Xiaoyaozi nodded repeatedly. Legend has it that Xiang Yu, the Overlord, had double pupils. It seems that this person is indeed the real Xiang Yu. If the Overlord had not had a miraculous encounter, how could he have defied fate and possessed such great strength?
“I am willing to go with you, but before that, I have one more thing to do. My disciple, Li Canghai, is going to go into seclusion at Langhuan Paradise in Wuliang Mountain, Dali.”
She chose to go into seclusion at this time, which must be to cultivate the supreme martial art of the Xiaoyao Sect, Xiaoyao Yufeng, to the death. If she fails, she will perish.
I need to secretly protect him for a period of time. Of my four disciples, she is the purest and kindest, and the only one who might inherit my unique skills. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have let Wuyazi get married.
I know she also likes Wuyazi, but I watched Wuyazi grow up. He is not someone I can entrust my life to. If Canghai gets entangled in a relationship with him, I'm afraid she will never achieve anything in her life.
As for the person whose strength has increased so drastically and inexplicably, as far as I know, besides myself, there's only that nameless bald monk from Shaolin Temple.”
Hao Jiu's lips twitched violently. "Could it be that Xiaoyaozi was referring to that Sweeping Monk? The number one master in the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils!"
Chapter 369 Monk
The question of who is the number one martial arts master in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is actually unanswerable, because there are two universally acknowledged strongest individuals.
The first is the Sweeping Monk, who easily defeated several contemporary masters such as Kumārajīva, Murong Bo, and Xiao Yuanshan upon his first appearance; the second is Xiaoyaozi, who has never fought anyone.
Although the outcome cannot be determined without a fight, Xiaoyaozi founded the Xiaoyao Sect, and all the disciples he taught were top-notch masters.
Therefore, if Hao Jiu were to force a conclusion on who is the strongest, Xiaoyaozi would be stronger. After all, Xiaoyaozi was the founder of a sect and created many divine skills, while the Sweeper Monk was just a descendant who had mastered the Shaolin Seventy-Two Arts and the Yi Jin Jing, among other peerless martial arts.
At this time, the Sweeper Monk should still be very young, and his martial arts talent is definitely one of the best in the world. Xiaoyaozi is also exceptionally talented and knows everything, but he is a little older.
If the target system did not choose Xiaoyaozi as its host, then the possibility of choosing the Sweeper Monk as its host is quite high. Could it be that this teleportation, like the Wenjing plane, was interfered with by some special event, which is why it did not teleport to the vicinity of the target system?
If the young sweeping monk really is the target host, then this kid is really unlucky and is doomed to die, because his opponent will be Xiang Yu, the overlord who possesses the strongest system!
Upon hearing that he was the number one expert in the novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," Xiang Yu's fighting spirit immediately ignited. "Since he is the number one expert, I, the king, will definitely have a good fight with him!"
Hao Jiu's lips twitched violently. "Xiang Wang, don't be in such a hurry. The nameless bald monk that Xiaoyaozi mentioned is the Sweeping Monk, and the Sweeping Monk is the host. These two things are just our guesses at the moment. What if they are not?"
You should know that the Sweeper Monk in *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils* only became the top martial arts master decades later; he probably doesn't have that ability now. The top martial arts master in this world is undoubtedly Xiaoyaozi, whom you've already defeated.
Xiang Yu was slightly disappointed, but he quickly realized that anyone who could catch Xiaoyaozi's eye couldn't possibly be weak. Regardless of whether he was a hidden master or not, there must be a master waiting for him to challenge him. If the host wasn't a hidden master, that would be even better; he could just take him in. What kind of life would it be to become a monk in the prime of one's life?
"Master Xiaoyao, who exactly is this nameless bald monk you speak of? How does his martial arts compare to yours? And how did his strength increase so dramatically?" Xiang Yu asked.
Xiaoyaozi said solemnly, "This person has no name or surname, his Buddhist name is Qianqian, and he has long since hidden his identity and stopped caring about worldly affairs, but he has been hiding in Shaolin Temple all along."
Legend has it that more than 30 years ago, Shaolin monk Fayuan devoted his life to studying the Shaolin Yi Jin Jing, a unique martial art, but made no progress. In a fit of anger, he sat down and died. Unexpectedly, his dull-witted and eccentric disciple picked up the scripture next to his body and started practicing it with a laugh. Surprisingly, he became a top master.
This incident caused a sensation at the time, and many people, including those from Shaolin Temple, investigated it, hoping that he would teach the Yi Jin Jing to everyone, since the Yi Jin Jing was very difficult to practice and no one could understand the text.
As a result, Qianqian was so erratic and incoherent that he couldn't explain anything coherent. It was unbelievable that such a person could learn the unparalleled martial arts that so many enlightened monks had failed to master.
As for his martial arts skills, they are naturally inferior to mine. I fought him more than 20 years ago, but he admitted defeat after a hundred rounds. However, this person is still worth a fight for the Overlord.
Shaolin martial arts are inherently fierce, and this person has also mastered the Yi Jin Jing, making his internal strength unfathomable. He is indeed a formidable opponent, and if he were still alive and in good health, he would probably be even more powerful.
However, the Shaolin school has no method of achieving immortality. He must be seventy or eighty years old, so it's possible he'll die of old age or become too weak to fight again. Does the Overlord still want to find him?
Xiang Yu hesitated for a moment, then asked in his mind, "God of Wine, this person's strength increased dramatically more than thirty years ago. Could he be the host?"
Hao Jiu also felt that the time span was a bit long. More than thirty years was enough time for a system to turn a fool into a great ruler. Even if this mad monk was devoted to Buddhism and had no ambition to dominate the world, he should at least have opened Buddhist temples all over the Song Dynasty, right?
Of course, the above is just one possibility. It is also possible that the system is stupid, the host is bad, or that a highly accomplished monk resists temptation and lives in anonymity.
"Why don't we all go and take a look? Shaolin Temple is full of talented people. If the future sweeping monk is in Shaolin Temple, the possibility of him being selected by the target system is not small."
Furthermore, I suspect that this "Qianqian" might be the Sweeping Monk. It's not hard to accept that someone who has mastered the Yi Jin Jing could live to be two hundred years old, and it would be even more normal if there were a system involved.
Upon closer reflection, I realized that there really was such a mad monk who mastered the Yi Jin Jing in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, but it was just a story told through someone else's words, and he never actually appeared in the story.
The process by which he learned the Yi Jin Jing is similar to what Xiaoyaozi described, so it should be him. Therefore, the mad monk and the sweeping monk may indeed be the same person.
There's one thing: the Sweeping Monk I know is perfectly normal, not insane at all. As for this "mad monk," we have no idea how insane he really is, or whether he's feigning madness.
"Master Xiaoyao, is that mad monk really mad?" Xiang Yu thought that Xiaoyaozi, having fought with him, should be able to tell something.
Xiaoyaozi pondered for a moment, "He is a bit crazy, and indeed dull, but he is definitely not stupid. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he is wise in disguise. He is just pretending to be crazy."
"Then let's head to Shaolin Temple now," Xiang Yu decided.
"Now? Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry? It's getting late, why not stay at the Free and Unfettered Sect for the night and set off early tomorrow morning? That way, I can arrange some affairs within the sect and invite Your Majesty to sample the Free and Unfettered Sect's delicacies. After accompanying you to Shaolin Temple, I'll conveniently visit Langhuan Blessed Land to protect Canghai. Who knows how many years it will be before I return?" Xiaoyaozi said with difficulty.
Xiang Yu thought about it and agreed. He really didn't need to miss one more night, and there was no need to force Xiaoyaozi to leave. "Alright then, it's as you say."
"Thank you for your understanding, Overlord." Xiaoyaozi smiled. "Come with me, I will take you to the guest room. There are not many people from Xiaoyao Sect, so it is very quiet. But if you need anything, Overlord, please feel free to ask, and I will certainly satisfy you."
"Just try not to let others disturb me, I like peace and quiet." How could Xiang Yu possibly ask his subordinate, Xiaoyaozi, for anything, especially since he truly lacked nothing?
"Alright, that's easy." Xiaoyaozi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that Xiang Yu would make a request for his two beautiful female disciples to serve him in bed. Of course, it would be even more unacceptable if his eldest disciple, Wu Xingyun, were to serve him in bed, as she was still a child!
Fortunately, it was Xiang Yu who came, not Liu Ji, otherwise...
Chapter 370 Binding
Xiaoyaozi said, "If you need anything, just ask."
Hao Jiu licked his lips. "Why doesn't Ba Wang take this opportunity to ask him to record the cards? Such a talent is hard to find throughout history. Moreover, Xiaoyaozi has mastered the Longevity Technique. Although he can't truly live forever and turn back the clock, he can return to the body he had when he first started cultivating every thirty years."
"If you start practicing this martial art now, you can regain the body of a thirty-year-old by the time you're sixty. That means your body will age to a maximum of sixty. However, if you extend your lifespan through other means, allowing you to remain young at sixty, then you'll truly achieve eternal youth—a poor man's version of a youth-preserving elixir."
"Like that young girl?" Xiang Yu frowned.
Hao Jiu sighed, "She has a congenital disability and a congenital imbalance of the three jiaos, which is why she can't grow up. The Changchun Gong she practices has been modified. Originally, when the technique was mastered, there was a chance to cure this disability and she could grow up normally."
Moreover, consider this: she started practicing the Everlasting Youth Technique at the age of six. It's a thirty-year cycle, meaning she'll revert to childhood at thirty-six, grow into an adult again in ten years, and have the remaining twenty years be the prime of her youth. With proper care, she'll practically stay young forever.
At this moment, the future Tianshan Child Granny, Wu Xingyun, is reflecting on her mistakes in her room, but she is reflecting on the past rather than the mistakes themselves.
When she was a child, she cared for Wu Yazi very much, and the two secretly pledged their lives to each other at a young age, but it was ruined by Li Qiushui.
Wu Xingyun suddenly felt a little regretful. If she had kept her secret that she could cure her incurable disease at the age of twenty-six, Li Qiushui would not have interfered with her without knowing this, causing her to go into qi deviation and never grow up for the rest of her life.
"But back then, only I, my master, and my junior brother knew about this. How did Li Qiushui find out?"
After Li Qiushui grew up, she began to seduce my junior brother. Although my junior brother and I were deeply in love, how could a man in his prime resist a woman throwing herself into his arms?
I told my junior brother in advance that I had mastered the Changchun Gong and could cure my incurable disease and grow up to adulthood, just to give him confidence. While he was happy, he also reminded me not to let outsiders know.
Could it be… No! It must be Li Qiushui who overheard! My junior brother would never betray me! Li Qiushui, you just wait!
...
Xiaoyaozi's residence was located at the highest point of Lingjiu Palace. Since he had already taught all the necessary techniques and answered all the questions, and his disciples had all mastered their martial arts, he could now let them learn from each other. Therefore, unless there was an urgent matter, no one was allowed to disturb Xiaoyaozi's cultivation.
"I am the only one living in this palace. The Overlord can choose any room he wants, and I guarantee peace and quiet."
"Thank you for your trouble." Xiang Yu felt that this palace was more magnificent than any palace he had ever seen before. If it really was a palace that existed since ancient times, would it exist in the Chu-Han world?
"If there's nothing else, I'll go arrange some affairs within the sect. Please excuse me for now," Xiaoyaozi said, bowing.
Xiang Yu clasped his hands in a fist salute, "Sect Leader Xiaoyao, please go ahead with your business. I'll ask you to do something for me when you have time."
"Oh? What is it? If it won't take too long, let's help the Overlord first. There aren't many affairs to arrange in the sect, so there's no rush," Xiaoyaozi said with a smile.
"It won't take long. You just need to demonstrate all your skills to me and help me record a card. After it's done, I will reward you handsomely," Xiang Yu said calmly.
“Record cards? What does that mean?” Xiaoyaozi didn’t understand at all.
"In short, I have a way to imprint your abilities on a magical plaque, and with another divine object, you can instantly grant someone else your abilities. Although it won't be as powerful as your original self, it's still pretty good."
That divine artifact is one of the gifts I'm giving you. With it, you can instantly possess the abilities of other card characters. However, because the recording process consumes some of my precious energy, the card cannot be given away easily.
Xiang Yu knew that Hao Jiu, given his nature, would never give away cards to Xiaoyaozi for free, even if he was an actor who recorded the cards. Who knew how much energy each of Xiaoyaozi's cards had?
Xiaoyaozi was shocked. "Such supernatural powers exist in the world? Wouldn't it be as easy as turning one's hand to inherit my mantle?"
Xiang Yu coughed lightly, "Master Xiaoyao, please don't misunderstand. The person who uses this card must have another divine object, which is even more precious than the card."
"Of course, if the Free and Unfettered Sect Leader encounters someone who particularly wants to inherit his mantle, but that person cannot learn your skills on their own, I can give them another set."
"Haha, I was presumptuous. I already have several disciples, but they can't learn all my skills. The four of them together have barely learned about 70-80%. If Canghai succeeds in his seclusion this time, he will only reach 90%. So I need to take on another disciple."
However, since the Overlord recorded my cards, regardless of who uses them, it at least ensures that my skills have been completely passed down, and that's enough. Come on, let's begin the recording process," Xiaoyaozi said with a smile.
Xiang Yu smiled and said, "Actually, there's no need for the leader of the Xiaoyao Sect to rush into passing on his mantle. Aren't you immortal?"
Xiaoyaozi sighed, "How difficult it is to achieve immortality! My Longevity Technique has its drawbacks and cannot truly grant immortality."
"Once you follow me, you'll be fine. After this matter is settled, I'll introduce you to an immortal. You won't need to become a disciple; he can teach you the methods of cultivating immortality. I see that your martial arts are developing in a direction that's getting closer and closer to cultivating immortality. Why not just cultivate immortality directly? Oh, there isn't a method of cultivating immortality, is there? But the fact that you were able to create a technique like the Everlasting Youth Technique is truly admirable," Xiang Yu said truthfully.
"If that's truly the case, Xiaoyaozi will repay you with the rest of his life." Xiaoyaozi's breathing was slightly rapid. The reason he was willing to follow Xiang Yu was not only because he was impressed by the other's martial prowess, but also because he somewhat wanted to learn immortal magic. However, he was too young to ask to become Xiang Yu's disciple. At his level of martial arts, he had little interest in unifying the martial arts world or even the entire world; only immortality was his true pursuit.
"We'll talk about repaying you later. I'll give you that divine item first, so it'll be more convenient when recording the cards." Xiang Yu said, raising his hand. "Just answer 'agree to bind' later."
Xiaoyaozi sensed something approaching him and instinctively wanted to dodge, but he managed to control himself. If the other party wanted to kill him, there was no need to resort to such tricks; at most, they would just use some supernatural powers to control him.
But this isn't hard to understand. After all, when you accept a new person and invest a lot in them, you have to trust them. Using some methods to deepen trust is good for both parties.
Of course, this only applies if he doesn't betray you. If he does betray you, this method will be a death sentence...
"System binding in progress, Xiaoyaozi, do you agree?" Hao Jiu asked.
"Agreed!" Xiaoyaozi gritted his teeth, believing in the Overlord and gaining eternal life!
Chapter 371 New Cards
To subdue a powerful figure like Xiaoyaozi, the first thing to consider is not what the other party wants, but their character and how to ensure they will not rebel.
The more powerful a subordinate is, the more likely they are to enter the core management team, and the greater the harm they can cause when they turn against them. Just like Xiang Bo back then, as the first person of the Xiang family's elders and the second most important person in the Xiang family, he was highly valued by Xiang Yu. If he openly betrayed and defected to the enemy, it would be better, but if he secretly colluded with the enemy, the harm would be devastating.
Moreover, Xiang Bo, despite his seemingly honest and kind appearance, was full of moralistic rhetoric and was very good at using moral blackmail. He also understood Xiang Yu's temperament very well, truly having Xiang Yu completely under his thumb.
Even relatives with the same surname can't be trusted, let alone people you've only known for a day. You can't fully trust them, but you also can't be completely without suspicion.
Swearing oaths to heaven is all nonsense. Even if someone is truly loyal now, there's no guarantee they won't have other ideas later. Even if there are shared interests now, there's no guarantee they won't share interests with others in the future.
That's why there have been so many betrayals throughout history. Human hearts are unpredictable; if even one out of ten trusted subordinates betrays you, it can cause enormous trouble.
Of course, there are also many instances of emperors betraying their subordinates, such as sharing hardship but not wealth, preferring to betray the world rather than let the world betray them, preferring to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free, and discarding the useful donkey after it has served its purpose, among other shameful acts.
Xiang Yu is not afraid of being betrayed by others; what he fears is that the betrayer obtains the system or secretly contacts other enemies who also have the system. Even if someone without the system betrays him, the harm they cause will not be significant.