Martial Arts: Starting from a Seemingly Real System

There were more than ten tables of guests in the lobby of the inn. Qiao Rui immediately noticed the man sitting in the corner, probably because the guests at these ten tables would glance over there from time to time while chatting and resting.

The successful challenge of “three bowls without leaving the city” is already eye-catching, not to mention that she is a young Taoist nun.

The Taoist nun had her hair tied in a bun and wore a Taoist robe. She had a dark yellow complexion and an ordinary face, but a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes that were extremely spirited, clear and bright, and she had an outstanding temperament.

Qiao Rui walked over slowly. Seeing that the Taoist nun had noticed him, he clasped his fists and saluted, saying, "I am Qiao Rui, the owner of Yunlai Inn. I would like to congratulate the Taoist nun on successfully challenging 'Three bowls without leaving the city'!"

"It's Boss Qiao. Drinking alone is really boring. Would you like to have a drink with me?" The young Taoist nun raised her hand in return and invited Qiao Rui to sit down and drink together. Although she had just completed the challenge of drinking three gourds of Drunken Immortal Wine, she did not seem drunk at all. She still ordered a few side dishes and took small sips of the gourd of Drunken Immortal Wine. It was obvious that she could drink a lot.

"In that case, I will continue to nag you!" Qiao Rui could not refuse, so he asked the waiter to bring a gourd of Drunken Immortal Wine, and added braised pork and boiled chicken and other side dishes. Then he asked, "May I ask what your name is, Taoist priest? In which famous mountain or temple do you practice?"

The young Taoist nun took a sip from the wine glass, savored it for a moment, then put it down and said with a smile: "My common name is Diwu Qingcheng. I am not a real Taoist nun. I just like to dress like this. Whether I become a nun or stay at home, I am still practicing!"

What a strange name, the surname is Diwu and the given name is Qingcheng? It can't be the surname is Di and the given name is Wu Qingcheng, right? After a little daze, Qiao Rui recovered and said with a smile: "Dao...Miss, what you said is very true!"

Diwu Qingcheng knew that her last name was uncommon, but she didn't mind it. She looked at Qiao Rui with cold and clear eyes and said, "Looking at Boss Qiao's steady steps and long breath, he is not just a businessman, right?"

"My skills are so insignificant that they are not worth mentioning!" Qiao Rui smiled and bowed, "But the fifth girl has bright eyes and a divine light hidden in her eyes. I'm afraid she has become one of the best in the martial arts world!"

"First-rate, second-rate, and top-notch fighters are only good at determining their internal strength. Their actual combat effectiveness depends on their performance on the spot. Their martial arts moves, aptitude, and character can all affect the outcome." Diwu Qingcheng twirled the wine glass in her hand, her slender phoenix eyes flashing with cunning light. She suddenly changed the subject and said, "A red apricot has been a scourge to the martial arts world for many years, but she was captured and killed by a young hero named Qiao Rui. Does Boss Qiao know him?"

Qiao Rui was startled when she heard this, and frowned slightly. Could she be a member of the Sky Guards? However, since she already knew about this, it was not easy to hide it, so she said, "It is me, but I don't know where Miss Fifth got this information from?"

“Haha!” Seeing Qiao Rui’s puzzled look, Diwu Qingcheng smiled and said, “Could it be that Young Master Qiao is only interested in business and only wants to be a boss? Little did he know that it is widely rumored in the martial arts world that Young Master Qiao cleverly identified the rapist’s identity and single-handedly hunted down a red apricot, causing the martial arts world’s long-time villain to bow down and put all the martial arts heroes to shame. He is the leader of the younger generation!”

Qiao Rui opened his mouth with a look of surprise. He had been practicing martial arts behind closed doors these days and had not even been to the inn. Naturally, he did not know that the matter had become a hot topic in the martial arts world. However, he did not know who spread the news. Could it be Mr. Chen from Changyun Carriage and Horse Company who wanted to help him become famous?

After thinking this through, Qiao Rui shook his head and said modestly, "It was just a coincidence that I captured and killed a red apricot. I can't be called the best. I have been practicing at home recently and really haven't paid much attention to the affairs of the martial arts world. I am not obsessed with business affairs."

Seeing Qiao Rui say this, Diwu Qingcheng's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands lightly, praising sincerely: "Young man, your talent in martial arts is already extraordinary, and you are still so diligent in practicing. It's really admirable, and it should be made clear!"

The two of them raised their glasses and drank together. Then they gently put down their glasses. Qiao Rui sighed, "Money is only a thing outside of one's body. To survive in the martial arts world, one still needs to rely on one's own martial arts. This cannot be false at all. Why don't you practice hard!"

"Indeed!" Diwu Qingcheng nodded in agreement, then sighed, "Before, when I saw that the activities at the inn were in full swing, I thought that Young Master Qiao was obsessed with business and neglected martial arts. That would be a great loss for the righteous martial arts world!"

"Thank you, thank you. I am just a tiny figure in the martial arts world!" Qiao Rui said modestly, and then explained: "The Lu family of Lianhua Town has entered the restaurant and inn business in a big way, and has blossomed everywhere in the city, making it difficult for small inns like us to operate. We had no choice but to use some commercial means to save ourselves, and we succeeded by luck!"

"That's good. As the saying goes, the poor are good at literature while the rich are good at martial arts. People who practice martial arts spend a lot of money. Having a stable income will surely be of great benefit to your practice, Young Master Qiao!" Diwu Qingcheng smiled slightly, her eyes were full of spring, warm and gentle.

Seeing this expression and features, Qiao Rui suddenly felt as if he had seen them before, but he couldn't remember where he had seen them before. After carefully looking at the waxy and ordinary face of Diwu Qingcheng, Qiao Rui was sure that he had never seen them before.

Suddenly realizing that it was somewhat rude to stare at others like that, Qiao Rui picked up the wine glass and took a sip of Drunken Immortal Wine to cover up his embarrassment.

But Diwu Qingcheng changed the subject and reminded, "Your inn has successfully saved itself, but it has hindered the expansion of the Lu family. In the eyes of the Lu family, you are blocking their way to wealth, so you must be careful of revenge!"

Hearing this, Qiao Rui said solemnly: "If the enemy comes, the general will stop him. If the water comes, the earth will cover it. Although Lu Batian is known as Lu Bancheng in Lianhua County, he must not dare to act recklessly in Longxing City!"

Qiao Rui had already thought about this matter a long time ago. No matter whether it was commercial suppression or military suppression, he would bear it if he could bear it. If he couldn't... didn't he still have the identity of the Sky Guard? When the time came, he would show the Sky Guard's golden seal. Would his Lu family still dare to openly confront the court?

Seeing that Qiao Rui had already made a plan, Diwu Qingcheng no longer paid attention to the matter. The two of them drank and chatted, talking about the martial arts world and their insights on martial arts. Qiao Rui discovered that Diwu Qingcheng knew the situation in the martial arts world very well, and was familiar with all the sects and martial arts veterans. Especially when it came to martial arts, he had a keen eye and extraordinary knowledge. This conversation broadened Qiao Rui's horizons and benefited him a lot.

Diwu Qingcheng was also in high spirits, with a pair of phoenix eyes shining and becoming brighter. It had been a long time since he had such a hearty chat with someone. This Qiao Rui was indeed extraordinary. He had unique insights into people, things and martial arts. He could always find a new way to point out his own omissions, and could draw inferences from one example and make multi-faceted arguments. He was a genius of his generation, mature, steady, intelligent and sharp. This was Diwu Qingcheng's impression of Qiao Rui.

As the sky gradually darkened, the two of them chatted more and more happily, it was true that when you meet a good friend, a thousand cups of wine are not enough, and they hit it off immediately and had many topics to talk about, just like literati who talk by candlelight and fall asleep with their feet touching.

Just as the two were conversing engrossedly, a waiter suddenly came to find Qiao Rui and said that a lame man was causing trouble and Tian Jing was arguing with him.

When Qiao Rui heard this, he gave Diwu Qingcheng an apologetic smile, then quickly stood up, apologized and left.

As soon as he reached the door of the inn, he saw a crowd of people gathered outside, with a lot of noise. Qiao Rui pushed the crowd aside and walked into the place, only to see a man in coarse linen clothes leaning on a cane, with an excited expression. He pointed at Tian Jing across the square table and cursed loudly.

The many "Zuixianniang" wine gourds that were originally neatly placed on the square table were now tilted to one side or the other. There were broken ceramic debris on the ground, and the wine was flowing and the aroma was everywhere.

Tian Jing pursed her lips, her face was tense and expressionless, but her slightly red eyes revealed that her heart was not as calm as she appeared. Occasionally she said a word or two, and her originally soft and quiet voice became a little stiff and tired.

Seeing Qiao Rui coming over, Tian Jing and the lame man opposite turned their heads at the same time. The lame man's face suddenly became ferocious, and he shouted sternly: "Okay, it turned out to be you!"