Enshrinement as a God

On a certain day, fourteen years ago, as usual...

"What should I do... what should I do..."

Under the dark pavilion, someone was anxiously pacing around the pavilion.

He was dressed in silk clothes, had a well-groomed beard, a good physique, and an air of nobility, suggesting that he was a person of high status. The gold-decorated long sword hanging from his waist and his posture, which did not falter even in his anxiety, hinted that he was a master who had completed considerable training.

Behind him, many people were bowing their heads and waiting eagerly for news from inside the pavilion.

His wife, Mrs. Yin, had been pregnant for three years but had not yet given birth.

Although the 'procedure' that had been performed without telling Mrs. Yin was the cause, since she had not had a miscarriage, it was a truly frustrating situation.

'Could it be that the old man deceived me?'

Tang Yizheng, the head of the prestigious Sichuan Tang Clan, who was anxiously pacing around the arena, clenched his fists.

It couldn't be.

Although it was not widely known to the outside world, he had not been able to have a successor. He had been half-giving up, with numerous doctors unable to do anything, when an old man who called himself Hong came to Tang Yizheng, saying that he would solve the problem.

And after the old man had used his hands, it had been three years since his wife, Mrs. Yin, had felt the signs of pregnancy and her belly had grown, as if it were a lie. And now, the labor pains had finally begun.

The old man had said that the child would see the light of the world without any trouble. If the child were to be born safely as he had said, it would be no different from the great long-cherished wish of the Tang Clan being fulfilled.

When all the people of the family were anxiously waiting for news of Mrs. Yin, who was in labor, a thoughtless messenger, with an urgent movement,

"Master. There is a meeting at Mount Qingcheng this time, so please be sure to attend..."

"What's so important about a meeting!"

At Tang Yizheng's angry roar, the subordinate bowed his head and hurriedly withdrew from his seat.

In the first place, the Sichuan Tang Clan, unlike the other righteous sects of Sichuan, which had a history of only two or three hundred years, was a family that had long held the position of the master of Sichuan.

Although he could not be free from the situation of the martial world because he was a martial family representing Sichuan, he did not like either the righteous or the evil path.

Moreover, since his head was about to explode with his wife's problem, the actions of the other righteous sects of Sichuan, which were naturally nagging him, were extremely annoying.

It had not been long since the bloody great war with the main tools of the Black Contemplation Fortress, including Mo Guangdi, had ended.

Mo Guangdi, Jeul's first son, had died, and the Black Qilin had chosen to live in seclusion.

Wasn't it obvious, even if you asked a child who was ignorant of the situation in Sichuan, that the Black Contemplation Fortress would no longer provoke them?

What was important now was that he had been able to complete the long-cherished wish of his family in his generation.

Aaaah!

"No!"

A final scream echoed from inside the pavilion.

The startled Tang Yizheng flew in one go and rushed into the pavilion.

As he threw open the door, the maids, who were trembling in fear, and his wife, Mrs. Yin, who could not close her surprised eyes, were stammering and opening their mouths.

"The child... the child..."

"Hmm..."

Tang Yizheng, looking at the green lump in front of him, let out a sorrowful groan.

The skin of the child, who was curled up like a snake, was like that of a snake, and in his two eyes, the energy of death, which had no vitality, was lingering.

This was too harsh a price for going against the laws of man.

What would happen if it were to be known that such a strange child had been born in his family?

"Announce that my wife has had a stillbirth."

Tang Yizheng, as if he had made up his mind, told the maids, who were still trembling, and then drew his sword.

Although it was not dead, as its body was moving up and down and it was breathing, it was right for him, who had caused this tragedy, to take responsibility.

"No!"

Although the startled Mrs. Yin let out a scream, Tang Yizheng's one sword was faster.

Clang!

But an unbelievable thing happened.

Although he had not injected his internal energy, even though Tang Yizheng had swung his sword, not a single scratch had appeared on the child's skin, and rather, Tang Yizheng's sword had bounced off.

'How can this be!'

The startled Tang Yizheng checked his sword blade, and the blade was crumbled and worn.

Swords and ten thousand poisons do not work, and its blood is the poison of poisons and also the medicine of medicines.

The lifelong task of the Tang Clan. The Ten Thousand Poison Body.

The Tang Clan, which had repeatedly failed in the cultivation of the poison man, with its last being his own half-brother who had now left the Tang Clan, after analyzing the cause of the failure, had finally, in Tang Yizheng's generation, made a plan to create a poison man in the fetal state.

Although it was not the appearance he had expected, since he had to check the details more, it was possible that this child had been born as that very poison man.

Mrs. Yin, as if she were at a loss, hurriedly wrapped her child in her arms as the stopped Tang Yizheng hesitated.

"Wife! It's dangerous, so let go of that child."

"Absolutely not. No matter how different the child's appearance is from our expectations, how can you try to kill a child who has been with us for three years!"

If the child was a poison man, its danger would surely be beyond imagination.

As Mrs. Yin, who knew nothing, protected the child with her whole body, Tang Yizheng could not hide his bewilderment.

Waa! Waa!

As if it had felt its mother's embrace, the child began to cry for the first time and to wriggle.

Tang Yizheng threw his sword on the floor.

It was a child he had waited and waited for.

How could he not have a father's affection?

But seeing his child born in such a state, the feeling of regret that had welled up from the depths of his heart was tormenting him.

Looking at the child's dead eyes, it seemed as if the child were blaming him.

Why did you, father, make me be born in such a state?

"If the story of the child's appearance leaks out, I will cut off the necks of all the people in this place."

Looking at the crying Mrs. Yin, Tang Yizheng showed a pained expression.

* * *

"Phew..."

A purple mist was rising in the room of the tavern where a commotion had taken place thanks to the Two Strange Men of the Unshaven and Yang Jian.

Jiang Ziya, who had talked with Xi Xichang, was sitting cross-legged and circulating his energy.

Thinking that the journey ahead would be rough, it was advantageous to treat his worsened internal injuries even a little.

"Phew..."

The power of the Nine Gates True Scripture and the Heavenly Demon Heart Art, which had started from his dantian, spread throughout his body.

The two energies, which had now become familiar, moved as if they were biting each other's tails and were instilling energy into Jiang Ziya's whole body.

Although his internal injuries had deepened more than he had thought, the power of the Nine Gates True Scripture was treating his internal injuries, and the Heavenly Demon Heart Art was burning away the turbid energy.

The Crouching Frog Art, which was now as familiar as breathing, was also helping Jiang Ziya's energy circulation.

In addition, the energy that was flowing into his middle dantian was soon gathering in Jiang Ziya's dantian as if a river were gathering in the great sea.

When the one circulation was over and Jiang Ziya opened his eyes, a not-unfamiliar man was standing in front of him.

"When did you come?"

"About two hours ago... by the way, you're really careless. To circulate your energy so defenselessly."

Yang Jian was leaning against the wall and was looking at Jiang Ziya.

"Has it been that long already?"

It seemed that his energy circulation had become longer due to his internal injuries. Jiang Ziya hurriedly got up from his seat.

Perhaps because he had circulated his energy, his body felt much lighter.

"From now on, look around and circulate your energy. If I had been an enemy, you would not be a person of this world by now."

"It would have been over in a moment, but... I'll be careful."

In a place like the Hermit's Valley, except for the strange beasts, there was no one who would attack Jiang Ziya.

But since he didn't know what would happen as there were numerous people outside the Hermit's Valley, Jiang Ziya took Yang Jian's advice to heart.

Although he was scolding him, Yang Jian was once again admiring Jiang Ziya's state.

Not only was the purity of his internal energy pure, but looking at Jiang Ziya's energy circulation, he could tell how profound his study of internal energy was.

"Do you have a moment?"

"Of course."

Yang Jian sat down in the seat that Jiang Ziya had offered.

"By any chance, are you offended that I think of you as my younger brother?"

"No way! How could that be?"

"Then that's a relief... if you feel burdened or don't want it, tell me now."

"No. It's an honor. If you were to take back your words, I would be sad."

Yang Jian, who had read the sincerity in Jiang Ziya's expression, smiled brightly.

"I have unexpectedly gotten a fine sworn brother. Although we can't have a ceremony because we're in a hurry, if there is a will, what's so important about a ceremony?"

Recalling the words that Master Gongsun had said to him when he had left the Hermit's Valley, Jiang Ziya nodded his head.

"I also think so."

"But still, shouldn't there be a basic ceremony?"

Yang Jian lightly cut his finger with the dagger in his sleeve.

And he lifted the wine bottle that was next to him and dropped his blood into it.

"Then I also..."

Jiang Ziya also cut his finger with a dagger and let his blood mix with the wine.

"Since righteousness and friendship are the best in the world, although our boats and times are different, we will cherish and care for each other and hold the affection of brothers in our hearts."

"I will also serve you, my older brother, with righteousness and propriety."

"Hahaha! Take it!"

Jiang Ziya willingly lifted his cup and received Yang Jian's wine.

"Please receive my cup too."

Jiang Ziya also took the wine bottle from Yang Jian and filled his cup with wine.

And he blew away the remaining wine with the technique of the Samadhi True Fire.

Before drinking the wine, Yang Jian looked at Jiang Ziya with sharp eyes and asked once again.

"I'll ask you one last time. To become a brother of me, Yang Jian, is to become a brother of the Thunderclap Sect, and it also means that you may be caught up in an unexpected dispute."

"Since I was born a man, how can I avoid a dispute? Rather, since I am becoming a brother of numerous heroes, I am overjoyed."

"Good!"

Yang Jian drank his cup in one go. Jiang Ziya also followed and drank his cup.

Thump!

"The wine tastes good."

Although Jiang Ziya had tried to put on a brave face, the taste of the wine, which he had tasted for the first time in his life, felt so dizzying that it felt as if his throat were burning.

Jiang Ziya hurriedly raised his internal energy and blew away the alcohol.

"Since I have gotten a fine sworn brother like you, how can I not be reassured?"

"You're saying all sorts of things. Since my skills are shallow, I'm just always worried."

"You're being too modest."

Since he had already competed with one of the Black and White Twin Demons and had survived a fight with the Two Strange Men of the Unshaven, Yang Jian thought that Jiang Ziya's skills would compete for the top among the rising stars of his time.

But Jiang Ziya's expression did not look very bright.

"It seems you really think so."

"Haha... it seems that the trouble was that I did not learn a complete martial art, as my master had said."

Even if he had learned a supreme martial art, he was the weakest in the Hermit's Valley, and Jin Tianxiang, who was almost the only martial artist from the outside world with whom he had interacted, was also a great master.

Moreover, the ones he had competed with in the martial world were all those who were difficult for him to face.

Although Yang Jian could not easily understand his words, he thought that if a person with such a martial art were to aim for a higher state, he might not be satisfied enough.

Since he himself had also not been satisfied with that position and had endlessly craved and strived, it was no different from having achieved his current study.

Thinking that he was similar to himself, Yang Jian liked Jiang Ziya even more.

"Did you say 'Three Strategies'?"

"What?"

"Your martial art."

Although it was a word that Hongjun had thrown out as he was passing by, Jiang Ziya's martial art, which was not the Manifest Demon True Art, the Nine Gates Harmonious Heart Art, or the Nine Palaces Divine Steps, was eventually heading towards a completely different path.

If it looked like one martial art to others, how could it be different martial arts?

Perhaps Tongtian's words had become a shackle to Jiang Ziya himself.

"Three Strategies..."

To unite three martial arts into one.

The clue was hidden in Hongjun's words, which had pointed to his own martial art.

So far, Jiang Ziya had displayed his martial arts separately, even though they were mixed.

In the end, since martial arts were a law where the mind and the moves were organically connected.

Since the mind divided the martial arts, it was difficult for the full power of the martial arts, which were mixed and had a different form, to be displayed.

If he were to abandon his past name and to display it as one, Jiang Ziya's divine art could be divided into six stages, and they were divided into the stages of Dog, Leopard, Tiger, Wen, Wu, and Dragon.

Since these were named the Six Secret Teachings, the Six Arts.

"Six Arts... Three Strategies."

The identity of the martial art, which had been swaying like a reed, soon took root and was finally established as a single martial art.

(End of Chapter)