Chapter 166: One Hundred and Fifty Grandmasters

Having thoroughly explored the Martial Pavilion, Shen Changqing gained a comprehensive understanding of its purpose.

In essence.

The Martial Pavilion was a martial artist’s sanctuary, a veritable heaven.

Within its walls.

One could freely delve into martial arts, Grandmaster techniques were commonplace, Martial Arts True Intent as abundant as the stars themselves, and martial artists of the same level could freely exchange insights.

The Martial Pavilion’s objective was clear: to see if individuals could gather the strengths of all schools and break through the limits of the human body.

However, as of now.

The Martial Pavilion’s progress in this area had been consistently lacking in significant results.

Therefore, the Martial Pavilion now dedicated itself to researching martial arts for the Demon Suppression Division, exchanging its knowledge for its continued existence.

Based on Zhong Ning’s words, and the few hints dropped by Tan Tianji earlier, Shen Changqing was almost certain.

The Seclusion Pavilion primarily focused on the Demon Subjugation Pavilion and the Demon Sealing Pavilion.

The Martial Pavilion, comparatively, was rather weak.

"Whether the Martial Pavilion is weak or not isn’t really my concern. I don’t lack martial arts; my only deficiency is in breakthroughs of the mental system. The Martial Pavilion can conveniently meet my needs now.

Next, I only have two choices.

Either stay in the Martial Pavilion to comprehend Martial Arts True Intent, or go out and slay demons and evil to improve the martial arts on the status panel."

Shen Changqing thought to himself.

Compared to ordinary Demon Slaying Envoys, he now had a much wider range of choices.

"Let’s see. There’s no need to be too hasty now!"

He had only been in the Demon Suppression Division for less than three years and had already entered the door of the physical body system, and he was also an entry level in the mental system, considered to be half a Grandmaster Late Stage martial artist.

The reason he was considered half a Grandmaster was.

Because he had not made a breakthrough in the mental system, making him somewhat different from ordinary Grandmaster Late Stage martial artists.

However, the advantages of the mental system would only become apparent in a Grandmaster, after achieving something in the second stage.

Strictly speaking.

The difference between Shen Changqing now and a true Grandmaster Late Stage was not very significant.

Shaking his head.

He stopped dwelling on the matter and turned his gaze to the courtyard before him.

The courtyard was neither large nor small, but it had artificial mountains and flowing water, with a small pavilion standing prominently, like the back garden of a wealthy family.

This was the residence arranged for him by the Martial Pavilion.

Having entered the Martial Pavilion.

It was naturally impossible for him to continue living in the Demon Slaying Courtyard.

Therefore.

Shen Changqing also took some time to bring all his belongings from the Demon Slaying Courtyard over, and also informed Jiang Zuo.

The other party was, after all, the Yellow Division Demon Slaying Courtyard Warden, and he should be informed that he was moving out.

The white jade tea tray.

It had now been placed inside the pavilion, and as for the remaining pills, he had placed them all in the room.

"The Seclusion Pavilion, to say nothing else, the treatment is really good. No wonder they all say that many people want to enter the Seclusion Pavilion, but although the overall treatment of the Seclusion Pavilion is good, that rule of the Martial Pavilion is a bit of a pitfall."

Shen Changqing felt a little helpless when he thought about the matter of handing in merit points even without any contribution.

That was a mandatory payment.

If one could not pay, the Demon Suppression Division would prohibit the other party’s exchange of all merit points, and the merit points obtained from missions would also be directly confiscated until the debt was cleared.

Such an approach.

Completely eliminated the possibility of debtors.

However.

He did not have this kind of worry.

Returning to his room.

Shen Changqing sat cross-legged according to the new routine, calmed his mind, and comprehended the Hundred Battle True Intent.

Nothing happened overnight.

The next day.

Shen Changqing retreated from his Sea of Consciousness. Since spending his mind to comprehend the Hundred Battle True Intent, he had no longer had time to absorb the purple Qi of heaven and earth.

The time spent comprehending True Intent was very short, not allowing for both to be taken into account.

After a simple cleanup.

He went to the Martial Pavilion.

When he arrived at the Martial Pavilion door, Zhao Bai, whom he had seen yesterday, was still sitting there, resting and recuperating.

"Elder Zhao!"

He stopped and saluted.

Zhao Bai barely propped open his eyelids, glanced at him with sparse eyes, and grunted softly before closing them again.

There were no extra words.

There were no extra movements.

In this regard.

Shen Changqing was not surprised.

He found that the people guarding the door in places like the Martial Pavilion Scripture Repository were all strange, perhaps this was the temper of a master!

Entering the Martial Pavilion.

After taking a look at the secret room, Shen Changqing did not immediately go inside to cultivate.

Stepping upstairs.

The second level was a treasure trove of martial arts.

While others needed to borrow vast martial arts knowledge to enrich themselves, he temporarily had no need for it.

Therefore.

Shen Changqing went straight to the third level.

On the third level, there were several people sitting there, either flipping through scrolls or writing.

Soon after.

He also saw Zhong Ning sitting there.

"You’re here!"

"Elder Zhong!"

Shen Changqing clasped his fist in salute.

Zhong Ning nodded slightly, then stroked his beard and smiled: "You can browse the scrolls here at will. Take a look more often when you have time, it will be good for you."

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder Zhong." Shen Changqing humbly accepted the advice, then looked at the others and couldn’t help but ask: "Speaking of which, how many people are there in the Martial Pavilion now?"

He discovered.

The faces he saw yesterday and today were all different.

Hearing this.

Zhong Ning said: "If you count everyone in the Martial Pavilion, there are probably about one hundred and fifty people, but not everyone will seclude themselves in the Martial Pavilion. Some even go out to gain experience, or support the Demon Suppression Divisions in various locations.

Although joining the Seclusion Pavilion means you don’t have to perform fixed annual tasks anymore.

But when a critical moment truly arrives, when the Demon Suppression Division lacks manpower, the people of the Martial Pavilion still have to take action. You must know that no nest is left intact."

No nest is left intact.

The Martial Pavilion, and even such a large Seclusion Pavilion, could safely seclude themselves here because Great Qin was now relatively stable, and no one could threaten this place.

If there were wars and disasters everywhere, how would the people of the Seclusion Pavilion have the opportunity to stay here in peace?

Therefore.

The premise of everything was that Great Qin must maintain stability.

Whenever there was something that the Demon Suppression Division’s current manpower could not solve, the Martial Pavilion, and even all the experts of the Seclusion Pavilion, had to provide assistance to ensure that no major problems occurred.

Shen Changqing nodded in deep agreement.

At the same time.

He was also shocked by the foundation of the Martial Pavilion.

One hundred and fifty people!

It should be known.

Those who could enter the Martial Pavilion were at least Grandmaster level experts. In other words, there were one hundred and fifty Grandmasters in the Martial Pavilion alone.

Such a quantity.

Was a bit outrageous.

"So the Martial Pavilion has so many Grandmasters!"

"Are there many Grandmasters?"

Zhong Ning asked rhetorically.

Were there many?

Shen Changqing was stunned, then came back to his senses.

Were there not many?

Based on his understanding of Jianghu, the Grandmasters of those Jianghu sects probably did not even amount to one hundred.

Any sect with a Grandmaster sitting in town could be regarded as a top sect.

But a single Martial Pavilion possessed one hundred and fifty Grandmasters.

Moreover, one hundred and fifty Grandmasters did not include the other Grandmasters of the Demon Suppression Division who had not entered the Martial Pavilion, such a number was already quite astonishing.

"You have to understand how many people there are in Great Qin, and how many people have entered the Demon Suppression Division over the years, and the people collected by the Martial Pavilion are not just from the Demon Suppression Division of the capital, but people from the Demon Suppression Divisions in various locations are qualified to join.

One hundred and fifty Grandmasters is actually not much at all."

Zhong Ning shook his head.

One hundred and fifty Grandmasters would not cause much of a stir in Great Qin.

"Of course, if every Grandmaster was an entry-level in the physical body system, then it would indeed be a considerable power, but most Martial Pavilion Grandmasters are just entry-level in the mental system, and only a very few can enter the physical body system."

Without entering the physical body system, merely entering the mental system.

Even as Grandmasters, their strengths differed greatly.

"Alright, you can come to me if you have any problems in the future. As for your share for this year, you can go to the Internal Affairs Pavilion to collect it yourself, don’t miss it, otherwise the Internal Affairs Pavilion will not make it up to you."

After speaking.

Zhong Ning stopped looking at Shen Changqing and turned to look at the scroll in his hand, like an old scholar.

Compared to yesterday’s enthusiasm, the difference was vast.

Silently shaking his head.

Shen Changqing left the third level and went directly to the fifth level.

His goal was very clear.

What he wanted was a breakthrough in the mental system, so the jade wall on the fifth level was the most useful thing.

Before the jade wall.

Someone was already sitting cross-legged, an old man who looked about the same age as Zhong Ning. The other party seemed to be deeply attracted by the jade wall, and his mind was already immersed in it.

Seeing this, Shen Changqing did not disturb the other party.

However.

Unlike True Qi cultivation, there was no need to worry about being disturbed during the comprehension of Martial Arts True Intent, and one could withdraw from it at any time, if possible.

Finding another separate location.

He sat down cross-legged, trying to touch the jade wall in front of him with his thoughts.

In less than two breaths.

The scene changed.

When Shen Changqing regained his senses, he saw that he was unknowingly in the middle of the starry sky.

The starry sky was vast.

There were no boundaries up, down, left, and right.

In the starry sky, there were many stars suspended, some stars emitting dazzling light, and some stars were much dimmer, as if they were about to come to an end.

However.

Early yesterday, when leaving, Zhong Ning had told him something about the jade wall.

Therefore.

For the scene before him, Shen Changqing had nothing but surprise at the vastness of the starry sky.

Looking at the many stars in front of him, he reviewed the information in his mind.

"Dim stars indicate that the True Intent inside is severely depleted, and even if you enter them, you won’t gain much.

Bright stars indicate that the True Intent inside is abundant and can be entered for comprehension."

"When different True Intents meet, it’s like a battle between experts. If you win, you can devour the power of the True Intent contained in the stars, thereby nourishing yourself. If you lose, there will be no other consequences except for the loss of some mental strength."

Shen Changqing’s eyes flickered.

To put it bluntly.

The Martial Arts True Intent in the stars was like an unowned object, available for people to absorb.

However, the martial artist’s own True Intent was an owned object, and even if it was defeated, it would not lose anything.

"I just don’t know how much mental strength will be lost, and how much gain can be obtained after defeating the Martial Arts True Intent within. Compared to my personal seclusion and comprehension, which one is more worthwhile."

While thinking to himself, his attention was already sweeping over the stars one by one.

End of Chapter