"Zig (齐格 - a character's name), the young lady (小姐 - lit. 'young lady', the one the pythons are looking for) is kind-hearted and has never killed a living thing! Why are you imprisoning her without cause?! I don't want to kill people, don't force me to make the entire port's inhabitants bury themselves with you!"
The "guy" Steve (史蒂夫 - a character's name) mentioned was still shouting furiously.
"Alright, get some more rest. I'm going out to help defend the city!" Steve instructed Du Cheng (杜承 - protagonist's name) a few times, then made to leave.
"Big Brother, it's very dangerous outside!" Du Cheng called out to him.
"It's fine, I'm just going to secure the statue on the city wall. No matter what, I'm the eldest son of the family, I must personally protect the ancestor's statue."
Steve smiled, "Don't worry, I'll just help Uncle Norton (诺顿 - a character's name) bring the statue on the city wall back into the city and then I'll return."
Du Cheng shook his head with a bitter smile. However, he quickly felt relieved. Putting himself in Steve's shoes, if their ancestral tablets were in danger, of course Steve had reason to risk it—should protecting ancestral tablets be left for others to do?
"Be extra careful. As you just said, your life is more important than anything!"
"Heh heh, got it. I still need this life to chase after the pretty senior sisters at the God of Combat (斗神 - a deity in this world) Academy!"
After saying that, he turned and went out.
As soon as Steve stepped out, he saw Zig striding outwards in the courtyard—Norton had specifically arranged for the two brothers to stay in the same courtyard as the Headmaster (院长 - referring to Zig as the Headmaster of the God of Combat Academy). Although this was somewhat illogical, Norton was willing to endure criticism to give Young Master Steve an opportunity to approach the Headmaster beforehand, which would be beneficial for his future academic career.
Meanwhile, Norton was trying to stop Zig.
Steve quickly said, "Headmaster, why are you coming out?"
Norton said with a bitter smile, "Young Master Steve, please help me persuade the Headmaster. He insists on going out to face them, but his venerable body..."
Zig said firmly, "This matter started because of me. I cannot bring disaster upon Antwerp Port. Alas, it was my oversight; I didn't realize the poison (毒液 - venom/poison) left in my body by that evil creature (孽障 - lit. 'evil offspring/obstacle', used here as a derogatory term for his foe) also had a tracking effect!"
"Your Eminence, after you instructed yesterday, I have already spread sea blue grass (海蓝草 - a specific plant name) throughout the city. At most, he can only smell your scent left outside the city; he absolutely won't discover you are here."
"It is precisely because he cannot determine my location that he is besieging the city to force me out. You need not say more..." Zig pushed away Norton's obstructing arm and strode forward.
Norton quickly followed his steps but dared not use force, so he simply spread his hands, symbolically blocking him, "Your Eminence, the person sent to the God of Combat Academy for help has already been dispatched. He is a Level 6 Martial God (六级武斗神 - indicating a high rank/power level within a martial artist system). A journey of five hundred li (五百里 - approx. 250 km or 155 miles) by sea can be covered in one day. Perhaps the Academy's teachers have already received the news by now. Furthermore, the imperial army corps in the south are also on their way as reinforcement. We only need to hold on for one day, just one day!"
"What if he attacks the city within a day? How many people will die!?"
Zig, with his hands behind his back, demanded, "I will not order you, I can only request: step aside!"
He raised his head and glared angrily at Norton. Both his current imposing aura and his noble status prevented Norton from blocking him. He could only advise, "Your Eminence, if you must go, at least take a sacred artifact with you!"
"My sacred artifact (圣器 - a powerful artifact) is used to imprison that demoness (魔女 - lit. demon woman/witch)! It cannot be moved!"
Zig walked out of the City Lord's Mansion. Norton and Steve could only follow behind.
Inside the room, Du Cheng heard the conversation outside. His heart stirred.
Antwerp Port was facing a bloody great battle. How great a good deed would it be if he could prevent this battle? Du Cheng remembered an old saying from his previous life: Stopping conflict is the greatest good, immeasurable (止干戈，上善无算).
Thinking of good deeds, Du Cheng suddenly remembered that the third lotus had seemed to bloom before he fainted!
Thinking of this, he dragged his weary body and turned over on the bed. He pulled down his shorts and twisted his head to look at his butt. But as soon as he turned his neck, he realized something was wrong.
Previously, it had been very difficult for him to twist his head to look at his butt, and a few times he had even accidentally strained his neck. But now he could easily twist his neck around. Although it wasn't to the terrifying extent of turning 180 degrees, it was already very easy to see the tattoo on his butt.
It was as if the flexibility of his bones had suddenly increased significantly.
At the same time, his lotus inner energy had also thickened considerably, now as thick as a baby's wrist.
His strength gradually recovered. Du Cheng got out of bed and stood firm, then experienced one pleasant surprise after another.
His body felt lighter... His speed was faster... His vision was better... His sense of smell was stronger... ...
This body seemed to have been comprehensively enhanced.
He suddenly understood. So, the first realm of The Lotus Scripture was mainly to help him transform his body! The intense pain earlier was a sign of his bone transformation.
And that was indeed the case. The Scripture had a total of eight realms. After the first realm, meaning all three lotuses on the Three-Line Qian Hexagram bloomed, Du Cheng would undergo bone transformation, shedding his mortal body full of impurities and being remolded into a body suitable for cultivating immortality (修仙 - a practice aimed at achieving immortality or powerful supernatural abilities).
Or rather, this stage was to lay the most profound foundation for his future cultivation of immortality!
But this was merely the foundation. The gate to cultivating immortality, the supreme secret method (无上秘法 - a powerful and exclusive technique) created by Patriarch Bodhi (菩提老祖 - a legendary figure in Chinese mythology, known for teaching Sun Wukong), had just opened a crack for Du Cheng, allowing him to see a tiny glimmer of dawn.
"Heh heh, Master, your disciple has completed one-eighth of the journey!" Du Cheng's heart was a mix of emotions. Only then did he seriously look at the tattoo on his butt.
The "Three-Line Qian Hexagram" had fully bloomed, and furthermore, the lotus in the upper left corner of the "Upper Broken Dui Hexagram" (上缺兑卦 - another specific concept related to The Lotus Scripture cultivation method, representing the second realm) had also slightly opened its bud. Du Cheng had formally entered the cultivation of the second realm.
The Upper Broken Dui Hexagram had a total of four lotuses, divided into four layers of cultivation. Given The Scripture's characteristic of becoming more difficult to cultivate the further one progressed, he didn't know when they would all fully bloom.
Patting his butt, Du Cheng smiled. But he hadn't smiled for long when he suddenly felt a warmth on his butt. It seemed there was something extra in the palm of the hand pressing on the tattoo.
He raised his hand to look.
Good heavens, the three lotus tattoos on the Three-Line Qian Hexagram had actually left his butt and turned into real lotuses, swirling around his hand. They were golden, the size of pebbles, with crystal-clear, resplendent golden water droplets like tassels on them! Inspired from who knows where, Du Cheng blurted out, "Immortal's magic treasure (仙家法宝 - a magical item used by immortals), immortal's magic treasure!"
With a flash of insight, Du Cheng channeled lotus inner energy into one of the lotuses and casually tossed it out. With a "boom," a large hole was smashed into the ground.
That's right, these were immortal's magic treasures. The Scripture was designed for Du Cheng to cultivate both himself and his magic treasures simultaneously...
However, what wonderful uses these lotus magic treasures had would require Du Cheng to slowly explore.
"Young Master Francis (弗朗西斯少爷 - Du Cheng's assumed identity), what's wrong?" A servant outside the door quickly inquired upon hearing the commotion.
"Nothing, I knocked over the wardrobe! No need to come in, I've already tidied up!"
Du Cheng was just thinking about how to hide the lotus magic treasures when, suddenly, the three lotuses flew back to his butt on their own and turned back into tattoos!
Seeing this, Du Cheng could only chuckle inwardly. Immortal's magic treasures were indeed extraordinary!
At this moment, a furious roar echoed in the sky over Antwerp Port, "Zig! You are unable to distinguish right from wrong (非不分)! Stubborn and rigid (顽固迂腐)! Do you really intend to force me to kill my way into the city's commoners?"
"With me here, dare you take another step?" Zig's voice sounded somewhat lacking in strength. After all, he was still severely injured and poisoned.
A bloody battle was about to erupt outside. Did he have the ability to stop this conflict? Du Cheng mused to himself. There was a way: as long as he rescued the demoness under the statue, everything would be resolved. He would also complete a great good deed of "stopping conflict."
But was that demoness easy to rescue? How many guards must there be in the City Lord's Mansion's dungeon?
He could take risks, but he must never act recklessly!
Just as Du Cheng made up his mind, a servant outside suddenly called out, "Young Master Francis, a fight is about to start outside the city! As soon as His Eminence Zig makes a move, it's heaven collapses and earth cracks (天崩地裂 - a description of immense power/devastation)! Please quickly get ready, bring your trusted attendants, and hide with us in the underground secret chamber (地下密室 - a hidden room, often for refuge). There's a sacred artifact left there by His Eminence Zig that can protect you!"
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