Chapter 1

Great Han Heavenly Dynasty.

At the foot of Wudang Mountain, on the day of Start of Winter, the white mist was as cold as ice, piercing to the bone.

In the pavilion beside the Sword Unbinding Rock, two young Taoist priests rubbed their hands, gazing at the icicles hanging from the eaves, thick as a child's arm, sharp as knives and swords. One of them couldn't help but complain, "This damned weather, this winter is really damn cold. I wonder if there will be any demonic beasts. Those convicts from Xianyao Valley should be the ones guarding the mountain gate; they deserve to freeze to death!"

The other Taoist priest glanced at him and sneered, "Look at your courage. At the foot of Wudang Mountain, even if demonic beasts or demons appear, they will be instantly killed by the True Martial Seven-Section Sword Formation, their souls scattered. Also, you're belittling yourself. You are a disciple of the outer court, having formally paid homage to the Great Emperor Zhenwu. Comparing yourself to those convicts from Xianyao Valley is a disgrace to your status."

The young Taoist priest who had complained immediately blushed, but soon couldn't help but sigh, "That Li Qinghe from Xianyao Valley, at just eighteen, has cultivated the Wudang Foundation-Building 'Turtle-Snake Technique' to the seventh level. He can now attempt to open his dantian and cultivate internal true qi, thus escaping his criminal status. However, I heard that he is quite ambitious. Yesterday, he accepted the Demon-Slaying Order from Xianyao Valley, determined to slay a demonic beast and return to enter the outer court, to obtain the eighth to tenth levels of the 'Turtle-Snake Technique' heart method and oral instructions in advance."

"Yes, truly heinous convicts have long been executed. Those who come to Wudang are mostly children and teenagers who have been implicated. Every few years, a few talented ones stand out, cultivating internal true qi before their execution, thus escaping their criminal status and starting anew. This is the benevolence of His Majesty... Hey, the first prisoner cart after Start of Winter is here!"

The two Taoist priests immediately focused, straightened their Taoist robes, smoothed out the wrinkles, and took a few steps out of the pavilion, standing before the Sword Unbinding Rock, gazing into the distance.

The white mist was hazy, the cart wheels turning, the mountain path rugged, the prisoner cart jolting and creaking. Su Qinen opened his weary eyes, feeling aches all over his body. He looked into the distance, seeing green mountains shrouded in mist, with one peak particularly majestic, resembling a pillar of heaven, towering and majestic, piercing the nine heavens.

This is Heavenly Pillar Peak. Have I finally arrived at Wudang Mountain?

"Second Young Master Su, this old servant can only accompany you this far."

A voice sounded, and Su Qinen turned his head, struggling to rise, looking at a thin, bearded old man with gentle eyes beside the prisoner cart.

"Old sir, please return. Thank you for your escort. Su Qinen will remember this in his heart."

Su Qinen clasped his fists, completely unaware of the tight iron chains binding his hands, even though the fine, sturdy iron chains had already cut into his flesh, leaving long bloodstains.

Looking at the fifteen-year-old youth in the prisoner cart, even bound by iron chains, he still stubbornly bowed. The old man sighed in his heart and said again, "Second Young Master Su, there's no need for such formalities. In five years, Wudang is one of the major sects of the Heavenly Dynasty, famous for its Tai Chi boxing and swordsmanship. The current Third Mad Taoist is a heavenly master, revered by all. As long as Second Young Master Su studies diligently, you might inherit the true teachings and achieve the Dao of the spirit. Perhaps His Majesty will revoke the order next year."

Su Qinen remained silent. The old man turned his horse, paused, and asked, "Does Second Young Master have any message for the princess?"

Su Qinen's gaze flickered, sensing the familiar aura in his heart. It was the Time Heart, each holding one-third, pulsing and resonating, even over great distances.

After a few breaths, a bitter smile appeared on his lips, and he said solemnly, "Thank you."

The old man looked at him deeply, finally released the reins, and soon the sound of hooves faded away.

Half an incense stick later, before the Sword Unbinding Rock, the two Taoist priests received the Ministry of Justice documents, read them carefully, and only after the more than ten Ministry of Justice guards left did they glance at Su Qinen. One of them said coldly, "Su Wangsheng, a mere eighth-rank armory compiler, dared to collude with a top figure of the demonic sect, stealing three secret demonic techniques from the imperial collection. It was only because his eldest son from the Royal Academy scattered his scholar status and was exiled to the northern border to fight the deep-sea demons that his execution was delayed for five years. Second Young Master Su, it seems you are the one. Tsk, tsk, to have the HanYang Princess vouch for you, relying on a woman? The daughter of the First-Class Demon-Suppressing King actually knows a nobody like you?"

"Follow us, into Xianyao Valley!"

Without waiting for Su Qinen to explain, the two Taoist priests turned and walked past the Sword Unbinding Rock, striding down a mountain path.

Su Qinen looked at the more than twenty pounds of iron chains still binding him, understanding that the two Taoist priests were deliberately making things difficult for him. The three schools of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism have always been at odds with the demonic sect. In the Heavenly Dynasty, while the royal family does not hate the demonic sect as much as they hate the demons, they are still considered a major threat, so colluding with the demonic sect is a taboo and a serious crime.

In fact, only Wudang, with its harmonious Tai Chi, has the capacity to accept such a person. Previously, the Ministry of Justice had sent documents to the Five Peaks Sword Sect, Shaolin, Lingjiu Palace, Emei, and the Complete Perfection Sect, but all had politely declined.

Clank! Clank!

Su Qinen moved his steps, struggling to keep up with the two young Taoist priests' backs.

Hmm?

Just as he passed the famous Sword Unbinding Rock of Wudang, Su Qinen's pupils narrowed. He clearly saw a long sword embedded in the rock behind it. The sword was covered in rust, without a hilt, and beyond the handle, half of a Black Tortoise's body, with a turtle and snake embracing, extended into a blade about four feet long.

The long sword was dull, with most of the blade covered in moss, standing in the shadow, facing away from the Sword Unbinding Rock.

At the bend in the mountain path, Su Qinen took one last look at the long sword. The mountain wind was cold, and below the Sword Unbinding Rock, there seemed to be endless desolation.

…

Xianyao Valley.

This is a large canyon deep in the Wudang Mountains, with rugged rocks and clear waterfalls. A green lake reflects the sun and moon, and on its shore, there are about a hundred thatched huts scattered around.

"Uncle Jingdu, this is the Ministry of Justice document, and the convict Su Qinen is here."

The two Taoist priests brought Su Qinen to the only bamboo pavilion on the shore, where a middle-aged Taoist priest was already standing. He had a beard, a dark complexion, and especially his tiger-like eyes, which seemed to belong to a real tiger in the deep mountains, exuding both authority and a killing aura wherever he went.

Unlike the gray Taoist robes worn by the two young Taoist priests, this middle-aged Taoist priest wore a blue Taoist robe, made of better material, with silk threads visible in the sunlight.

Xianyao Valley, the place where Wudang houses convicts, is overseen by the middle-aged Taoist priest Jingdu, an outer court enforcer of Wudang. He possesses internal true qi, having fully connected the twelve main meridians, with true qi surging like a hungry tiger leaping over a ravine, making him a strong third-rate expert. If he can connect the eight extraordinary meridians, his true qi will flow like a dragon in a great river, and when the dragon and tiger converge, if he has the right opportunity, he can condense the Dao seed of immortality, with the Dao within reach.

Although Jingdu is only a third-rate expert, the two young Taoist priests did not dare to be the slightest bit disrespectful or negligent. In the entire Great Han Heavenly Dynasty, with its millions of people and millions of martial artists, how many can successfully cultivate the foundation-building technique, open their dantian, and cultivate internal true qi? Out of a hundred, only one can achieve this, making such a third-rate realm rare and precious. Even in a major sect like Wudang, after careful selection, only a hundred or so out of nearly a thousand outer court disciples can reach this level of cultivation.

It can be said that even a third-rate expert who has just cultivated internal true qi can become a notable figure in a county in the eighteen circuits, one hundred and eight prefectures, and nine hundred counties of the Great Han Heavenly Dynasty. If he marries and has children, after a hundred years, he can be called a martial arts family.

The middle-aged Taoist priest Jingdu casually glanced at the Ministry of Justice document, then looked at Su Qinen without any emotion, and then at the two young Taoist priests, frowning and saying, "Go back. The 'Turtle-Snake Technique' emphasizes latent strength, and the Turtle-Snake Fist focuses on building momentum. This means embracing all rivers, adapting to the situation, not just enduring and retreating. If you don't change, you will never cultivate the foundation before the age of thirty. If you don't cultivate internal true qi and reach the third-rate realm, you will be sent to the labor room."

"Yes, Uncle Jingdu."

The two young Taoist priests were first stunned, then their faces turned red, not expecting the usually rough and strict Jingdu to suddenly say these things to them. They hurriedly turned to leave, their steps somewhat disordered. Perhaps Su Qinen would find it strange, but they understood that the mountain gate duty rotates monthly, and they had been responsible for receiving prisoner carts for the past six months, and this was their fifth time coming to Xianyao Valley…

On the shore, in the most dilapidated thatched hut in the corner.

Clank! The iron chains were removed from Su Qinen's body, and he couldn't help but draw a sharp breath. As the iron chain embedded in his flesh was pulled out, a layer of skin was torn, and blood flowed freely.

The middle-aged Taoist priest Jingdu ignored it, simply throwing two thin books at him. One was titled 'Turtle-Snake Technique,' and the other was 'Demon Scripture,' with a note indicating it was the eighth volume of the forty-nine-volume 'Demon Scripture,' the medicinal stone section.

"Every morning at dawn, I will demonstrate the first to seventh levels of the 'Turtle-Snake Technique' boxing form. You must compare it with the medicinal stone section of the 'Demon Scripture' and go into the mountains to find the corresponding herbs. This is what you must do every day. The one who collects the least herbs each month will be punished. Remember, starting tomorrow, you have only three days to rest and familiarize yourself with the 'Demon Scripture.' After three days, you will begin entering the mountains."

Jingdu's voice was calm, and he turned and left without any room for negotiation. For a moment, the thatched hut was left with only Su Qinen's slightly rapid breathing.

"I cannot fall. My elder brother scattered his scholar status and was exiled to the northern border, buying me five years of reprieve. I must clear my family's name, and all those who have used us as pawns will pay the price! Since I have managed to survive and come to Wudang, it means I am not meant to die. The Wudang 'Turtle-Snake Technique' is one of the few ten-level foundation-building techniques in the world. I must first become strong and escape my criminal status."

Su Qinen gritted his teeth, tore a strip of cloth from his clothes, and bandaged the wound on his ankle.

"Prosperity and wealth are accumulated, and so are life and death. They are encounters, rare and precious experiences in life! I, Su Qinen, have lived two lives, and I will not give up easily!" (New book, please vote and collect daily!)