Chapter 45: Thirteenth Uncle

Yet his hands did not stop moving, matching Chen Fengyun’s Bajiquan with his own, showing not the slightest hint of curiosity even though his opponent was also using Bajiquan.

A dull thud echoed.

After several more minutes, Chen Fengyun’s understanding of Bajiquan deepened, approaching a true mastery of its spirit. The two unleashed the same move, and when their fists collided, the force sent both men staggering backwards.

“Young man, no wonder neither Fourth nor Eighth could match you. So you really can learn techniques in the midst of battle—truly astonishing.” As they separated, Feng Tianbao suddenly withdrew his fists and, smiling, spoke to Chen Fengyun.

“What do you mean by this, Boss Feng? You attacked me without warning, and now you’re speaking in riddles. Who are these Fourth and Eighth you’re talking about? I have no idea.” Chen Fengyun’s heart skipped a beat, realizing that Feng Tianbao’s invitation might have had an ulterior motive, so he feigned ignorance.

“I’m ranked second. The Fourth is named Yang Wanshi. As for the Eighth—you took two things from him outside the little town at the foot of Mount Qingcheng. Young man, you are a genuine practitioner of Qi cultivation. Why deny what you’ve done?” Feng Tianbao replied, self-assured and smiling.

“Fine, I know Yang Wanshi, and I did take two items from someone called the Eighth Master. So, Second Master Feng, you’re also a tomb-raiding Mojin?”

Chen Fengyun had to nod in admission, though he had no idea what Feng Tianbao intended. Still, with his skills, he had no fear of any threat.

“There are two branches of Mojin in the world—the southern and the northern. The southern provinces are the territory of the southern faction, while the northern provinces belong to the northern gate. Both have centuries, even millennia, of tradition. Sometimes we cooperate, sometimes we compete, and there are private grudges as well. I happen to be the current leader of the southern faction,” Feng Tianbao said, smiling at Chen Fengyun.

“How did you know I was a Qi cultivator? Have you met one before?” Chen Fengyun pressed on.

“I know a Qi cultivator. We’ve all studied the cultivation methods, but none of us have succeeded. Still, even without success, it greatly aids in the practice of ancient martial arts, which is why I sensed a trace of a cultivator’s aura from you and guessed your true identity. I didn’t expect you really were one.” It turned out Feng Tianbao had been testing Chen Fengyun.

Chen Fengyun wasn’t angry; instead, he felt a surge of curiosity. To think that in this world, there were people who knew about cultivators—and that some still existed, even if they were called Qi practitioners here.

“You really know another Qi cultivator? Where is he?”

“He is our Thirteenth Uncle, currently living in Hangzhou. But the old gentleman is already over a hundred and twenty years old, and his movements are slow. When he heard there might be another Qi cultivator like you, he wished to meet you.

I was concerned you might not believe us, so I first invited you to appreciate antiques, then found an opportunity to test you. Also, Fourth told me you could learn martial arts in the midst of a fight, so I wanted to see for myself. It turns out he spoke the truth,” Feng Tianbao explained without reservation.

“You want me to go to Hangzhou to meet your Thirteenth Uncle? He’s really over one hundred and twenty years old? What’s his current strength?” Chen Fengyun asked, hesitating.

“Thirteenth Uncle said his peak cultivation was at the fifth level of Qi training. Later, he was injured suppressing an evil presence behind Jinshan Temple, and now he can only muster about third level Qi training.

Moreover, given his great age, his lifespan is nearly exhausted. We never let him act unless absolutely necessary, as every time he does, it shortens his days,” Feng Tianbao sighed.

“Then why does Thirteenth Uncle want to meet me?” Chen Fengyun inquired.

“To be honest, we don’t really know. Perhaps it’s because there have never been other Qi cultivators in this world, and finding out about you made him eager to see you.

Also, over the decades, our southern faction has unearthed hundreds of ancient tombs, some containing items related to Qi cultivation, all of which are with Thirteenth Uncle. You might find something of value if you go,” Feng Tianbao urged.

“You mean your Thirteenth Uncle would be willing to share those cultivation-related artifacts with me?” Chen Fengyun asked, skeptical.

“I can’t say for sure, but Thirteenth Uncle bears you no ill will. He specifically instructed us to treat you with utmost respect. My guess is he has something to discuss with you,” Feng Tianbao replied.

“Then tell me—since none of you could succeed, how did your Thirteenth Uncle become a Qi cultivator?” Chen Fengyun asked, his eyes glinting.

“Although we call him Thirteenth Uncle, he’s actually of the same generation as our great-grandfather, and we all grew up on his stories.

As for how he became a Qi cultivator—it was during a tomb raid, when they discovered a cultivation manual, along with some pills and spirit stones. There were seven or eight elders who tried to practice, but only Thirteenth Uncle succeeded.

So from then on, anything related to Qi cultivation was entrusted to him. Thanks to his presence, our southern faction has endured to this day, overcoming many great dangers that only he could resolve,”

Feng Tianbao confided, not withholding even the more secret details. Though he didn’t know how advanced Chen Fengyun’s cultivation was, he suspected from his composure that his strength must be formidable.

“In that case, I’ll accompany you to Hangzhou in a few days. But in the meantime, I imagine your antique market holds many relics from before the Ming dynasty. Could you have them brought here for me to examine? Just a look will suffice,”

Chen Fengyun nodded, agreeing to go to Hangzhou. His curiosity about the Thirteenth Uncle and the cultivation artifacts in his possession outweighed any worry about possible hostility.

If he could get close to those items, any with special energy could be quietly absorbed. At the same time, he hoped to study their cultivation methods, in case it helped improve his own.

For now, unable to find other cultivation manuals, he had to go to Hangzhou, knowing there might be what he sought.

Thinking it over, he made a request of Feng Tianbao—to use his connections to gather artifacts from the market that might hold special energy, sparing himself the trouble of searching shop by shop.

“Very well—when I say so in this area, it counts. Wait here, and I’ll call them to bring the items over,” Feng Tianbao readily agreed.

“Don’t bother with anything too large, just bring the smaller pieces. And no counterfeits—I won’t look at those. Only the genuine articles,” Chen Fengyun added.