“Goemon! Wake up! Get up!”
Wu Ming stepped out of the merchant’s house and saw Goemon sleeping by the side, which made him feel extremely speechless. He walked forward and gave him a kick.
“Ahhh! My deepest apologies, my lord!”
Goemon’s face turned red as he bowed deeply.
“Hmm… Let’s find an inn to stay at first, then we can have a big meal, after which you may leave…”
Wu Ming said casually and immediately noticed Goemon’s dejected gaze.
However, he didn’t say anything else.
After all, considering his age, Goemon had already missed the best time for cultivation. Correcting his path would inevitably require much more effort. Although Wu Ming did want followers, it didn’t mean he would accept anyone. The cost and benefit ratio here was simply too disproportionate.
“The Yamada Clan of Numata Castle?”
At this moment, looking at the central keep of the city, Wu Ming’s lips curled into a slight smile.
According to local terminology, a clan with a stipend of over ten thousand koku of rice, who built a castle and controlled a city or province, could be called a daimyo.
The Yamada Clan had a stipend of twelve thousand koku, meaning they could mobilize about a thousand soldiers, including twenty to fifty samurai. Indeed, they were a considerable force within the Izumo Province.
Too bad…
“Ordinary troops, a thousand men would just be a thousand ashigaru (foot soldiers), nothing to get excited about. The real fighting strength would be those dozens of samurai… They’re not even as strong as the Wang Clan’s superficial power in Chufeng Prefecture…”
Fifty samurai meant fifty elite guards, perhaps with bows and horses. If caught in a plain charge by such a large force, it would naturally be a death sentence.
But Wu Ming was alone. Using the complex terrain for guerrilla warfare, he could cut down ashigaru like grass and even defeat the samurai one by one.
Not to mention whether Yamada Torashige would really be willing to expend all his resources to hunt down just a ronin.
Therefore, the previous incident at Sakoi Tavern had essentially passed.
This was evident from the fact that Naito Takanari, who was a merchant favored by Yamada Torashige, had come to recruit him.
“My dignity does not lie in the privilege of the samurai, but in this sword…”
Wu Ming glanced at his katana at his waist and smiled slightly.
Right now, even though he had no name or reputation, he was confident that he could live comfortably in this world, relying solely on his strength! Or rather… his internal fortune!
Fate was intangible, external fortune as unstable as a rootless drifting weed. Only internal fortune was the true power he could control and trust.
Although somewhat disappointed, Goemon had still completed his task admirably.
Since Wu Ming had no shortage of money, naturally he stayed in the best room available.
In fact, the life of a ronin or yuubushi (wild samurai) was very hard. It was normal to live from hand to mouth, and many even starved or froze to death in winter. But Wu Ming naturally wouldn’t mistreat himself. With the thirty guan he earned from selling the black bear pelt, he could afford to enjoy the best of everything.
Soon, the news spread that a powerful samurai had checked into the inn. The sense of security this brought attracted more guests, making the innkeeper’s wife, who had a modest beauty, smile so widely she couldn’t close her mouth.
Night fell.
After politely declining the innkeeper’s wife’s suggestive, and even outright explicit, invitation to join her in the bath, Wu Ming sat cross-legged on the tatami mat. In his hand appeared a luminous pearl emitting a soft white glow.
“This Su Hou Pearl… seems to have slightly changed after absorbing the essence of the Bashe snake!”
After becoming the Great Emperor of Mount Dongyue, Wu Ming naturally knew what had attracted the Su Hou Pearl in the mansion temple back then!
“The ancient divine beast… Bashe snake? Speaking of which, although this pearl is a dragon pearl, it also has serpent characteristics…”
Wu Ming held the Su Hou Pearl up to the moonlight and immediately saw golden-green clouds condensing inside without dispersing. The faint purple serpent shadow within became increasingly lively.
A change occurred in the qi above his head in an instant.
Golden-green clouds gathered, within which a faintly visible azure dragon with purple eyes appeared.
Although his heavenly eye could perceive subtle details and distinguish a person’s fortune into three layers, this dragon qi was merely external fortune. However, other fortune observers did not possess this ability. If they saw it, they might immediately kneel and worship.
Inhale… Exhale…
With a simple breath, a sharp gleam flashed in Wu Ming’s eyes as he cast aside distractions and entered the optimal state for cultivation.
Within his consciousness sea, the “Huangting Yinfu Jing” which had already completed the Renxian scroll was automatically operating.
At this moment, one could perceive the golden-green clouds outside continuously decreasing, then condensing tenfold before entering the scope of internal fortune.
Affected by this, the red and white colors representing his status as a Taoist priest gradually became more crimson, constantly purifying. The speed of this process was simply inconceivable, enough to make Taoist practitioners deep in the mountains green with envy.
“The so-called solid foundation… is the process of completely digesting the rootless external fortune into stable internal fortune…”
With his heavenly eye, the path of fortune became completely transparent to Wu Ming, holding no secrets anymore.
When dawn gradually approached, Wu Ming slowly ended his meditation, his face showing delight: “At this rate, I will surely ascend to the level of Zhenren within a few months!”
In fact, during the previous supernatural world and after returning to the Zhou Dynasty, he had little time for cultivation.
In that supernatural world, the Taoist techniques were incomplete. After arriving in the Zhou Dynasty, he was soon dragged into another mission, leaving him no time. Only now could he finally calm down and deeply comprehend the mysteries of the Huangting Yinfu Jing.
“The cultivation stages of Taoists: the white and red of a Fashi (Taoist priest), the internal fortune turning crimson red for a Zhenren, and the consolidation of one’s spiritual foundation. The next stage, Tianshi, would be golden yellow…”
At this point, he couldn’t help but think of that swordsman from the Munen Ryu.
“In these past days, I’ve also inquired and learned that swordsmanship in this world can be divided into four levels: Kensheng (sword student), Kenji (licensed swordsman), Kenko (swordsman of great skill), and the legendary Kensheng (sage swordsman). Kensheng is level one, Kenji level two, Kenko level three, and the legendary Kensheng might be level four, equivalent to martial artists’ Wusheng (sage warrior)?”
The martial arts in the Zhou Dynasty were divided into four stages: physical body realm, Zongshi (master), Dazongshi (grand master), and Wusheng (sage warrior).
A Zongshi was already comparable to a Fashi, with internal fortune of white and red. A Dazongshi was a third-level martial artist, equivalent to a Zhenren!
Although Taoist techniques were highly versatile, if a Taoist priest was well-prepared, a martial artist would inevitably be no match. However, in terms of close combat and techniques where five steps could mean the difference between life and death for an entire nation, martial artists were naturally far superior to Taoist priests.
“After a Dazongshi comes the Wusheng. Legends say that a Wusheng has refined their physical body, internal energy, and spirit to the limit, earning the title of ‘Diamond Body Unbreakable’. In the military, they would be peerless mighty generals, capable of slaying thousands or even ten thousand men single-handedly! I wonder how the legendary Kensheng here would compare?”
“Although it’s said that there’s no further path beyond the Wusheng in martial arts, a fourth-level expert, comparable to a Taoist Tianshi, would still be terrifying…”
Wu Ming’s expression grew serious.
The cultivation system in this Japanese continent was not limited to swordsmanship alone.
Onmyoji (yin-yang masters), ninja, yokai (supernatural creatures), deities, and even the legendary gods of the Pillars of Creation made him realize that both the top-tier forces and the general level of cultivators in this world might surpass those of the supernatural world!
“In the supernatural world, Lesong was merely a third-level Zhenren of Daoism, but here he might be a renowned figure in an entire country. However, he would certainly not be invincible or the strongest under heaven…”
Reflecting on this, Wu Ming felt a chill.
He had always been cautious by nature. He quickly reviewed everything he had done, finding no serious transgressions, so he felt slightly reassured, knowing he wouldn’t face any backlash.
“There’s also that opposing enforcer…”
Even if there was only a ten percent chance that the opponent was stronger than Wu Ming, he had no intention of taking risks.
Therefore, hiding here for now and quietly cultivating until reaching the stage of Zhenren might be the best strategy.
Currently, he was only at the second level of Daoism, with combat ability barely reaching the third level. However, if he cultivated to the stage of Zhenren and combined it with Thunder Magic, his combat effectiveness could surge to the peak of the third level!
This would place him at the level of a great swordsman, a figure worthy of respect even by a daimyo, and a notable individual throughout all of Japan.
“Perhaps the opponent isn’t even in Izumo Province… Is the best strategy still to stall?”
Wu Ming then thought of the ten-year restriction.
He wasn’t the type to seek breakthroughs through life-and-death situations. If he could wait out the ten years and, by chance, the opponent didn’t have the authority to avoid elimination, that would be the best possible outcome.
He had no qualms about spending ten years to let the Main Temple eliminate his enemy!
“But I doubt the Main Temple would make it that easy for me…”
Wu Ming shook his head.
…
Two months later.
“Roar! Roar!”
A giant white ape, with a single vertical bloodshot eye in the center of its forehead, tore through the bushes with its hands and roared furiously at Wu Ming.
“Fire!”
Shouted a dozen or so local warriors nearby, shooting arrows, though they were all deflected by its white fur.
“My lord, we beg you!”
An elderly man wearing patterned clothing looked at the roaring white ape demon and immediately bowed deeply to Wu Ming.
“Leave it to me!”
Wu Ming, with an exasperated expression on his face, drew his sword and stepped forward, a bright halo of external qi shining around him.
“Just another samurai…”
The one-eyed ape roared, speaking in human language: “Become a sacrificial offering for my ninety-nine fates!”
“Annoying!”
Wu Ming slashed his sword, and a blazing sword beam instantly cut down from the ape’s shoulder, unstoppable.
Bang!
A large cloud of dust exploded, revealing a cracked ceramic bowl lying on the ground, wobbling.
“De… Defeated!”
The local warriors nearby were all agape, disbelief plastered across their faces: “Ninety-nine Fates had previously driven away several monks and sorcerers!”
“Truly worthy of the great Wu Ming!”
“The light on his sword! The Wind Demon Cutter lives up to its name as a legendary blade…”
…
Hearing the many discussions around him, Wu Ming felt extremely awkward: “It was just a level one yokai…”
In his spiritual eye, the white giant ape just now, aside from its demonic aura, had only a faint black internal fortune!
Generally speaking, a single pure color represented a stable rank. For example, pure black was standard level one, and pure white was standard level two. Now, with a pale black hue, it was barely stronger than an ordinary person, yet it had already become such a legend!
Seeing the old man beside him also appeared extremely grateful, Wu Ming felt even more speechless.
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