435 - Made-Up Martial Arts, Have You Really Mastered Them, Disciple?

### Chapter 435: Meng Chong's Guidance to Song You on Revenge Meng Chong, cursing under his breath, darted out of a city while being relentlessly pursued by two Immortal Heavenly Venerables behind him. "Almost had it, but next time, I've got to be more careful. Wan Bao Alliance is lying in wait for me," he muttered, shaking off his pursuers as he fled swiftly. Just as he was about to thoroughly empty out the Wan Bao Alliance branch in that city, he discovered Immortal Heavenly Venerables lying in ambush, forcing him to flee. "Meng Chong, you won't escape!" one of the Immortal Heavenly Venerables called out menacingly. "You Wan Bao Alliance already know I wasn't the murderer, yet you're still hunting me. If you refuse peace, don't blame me, Meng Chong," he retorted coldly. Meng Chong was well aware by now that they knew he wasn't the killer. "Meng Chong, you robbed our Wan Bao Alliance branch! How can we let that slide?" "Ridiculous! Wasn't it your Wan Bao Alliance that wronged me first? Framed me? There must be compensation! That's the price of your false accusation!" he scoffed. The two Immortal Heavenly Venerables huffed in disdain, continuing their frenzied pursuit. Meng Chong glanced back, shook his head, and suddenly increased his speed, quickly losing them. "I can't stay in Longyun Realm any longer," Meng Chong sighed. Twice now, the Wan Bao Alliance had sent two Immortal Heavenly Venerables after him. He could foresee that if they couldn't catch him, they might resort to sending more, or even have Yan Shan intervene personally. "Forget it. I've accumulated quite a number of treasures. Time to leave Longyun Realm and break through as soon as possible. Then I won't fear their Immortal Heavenly Venerables," he decided, peeling off his wig and changing his appearance to make his escape. "Will this disguise fool the Immortal Heavenly Venerables at the realm gate?" he mused. "With my control over my physical form, they won't detect the changes. Meng Chong is bald, but here I stand with a full head of hair." Deciding to head to the realm gate at Changyun City, Meng Chong made his way through several cities, noticing his bounty continually increased, and every traveler entering the city was scrutinized. "Wan Bao Alliance really is wealthier than expected," Meng Chong couldn't help but admire their financial power and the bounty's tempting price. Near Changyun City, he grew cautious, knowing Wan Bao Alliance and other major forces in Longyun Realm would be rigorously inspecting escape routes. "You can’t escape; today will be your last!" Suddenly, a cold voice rang out. Following was the sound of a battle. A young man, both fighting and fleeing, looked utterly bedraggled, already wounded. "You won’t leave any loose ends?" "Song You, you alive are a nuisance. Only with you dead can we rest easy," his pursuers taunted. "Don't expect to escape Longyun Realm. Even if you miraculously do, as long as you stay in Wan Bao Alliance's territory, we'll find you." Meng Chong frowned as he recognized the fighters surrounding Song You as members of a Wan Bao Alliance subsidiary, recalling they had searched for him as well. "Since it involves Wan Bao Alliance, I'd better get involved," he decided. After a quick scan revealing no lurking Immortal Heavenly Venerables and no ambush, he concluded this skirmish wasn't a trap. All involved were at the True King Heavenly Venerable pinnacle. Song You was strong but outmatched, struggling against two opponents, already injured from numerous fights with no time for recovery. Boom! Meng Chong lunged and with a single punch, blasted one of Song You's pursuers apart. The sudden shift stunned the other pursuer and Song You, who broke into a cold sweat before feeling relief—it wasn't an enemy. "Who dares meddle with the Song family…!" The remaining pursuer hesitated, retreating, but froze upon recognizing the hulking bald youth. "You…you're Meng Chong!" His heart trembled at the realization. Meng Chong was a notorious slayer, feared by all except Immortal Heavenly Venerables. Run! He abandoned any thought of threatening with the Song family name—Meng Chong defied even the Wan Bao Alliance with ease. In action, Meng Chong removed his disguise, revealing his true appearance. "Going somewhere?" he asked rhetorically, sending another punch that obliterated the fleeing pursuer on the spot. Gulp! Song You was dumbfounded. Those were True King Heavenly Venerables, yet Meng Chong took them out with a punch each—something straight out of the exaggerated tales of his exploits that seemed impossible till witnessed. If he had such power, avenging himself would be simple. "Thank you, Brother Meng, for saving my life!" Song You gratefully bowed. "So, you've crossed paths with Wan Bao Alliance too?" Meng Chong inquired, curious. Song You shook his head, smiling bitterly. "I didn't offend the Wan Bao Alliance!" "Then what's this about? The ones chasing you seem to be a subsidiary of theirs," Meng Chong said, scratching his head in surprise. Song You sighed, narrating his tale—a tale reminding Meng Chong of his own. Song You hailed from the esteemed Bai Mu City, belonging to the prestigious Song family. He was once high-standing, but his parents perished a century ago in the chaos of Tian Ku, an apparent accident that saw the headship stolen and Song You exiled, even targeted for assassination. If not away from Bai Mu City then, he'd have been slain. His parent's demise was too suspicious—his father was an Immortal Heavenly Venerable, hardly one to die easily. Secret investigations revealed the involvement of a council elder, and now the entire Song family partook in sinister dealings. Those upholding his parents' beliefs mysteriously died, one by one. Only three years prior, some findings emerged. "My parents' deaths likely involve masked figures!" Song You spat out vehemently. "Masked figures?" Meng Chong produced two masks—a Tian Sha and a Di Ying. "Which mask?" Song You stalled, wary of potentially accusing Meng Chong of association with those figures. Pointing to the Di Ying mask, he cautiously asked, "Brother Meng, what is this…?" "Relax. The original owners of these masks are now dead—courtesy of me," Meng Chong assured with a grin. Song You breathed a sigh of relief. "Your experience is sympathetic indeed. The current Song family isn't the one you once knew…" Meng Chong patted Song You's shoulder so strongly it felt like he'd crack. "And what does Brother Meng mean by that?" Meng Chong hinted, "Vengeance is something you must achieve personally; only self-delivered revenge truly satisfies." Bai Mu City’s Song family, now a subsidiary of Wan Bao Alliance in Longyun Realm, was enwrapped in suspicion from Yan Shan’s disciple’s murder, all attributed wrongfully to Meng Chong, revealing their connection with masked figures under Tian Sha and Di Ying. "I wish for vengeance even unto death, yet with my current power, attempting it would be suicide and futile," Song You lamented hopelessly. --- ### New Terms 1. **Song You (宋友)** - Male character seeking revenge against his family's wrongful actions. 2. **Longyun Realm (长云境)** - The region Meng Chong decides to leave due to danger. 3. **Bai Mu City (白木城)** - The city related to Song You’s family past. 4. **Tian Ku (天窟)** - The location related to the death of Song You's parents during past chaos. 5. **Di Ying Mask (地影面具)** - The specific mask related to the figure connected to Song You's conspiracy. ### Explanation - **Song You (宋友)** is a primary character revealed to be a victim seeking vengeance, similar in past hardship to Meng. - **Longyun Realm (长云境)** is a danger zone for Meng Chong, prompting his evasion. - **Bai Mu City (白木城)** provides a historical backdrop, essential in linking Song You to his adversaries. - **Tian Ku (天窟)** introduces a catastrophic event impacting key narratives. - **Di Ying Mask (地影面具)** provides the clue leading to potential conspirators against Song You’s parents, affirming Meng Chong’s allegiance through their possession. This translation maintains narrative style, contextualizes character motivations, and outlines terms not predefined. Suggestions such as these adapt linguistic nuances and terminological integrity in bilingual storytelling. "I admit, I may have some talent, but breaking through to the Immortal Realm is unimaginably difficult. Without a great opportunity and significant fortune, it's hopeless in this lifetime. "Many geniuses more talented than I have stopped short of the Immortal Realm. I have no backing, no guidance, and my talents aren't extraordinary. "Moreover, the Song family would never allow me to break through to the Immortal Realm. They would do everything to annihilate me. If not for Brother Meng's intervention, I would have met my end today." As Song You spoke, his tone grew increasingly despondent and hopeless. Meng Chong nodded. Despite Song You appearing youthful, he was likely over a hundred years old. Given his talent, without resources or guidance, unless he encountered great fortune, he would never achieve the Immortal Heavenly Venerable Realm. The path to the Immortal Realm was a formidable chasm for True King Heavenly Venerables. Countless geniuses from major powers stalled before this step, unable to advance further. To break through to the Immortal Realm, only a one-in-a-million chance existed. "Even if I reached the Immortal Realm, I couldn't take down the true culprit," Song You sighed. The current head of the Song family was an Immortal Heavenly Venerable. It was nearly impossible for one Immortal Heavenly Venerable to kill another. "Actually, you have a chance at revenge through external force," Meng Chong remarked, rubbing his bald head in contemplation. "Brother Meng, are you joking? The Song family is a subsidiary of the Wan Bao Alliance, equipped with an Immortal Heavenly Venerable. Where can I find external help? Who would defy the Wan Bao Alliance for me, risking enmity with an Immortal Heavenly Venerable?" Song You chuckled bitterly. "I ask you, would you sacrifice your life for vengeance?" Meng Chong asked earnestly. "Of course! If I could avenge myself, what would death matter? In my position, I could be killed any day, and dying before avenging myself renders my life pointless." Song You spoke with a determination to face any consequence for revenge. "Good. If you're so determined, I'll give you some guidance," Meng Chong stated solemnly. "Guidance?" Song You was skeptical. No amount of guidance could breach the Immortal Realm or allow solo vengeance, could it? "You'll need external assistance, specifically a ploy utilizing the Wan Bao Alliance," Meng Chong explained, narrowing his eyes. "How can I exploit the Wan Bao Alliance's powers?" Song You was baffled. "The chief of Wan Bao Alliance, Yan Shan, has an only son. If you kill, or even severely injure him, what would Yan Shan do?" "He'd go berserk and aim to annihilate the attacker, regardless of who they were." "Exactly. Hence, you attack Yan Shan's son, leveraging Wan Bao Alliance's wrath to destroy the Song family!" "How could that work?" Song You was stunned. Attacking Yan Shan's son seemed to ensure faster demise, not Song family's misfortune. Meng Chong exhaled, finding Song You's ignorance of this revenge method naive. That was precisely how he achieved vengeance in the past. The Wan Bao Alliance, not being the State of Wu, wouldn't tolerate insubordination from its subsidiary, the Song family, especially as they weren’t deeply rooted allies even after a century of association. As the former household heir, Song You could exploit this. By orchestrating Song You's exile and pursuit to appear as theatrics, feigning a scheme behind the scenes involving his parents' apparent death, disenfranchisement from Song, and targeting the Wan Bao Alliance along their aim, Meng Chong suggested entangling the Song family. "If it's rumored Yan Shan's son exhibits potential to surpass into the Immortal Heavenly Venerable Realm, his protective measures will be intense. Defying this would still be worth it," Meng Chong guided meticulously. "Could they truly fathom trusting a century-old alliance? Would the Wan Bao Alliance entrust them fully?" Meng Chong mused rhetorically. Song You, dumbfounded, realized this unexpected but plausible revenge path. Meng Chong didn't appear cunning, yet envisioned such a diabolical plan? "Brother Meng, your brilliance is unparalleled!" Song You exclaimed enthusiastically. "Success is feasible. The Song family will be doomed!" Song You's resolve intensified, itching to act. "But Brother Meng, Yan Shan's son is surely well-guarded. I suspect even hidden Immortal Heavenly Venerables protect him," Song You relented. After Meng Chong's menacing reputation became known, Yan Shan's protective barriers would certainly strengthen. "Minor issue. With my vendetta against Wan Bao Alliance, engineering a diversion to lure their Immortal Heavenly Venerable guardians will be straightforward," Meng Chong chuckled. "But my strength still falls short," Song You lamented, fearing failure against such formidable defense. "Fine, I’ll lend you an extra hand," Meng Chong conceded with a sigh, acknowledging Song You's skill required supplementary support.