Chapter 34: Four Spirits Body Tempering

Du Yehu, son of a butcher, was blessed from birth with robust health, a testament to his ample diet. As a child, he was a terror, capable of scattering a mob of seven or eight youngsters his age with ease, earning him the moniker "Little Overlord of Dujia Town." This title often earned him the ire, and the rod, of Old Man Du, his father, yet each beating seemed only to steel his resolve and strengthen his frame.

His very name was a curious tale. Old Man Du, in a moment of unexpected transaction, had traded two catties of offal to an old monk in exchange for a name for his son.

In the State of Zhuang, where Taoism reigned supreme as the state religion, Buddhism found itself in a precarious position. The old monk, the sole guardian of the lone, dilapidated temple within a hundred-mile radius, lived a life of unpredictable fortune, sometimes feasting, sometimes famished. Upon beholding the pig offal, his eyes gleamed with an almost divine fervor, as if the very Buddha had manifested.

Little Du Yehu, however, clung to the two catties of offal with the tenacity of a hungry wolf. Even as a butcher's son, meat was a luxury, and these scraps, while humble, were a treasure. He wailed and protested, declaring that he cared not for any grand name, but only for the offal. He’d be called Zhu Zi, or even Pig Offal, if it meant he could keep them.

Old Man Du, his heart softening amidst his frustration, lifted his son and delivered a sound thrashing. Yet, even as Old Man Du tired, the boy remained steadfast, clutching the offal.

Seeing this, the old monk magnanimously proposed to share the bounty, half for the boy, half for himself. He declared that this young man possessed a spirit both powerful and untamed, and the name Yehu – Wild Tiger – was a fitting appellation.

Thus, Du Yehu received his formal name. Despite this, his days were spent in idleness, often in the company of the old monk. The monk, a man of varied, and often dubious, talents, practiced fortune-telling, rain-summoning, and even exorcism – a master of various charlatanry. Du Yehu, however, seemed only to acquire his penchant for drink.

Old Man Du, fearing his son might stray towards the monastic path, would occasionally visit the dilapidated temple, butcher knife in hand, to keep a watchful eye. Fortunately, the old monk soon departed as quietly as he arrived, without a word of farewell.

Later, the dilapidated temple was razed, replaced by a simple earth god shrine.

Not long after, misfortune struck Old Man Du.

The catalyst was a trifle. A town constable, believing he had been shortchanged on a purchase of meat, berated Old Man Du. It was said that a simple compensation of two taels of meat would have settled the matter. But Old Man Du, a man of stubborn conviction, instead plunged his butcher knife into the cutting board, a silent declaration that his scales were true, and he would not be swayed by intimidation.

The constable, his face burning with indignity, impulsively drew his own blade. The result was tragic: Old Man Du lay dead on the spot.

Old Man Du’s wife, driven by grief and righteous fury, sought justice at the yamen. The case was clear, with witnesses and evidence aplenty. However, the constable’s brother-in-law happened to hold the position of yamen master in Dujia Town.

With a little manipulation, the case was twisted. The narrative became Old Man Du, the butcher, wielding his knife in aggression, forcing the constable to defend himself, resulting in an accidental death. The constable received a mere half-year salary fine.

The poor Old Man Du, who had spent his life slaughtering pigs, possessed not an ounce of the audacity to take a human life. His wife, unable to bear the injustice, ended her life by striking the yamen gates in a final, desperate act of protest.

On that fateful day, Du Yehu was with a group of children, catching fish in a neighboring town's river. Upon his return, his home was gone.

So, he took up the knife Old Man Du had used to slaughter pigs. In broad daylight, he stormed the yamen and, before the eyes of all present, slew both the constable and his brother-in-law in the very hall of justice.

He was thirteen years old.

The incident reached the ears of the City Lord’s Mansion. After a thorough investigation, the old City Lord, taking pity on the boy, pardoned Du Yehu, absolved him of his crimes, and, in an unprecedented move, admitted him into the Taoist Academy.

Such was the story of Du Yehu. A stubborn soul from the beginning. Once his mind was set, no force could sway him. Perhaps it was simply his inheritance; his father and mother were both equally unyielding.

…

"The technique... he must have given it to you, right?" Jiang Wang mused for a moment before asking.

Du Yehu produced a small, worn booklet from his robes and tossed it onto the table before Jiang Wang. "Here, a remnant of the White Tiger Body Refining Technique. They say it’s a common version used in the military."

Such a technique was not to be casually shared, but Du Yehu harbored no doubt that Jiang Wang would not betray his trust.

Jiang Wang picked up the military technique, flipping through it casually. Without further ado, he rose. "I must step out for a moment. Wait for me."

Leaving Zhao Rucheng and Du Yehu to their conversation, Jiang Wang departed. He found an empty chamber, locked it from the inside, activated the Void Key, and entered the Taixu Illusion Realm.

He summoned the Yan Dao Platform, placed the remnant technique upon it, and initiated the deduction. The merit points on the sundial dwindled rapidly, halting at a mere 190.

The deduction of this technique demanded a staggering 3400 merit points, nearly twice that required for the Ziqi Donglai Sword Art! It was also at the very limit of the Yan Dao Platform's current capability.

Of course, this was also due to the fact that, despite being a remnant, this technique was a military cultivation method, a true transcendent art. Its foundation far surpassed that of the Ziqi Donglai Sword Art, and its potential ceiling was naturally much higher.

When the deduction was complete, Jiang Wang examined the newly formed technique. It had not only completed the missing parts of the White Tiger Body Refining Technique but had also undergone development and evolution. It was now divided into four sections: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise, with a final stage where the four spirits merged into one, their power far surpassing its previous form.

Jiang Wang exited the Taixu Illusion Realm, retrieved the technique, and left the chamber. As he opened the door, he was met by a breathtakingly beautiful woman in vibrant red. Her eyebrows were like strokes of ink, her eyes held the shimmer of a rippling lake, and a mere fleeting glance revealed an endless wellspring of charm.

Her gaze was filled with a captivating tenderness, her red lips parted slightly, as if poised to speak.

"Excuse me," Jiang Wang murmured, passing by her.

It was not that Jiang Wang was truly devoid of romantic inclination, but having just emerged from the Taixu Illusion Realm, a lingering sense of unease, of having narrowly avoided discovery, weighed heavily on him. He was in no state to appreciate any woman’s beauty.

Drinking truly impairs judgment, Jiang Wang chastised himself inwardly. To enter the Taixu Illusion Realm directly within the Sanfen Xiangqi Tower, a place teeming with all manner of individuals, was utterly reckless.

Jiang Wang hurried back to Zhao Rucheng's private chamber, waited for a moment to ensure he hadn't been followed, then let out a sigh of relief and resumed his seat.

He returned the White Tiger Body Refining Technique to Du Yehu. The newly deduced Four Spirits Body Refining Technique existed only within the Taixu Illusion Realm and would need to be copied separately.

"When are you leaving?" Jiang Wang inquired.

"Tomorrow morning," Du Yehu replied.

"We'll see you off tomorrow..."

*Knock, knock, knock* – an untimely knock echoed through the chamber.

"Come in," Zhao Rucheng said casually.

The one who entered was the madam of the Sanfen Xiangqi Tower, a woman heavily adorned with makeup, a thick layer of powder obscuring her features.

"Oh my~ Our Young Master Zhao grows more handsome with each passing day," the woman purred, reaching out to touch Zhao Rucheng's face with a familiar air.

Zhao Rucheng stepped back, deliberately casting a glance at her exposed cleavage. "Don't get too close. I get dizzy from breasts."

The madam let out a coquettish giggle. "Hate~ You never had this ailment before~"

"The Sanfen Xiangqi Tower didn't have this kind of pretense before either!"

The madam’s brow furrowed. "But is there anything this humble establishment hasn't served well? Did those lowly maids neglect the distinguished guests just now?"

Zhao Rucheng eyed her with amusement. "What do you think? I’ve spent a fortune today, yet you won't let Miaoyu grace me with her presence? The Sanfen Xiangqi Tower is renowned throughout the world, is this the only trick it employs to keep customers dangling?"

The Sanfen Xiangqi Tower was indeed a place of pleasure known far and wide, with branches in every corner of the land. The Tower Master was elusive, her whereabouts unknown, yet her beauty was a legend among heroes the world over, earning her the title of the most beautiful woman in the world.

All men who had beheld her were said to be willing subjects. Among them were powerful generals, scions of noble families, and even, according to whispers, masters of nations and sects, all captivated by her allure.

The foundation of the Sanfen Xiangqi Tower was undeniably formidable. While this small branch in Fenglin City might not boast powerful cultivators guarding its halls, the mere name of the Sanfen Xiangqi Tower was enough to make it the most stylish place of pleasure in the city.

Because of the Sanfen Xiangqi Tower's backing, the madam exuded an air of confidence. Yet, it was also because of this background that she would never dare to let the tower's reputation suffer. Thus, her face instantly became difficult to read.

"Could it be..." At that moment, a voice, soft and alluring, took over the conversation. A woman in a vibrant red dress glided in gracefully. Red was a color notoriously difficult to wear beautifully, often verging on vulgarity. But she, however, was the perfect canvas for it, or rather, she herself was the embodiment of "beautiful," incapable of being overshadowed.

She entered the room, her autumnal eyes sweeping across the occupants, finally settling on Zhao Rucheng with a shy smile. "Could it be that it's not Mama who prevents me from seeing you, but that I myself do not wish to see you?"

She was, naturally, Miaoyu.