"Still calling yourself a nobody? Chen Tianlei, Ma Huajun, Wang Lianyun, and Yi Manchuan are no nobodys! Your reputation has spread far and wide. They say you're the Chen Aiyang of the mainland. Ha! Comparing you to Chen Aiyang is just short-sighted... Hmm, I don't know which organization contacted you; it's quite mysterious. I can't help you this time. If I can't get you to come, then some big shot will come looking for you..."
“I understand. In this world, one can remain untainted even when poor. But with my skills honed to this level, I can no longer remain untainted. Moreover, the Six Doors offer a good path for cultivation. I should break through in battle and serve the government wholeheartedly!”
"Grandmaster Uncle, it's good that you understand!"
Jiang Liu leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest. Suddenly, he asked, "Any news about Duan Guochao?"
"Duan Guochao? I heard he's on a secret mission!"
"Yes, if he dies someday, just contact me!"
"Is Duan Guochao going to die?"
Chapter Twenty-Three: The King of Execution
"This person's identity is very mysterious, he has no past, and seems to have suddenly appeared in Wudang. I went to see Yu Jingzi in person, but unfortunately, he kept his mouth shut... Taking on a disciple on behalf of his master, what a load of rubbish! Zhang Zhixing said everything, but it's as if he said nothing at all! I don't believe he sprang from a stone..."
Just as Jiang Liu was being picked up by a military vehicle, in a secret conference room within a secret military base in Beijing, sat a lieutenant general in his fifties, rhythmically tapping his fingers on the table. At the same time, a screen on the wall displayed an image of Jiang Liu.
Two people sat at the lower end of the table, one in civilian clothes and the other in a major general's uniform. They kept glancing at the display screen and then at the old commander.
The middle-aged man in plain clothes shook his head and said, "Old Chief, I used all my authority and could only confirm that he came from Wudang Mountain. I couldn't find anything else... Even if he had spent his whole life cultivating in Chunyang Palace, it's impossible that there wouldn't be any clues at all!"
The middle-aged man in the major general's uniform then said, "Old Cao, don't worry about his identity. As long as we can confirm he's not a spy, that's enough! The commander-in-chief said, 'It doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.' You know, he's only a teenager. He's worth the cost of winning him over and training him. Although we already have Wang Chao, I feel it's not enough. Only by maintaining a balance of power can we control him. Moreover, we can't be sure how loyal Wang Chao is. Someone who could betray us at any time, no matter how strong his potential is, we can only try to utilize his remaining value! Fortunately, we can use him to catch the big fish behind him... We must win over this little Taoist priest, no matter how high the cost. What do you think, old commander? He'll be here in half an hour."
"Indeed! At the peak of Dark Force in his teens, he'll reach Transformation Force in a few more years, and might even be able to achieve Sainthood by embracing the Core Formation!"
The lieutenant general paused, his voice cold and devoid of emotion: "The Shaolin issue has escalated to a national security issue. The higher-ups have agreed that all Shaolin masters planted in the military and national security must be eradicated, not a single one left… That strongest one in the national security force, Duan Guochao, I heard he's called some kind of National Arhat. The country doesn't need an Arhat like him! Arrange for him to fight Wang Chao if there's an opportunity; the winner takes all. If Wang Chao survives, then we'll test his loyalty! As for Jiang Liu, he has the strength; several military instructors have praised him highly. Most importantly, he's young. We can make use of him. We can arrange for some Shaolin monks to try him out first…"
The plan to suppress Shaolin Temple has been brewing for a long time, but it has never been implemented. The main reason is the lack of a capable leader. It is said that all martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin, and Shaolin has many strong fighters. If one is not careful, one will be devoured. If you don't kill a snake, you will be hurt by it. Moreover, Shaolin is a dragon.
When Wang Chao appeared, the soul of the plan finally came into being.
Shaolin has indeed had its share of self-destructive practices, such as opening martial arts schools abroad and training many highly skilled foreign masters; for example, accomplished Shaolin monks are often invited by the Russian military to perform and explain boxing techniques within the troops, which even attracted Putin, the Russian political strongman, to visit Shaolin in person. On the surface, Putin was pleased, but in reality, he was very displeased.
Various reasons combined led to this plan to suppress Shaolin, which has already been approved by higher authorities. Every circle has its own rules, and even if the higher authorities are dissatisfied with Shaolin, they can't very well lead a large army to besiege and burn it down like the warlord Shi Yousan did during the Republic of China era.
Matters of the martial world should be settled within the martial world itself! The government cannot get involved, and the military certainly cannot get involved, otherwise the entire martial world will explode!
"The person has arrived, old commander. Do you want to meet him? I heard he's not even twenty, younger than Wang Chao, and stronger too!"
"Zhou Liang, Cao Yi, you go and meet them. I'll stay here and keep watch!" This lieutenant general was no ordinary man. During the Vietnam War, he led a small unit, under the cover of artillery fire, to break through the Vietnamese army's Lang Son defense line. In a day and a night, they marched more than 130 kilometers and infiltrated several Vietnamese army command bases in Hanoi, successfully carrying out a decapitation strike.
The title of "King of Decapitations" Ngo Van Huy left a terrifying impression on the senior U.S. military officers who had participated in the Vietnam War.
Cao Yi and Zhou Liang were also members of this group back then. They are still carrying out his plan now.
It was he who manipulated Wang Chao with ease, turning the tables on him with ease, displaying his cunning and shrewdness.
The person Jiang Liu had been avoiding and didn't want to come into contact with has finally come knocking on his door!
After passing through numerous checkpoints, Jiang Liu was taken to a secret military camp. It was a building that was clearly a command post, and the sentries standing guard at the entrance with guns stood motionless like stone statues.
After sitting in the chair for a few minutes, two people walked in. One of them had a green badge with a gold star on his shoulder, indicating his rank—Major General.
Jiang Liu glanced at the two of them, then turned to look at the camera in the upper corner and said, "I don't like to waste time. Just name your price. If the price is right, everything is negotiable!"
Jiang Liu had read the book "The Legend of the Dragon and the Snake," and he still remembered the part where Wang Chao was manipulated. He had an innate aversion and disgust towards these government officials. If it were Liao Junhua, it would be understandable, but no matter how you look at it, neither of them could be him. They could only be subordinates of Wu Wenhui, the "King of Execution."
"Price? You're really direct," Cao Yi said.
Major General Zhou Liang narrowed his eyes, somewhat surprised, and laughed, "I heard you're a martial arts fanatic. Serving the army will get you everything you want. The Six Doors are a good place for cultivation. With your strength, I can directly give you the rank of major!"
Jiang Liu, with his legs crossed, said nonchalantly, "These are all empty words. I want something real. They say a general who doesn't command troops has no one to listen to him; a staff officer who doesn't have a superior position is worthless. What use is a nominal post to me?"
"You're so confident? Do you expect us to beg you? You should know this is the military; countless skilled fighters would love to get in but can't!"
Jiang Liu chuckled, patted his behind, and said, "That's even better. I'm off now. No need to see me off!"
"Now that you're here, you're not going to leave so easily!" the major general said in a deep voice, his eyes cold and his killing intent palpable.
"Oh, I don't know if you've heard these eight words: 'So close, yet so far, yet so many enemies!'" Jiang Liu's eyes narrowed, and he instantly entered battle mode, but then he laughed, "Besides, what good would it do you to kill me for no reason? If you want me to risk my life, you should at least show some sincerity!"
"You think you can take us by the nose! Kid, you'd better watch out!"
At this moment, Wu Wenhui, the "King of Executions," walked in, his words icy cold and his every step filled with murderous intent. This veteran general, a veteran of countless battles, had wielded immense power for over a decade, and his every move exuded a natural air of authority. No matter how formidable a person was, they would tremble in fear before him, not daring to even breathe loudly. This was the domineering aura of power and experience that granted him the power to decide life and death at will, commanding absolute obedience.
In ancient terms, it was the might of a commander-in-chief. This was far greater than the authority of an ordinary official.
Cao Yi and Zhou Liang had personally witnessed how many high-ranking, powerful, and elegant people were extremely careful when talking to Wu Wenhui, never daring to be distracted or make any jokes.
In particular, no matter how arrogant or conceited the young talents were, when they were summoned by Wu Wenhui, they were all careful, composed, and extremely respectful.
But Jiang Liu showed no fear, plopped down in the chair he had just been sitting in, and said, "The main character has finally shown himself. Tell me what you want me to do, and then I'll name my price!"
"Hmph! That's just the way things are in the martial world!" Wu Wenhui sneered, staring at Jiang Liu as he said, "How much do you want for suppressing Shaolin?"
"I am a martial artist, so don't try to tempt me with beauty or money. I want all kinds of treasured martial arts manuals, wild ginseng that is over a hundred years old, precious Chinese medicinal herbs such as lingzhi and ambergris... diamonds, Hetian jade, and other precious gemstones are also acceptable..."
Money was worthless to him, and status was utterly worthless. He could collect gold, silver, antiques, and curios, but Jiang Liu preferred precious medicinal herbs and gemstones. For example, a hundred-year-old ginseng was something that money couldn't buy; even in the Journey to the West world, it was a primary ingredient in alchemy. And gemstones, regardless of the world, represented wealth.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Killing the Tiger (Part 1)
Wu Wenhui, the "King of Decapitations," put immense pressure on Jiang Liu. This man was cunning, ruthless, and decisive—a veteran general who had weathered countless battles. Jiang Liu had no ties, either domestically or internationally. Such a person was the least valued by any power, his loyalty utterly unreliable. In officialdom, this was called a "naked official"—unfit for important positions!
Jiang Liu's greed suited Wu Wenhui's intentions perfectly. It was just a matter of mutual exploitation, and exploitation naturally came at a price. If Jiang Liu agreed immediately, it would arouse Wu Wenhui's suspicion.
Even though they were using each other, Jiang Liu still managed to get the rank of major.
Three days later, at dawn, a young woman in her early twenties dressed in casual clothes arrived at Jiang Liu's residence carrying a package. She was dressed in a smart, all-black business suit, with long legs, a high bust, fair skin, a beautiful face, a cold yet serious demeanor, and a faint fragrance emanating from her. If she were to be rated, she would easily score over ninety.
"Hello, Major Jiang, my name is Yan Qing, I am an assistant sent by the Central Military Commission, with the rank of captain! These are the medicinal herbs and jade you requested, please sign for them..." As Jiang Liu took the package, her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a sharp glint flashed from those two slits. Then she stretched out her palm.
Looking at the fair palm, Jiang Liu chuckled and placed his hand on hers. The beautiful woman, who was at least a 90 out of 100, immediately changed color. She felt as if Jiang Liu had gently pressed down on her arm bones, and she was like a puppet on strings, involuntarily sitting down on the sofa.
This is the "four ounces deflect a thousand pounds" technique, an advanced skill in Tai Chi push hands. With a single touch, one can feel every bone in the body, instantly disrupting the center of gravity and causing the opponent to lose balance.
"You practice Wing Chun, don't you! The Wing Chun White Crane style, with its iron horse and hard bridge techniques, is already mastered!"
After Jiang Liu finished speaking, he opened the package. Inside was an old ginseng root, an unknown black lump, and a fist-sized piece of pure white Hetian mutton fat jade.
"Indeed, this ginseng is already a hundred years old! Your organization is very efficient! These things can't be bought with money alone."
The woman named Yanqing recovered from her shock and said, "This is the ginseng king that will be auctioned this year. It was intercepted by the Military Commission. Based on the price trend of previous years, it will be worth around three million... That's ambergris, weighing almost a kilogram. According to international prices, it's worth ten million. As for this piece of Hetian mutton fat jade, it's worth about 20,000 per gram!"
According to her, the three items in this unassuming little cardboard box alone were worth 20 million!
[Hetian Jade: Grade One, Refining Material]
Ginseng: A top-grade ingredient, a key ingredient in the refining of Blood and Qi Elixir and Rejuvenation Elixir.
Ambergris: Grade A, the main ingredient in making soul-protecting incense.
Jiang Liu smiled slightly. Although this world lacked spiritual energy, some precious items would still be very useful in the Journey to the West world. He tossed the items into the cardboard box and said, "These three things are enough to get rid of me? Tell Zhou Liang and Cao Yi to bring another set of these."
“You…” Yan Qing gritted her teeth, clenched her fists, and said, “Major General Zhou said that as long as you complete the mission, the other half is ready!”
"Oh, tell me, who should I kill?" Jiang Liu said casually, as if asking, "What are we having for dinner tonight? The weather's nice today."
From their brief interaction, Yan Qing knew that this young man's strength was unfathomable; no wonder the Military Commission spent forty or fifty million to win him over. Hearing Jiang Liu's question, she took out a large, gold-embossed invitation from her small bag. On the invitation, a large character for "Buddha" immediately caught the eye.
"Oh, it's related to Shaolin?"
"Yes, Shaolin Temple's stock is going to be listed on NASDAQ in the United States! The organization wants you to investigate Shaolin's strength and challenge this martial monk named Yong Xiaohu!" As she spoke, Yan Qing took out a stack of documents.
Yong Xiaohu, a renowned martial arts master and elder of the American Shaolin Temple, stands 2.03 meters tall and weighs 110 kilograms. His left punch has a power exceeding 1000 pounds, his right punch over 1200 pounds, and his sweeping kick has a power of one ton. He never participates in formal competitions, but has repeatedly participated in underground, no-holds-barred fighting, earning him a reputation in the European and American underground fighting scene. His strength lies in internal energy transformation…
Jiang Liu casually glanced at the information and sneered, "It's not just about probing Shaolin's strength! It's also about probing my strength, heh... A person's reputation is built on the shadow of a tree. My reputation is all spread by those instructors; I don't have any real achievements to show for myself! Fine, I'll take this mission. However, this Yong Xiaohu is in America, right? Am I supposed to go to America to challenge him? After all, that's someone else's territory!"
Yan Qing said, "Don't worry, Yong Xiaohu is back. He's at the Shandong Martial Arts Academy and won't leave the country for at least three days. You have a chance!"
"There's no time like the present, let's do it today! You make the arrangements! Tell Zhou Liang to bring the things tonight!"
Having made the decision, Jiang Liu will not hesitate; he will act swiftly and decisively, without any hesitation.
The two flew directly to Qingdao.
The Shandong Martial Arts Academy is located on a small hill in the east of Qingdao. The area is lush with trees and vegetation, and the sound of mountain springs makes it an ideal place for self-cultivation. Even the academy's buildings are antique in style, nestled among the mountains, forests, and clear springs, exuding a sense of antiquity.
During the Republic of China era, the Shandong Martial Arts Academy was teeming with talent, with its first director being Li Jinglin, known as the "Sword Immortal." The current Shandong Martial Arts Academy is not the one from before the liberation, but rather a new one founded after the reform and opening up by a Shaolin disciple who was once the master of an internationally renowned martial arts star.
At the foot of the mountain, a row of luxury cars were parked in the parking lot, including Porsche Boxster, Nissan GTR, Bentley 6, Maserati Quattroporte, and so on.
In today's society, there are more wealthy people who value leisure and physical exercise. For example, Taekwondo in South Korea is very well commercialized, creating a craze everywhere. Anyone who has learned some Taekwondo skills can make a living, and those with higher ranks can earn a fortune.
Given this trend, martial arts schools naturally sprang up. Nowadays, parents of young children are willing to spend money, and civil servants, bosses, managers, and so on are not short of money either. Although they learn fancy moves, half of it is for leisure and exercise, learning self-defense, and the other half is for socializing and picking up women.
After all, the Shandong Martial Arts Academy only accepts wealthy people!
When you open a business, you look at money, not people. It's not like taking on an apprentice to pass on your mantle, where you value character, understanding, and talent.
Yan Qing, holding a student card, led Jiang Liu into the Shandong Martial Arts Academy. Looking at the ineffective, flashy moves the instructor was showing, Jiang Liu shook his head in disappointment. In his current understanding, the Wing Chun instructor probably couldn't even beat Yan Qing; he was only at the Ming Jin level.
"The industrialization of traditional Chinese martial arts, while promoting its popularization, has also pushed it into the abyss of mere performance without combat effectiveness. Taekwondo and karate have managed to refine the beauty of techniques while maintaining their fighting style. It seems that traditional Chinese martial arts still have a long way to go! Focusing solely on performance without combat effectiveness has already lost the essence of traditional Chinese martial arts!"
Although Jiang Liu's words weren't loud, they weren't insignificant either. The coach turned around and looked at him, his face full of anger. He said sternly, "You're saying my boxing skills are only for show? Heh... Young man, come over here and let's spar!"
Chapter Twenty-Five: Killing the Tiger (Part 2)
The coach was in his early twenties, young and impetuous, and teaching boxing was his livelihood. Jiang Liu's words were tantamount to taking away his livelihood, so naturally he had to step in to protect the reputation of the National Martial Arts Academy and even himself.
Jiang Liu was there to cause trouble, so he wasn't going to be polite. He stepped forward, bent his knee, and with a sway of his shoulder, the boxer was sent flying out of the clouds.
With a "thud," it slammed against the wall, remained frozen for a few seconds, and then slowly slid down.
Hitting someone is like hanging a painting; this is the skill of neutralizing force!
However, Jiang Liu held back and didn't really hurt him. Jiang Liu wouldn't care about a nobody who didn't even have internal strength.
The young boxer clutched his chest, his face alternating between pale and flushed.
Jiang Liu stood in the center of the martial arts hall, stomping his foot hard on the ground, leaving a clear footprint on the solid wood floor. Even more terrifying, with each stomp, the entire building seemed to tremble slightly, as if in an earthquake. Jiang Liu took five more steps, the tremors continuing, until the luxurious ten-story building began to shake violently.
This scene shocked everyone.
"Earthquake! The building is going to collapse!" someone shouted.