Chapter 1: The Emergence of the Martial God (6)

Liu Jiannan listened to his father's analysis, each word resonating deeply within him, causing beads of sweat to pour down his forehead as he said, "I have realized my mistake." Liu Si said, "Although you are intelligent, your temperament is still lacking; you need to undergo more training in the future." He then asked, "What is the background of that Liu Hanyan? Does anyone know?" The four Liu brothers were taken aback upon hearing this and all claimed ignorance.

Liu Sihai sighed and said: "Your first mistake was listening to Jianxi, allowing Li Yueqian and Dongfang Tianying to engage in combat at the Liu residence. If you had just waited a little longer, Wu Tianyuan and I would have returned, and the subsequent events would not have occurred. Your second mistake was that after Li Yueqian injured Dongfang Tianying, you should have intervened immediately to mediate and ascertain the truth. Had you done so, Zheng Qianli and Liu Hanyan would not have slipped away unnoticed, nor would the situation have escalated to an irretrievable state. It is clear that you found Dongfang Tianying too arrogant and, unable to bear it, decided to let him embarrass himself and temper his pride. When your elder brother arrived, Zheng Qianli and Liu Hanyan had already fled, leaving only Li Yueqian to take the blame. If he had intervened at that moment, given Li Yueqian's naivety, he would certainly have been unable to contend with the people from 'Dongfang Fort.' At that point, what Li Yueqian might do in a fit of rage is anyone's guess. If this had led to a falling out between Wu Tianyuan and Li Yueqian, Wu Tianyuan would likely have directed his anger towards 'Dongfang Fort.' Your elder brother was right to refrain from acting rashly. Even as a father, in such circumstances, I would also wait for Wu Tianyuan to provoke Li Yueqian into leaving before stepping in to mediate."

Liu Jiannan pondered for a moment and said: "It is widely rumored in the martial world that the leader of the 'White Lotus Sect', Zhang Liangwang, is preparing to raise an army to rebel. In my humble opinion, he is eyeing the wealth of the Liu family and our influence in the local area. If Zhang Liang were to raise an army for rebellion, the first requirement would be manpower, and the second would be financial resources. My Liu family possesses immense wealth and has hundreds of retainers at our disposal. If the leader Zhang were to gain the financial and human resources of the Liu family, along with the bandit strongholds in Shandong, this force would indeed be formidable. As for the 'Xuantian Treasure Seal', it is not of great importance to Zhang Liangwang. With his martial prowess, if he had wanted to seize the 'Xuantian Treasure Seal', he could have done so over a decade ago, without having to wait until now.

Liu Sihai said: "Jian Nan, you performed well at the beginning during the - picture - book phase, but later it became a complete mess. Jian Xi, you were even worse. If you had persisted like Jian Nan did at that time, I believe that even Dongfang Tianying would not have dared to act recklessly in my Liu family. Jian Dong, on the other hand, did very well."

Liu Sihai nodded and said, "The 'White Lotus Sect' indeed has no grievances with our Liu family, but their visit to us is not for the 'Xuantian Treasure Seal.' Jian Dong and Jian Nan, do you know what the 'White Lotus Sect' has set its sights on in our Liu family?"

Liu Jiannan interjected, "If that's the case, then Wu Tianyuan's martial arts must be exceptionally high, right?" Liu Sihai replied solemnly, "In my opinion, Wu Tianyuan's martial arts have reached a realm beyond comprehension. When you all traverse the Jianghu in the future, you must treat him with respect when you encounter him." Liu Jianbei laughed and said, "So, according to you, he is probably invincible in the world, and no one can surpass him anymore." Liu Sihai responded, "It is likely so." Liu Sihai thought to himself, "I wonder if that person is still in this world. If he is still alive, perhaps he could still compete with Wu Tianyuan, and it is possible that Wu Tianyuan may not be his match." Lost in his thoughts, he did not pay attention to Liu Jianbei's subsequent remarks.

Liu Sihai raised his head, thought for a moment, and said: "It seems that the daughter of 'Haotian Fortress' is also named Liu Hanyan." Liu Jianbei, however, replied: "But this Liu Hanyan is actually a man." Liu Jianxi laughed and said: "You fool, can't she disguise herself as a man?" Liu Jianbei also laughed and said: "I hadn't thought of that. Does 'Haotian Fortress' have a feud with 'Dongfang Fortress'? Why would Liu Hanyan instigate the conflict between Li Yueqian and Dongfang Tianying?"

"What is 'Samadhi True Fire'? How come I have never heard of it? Is it also a technique from 'Xuantian Baozhuan'?" Liu Jianbei asked, somewhat skeptically. Liu Jiandong, however, was astonished and said, "I saw Wu Tianyuan only plant a tiny bit of 'Samadhi True Fire'. Is that little bit really that powerful?" Liu Sihai gazed deeply at Liu Jiandong, nodded, and replied to Liu Jianbei, "Indeed. This 'Samadhi True Fire' is a supreme Daoist technique, but it is not recorded in the martial arts of 'Xuantian Baozhuan'. It was planted in me by Wu Tianyuan when he was detoxifying and healing me." Liu Jiandong was astonished again, saying, "I saw Wu Tianyuan only plant a tiny bit of 'Samadhi True Fire'. Is that little bit really that powerful?" Liu Sihai gazed deeply at Liu Jiandong, nodded, and replied to Liu Jianbei, "Indeed. This 'Samadhi True Fire' is a supreme Daoist technique, but it is not recorded in the martial arts of 'Xuantian Baozhuan'. It was planted in me by Wu Tianyuan when he was detoxifying and healing me."

In the quiet room, Liu Sihai and his four sons were seated on five cushions, with the book "Xuantian Baozhuan" placed in the center. Liu Jiandong asked Liu Sihai, "Father, is the Zhang Sect Leader you mentioned earlier... ?" Liu Sihai nodded and replied, "Indeed, it is Zhang Liangwang, the leader of the 'White Lotus Sect.' I had also heard that 'Zhi Shou Zhe Tian' Zhan Feixiong had allied himself with the 'White Lotus Sect.' At first, I did not believe it. Alas, only today do I realize that the rumors were true."

Little did they know, Liu Sihai waved to the four men and said, "You all take Zhan Dangjia back to recuperate!" The four men were taken aback, surprised that Liu Sihai was not making things difficult for them. They looked at Liu Sihai with suspicious eyes, unsure whether he was speaking the truth. Seeing their expressions, Liu Sihai understood their thoughts and said, "Are you afraid that I will go back on my word? Everyone disperse and let them leave!" Upon hearing the master's command, the Liu family's servants made way, allowing Zhan Feixiong and the others to depart.

Liu Sihai nodded and said with approval, "Well said." Liu Jiannan then asked, "I wonder why Father released Zhan Feixiong and the others instead of handing them over to the authorities?" Liu Sihai replied, "Our Liu family is located within the city, and as long as we let the members of the 'White Lotus Sect' know that we are on guard, they would not dare to cause trouble in the city. Moreover, Zhang Liangwang is not someone to be trifled with. If we push him too hard, who knows what he might do?"

Liu Jiannan said: "Li Qingshan is seeking martial arts from the martial world, presumably aiming to gather the essence of all martial arts in the world and create a unique skill unprecedented in history." Liu Sihai nodded and replied: "He is exceptionally intelligent, and it is likely that he had such an idea initially. However, creating a new martial art is not an easy task. I fear that later on, he will abandon this fantasy, and this aspiration will naturally be left for Wu Tianyuan and his son Li Yue to fulfill"

With a dull thud, Zhan Feixiong's massive body shot out like an arrow released from its bow, landing two zhang away on the ground, leaving his fate uncertain. Even the Liu brothers, who were filled with joy, were taken aback by this outcome, their faces reflecting astonishment. After all, their opponent was the infamous Shandong bandit known as "One Hand Covers the Sky"! The four companions who had come with Zhan Feixiong were even more terrified upon witnessing this scene. They were well aware that Zhan Feixiong possessed the highest martial arts skills among them. None of them had anticipated that Zhan Feixiong would be struck down by Liu Sihai in a single move, leaving his life hanging in the balance. It seemed that escaping death today was unlikely, yet they remained unaware of how Liu Sihai would deal with them.

Liu Jiannan said: "Yesterday, I saw Li Yue severely injure Dongfang Tianying with a single move, while simultaneously repelling the 'Beimang Shuangjie' of 'Dongfang Fort'. I thought the martial arts of our younger generation could not surpass this, but I did not expect that there is someone as formidable as Wu Tianyuan."

Liu Sihai's youngest son, Liu Jianbei, asked, "Our family has no grievances with the 'White Lotus Sect,' right? Could it be that they really intend to seize our 'Xuantian Baozhuan'?" Liu Jiannan, however, replied, "Did Father just use the martial arts from the 'Xuantian Baozhuan' to subdue Zhan Feixiong? Are the martial arts in the 'Xuantian Baozhuan' truly that formidable?" Liu Sihai chuckled and said, "You both ask so many questions at once; how am I supposed to answer them all?" Liu Jianbei responded, "I asked first, so of course, you should answer me first."

Liu Jiannan remained silent, thinking to himself: "I have done so much, yet I still have to face criticism. My elder brother has done nothing, yet he receives praise. What kind of reasoning is this?" The person speaking about him was his father, and he did not dare to say much.

Liu Jiandong remained silent, while Liu Jiannan said, "What does it matter to our Liu family who rules the world? When chaos ensues, it is the common people who suffer the most. Let us not speak of this for now. Father, did you just use the techniques from the 'Xuantian Treasure Seal'? You have yet to answer your child." Liu Sihai smiled and said, "At first, I used 'Xuantian True Qi' to contend with Zhan Feixiong, but the moment I defeated him, I employed 'Samadhi True Fire'"

Liu Sihai said: "Regarding yesterday's events, I only heard Liu Ping mention it briefly. Today, please recount the entire story to me in detail from the beginning." Liu Jiannan then narrated to his father what had transpired at the banquet yesterday. After finishing, Liu Jiannan said resentfully: "Zheng Qianli and Liu Hanyan are truly despicable. These two instigated the conflict between Dongfang Tianying and Li Yueqian and then slipped away. It's also my fault for not keeping a close watch at that time; otherwise, it wouldn't have escalated into such a troublesome situation in the end." Liu Jiannan said resentfully: "Zheng Qianli and Liu Hanyan are truly despicable. These two instigated the conflict between Dongfang Tianying and Li Yueqian and then slipped away. It's also my fault for not keeping a close watch at that time; otherwise, it wouldn't have escalated into such a troublesome situation in the end."

Liu Jianbei tugged at his father's sleeve and asked, "Who is this Wu Tianyuan? Why have we never heard of him?" Liu Sihai then came to his senses and replied, "Wu Tianyuan is a disciple of Li Qingshan, the 'Master of Silver Needles.'" Liu Jianbei responded in surprise, "Isn't Li Qingshan the number one physician in the world? He may not be the best in martial arts, so if Wu Tianyuan is his disciple, it's understandable that his medical skills are high, but how can his martial arts be so formidable as well?"

As Zhan Feixiong stood tall, he suddenly felt a stream of heat that seemed capable of melting gold and severing iron surge into his body, piercing through his meridians like a needle aimed at his heart. What alarmed him even more was that no matter how he tried to mobilize his internal energy, he was utterly unable to block this seemingly insignificant true qi. Zhan Feixiong was terrified, realizing that if this thread of true qi reached his heart, he would undoubtedly die. He hurriedly withdrew his palm and swiftly leaped backward. However, at that moment, Liu Sihai's palm had already pressed against his chest; the full power of the 'Xuantian True Qi' was not to be underestimated.

Liu Jiandong sighed and said, "I never expected that after just a few years of peace, the world is about to descend into chaos again." Liu Sihai furrowed his brow and replied, "Back in the day, the 'White Lotus Sect' had many talented individuals under its banner. Zhang Liangwang commanded his subordinates, such as Peng Yingyu, Xu Shouhui, Liu Futong, and Han Shantong, to rise against the Yuan dynasty. Who would have thought that although these individuals initially obeyed Zhang Liangwang's orders, once they gained their own power, none were willing to heed the commands of the 'White Lotus Sect' headquarters. After gaining strength, they each declared themselves kings, subsequently turning against one another, and ultimately, the obscure Zhu Yuanzhang seized the world. After Zhu Yuanzhang rose to power with the support of the 'White Lotus Sect', he issued an edict declaring the 'White Lotus Sect' to be a heretical cult, leading to widespread slaughter of its members. Zhang Liangwang felt deeply ashamed of this. In light of this painful reflection, he is making significant adjustments to the 'White Lotus Sect' and is expected to raise the banner of rebellion within the next year or two. However, it remains uncertain whether he can stabilize the world."

Only then did the four believe that Liu Sihai was genuinely sincere in letting them go. They did not linger in this perilous situation, hurriedly helping the fallen Zhan Feixiong, only to discover that he still had a faint breath of life. The four said little and lifted Zhan Feixiong away. Just after taking a few steps, they heard Liu Sihai say: "Go back and inform your leader, Zhang, not to set his sights on my Liu family again!" Upon hearing this, the four could not help but tremble all over, and then without looking back, they fled like the wind. Just after taking a few steps, they heard Liu Sihai say: "Go back and inform your leader, Zhang, not to set his sights on my Liu family again!" Upon hearing this, the four could not help but tremble all over, and then without looking back, they fled like the wind.

Liu Sihai glanced at Liu Jiannan, knowing what he was thinking, and said: "Are you wondering why you have done so much yet face criticism, while Jian Dong has done nothing but receives praise, leaving you feeling quite unfair?" Liu Jiannan replied: "I dare not think so, my father." Liu Sihai laughed and said: "You are my own flesh and blood, I have watched you grow up; is there anything in your heart that you can hide from me?" Liu Jiannan said: "Yes, I do have such thoughts in my heart, please enlighten me, father."

Liu Jiandong watched as Zhan Feixiong and the others departed before instructing the household servants to disperse. Liu Sihai pondered for a long time before addressing Liu Jiandong and his three brothers, saying, "You all come with me." After speaking, he directly returned to the quiet room.