Urban Martial Saint

Hearing this, Ye Qing already understood what Wu Xiuming meant.

The Wu Family was also part of the World Alliance, but in truth, there were hardly any people who really looked up to them. Although Wu Xiuming was a Peak Master, because his overall strength was still lacking, and on top of that he was especially honest and simple, not many people took him seriously. Even the Top-Level Masters of those great clans did not put him in their eyes.

Wu Xiuming brought the Wu Family into the World Alliance merely to seek shelter; naturally they did not dare compete with others. Yet he still represented a clan. If he was looked down upon, then the Wu Family was naturally looked down upon as well. Living like this, the people of the Wu Family were truly spending their days in humiliation.

Today, when the Elders and Vice Alliance Hierarch were being proposed, the Wu Family basically had no reaction at all, because they knew none of this had anything to do with them. They were here just to sit and listen, to see how others arranged things. Wu Xiuming never imagined Ye Qing would actually suggest him for the position of Vice Alliance Hierarch, and that the proposal would receive unanimous support from the others, truly making him the Vice Alliance Hierarch. This was completely beyond Wu Xiuming’s expectations.

Beyond the shock in his heart, what Wu Xiuming felt even more was gratitude toward Ye Qing. Grateful that Ye Qing had given him this opportunity, grateful that Ye Qing still remembered the existence of the Wu Family, grateful that Ye Qing would lift him up like this. So, right after the meeting adjourned, he quietly followed over and personally came to thank Ye Qing.

Looking at Wu Xiuming’s honest, guileless appearance, Ye Qing also felt a wave of emotion inside. In truth, his choice of Wu Xiuming had been deliberate, because only this way could the position of Vice Alliance Hierarch be settled. Moreover, with Wu Xiuming as Vice Alliance Hierarch, he would be even less able to interfere with Shen Tianjun, and that would make it easier for Shen Tianjun to take control of the World Alliance. Ye Qing had never thought that his choosing Wu Xiuming was for the sake of contending for power over the World Alliance, yet for Wu Xiuming this matter was a manifestation of his dignity.

Ye Qing secretly sighed in his heart; he actually felt some disgust toward his own actions this time. But he had been into the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master and knew just how dangerous the world had become now, so he had to seize control over the World Alliance’s power in order to save the realm. In such a situation, he had no other choice and could only do these things he had once never wanted to do.

Looking at Wu Xiuming’s honest face, Ye Qing patted his shoulder and said, ”Mr. Wu, I believe you will definitely be able to manage the World Alliance very well!”

Wu Xiuming nodded hard and said, ”Alliance Hierarch, if you have any orders in the future, just tell me. I definitely will not let down your expectations!”

Wu Xiuming was many years older than Ye Qing, his seniority far higher as well, yet he spoke to Ye Qing in this manner, entirely because he was simply too grateful.

Ye Qing smiled faintly, and suddenly remembered something. ”Right, Mr. Wu, why is the Wu Family’s strength so strange? You alone are a Peak Master, while the others aren’t even Top-Level Masters?”

”Ai, speaking of this is really shameful!” Wu Xiuming sighed and said, ”Alliance Hierarch, my status as a Peak Master is actually rather inflated.”

”What do you mean?” Ye Qing was surprised.

Wu Xiuming said, ”My becoming a Peak Master was also a fluke born of accident. How should I put this… Mr. Ye, I’ll tell you, but you mustn’t let this spread to others, all right?”

”Don’t worry, I definitely won’t say a word outside.” Ye Qing nodded.

Wu Xiuming looked around, and after confirming that no one was nearby, he lowered his voice and said, ”Alliance Hierarch, have you ever heard the name Wu Tianchi?”

”Wu Tianchi!?” Ye Qing couldn’t help exclaiming. How could he not have heard this name? Of course he had—this was the man reputed to be the only one who might count as truly Immortal!

But how was Wu Xiuming connected to Wu Tianchi? And when Ye Qing was asking him about his strength, why would he bring up Wu Tianchi?

Seeing Ye Qing’s expression, Wu Xiuming asked in puzzlement, ”Alliance Hierarch, you also know of Wu Tianchi?”

”I’ve heard Shijia and my grandmaster mention him a bit.” Ye Qing answered casually. Not knowing what relationship there was between Wu Xiuming and Wu Tianchi, Ye Qing naturally would not reveal too much about Wu Tianchi’s situation.

”Oh.” Wu Xiuming nodded and said, ”Senior Wu Tianchi’s strength defies the heavens, but he’s like a Divine Dragon that shows its head but not its tail. There aren’t many in the world who know of him. Senior Shijia is the foremost expert of Xiaolin Temple, Senior Fu is learned and knowledgeable; it’s only normal that they know of Senior Wu Tianchi’s affairs.”

”You just said your Peak Master realm was achieved by accident. What exactly happened?” Ye Qing looked at Wu Xiuming. ”And what does this have to do with Senior Wu Tianchi?”

”This matter is quite a long story.” Wu Xiuming looked at Ye Qing and said, ”Since Senior Shijia and Senior Fu Qingping have spoken to you about Wu Tianchi, you should know that Senior Wu Tianchi needs to change to a new body every so often, right?”

Ye Qing nodded; he certainly knew this. In fact, it was precisely because of this that he’d always had a poor impression of Wu Tianchi. If he needed a new body, didn’t that mean the original owner of that body would lose his life? To preserve one’s own life by taking another’s—such a thing was truly hateful.

”Many people think Senior Wu Tianchi’s method of taking others’ bodies is extremely evil, and some even say he’s worse than the Demon Path. But in fact, this is because people don’t really understand Senior Wu Tianchi.” Wu Xiuming said, ”Actually, Senior Wu Tianchi does not seize the bodies of living people. The new bodies he uses are all already dead.”

”What do you mean?” Ye Qing was taken aback. So he had misjudged Wu Tianchi before?

Wu Xiuming said, ”Senior Wu Tianchi never takes the body of a living person. Instead, he chooses someone who has just died not long ago, and sends his own power and memories into that body, thus being reborn once more. So Senior Wu Tianchi is in fact not of the Demon Path at all, because he has never killed a single person!”

”So that’s how it is!” Ye Qing drew in a deep breath. He had never imagined things would be like this. It seemed his previous view of Wu Tianchi had indeed been a misunderstanding.

”And my situation has to be traced back to Senior Wu Tianchi.” Wu Xiuming sighed and said, ”Actually, my Martial Arts were very poor in the past. The Wu Family could only be considered a small clan that knew a bit of Martial Arts, nothing more. Earlier in my life, I once competed in a duel and was defeated, beaten to death. I was already dead at the time, and that was when I happened to encounter Senior Wu Tianchi, who needed to change bodies again. So Senior Wu Tianchi chose my body and began transferring his power into it. But just as he was transferring his power into my body, an accident occurred; someone attacked Senior Wu Tianchi while he was in the middle of the transfer. Senior had no strength to resist at that moment and could only flee.”

Ye Qing drew in a deep breath and asked, ”When did this happen?”

”More than thirty years ago.” Wu Xiuming said.

”More than thirty years ago!?” Ye Qing’s expression changed as he recalled what Divine Doctor An Shiping had said before. When Divine Doctor An Shiping emerged last time, he had mentioned Wu Tianchi. He said that while Wu Tianchi was undergoing rebirth, he was ambushed and gravely injured by the Corpse Ghost Dragon, then later made it to Medicine King Mountain and was healed by Divine Doctor An Shiping. And because of this incident, the Corpse Ghost Dragon had always greatly feared Wu Tianchi. Wu Tianchi proclaimed that he must not prey on ordinary people, and to this day the Corpse Ghost Dragon has not dared disobey, which shows just how strong Wu Tianchi is. Now, hearing this, could what Wu Xiuming was describing be that very incident An Shiping mentioned? So Wu Tianchi was attacked by the Corpse Ghost Dragon while channeling his power and memories into Wu Xiuming’s body?

Wu Xiuming gave Ye Qing a surprised look, not knowing why Ye Qing was so shocked, but still continued, ”Although Senior Wu Tianchi was wounded and had to leave at that time, a portion of his power had already entered my body and reactivated it. His spirit and memories did not pass into me, but everything of mine was still intact. So it was as if Senior Wu Tianchi’s power had brought me back to life. And the key point is, Senior Wu Tianchi’s power completely opened up all my Meridians. As you know, one of the conditions for becoming a Peak Master is that all the Meridians of the body must be thoroughly opened. So I became a Peak Master entirely by accident!”

After hearing this, Ye Qing finally understood what had happened. No wonder Wu Xiuming was already a Peak Master while the Wu Family didn’t even have a single Top-Level Master. Wu Xiuming had become a Peak Master purely through a fortuitous coincidence; it did not mean that the Wu Family’s Martial Arts were strong. Because the clan’s Martial Arts were limited, everyone’s strength was weak and none of them had even reached the Top-Level realm.

”It was in this kind of unforeseen twist that I not only gained a new life, but also became a Peak Master. However, my Peak Master realm was created by Senior Wu Tianchi’s power; it was not something I cultivated myself. Without a suitable Cultivation Technique, my strength has always been stagnant. Though I’m called a Peak Master, in truth, among Peak Masters, anyone at that level is somewhat stronger than me.” Wu Xiuming sighed and said, ”Still, thanks to my becoming a Peak Master, the Wu Family has been able to live peacefully under my protection for all these years. Ai, if not for this great chaos sweeping the world now, my Wu Family could have had a few more years of peace.”

Watching Wu Xiuming sigh again and again, Ye Qing couldn’t help but sigh inwardly as well. Wu Xiuming truly was an honest man, to reveal such secrets entirely to him. Because of this, Ye Qing’s impression of Wu Xiuming improved. This kind of honest person might seem simple, but once he regards you as a friend, he will devote himself wholeheartedly to your cause. It seemed that in the future, Wu Xiuming would certainly stand on Ye Qing’s side.

”Mr. Wu, with your identity as a Peak Master, you would be valued by any force or clan you joined.” Ye Qing said, ”If you were to pledge yourself to another power, they would even grant you their Cultivation Techniques—wouldn’t that allow you to raise your strength?”