June 8th.

The appointed day for the martial arts lecture.

Jian Province.

Suanzao Mountain.

This mountain lies at the junction of three counties, bordering four counties and intersecting eight towns, with nine peaks and thirteen caves. It’s an easy place to defend and difficult to attack, initially a gathering place for mountain bandits.

But after the establishment of the Hundred Flower Palace, the bandit menace in Suanzao Mountain was cleared. Roads were repaired, waterways dredged, and transportation by land and water became convenient, making it another hub of Jian Province.

In the past month, tens of thousands of people from all directions have flocked here.

Increasing daily.

Endless and unending.

"The entire Jian Province, martial arts halls, sects, academies, military, almost everyone has come!"

"Yan Chuan!"

"Grandmaster Yan!"

"This is our own grandmaster from Jian Province. Don’t underestimate Grandmaster Yan; although he hasn’t been proving his Dao for long, there are seven or eight grandmasters who broke through with his guidance!"

"Grandmaster Yan is going to give a martial arts lecture at Suanzao Mountain. Who wouldn’t be interested? Not only the entire Jian Province, but even from further places like Peng State, Qingzhou, Shan State, Xiang Province, and even Hui State, so many martial artists are coming over mountains and waters. Just look, there are over a hundred thousand on and off the mountain!"

...

Yan Chuan’s appeal is unparalleled. The Hundred Flower Palace released the news that Yan Chuan would be giving a martial arts lecture at Suanzao Mountain, and in a month, more than a hundred thousand people gathered from all directions.

"Hundred Flower Palace put on quite a show. Even the previous Jian Province Competition wasn’t this grand." Zong Pi from the Military Suppression Department Guangling Office led a team of elite guards to change shifts with fellow Capital Affairs Che Zheng. During their handover, Zong Pi casually chatted with Che Zheng.

For this martial arts lecture by Yan Chuan, Jian Province was on high alert from top to bottom. Not only were the Military Suppression Department elites dispatched to maintain order, but various government offices in Jian Province also had more elites stationed around Suanzao Mountain to guard against disruptive elements.

Zong Pi wasn’t happy about working extra hours for no reason.

He filled the vacancy left by Liao Huang at the Guangling Office. It’s said that Liao Huang was disabled by the new grandmaster Jiang Bianliu before proving his Dao, and the Guangling Office had only nine Capital Affairs since. Zong Pi worked his connections and finally broke through all the barriers a few days ago to enter the Guangling Office.

Originally, he just wanted to enjoy his time, leisurely gaining experience, grabbing some achievements, and then smoothly get promoted and leave. As for the family instructions to befriend Yan Chuan and get close to the Hundred Flower Palace, he dismissed them altogether.

Him, a direct descendant of the Zong family, to fawn over someone else?

Impossible!

Zong Pi casually complained to Che Zheng about the Hundred Flower Palace’s extravagant show, keeping some sense not to directly disrespect Yan Chuan, after all he is a grandmaster with unsurpassable prestige in Jian Province, he couldn’t afford to offend him.

But while he couldn’t touch Yan Chuan, couldn’t he criticize the lavish spectacle and resources-wasting Hundred Flower Palace?

"Look at these people, their eyes are higher than their heads, just because they have a grandmaster, they act so proud!" Zong Pi looked at a team of elite guards from the Hundred Flower Palace passing by and spat.

Who doesn’t have a grandmaster?

His Shengzhou Zong family has one too, named ’Zong Xian,’ the current Commander of the Forbidden Army, a trusted confidant of Your Majesty. He was already a commander of the guards before Emperor Yan ascended the throne when he was still a prince and earned deep trust from Emperor Yan.

Zong Xian may not compare with Yan Chuan.

But can the Zong family not compare to the nouveau riche Hundred Flower Palace?

"I heard that after founding the Hundred Flower Palace, Yan Chuan became a hands-off boss, leaving the palace to a twenty-year-old disciple who hasn’t even matured? I laughed so hard when I heard it!"

Zong Pi laughed heartily.

He had only been in Jian Province for a few days, and when he took office, someone had told him to pay respects to the Hundred Flower Palace; Zong Pi ignored them. Someone else advised him to pay attention to Che Zheng as he had a strong background, Zong Pi scoffed at that even more. Speaking of background, who can compare to the Shengzhou Zong family, guarded by a grandmaster and blessed by Emperor Yan?

Zong Pi came incognito, feigning ignorance to catch others by surprise. He felt elated, dismissing everyone.

"Does Lord Zong have any dissatisfaction with the Hundred Flower Palace?" Che Zheng asked.

"No dissatisfaction, just can’t stand their grandiosity!" Zong Pi smiled.

Che Zheng nodded, "If that’s the case, I’ll report to the Lord and ask him to make other arrangements for the defense, to avoid clashing with the Hundred Flower Palace and Grandmaster Yan."

The ’Lord’ referred to by Che Zheng was Chen Yi, the Left Martial Commander of Jian Province’s Military Suppression Department.

Was he about to be tattled on?

"Chen Yi?"

What kind of small fry is he?

Zong Pi watched Che Zheng leave, sneering.

Next to him, Du Head Bao Min had an unpleasant look. He thought for a moment and then reminded, "Lord Zong, previously the Hundred Flower Palace was managed by Yan Chuan’s disciple Che Qi, who is the only son of Capital Affairs Che. Che Capital Affairs has a good relationship with Grandmaster Yan. It’s thanks to Che’s early notice that Yan Chuan successfully set up the ’Advanced Study Hall’ in Guangling City peacefully."

Zong Pi was dumbfounded listening—

Damn!

A background this big and no one said anything earlier?

To play this game of pretending to be ignorant with someone who’s already playing it?

Disgusting!

Zong Pi felt thoroughly disgusted.

But he understood, "Can’t stay in Jian Province."

Time to run!

Leaving was the best plan!

...

"Hundred Flower Palace!"

"Look!"

"What a spectacle!"

Newly appointed Chief Constable of one hundred and twenty counties in the Nine Counties of Jian Province, Wei Wude, led his ten Silver Badge Constables, the Four Great Tributors, and two personal guards to Suanzao Mountain for inspection.

Defensive arrangement of Suanzao Mountain.

County constables were also an important part. Wei Wude, commanding the arrest team of Jian Province, was already a significant figure locally.

For example, under him, ten Silver Badge Constables were only Limit Extreme Martial Artists; however, the four Tributors he attracted and the two personal guards he hired were all Limit-breaking Martial Artists.

He had six Limit-breaking warriors at his command!

Wei Wude himself wasn’t Limit-breaking, not even achieving the Qi-Blood limit. He rose to this position purely because of his past friendship with the Big Brother Yan Chuan at the Iron Wire Martial Arts Hall in Guangling City.

Yan Chuan rose in status.

And everything associated with him ascended as well.

Wei Wude was urgently promoted from one of the Four Great Constables of Nanning County Government in Guangling County to continue rising smoothly, eliminating countless rivals—or rather, he never really had any rivals—and successfully assumed the position of Chief Constable of Jian Province.

However, since the Cang Mountain Sword Discussion, he had not seen Yan Chuan. Now that Yan Chuan was giving a martial arts lecture at Suanzao Mountain, Wei Wude quickly rushed to attend, just to publicly meet Yan Chuan. As long as he got a chance to meet Yan Chuan, to shout ’Big Brother’ and receive a nod from Yan Chuan, then his position as ’Chief Constable of Jian Province’ would be unshakable by anyone.

These personal thoughts turned in his mind.

Suddenly, Wei Wude looked up, seemingly seeing a streak of light flash by. He was startled, thinking he was mistaken, but in the next moment—

"Hoo!"

A gust of wind came.

A person appeared right in front of him.

Wei Wude fixed his gaze and almost thought he was dreaming, rubbing his eyes in surprise: "Big Brother?!"

The person who came!

Yan Chuan!

...

Yan Chuan started from Guangling City, with many acquaintances in Jian Province. Some rose with Yan Chuan, like Che Zheng and Wei Wude; whereas some regretted not siding with Yan Chuan, like Cai Liang and Lu Qing. The stronger Yan Chuan became, the more it highlighted their poor choices, leaving them in doubt, avoidance, and mediocrity, living in Yan Chuan’s shadow all their lives.

In the twelfth year of the Hongwu era, on June 8th.

Yan Chuan gave a martial arts lecture at Suanzao Mountain in Jian Province.

Many talented people gathered, young and old, all assembled.

According to authoritative statistics from the Hundred Flower Palace, there were as many as 1,024,985 listeners!

Over a million!

Absolutely insane!

Fortunately, Yan Chuan had the ’White Horn Trumpet,’ which was at Fifth rank peak. Standing on the mountain peak with the trumpet, he could deliver the martial arts lecture that could be heard throughout the entire Suanzao Mountain.

The sound traveled over Baili.

Clear to the ears.

This time, Yan Chuan was lecturing on ’Xingyi Boxing.’ Using it as a foundation and under the guise of ’research and development of national martial arts,’ he continually mixed in his private insights to enhance his Absolute Skills.

Starting from the ’Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield,’ Yan Chuan was already integrating and enhancing many of his Absolute Skills.

Among them, ’Dragon Elephant Wisdom,’ ’Vajra Unbreakable Body Divine Skill,’ and the ’Golden Bell Shield’ from the Nine Yin Scripture had already been integrated into the True Skill ’Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield,’ and he developed the first Chapter, the Innate Chapter.

Simultaneously.

In late May, after completing the Innate Chapter of the ’Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield,’ Yan Chuan was inspired by the ’Mad Demon Scroll.’ Gradually gathering inspirations, including the ’Lion Roar,’ ’Ghost Prison Yin Wind Roar,’ and ’Vajra Zen Lion Roar,’ among other ’Roar Techniques,’ he ultimately developed insights and thoughts into the ’Ksitigarbha Heavenly Dragon Roar’ —

"’Lion Roar’!"

"’Yin Wind’!"

"’Ghost Prison’!"

"’Mo Yin’!"

"’Buddha’s Anger’!"

"’Heavenly Dragon’!"

From late May to June 8th, the True Skill ’Ksitigarbha Heavenly Dragon Roar’ was successfully developed by Yan Chuan into the Innate Chapter Six Forms. Unlike the ’Fire Demon Golden Bell Shield,’ any command of the ’Ksitigarbha Heavenly Dragon Roar’ enabled displaying the corresponding moves. Yan Chuan had the Late Stage Eighth Realm accomplishment of the ’Ghost Prison Yin Wind Roar,’ then cultivated the ’Ksitigarbha Heavenly Dragon Roar,’ and with continuous martial arts lectures, he easily mastered the Fifth Move ’Buddha’s Anger.’ Its power remains equivalent to the Late Stage Eighth Realm Absolute Skills, not diminished, but more profound and mysterious.

At this time.

At this moment.

At this place.

Yan Chuan stood on the mountain peak, holding the White Horn Trumpet, yet seemingly like a true Buddha meditating, with a thousand-leaf green lotus at his feet creating an awe-inspiring scene.

Steadfast as the earth, with calm deliberation like a deep secret!

The Fourth Form ’Mo Yin’ of the ’Ksitigarbha Heavenly Dragon Roar’ cultivates the Formless Sound Gang, meaning the sound gang is intangible. Its wonderful sound is endless, able to defend against enemies and protect the body, as well as control others with sound.

Mo Yin saturates the ears.

Mo Yin disturbs the mind.

Mo Yin can immerse, submerge, and make all beings and wicked spirits even more focused on listening to the teachings of Ksitigarbha and Yan Chuan’s martial arts lectures. The marvelous sound is endless, feedback is endless.

...

"Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!"

In Suanzao Mountain, all faculty and students of Guangling Academy gathered together, with the first of the Ten Elders, Gu Shengyan, sitting at the front listening to the lecture.

Since last December when Yan Chuan and Chen Ze returned, presenting the Absolute Skill ’Breaking Vow Blade Technique,’ Gu Shengyan seemed to have unlocked the body’s secrets, tapping into the human treasure trove. Her cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, and that day, she broke through to Postnatal Sixth Realm, Limit-breaking Sixth Grade after hearing Yan Chuan’s martial lecture. In just half a year, she advanced continuously, reaching Postnatal Ten Layer, Limit-breaking Nine Grade in one go.

Too fast!

Too fierce!

While Chen Ze supplying ’Jade Honey’ played a part, it was mainly because the ’Breaking Vow Blade Technique,’ tailor-made by Yan Chuan for her, was so fitting—

...