Chapter 103: The Roadblock

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Outside Tianbao Prefecture, on a small path beyond the city.
Fang Yue rode a gray horse, moving at a leisurely pace.
He had stayed in Balin County for three days, spending all three drinking with Li the Drunkard.
On the first day, Li told Fang Yue about the structure of the martial world in Yunbei.
On the second day, he recounted some grudges and rivalries within the Yunbei martial circles.
By the third day, Li was comfortably drunk and began sharing some secrets of the Yunbei martial world.
When parting, Fang Yue left Li a sum of silver, enough for him to enjoy drinking for over half a month.
Li shouted, “Young man, you’re straightforward! True to your word!”
Then he passed on a piece of uncertain gossip to Fang Yue.
This rumor occupied Fang Yue’s thoughts along the way.
“It is said that grave robbers unearthed a martial saint’s tomb and found a martial arts manual that grants direct cultivation to Martial Saint level.”
Fang Yue’s first reaction was disbelief.
According to what Lin Qingmiao said on the boat, the martial path has only two realms: Innate and Acquired.
Martial Saint is a state of enlightenment, achieved only by those who reach the apex of the Innate realm and gain profound insight.
It cannot be attained simply by following a manual step by step.
The Martial Saint state cannot be passed down through words or texts; one either comprehends it or never will.
But the rumor claimed there was a manual that allowed one to cultivate systematically up to Martial Saint level.
This blatantly contradicted common knowledge.
Yet countless things in this world defy common sense. What if the rumor were true?
For Fang Yue and many others trapped at the Innate level, unable to find a breakthrough in their lifetime, even a one-in-ten-thousand chance would be worth serious consideration.
It was easy to imagine the turmoil this rumor would cause in Yunbei’s martial world if it spread.
Martial artists from other prefectures of the Grand Qi Empire might swarm in immediately upon hearing the news.
“I wanted to use the Clairvoyance technique to verify if this so-called manual exists, but perhaps due to insufficient karmic connection or simply because it doesn’t exist, I couldn’t see anything.”
Fang Yue shook his head, riding the gray horse slowly, which occasionally nibbled on the half-withered wild grass by the roadside.
Clairvoyance requires a strong karmic tie with the target to reveal an image.
Fang Yue had tried to spy on Innate martial manuals using this technique, but to no avail.
Currently, the only Innate martial manual with which he had such a karmic bond was the “Fire Cloud Technique.”

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Fang Yue had obtained the first half of the “Fire Cloud Technique” and integrated it into his Enlightenment Cultivation.
He tried using Clairvoyance to locate the second half of the manual.
The image he saw was of it locked inside a dark chamber, alongside a pile of other martial arts manuals.
The sheer number of martial manuals made Fang Yue’s mouth water.
Unfortunately, Clairvoyance only revealed images, no sound, nor did it grant the ability to see inside objects.
It could show the target clearly no matter where it was, even if buried underground in complete darkness.
But the view was always of the target’s exterior, never its interior.
For example, if a woman was anywhere—in a room, a cabinet, or underwater—if she shared enough karmic connection with Fang Yue, he could see her through Clairvoyance.
However, he could only see her overall appearance; penetrating through her clothes to view internal organs or bones was impossible.
This was the conclusion Fang Yue reached after many attempts.
In short, one could not use this technique to steal martial skills, only to glimpse images.
Moreover, Fang Yue seldom used Clairvoyance recklessly.
This world was too dangerous; spying on forbidden images could result in backlash.
…
“Stop! Halt and let us search you.”
Fang Yue was riding his gray horse slowly along the small path outside the prefecture city.
Lost in thought, he suddenly heard shouting ahead.
Frowning, he looked down the path.
A dozen or so disciples in matching uniforms blocked the way, stopping travelers to search them.
They had barricaded the road with wooden stakes, requiring everyone passing through to be searched.
“Didn’t they say Yunbei martial artists are especially timid in the city due to strict government surveillance? This is outside the city, but not far. To boldly stop and search people here is outrageously arrogant.”
Fang Yue shook his head; these days, unreasonable things happened all too often.
“Hey, you! Dismount immediately.” One of the disciples shouted at Fang Yue, seeing him still sitting atop his horse.
Fang Yue asked, “Who are you? Only government officials have the authority to stop and search people.”
“Haha, don’t know where this foolish scholar came from, clueless about the world. Even our Azure Dragon Sect isn’t known to you? Let me tell you, the law only applies inside the city; outside, it’s all about fists.”

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Fang Yue sighed, “You make a fair point; I’m outdated. Fine, if you want to search me, first take a palm strike from me and see if your fists are strong enough.”
No sooner had he spoken than he moved forward, striking the disciple who spoke with a single palm to the chest.
The disciple immediately coughed up blood and was sent flying over twenty feet.
By the time the others from the Azure Dragon Sect reacted, Fang Yue was already back on his horse, acting as if nothing had happened.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for death!”
The Azure Dragon Sect disciples drew their weapons and surrounded Fang Yue, ready to attack.
“Stop! Stop!”
The struck disciple jumped up, looking at the scorched palm print on his clothes, and shouted to halt his comrades.
His name was Zhang Yunpeng, the leader of these Azure Dragon Sect disciples.
He approached Fang Yue’s horse, who smiled and said, “Well? Do you still want me to dismount for your search?”
Zhang Yunpeng hurriedly said, “I didn’t realize you were an Innate Grandmaster. I apologize and thank you for your mercy.”
He then waved to the others to remove the wooden stakes blocking the road.
Fang Yue’s palm strike carried a fire element, leading Zhang Yunpeng to believe he was an Innate Grandmaster.
With no Martial Saint present, Innate Grandmasters were the pinnacle fighters—dominant figures within a prefecture.
Hearing this, the other disciples were startled and dared not block the path any longer. They sheathed their weapons and cleared the way.
Fang Yue rode his gray horse through their watchful eyes, moving slowly.
After a few steps, he looked back from his horse and said, “By the way, what are you searching for by blocking the road here?”
The disciples exchanged uneasy glances, no one daring to answer.
“Forget it. If it’s a delicate matter, I won’t pry.”
Fang Yue turned his horse and gradually left Tianbao Prefecture, heading toward Longchong Prefecture.
The Azure Dragon Sect had produced two Innate Grandmasters and was well known in Tianbao Prefecture, according to Li the Drunkard’s introduction.
Their intense actions clearly meant something serious was afoot.
But for now, Fang Yue only sought to acquire an Innate martial manual and advance to the Innate Grandmaster realm; other matters were none of his concern.