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

Li Yueqian was preoccupied with picking food and did not raise his head as he replied, "He is also my father." The red-faced man felt a surge of anger in his heart, realizing that he had asked two questions in vain. He was a well-known figure in the martial world, and no one had ever made him feel this embarrassed. However, being at a banquet, he did not want to lose his temper at this reckless young man. Suppressing his anger, he asked again, "Then what about your esteemed father?"

How majestic is Mount Tai, the green of Qilu still lingers. Nature has bestowed its exquisite beauty, dividing light and darkness. Layers of clouds rise in my chest, and my gaze pierces the flying birds. I shall stand upon the summit, surveying all the mountains as mere hills. This poem "Looking at the Mountain" by Du Fu, which vividly depicts the scenery of Mount Tai, is indeed well-known, and the final line is a timeless classic, widely sung. As the foremost of the Five Great Mountains, Mount Tai boasts magnificent and grand landscapes. Additionally, as this renowned mountain is dedicated to the Eastern Emperor and the Goddess of Bixia, every year, tourists flock to Mount Tai like a woven tapestry, and pilgrims come in droves. Consequently, the city of Tai'an at the foot of Mount Tai is bustling with activity.

Liu Hanyan smiled and said, "Hehe, may I ask which school Brother Wu is from? Where have you been making your fortune?" Wu Tianyuan replied indifferently, "My brother's martial arts are lacking, and I do not dare to dishonor my master's name. As for making a fortune, if my brother truly had any wealth, I wouldn't have come here to scrounge for a meal."

As the red-faced man was pondering, he heard Wu Tianyuan reprimanding Li Yueqian: "What do you understand? This 'Shadowless Whip' Zheng Qianli, Brother Zheng, has already mastered the 'Six Harmonies Whip Technique' to an extraordinary level, far beyond what we newcomers can presumptuously speculate about." Upon hearing this, Li Yueqian could only respond, "Yes." He then refrained from further comment, wearing a look of indifference.

As noon approached, the guests, guided by the servants of the Liu residence, began to take their seats. Due to the overwhelming number of guests, even the courtyard of the Liu residence was filled with banquet tables. At an inconspicuous table in the eastern part of the courtyard sat a tall and robust young man in plain clothes, standing out like a crane among chickens in the crowd. He shouted to a rather handsome young man beside him, who appeared to be around twenty years old, "Elder brother, I am hungry!" The young man couldn't help but furrow his brows, knowing that this was certainly not a good omen, and he immediately regretted bringing this embarrassing brother out. Thus, the young man could only whisper to the tall youth, "Just hold on a little longer; it won't be long before the banquet begins."

Everyone at the table stopped eating and turned their gaze towards Li Yue, their faces revealing a hint of surprise. Among them, a man with a red face asked Wu Tianyuan, "Brother Wu, how many days has your younger brother gone without food? Why does he eat like this? This is the first time I have ever seen such a thing."

Li Yueqian looked at Wu Tianyuan in confusion and asked, "Elder brother, is he asking about my father?" Wu Tianyuan suppressed a laugh and nodded. Li Yueqian continued, "I don't know who my father learned martial arts from. He has never told me that." At that moment, Liu Hanyan could no longer hold back and let out a laugh. The middle-aged man beside Liu Hanyan thought to himself, "By this reasoning, Wu Tianyuan should actually be Li Yueqian's senior or junior apprentice. Why does Li Yueqian call him elder brother? Their relationship is truly ambiguous and inappropriate."

Upon hearing this, Wu Tianyuan's already awkward expression became even more so as he said, "Well, this is just how he eats. On behalf of my brother, I apologize to everyone, and I hope you can forgive us." As he spoke, he stood up and cupped his fists in salute to the group at the table. After sitting down, he nudged Li Yueqian with his elbow and whispered, "Don't eat so fast; this isn't your home, it's quite embarrassing!" Li Yueqian, however, mumbled, "I've been starving for a long time, I've held back for so long, and now that the food is finally here, how can I possibly hold back?" Wu Tianyuan could only smile wryly and shake his head in silence.

At that moment, a handsome scholar beside the young man cupped his hands and said, "Brother Liu Hanyan, may I ask your esteemed surname and given name?" The young man quickly returned the gesture and replied, "I am Wu Tianyuan, and this is my brother Li Yueqian." As he spoke, he pointed to the tall youth beside him

Liu Hanyan encountered a soft obstacle but did not get angry, instead engaging in conversation with others at the table. The middle-aged man beside him shot a fierce glare at Wu Tianyuan and whispered in Liu Hanyan's ear: "Young Master, this fellow is arrogant and disrespectful. Should I teach him a lesson?" Liu Hanyan was speaking with a ruddy-faced man across the table and merely shook his head slightly, prompting the middle-aged man to fall silent.

Fortunately, Wu Tianyuan had already made the introductions earlier, and the table was filled with an abundance of food and drink, served at a swift pace. Before long, Li Yue's eating speed had slowed down compared to before. Only then could everyone begin to raise their glasses and use their chopsticks, yet each person harbored a sense of dissatisfaction towards the leader.

However, Li Yueqian said: "I think that the 'Six Harmonies Whip Technique' and the 'Wuwei Gangqi' are both secret arts of the Zheng family from Hebei. You have both at about fifty to sixty percent proficiency, so you must indeed be from the Zheng family." The red-faced man changed his expression upon hearing this, feeling a surge of alarm: "The 'Six Harmonies Whip Technique' of my Zheng family is renowned in the martial world; it is one thing for this kid to know about it, but the 'Wuwei Gangqi' is a secret art of my Zheng family, and even among us, very few know it. How does this kid know?" He then thought to himself that his 'Wuwei Gangqi' was indeed at fifty to sixty percent proficiency, but he was unsure how Li Yueqian had discerned this. He secretly mused: "It seems this kid has some insight; I must be cautious and not make a fool of myself in public."

Under the guidance of the servant, Wu Tianyuan arrived at a tranquil courtyard on the west side of the Liu residence. He found the courtyard arranged neatly, with rockeries and flowing waterfalls, each detail showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. It immediately transported him far away from the bustling noise outside, evoking an indescribable sense of ancient tranquility and serenity. Wu Tianyuan felt a sudden refreshment throughout his body, and could not help but praise it inwardly.

The tall young man, however, did not listen. For him, feeling hungry meant it was only natural to eat. As for the etiquette before dining and how to interact with others at a banquet, those were not matters he needed to consider. Although he heard two people next to him introduce themselves, one surnamed Zheng and the other surnamed Liu, it was of no concern to him; he was only focused on his own hunger. Driven by the primal desires of his stomach, he kept shouting, "But I am hungry, so hungry I can't stand it! Big brother! Let's not eat here; let's go to a restaurant instead!" Although he heard two people next to him introduce themselves, one surnamed Zheng and the other surnamed Liu, it was of no concern to him; he was only focused on his own hunger. Driven by the primal desires of his stomach, he kept shouting, "But I am hungry, so hungry I can't stand it! Big brother! Let's not eat here; let's go to a restaurant instead!"

Not long after the waiter left, the banquet commenced. As the dishes and wine were served, everyone stood up (except for Li Yueqian) and was about to offer some words of blessing for Liu Sihai's fiftieth birthday. However, they saw Li Yueqian reach out and grab a pig trotter from the table, bringing it to his mouth in a swift motion, and in an instant, only a bare bone remained. He then seized a plate of beef, and similarly, in a blink of an eye, it was left empty. It was unclear how he managed to send the food into his stomach. The others could only observe that the dishes before them vanished in no time, truly like the wind sweeping away the clouds.

At this moment, Wu Tianyuan waved to a servant from the Liu residence nearby. The servant hurried over and asked Wu Tianyuan, "May I ask what instructions you have, young sir?" Wu Tianyuan pointed to his companion Li Yueqian and said, "My brother has a larger appetite than usual, so I would like to request that you serve double portions for our table." As he spoke, a faint flush of crimson appeared on Wu Tianyuan's handsome face.

At this moment, Zheng Qianli was secretly observing the brothers Wu Tianyuan and Li Yueqian. Based on his experience, if a person's martial arts had reached a considerable level, the temples on both sides should be prominently raised, or their eyes should radiate brilliance. However, as he looked at the two brothers, he could not discern any remarkable traits in them. Just as he was pondering this, he noticed the previous servant from the Liu residence approaching, who leaned down and whispered something in Wu Tianyuan's ear. Wu Tianyuan nodded and said to the servant, "Alright, I will go over there." Subsequently, he turned to Liu Hanyan and said, "I apologize, but I have some matters to attend to. I will discuss it further when I return." He then solemnly addressed Li Yueqian, saying, "I am going out to handle some affairs. You are not allowed to cause any trouble, nor are you permitted to leave this table." Li Yueqian nodded and replied, "You go ahead. Rest assured, I will not leave this table." With that, Wu Tianyuan followed the servant away.

After downing three cups of wine, the red-faced man asked Li Yueqian, "May I inquire which school your younger brother is from?" Upon hearing this, Li Yueqian hurriedly swallowed the piece of meat in his mouth and replied, "My master is my father." The red-faced man thought to himself, "So this is just a foolish kid; I might as well have not asked at all." Yet, he was unwilling to let it go and asked, "What about your elder brother?"

The red-faced man was so enraged that his face turned purple. Just as he was about to explode, he heard Li Yue ask, "Is this brother's surname Zheng?" The red-faced man was taken aback and replied, "Indeed, how did you know?" He was puzzled, wondering how this brat knew his surname. After a moment's thought, he concluded that he must have mentioned his name to someone else earlier, which was not surprising, and he felt relieved.

At that moment, Liu Hanyan also turned her head and saw the wooden box. Her expression changed, and she asked, "Brother Wu, what is this?" Wu Tianyuan glanced at Liu Hanyan and replied, "A gift." He then addressed the servant, saying, "If it cannot be delivered to your master, then give it to your eldest young master. If he asks you, just reply: 'An old friend's promise, I dare not forget.'" The servant nodded and took the wooden box, turning to leave.

There are two people in the room, one sitting and the other standing. The one sitting is a middle-aged scholar, elegantly toying with a wooden box handed over by the house servant at the behest of Wu Tianyuan, exuding an air of refined charm, seemingly possessing a hint of ethereal grace, yet there is a faint trace of dark energy between his brows. This person is Liu Sihai, revered in the martial arts world as the Living Buddha of Ten Thousand Families. Beside him stands his eldest son, Liu Jiandong, a man in his thirties, robust and strong, with prominent temples on either side of his forehead, indicating that his internal skills have reached a considerable level. Upon seeing Wu Tianyuan enter, Liu Sihai's eyes revealed a keen eagerness as he clasped his hands and said: "Wu Shizhi, you have traveled a long way, please take a seat. How is your esteemed teacher, Brother Li Qingshan? Why did he not come?"

Wu Tianyuan hurriedly clasped his hands towards Zheng Qianli and said, "My younger brother is not very good at speaking. If he has offended you, I hope you will forgive him." Zheng Qianli could only pretend to be magnanimous, offering a slight smile to brush off the matter. Meanwhile, Liu Hanyan listened intently to the exchange among the three, not missing a single change in their expressions. He realized that Li Yue's earlier words were not unfounded, and his gaze began to shift unpredictably. Once the three had finished their conversation, he took the initiative to smile and strike up a conversation with Wu Tianyuan, discussing some tales from the martial world and interesting anecdotes. This time, Wu Tianyuan did not keep him at arm's length and engaged in conversation with Liu Hanyan. Wu Tianyuan was quite talkative, well-versed in the secrets of the martial world, and his demeanor was very appropriate, causing Liu Hanyan to nod in approval inwardly.

On the last day of the first month in the twelfth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the entrance of Liu Yuanwai's residence in Tai'an City was adorned with festive decorations early in the morning, bustling with the flow of people and vehicles, creating an atmosphere even more lively than during the New Year. Speaking of Liu Yuanwai, he is quite renowned in the martial arts world. Fifteen years ago, the national master of the Yuan Dynasty used the martial arts manual "Xuantian Baozhuan" as bait, secretly setting up the "Thousand Poisons Great Formation" to trap countless heroes from various sects, attempting to capture all martial artists from the Central Plains. Liu Sihai led hundreds of his men, along with masters from the Shaolin and Wudang sects, risking their lives to rescue them. Liu Sihai, proficient in formations, assisted the heroes in breaking the "Thousand Poisons Great Formation," but unfortunately, he himself was poisoned by a strange toxin. Although he was fortunate to survive after careful treatment by renowned doctors, his martial arts skills were completely ruined. Therefore, the martial artists hold Liu Sihai in high regard, and during every festival, various sects send representatives to pay their respects. Today marks Liu Sihai's fiftieth birthday, and heroes from all corners of the world have come to celebrate. The entrance was filled with martial artists, some wielding swords and daggers, while others were young men dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses.

The surrounding people heard the shouting of the tall youth and turned their gazes towards him. The young man glanced around and was met with a sea of questioning looks, a hint of shame creeping onto his face. He whispered angrily to the tall youth, "Shut up! I told you not to come out with me, yet you insisted! I won't take you out again next time!" The tall youth immediately fell silent, lowering his head and no longer daring to look at the young man.

The steward of the Liu residence nodded and said, "Please rest assured, I will notify the kitchen immediately." Wu Tianyuan added, "There is one more thing I would like to ask you for a favor." The steward replied, "Young sir, please feel free to instruct me." Wu Tianyuan took out a wooden box from his bosom; judging by its appearance, it seemed to be quite old, with several seals affixed to it. Wu Tianyuan said, "I would like to ask you to personally deliver this to your master." The steward could not help but show a troubled expression and said, "At present, the master is quite busy, I fear that I..."

However, the servant walked leisurely to the door of the small house in the courtyard and softly said, "Sir, Young Master Wu has arrived." Immediately, a voice came from inside, "Quickly invite Young Master Wu in." The servant stood respectfully to the side and said to Wu Tianyuan, "Please, Young Master." Wu Tianyuan said nothing further, pushed open the door, and walked in.