Chapter 2, Martial Arts
Alright, I only have this little bit of herbs left, which can only slightly alleviate this gentleman's injuries; the rest is up to fate
Famine, chaos, and wounded soldiers; the entire camp was a disordered mix, filled with smoke and filth. Gao Cheng frowned as he saw the sewage flowing across the ground and flies buzzing around. A putrid smell permeated the camp, and a sudden whiff made one feel somewhat dizzy
In my memory, the Yellow Turban Army affected the eight provinces of the world, directly undermining the foundation of the Han Dynasty's rule. I wonder if the Yellow Turban Army in this realm will also collapse within a mere eight months.
The power structure of this world is formidable, with frequent reports of individuals who can summon winds and rain, as well as great generals from the Han Dynasty, who are said to possess extraordinary powers, effortlessly taking the heads of their enemies amidst a million troops
Gao Ying felt her face flush when she encountered someone bowing to her for the first time. She took a step back and happened to see Gao Cheng walking out of the tent. She quickly turned and jogged back to Gao Cheng's side, exclaiming: "Young Master, it is so chaotic outside, why did you come out?"
Gao Tai scanned the surroundings and noticed that many of the people in the camp were looking this way. He furrowed his brow and said in a low voice: "Young Master, there is a matter that requires your decision! It is related to Duke Wu!"
With these reputations for protection, the able-bodied men, the wounded soldiers, and the elderly, women, and children in the camp are all unwilling to provoke the enemy for no reason
Gao Cheng furrowed his brows and thought for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands and made a decision. He said: "The Linzhuang skill is a technique of the Taiping Dao, and as long as one practices it, there will be an inseparable connection with the Yellow Turbans. However, we have now been caught up with the Yellow Turban army, and we have no room for choice."
This is indeed the world of the Three Kingdoms, but it is different from the Three Kingdoms world known to Gao Cheng. In this realm, the Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty treads upon the four corners and eight wastelands, exerting pressure over the vast expanse of the nine provinces. He holds the fate of billions of common people in his hands. ... In this world, there are also immortals who can summon the wind and rain, and martial saints who can shatter the void ...
The three of them were not acquainted with Wu Dubo of the Yellow Turban Army, but the other party had frequently sent gifts over the past few days. As the saying goes, when gifts are given, there must be an ulterior motive. Among them, Gao Cheng was injured, Gao Ying was just a little girl, and only Gao Tai possessed remarkable martial arts skills and strength, making him exceptionally brave among ordinary people
If we do not agree to the request, we will offend the other party, and amidst the chaos of battle, we must have a strong force to protect ourselves. In this case, Uncle Gao might as well agree to the other party, and first secure the temporary position before discussing further
The woman, her face filled with excitement, pulled the little boy down to kneel on the ground and kowtow, her lips trembling as she struggled to speak
Those who possess extraordinary powers are the actual rulers of the Han Dynasty
Lifting the tent flap, Gao Cheng glanced around and saw that nearby were women and children, ragged and emaciated, as well as some soldiers who had been injured on the battlefield, half-reclining in the corners, continuously moaning in pain.
Gao Tai hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement, "Since you have made a decision, I will go and respond to Duke Wu now"
For Gao Ying, these were merely snippets she had heard, akin to listening to legendary tales, something she would hear but not pay much attention to. In contrast, Gao Cheng, upon hearing these, could deduce that the martial prowess of this world was certainly not low
In this state of tranquility, a person's thoughts can be gently nourished, awakening and enhancing the practitioner's five senses
Gao Cheng had a little something to fill his stomach, and then he stayed inside the tent, deep in thought
He then followed the instructions of the Zhi Xu Jing, gradually emptying his mind and visualizing the scene of flowing water entering the sea in his mind. The gentle flowing water resembled the distractions of the mind, merging all distractions into the vast ocean, becoming calm and undisturbed
After half a day, the wound treated with herbal medicine no longer affected his movements. Gao Cheng then left the tent and walked outside. Staying in a small tent for the past few days had made him feel stifled.
In this chaotic camp, although the tent where Gao Cheng resides is dilapidated, it at least provides some shelter from the wind and rain. Many people in the camp harbor covetous thoughts about it, yet they dare not act due to their fear of Gao Tai.
The current location of the Yellow Turban Army is in Yingchuan County. I used to play games related to the Three Kingdoms and remember that the leader of the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan was named Peng Tuo. However, it seems that the leader of the Yellow Turbans in this camp is called Peng Fei. I wonder what the relationship is between this person and Peng Tuo
"Father has gone to Du Bo's place, saying he has something to discuss with him," Gao Ying said softly. Just as she was speaking, she saw Gao Tai's figure appear in the distance. Gao Tai's gaze swept over the two, and he quickened his pace, soon returning to this spot.
Gao Cheng absorbed the memories, waves rising and falling within his chest. This fragment of memory unexpectedly contained the ancestral cultivation method of the Gao family, the Zhi Xu Jing
After organizing these memories, Gao Cheng then carefully examined the Zhi Xu Jing martial art.
The "Lin Zhuang Gong" mentioned by Gao Tai is a cultivation method of the Taiping Dao. In order to recruit him, this Yellow Turban leader is willing to impart the Lin Zhuang Gong, which demonstrates considerable sincerity
Not far away, Gao Ying is bandaging the wounds of an unconscious soldier, while a woman covered in dust is closely huddled next to the soldier with a small boy.
In the vast land of the Han Dynasty, among the hundreds of millions of common people, who does not aspire to become a person of high status? The first step to becoming such a person is to possess a cultivation technique. However, all the major and minor families and sects in the world guard their own techniques closely, strictly prohibiting their dissemination. Thus, this first step blocks ninety percent of the populace from advancing.
Gao Cheng, after absorbing this information, could not help but exclaim that the Han Dynasty has vast territories across the seas, with hundreds of millions of citizens and a million strong army, making it the strongest in the world. The fact that the Taiping Dao dared to rebel under such circumstances proves that its power is not to be underestimated
During the initial stages of cultivation, the Refining Spirit method only enhances the five senses, allowing the practitioner to become more perceptive and to accelerate the speed of their thoughts. It does not directly increase the practitioner's combat power
Young Master
In the present day, with the Yellow Turban Rebellion underway, Zhang Jiao sought to enhance the combat effectiveness of the Yellow Turban Army by disseminating various cultivation techniques, thereby providing the lower-class populace with an opportunity for a turnaround. Consequently, aside from the common people who were involuntarily coerced, many heroic individuals also joined the Yellow Turban Army in pursuit of these cultivation methods.
She and the little boy seemed to be family of the man, watching Gao Ying apply the remaining bit of herbs to the man's wound, unable to help but show a tense and concerned expression
It is said that by cultivating the physical body to its peak, one can possess the terrifying power to shatter mountains and split rocks with a single hand, breaking through the heavens. Once the physical cultivation is successful, joining the military would make one an invincible general, instilling fear in a thousand troops. Such a person would possess unparalleled combat strength
In the distance, someone noticed the commotion here and caused a stir, but upon seeing it was Gao Ying, these individuals nonchalantly shifted their gaze back.
The moment he thought of the words "cultivation techniques," Gao Cheng's entire body trembled, as if his head had been pierced, a sharp pain surged through him, nearly causing him to cry out. Before he could react, a fragment of memory abruptly appeared in his mind, swiftly merging with his soul, followed by a segment of memory manifesting in his consciousness
Gao Ying's small face glistened with beads of sweat as she spoke in a low voice. Her frail body appeared somewhat fatigued after a bout of exertion
In the later stages, the most powerful practitioners of the Spirit Refinement Path can, with their own strength, shift the heavens and the earth, and they also possess a long lifespan. Each of the two cultivation paths has its own advantages. However, the cultivation of the Spirit Refinement Path requires extremely high innate talent and comprehension, which is why practitioners of this path are quite rare. Their status is far higher than that of warriors of the Body Refinement Path
Just now, she had applied medicine to Gao Cheng, and only a little herbal residue remained in her hand. This was seen by a woman with a grimy face, who could not help but come forward to plead desperately, asking Gao Ying to save her man. Gao Ying, a naive young girl, felt unable to refuse and thus took action to bandage the wounded soldier and provide basic treatment.
Both of these cultivation paths have nine levels of realms before entering the extraordinary realm, while the "Zhi Xu Jing" can only cultivate to the fifth level of the first realm of the "Lian Shen Liu"
This world of the Three Kingdoms, both in terms of area and population, exceeds the world of the Three Kingdoms remembered by Gao Cheng by more than ten times
The second path of cultivating the soul is to refine the will and spirit, allowing the soul to undergo transformation, with the five senses surpassing those of ordinary people. Practitioners of profound realms can manipulate the forces of heaven and earth with their will, summoning wind and rain, and enjoy an extended lifespan. This can be referred to as the Spirit Refinement School
Gao Tai's gaze flickered with a hint of surprise as he spoke in a deep voice: "Did the young master guess it? Indeed, Lord Du wants us to become his subordinates and has promised that as long as I agree, he will appoint me as the commander. He is also willing to impart the skills of the Taiping Dao's temporary post to me"
Gao Cheng's expression changed suddenly; he turned around and pulled the two individuals into the tent, instructing Gao Ying to watch the outside from behind the curtain. Then, his expression turned cold as he said in a deep voice: "Is this related to Duke Wu? It seems that this Duke wishes for us to join his ranks and serve him, doesn't it?"
In this world, there are two paths of cultivation: one is the path of the martial sage, which focuses on the refinement of the physical body, and the other is the method of soul nurturing, which emphasizes the cultivation of the soul. The wandering heroes and the fierce generals in the army follow the first path. This school is known as the Body Refinement School
After the discussion, Gao Tai turned to find Wu Dubo, while Gao Cheng instructed Xiao Ying to continue keeping watch outside. He then sat cross-legged on the ground of the tent, gently closed his eyes, and once again reflected on the memories from earlier.
He thought to himself: "I didn't expect this body to come from a decent family. The Gao family in Guangling has a legacy of martial arts, and a family with a legacy of martial arts is at least a gentry family in the county."
What is Linzhuang Gong? Is it a cultivation practice?
Gao Cheng thought to himself that, based on the information in his memory, ordinary cultivation techniques could typically only reach two or three levels. Techniques capable of reaching the fifth level of the Soul Nourishing Realm are considered relatively rare among all cultivation methods
A few days ago, Gao Tai fought bravely on the battlefield, fearlessly slaying several soldiers, and his heroic act of forcibly protecting Gao Cheng from the chaos of the battlefield was astonishing. Even Wu Dubo, a prominent figure among the Yellow Turban's direct forces, had heard of Gao Tai's reputation
Gao Cheng smiled and said, "Having been cooped up in the tent for a long time, it's time to come out and get some fresh air! Where is Uncle Gao? Why haven't I seen him?"
The Thirteen Provinces of the Great Han, including the northern regions of Ji, You, Qing, and Liang, the Central Plains of Yong, Yu, Yan, Xu, and Yang, as well as Jingzhou, Yizhou, and Jiaozhou! Each province covers an area of thousands of miles, and even the least populated Jiaozhou has a population of several million. By this calculation, there are hundreds of millions of people within the territory of the Great Han, not to mention the northern grasslands and the foreign tribes of the Western Regions.
The memories that just emerged, in addition to the cultivation mantra of the "Zhi Xu Jing," also contained some fragmented information. Gao Cheng closed his eyes and focused his mind, directing all his attention to these pieces of information, sorting and summarizing them one by one
Gao Cheng pondered slightly and was able to see through all of Wu Dubo's schemes.
The rulers of this world are predominantly from noble families. The so-called prestigious families and influential clans also have a hierarchy, with the lowest being the humble gentry, a higher tier being the prominent families of the prefectures, and the highest tier being the renowned families of the realm
The Gao family, to which Gao Cheng belongs, is a lowly cold-door gentry. The family possesses a cultivation technique as part of its heritage, which is lacking compared to the higher echelons but sufficient compared to the lower ones