“Where did you learn your martial arts from?” Huang Binghu asked. Apart from being brave and quick-witted, Li Qingshan’s martial arts were extraordinary as well. Even if normal people could react fast enough, their strength would not recover in time. Moreover, when his five fingers came in contact with Li Qingshan’s neck earlier, it felt like he had struck the tough hide of an ox, not a soft, vulnerable part of the body.
Li Qingshan could not say that he had learnt it from an ox, or people would probably treat him as an idiot. He just said that he met a great master several years ago. The master saw how he was an honest boy, so he taught him some moves. However, the master had also ordered him to keep his appearance and identity a secret.
“A few years ago?!” Huang Binghu was speechless. He was not particularly surprised by the fact that Li Qingshan was reluctant to state his master, but he had originally thought Li Qingshan had practised martial arts since a young age. The most crucial part about him remaining in Drawn Reins village would be finding out about his master.
“What’s wrong?” Li Qingshan was perplexed.
“Didn’t you begin learning martial arts from a young age?”
“He used just a few years to guide you to such a level. That’s truly unbelievable. It seems like this great master really is a great master.”
Li Qingshan sweated profusely inside. Fortunately, he had just casually said a few years ago and not a month ago. Otherwise, he would have probably frightened Huang Binghu to death.
At the same time, he gained a better understanding that supernatural abilities and the martial arts of mortals were things of two completely different levels. He was not Huang Binghu’s opponent right now, but only because he had practised for less than two months. Huang Binghu, on the other hand, had probably spent twenty or thirty years of effort to get to his current level.
“May I ask for the reason for your visit, hunting chief?”
“Kid, would you be interested in settling down in the Drawn Reins village?” Although it was a question, it felt like he left no room for refusal.
“Sure!” Li Qingshan agreed straightforwardly, which surprised Huang Binghu instead. “Don’t you have any attachments to your home?”
“If I don’t agree, will the hunting head let me leave here safely?” Li Qingshan said with composure, “And, I’ve heard of a saying before.”
“What saying?”
“Home is wherever I am. Whether it be the Crouching Ox village or the Drawn Reins village, there’s no difference to me. I might even be able to learn some archery for hunting here. Do you understand me, hunting chief? My ambitions don’t lie in these mountains and forests.”
“With your mediocre martial arts, wandering on the roads of jianghu will only lead you to your death. At most, you’ll just be a shrimp that follows those disciples of large clans and sects around. How can it be compared to the freedom of the mountains and forests?”
“Hmm? Hunting chief, aren’t your skills enough then?” Li Qingshan was rather surprised. Huang Binghu could be regarded as famous in this region.
“You can laugh if you want, but my skills with the bow and arrow are passable, and I've made a name for myself in the jianghu before. However, the jianghu is filled with powerful people. Even if you practise martial arts for several decades, a kid in his teens can still slaughter you like killing a dog. I suffered tremendously. It’s fortunate that I could return alive.”
Li Qingshan pursed his lips. Not only did he feel no fear, but he was even charmed by it instead.
Chapter 24: Searching for the Spiritual Ginseng | Legend of the Great Sage
Huang Binghu knew that he had not taken him aback enough psychologically, so he added, “Your blade style and fist style requires you to be unencumbered, so you probably practise external martial arts. These types of martial arts lead to quick results. However, if you don’t have superior internal martial arts technique supporting you, allowing you to go from external to internal and thus achieving dual practices, it’ll probably be difficult for you to become a first-rate master. Naturally, becoming an innate master will be impossible.”
“First-rate master? What rate am I? And what are innate masters about?”
Li Qingshan asked a string of questions, which actually convinced Huang Binghu slightly that his moves all came from a great master who happened to pass by. If he had a proper master, it was impossible for him to not know this. “Qingshan, with your skill right now, you haven’t even reached third-rate.”
“Then that’s just mediocre!”
“You were able to defeat those ginseng foragers, so you’re already an adept. You’re still young, so there’s no need to be too dejected. As long as you practise properly and become a third-rate master, you’ll be able to roam through an entire region unopposed. With your talent, Qingshan, it won’t be an issue for you to reach such a level.”
Huang Binghu was afraid of going too far and dampening his determination, so he comforted Li Qingshan out of goodwill. However, he had no idea that the target the black ox had given Li Qingshan in the first place was to be able to roam through the entire world unopposed. The so-called internal martial arts he mentioned was even more of a joke.
“It’s even more mysterious for innate masters. They have to open up all the meridians in their bodies first and pass through the entry hall of life and death, converting their inner force into true qi. This true qi can flow through their bodies without any inhibitions anymore. Once true qi becomes powerful enough, it can even be freely projected out of one’s body to injure others.”
Hold on. I think the qi in my body right now can move about uninhibited. However, I can’t project it out of my body. It must be because it’s too weak.
Li Qingshan suddenly understood that right from the beginning, his starting line was different from other normal people. The path he took was something regular practitioners of martial arts could not imagine.
“Hunting chief, I will definitely become an innate master.”
Huang Binghu praised him for his aspiration, but he did not believe it at all. Innate master? When he heard of this the first time, he also held the same, noble aspiration, but how was it that easy?
It was as if he saw himself from the past. “If you really can become an innate master, I’ll give you the position of hunting chief.” This was not a blind promise. He believed that even if Li Qingshan could become an innate master, it would take him a few decades. Never did he think that the person right in front of him had already become a so-called ‘innate master’.
Li Qingshan noticed something. “Hunting chief, you don’t seem to be too well.”
“I was born frail, and the physician originally said that I would not last for very long. However, my mother refused to believe it, managing to raise me after tremendous effort. I refused to believe that I was worse than the other kids in the village, so I forced myself to practise martial arts. However, my foundation’s were still weak at the end of the day. I’ve often been in pain in the past few years, so I probably don’t have much time left.”
Li Qingshan truly admired the man in front of him slightly. Even though he did not have any great abilities or techniques, his will power and determination were enough for Li Qingshan to hold him as a role model.
“Don’t worry, hunting chief. We just have to find the spiritual ginseng, and you’ll definitely be cured.”
“Yep. Although it’s an almost non-existent possibility, it’s still a chance for me. We have to take advantage of how the Ginseng King village has been weakened to enter the mountains to search today. Do you want to come?”
“My wounds have yet to recover completely, so I probably won’t be able to lend any help.” Of course, Li Qingshan would not agree. Huang Binghu had only put it like that. It was impossible for Li Qingshan to actually trust him.
“Alright. Once you’re healed, we can clash again. I will arrange for people to teach you archery.” Huang Binghu patted his shoulder.
Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 1-Chapter 100)
Dream Teller's books
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 101-Chapter 200)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 201-Chapter 300)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 301-Chapter 400)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 401-Chapter 500)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 501-Chapter 600)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 601-Chapter 700)
- Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 701-Chapter 833)