Chapter 5, Centenary Stronghold

Of course, the matter still needs to be resolved. He turned his eyes and decided to take a gamble. With a retraction of his right hand, he looked calmly at Huang Chang

It is evident that both parties are extraordinary individuals who possess remarkable strength and profound insight, leaving no room for even the slightest waste.

Any martial artist witnessing this scene would undoubtedly be struck with terror, for the exquisite skills of various schools and sects would be utterly defeated by these withered hands, leaving no trace behind.

Huang Chang carefully took Zhao Kuo's pulse and discovered that his meridians were stagnant and sluggish, with no true energy within his body. Everything that had just transpired seemed like an illusion. Awe finally appeared in his eyes, and he bent his legs, kneeling down to bow his head, saying: "I, your humble servant, have offended the heavenly countenance. I deserve death! I deserve death!"

Gu Cheng's expression darkened, revealing his authority: "Sir, you are a loyal minister of our Great Song. How could I not be aware of your concerns and worries? This matter is known to both you and me; I do not hold you accountable. However, do not act recklessly in the future"

This is clearly treating Gu Cheng as an outsider or a foreigner

What a piercing gaze! Gu Cheng was taken aback, and the thought of the Dragon God surged restlessly in his mind

Your Highness ... ... " There was also Huang Chang, who walked in slowly, expressing a similar voice of surprise.

The sound of "fire" suddenly rang out: "Your Highness, you are blessed with great fortune; from the moment you entered this world, you were destined to encounter someone favored by divine will! In this small world, this person must be a top-tier existence!"

He did not press too hard, but instead got up to personally help Huang Chang to his feet, and said softly: "Sir, your remarkable skills have kept me in the dark for so long. Could you teach me?"

Huang Chang also felt puzzled: "Ten years ago, I was already a dying man, but heaven did not take me, and I have lived until today."

How has His Highness become somewhat different today

The two engaged in a fierce exchange, with dozens of moves passing swiftly, so much so that even the sound of their energy colliding was inaudible, and the decorations in the room remained completely still

Sir, I wish to learn martial arts

Huang Shang secluded himself in the mountains and wilderness to diligently cultivate his skills, compiling and deciphering the martial arts of various sects, ultimately creating the unparalleled masterpiece "Nine Yin Manual." His initial intention was to seek revenge and settle old scores, but to his surprise, when he reemerged into the world, all his enemies had already passed away.

Top figures? Could it be that the Nine Yin Manual truly exists here? The world of the Golden Book?

Fortune hides within misfortune, and misfortune leans upon fortune. Gu Cheng is uncertain whether this change is good or bad, but since he has encountered Huang Chang, how could he let this opportunity slip by? He solemnly performs the military salute.

Huang Shang taught Zhao Kuo for a full four years, and as a master of martial arts with profound knowledge, he naturally understood the subtle distinctions of the human body. He stepped forward to feel the bones and quickly identified Gu Cheng's identity, questioning, "But what about your martial arts just now?"

This grand scholar, with a slender appearance, is dressed in a purple robe and wears a silver fish pouch at his waist, which aligns perfectly with the scholarly demeanor of the Song Dynasty officials in my impression. However, at this moment, his frail eyes sparkled with brilliance as they fell upon Gu Cheng's face

Gu Cheng was taken aback, but then he heard a furious shout of "Fire!" Suddenly, his right hand plunged down, and his five fingers slashed towards Huang Chang

In an instant, fists and palms, claws and fingers, extraordinary moves emerge, suddenly resembling the gentle touch of plum blossoms against orchids, serene and elegant, yet at times as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth were sinking, fierce and unmatched

The most peculiar aspect was the old eunuch and the palace maid inside the room, their eyes vacant, neither startled nor shouting, as if they had not seen this act of defiance against authority at all

Gu Cheng read the danger in Huang Shang's resolute gaze, yet remained unperturbed: "Sir, I dreamt last night that the great sun fell and entered my body. Upon waking, I understood many things and am no longer as muddled as before"

It seems that this is the influence brought by the Dragon Spirit

He was then dispatched by Emperor Huizong of Song to attack the Ming Sect. Due to his ignorance of the rules of the martial world, he became a public enemy, not only suffering injuries from being besieged but also losing all his family members to the hands of martial artists.

Who would have thought that this reaction would confirm Huang Shang's suspicions? His hand, which had been tucked into his sleeve, suddenly reached out towards Gu Cheng, exclaiming: "Which madman dares to impersonate a prince!"

An existence like his is aware of the limits of life and death, yet inexplicably prolongs life, indicating that the entire world has undergone some kind of inexplicable change

In his view, the person before him was truly unfathomable, the greatest adversary he had ever encountered in his life, which made him extremely vigilant, even giving rise to thoughts of mutual destruction.

Gu Cheng looked on, feeling somewhat fortunate

Gu Cheng thought for a moment and asked.

Fortunately, Huang Shang's roots are in the court, not among those lawless individuals of the rivers and lakes, which allows for this method of resolution; otherwise, if a disturbance were to arise, the consequences would be unimaginable

Surely this teacher will notice my abnormality? It doesn't matter, I am the sovereign, and he is the subject, what can he do?

Taoist health preservation, perhaps high-ranking Buddhist monks can reach such an age, for instance, Zhang Sanfeng lived even longer. However, Huang Chang only began practicing in middle age and has experienced bloody battles; living such a long life seems somewhat unusual

"The sun has fallen?" Huang Shang was taken aback by the words, faintly recalling something, and looked over with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

Such a legendary life fills Gu Cheng with admiration, and even more astonishingly, if calculated by his actual age, Huang Shang is already over 120 years old

Huang Chang saw him voluntarily stop and also turned around to retreat, not rashly launching an attack, and solemnly said: "No matter who you are, you shall not impersonate the prince of our Great Song!"

Upon inquiring with the old eunuch, it was indeed confirmed that this Huang Chang was the co-examiner for the imperial examination, which means he was the chief examiner for the civil service examination, and concurrently held the position of Yi Shan at the Prince Jia's residence, with the primary task of lecturing.

Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness! Huang Shang felt a chill in his heart, knowing that this was the way of the emperor's command, balancing grace and power. Although this prince was still quite inexperienced, it was already a significant change. He did not dare to stand up and remained prostrated on the ground

Huang Shang, originally a peasant from a farming family, was the hope of the entire village to achieve academic success and bring glory to his ancestors. However, upon encountering this tragic event, Huang Shang sympathized with his plight. Furthermore, being alone and without relatives, he decided to use disguise techniques to replace him in going to the capital for the examination

Huang Chang was unaware that "fire" was constrained by the power of heaven and earth; what had just occurred was its limit, and the more it was used, the weaker it would become

Next, there was a change. Just when Huang Shang was feeling despondent and ready to give up, he encountered a scholar who was traveling to the capital to take the imperial examination. They shared the same name and surname, and even bore some resemblance in stature. However, the young scholar fell ill on the road and unfortunately passed away.

Look, this fool must have come from the sky

Unfortunately, soon the sound of "fire" penetrated deep into the soul, becoming weak: "Your Highness, the elemental energy of this world is imprisoned, and I cannot defeat this person!"

And Huang Shang has been teaching Zhao Kuo for four years now

In fact, this was a common tactic used by ancient royal families; celestial phenomena were interpreted as signs, and ascending to the throne was seen as complying with the mandate of heaven. This was particularly evident during the Song Dynasty, where it seemed that each ruler had to employ this strategy.

"Under no circumstances should we allow the demon to infiltrate the imperial court and disrupt the governance of the state"

Gu Cheng reacted swiftly, immediately realizing that this was not an ordinary Southern Song. His gaze towards Huang Chang also changed, instinctively revealing a hint of caution.

I did not expect that the Dragon Spirit possesses such formidable strength, capable of rivaling even Huang Shang. Wouldn't that mean it could dominate this world?

Well done!

However, at this moment, speaking out seemed particularly different, leaving Huang Shang uncertain for a time

Gu Cheng's statement is well-founded. It is said that when Zhao Kuo was born, his mother dreamt of the sun falling into the courtyard and caught it with her hands, after which she became pregnant

Huang Chang sat down, hesitated for a moment, and bowed his head to say: "I do not dare to deceive Your Highness, I am indeed not from Longqing Pucheng..."

It should be a case of having the same name and surname

"Then what are you trying to do? Anyway, I am Zhao Kuo. Huang Shang is merely suspicious; does he dare to kill me?" Gu Cheng was left speechless

Gu Cheng, guided by the old eunuch, entered the room and took a seat, sitting up straight with his mind wandering far away

Gu Chengsar smiled lightly, calm and composed, as he entered the "Eight Parts of the Dragon Classic," exuding an air of imperial majesty. The old eunuch standing beside him rubbed his eyes, feeling inexplicably tense.

Upon first hearing the name Huang Shang, he was somewhat surprised. Wasn't he the founder of the "Nine Yin Manual"? How did he become the prince's teacher?

The intangible blade energy? Huang Shang's hair and beard fluttered, his anger more pronounced, a faint aura of purity emanating from his body, both hands extended simultaneously

Gu Cheng still has his trump card, he stood up, opened his arms, and said calmly: "Sir, why not come and take a look, I am indeed who I am?"

However, regardless of the various techniques employed by Huang Shang, Gu Cheng's right hand executed a horizontal slash, resembling a reef in the ocean, steadfast and unmoved despite the raging winds and crashing waves.

He was originally the top scholar, so passing the imperial examination was a piece of cake. After modestly obtaining the second-class degree, he embarked on another journey of smooth officialdom

But upon further thought, it is not right; that Huang Chang was from the Northern Song dynasty, while now it is the Southern Song dynasty, a difference of nearly one hundred years, it should merely be a coincidence

"The Soul Transference Technique? It truly is that Huang Shang!" Gu Cheng confirmed, looking at his right hand in action, filled with great joy again

Huang Chang began to recount his origins. His upper body indeed resembled what Zhou Botong described in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"; he was originally a civil official in the imperial court, yet he had self-taught himself from the Daoist scriptures and mastered unparalleled martial arts.

That is the Guardian Dragon God, I do not possess any martial arts skills!" Gu Cheng spread his hands, and in the palm of his right hand appeared a vivid dragon pattern, as if a fiery dragon were truly soaring within.

As the only son of the current Emperor Guangzong and Empress He, Zhao Kuo is the undisputed candidate for the throne; however, he is not yet the Crown Prince, merely the Prince of Jia.