Chapter 727: Martial Saint
Qin Mu hesitated. Rescuing his teacher, the Woodcutter, was certainly important, but traveling with Hu Bugui to find Void Born Flower and, together with him, create the method of unifying the divine hideaways to ascend to the Heavenly Palace seemed more interesting and meaningful.
Furthermore, the Woodcutter Sage was, after all, a god at the Jade Terrace realm. Soaking in a stinking ditch for a year or half a year probably wouldn't kill him. There didn't seem to be an urgent need to rush.
However, he was still the Woodcutter's disciple. Not pulling the Woodcutter out of the ditch and just letting him soak there was indeed hard to justify.
Yet, even with Old Ox releasing water, they couldn't possibly defeat an Emperor Seat level powerhouse.
Old Farmer was a cultivator at the Emperor Seat realm, and moreover, an Emperor Seat who had entered the Dao through martial arts. There was an insurmountable distance from the Soaring Cloud realm to the Emperor Seat realm. The Imperial Preceptor Heavenly King Buddha was at the Soaring Cloud realm, yet he still had to shamelessly beg for the true scriptures of the Great Brahma Heavenly King Buddha. From this, one could see how difficult the Emperor Seat realm was.
He was still hesitating when suddenly Old Farmer stepped down from the Emperor Seat, walked out of the Soaring Cloud Hall, and came to the door. His face was full of wrinkles, showing all the vicissitudes of life. He said, "San Duo, they have already passed."
Old Ox was slightly startled and quickly said, "Master, they haven't even passed my level, let alone yours. Why do you say they have passed?"
Old Farmer walked down the steps of the Soaring Cloud Hall. Old Ox quickly put his front hooves on the ground, transformed back into an ox, and followed behind him. Old Farmer shook his head and said, "The purpose of the Bullfighting Palace's trial was to let the children comprehend entering the Dao through martial arts, to comprehend a path that can bypass the Divine Bridge realm and directly ascend, giving hope to future generations. I once thought that if someone defeated me, they could create this path."
He walked over, summoned Qin Mu and Hu Bugui, and looked them up and down. A smile appeared on his face, which was as simple and rustic as a field plowed by an iron plow, leaving deep furrows. He said, "But I just suddenly realized that I have already achieved crossing the Divine Bridge and directly ascending to the Heavenly Palace. I was the first person to lack the Divine Bridge realm. I haven't read many books, so my path is not suitable for others."
Qin Mu and Hu Bugui's hearts shook violently. They looked at him in disbelief.
Who could have severed the Divine Bridge of the Martial Combat Heavenly Master?
Since the Martial Combat Heavenly Master could still advance to the divine realm while missing a realm, why didn't he teach his techniques to the people of the Bullfighting Realm?
However, the thirty-six Martial Gods of the Jade Capital City showed no surprise at all, clearly knowing that Old Farmer was exactly this kind of person.
"I just figured it out. What I can do is not something everyone can do."
Old Farmer said, "I have devoted my entire life's energy to martial arts. There is nothing else in my heart. I am sincere, pure, like a newborn. Although I have wonderful techniques and secret methods, others cannot learn them, cannot master them, and cannot ascend to the Heavenly Palace like I did. Even if Hu Bugui cultivates to my level and ascends to the Heavenly Palace, he will be following my old path. His techniques still won't allow more people from the Bullfighting Realm to ascend to the Heavenly Palace. The Woodcutter is right. This is not the solution to the Bullfighting Palace's problem."
The corners of his eyes twitched. He looked at Qin Mu and continued, "The Woodcutter came to me, saying that the reformers of the Yan Kang Dynasty had a way to solve the Bullfighting Palace's problem. I didn't believe it at first, but now I do. The Woodcutter isn't entirely useless; after all, he did take on a good disciple... Hu Bugui, you can leave the Bullfighting Realm."
A glimmer of hope arose in Qin Mu's heart, and he quickly asked, "Then, Heavenly Master, can I fish my teacher out of the ditch now?"
Old Farmer's face darkened. His face was like a field plowed a hundred times by an old ox, showing no smile, only lines of wrinkles. "I don't talk nonsense like the Woodcutter, who spouts nonsense as easily as passing wind. I mean what I say. I said that whoever dares to fish him out will have to take three punches from me. If you want to fish him out, you'll have to take my three punches!"
Qin Mu was startled. Old Farmer raised his rough fist, the domineering aura of a martial arts pinnacle on full display, and punched towards Qin Mu.
Dong.
His momentum was boundless, but his fist was very light, gently tapping Qin Mu's chest.
He tapped twice more, and Qin Mu's chest cavity made a hollow sound.
Old Farmer withdrew his fist and sneered, "Although you have initially achieved entering the Dao through martial arts, you are still far from reaching great success. Your physical body still has deficiencies. Continue to cultivate diligently and don't neglect the Overlord Body. Understand?"
Qin Mu was both surprised and delighted. "This junior understands."
Old Farmer smiled again and led the crowd out, laughing, "But you are not bad at all, indeed not bad at all. The Woodcutter isn't just all talk; he does have some skill, teaching you so well. Hmph, no, you are the Overlord Body. If I had taught you, I would have done an even better job! The Woodcutter is still not good enough, not as good as me!"
He seemed very happy, and the other War Gods were also very happy, following his footsteps.
Qin Mu looked left and right, watching them. These people were once famous and renowned, and Old Farmer was an Emperor Seat powerhouse known throughout the world. Yet now they appeared pure and simple, like ordinary farmers and their wives.
They were lovely people.
But they were also a stubborn bunch.
It was hard to make them change, but once they recognized their mistakes, they would correct them, even if they were a bit reluctant to admit it verbally.
Therefore, they were still lovely people.
Hu Bugui was incredibly excited. As soon as he left the Bullfighting Palace, he immediately rushed straight down to the Bullfighting Realm in the lower world to prepare his gear and say goodbye to his relatives and friends.
Qin Mu, on the other hand, called for the Dragon Qilin. The Dragon Qilin was indeed sleeping soundly outside the Bullfighting Palace, not secretly fishing the Woodcutter out and running away.
Qin Mu was speechless. "This is my mount. Over there is the Martial Combat Heavenly Master's mount... Hmm, and there's my teacher the Woodcutter's mount, the Black Tiger God, and Senior Brother Ba Shan's Green Ox..."
The Dragon Qilin had slept well and was full of energy, but having not eaten for over ten days, it was a bit distracted, occasionally glancing at Qin Mu, wanting to remind him but not daring to.
In the village, the Woodcutter Sage was fished out. Qin Mu busied himself, setting the Woodcutter's broken bones, treating his injuries, and soaking him in a large medicinal vat, with a fire simmering underneath.
The Woodcutter was holding a large bowl, taking medicine. Beside him, Old Farmer sat on a small stool. At the door, Old Ox sat on the ground, slowly smoking a water pipe, making a gurgling sound.
Qin Mu sat next to Old Ox, drinking tea, and asked, "Senior Brother San Duo, aren't you plowing the fields today?"
Old Ox said slowly, "Finished plowing. The rice has just been planted."
"It wasn't you who taught the Overlord Body. You couldn't teach it." In the room, Old Farmer spoke as slowly as Old Ox, glancing at the Woodcutter.
The Woodcutter finished the medicine in his bowl, burped, and handed the empty bowl to him, laughing, "He is my disciple, so I taught him. You don't have such an outstanding disciple. You don't have the skill, and you couldn't teach one."
Old Farmer snorted, taking the empty bowl. "You didn't teach him. What are you so proud of? You're just taking credit again. This time, I let you off for the Overlord Body's sake. Otherwise, you'd be soaking in that stinking ditch for a dozen years, rotting until only your mouth is left."
The Woodcutter said seriously, "The master leads you in, but cultivation depends on the individual. I have disciples all over the world. Who taught you? And who have you taught?"
Old Farmer was silent.
The Woodcutter said calmly, "You are indeed the number one in martial arts. Throughout the world, the universe, even the old Heavenly Court, no one can surpass you in martial arts. Being able to cross the void of the Divine Bridge with your personal martial arts power and martial arts primordial spirit, ascend to the Heavenly Palace, and cultivate to become a peerless Martial God, despite missing the Divine Bridge realm, is something only you could do. Not just in the last twenty thousand years, but even pushing back hundreds of thousands, millions of years, there is only you. You succeeded, but others cannot succeed like you. You couldn't save the people of the Bullfighting Realm."
Old Farmer remained silent.
The Woodcutter continued, "But this Yan Kang reform can. The grudges between us are a small matter. I know you have had a hard time these years. I know that after the great war, you found these orphans and widows to take care of them. You did a lot after the Kai Huang Dynasty fell. You wanted to find a way out for them. But you are too stupid. In twenty thousand years, you never found this path."
A guttural roar like a trapped beast came from Old Farmer's throat.
After the fall of the Kai Huang era, he took care of the orphans left behind by his fallen comrades, but he could only watch them grow old and die one by one.
This was a great torment, filling his heart with guilt.
"Come out. Come out, and you will be the Martial Saint."
The Woodcutter looked at him, his gaze somewhat pitying, but more expectant. "The Kai Huang Emperor appointed us as Heavenly Masters, but the only one he appointed as a Saint was me. However, his original intention was that all four of us could become Saints. You are the Martial Combat Heavenly Master, the number one in martial arts, there is no doubt about that. But a Saint is not about martial power. Come out, and you will be the only Martial Saint, the Martial Saint Heavenly Master of the Kai Huang era!"
Old Farmer was still silent.
The Woodcutter did not continue to persuade.
He knew this old brother very well. He knew he was stubborn, but not obstinate. In fact, he was only stubborn with his words.
His words had hit the mark. He would figure it out and become the unique Martial Saint.
"I am persuaded by you. I do want to go and see this Yan Kang reform and change."
Old Farmer suddenly said, "But I won't help Yan Kang with anything. Our Kai Huang era started from scratch, with nothing. You praise Yan Kang so highly. If they can develop to Yan Kang's level without our help, then why should they rely on us failures?"
The Woodcutter laughed. "We are just helping them buy some time, preventing them from being destroyed by the old Heavenly Court while they are still young. This doesn't go against your original intention, does it? Back in the early Kai Huang era, some remnants of the Shang Huang era also gave us quite a bit of help."
Old Farmer smiled and said, "You've made me recall those youthful days again. Actually, I am also half a person from the Shang Huang era."
"Actually, we are all half people from the Shang Huang era, including the Kai Huang Emperor."
The Woodcutter said, "Life is like this, endless. Inheritance is also like this, passed from one era to the hands of the people of the next era. Your martial arts spirit needs to be passed down. Don't let your legacy die out."
Old Farmer stood up and sneered, "But I won't forgive you for this. After I leave here, after I leave the Great Ruins, if I'm in a bad mood, I'll still beat you up. You just pray to the heavens and hope that you can improve a few realms and be able to withstand my fists."
He walked out of the room.
The smile froze on the Woodcutter's face. Qin Mu walked in from outside to change his medicine and asked in a low voice, "Teacher, do you have a grudge against the Martial Combat Heavenly Master?"
The Woodcutter was listless and sighed. "You could say that. It's a story from the past."
He clearly didn't want to mention this past event.
Qin Mu blinked, even more curious, but didn't say a word.
The Woodcutter was exasperated. "What kind of expression is that? Do you want to know other people's private affairs so badly?"
Qin Mu remained silent.
The Woodcutter sighed. "It's no harm to tell you. Actually, back then, I had a good relationship with him, the Scholar, and the Fisherman. Although my cultivation was the weakest, they all respected me. The Kai Huang Emperor put me in charge of the reforms and pushed me to the forefront. As they say, a talented man and a beautiful woman are a perfect match. When a man is too outstanding, he will attract women's favor. At that time, there was a girl he liked..."
Qin Mu helped him change the medicine, but his ears perked up, listening intently.
Outside the door, Old Ox also stopped gurgling on his water pipe, and his ox ear poked from outside the door to inside.
The Dragon Qilin, which had been lying listlessly, suddenly raised its head, its big ears flapping twice.
— Finally home! Tired, but after finishing this chapter, I suddenly feel very fulfilled. End of the month, brothers! I have a chapter updated, do you have any monthly votes?