Chapter 91: Ancient Leather-bound Book, A Mysterious Voice

Chapter 91: Ancient Leather-bound Book, A Mysterious Voice

Accompanying the voice was the appearance of a tall and burly figure, the most striking feature being his bald and gleaming head.

Wu Huang was startled!

Meng Chong?!

The courtiers were equally shocked. Meng Chong?!

They were all too familiar with Meng Chong, as they often hated him to the core.

How did he get here?

And how did he intrude upon the royal court?

Wu Huang abruptly stood up, his face filled with astonishment.

"Guards, seize him!"

This was the imperial palace, a place of utmost importance during court sessions, yet Meng Chong had dared to intrude?

Were the imperial guards and palace attendants all incompetent?

"Meng Chong, surrender!"

The warriors in the hall were instantly energized, seeing an opportunity to make a name for themselves.

With a roar, they charged towards Meng Chong.

Meng Chong extended his hand, and like picking up a chick, he grabbed the officials and tossed them out of the hall.

As they watched Meng Chong toss the officials out like they were mere chicks, the courtiers nearly wet themselves in fear.

Among these officials were some of the most formidable masters!

Yet, not a single one of them could put up any resistance?

Wu Huang was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to run.

Meng Chong grabbed him by the collar, baring his teeth as he said, "Wu Huang, you owe me ten thousand taels of gold, a three-thousand-year-old mountain ginseng, and ten precious elixirs. You haven't forgotten about these, have you?"

"N-no... I haven't forgotten!" Wu Huang stammered, nearly scared out of his wits.

Meng Chong sat on the dragon throne and took out the Alliance Master's token, slamming it onto the table. "This is the token of the Alliance Master of the Jianghu. According to reason, you should bestow upon me the title of Marquis of the Jianghu. But since I'm not interested in that, forget about the marquis title. Instead, go to your imperial treasury and bring me some compensation. That's only fair, right?"

Wu Huang nodded his head vigorously. "Fair! Very fair!"

All he wanted was to get away from Meng Chong, this ruffian, and then order the palace's top masters to surround and kill him!

Seeing that Meng Chong was ignoring them, the courtiers in the hall glanced at each other and then, very much in agreement, began to quietly back away, preparing to make their escape.

As for the emperor's life or death, they were powerless!

After this incident, they could just replace the emperor. It was a simple matter—there was no need to risk their lives!

Besides, they wouldn't stand a chance anyway!

Meng Chong looked at the courtiers who were shrinking back in fear and sneered, "Wu Huang, your subjects aren't very loyal, are they?"

The courtiers jumped in surprise and hastily stopped in their tracks.

Wu Huang was so angry that he gnashed his teeth.

"Your Majesty, we are absolutely loyal," one of the courtiers stammered. "We are just going to fetch reinforcements to save you!"

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, we are going to get help," the other courtiers chimed in.

Meng Chong held onto Wu Huang and said in a low voice, "Wu Huang, you helped me take revenge before, and I won't make things difficult for you. I know you're not convinced, but as they say, the Tianxuan Guard of the Wu Empire is the pride of your nation.

"I'll give you a chance to deploy the Tianxuan Guard. If they can kill me, then so be it."

If his senior brother could single-handedly push over the mighty army of Qi, then he would do the same to the Tianxuan Guard of Wu.

Such were Meng Chong's thoughts.

"Really?" Wu Huang asked, his face lighting up with joy.

No matter how strong Meng Chong was, could he possibly stand against the entire Tianxuan Guard?

"Of course!" Meng Chong replied.

"Good, then let's have a battle at the training grounds!" Wu Huang exclaimed.

Upon hearing this, the courtiers were stunned as they looked at Meng Chong. Had he lost his mind?

One man against the entire Tianxuan Guard?

Then they were overjoyed. This young man was surely signing his own death warrant!

At the Tianxuan Guard's training grounds, the air was heavy with an aura of death.

Meng Chong stood alone in the center, surrounded by the heavily armored guards.

Wu Huang gritted his teeth and angrily ordered the commander of the Tianxuan Guard, "Kill him!"

"Yes!" The commander nodded gravely.

The thundering hooves of the Tianxuan Guard echoed as they charged from all directions, sealing off any escape route or hiding place for Meng Chong.

Lances pierced through the air, taking advantage of the charging momentum of the warhorses, and struck Meng Chong's body.

However, a surprising scene unfolded.

The lances broke in half, yet Meng Chong remained unharmed.

"Is that all you've got?" Meng Chong laughed. His body shone with a golden light, resembling a vajra Arhat, as he single-handedly swept through the Tianxuan Guard.

The courtiers were left dumbfounded.

Wu Huang's face was frozen in shock as he mumbled, "How is this possible! That voice deceived me, claiming that this place couldn't produce martial artists. How dare it lie to me!"

It seemed like he had remembered something, and his face turned gloomy as he muttered to himself, his teeth clenched in anger.

Meng Chong approached Wu Huang, rubbed his bald head, and smiled. "Well, Wu Huang, what do you think now?"

Wu Huang took a deep breath and said, "Meng Chong, whatever you want, I will give it to you. Marquis, even a king—I will bestow upon you any title you desire!"

"You can keep the marquis and king titles," Meng Chong replied. "But as for the rewards offered, have them all prepared for me. In exchange, I will take the position of marquis and your imperial treasury."

Meng Chong had already made up his mind.

"Agreed!" Wu Huang nodded reluctantly.

In the imperial palace of the Wu Empire, boxes upon boxes of gold ingots were presented before Meng Chong.

Looking at the gold, Meng Chong paused for a moment and then said, "You can hold onto the gold for now. It's not convenient for me to carry it all."

Upon reaching the treasury, Wu Huang did not enter. "You can take everything if you wish. I can give it all to you!" Wu Huang said with a deep breath, his voice heavy.

Meng Chong entered the treasury and began to select treasures. "It's easy to find the books Master needs, but these jewels aren't of much use. This treasury of yours isn't that impressive, Wu Huang. Most of it is filled with jewels, and only a small portion contains elixirs. I'll take it all." Meng Chong remarked as he browsed through the treasury, slightly disappointed.

Now that he had become a martial artist, jewels no longer held any appeal for him. Aside from some books that he could bring back to his master, there wasn't much else that caught his interest.

"Let's keep looking." Meng Chong continued his search, carefully inspecting each item. Suddenly, on one of the shelves, he spotted an ancient leather-bound book.

"What's this?" It was a book bound in ancient leather, and he couldn't quite discern what kind of leather it was made from. It looked very old.

On the cover of the ancient leather book were two bold and vigorous characters.

"Tai Cang?" Meng Chong flipped open the cover but found no text inside. Instead, there were only lines drawn on the pages—winding and twisting, seemingly following a certain pattern.

"Can't understand it. I'll bring it back and show it to Master." Meng Chong decided to take the book with him.

After leaving the treasury, Meng Chong nonchalantly said, "Wu Huang, I've made my selections. Considering that you helped me take revenge, I won't empty your treasury."

Wu Huang's face darkened, and he remained silent.

"I'm leaving now!" Meng Chong came and went in a hurry, having accomplished his goal. With the grudge against Wu Kingdom finally settled, it was time to return to Yunshan County and diligently cultivate his martial arts.

After news spread of Meng Chong's solo domination of the Jianghu experts at Tianping Mountain and the Tianxuan Guard in the Wu Kingdom's capital, he once again shocked the entire country.

Many people in Wu Kingdom recalled the rumors of Qi Kingdom searching for a master, and they were astounded. Could there truly be such powerful masters in the world? Could there really be an incredibly powerful martial art?

In a remote location within Wu Kingdom, a renowned elder of the Jianghu, known as Elder Wu, widened his eyes in shock upon hearing the news of Meng Chong's triumph over the Tianxuan Guard. He was deeply shaken, as if he had just recalled something.

"Disciples, quick, come here!" Elder Wu called out.

Two disciples rushed over promptly. "Master, what are your instructions?"

"Quickly, pack your bags and prepare for a journey into the Endless Mountains!" Elder Wu ordered his disciples.

His mind conjured up a memory from his youth when he had entered the Endless Mountains to hide from enemies seeking his life. There was a rather peculiar place there that he had not explored deeply, fearing he might never find his way out.

Now, he wondered if that place held some kind of opportunity.

"If only I were a few decades younger, I would go there alone!" Elder Wu lamented to himself.

Meng Chong rode his horse, laden with the spoils of his journey, as he made his way back to Yunshan County.

He was unaware that while his display of overwhelming power had indeed shocked Wu Huang, the emperor's astonishment was more of a surprise than the kind of shock the courtiers had experienced, as if their entire worldview had been shattered.

In a secluded courtyard deep within the imperial palace of Wu Kingdom, the emperor walked with an uncertain expression. No eunuchs or palace maids were in sight, and some newly sprouted weeds could be seen in the courtyard.

The grand eunuch stopped outside the courtyard, allowing only the emperor to enter.

Wu Huang stepped into the courtyard and made his way toward the main hall.

As he pushed open the doors of the hall, something unexpected came into view—a stone cottage! The cottage was not large, only about ten feet in diameter, seemingly carved from a single massive stone.

The weathered and mottled surface of the stone cottage spoke of its age and the vicissitudes it had endured.

Wu Huang stood before the stone cottage, his eyes narrowed and his expression grave. He stepped inside, and the light dimmed as he entered the shadowy interior, giving the place an air of desolation.

"Today, a man came to my palace and single-handedly defeated my Tianxuan Guard. You told me that martial artists don't exist and that it's impossible to become a true martial artist. How do you explain this?" Wu Huang asked, his voice laced with suppressed anger and dissatisfaction.

His words echoed within the stone cottage, and after a long while, a voice suddenly responded. The voice seemed to come out of thin air, its source indiscernible, yet it felt as if the stone cottage itself were speaking.

The mysterious voice, filled with doubt, said, "Martial artist? That's impossible. At the borders of Tai Cang, the heavenly qi has been extinguished, making it impossible to cultivate and become a martial artist."

"Nonsense!" Wu Huang exclaimed angrily. "If Meng Chong isn't a martial artist, then what is he? I asked you to teach me how to cultivate, and you kept making excuses, claiming that the heavenly qi has been extinguished!"

"Is he truly a martial artist?

The voice fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Then he must be a warrior from the Inner Domain. But what would a warrior from there be doing here?"

"Nonsense!" Wu Huang scoffed. "My kingdom has existed for too short a time to have ever encountered such a warrior! Besides, even if one did come, how would you know?"

The mysterious voice sounded as if it were recalling something. "The last time a warrior from the Inner Domain came to the borders was... three thousand years ago, I believe."

"I knew you would try to brush me off with talk of Inner Domain warriors, but this time, I must inform you, he is not one of them. His name is Meng Chong, and he is a subject of Wu," Wu Huang asserted. "He once attempted to assassinate me, and in less than a year, his strength has grown to such an extent. You still dare to deceive me by saying that cultivating martial arts is impossible?"

Wu Huang's voice was laced with suppressed anger and frustration.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! At the borders of Tai Cang, it is utterly impossible for a warrior to exist!" the mysterious voice exclaimed, its tone turning agitated.

"I saw it with my own eyes! How dare you continue to deceive me? Moreover, there are rumors in Qi of a peerless master appearing, along with powerful warriors who can suppress an entire nation!" Wu Huang roared, his face reddening with rage.

"Impossible! It's absolutely impossible!" the mysterious voice insisted, refusing to believe.

"If you do not teach me the method of cultivation, I will smash this stone cottage!" Wu Huang threatened.

The mysterious voice laughed, "Hahaha! Go ahead and smash it if you want. Do you think you can destroy it? Do you think that by smashing this stone cottage, I will cease to exist...?"

The laughter took on a manic edge, as if the voice had gone insane. "You're all liars! Don't even think about deceiving me again, I won't fall for it! Hahaha... Liars, all of you! You won't deceive me again, it's impossible, I won't be fooled again... I won't, I won't..."

The voice inside the stone cottage descended into madness, repeating over and over that it wouldn't be fooled again.

The cottage fell silent, leaving Wu Huang with a conflicted expression on his face, his emotions a mix of anger, helplessness, and resentment.

He glanced around the stone cottage one last time before leaving with a darkening expression.

Exiting the cottage and the hall, Wu Huang closed the doors behind him. As he walked through the courtyard, he noticed the newly sprouted weeds and ordered, "As per usual, pick someone from the dungeon to clean up this place and get rid of the weeds."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the eunuch supervisor replied with a bow.

Meng Chong returned to Yunshan County.

"Master, what is this?" he asked, presenting the ancient leather-bound book to Li Xuan after arranging all the other books.

Li Xuan took the book, his eyes narrowing in surprise. This ancient tome was unusual.

Even the material it was made from was extraordinary, clearly not crafted from ordinary animal hide.

It exuded an air of antiquity, and on the cover were two bold characters: "Tai Cang."

"Tai Cang? What is that?" Li Xuan wondered aloud, flipping open the book. Instead of text, he found intricate lines drawn on the pages, forming what seemed like a pattern.

"A talisman?" he mused aloud, recognizing the resemblance of the lines to those used in talisman-making. But upon closer inspection, it didn't quite fit that description either.

"It doesn't resemble a talisman, nor does it look like a map..." Li Xuan was perplexed. Whatever was drawn on the pages, it definitely wasn't simple.

"Master, what does it mean?" Meng Chong asked, his curiosity piqued.

"It's understandable that you can't comprehend it. Your strength and realm determine your perspective, and with your current level, it's natural that you can't grasp its meaning," Li Xuan explained, his expression calm and unperturbed. "When your strength and realm improve, you will understand in due time. Don't be overly ambitious, focus on your cultivation, and don't let your curiosity get the better of you."

(I have no idea what this is either, but as an all-powerful master, I can't let that show...)

Li Xuan thought to himself, guiding his disciple with feigned wisdom.

"Yes, Master!" Meng Chong nodded respectfully.

Since Master wasn't offering an explanation, Meng Chong understood that it wasn't necessary for him to know at this point, and the book was likely of little use to him. After all, it was just an ancient book found in Wu Huang's treasury.

Though old, it was probably just an ordinary object. Meng Chong didn't dwell on it further and hurried off to cultivate outside the city.

Li Xuan, on the other hand, turned to the second page of the ancient leather-bound book.

The intricate lines on this page were even more numerous, forming what appeared to be a chain of mountains, or perhaps a chain, wrapping around each other. But upon further inspection, it could also be interpreted as random scribbles.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end