Martial King's Retired Life C.141Book 14:Sep 11, 2023

I Shall Bless You (Part 4)

Thanks to being blessed with a photographic memory, extra-sensitive senses and brighter mind than the ordinary person, Endian could get a vivid visual of a scratch on a tile a hundred metres away with a quick glance, and he could distinctively hear the sounds of a bird flapping its wings even if he didn’t focus on it. In addition, he discovered his immense might and unbelievable speed during his time at Bilan Town. In recent years, he discovered he gained new abilities. Additionally, the distance he could see clearly and his hearing radius had continued to increase. He initially thought they were just a part of growing up until he discovered they weren’t.

Endian’s advancements were basically mutations by the world’s standards. Without looking or listening, he was able to vividly sense people approaching; it wasn’t a sensation he could just block out. Hence, he was able to sense everyone’s movements within five hundred metres. How they walked, what they carried, the functioning inside their bodies and even the expressions they wore. Although it seemed as though what he heard and saw were veiled in a thin layer or black and white and details weren’t as detailed as if he was directly viewing or listening, nothing could stop him from seeing and hearing. After researching further, he learnt that what he sensed was people’s qi.

Once vision and hearing developed to a certain point, one was able to perceive the most subtle movements. They could sense the flow of oxygen in the air with their eyes shut to draw deductions as if the atmosphere was their eyes. Endian was able to go even further, sensing people’s qi on top of motions.

Endian could identify different qis without needing to look or listen. When his developing eyes and ears supported his qi detector, he could perceive things as if he was staring directly at them. When the flow changed, he could tell what environment was the impetus for the change and even sense the change in the stillness was. In Buddhism, they called it Skyeye Path. In the Western Regions’ old records, Skyeye path was a miracle they referred to as “Hearing the sound of all life”. Endian was unable to determine if he used his ears or eyes to perceive the things.

The huge influx of information was the biggest headache for those who unlocked Skyeye Path; not even assiduous training over a long period guaranteed they could sort out the ocean of information. Endian was an exception as he had an ability the empowered him to sort it out. Over time, he was able to replace his eyes and ears with the ability for everyday life. At one point in time, he tried sensing different qis as a form of entertainment. In a way, it was a great training method because being able to distinguish different qis essentially meant being able to get a glimpse at part of one’s true nature.

Those who had slow-flowing qi were honest and warm people who adopted a calm approach. Those who had frigid qi killed people without batting an eye, and there were always some of them among those who opposed laws and regulations. Some people had warm qi as warm as their personalities, but some of them were able to achieve big things. Qi could change just as people could change. Endian liked to deduce one’s personality from their qi and then called them over to check if he was right or wrong with his eyes and questions. What he considered a game was nothing short of a miracle to others. The miracle scared the living daylights out of the bandits summoned. When their smiling leader gestured for them to leave, they walked off without daring to take a breath.

Endian, waiting for his guest in his chair deep in the ruins, almost jumped to his feet when he sensed Ximen Chuideng. Ximen Chuideng was different to everyone Endian had ever met. Ximen Chuideng just casually strolled in, yet Endian could only describe the qi he sensed as an unstoppable ocean wave. When Ximen Chuideng entered the palace, Endian could only compare himself to a candle in the wind when juxtaposed against Ximen Chuideng. It was his first time feeling he was lucky to have even survived; it was the first time he saw a drawback to Skyeye Path, as well. Had his golden energy not instinctively illuminated him as a form of armour, he would’ve lost his composure. Only once Ximen Chuideng sat down did Endian return from the dimension of doomsday.

Some people couldn’t be read easily. They were the warriors who had defined themselves through countless fights with their life on the line. It would’ve been insulting if a measuring skill one was born with could measure such warriors. Frankly, it was quite stupid to think it was possible.

Ximen Chuideng had a look as frank as his crimson eyes. Even though his silk robe must’ve been customised for him, it looked out of place on him – not in a derogatory sense. His hair and beard were left unkempt, and he sported dirty straw sandals, when his robe was clearly meant to be for someone wealthy.

Once seated, the man a head taller than Endian dusted his shoulders and chuckled heartily. Endian expected a handshake and then a violent confrontation when he finally met the mightiest man in the Western Regions. He had imagined how his fight with Ximen Chuideng would play out numerous times since he assumed the latter could’ve been his last opponent. Instead, he got clammy hands and felt his cold sweat warning him to not act rashly. He was dead certain that the hands Ximen Chuideng dusted his shoulders with were lethal weapons.

For a moment, Endian was sure that Ximen Chuideng would’ve shattered the chair when he sat down. He first thought that Ximen Chuideng was the true definition of being without equal, but then he soon realised that Ximen Chuideng was actually more reckless than himself. If Endian was born the chosen one, then Ximen Chuideng built himself into the ultimate being in the human realm.

It was typical for visitors to bring Endian gifts to get in his good graces. In the short time he had been alive, he would’ve had more than he could’ve spent in a lifetime if he added up all the gifts, except he gave all of them to his subordinates. Instead of bringing expensive gifts, though, Ximen Chuideng only brought a big wine jug almost higher than himself.

“If I don’t flipping drink with you, I’d have flipping lived a flipping life in vain, hahaha.” Ximen Chuideng knocked the cork out and filled up two big bowls with strong alcohol.

After three back-to-back drinks, Endian questioned, “What are you here for?”

Endian’s tone made it sound as though he was saying, “Since you knocked on my door, don’t cry when I meet you with closed fists,” which was a tone he rarely used. After all, why else would the toughest man in the Western Regions approach the young man who’d been creating mayhem in the Western Regions? That was why Endian did some reading beforehand – his idea of preparing for a fight. When they finally met, however, Endian realised he wasn’t Ximen Chuideng’s match; Endian was sure he wouldn’t be able to get away even if he tried.

Endian was gifted with abilities some would never attain and talent that people would kill for. Howbeit, he never trained in martial arts. He was aware of the existence of martial arts, but he hadn’t met anyone who could match him, so he didn’t know how to improve, resulting in slowed progress. The inability to identify how to improve troubled Endian for a long time. Ximen Chuideng’s appearance enlightened him to where his weakness was – a lack of martial arts training.

“No answer?” Even though Endian didn’t fear death, he didn’t want to die without knowing why he had to die.

Ximen Chuideng wiped his mouth, then, in a sonorous voice, asked, “You pitted the bandits, shrines and military against each other so that they’d all suffer, correct?”

Pleased with the silent response, Ximen Chuideng slapped himself on the thigh. “Hahahaha, I knew it. Those dunces still don’t believe me. Now they all owe me a drink.” He then licked his lips, savouring the taste still lingering.

There was a dime a dozen of crooks at Bilan Town who behaved the same way Ximen Chuideng did, except they weren’t Ximen Chuideng. Hence, Endian crossed his arms, vigilantly leaned back a tad and frowned. “What exactly do you want?”

“What do you mean?”

“… Aren’t you going to avenge all the people I killed?”

“Oh, yeah, there was that.” Ximen Chuideng palmed himself on the head as though he actually forgot about it. He subsequently filled up another two bowls.

Despite not planning to drink, Endian saw a threatening gaze, prompting him to have another three drinks.

“Those priests have been on my nerves for a long time. To hell with them. As for those shrines, they’re constantly painting weird stuff and pushing gods and Buddhas; they spout lies without anything to support their nonsense. Now that they’ve been burnt, we get a bit of aesthetics. I quite like the flower you draw. At least it makes me feel better.”

“… Gods and Buddhas?”

“Don’t sweat it. It’s understandable you don’t know about them. I just describe it that way all the time, so I say it by default. I’m not actually from the Western Regions.”

Endian expected an abstract or confusing answer. Seeing as Ximen Chuideng was so frank, Endian no longer cared if he was listening to a secret or not.

“I was born in the Central Plain. My name is from the Central Plain, too. Don’t you find it hard to pronounce?”

The possibility never crossed Endian’s mind as he had never been to the Central Plain. As for it being hard to pronounce, that was just one of Ximen Chuideng’s running gags. Who in their right mind in the seven states would dare to address him by his name?

Wagging a hand, Ximen Chuideng continued, “Hahaha, my old man brought me here when I was thirteen. Everyone looked down on me when I first arrive and called me names, but I became the flipping ruler of the Western Regions’ cult. Don’t you think it’s a strange world we live in?”

Ximen Chuideng laughed as he continued clapping his thigh smugly. Probably nobody would’ve had their wits about them if they were listening and watching him.

Ximen Chuideng continued sharing his backstory without caring for whether Endian was listening or not. Ximen Chuideng’s father was a high-ranking member of Divine Moon Cult, while his mother was from the northern region of the Central Plain. Owing to the years he spent growing up in the Central Plain, he was quite different to people who were born and bred in the Western Regions. To combat the severe bullying, he trained to return the favour. After he dished out several beatings, both cult factions sent emissaries to recruit him. He ended up choosing to join Dark Moon Faction based on his preference for their alcohol. By coincidence, the leader of that era left them, so he was somehow instated as the new leader.

There was no doubt that there was plenty of bloodshed on the way up, but Ximen Chuideng made it sound as if he smoothly rose to leadership by luck. It sounded as though none of the machinations that targeted him ever traumatised him. He made his recount of his fights engaging, only hesitating when he mentioned the death of his brothers during a period of upheaval. Still, he just wiped his eyes and changed the topic as if he was a kid.

After a few more drinks, Endian started to speak more, too. They had barely just met for two hours, but he felt Ximen Chuideng was trustworthy, the sort of man that the Central Plains defined as a true man.

Ximen Chuideng, unwilling to believe Endian’s story, betted ten grilled lambs until he actually heard the details, at which point, it was convincing since it was so detailed. It wasn’t until their conversation that XImen Chuideng believed in the Divine Realm abilities.

“Good job!” praised Ximen Chuideng, slamming the stone table when he heard how Endian executed Pig Lord. He didn’t damage the table, but Endian felt the entire ruin quake. “I always said those pricks are a bunch of crooks. They always play the goodie two shoes in front of me, but they’re crooks behind my back. If I knew he was doing that sort of stuff, I’d have torn his head off before you.”

Despite how long Ximen Chuideng had taken over as leader of the cult, his tasks were actually a foreign topic to him. In fact, the new members who joined knew better than him. He had significantly more complaints about the religion than things he agreed on them with. Whenever he saw the priests, he wanted to walk the other way. If there weren’t mandatory tasks that he had to personally take care of, he would’ve handballed everything off. Even then, he avoided jobs until it was impossible to avoid. He was aware of the turmoil in the Western Regions. Unfortunately, there was only so much that he could do.

Divine Moon Cult, having ruled for a millennium, had an extremely thick book of rules that were basically shackles to Ximen Chuideng. Hence, notwithstanding all the things he took issue with, he couldn’t just beat them up. He couldn’t match the priests at the debate table, either. The crooks of among the Elders were the worst. If one of them wasn’t also a fire expert, he could’ve roasted a few of them the time he stealthily tried to burn them.

The cult leader’s schedule was packed. The leader could mobilise the cult’s forces at will to expand the cult’s influence, but they couldn’t dip their hands in established entities, such as the Elders or the religious pricks of the golden city. For that reason, Ximen Chuideng did his best to keep those within reach in place, namely the seven monarchs of the seven states. The seven he selected were constantly summoned for education. Ximen Chuideng was basically illiterate, and he couldn’t use martial arts to get his point across, which was a pain in the neck, but he did educate them. In summary, he stressed the importance of keeping their underlings in line, not letting them harm the people and telling their underlings to watch their own underlings. They were touched and praised him for having a heart of gold, which he was proud about. Nonetheless, there was no telling how they performed back in their own states. Consequently, he summoned them whenever there was the slightest sign of trouble. As a result of getting involved with the states’ affairs, the cult indirectly got involved with the power struggle for authority.

Ximen Chuideng knocked back a full bowl of wine. “When the buttface ruler of Lizhe got a maid pregnant and then tried to abandon her, I had him captured and bashed him in front of his vassals. Had he forced her to get an abortion, I would’ve given him hell.”

That was a shortened version. Following the beating, Ximen Chuideng ordered the King to marry the maid and to treat her the same way he would a consort. Unsurprisingly, the vassals objected until he glared and rolled up his sleeves. Divine Moon Cult wasn’t the state religion of Lizhe. Lotus Cult was. Was it surprising, then, that Divine Moon Cult earned the ire of many? The maid went on to become Empress Dowager, and her son inherited leadership. Both of them were grateful to Ximen Chuideng, so they eliminated all the corrupt vassals and did their best to serve their people.

Endian just smiled as he listened. Regardless of what he or anyone said, Jie’er wouldn’t come back.