Cultivating for Immorality: I Evolved Martial Arts into the Immortal Path – Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Killing Intent in the Dark

The setting sun slanted westward, and the evening clouds were brilliant.

Wu Neng and the others gradually moved away, soon disappearing from everyone’s sight.

Their departure eased the atmosphere at the village entrance considerably.

Master Hu called for the servants of the Hu family to bring tables, chairs, tea, and pastries, placing them at the village entrance.

“Your Excellencies have traveled far and must be tired, please have some tea.”

“Alright.”

Song Zhong and the others did not refuse and took their seats.

The evening was pleasant, with a gentle breeze.

Everyone sat at the village entrance, bathed in the setting sun, with the tiger demon’s corpse nearby, eating pastries and chatting.

The other villagers were kept at a distance by Master Hu’s men, not allowed to approach and disturb them.

Song Zhong thought highly of Chu Liang and explained to him in detail the various forces in the county town and some things to be aware of.

“Even if I don’t tell you these things now, you will eventually learn them yourself,” Song Zhong took a sip of tea, “But it’s always better to know in advance to avoid suffering losses later.”

He slowly explained the various forces in the county town.

There were only four Skin Tempering Realm experts in the county town, belonging to the “Martial Alliance,” the “County Government,” the “Black Market,” and the “Qin Clan Merchant Guild.”

Chu Liang had heard this information before from the black market stall owner, Wu Dafu.

Below these four forces were several factions with experts possessing Five Strands of Qi and Blood, such as the Green Robe Gang that Chu Liang had previously provoked.

Apart from the Green Robe Gang, there were the three famous martial arts halls in the county town.

“The Black Sword Martial Arts Hall, the Mountain Fist Martial Arts Hall, and the Autumn Blade Martial Arts Hall. The hall masters of these three martial arts halls are all experts with Five Strands of Qi and Blood. Many martial artists in the county town come from these three martial arts halls.”

The cultivation techniques and martial skills of these three martial arts halls could be learned by anyone with money.

They were the first choice for many wealthy families in the county town.

“I came from the Mountain Fist Martial Arts Hall. The cultivation techniques of this martial arts hall emphasize calmness and stability, focusing on a stable lower body. With a stable lower body, one can punch with more power.”

Song Zhong gently clenched his fist and said seriously, “As for the Black Sword and Autumn Blade martial arts halls, their cultivation techniques focus on calming the mind and cultivating character, emphasizing balance in all aspects…”

He spoke in great detail, trying to share everything he knew, as he believed that Chu Liang was currently cultivating only the 《Blood Nourishing Technique》 and urgently needed to switch to a better cultivation technique.

The 《Blood Nourishing Technique》 was too ordinary, a waste of Chu Liang’s talent.

“Below the Five Strands of Qi and Blood are some smaller factions with experts possessing Four or Three Strands of Qi and Blood, such as some other small martial arts halls in the county town,” Song Zhong introduced.

The hall master of the “Boulder Martial Arts Hall,” where Master Hu practiced martial arts, was an expert with Four Strands of Qi and Blood.

To open a martial arts hall in the county town, the weakest had to be an expert with Three Strands of Qi and Blood. Any weaker, and they wouldn’t be qualified to teach apprentices.

Although there was no written rule, it was a rule everyone tacitly agreed upon.

As an expert with Three Strands of Qi and Blood, Song Zhong was also qualified to open a martial arts hall, but he believed that opening a martial arts hall would waste time that could be spent hunting demons.

“Here is a map of the county town…”

With that, Song Zhong took out a map.

He spread the map out and placed it in front of Chu Liang.

Chu Liang took a closer look and saw that the map was a distribution map of the forces in Anping County Town, with the martial artists’ strengths behind each force marked on it.

Shopkeeper Qi’s “Yunlai Restaurant” was also marked on it, with an expert possessing Three Strands of Qi and Blood behind it.

Shopkeeper Qi was just a figurehead placed in the front by that expert.

“Keep this map.”

Song Zhong said to Chu Liang, “The county town gathers experts from all sides. It’s not like your small mountain village. You need to be cautious in your actions. Without someone to guide you, it’s very easy to offend people.”

“Alright, thank you very much!”

Chu Liang did not refuse and immediately accepted the map.

This map was exactly what he needed most right now.

Master Hu, who was standing nearby, looked on with some envy. He did not receive such treatment when he became a martial artist.

“You have become a martial artist not long ago. You should not have learned any martial skills yet?” Song Zhong asked Chu Liang.

“That’s right,” Chu Liang answered truthfully.

“Do you know how to choose martial skills?”

“I don’t.”

“Let me explain it to you in detail…”

Song Zhong took another sip of tea, moistening his throat.

Martial skills had four levels, generally divided into “Unranked,” “Third-Rate,” “Second-Rate,” and “First-Rate.”

The criteria for classification were not very clear and somewhat vague.

“Martial skills are methods of using the power of Qi and Blood, which can enhance a martial artist’s explosive power.”

Song Zhong explained in detail, “In the past, there was no specific method for classifying martial skills. After all, even the same martial skill can display different levels of power in the hands of different people. It’s hard to say which martial skill is superior.”

He paused, then continued, “Later, the Martial Alliance was established and was incorporated by the imperial court. The imperial court believed that martial skills must be classified into different grades, just like official positions. Without ranks, it’s difficult to manage.”

“Different grades?”

Master Hu couldn’t help but be surprised.

He had also become a martial artist not long ago, had no money to learn martial skills, and had not learned much about them. He knew very little about these things.

“Don’t be surprised. This suggestion was put forward by the Emperor himself.”

Song Zhong glanced at him indifferently, not surprised by his reaction.

◈◈◈

“Master Song, what are the specific criteria for classifying martial skills?” Master Hu listened with fascination and couldn’t help but ask.

“I don’t know either.”

Song Zhong held his teacup and shook his head slightly, continuing, “But First-Rate martial skills are indeed generally stronger than Second-Rate martial skills, and Second-Rate are generally stronger than Third-Rate. The imperial court’s ranking is not without reason.”

He said that when martial skills were initially classified into different grades, there were many voices of opposition in the martial world.

Many great families, martial arts halls, and sects were very confident in their own martial skills, believing they could be classified as First-Rate. However, they were classified as Second-Rate or even Third-Rate, while some unknown martial skills became First-Rate.

Later, the voices of opposition grew louder and reached the imperial court.

The imperial court then selected a group of young people with similar martial arts talent. These young people were made to cultivate the same cultivation technique and then learn martial skills of various levels. Three years later, a martial arts tournament was held to let them compete against each other.

“Master Song, what was the result after three years?” Master Hu couldn’t help but ask.

“The young people who learned First-Rate martial skills basically defeated those who learned Second-Rate martial skills, and so on for the other levels.”

Song Zhong took a sip of tea and said slowly.

Facts proved that the imperial court was right.

“Master Song, are there any First-Rate martial skills in our county town?” Master Hu asked again.

“First-Rate?”

Hearing this, Song Zhong hadn’t even spoken when the members of the Demon Hunting Team beside him laughed.

“This small place, Anping County Town, doesn’t even have Third-Rate martial skills, let alone First-Rate ones,” one of them laughed.

“First-Rate martial skills are in the hands of those powerful factions, such as the rumored 《Jieyang Nine Swords》 of the Mount Shu Sword Sect and the 《Nine Flying Immortal Styles》 of the demonic sect, the Heavenly Immortal Sect…”

They explained that all the martial skills possessed by the various martial arts halls in the county town were Unranked, such as the widely circulated 《Mountain Splitting Palm》 and 《Serpent Leg》.

“What… Mountain Splitting Palm and Serpent Leg are both Unranked?” Master Hu was a little surprised. He had heard of these two martial skills when he first started practicing martial arts.

“Yes.”

Song Zhong thought for a moment and said, “In a few days, the imperial court will distribute martial skills to the Martial Alliances in various places. Our county town’s Martial Alliance might receive a few Third-Rate martial skills, but… even if we do, it will be difficult for ordinary martial artists to learn them. Most likely, a large amount of merit points will be required to exchange for them.”

Therefore, the best way for Chu Liang to learn martial skills was to go to the three major martial arts halls.

After all, the things in martial arts halls could be learned as long as one had money, without the need for merit points.

“One should not be greedy with martial skills. It’s best to master one first,” Song Zhong advised Chu Liang, “You should go to the ‘Black Sword Martial Arts Hall.’ Their signature martial skill is called 《Sinking Water Sword》. Although it’s Unranked, it’s generally recognized as being very close to a Third-Rate martial skill.”

In comparison, the signature martial skills of the other two major martial arts halls were somewhat inferior.

Of course, everything depended on the individual.

“I understand, thank you very much!”

Chu Liang sincerely thanked him.

This conversation had been very rewarding for him.

Time passed, and unknowingly, it was already night. The last ray of sunset had disappeared from the sky.

Master Hu invited everyone into the Hu Family Mansion, set up a banquet, and invited them to sit down for dinner.

“Everyone, please, it’s just some simple food and drinks, a small token of my appreciation.”

Master Hu was all smiles.

He had also gained a lot today, and it was only right to treat them to a meal.

Song Zhong and the others did not refuse. It was already late, and they needed to find a place to have dinner before returning to the county town anyway.

The evening breeze was gentle, and the aroma of wine and food drifted out of the Hu Family Mansion with the wind.

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At this time, Wu Neng and the others were on their way back to the county town.

Their dinner was very simple. They each gnawed on dry biscuits, washing them down with cold water.

Everyone’s faces were not looking good.

“Damn it, to think we suffered a setback in such a small mountain village!”

On the way back, the more they thought about it, the angrier they became!

If it weren’t for Song Zhong and the others interfering, the tiger demon’s corpse would definitely have fallen into their hands.

“Let’s rest for a while.”

Wu Neng said coldly and dismounted.

Everyone dismounted and sat down under a large tree by the road to rest, using the moonlight and oil lamps for light.

After resting for a while, one of them suddenly stood up and said to Wu Neng, “Big Brother, my stomach is uncomfortable. I’ll go find a place to relieve myself and come back!”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“Okay!”

The man immediately mounted his horse and cracked his whip.

Crack!

The black horse neighed, its four hooves flying, carrying him all the way towards Qing Shi Village.

Seeing this, the others in the group couldn’t help but be surprised and spoke up.

“Big Brother, Second Brother, he’s going to…”

“Don’t worry about him.”

Wu Neng looked indifferent and shook his head slightly, saying, “Song Zhong and the others should be leaving soon… Since that kid named Chu Liang refuses to cooperate, we’ll send him on his way.”