The Villain's Counterattack

Chapter 313: Tao, the source of all sects

Qianhua Village's exterior is unremarkable, with a strong rural atmosphere and some of the structure of a bandit camp. However, the interior is a completely different world. Not only is the layout strange, but the buildings are also uneven and uneven. Even the clan leader's residence has an unusual style.

Murong Fu and his maids and guards were placed in a bamboo building on the outskirts of the tribe. It was located on the outskirts, only a few miles away from the main road. It was a high vantage point from which to overlook the overall situation of the tribe and also served as a sentry post. This was their so-called sincerity.

That night, the Qianhua clan leader led five hundred of his clan's most skilled warriors, heading for Rongjing County in three waves, despite the impassable route. The first wave, numbering fifty or sixty, led by the clan leader, took the main road, carrying the official seal they had sought, and headed straight for Rongjing County. As a disguise, their accompanying horses carried some valuables, but in addition to the local ponies, they also included two tall horses belonging to Murong Fu and his men.

The second and third groups of troops were divided into two groups, the left and the right. They sneaked through the mountains and forests, bypassed several important places, and then took small paths to rush to Rongjing. Each team had more than 200 people. They agreed on a time and attacked Rongjing County from the north and south at night. The Li and Yan families were located in the north and south of Rongjing County, and the county government was in the center.

On the morning of the second day, the old man, supported by two beautiful young women, found Murong Fu who was practicing. The "Great Shift of the Universe" belonged to someone, and the "Shift of the Stars" was a family secret that could not be shown to others easily. So he started practicing Tai Chi, which was easy to learn but difficult to master, and it was hidden so that people could not see it clearly.

Murong Fu didn't avoid the others, and the old man with the white beard didn't show any intention of avoiding them either. Instead, he watched with great interest. After Murong Fu finished his stance, he clapped his hands and praised him, "What a great Taoist boxing technique! The intention is to put the force first, combining hardness and softness, and it is endless and never tires of being used. Excellent!"

As soon as the old man opened his mouth, one could tell whether he was there or not. Murong Fu's eyes flashed and he exhaled a breath of foul air. The foul air condensed into a sword and flew out more than a meter before dissipating. This breath alone could hurt someone if it got close enough, causing the old man to tighten his grip.

"Nowadays, Taoism is not popular, but Buddhism is quite prosperous. Shaolin is even known as the leader of martial arts. Not to mention the Dali Kingdom, whose state religion is Buddhism. Tianlong Temple is the final resting place of the Dali royal family, and the emperor has to go there to abdicate." Murong Fu casually took the towel handed by the maid and wiped the non-existent sweat from his face.

The old man chuckled and said calmly, "Buddhism is an outsider. All the schools in the world originated from Taoism. Taoism is the source of all the sects."

Murong Fu couldn't help but smile when he heard this, but he said with great curiosity: "I'd like to hear more about it."

The old man, acknowledging his age, found a wooden stake to sit on, pounded his legs, and then spoke slowly, "During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, amidst constant wars, many talented individuals emerged. Many sages brought together the best and pioneered various schools of thought, leading to the flourishing of various schools of thought. However, to build a commanding view requires a foundation. And what is the foundation of China?"

"The Book of Changes." Without waiting for Murong Fu to reply, the old man rambled on, "The Book of Changes dates back to ancient times and consists of three parts: Lianshan, Guizang, and Zhouyi. Legend has it that Lianshan and Guizang were created by the Emperor Tian and lost during the early Han Dynasty. The Zhouyi, however, was widely circulated and its creation was quite legendary. It's said that there were three sages who existed, and three ancient times."

In ancient times, Fuxi recorded the images of heaven and earth; in medieval times, King Wen of Zhou expounded the principles of the Book of Changes; in modern times, Confucius and his disciples annotated the Book of Changes and compiled the Yi Zhuan. Even today's most popular Confucianism, its founder was once a student of the Taoist Laozi. He said that Taoism is the source of all schools of thought. What's wrong with that?

At this point, the old man sighed slightly and said, "The most powerful thing in this world is time, but the most feared thing is selfishness. The spread of the Zhouyi, although related to the decline of the royal family, was also due to its unfettered spread, becoming one of the most famous classics today. The Lianshan and Guizang are different. Because they were classified as secret techniques in ancient times, they were kept secret and little known. When those who knew them fell into trouble, without successors, they were lost in the long river of history. It's truly tragic."

Murong Fu was deeply touched by what he heard, but he shook his head slightly and said, "The great Dao is selfless, the Way of Heaven is impartial, but human nature often has shortcomings. When selfishness arises, things will be different. The matter of inheritance concerns generations to come. If one makes a mistake, it could cause eternal disaster. Once it is broken, there will be no day to see the light again, which is a pity."

As if sensing the dull atmosphere, the old man waved his hand and said, "I'm an old man with one foot in the grave. It's fine for me to complain, but you're young and full of vigor and vitality. Why are you sighing about the passing of autumn and the passing of spring? It's unlucky, unlucky."

Without waiting for Murong Fu's response, the old man said, "My young man sent a message. The leaders of the Li and Yan families and their subordinates have been almost completely wiped out. The remaining followers and branches can't cause much trouble. A small amount of property was looted, but many documents were left. Among them are various accounts and evidence of their collusion with the bandits to commit evil deeds. If you leave now, you can still catch up and clean up the mess."

"Then, in your opinion, when is the best time for us to depart and arrive?" Murong Fu looked at the old man with interest. The old man stroked his beard and smiled, "Let's set off after breakfast, neither rushing nor slowing down. If we encounter someone with news from the government, then we'll hurry. Otherwise, we'll slow down and arrive later today or early tomorrow morning."

"Is it better to do it one night earlier or one night later?" Murong Fu continued to ask.

"Sometimes it's better to come early, and some times it's better to come late. It just depends on what kind of result the adults want."

"Please tell me in detail, old man."

The old man did not shirk responsibility, but told the situation in Rongjing County one by one. In addition to the powerful Li and Yan families, they controlled a lot of power and industries, and even the county lieutenant and the county magistrate were their people. However, this time they were eliminated by the Qianhua tribe.

The remaining small clans and big families are not strong, but they all have some connections and means. The most important of them is that they are closely involved with the border troops. Before, the border troops were defeated and the general guarding the pass was seriously injured. Then the government troops came to ask for food and have not returned yet.

It wasn't that they didn't want to return, but if they failed to complete their mission and obtain food, the border troops would be in danger of starvation, which could lead to disaster. The Li and Yan families were the driving force behind everything. They were not only local tyrants, but also large families with centuries-old histories. Although they were branches, they had a strong foundation and extensive connections. Although they were Han Chinese, they had lived here for a long time and gradually assimilated, even becoming closer to the non-Han people, and their sense of identity with the Han people was much less.

While they were getting close to the Dali Kingdom, they were also flirting with the Tubo Kingdom. The border army's defeat this time was due to their involvement.

"They saw the Song Dynasty being suppressed by the Liao, helpless against the Western Xia, and frequently harassed by the Tibetans. The court was dominated by corrupt scholars who outnumbered the soldiers. They concluded that the Song Dynasty had given in to decline and would soon perish. They failed to see the Song Dynasty's wealth and flourishing martial arts. Even a combined attack by the Liao, Western Xia, and Tibetans might not have been able to take it."

The old man snorted and said, "Short-sighted people like these deserve to be destroyed. Even if I don't take action, if their master finds out, I'm afraid they won't let them off easily."

Countless thoughts raced through Murong Fu's mind. He smiled and said, "We've said before that people have selfish motives. Even if they know they're wrong, they probably won't resort to ruthless tactics. At most, they'll teach someone a lesson and knock them down from their high position. We can't just wipe out this branch's foundation."

The old man glanced at him and said, "Since it's broken, why not just cut out the rotten flesh and wait for a new life? If you keep giving in, I'm afraid the stubborn disease will not go away and will only get worse. If you want to cut it out later, I'm afraid the cost will be even greater. You look brave and heroic, but how come you've learned the ways of those corrupt scholars' wives? This is not the quality of someone who should achieve great things."

"Oh, the old man wants to help me achieve great things?"

"I am over seventy years old. I don't think I can compare to Jiang Shang, but I do have a desire to leave a lasting legacy. I wonder if you can help me achieve my wish?"

"I wonder how big the big event you're talking about is? A county, a prefecture, or maybe a road, a country?"

"I'm old now, so I'll help you plan right now. Rongjing County can be conquered in three months and revitalized in a year. Then it will take ten years to conquer Yazhou. After that, I'm afraid I might not survive. If you want to establish a country like Dali, it will be difficult. It will take at least thirty to fifty years to conquer Xichuan. If you can't completely conquer Xichuan, establishing a country will be extremely risky."

"Thirty to fifty years isn't that long. If one generation doesn't work, then two will. If two generations don't work, then three will. If we succeed in a hundred years, then we can be considered the ancestors, and our legacy will be passed down through the generations. I just don't know if you, old man, are willing to help me?"

"Why don't you ask the old man about my origins?"

"Would you tell me if I asked?"

"Well, let's wait for the future. If you are truly qualified, I will give you all of it."