FIMA Ch118: Learning Martial Arts

Tang Sheng looked at Gu Siyuan, then at the Xie brothers, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

For anyone else, this might be self-mockery.

But for Tang Sheng, who never believed he was wrong and always blamed others, this was clearly mocking Gu Siyuan and the others for their pretense.

Then, he gathered his internal energy in his palms, took a stance, and coldly said, “In the end, strength speaks. Since that’s the case, the three of you can come at me together!”

“…” Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow.

Don’t just pick any opponent.

As someone without the strength to even truss a chicken, how could he get involved in such a fight? He swiftly retreated a few steps, distancing himself from the trio.

The Xie brothers, however, had already engaged in battle with Tang Sheng.

Shen Luoshuang and Situ Ming stood by, struggling internally.

To be honest, they naturally agreed with Xie Chenyun killing Sun Yanyan.

But they couldn’t bring themselves to fight Tang Sheng.

Especially Shen Luoshuang, who had feelings for Tang Sheng.

And Situ Ming, deeply in love with Shen Luoshuang, wouldn’t do anything to make her uncomfortable.

At this moment, Gu Siyuan suddenly signaled to his shadow guards.

A light breeze stirred.

“Thud…” A soft sound was heard.

Though the noise was minimal, those with internal energy present could naturally pick it up. However, their focus remained on the intense battle in the center.

Then, a sudden, clear sound of a sword falling to the ground rang out, “Clang…”

This sound was loud and unmistakable.

Shen Luoshuang was the first to look towards the source and immediately screamed, “Dead… dead.”

Situ Feng turned his head instantly.

Then Tang Sheng, whose gaze swept over, was stunned, momentarily forgetting the ongoing fight.

Xie Chenyun’s sword slashed Tang Sheng’s chest, tearing his clothes.

Tang Sheng quickly dodged, then rushed towards the source of the sound without hesitation.

Xie Chenyun and Xie Mingkong frowned, sheathing their swords and ceasing their attacks.

They had already seen what had happened from the corner of their eyes.

Sun Yanyan’s slender body lay there, her beautiful face pale, her eyes wide open, and her cherry-sized mouth slightly ajar, as if wanting to say something, but forever losing the chance.

Her abdomen had a narrow bloodline, rapidly widening and continuously bleeding.

It was the mark of a ghostly knife strike, seemingly casual but very deliberate, cutting off her vital points and energy, leaving her bleeding profusely.

The one who made the move was naturally Gu Siyuan’s shadow guard.

In this world of martial arts, where the protagonists have fortuitous encounters and aristocratic families have inheritances, the internal skills the shadow guards learn are quite ordinary. In a one-on-one fight with top martial artists, they naturally wouldn’t stand a chance.

However, when it came to the sudden skill of killing, especially against a second-rate martial artist like Sun Yanyan, they were swift and decisive.

Tang Sheng looked at the shadow guard whose knife tip was still dripping with blood, his gaze deep.

But he only lingered for a moment. Ultimately, he looked at Gu Siyuan and said softly, “Yanyan was just a little girl, with a lively and stubborn yet simple personality. She happened to meet me, she…”

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow and interrupted loudly, “She also killed many people. Among those she killed, there might have been simple and beautiful young girls like the one you just described, who were also the beloved of some young man.”

The world’s love is not unique to you; your affection is not the most precious, nor can it be placed above the lives of others.

“…” Tang Sheng couldn’t continue his prepared words.

He felt stuck, unable to swallow or spit out the breath he was holding.

The resentment and anger he had accumulated grew even stronger, ready to explode.

He glared at Gu Siyuan, moved his hands and feet, and took a stance: “Words are useless now. Since we are all martial artists, let’s settle this with our skills. If I cannot defeat you today and avenge Yanyan, I, Tang Sheng, am unworthy of being a man.”

Xie Mingkong immediately widened his eyes in anticipation. This friend his elder brother brought back seemed extraordinary, possibly a direct disciple of one of the four major sects.

How would he fare against Tang Sheng?

“…” Xie Chenyun, however, remained silent.

He thought: making such a bet, you might really end up unworthy of being a man. Gu Siyuan simply wouldn’t fight you.

Sure enough, in the next moment.

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow slightly: “Fighting is not an option. Since I entered the martial world, I have never fought anyone…”

Tang Sheng, furious, said, “You look down on me!”

“I simply do not know martial arts,” Gu Siyuan finished his sentence calmly.

“Do not know martial arts?” Tang Sheng squinted his eyes, “Even so, it doesn’t matter. In the past, I might not have killed an ordinary person without the strength to truss a chicken. But you, despicable scoundrel, used underhanded means to kill Yanyan? Regardless of whether you know martial arts, I will kill you today.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, his voice calm: “You have said many disgusting things tonight, but this one is the most sincere.”

“However, since you want to bully the weak with your martial prowess, then… I can use numbers against you.”

As his words fell.

“Clap!” He clapped his hands.

The previously concealed men in black on the walls all leaped down, weapons in hand, forming a tight protective barrier around him.

But that wasn’t all.

Then, Gu Siyuan looked at Xie Chenyun: “Brother Xie, interested in continuing your unfinished fight with this person?”

“…” Xie Chenyun’s mouth twitched.

Then, he nodded firmly and stepped forward.

Tang Sheng glared at Gu Siyuan, his expression changing.

He had never imagined that someone could be so shameless.

However, even if he wanted to stop now, the people opposite wouldn’t agree.

Upon Gu Siyuan’s signal, the shadow guards had formed a battle array, attacking him with impenetrable force.

Xie Chenyun, already injured, only assisted from the periphery.

But even so, this caused Tang Sheng enough pressure.

In the martial world of the Great Zhou Dynasty, masters were ranked as follows: innate grandmasters, ordinary grandmasters, first-rate masters, second-rate masters, third-rate masters, and so on.

Innate grandmasters had perfected both martial arts and martial art philosophies, even creating their own “Dao” of martial arts. They could sense the workings of heaven and earth and extend their lifespan. There were only three such individuals in the world.

Ordinary grandmasters had perfected a martial art philosophy and grasped a trace of the “Dao,” but this trace belonged to the philosophy itself, not their own creation.

Such people were also rare, usually sect leaders or veteran experts of noble families, with the youngest being over thirty-five years old.

Below them were first-rate masters.

They had perfected a martial art philosophy but hadn’t grasped a trace of the “Dao.” Some hadn’t perfected their philosophy but relied on unique deep internal energy from rare philosophies to remain unbeaten by other first-rate masters.

Therefore, first-rate masters were more numerous and diverse, including several young people in their teens or twenties, mostly from major sects or noble families.

Tang Sheng, despite having trained for only a few months, could be considered a lower-tier first-rate master due to the powerful and rare “Xiantian Qiankun Gong.”

Xie Chenyun, having trained in family martial arts for years, had reached perfection in his skills. However, his family’s martial art philosophy was mediocre, inferior to the “Xiantian Qiankun Gong” and other ordinary sect philosophies, placing him at the lower end of first-rate masters.

Lastly, Gu Siyuan’s shadow guards, trained in common martial art philosophies, were even inferior to Xie’s family skills, making them barely first-rate masters, though they excelled among second-rate masters.

At this moment, eight shadow guards and the Xie brothers swarmed forward.

Tang Sheng, though slightly superior in skill, lacked a significant advantage, which could be compensated for by numbers, even overwhelming him.

In the flurry of blades and swords.

“Thud!” Someone kicked Tang Sheng’s chest, causing him to stumble backward, spitting a mouthful of blood.

The shadow guards didn’t pause, continuing their relentless attack, ready to kill him with the next strike.

Since he had harbored murderous intentions towards His Majesty, his crime was unforgivable, and the best outcome would be for him to die immediately.

“Brother Tang!”

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Shen Luoshuang, who had been observing the situation, rushed forward at an unimaginable speed, using her body to block a fatal sword strike from one of the shadow guards.

Tang Sheng’s face changed drastically as he looked at the blood before him and the beautiful girl collapsing in his arms.

However, Gu Siyuan’s shadow guards were not ones to show pity; the next wave of attacks came as usual.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept over everyone present, from top to bottom.

The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently.

Gu Siyuan stood under a tree, his hair softly fluttering around his cheeks.

He didn’t bother to brush it aside; he was staring at the white-clad figure who had suddenly appeared in front of Shen Luoshuang and Tang Sheng, single-handedly repelling the shadow guards. Gu Siyuan frowned in displeasure.

The person in white looked at him and spoke, “Heaven has a virtue of cherishing life. Why must you pursue and kill to the very end? Show mercy where you can.”

The voice was crisp and pleasant, with a hint of coquettishness, clearly belonging to a girl of seventeen or eighteen.

But judging by her earlier move, her skills were close to the level of a grandmaster, which was astonishing.

Even Tang Sheng, still holding the injured Shen Luoshuang, couldn’t help but glance at the white-clad girl.

Gu Siyuan’s expression remained unchanged as he asked, “May I know your esteemed name?”

“Heavenly Pavilion, Xiao Hanxin,” the girl in white said, bowing gracefully.

Her expression and tone were both indifferent, but a hint of aloofness could still be detected.

Then, with a slight movement of her palm’s internal energy, she took Tang Sheng and Shen Luoshuang, floating away gracefully.

Seeing this, Situ Feng immediately chased after them at high speed.

In the courtyard of Xie Family Manor, only a few people remained.

“Heavenly Pavilion?” Xie Chenyun murmured, unable to help but glance at Gu Siyuan.

Gu Siyuan’s expression was calm. Knowing the plot through the system, he naturally understood.

The Heavenly Pavilion.

A legendary sacred place in the martial world, elusive and mysterious. During times of peace, disciples rarely walked the earth, making it impossible for people to find them.

But in times of chaos, Heavenly Pavilion disciples would actively descend to the world, choosing the true dragon emperor they believed in to support.

According to legends, disciples of the Heavenly Pavilion had indeed appeared in two previous dynasties’ foundations, leading people to call them heaven’s chosen with all the righteous legitimacy.

In the original plot, the Heavenly Pavilion chose Tang Sheng, and eventually, the white-clad beauty named Xiao Hanxin became one of Tang Sheng’s lovers.

Gu Siyuan held no reverence for such mythical tales.

Especially after they chose Tang Sheng, he had even less reason to respect them.

However, the shadow guards kneeled to receive their punishment: “We failed in our duties and deserve death.”

Gu Siyuan raised his hand slightly, speaking casually, “No matter. This opponent was beyond your capabilities. Tang Sheng is just a madman; whether he lives or dies is not important. You may withdraw.”

“Yes.” The shadow guards stood up in unison and vanished from sight.

Xie Chenyun walked over, curiously asking, “If it doesn’t matter, why do you still look displeased?”

Gu Siyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his voice cold, “I was just pondering an unpleasant conclusion.”

This foolish emperor, with his looks, could indeed appear dignified.

“Hmm? What conclusion?” Xie Chenyun raised an eyebrow.

“Being skilled in martial arts is important. Others’ strength is always theirs. No matter how much power or extraordinary strategies I possess, in a situation like today, I am helpless, forced to watch Tang Sheng be taken away,” Gu Siyuan said as he walked.

Finally, he stopped at the spot where Tang Sheng had fallen earlier, ignoring the silver and porcelain bottles on the ground. He bent down to pick up a piece of pale yellow cloth, continuing, “But if I knew martial arts, things would be different.”

These words, solemn and reasonable, should have provoked some reflection.

But Xie Chenyun, as the listener, simply pouted dismissively: “…”

Training in martial arts is an arduous and grueling endeavor.

You, a worldly emperor, with the entire kingdom at your disposal, have countless masters in the palace and a vast collection of martial arts texts. If you truly wanted to learn, it would be a hundred times easier than for others.

But for the past twenty years, you achieved nothing in martial arts, indulging only in pleasures and debauchery.

Now, this sudden inspiration has come too late; you have missed the best time for honing your bones and training in martial arts. You can only dream about it now.

Gu Siyuan easily saw through Xie Chenyun’s thoughts but didn’t bother to argue with this foolish task subject.

Instead, he was in a rather good mood, holding the precious cloth up and saying to Xie Chenyun, “Thanks, I’ll treat you to a meal later.”

“…” Xie Chenyun.

As previously mentioned, this foolish emperor possessed the entire world, wealthy beyond measure, naturally looking down on everything. What could possibly make him look twice, let alone thank someone?

Now, just for picking up a bloodstained piece of cloth, he wanted to treat him to a meal?

Xie Chenyun frowned, recalling some awkward scenarios, his face alternating between blue and white.

Was this foolish emperor doing it on purpose?

Did he want to use the excuse of a meal to continue getting close to him?

This foolish emperor was indeed a thorough philanderer, loving both women and men.

Xie Chenyun’s dark eyes shifted, and he deliberately asked, “Gu Xiong, what is this precious thing you picked up? I remember it seemed to have fallen from Tang Sheng.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, “Indeed, your first sword tore his clothes, and in the subsequent melee, you kicked him once, so these things fell out.”

“…” Xie Chenyun narrowed his beautiful phoenix eyes.

As expected, there was intent behind this.

An emperor who didn’t understand martial arts at all, observing the battle so closely—without any ulterior motive, who would believe that?

Xie Chenyun lost all interest in further inquiries.

As a man of seven feet, being eyed by another man, how could he possibly be in a good mood?

Gu Siyuan, unusually, said one more sentence, “This thing is indeed quite precious. If Brother Xie is interested, you can appreciate it with me.”

“…” Xie Chenyun’s mouth twitched slightly. “No need, keep it for yourself to look at.”

Such a small piece of cloth, appreciating it together would mean shoulders brushing, hands touching. That would surely fulfill this foolish emperor’s intentions, right?

Tsk, no wonder the country was going to ruin; even the reasons he fabricated were so brainless.

Truly foolish.

Xie Chenyun didn’t want to continue engaging with this person. He turned his face away, his gaze falling on the body of Sun Yanyan lying there.

She had been dead for some time; the blood around her had coagulated, her delicate body stiff, with shallow marks already appearing.

Xie Chenyun smirked faintly.

He had no hobbies for humiliating or torturing others, nor did he have an obsession with exacting revenge by his own hand. Ending things before dawn, giving the deceased of the Xie family an answer as soon as possible, was enough.

Gu Siyuan had played the biggest role in this.

Although this foolish emperor’s motives were questionable and not well-intentioned.

But thinking about it, in the middle of the night like this, Gu Siyuan, who had no power and was such a distinguished figure, had specially left the palace for him and even risked his life.

Xie Chenyun licked his lips, feeling a bit complicated.

After a long time, he finally turned his head and sincerely said to Gu Siyuan, “Actually, I should thank you!”

Gu Siyuan, who was looking at the roll of cloth, raised his head at the words and followed Xie Chenyun’s previous gaze. He immediately understood what was happening.

He shook his head and said sincerely to Xie Chenyun, “No need, this is what I should do.”

He was the emperor of Great Zhou; this was his world.

Even if it was a cat or a dog on the street, they were under his protection. Even the bodyguards and servants who sold themselves were his people to protect.

Whoever dared to harm them was challenging his authority.

He intended to kill Sun Yanyan, partly to help Xie Chenyun, his task subject, but more importantly, it was from his heart.

“…” Xie Chenyun.

Xie Chenyun’s expression became even more complicated.

What did he mean by “should do”? Was he taking everything about himself as Gu Siyuan’s responsibility?

Was this foolish emperor really that straightforward?

Xie Mingkong, who had been directing the surviving Xie family servants to collect the bodies, happened to look up and see these two men with expressions of complexity and silence, feeling puzzled and even a bit uneasy.

“Brother, why are you standing there exchanging meaningful glances?”