Yu He brought out several more cups, filling one each for Duke Martial and Wu Gou, and pouring another for Song Zi'an, who was busy peeling garlic.
Song Zi'an quickly stood up and accepted it with both hands.
"Th-thank you, Master."
Yu He nodded and returned to his research on how to stew the old flat peach that simply wouldn't soften.
After a few cups of wine, Duke Martial became more talkative.
"Little monk, how did you train your tolerance? You look all clean and refined, but you drink more fiercely than I do."
Wu Gou smiled. "Back when I was a beggar in the Northern Region, I drank everything. I've had horse urine wine and even dead man wine."
Duke Martial's expression froze.
Wu Gou continued, "Horse urine wine is brewed by demons. They mix horse urine with herbs. It smells foul and tastes spicy, but it keeps the cold away."
"Dead man wine is brewed by the living dead. They soak rotten fruit in water. It's sour and stinks, but it quenches thirst."
Duke Martial's mouth twitched.
"Forget it, forget it. Stop talking. I still want to be able to enjoy wine in the future."
Wu Gou burst into laughter.
The two shared a few more cups, and Duke Martial's talkativeness reached full flow.
"Little monk, I took a disciple today!"
Wu Gou's hand paused with his wine cup. "Is it Shitou?"
Duke Martial said triumphantly, "Exactly!"
"That boy has a good heart and decent comprehension. I taught him the Swimming Dragon Steps, and he could remember ninety percent after seeing it only twice."
"Twice!"
Duke Martial held up two fingers and waved them in front of Wu Gou.
"Do you know how long I had to learn for back then?"
Wu Gou played along and asked, "How long?"
"Three days."
Duke Martial said with perfect justification, "It took me a full three days to learn it!"
Wu Gou: "..."
He didn't have the heart to say that it was actually thanks to the effect of Wenxin Hall, but seeing Duke Martial's proud expression, he felt it was better not to dampen his spirits.
Duke Martial continued, "The waves of the future push those of the past; I finally have someone to carry on my legacy."
Wu Gou took a sip of wine and nodded. "The Lord does indeed need some young people to step up."
Duke Martial sighed with emotion. "True. We old-timers who followed Jinghe here... although our cultivation is still there, we are dead after all."
"No one knows how long a soul-body can last."
"If we dissipate one day, these youngsters will have to rely on themselves."
"So I have to take this chance to teach him everything I can. I won't let him call me 'Master' for nothing."
Wu Gou drained his cup and then poured another for Duke Martial, offering comfort. "If you ever dissipate, Duke Martial, I will chant sutras to transcend your soul."
Duke Martial was stunned for a moment, then laughed and cursed, "Get lost!"
The two clinked glasses, and Yu He brought out several plates of appetizers he had just prepared.
A plate of Golden Buddha meat, a plate of Sophora cake, a plate of Blood Bodhi with Green Heart Grass, and a plate of steamed snake meat.
Duke Martial took a piece of Golden Buddha meat. It melted in his mouth, and a warm current rose from his stomach.
"This meat... what kind of meat is it?"
Yu He explained, "Golden Buddha meat. I used sophora flowers to remove the dryness and purified it with heart-fire. It can now be used as a risk-free ingredient without the danger of addiction."
Duke Martial was greatly surprised. "Your skill is truly extraordinary."
Yu He said calmly, "I wouldn't dare claim that. I am merely a chef."
Wu Gou smiled. "A dish that can make a seventh-stage Symbiosis stage cultivator increase their cultivation with one bite... in all the world, I'm afraid only Yu He could make such a thing."
Yu He didn't reply, simply refilling their wine cups.
On the stove behind him, something was stewing in a large pot, bubbling away.
Song Zi'an squatted in front of the stove adding firewood, his face flushed red by the firelight.
Duke Martial drank a few more cups, then suddenly remembered something.
"By the way, how has that brat Jinghe been lately?"
Wu Gou said, "Rest assured. Souls that can be guided by the Life-Death Realm are special. Jinghe is growing very quickly and now looks like a young man."
"His temperament has also stabilized quite a bit. He no longer goes around teasing cats and dogs or gnawing on spiritual herbs."
Duke Martial sighed.
"That's good."
"The old fellow suffered so much; he can finally have some peace for a few days."
The two continued to drink for a while until the wine pot was empty.
Wu Gou stood up and pressed his palms together.
"Namo Amitābha. Let us end here for today. Drinking too much will interfere with serious business."
Duke Martial curled his lip but stood up as well. The two left Dingnai Hall; Wu Gou went back to the Gathering Fortune Pavilion to chant sutras, as Diting was still waiting there for him to feed it.
Duke Martial, meanwhile, swayed unsteadily toward the drill grounds in the evening breeze.
He could hear the sound of a blade from afar.
Strike after strike, the sound of breaking wind was exceptionally clear in the night.
When Duke Martial drew closer, he saw Shitou was still practicing.
The candles on the drill grounds had all been lit, casting a pale, slightly eerie glow that nonetheless illuminated the entire area.
Shitou was bare-chested, his sweat reflecting the candlelight as he swung the bone blade again and again.
He had already practiced the Swimming Dragon Steps to a high level of proficiency, integrating the footwork with his blade techniques so that every strike carried a sharp, piercing aura.
But Duke Martial saw at a glance that the slaughter intent in this footwork was being pushed too hard by Shitou, causing it to lack the agility and variations that the Swimming Dragon Steps should possess.
This boy was still too impatient.
Duke Martial stood at the edge of the grounds and watched for a good while before speaking.
"That's enough. Take a break."
Shitou stopped, panting heavily. Turning to see Duke Martial, he quickly cupped his fists. "Master!"
Duke Martial walked over, sizing him up.
After practicing for an entire day, Shitou was exhausted, but his eyes were full of excitement, and his aura had grown significantly since the afternoon.
This boy was truly a natural talent for martial arts.
Duke Martial was even more satisfied in his heart.
After thinking for a moment, he untied a blade from his waist and handed it to Shitou.
"Take it."
Shitou took the blade and was stunned.
The blade was broad and thick with a sharp edge, significantly heavier than a standard sidearm. As he held it, a bone-chilling coldness traveled from the hilt.
"Master, this..."
Duke Martial said, "This was my sidearm when I was alive, the Goat's Blade."
"It followed me for over a thousand years and has cut down countless monsters. Now, it's yours."
Shitou's hand trembled slightly, then he fiercely cupped his fists.
"Thank you, Master!"
Duke Martial waved his hand. "Don't be happy too soon. This blade has a heavy killing nature. If you can't suppress it, you will be influenced by it instead."
"If you turn it into a mere tool for murder, I will personally take it back."
Shitou stood straight and said solemnly, "Rest assured, Master. Shitou will never bring shame to this blade!"
Duke Martial nodded and patted his shoulder.
"Alright, that's enough practice for today. It's late; go back and rest."
Shitou nodded respectfully and carefully hung the Goat's Blade at his waist.
Duke Martial turned and walked away unsteadily with his hands behind his back.
His steps were a bit light as he walked, and he hummed a little tune, clearly in an excellent mood.
Early the next morning, Duke Martial arrived at the drill grounds in high spirits to begin Shitou's second lesson.
This time, he taught blade techniques.
Duke Martial's style was sweeping and powerful, bold and domineering, with every strike carrying an indomitable momentum.
Yet beneath this boldness, there were subtle methodologies hidden within.
A single downward slash seemed simple, but the edge of the blade trembled slightly three times at the final moment. Those three tremors divided the blade's force into three waves, stacking one upon the other for endless follow-up power.
Shitou followed the lead, and after thirty or so slashes, Duke Martial finally nodded.
"Passable. You're starting to get the hang of it."
Shitou wiped his sweat and grinned.
Over the next few days, Duke Martial came to the drill grounds every day to teach Shitou.
But he only taught for half a day.
For the other half, he went to Dingnai Hall without fail to drink Qianqiu Sophora Wine with Wu Gou.
Sometimes Duke Wu would join the fun, but he would be called away by matters at the medicinal fields before he could finish two cups.
Duke Wen, however, hadn't been giving him much face lately. Every time Duke Martial raised a cup to invite him for a drink, Duke Wen would just roll his eyes.
"I have to go back to the City Lord's Mansion to give Hong Ling her lessons. Do you think everyone is as idle as you?"
Duke Martial shouted, "Don't you have a bunch of civil officials to help you?"
Before he could finish, Duke Wen had already left, not even giving him a backward glance.
Duke Martial curled his lip and poured Duke Wen's wine into his own cup, draining it in one go.
However, Hong Ling showed him plenty of respect, specifically sending someone to deliver a jar of aged spiritual wine, saying it had been found in the provincial capital's storehouse and was at least eight hundred years old.
Duke Martial was overjoyed, hiding this jar in his room like a precious treasure.
After several days together, Duke Martial grew to like the City of the Wrongfully Dead more and more. It was bustling and prosperous, with a large population and honest folk, full of the vibrancy of life.
In the past, he could calmly face death for his ideals, but now, he unknowingly felt a trace of attachment to the mortal world.
Furthermore, he liked his disciple Shitou more and more. The boy's talent was even better than he had imagined.
He could start to use a blade technique after seeing it twice, become proficient after five times, and demonstrate his own understanding after ten.
Although his nature was still a bit reckless and he always thought of killing with a single blow without enough flexibility...
Duke Martial felt this wasn't a bad thing. A sincere, pure heart was more important than anything else.
Being reckless meant he wouldn't play mind games; being fierce meant he had a heart that didn't fear death.
Duke Martial was that kind of person himself, so he appreciated it in others.
On another day, Duke Martial finished teaching Shitou a variation of a blade technique. Watching him practice it over and over, he grew more satisfied.
Suddenly, he thought it was about time to take the boy out and show him off.
Those two old geezers, Duke Wen and Duke Wu, were always parading their disciples and students around the city, talking about them every day.
As for the disciple he, Duke Martial, had taken, he had to let those two see him too.
If nothing else, wouldn't this masculine aura be much stronger than those little brats who spent all day gnawing on books?
The more Duke Martial thought about it, the more he felt it would be unbearable if those two old fellows didn't see Shitou.
So he had Shitou wash his face and change into clean clothes, then dragged him toward the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm.
Inside the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm, the medicinal fields were as vibrant as ever.
Plant demonlings were crouched in the fields working in groups of two or three. Seeing Duke Martial enter, they all shrank their necks, clearly still remembering how they had been terrified by his loud voice last time.
Duke Martial didn't care, striding deeper into the realm.
Soon, Duke Martial found Duke Wu.
Duke Wu was squatting beside a medicinal field, using a branch to draw something on the ground.
A young man stood beside him.
The young man had a handsome face and a slender build, wearing a dust-yellow robe with his hair loosely tied by a wooden pin. His entire being radiated a calm aura.
He held a medical scripture in his hand, looking down at it with great focus.
Duke Martial was stunned.
"Who's this?"
The young man looked up, glancing at Duke Martial with eyes as calm as water.
Duke Wu said without looking up, "Jinghe."
Duke Martial's eyes widened.
"Jinghe?!"
He sized up the young man in front of him, his mouth hanging wide open.
A few days ago, he was just a bug that teased cats and dogs and gnawed on spiritual herbs, and today he had already grown this big?
The young Jinghe looked at him neither humbly nor arrogantly. His eyes lacked the previous arrogance and madness, containing only a profound stability.
He slightly raised his eyelids, looking at Duke Martial with a faint scoff, completely unrecognizable from his previous state of kicking his six legs around and rubbing against pollen while gnawing on herbs.
Duke Martial was stunned for a long time before he finally recovered.
"Good heavens, you old thing, you really did change back. So this is what you looked like when you were young?"
Jinghe didn't reply, simply turning to Duke Wu. "Duke Wu, the layout of the royal city ruins still needs several details verified."
Duke Wu nodded. "I will find the blueprints of the royal city from back then for you to look at. Furthermore, the reconstruction of the Royal Capital requires a large number of craftsmen; we'll need to request more from the Lord later."
Jinghe said, "I've calculated it. With our current manpower, we can complete the preliminary clearing within three months, but to fully restore the spiritual rhythm cycle of the royal city, it will take at least half a year."
Duke Wu pondered for a moment. "Half a year is already very fast, much faster than I expected."
The two went back and forth, discussing the reconstruction of the Tianchi Provincial Capital.
Duke Martial stood nearby, unable to get a word in for a long time.
He cleared his throat. "Ahem."
No one paid him any attention.
He coughed again. "Ahem, ahem!"
Duke Wu finally looked up and glanced at him. "Is your throat uncomfortable? Have Miss Su Xue take a look at it when she gets back."
Duke Martial choked on his words, puffed out his chest, and pushed Shitou forward. "I came here today to show you something. This is my disciple, Shitou!"
Duke Wu gave an 'oh,' sized Shitou up, said "not bad," and then went back to discussing the royal city with Jinghe.
Duke Martial stood by the field, watching them talk back and forth while he remained completely excluded.
He stood there awkwardly for a while until a breeze blew from the other side of the field, carrying the scent of herbs.
Duke Martial huffed, turned around angrily, and left, deciding never to bother with these two old men again.
He pulled Shitou out of the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm, saying indignantly, "Let's go, let's go! To the City Lord's Mansion! We'll let that old fellow Duke Wen see!"
Shitou was dragged along by his master, running at full speed and only barely keeping up by using the Swimming Dragon Steps.
Arriving at the City Lord's Mansion, Duke Martial pushed the door open and entered.
Duke Wen was sitting behind a desk with a pile of official documents spread before him, with Hong Ling sitting beside him.
Hong Ling held a brush, recording something.
A stack of bamboo slips half the height of a person was piled on the table, all related to the reconstruction of Tianchi Province.
Duke Wen looked up, glanced at Duke Martial, and signaled him to be quiet for a moment.
Duke Martial stood at the door until Duke Wen finally put down the documents. Only then did he puff out his chest and push Shitou forward.
"Duke Wen, come look at my disciple!"
Duke Wen glanced at Shitou and nodded. "Not bad."
Then he looked back down at his documents.
Duke Martial grew anxious. "Just 'not bad'? Can't you old geezer give a few more compliments? Look at this build, this aura, and this blade! I've even passed the Goat's Blade to him!"
Hong Ling stopped her writing, looked up at Shitou, and smiled with crinkled eyes. She put down her brush and poured a cup of tea for Shitou.
Shitou took it and whispered a thank you.
Duke Wen looked up again, adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, and took a careful look at Shitou before turning back to Duke Martial.
"He is indeed quite good. You've come at the right time. The Lord has ordered us to set out for Tianchi Province as soon as possible. As the military commander-in-chief, you will be stationed at the Stone Forest in the future to guard the avatar of Jianmu."
"Furthermore, Jinghe and Duke Wu are already discussing the reconstruction of the Royal Capital in the Myriad Herbs Life-Death Realm. You will have to join them then—"
"What's with that expression?"
A trace of guilt flashed across Duke Martial's face, but he quickly became righteous again.
He pushed Shitou forward another step.
"Perfect!"
"I've been teaching him for so many days, and this boy has already learned half of my skills. Now is the perfect time to put that knowledge to use. Let him go in my place!"
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