Game Universe: Awakening and Enhancing Everything at the Start

Chapter 81 The Zhou Clan of Huaiyang, the Ancient Way of Qi Refining?

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Huang Hong's face, but fortunately, he had developed a thick enough skin to not care about such a small matter.

Huang Hong looked at the newcomer, an old man with a thin face. He didn't look like a martial arts expert, but rather had a scholarly air that was ingrained in his bones. From the outline of his eyebrows and eyes, it could be seen that the old man must have been a handsome and elegant young man when he was young.

The old man strolled leisurely across the river, seemingly slowly, but in reality, he boarded the small boat in just a few steps.

Huang Hong didn't mind the old man's uninvited arrival. Seeing that the man didn't show any hostility, he gestured for him to enter, poured him a cup of wine, and then asked, "May I ask your honorable name?"

The old man sat cross-legged opposite Huang Hong, and every move he made exuded an elegance and etiquette ingrained in his very being.

He laughed and said, "Young Master Huang is indeed a man of few words. I am Zhou Bingren of the Zhou family of Huaiyang."

Huang Hong's eyes flashed, and he already understood the old man's identity.

In this world, apart from the intrusion of martial arts practitioners, it is not much different from the normal ancient Dongda, and there are also aristocratic families and clans.

Among them, the Zhou family of Huaiyang was one of the more powerful aristocratic families in the world. It is said that there were three feudal lords who openly received the support of the Zhou family, and countless other aristocratic families and factions were on good terms with the Zhou family.

In addition to being a scholarly family, the Zhou family also highly values ​​martial arts. Their family martial arts are no less than those of the top and most powerful schools. Over the generations, they have produced a constant stream of first-class masters and martial arts experts, and now they even have a grandmaster in charge.

The Zhou Bingren standing before them was none other than the current Grandmaster of the Zhou family.

These thoughts flashed through Huang Hong's mind, and he asked, "May I ask what brings Master Zhou to see me?"

Zhou Bingren smiled and said, "Naturally, it's for what Young Master Huang has."

Huang Hong raised an eyebrow and asked, "Oh? But Master Zhou doesn't seem to have any hostility towards me."

Zhou Bingren said, "Fighting and killing may not solve all problems. Judging from your demeanor, young friend, you don't seem like someone who covets power. That item is more harmful than useful to you. How about we make a deal?"

"A trade?" Huang Hong laughed. "Tell me, how would you like to make the trade?"

Huang Hong didn't care about any deal; he just wanted to hear what Zhou Bingren, or rather the Zhou family, thought.

Zhou Bingren said, "Young Master Huang, give me that thing. In return, you will receive the full support of the Zhou family. For example, I see that you are obsessed with martial arts. If you wish, the Zhou family's martial arts pavilion will be fully open to you."

Fearing that Huang Hong might not understand the meaning, he deliberately explained, "My Zhou family has lasted for over a thousand years, spanning several dynasties. Although there have been ups and downs, our lineage has never been broken."

"In my Zhou Clan Martial Pavilion, you can even find some fragments of ancient Qi cultivation methods. Although these inheritances are no longer suitable for the current environment, they can still serve as a valuable reference for us martial artists."

Upon hearing this, Huang Hong's eyes gleamed, revealing a look of excitement. He wasn't interested in the so-called deal, but rather in the Zhou Family Martial Pavilion.

However, if Huang Hong really had to choose, he certainly wouldn't trade away the Imperial Seal of the State. He had other uses for this treasure, and what he was thinking about right now was... getting it for free!

Seeing Huang Hong's expression, Zhou Bingren chuckled inwardly and continued, "If Young Master Huang is truly interested in conquering the world, my Zhou family cannot offer support. However, the prerequisite is that Young Master Huang must first marry a noblewoman of my Zhou family as his principal wife. As for the level of support afterward, that will depend on Young Master Huang's own abilities."

"Well?" Zhou Bingren said with a confident smile, "Young Master Huang, I think no one can offer more favorable terms than the Zhou family of Huaiyang!"

Huang Hong finished his drink and said, "Indeed, the Zhou family offered very generous terms..."

Before Zhou Bingren's smile could fully spread, Huang Hong continued, "However, I refuse!"

Zhou Bingren's expression stiffened for a moment, then slowly composed himself and asked with a puzzled look, "Young Master Huang, is there anything you're dissatisfied with? Feel free to speak up; perhaps we can still discuss it."

Huang Hong shook his head and said, "I have my own reasons."

Zhou Bingren sighed, "That really is a pity."

"Buzz!~"

Without warning, the heavens and earth seemed to shake, and all things fell into silence, as if transitioning to another world.

Huang Hong quietly looked at Zhou Bingren. He had some understanding of the martial arts of the Zhou family of Huaiyang.

The martial arts philosophy of the Zhou family of Huaiyang is "cultivating oneself and regulating one's family, and using martial arts to carry the Way". It is based on the five Confucian virtues (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness) and can transform one's own moral cultivation into martial arts energy. It emphasizes both internal and external cultivation, and education and combat.

In the balance between offense and defense, one displays the demeanor of a gentleman; in the midst of battle, one does not lose the heart of a benevolent person.

The fundamental technique is "Righteous Qi," which uses classical texts to cultivate inner strength and accumulate a sense of "righteousness" in the chest.

The inner strength cultivated by this righteous and cultured spirit is not only profound and enduring, capable of resisting the erosion of evil poisons, but also has an additional spiritual deterrent effect on those with sinister intentions.

In terms of martial arts, there are no particularly powerful fixed moves, but if one can accumulate one's literary talent to a certain level, one can comprehend an ability called "investigating things to gain knowledge".

Not only can they observe the laws governing the operation of all things and transform the principles of nature into variations in techniques, but they can also predict the trajectory of enemy techniques in battle and anticipate their moves.

However, the situation was somewhat strange. Zhou Bingren remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was already feeling that things were getting tricky.

Under the observation of "investigating things to gain knowledge", the young man in front of me was clearly full of flaws, but whenever he wanted to launch an attack, an extremely dangerous feeling would always arise deep in my heart.

This left Zhou Bingren completely stuck in place.

However, while Zhou Bingren hesitated, Huang Hong did not. Suddenly, his body swelled up, and his originally loose robe became bulging. Strangely, despite looking more cumbersome, his movements became unusually light.

Without any fancy moves, Huang Hong's fist, imbued with a force that seemed capable of splitting mountains and parting seas, slammed towards Zhou Bingren.

Zhou Bingren bent down and spun around, his sleeves billowing like a screen, generating layers of force that neutralized Huang Hong's attack invisibly.

This is his proud defensive move... Salute to All Directions - Wind Shield.

The next moment, the sleeves rolled up silently, and a white jade-like hand pierced out from them. By the time Huang Hong noticed, it was less than three feet away from his face.

This is the essence of righteousness: the Golden-Cutting Hand!

Huang Hong met the attack with his other hand, and his fist first turned crimson, then bluish-black, and finally gleamed with a metallic sheen.

"Boom!~"