Chen Fan's heart trembled upon hearing this.
The name "San Ren" (Hermit), he had heard from the head of the Fish Dragon Society in Jinling.
A hundred years ago, the entire Dragon Vein Compass was divided into nine parts. The original Su family was destroyed, and the fragments of the Dragon Vein Compass scattered to various places, seemingly at the behest of that San Ren.
San Ren possessed at least one fragment of the Dragon Vein Compass.
Now, hearing Jing Wusheng say this, it seemed there was another hidden story?
Moreover, Chen Fan thought of a shocking fact: after nearly a hundred years, was San Ren still the same San Ren?
In other words, that San Ren was still alive?
As if sensing Chen Fan's confusion, Jing Wusheng said, "I met him back then. Strictly speaking, he and I are of the same kind, not pure martial artists."
Chen Fan was startled.
"Strictly speaking, I am actually a cultivator, just more inclined towards the martial path."
Jing Wusheng stated, "San Ren is also like that, so he should still be alive."
Chen Fan thought of the head of the Fish Dragon Society and asked, "Martial arts can be considered a form of cultivation, but how does one cultivate outside of martial arts? By relying on the spirit?"
He was not entirely ignorant of this. In fact, when Jing Wusheng brought up such a notion, he already had a clear understanding.
He had similar thoughts before, but they were not as clear and distinct as they were now.
Jing Wusheng nodded and said, "Essence, Qi, and Spirit are the three treasures of man, and also the foundation of human cultivation."
"Martial arts cultivation progresses from essence to Qi. Upon reaching the level of a martial arts grandmaster, internal Qi is released externally, guided by the spirit, like divine weapons. I presume you are already deeply familiar with this!"
Chen Fan nodded. He himself possessed externalized internal Qi, so he was naturally not unfamiliar with it.
"The other path of cultivation is to nourish the spirit with essence, and then absorb Qi with the spirit, which is the path of cultivation."
"In our ancient times, there were many legendary immortals. Were they not all powerful in spirit and soul, controlling their souls with their spirits, possessing incredible divine abilities!"
"Then what is your path of cultivation?"
Chen Fan asked.
"Nourishing Qi with essence, nourishing essence with spirit, and then condensing the spirit with Qi."
Jing Wusheng explained, "Simply put, I practice both forms of cultivation, but martial arts yield more tangible results more easily, hence my renown in the martial path."
"As mentioned before, the three treasures are integrated and mutually influential. Martial artists have abundant essence and Qi, so their spirits and souls are naturally stronger than ordinary people. However, methods for refining the spirit are rare in this world, or this path is extremely difficult, so most martial artists cannot find the entrance!"
"But you are actually different. I can sense a spirit of tempered steel in you, full of killing intent and iron discipline, originating from the military and aligning with the ancient path of military cultivation."
Chen Fan sighed inwardly and admitted it.
Jun Ruowang, listening from the side, felt like he was hearing gibberish. He was not a frail scholar incapable of lifting a chicken, and he exercised regularly, even dabbling in some martial arts, but only at a basic level.
He was completely bewildered by the conversation between Chen Fan and Jing Wusheng.
"That San Ren, he is like you and me."
Jing Wusheng said, "While practicing martial arts, he also cultivates his spirit, hence possessing many mysterious secret techniques and methods. Even after a hundred years, he is certainly still alive, and his strength is unfathomable."
Chen Fan asked, "How does he compare to you?"
Jing Wusheng shook his head, "It's hard to say. After all, I haven't seen him in many years. However, the origin of his spirit cultivation method is unknown, but it is much more advanced than mine. He has likely already reached the peak of martial arts grandmastery and touched upon the barrier between man and heaven."
"The Dragon Vein Compass should be related to his breakthrough of the barrier between man and heaven. I don't know his specific plans."
"But this compass was originally one piece, and he dismantled it and scattered it everywhere. And you must already be aware of certain things contained within the compass."
Chen Fan's heart grew solemn.
It could be said that his current combat strength was largely a result of the Dragon Vein Compass.
That San Ren, however, did not regard the Dragon Vein Compass as a treasured artifact to be cherished. Instead, he deliberately or inadvertently allowed others to take away its fragments. Who would believe he had no ulterior motives?
Furthermore, since San Ren was a cultivator, how could he be unaware of the secrets of the Dragon Vein Compass?
This information was enough to make one's heart pound.
He just didn't know what San Ren's true objective was.
Originally, Chen Fan thought that San Ren's sole aim was the inscriptions on the Dragon Vein Compass and the locations they pointed to. But now, it was clearly not the case.
With San Ren's abilities, if the complete compass were in his hands, he would undoubtedly have uncovered its secrets.
Yet, he still dismantled the compass and let its fragments scatter. The reasons behind this were probably known only to himself.
"The more unreasonable something seems, the greater the scheme behind it,"
Jing Wusheng stated, "This is precisely why Qing Yi is unwilling to give you her compass fragment."
Chen Fan fell silent for a moment and said, "I need it now!"
"Is it related to the current situation in the capital?" Jing Wusheng inquired.
Chen Fan nodded and replied, "I have been investigating an organization called the Brotherhood. The events of three years ago were orchestrated by them. Now, I have discovered that the Brotherhood and the Hero Alliance are two sides of the same coin. Coupled with Xiao Kai and Watanabe Kui's arranged duel in the capital, various forces are mobilizing. I need to obtain the fragments of the Dragon Vein Compass."
"I have heard about it."
Jing Wusheng chuckled and said, "I haven't appeared in public for too long, many have forgotten me, ignored me, and now they dare to cause trouble in the capital."
Though his words were ordinary, the implication within them stirred the heart.
He indeed had the right to say such a thing.
The title "Town-Guarding Martial Saint" was not just a moniker; it represented supreme power. He was considered a pillar of the nation.
The authorities certainly incorporated some ancient martial artists into the system, but the Town-Guarding Martial Saint was different; he was already a national hero.
"Grandpa Jing, are you going to take action?"
Jun Ruowang asked in surprise.
Jing Wusheng shook his head and said, "I would like to stretch my muscles, but the impact would be too great. Let you all stir up trouble first."
Chen Fan was not surprised.
A figure like Jing Wusheng, who commanded the martial arts world of an entire nation, would not act lightly.
If he were to act, it would cause a massive upheaval in the martial arts world.
Furthermore, the top aristocratic families were always watching, filled with apprehension and dread.
Therefore, Jing Wusheng was merely speaking casually; even acting in secret would spark numerous speculations.
In fact, Chen Fan and Jing Wusheng were similar in this regard.
If Chen Fan were to take to the battlefield, his reputation as the Invincible War God would be enough to strike terror into the hearts of enemies.
Various factions within the country would also speculate about the seriousness of the conflict, leading to various discussions.
Therefore, in many situations, Chen Fan acted by concealing his true identity.
Of course, his identity's deterrence in the martial arts world could not be compared to Jing Wusheng's.
Their spheres of influence were different.
Jing Wusheng then beckoned towards a short distance away, and Qing Yi walked over.
On her gentle face, a hint of unwillingness flickered. As she approached, she huffed, "If you're begging for mercy, forget it."
Jing Wusheng chuckled and said, "He's not acting for personal gain, but to deal with the complex and dangerous situation ahead."