socalfunplaces Page 213
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Although the housekeeper was helpless, he could only nod.
"Is there anything else?" Su Yuchen asked.
Butler Su said, "There's one more thing. Zeng Dahan has already left the restaurant."
Before Su Yuchen could ask, he explained, "Zeng Dahan is the hunter who sold us the 'Divine Foot Scripture' before. Half a year ago, he felt that he had mastered the divine skill and left."
Su Yuchen asked about some daily matters until the housekeeper was completely relaxed, then waved for him to leave.
"Immortals do not dwell among mortals, and dragons do not associate with snakes. I underestimated the difference between immortals and mortals."
A soft sigh echoed in the small building, and Su Yuchen closed his eyes and sank into his sea of consciousness.
Chapter 448 Ranking of Extraordinary Skills and Martial Arts
As winter fades and spring arrives, and the last vestiges of snow disappear from the base of the walls, Mongolia also undergoes a great transformation.
After Jamukha's defeat, Temujin unified the Mongolian steppes and became Genghis Khan, marking the beginning of the Mongol cavalry's dominance across Europe.
To fulfill their eighteen-year promise, the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan, along with Guo Jing, head south, and the world begins to turn.
On the recliner, Su Yuchen opened his eyes, looked at the narration prompts in his mind, and then closed his eyes again expressionlessly.
Since achieving Yang Godhood and the system unlocked higher-dimensional energy, the original narration prompts have returned to normal. Although he still doesn't understand the underlying principle, Su Yuchen guesses that the system must have obtained enough energy to shield itself from higher-dimensional prying eyes and thus re-unlocked its functions.
………………
With a series of light footsteps, Butler Su darted up to the second floor.
"Does the young master have any instructions?"
As soon as Su Yuchen had a thought, a sheet of Xuan paper on the desk moved without any wind and fell into the hands of Butler Su.
He looked down...
List of Extraordinary Skills
First: "Eternal Love, Everlasting Youth," originating from Changchun Valley, later acquired by the Xiaoyao Sect, the fragment was divided into three parts. Only those with great perseverance and wisdom can grasp its true meaning.
Second: *Nine Yin Manual*, source: Song Dynasty edition of the Daoist Canon. It was created by the Grand Scholar Huang Shang after extensively studying the Daoist Canon and gaining enlightenment through his own efforts. The entire text is vast and profound, seeking the power of the Daoist Yin spirit. Currently, it is in the collection of Zhou Botong of the Quanzhen School. Mei Chaofeng, a disciple of Huang Yaoshi, stole the second half, but due to her lack of understanding of Daoist teachings, she has gone astray.
Third: *Nine Yang Manual*, Source: Omitted. Long ago, the Five Greats held a sword competition at Mount Hua. A drunken monk at the foot of Mount Hua borrowed the *Nine Yin Manual* from Wang Chongyang. Impressed by its vastness but lacking in depth, he wrote this work. This manual has since been associated with a great master of Taoism in later generations, who concealed its origin.
Fourth: *Yijinjing* (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic), originating from Shaolin. Its full name is *Damo Yijinjing*, transmitted by the ancient patriarch Bodhidharma. Cultivation requires a state of complete stillness of mind, devoid of any desire for martial arts, to even begin. Later, Shaolin monks, recognizing its difficulty, removed its essence, abridged the entire text, leaving behind a fragmentary version of *Yijinjing*. Even this fragmentary version is a martial art of unparalleled quality. (Note: Those not well-versed in Buddhism should not enter this path.)
Fifth: "Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand", origin: Xiaoyao Sect. This skill combines fist, palm, finger, claw, sword, spear, halberd, staff and other martial arts techniques from all over the world into one. The more and more extensive one learns, the stronger the power becomes. It can be said to have no limit.
Sixth: "Ten Forms of Blood Battle", origin: Li Jing. It is a battlefield martial art created by Li Jing, the military genius of the Tang Dynasty. Later, its subtle and profound mysteries were supplemented. Because it involves the spiritual path, it is ranked sixth.
Seventh: "Tianshan Six Yang Palms", origin: Xiaoyao Sect. It draws upon the six yang energies of heaven and earth, and its palm power is fierce and powerful, comparable only to the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms.
Eighth: *Dragon Subduing Palm*, Origin: Unknown. It is the signature martial art of the Beggars' Sect, consisting of twenty-eight palms. Later, Qiao Feng, the leader of the Beggars' Sect during the Northern Song Dynasty, reduced it to eighteen palms. After the Battle of Yanmen Pass, some of the palm techniques were lost, and were later completed by Hong Qigong, the Northern Beggar. However, it lacked Qiao Feng's true essence, and its power was less than one-tenth.
Ninth: *The Sutra of Divine Footwork*, originating from India. Its full name is *The Sutra of the Divine Footwork for the Cessation of Practice in the Desire for Samadhi*. It is a superior esoteric yoga technique from India, appearing only during the Northern Song Dynasty, then lost, but now resurfaced.
Tenth: "Lingbo Weibu" (Light Steps on Waves), originating from the Xiaoyao Sect. "The immortal walks on the waves, her silk stockings stirring up dust." This was once the Xiaoyao Sect's ultimate light-body technique, its unique feature being that it accumulates internal energy with each circle of movement.
Eleventh: "Xiantian Gong" (Primordial Skill), source: Quanzhen School. It was learned by Wang Chongyang, the founder of the Quanzhen School, and later passed on to Emperor Yideng of the Southern School. The complete text has not been seen, which is truly a pity.
Twelfth: "Toad Skill," originating from White Camel Mountain in the Western Regions. It is the martial art of Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, a Taoist marvelous skill that imitates the Golden Toad swallowing the moon, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth. Unfortunately, its application is flawed, failing to grasp its true meaning.
Thirteenth: "One-Finger Divine Skill", origin: Duan family of Dali. It is a pure Yang finger technique that can save lives and cure all Yin and cold injuries. It is the Duan family's entry-level martial art. The advanced martial art "Six Meridian Divine Sword" is now passed down to the monk Yideng of Dali.
Fourteenth: "Forty-Nine Styles of Dual Sword and Saber Techniques", Origin: Mount Emei. Once upon a time, there was a small border country that was on the verge of destruction. One of its people became a monk on Mount Emei and combined the fierce and powerful style of battlefield saber techniques with the light and graceful style of sword techniques to create this style.
Fifteenth: "The Song of the Rising Tide of the Azure Sea", from Peach Blossom Island. It was created by Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, who observed the rise and fall of the tides, the undulation of the waves, the undercurrents, and the lurking dangers. It is a unique skill of sound art.
Sixteenth: *Quanzhen Martial Arts*, origin: Quanzhen School. This is the introductory martial art of the Quanzhen School. Progress is slow in the early stages, but it accumulates gradually before unleashing its full potential. In reality, it is a Daoist ultimate technique; at its most profound level, it can be practiced while sitting, lying down, or walking. (Only Ma Yu, the head of the Quanzhen School, truly understood its essence.)
This list retains ten unique skills. To preserve the reputation of the Five Greats, their martial arts skills have been added after the list.
“Young master, this is…” Butler Su hesitated.
Su Yuchen smiled and said, "The martial world is really boring nowadays. The Five Greats are fighting for fame and fortune over the Nine Yin Manual. Since that's the case, let them know that the martial world is not just a divine skill."
Butler Su hesitated and said, "If that's the case, I'm afraid it will only stir up more conflict in the martial arts world, and Zhige Tower will become even more lively."
Su Yuchen smiled and said, "It's good to have some fun. I'm bored anyway. You don't need to ask any more questions. Just do as I say."
………………
As dawn broke and a sliver of light pierced the clouds in the east, a rustling murmur arose in the main hall of the front courtyard.
In the backyard, Su Yuchen smiled slightly, wondering how much of a splash this list would make.
"Achieving the second stage of the Yang God realm is probably very difficult. Without a fortuitous encounter, one can only rely on persistent effort. However, it's not bad to take this opportunity to recuperate in this world."
Su Yuchen's consciousness returned to his sea of consciousness. Looking at the sliver of pure Yang energy that remained motionless on his primordial spirit, he immediately vanished from the small building. When he reappeared, he was already in the main hall.
The area that was originally in the center of the lobby has been cleared out, and now a newly engraved list hangs there. There are curious merchants and travelers around, as well as heroes of the martial arts world who were woken up while looking for lodging.
Fortunately, two waiters from Zhigelou were watching closely, so although everyone was joining in the fun, it was mostly just pushing and shoving, and they managed to get a few verbal advantages.
"Young Master..." Upon seeing Su Yuchen appear, Butler Su was startled and was about to step out from behind the counter.
Su Yuchen waved his hand and stood at the back of the crowd watching. In a short while, more and more martial arts heroes gathered after hearing the news, many of them craning their necks to watch while whispering among themselves.
In front of Su Yuchen, a young swordsman holding a chicken leg excitedly said, "If this list were real, that would be great. I don't want anything else, I just want to learn 'The Forty-Nine Styles of Double Sword and Blade Kill'. It sounds so domineering."
The burly man next to him suppressed the envy and longing in his eyes, turned his head and scolded, "Don't talk nonsense here. Zhige Tower is mysterious and unpredictable. This list is probably not fake. Alas, this is troublesome."
The boy looked unconvinced, snorted, and said, "Uncle Hu, how am I talking nonsense? Only by mastering martial arts can I help my father run the martial arts school. Then let's see how Hou Laosan can still act arrogantly."
The middle-aged man patted his head and laughed, "Little Meng has really grown up."
The boy named Xiao Meng dodged away in dissatisfaction, grumbling, "Uncle Hu, stop touching my head, I'm all grown up now."
At this point, some people dispersed from the crowd, some discussed the matter, and some leaned over the counter to borrow pens and paper to copy the text.
Chapter 449 The serendipitous encounter granted by Su Yuchen, Yang Tiexin seeks lodging
The middle-aged man surnamed Hu glanced around, pulled the boy straight to a table, sat down, and said, "Now that we're up, let's set off early today and try to get back to Taiyuan as soon as possible."
Su Yuchen became interested and strolled over to sit at the table next to the two of them.
As soon as the uncle and nephew sat down, a waiter brought over two bowls of porridge and a dozen steamed buns.
The young man surnamed Meng looked at the list in the center of the hall, his eyes flashing with longing and disappointment.
The burly man shook his head almost imperceptibly, then patted him on the shoulder and sighed, "Don't look. These extraordinary skills are not something we can even dream of. Even if we obtained them, they would be more of a curse than a blessing, and we wouldn't be able to keep them."
The young man surnamed Meng rubbed his face to make himself look a little happier and said with a smile, "Uncle Hu, I know, I was just thinking about it."
The middle-aged man nodded, and the two lowered their heads to eat breakfast. At some point, the young man whispered, "Uncle Hu, I'm just not reconciled. My father kindly took in Hou Laosan and even let him stay at the martial arts school to teach apprentices, but he..."
The middle-aged man surnamed Hu sighed and said:
"It's also our fault for being incompetent. Hou's Mandarin Duck Knife Technique is really sharp. When your father was in good health, he could keep him in check, but now no one can keep him in check."
"Over the years, Hou Laosan has indeed become adept at dealing with people. On the surface, he is still respectful to your father, and several of his apprentices have also become quite influential..."
“We came back empty-handed again this time, and I’m afraid your father’s illness will never get better. Xiao Meng, if you’re willing, listen to Uncle Hu’s advice and while your father is still alive, give up the martial arts school and take your mother and younger siblings to the countryside.”
"No matter how domineering Hou Laosan is, he can't do something like stealing family property and killing someone, since everyone is watching. On the contrary, you'll get a sum of money, enough for you to raise your younger siblings."
The young man surnamed Meng raised his head, looking defiant, then lowered his head again and said, "This is... my father's intention?"
The burly man surnamed Hu patted his head and sighed, "You've always been stubborn since you were little, and you're never satisfied with Hou Laosan. He'll give you some leeway because of your father. But once your father is gone, his apprentices will be a real problem for you. This is the best solution for now."
"I understand!" The boy surnamed Meng lowered his head and ate his rice.
Su Yuchen smiled slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "The 'Forty-Nine Styles of Dual Sword and Saber Kill' is impossible, but the Arhat Fist and the Five Tigers Severing Gate Saber are possible." The uncle and nephew felt dizzy and unconsciously rested their heads on the table and fell asleep.
You changed the fate of the Meng Family Martial Arts School in Taiyuan Prefecture, but this minor change is not enough to affect the trajectory of the world.
"I'm willing," Su Yuchen muttered, then vanished without a trace. From beginning to end, it seemed no one noticed that anyone was there.
Only Butler Su behind the counter saw the changes, but Su Yuchen didn't say anything, nor did he interfere. He simply instructed them not to disturb the uncle and nephew.
………………
"This list of extraordinary skills and techniques has almost completely devalued the Five Great Masters of the World. Zhige Tower isn't afraid of them coming after them."
"Hehe, you're so stupid! If Zhigelou were scared, they wouldn't have put up this list."
"That's true. Manager Su's martial arts skills are unfathomable. He wouldn't be afraid even if the Five Greats came."
"Do you think Manager Su might be practicing the martial arts described here?"
After a moment of silence, someone secretly glanced toward the counter and saw Butler Su still wiping the spotless counter, seemingly oblivious to what had happened. They exchanged a glance.
"Many of the martial arts techniques on this list are things you've never even heard of, let alone seen. Even if someone were practicing them, you wouldn't recognize them," someone said dismissively.
Everyone was slightly taken aback, then sighed and nodded.
A moment later, someone said, "What kind of sect is the Free and Unfettered Sect? I've never heard of it before, but they have quite a few martial arts skills on this list."
"Who knows? I only know the Quanzhen School and the Shaolin School."
"Ah, Shaolin truly lives up to its reputation as the former leader of the righteous path, ranking the Yi Jin Jing fifth."
"I think the Nine Yin Manual, the Nine Yang Manual, and the Yi Jin Jing are more practical. As for the so-called 'Eternal Love' and 'Nine Yin Guang Han Jing,' they seem like cultivation techniques from a play, which are unrealistic."
"Hehe, don't even think about the Nine Yin Manual. Didn't they say that the complete version is in the hands of Zhou Botong of the Quanzhen Sect? He is the senior uncle of the Seven Masters of Quanzhen Sect and one of the top masters in the world. Who can snatch it from him?"
"Really? How do you know?"
"Nonsense, my wife's family is from Zhongnan Mountain, and Zhou Botong is the grandmaster uncle of the Quanzhen School. This is no secret in the Quanzhen School."
"What about the Nine Yang Manual?"
Everyone looked at the person who had asked the question, and then someone said, "Didn't you see it? It says down there that you are destined to become a grandmaster of Taoism in the future. Will you become a grandmaster of Taoism? If not, don't even think about it, it's not your destiny."
These words caused the group of martial arts heroes to burst into laughter, and someone jeered, "Manager Su, which grandmaster of Taoism in later generations is this? How do we determine if someone is destined to be with you?"
Butler Su smiled and said, "I don't know either. I'm only responsible for posting the list; I can't guarantee anything else. You can decide for yourselves how to judge."
Just as they were talking, four people walked into the restaurant.
The two men in front walked hurriedly. One of them had two fleshy growths on his head and looked like a dazed fool, like a simpleton on the street. He was none other than Hou Tonghai, a guest minister of the Prince Zhao's mansion. The man behind him was dressed as an accountant and was probably also from the Prince Zhao's mansion.
"Manager Su, excuse me. I heard your restaurant has released a list of dishes, and the young prince sent me to take a look." Although Hou Tonghai was a bit slow, he knew what was good for him and greeted Steward Su with a smile.
Butler Su wiped his hands, glanced at him, and said indifferently, "The list is right there, just go and see for yourself."
Hou Tonghai breathed a sigh of relief, quickly thanked him, and walked over with the accountant.
The assembled heroes of the martial world immediately parted to make way for them. Zhige Tower was not afraid of the Zhao Prince's Mansion because they had the confidence. These martial artists, who made a living in the martial world, could not afford to offend someone like the young prince of the Zhao Prince's Mansion.
Butler Su looked at the father and daughter carrying loads at the door and extended his hand, inviting them, "Are you here for a meal or to stay at the inn?"
He glanced at the noisy lobby and said, "If you're looking for a meal, our establishment is a bit crowded. If you two don't mind, you can share a table. Don't worry, although there are women in the group, no one will dare to cause trouble here. If you're looking for a hotel room, we happen to have two guests checking out today, so you can check in."
The middle-aged man carrying the load said, "My daughter and I heard about your esteemed establishment, which is why we came here specifically to stay. We would be grateful if you could provide us with two rooms."
Butler Su nodded slightly, opened the ledger, and said, "Then you two might as well make a reservation first. Once the guests have left, we will clean up immediately, and you can check in. You two can have a meal first. I will take the liberty of providing two side dishes."
The man took off his shoulder bag and said with a smile, "In that case, I must thank you, shopkeeper."
"May I ask your surname, my friend?" Butler Su asked, picking up his pen.
The man nodded and said, "I dare not presume to address you as such. My surname is Yang, Mu Yi Yang."
Butler Su nodded, and after registering everything, he put away the ledger and asked a waiter to lead the two to the lobby.
Chapter 450 Uncle, Nephew, Father, and Daughter
At this moment, the uncle and nephew in the corner woke up one after the other with dazed eyes. They subconsciously rubbed their heads, feeling only dizzy and lightheaded.
Once they regained consciousness, they immediately sensed the martial arts skills that had suddenly appeared in their minds, and the two subconsciously exchanged a glance. The young man surnamed Meng opened his mouth to speak, but the burly man surnamed Hu had already grabbed his shoulder and half-dragged, half-carried him toward the guest rooms in the backyard.
Watching the uncle and nephew hurrying by, Butler Su picked up a rag and wiped the shiny counter, smiled, and then looked at the noisy lobby.
The empty seats were filled by the Yang father and daughter, and soon the waiter brought them breakfast and side dishes. After thanking him, the father and daughter ate while looking around at the chaotic crowd.
"Father, did you see that just now? There's Grandpa Qi up there," the woman whispered.
Yang Tiexin nodded and said to Mu Nianci, "This Zhige Tower is extremely famous. Even the Prince Zhao's Mansion avoids it. We'll stay here during our stay in Daxing Prefecture, which will save us a lot of trouble."
"Hmm." Mu Nianci nodded, and listening to the discussions around her, she couldn't help but say, "The Free and Easy Wandering technique that Master Qi taught me is also very powerful, yet it can't make it onto this list."
Yang Tiexin said nonchalantly, "There are always people more capable than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. You never know when or where a powerful figure might suddenly appear. Have you forgotten what happened in Daming Prefecture last time?"