Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 389 - 285: Broken Demon Spear Technique, Candle Sect’s Recommendation, Nangong’s Peril, Heavy Pupils Shocking Ghosts (Part 2)
Li Xian felt a sense of wonder, this similarity aspect, he had already experienced on the flower boat, he smiled and said, "Since I was able to reach the third floor, it must have been Vice Envoy Yan guiding me intentionally."
Yan Hao was slightly surprised, smiled without speaking, carefully observed Li Xian, and after a while said, "You’re quite clever, since you’re here, feel free to look around."
Li Xian looked around, curiously asked, "Since earlier, I have had a layer of doubt. I would like to ask Vice Envoy Yan for clarification." He said, "I am inexperienced, there are many objects arranged here, it seems like some kind of collection hall. But there are no martial arts classics in sight. Is this really a place where martial arts classics are stored?"
He expected that the martial arts classics were surely hidden within these strange objects. At this moment, he pretended to be naive to raise the topic, making it easier to inquire in detail and explore the mysteries within.
Yan Hao said, "Of course, there are a total of thirty-four middle level martial arts here."
Li Xian curiously asked, "Are these referring to these peculiar objects?"
Yan Hao laughed and said, "Indeed, middle level martial arts are no longer confined to being recorded in paper books. The things that carry them are various and strange. As they say, seeing the mountain is not the mountain, seeing the water is not the water... When one reaches a high realm of martial arts comprehension, what one sees, hears, observes, and thinks... differs from others." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
Yan Hao, in high spirits, intended to lead Li Xian to appreciate the objects on the third floor, briefly discussing the martial arts contained within them.
Li Xian followed half a body behind Yan Hao, accompanying him to appreciate the third floor. Through casual conversation, Li Xian came to understand the mysteries of the Martial Arts Pavilion and why it was Yan Hao who was stationed to guard it. The Martial Arts Pavilion stores many martial arts classics, extremely important, needing someone to guard them. However, anyone guarding them would not be suitable, inevitably there would be suspicions of "guarding and stealing", secretly learning the martial arts.
Yan Hao is not innately inclined towards martial arts, although his cultivation is not shallow, his combat power is worrying, practicing only life-preserving and longevity techniques. His lifelong interests and spare time... all devoted to strange arts, Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. The Martial Arts Pavilion he arranges would even trap Hao Qingshe if she broke in.
He guards the Martial Arts Pavilion but is too lazy to touch martial arts classics. Thus, it is naturally very appropriate.
The ’Leftover Soup Leftovers’ just seen contains a martial art called ’Swallowing Leftovers’. The ’Fish Swimming in the Jar’ contains ’Reverse Flow Fish Step’. ’Snake Shedding Old Skin’ contains ’Shedding Scales Roaring at the Sky’... Thirty-four strange and unique objects, thirty-four middle level martial arts.
As for how to obtain martial arts from these odd and ancient items, Yan Hao did not disclose. After strolling around a bit, the sky had darkened, the setting sun retreated to the west, the splashing sunset spilled over the lake.
Yan Hao laughed and said, "How is it, do you have any thoughts?"
Li Xian said vaguely, "The talents of the ancients, I admire; if I could obtain just one, it would truly be the protection of heaven."
Yan Hao said, "Indeed, if I’m not mistaken... didn’t you win first place at the grand gathering and receive three taels of merit silver?" Li Xian said, "Yes."
Yan Hao said, "Chief Shi told me, during the grand gathering, you were frightened, that thief girl Hao Qingshe acted recklessly, increasingly outrageous. As compensation, you are allowed to purchase one martial art at a thirty percent discount. He mentioned this to me a while ago, lately I’ve been wondering, wondering if you perhaps forgot about this and didn’t come to acquire a martial art. If you hadn’t forgotten, then I was the one who forgot, and that verbal promise would be in vain."
Li Xian shyly said, "This matter... is indeed my oversight, didn’t expect the Vice Envoy to remember." Yan Hao said, "You came before I forgot, so naturally that verbal promise stands. Given this... there is one middle level martial art you might give a try."
Li Xian was intrigued, "Oh?" The thirty-four martial arts, all required more than forty taels of merit silver each, even at a thirty percent discount, were far beyond Li Xian’s reach. Even... ordinary elders would find it difficult to afford them. Yan Hao said, "Here there is a thirty-fifth middle level martial art."
After saying this, he walked towards a sealed box. Unlocking a hidden mechanism, it turned out to be a damaged painting. Burned by fire, only a corner was left. Yan Hao said, "Take a look." He handed the painting over.
The tones of the damaged painting were dark, at first glance like spilled ink covering the original pattern. It made people lament and sigh, upon closer inspection, one could vaguely see very faint lines, crooked and slovenly drawn. Li Xian frowned as he observed, noticing some clues, he said, "Vice Envoy Yan, could this be a ghostly image?"
Yan Hao was stunned, became interested, and asked, "Oh... how did you see that?" Li Xian said, "I didn’t really see it, but had the fortune of coming into contact with paintings from the Nanyang Period. At that time, nations were at war, foreign enemies invaded, ethics were chaotic. Art enthusiasts loved painting landscapes, uninhibited. There were also unusual individuals who focused on painting the world’s tragedies, initially depicting cannibalism, famine, city destruction, floods... and other tragedies, then gradually evolving into painting ghosts, eventually forming a genre. These paintings were composed with hurried lines, a few strokes tell the tragic story."
Yan Hao said, "Rare indeed, rare indeed, how old are you, and yet you know these things? It seems you’re quite adept in history?" Li Xian said, "I am just showing off in front of an expert. I don’t even understand the contemporary matters of today, let alone the Nanyang Period. It was merely by chance that I heard some extraordinary individual speak of it, and I am simply repeating it now."
Yan Hao said, "So... that person must be very learned. As you said, it’s difficult to understand contemporary matters, let alone old affairs from the past, many things are beyond investigation. Such individuals... knowing them must be a great fortune. Hahaha, if you meet them again, don’t forget to introduce me."
Li Xian smiled but did not reply, those words were all borrowed from the tomb deep in the mountains, in the tomb of the Pure Yang Scholar, where Wen Caishang observed a painting with emotion and casually mentioned it. Li Xian never forgot what he heard, and made it his own. If he were to meet Wen Caishang again, Li Xian would inevitably face the risk of losing a hand or foot, how could he have the leisure to introduce? Even if he did introduce... Yan Hao, though high-ranking as Vice Envoy, would still face dire consequences.
Yan Hao curiously asked, "Aren’t you afraid?"
