The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 279

Chopping a table with a bare hand wasn’t magic, nor was it some cheap trick. Jiang Fei couldn’t do it himself, but he could certainly tell whether it was real or fake.

Watching the middle-aged Taoist priest, Xuanjizi, perform this feat, Jiang Fei was completely convinced—this guy wasn’t a fraud. He was the real deal. As for things like the Tianji Sect and fortune-telling, Jiang Fei remained somewhat skeptical, keeping his belief at about fifty-fifty. But at the very least, he no longer thought Xuanjizi was some swindler out to scam people for money.

Come on, a martial artist whose strength surpassed normal human limits—why would someone like that stoop to petty theft?

That said, Jiang Fei grew even more cautious about the Taoist’s true intentions.

He had never been one to believe in fate or destiny. If someone sought him out for no apparent reason, and it wasn’t for money, then they probably wanted something far more important from him.

Just think—what could possibly be valuable enough to catch the attention of someone like Xuanjizi? Something that would make him follow Jiang Fei all the way to this teahouse? Whatever it was, it couldn’t be ordinary. And the stakes were likely high.

But for now, Jiang Fei decided not to act or resist. He’d wait and see what the Taoist’s real goal was. If Xuanjizi truly wanted something Jiang Fei couldn’t give, then he’d figure out a way to fight back.

On the other hand, if the Taoist turned out to have no ill intentions, provoking him would only backfire.

After some thought, Jiang Fei realized that even if the priest did try to trick him, there wasn’t much he could actually take. Financially, Jiang Fei was secure enough not to worry about most things. Apart from his life, he could afford to lose things like pride or dignity.

Next, Jiang Fei extended his hand, letting Xuanjizi examine it closely. The Taoist then asked a few vague questions before falling silent, closing his eyes and furrowing his brows.

“That’s it?” Jiang Fei waited for a while before speaking up.

“Astounding! Truly astounding!” Xuanjizi suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them as he stared at Jiang Fei with burning intensity.

The look in his eyes was almost identical to the one Jiang Fei had when using the North Darkness Divine Art to absorb the inner energy of Miyamoto Ichizen—like a starving wolf locking onto its prey. The ferocity of the Taoist’s gaze startled Jiang Fei. What if this guy isn’t after my dignity… but my chastity?!

Xuanjizi’s eyes shimmered with an otherworldly light.

“Heaven and earth divide into yin and yang, governed by the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Nearly everyone’s fate is predetermined—their fortunes can be predicted, their destinies clearly defined. A rare few, whether by innate luck or later cultivation, possess futures too vast to foresee. But no matter who they are, when we trace their past, the path is always clear. Yet you, young friend… not only does your future hold infinite possibilities, making it impossible for me to predict, but even your past is shrouded in complete obscurity. No storms, no lightning—just an impenetrable haze. I cannot discern what has happened to you… Young friend, my curiosity about your extraordinary experiences grows by the minute!”

Jiang Fei’s eyelid twitched as he struggled to keep his expression neutral. “I don’t understand what you’re saying. My past is an open book. There’s nothing unusual about it.”

Xuanjizi chuckled. “You need not worry. I bear you no ill will. Today, I have thoroughly studied your fate, satisfying my curiosity and resolving my doubts. Thus, my task here is already half-complete.”

Half-complete?

Jiang Fei’s anger flared. I knew it! This guy didn’t follow me here just to read my fortune. He’s after something else!

“What’s the other half of your task?” Jiang Fei asked with a forced smile.

He had already made up his mind—if the Taoist made any unreasonable demands, like trying to take his chastity…

He would never submit.

A man could be killed, but not humiliated—though that didn’t mean Jiang Fei wanted to die.

He had his limits. If pushed too far, he’d fight back with everything he had!

So what if he can project his inner energy into blades? Even if I can’t match him in raw combat power, I still have the Weapon Shop! During his public duel with Miyamoto Ichizen, Jiang Fei hadn’t been able to use hidden weapons like Li’s Flying Daggers or the Storm of Pear Blossom Needles. But in a private fight with this Taoist, he wouldn’t hold back.

The old priest might be unfathomably strong, but Jiang Fei wasn’t defenseless. With his own skills and hidden weapons, he stood a fighting chance.

In fact, a wild thought even crossed Jiang Fei’s mind—What if I used the North Darkness Divine Art on Xuanjizi? Would I gain something unimaginable? Though he hoped it wouldn’t overwhelm him, causing a qi deviation or worse…

“Have you ever heard of the Tui Bei Tu?” Xuanjizi asked instead of answering.

“The Tui Bei Tu?” Jiang Fei frowned, unsure why the Taoist had brought this up. “Yes, I know of it. It’s said to have been written by two Tang Dynasty metaphysicians and Taoist scholars, Li Chunfeng and Yuan Tiangang. According to legend, Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered them to predict the fate of the Tang Dynasty. But once they began divining with the I Ching, they couldn’t stop—not only did they map out the Tang’s destiny, but they went on to forecast the next two thousand years of China’s future! Supposedly, Yuan Tiangang finally tapped Li Chunfeng on the back and said, ‘Heaven’s secrets must not be revealed. Let’s call it a day.’ Hence, the book was named Tui Bei Tu (‘Back-Pushing Diagram’). It’s said to contain sixty images, each accompanied by cryptic prophecies and verses predicting major events in China’s history. But after hearing about it, I actually borrowed a copy from the library and kept it by my bedside for over a month. Why do you ask?”

Jiang Fei’s last sentence was the key.

The Tui Bei Tu was a mystical work, and to the uninformed, it might sound impressive. But Jiang Fei wasn’t fooled.

He wanted to make it clear—he had already read the famous Tui Bei Tu. Trying to use it to deceive him wouldn’t work.

Xuanjizi remained unruffled, smiling faintly. “You are indeed well-informed about its origins. However, you misunderstand the true nature of the Tui Bei Tu. Do you really think that a work divined by the Tang Dynasty’s greatest seers and Taoist scholars would, over a thousand years later, be openly sold in bookstores and street stalls? The Tui Bei Tu I speak of is the genuine Taoist treasure—also known as the Heaven’s Secret Diagram!”

Jiang Fei’s eyes widened. “Are you saying the Tui Bei Tu circulating in the market isn’t the real one? The true version, capable of foretelling China’s destiny, is something else—the Heaven’s Secret Diagram?”

Xuanjizi nodded.

Jiang Fei quickly noticed something. The Tui Bei Tu was called the Heaven’s Secret Diagram, and Xuanjizi’s sect was the Tianji Sect (Heaven’s Secret Sect).

Was there a connection?

“Why are you telling me this?” Jiang Fei asked warily.

Xuanjizi’s eyes burned with intensity as he stared at Jiang Fei, speaking each word with deliberate gravity:

“The Tui Bei Tu, in a way, is tied to the fate of our nation—to the fortune of all descendants of Yan and Huang [the legendary ancestors of the Chinese people]. As such, this Taoist treasure is not only crucial to the Tianji Sect but to all of China. And now… I wish to entrust it to you for safekeeping.”

“What?!”

Jiang Fei was floored.

He had considered every possibility—even that the Taoist might want his chastity—but he never expected the man to give him something!

To borrow a phrase from Lu Xun, Jiang Fei had always been inclined to suspect the worst of others. He firmly believed there was no such thing as a free lunch. If something came too easily, it was probably trouble in disguise.

“Didn’t you say the Tui Bei Tu is a Taoist treasure?”

“Indeed.”

Jiang Fei glared. “Then why doesn’t the Tianji Sect’s leader guard it? Why give it to me? I’m not qualified!”

Xuanjizi gazed at him with an almost saintly benevolence, like the compassion of Guanyin Bodhisattva looking upon mortals.

“Which is why… I also intend to pass on to you the position of Tianji Sect’s next leader.”

Whoosh!

Jiang Fei’s mind went blank again.

A mysterious Taoist priest, secretly a peerless master, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and offering to make him the successor of some supposedly legendary sect—

Could this get any more like a third-rate novel?

Could it be any more absurd?

Even in web novels, this kind of plot had fallen out of fashion years ago!

Any author still using this trope today must be so broke they’d have to rely on sugar mommies to survive!

This was practically the same as stumbling into a hidden cave, finding some divine artifact, training for a few hours, and emerging as an invincible protagonist—the kind of cliché even readers had grown tired of.

Jiang Fei never imagined he’d be the one experiencing this. It was even more ridiculous than when he first obtained his game character system.

“Can I… refuse?” he asked weakly.

Ding!

[Main Quest Obtained: Inherit the Taoist Supreme Treasure, Tui Bei Tu.]

[As this is a main quest, the player must accept it.]

Before Xuanjizi could answer, the system’s voice echoed in Jiang Fei’s mind.