. I hope your lordship can help me spread a message.”
“What message?” Wuzong Shan asked, puzzled.
“The Chang Xing Sect oppressed my friends and teacher without reason, so I must settle this score,” Zhou Heng stood up, looking towards the direction of the Chang Xing Sect. Standing with arms behind his back, his back to Wuzong Shan, he continued, “Seven days from now, I will go in person to the mountain gate of the Chang Xing Sect and challenge all Lower Third Rank disciples of the sect. Time will be unlimited, as will the number of participants. As long as someone from the Chang Xing Sect dares to leave the mountain gate, I will accept the fight. I would like your lordship to secretly dispatch someone to spread the news far and wide.”
“What did you say??” Wuzong Shan stood up abruptly, looking at Zhou Heng in disbelief, “Are you going to challenge an entire sect by yourself?”
“No, your lordship is mistaken,” Zhou Heng turned around, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a faint smile. “This is not a challenge.
“I am going to, by myself, suppress an entire sect!”