Chapter 47 - 46: Secrets of the Rebellion, Southern Chu’s Hidden Treasure!

Chapter 47: Chapter 46: Secrets of the Rebellion, Southern Chu’s Hidden Treasure!

"It was just a fluke. County Magistrate Tian, there’s no need to be surprised."

Zheng Jun was extremely calm, standing with his hands behind his back. "Mere Qi Storage is nothing worth mentioning."

"Nothing worth mentioning?!"

Tian Zhenyuan suddenly sprang up from the ground. Ignoring the severe pain in his body, he crawled all the way to the iron bars. His bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at Zheng Jun. "I began cultivating with my master at fifteen! At eighteen, I completed my first Blood Refining! Everyone called me a prodigy!

"After completing my first Blood Refining at eighteen, it took me until I was thirty-two to complete it seven times and achieve Qi Storage! A full fourteen years of seasons passing, fourteen years of bitter cultivation! And you tell me Qi Storage is nothing worth mentioning?!"

"HAHAHAHA."

Tian Zhenyuan started laughing uncontrollably as if he had fallen into a hysterical fit, seemingly unable to accept the fact that Zheng Jun had reached Qi Storage.

Zheng Jun looked at the deranged Tian Zhenyuan and, after some thought, decided not to tell him about his Hard Qi Skill reaching Great Success. It would be a bit too much of a blow to the man.

Although Old Tian would be escorted to the commandery in a few days and likely beheaded, he was still alive right now. It was better not to overstimulate a dying man. Even if he were provoked, Old Tian could only roll around on the ground anyway. However, Zheng Jun was a kind-hearted person and didn’t want to do such a thing.

Zheng Jun simply stood there, waiting for Tian Zhenyuan to finish his hysterical fit. After laughing for what seemed like the duration of a few cups of tea, Tian Zhenyuan appeared to have exhausted his strength. He gradually fell silent, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes.

Zheng Jun’s appearance made Tian Zhenyuan feel as though the sky had fallen. If it had been the noble scions of major clans from the commandery or state capital, or disciples of prestigious sects displaying such cultivation speed, Tian Zhenyuan would have simply resigned himself to fate. He would think, "Who told me to have such bad luck and be born into the wrong family?"

But it just had to be Zheng Jun. This young man also came from an ordinary commoner family in Black Mountain County. In fact, Tian Zhenyuan had been even luckier than him, having had a master to nurture him.

After resigning himself to his fate, Tian Zhenyuan began to explain. "Listen closely. The Continuous Legs are executed like this..."

Zheng Jun memorized it carefully. Once he had committed everything to heart, small ink-wash characters quietly emerged before his eyes.

[New Martial Arts available for advance: Luo Family Continuous Legs.]

Seeing this, Zheng Jun gave a slight nod. As expected, his advance quota was insufficient, so he couldn’t advance the Luo Family Continuous Legs at the moment. However, he discovered that as long as he was taught or obtained a secret manual, he could record the martial arts into the Great Tao Martial Book. This would unlock a new page in the Great Tao Martial Book, allowing him to flip through and review it at any time.

Realizing this, Zheng Jun continued, "County Magistrate Tian, there’s no rush today. Why don’t you explain the Liangyi Sword along the way as well?"

Hearing Zheng Jun’s words, Tian Zhenyuan couldn’t help but be taken aback. "Are you here to listen to storytelling?"

Tian Zhenyuan was finding it hard to understand what Zheng Jun was trying to do. When ordinary martial artists practiced, they would inevitably perform a demonstration on the spot after hearing an explanation. Then, he would point out their mistakes to help them slowly get the hang of it. How could this kid right in front of him be satisfied with just listening to it once? Could it be that he could learn it just by hearing it once?

Surprised, Tian Zhenyuan took a deep breath and began to explain the Liangyi Sword as well. He figured he should just let it be; whatever Zheng Jun wanted to do had nothing to do with him anyway.

Meanwhile, Zheng Jun continued to listen attentively.

[New Martial Arts available for advance: Liangyi Swordsmanship.]

After another line of small characters appeared before his eyes, Zheng Jun nodded in satisfaction. He then said to Tian Zhenyuan, "Thank you, County Magistrate Tian. We won’t meet again in the future. Please take care of yourself in the coming days."

With that said, Zheng Jun turned around, preparing to leave. All three of Tian Zhenyuan’s martial arts had been copied into the Great Tao Martial Book. There was nothing more to say to a dead man walking. It was just a fair trade. Before this transaction, Zheng Jun and Tian Zhenyuan had even been enemies.

"Wait!"

At that moment, Tian Zhenyuan’s voice suddenly echoed in Zheng Jun’s ears. Zheng Jun turned back around and asked politely, "County Magistrate Tian, is there anything else?"

"Zheng Jun, do you want me to give you a chance at fortune?" Tian Zhenyuan panted as he spoke. "An overwhelming fortune!"

"No," Zheng Jun shook his head.

Tian Zhenyuan was speechless.

"If it were truly an overwhelming fortune, you wouldn’t be locked up in prison," Zheng Jun said casually. "If you want to provide some information on a treason case, like which factions in the commandery the Qingshui Gang is colluding with, that would be more like it."

Hearing this, Tian Zhenyuan fell silent for a moment. "I don’t know. They didn’t put me in charge of that."

Zheng Jun immediately lifted his leg again, intending to leave.

"Don’t you want to know why the Black Mountain Thieves haven’t been wiped out after all these years? Black Mountain is clearly a Demon Mountain connected to the Yan Mountain range, so why are bandits active on it?!" Tian Zhenyuan continued, regardless of whether Zheng Jun was listening or not. "Those so-called ’Black Mountain Thieves’ are actually the descendants of the remnants of Southern Chu! They hide in Black Mountain, forging weapons day and night, sleeping on their armor and waiting for dawn, just waiting for the old Emperor to die! And on Black Mountain lies the secret treasure left behind by the Southern Chu Imperial Family, the Chen Clan!

"That so-called ’Great Demon’ is actually a Demon Snake raised by the Chen Clan back in the day!"

Hearing this, Zheng Jun stopped in his tracks and looked back at Tian Zhenyuan.

Tian Zhenyuan pressed on, "A Prince of the Southern Chu Chen Clan fled here back then and left the Southern Chu’s secret treasure in this place, all meant to be used to restore their nation in the future! Tell me, is this not an overwhelming fortune?"

"Does any of this have anything to do with me?" Zheng Jun replied.

Although Tian Zhenyuan had said a whole bunch and it sounded very tempting, what did it have to do with him? "Remnants of Southern Chu"—just those words alone sounded like trouble. Could he really just waltz in and take the secret treasure for himself? Furthermore, since Tian Zhenyuan knew about it, there must be quite a few others who did as well. Spouting all this right before getting his head chopped off, did he want someone to go and become a Mountain Bandit King?

"After I die, they will definitely continue to contact people from Black Mountain County. Showing such talent, they will surely seek you out!" Tian Zhenyuan lowered his voice and added, "There is a hidden compartment in my home containing nine Blood Nourishing Pills and two Qi Storage Pills. Take them all! Whether you choose to expose them or join them, just help me... take care of my son."

After speaking, Tian Zhenyuan detailed the exact location of the hidden compartment to Zheng Jun.

"Treason is punishable by the execution of one’s entire extended family," Zheng Jun reminded him.

"My son is a hostage, currently among the Black Mountain Thieves," Tian Zhenyuan said in a low voice. "If the Court ever exterminates the Black Mountain Thieves in the future, I hope Zheng San will protect my worthless son. If Sanlang chooses to ally with Southern Chu, I also hope Sanlang will prevent him from becoming a pawn in someone else’s imperial ambitions. My son goes by the name ’Hao Zi’ among the Black Mountain Thieves."

"I’ll do my best." Zheng Jun nodded. Without saying another word, he turned and left.

Nine Blood Nourishing Pills and two Qi Storage Pills. The Qi Storage Pills were likely tonic medicines consumed by martial artists in the Qi Storage Realm. As for the Blood Nourishing Pills, they weren’t of much use to Zheng Jun anymore, though taking them would still have some effect. Additionally, they would serve well as rewards for others.

He would cross that bridge when he came to it. If it was just a matter of lifting a finger, Zheng Jun wouldn’t mind lending a helping hand. However, if it proved too troublesome and posed a risk to himself, he would simply pretend he knew nothing about it.

Still, the news that there was a Southern Chu secret treasure hidden on Black Mountain was intriguing. Zheng Jun took a deep breath, burying the thought deep in his heart. Perhaps it could become a significant merit for him in the future.

With these thoughts in mind, Zheng Jun stepped out of the prison and strode outside without hesitation. It was time to meet Xu Tianfang of the Xu Family Martial Arts Hall.

He was going right to their door to challenge the hall!