Chapter 88

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Chapter 88: Unlocking the Acupuncture Points

After hearing Shui Yupeng’s words, Ou Peng smiled proudly, and said: “Why not?”

Given such a generous opportunity, how could Shui Yupeng not take advantage of it? He immediately bowed down and said: “Shui Yupeng pays respects to Sect Master Ou.”

Only after Shui Yupeng had bowed did Ou Peng stand up, help him up, and say loudly: “Brother Shui, no need for such formalities. Since you have joined the Piaomiao Sect, we are brothers. Please, rise quickly.”

The others, seeing this, also came forward with smiles, offering their congratulations.

Thus, Shui Yupeng respectfully greeted each of them in turn.

Once everyone had exchanged courtesies, Ou Peng had a few more chairs brought over, and everyone sat down.

Ou Peng smiled at Shui Yupeng and said: “Brother Shui, you must be curious as to why I want you to resume control of the Luo River Gang rather than replacing you with someone else, right?”

Shui Yupeng cupped his hands and said: “Since Sect Master has made such an arrangement, there must be a reason. This subordinate will follow Sect Master’s instructions, though this subordinate is indeed curious. From the elders to the hall leaders of the Luo River Gang, there are many who could take my place. That Sect Master chooses to use this subordinate is beyond my expectations. I humbly ask Sect Master to enlighten me.”

Ou Peng, hearing Shui Yupeng repeatedly refer to himself as “subordinate”, laughed and said: “Brother Shui, there’s no need to use such formal terms as subordinate. Our Piaomiao Sect isn’t bound by such rigid rules, and I don’t see you as a subordinate. If Brother Shui is willing, you can address me as Brother.”

Shui Yupeng, adapting readily, smiled and said: “Since Sect Master has said so, how could this brother not comply?”

Ou Peng continued: “Although the battle between Luo River Gang and the Piaomiao Sect was fierce, the Piaomiao Sect’s disciples I dispatched were all elites, and they were measured in their actions. Although Luo River Gang was taken down, it did not suffer heavy casualties, you could even say it wasn’t significantly harmed. The main issue is the morale of the gang, which has dispersed. What Piaomiao Sect needs to do now is to rekindle the spirit of the Luo River Gang to fend off other factions eyeing us. To quickly regroup the Luo River Gang, there’s no better candidate than you, Brother Shui. Replacing you with someone else would not only require a complete restructuring but also lead to doubts from within the gang. Even though the Piaomiao Sect could support them with force, it would still be an internal drain and pose a latent threat, which is something the Piaomiao Sect cannot accept. Furthermore, as you know, the Piaomiao Sect lacks brothers skilled in managing water routes. It’s only fitting that the Luo River Gang be led by someone from within, and who better than Brother Shui? Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to bring you into the Piaomiao Sect.”

Shui Yupeng was still skeptical and asked: “Can Sect Master truly trust this brother to go back to Luo River?”

“Haha.” Ou Peng chuckled and said: “Brother Shui, If you use a person, don’t doubt them; if you doubt them, don’t use them. I have no choice but to trust Brother Shui, but I also need to give you some concerns. Your family doesn’t need to go with you to Luo River, they can settle here at Piaomiao Manor. Luo River isn’t far, so Brother Shui can frequently return to the sect. Moreover, I see that my young nephew Tian Tian has great potential for martial arts. After this year, he can become a disciple under Chengyue or Little Hai to learn our Piaomiao Sect’s techniques. In time, he will become a pillar of the martial world with the strengths of both families.”

Shui Yupeng’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He clasped his fists and said: “Thank you for the arrangement, Sect Master.”

Ou Peng noticed this and smiled: “Brother Shui, it seems you haven’t fully grasped my intentions, but that’s understandable. Since I’m inviting Brother Shui to join the Piaomiao Sect, there are naturally benefits for you. Otherwise, how could I expect Brother Shui to join willingly?”

Seeing Shui Yupeng’s puzzled look, Ou Peng laughed heartily and said: “Brother Shui, there are many sects in the Jianghu, and gangs rise and fall like spring bamboo after the rain. New factions emerge, and old ones perish. The Luo River Gang, for instance, has only been established for about thirty years, spanning just two generations since its founding.”

Shui Yu Peng nodded and replied, “Yes, just over thirty years. There are countless gangs like Luo River Gang in the martial world, as numerous as fish in the river.”

Ou Peng continued: “In the Jianghu, sects and gangs rise and fall, each leading the way for its hundred years. However, some sects remain steadfast, like rocks in the river, unchanged by the currents of the martial world. These are the eternal protagonists of the martial world. You must be aware of such sects, Brother Shui.”

Shui Yupeng smiled and said: “Of course. Great sects like Dalin Temple and Incense-Spreading Cult have been around in the Jianghu for centuries. How could I not be aware of them?”

Ou Peng nodded and continued: “These great sects have their own fixed territories, occupying dozens of miles of land where their disciples live and practice martial arts. The most crucial aspect is that these super sects have their own martial arts inheritance. The disciples practice their own school of martial arts, most of which are extremely superior in the martial arts world, which can achieve twice the result with half the effort compared to ordinary martial arts. Moreover, these sects have their own ways and methods for selecting disciples, ensuring they pick the most suitable disciples for their sect from among the common folk, thus guaranteeing the prosperity of the sect.”

Shui Yupeng bitterly smiled and said: “Sect Master is right. The legendary martial arts of Dalin Temple, like the Tathagata Divine Palm and the Flower-Grasping Heart Method, are things we’ve only heard of but never seen. The Arhat Fist and Erlang Fist commonly seen in the martial world are probably low-level techniques that Dalin Temple disdains to practice. The internal skills of the Dalin Temple are rarely passed on in the Jianghu. Luo River Gang doesn’t even have its own martial arts techniques. I only managed to gain a foothold in the martial world after stumbling upon an internal skill manual left behind by someone else. Without that, I would still be struggling somewhere, fighting for survival with my sword and exchanging my life with blood.”

Ou Peng said: “Yes, Brother Shui’s lament reflects the sentiments of many in the Jianghu. It’s easy to enter the martial world but difficult to learn martial arts. Without good opportunities and the heritage of a sect, it’s nearly impossible to master profound martial arts.”

Shui Yupeng still didn’t understand. These might be secrets to the common martial artists, but for the sect masters and leaders of various factions, they were common knowledge. He wondered why Ou Peng was talking about this today.

He frowned slightly but said: “Indeed, when I was a teenager, I ran away from home to explore the martial world, completely blind to its realities. I was tricked into joining a small gang and spent years fighting before I understood the martial world’s structure. Only then did I realize that Dalin Temple and Incense-Spreading Cult were the holy places to learn martial arts. But by the time I had the chance to seek an apprenticeship there, I was told I was too old to learn their martial arts. Although I had learned some techniques through life-and-death struggles over the years, they were considered garbage in the eyes of others and not worth mentioning at all. Now, looking back, my youthful self was indeed too impulsive and naive, thinking that entering the martial world would immediately lead to learning profound martial arts…”

At this point, Shui Yupeng shook his head, recalling his past with a sense of regret.

Ou Peng nodded in agreement and said: “Brother Shui is absolutely right. In the martial world, it has always been masters choosing their disciples, not the other way around. Most disciples are selected and trained from a young age, undergoing rigorous training to strengthen their muscles and forge their meridians. Occasionally, those who were not chosen early on, even if they have excellent potential, may find limited achievements later when their meridians are already set. Not to mention places like Dalin Temple and Incense-Spreading Cult, even my Piaomiao Sect rarely accepts such latecomers. Furthermore, even for those who are accepted, their progress depends heavily on their aptitude, some practice external techniques, and others practice internal skills, and different techniques have different effects on different people. If there’s no suitable method for you in the sect you worship, and your practice for ten years is only as good as one year of cultivation for others, how can you stand out? Therefore, the martial heritage and techniques of a sect are of utmost importance.”

Shui Yupeng felt a pang of emotion and responded: “Sect Master’s words are indeed true. I now envy those disciples who have been fortunate enough to join the Dalin Temple or Incense-Spreading Cult. They are really blessed, ah, able to learn profound and authentic martial arts.”

At that moment, First Elder Hu, who had been listening nearby, interjected with a grin: “Leader Shui, there’s no need for envy. There’s a great opportunity right in front of you now.”

Shui Yupeng was taken aback and asked First Elder Hu: “Brother Hu, what do you mean by that?”

Ou Peng smiled knowingly and said: “Brother Shui, don’t be hasty. We were just discussing martial arts inheritance, and naturally, you thought of the centuries-old renowned sects. However, there are other sects with martial arts legacies too. They may not be superpowers, but they’ve survived the turbulent martial world. They just haven’t had the luck to become superpowers. Practicing martial arts in such sects is not inferior to Dalin Temple and others.”

Upon hearing this, Shui Yupeng’s expression first darkened, then lit up with joy. He stood up from his chair and exclaimed: “Sect Master, does Piaomiao Sect already have a centuries-old inheritance?”

Still somewhat disbelieving, he looked at Ou Peng’s face.

Ou Peng nodded proudly with a smile.

Shui Yupeng sighed deeply, saying: “Compared to the Piaomiao Sect, Luo River Gang is merely a newborn baby. It’s my good fortune, and the fortune of the Luo River Gang, to be able to join the Piaomiao Sect, which has been passed down for hundreds of years. It’s just a pity that my meridians are already set, and I can’t practice Piaomiao techniques. It’s truly regrettable.”

Ou Peng comforted him, saying: “Brother Shui, no need to sigh. Didn’t I just promise to let nephew Tian Tian join the Piaomiao Sect? Let your descendants fulfill your aspirations. Isn’t that something to rejoice about?”

Shui Yupeng felt deeply grateful and bowed again, saying sincerely: “Thank you very much for the arrangement, Sect Master.”

This time, his bow was genuine and heartfelt.

Ou Peng quickly stood up and helped Shui Yupeng up, saying: “Since we are now brothers, there’s no need for formalities.”

With that, he patted Shui Yupeng’s shoulder, channeling an immensely profound inner energy through Shui Yupeng’s acupoints. In an instant, this energy flowed through Shui Yupeng’s meridians, unlocking the acupoints that were previously blocked. It was only now that Ou Peng truly felt reassured about Shui Yupeng.

Shui Yupeng could sense the depth of Ou Peng’s inner energy and was shocked. In the martial world, specific techniques were required for acupoint manipulation. Incorrect methods could cause severe harm to the body. Ou Peng, however, did not use any specific technique but relied purely on the depth of his inner energy. Before such profound inner strength, any technique was just a paper tiger.