In the city of Jiangling, after a fortnight.

At Linjiang Xianshang, the city's finest restaurant.

Seated by the window, Chen Ang held a book titled "The Book of Changes," his gaze fixed on the expansive surface of the Yangtze River. Deep in thought, he ignored the nearby Qu Feiyan's annoyed expression and the presence of Blue Phoenix.

"Why bring along this old woman?" Qu Feiyan dismissed Blue Phoenix, muttering, "She's ugly, foolish, can't even cook rice properly. What good does she bring to us in the Central Plains?"

Blue Phoenix, engrossed in savoring a delectable snack, remained oblivious to Qu Feiyan's words.

"The Five Poison Sects paid a hefty sum to ransom her!" Chen Ang turned back, smiling. "She's more valuable than you. The Miaojiang people brought me over a dozen local ancient texts, waiting for transcription. The techniques of a skilled Miaojiang witch doctor are concealed within some secret stories. Judging from that, she's a highly valuable asset!"

"Do you intend to incorporate these into your medical book? Wouldn't it undervalue the effort of those who've toiled?" Qu Feiyan grumbled, unwillingly glancing at Chen Ang's hands busily copying pages from the books.

"The book emphasizes sharing knowledge, fostering learning, and breaking the confines of secrecy. If the world of martial arts maintains an open mind, it'll thrive," Chen Ang explained with a smile.

"During the Song Dynasty, martial arts were transmitted by the innate masters. The succession of Grandmasters was endless. Yet, today in Jiang Hu, despite minor fame, within the tiger's domain, the monkey reigns as king. Isn't that self-explanatory? Will sweeping your own treasure trove solve these issues?" Qu Feiyan challenged.

"But why write a medical book? Wouldn't a martial arts manual bring about greater martial prosperity?" Qu Feiyan suggested enthusiastically.

"You've been by my side for months. How much have you truly learned?" Chen Ang looked at Qu Feiyan until she averted her gaze in embarrassment. "Penning a martial arts manual may produce one or two masters, but it will also incite bloodshed in Jiang Hu, resulting in more fatalities than creations."

"Even if I create one or two masters, how does that change the larger situation? Zhang Sanfeng, the Wudang and Shaolin Masters—though their martial arts aren't much higher than mine, have they halted the decline of martial arts?" he asked pointedly.

Qu Feiyan and Blue Phoenix exchanged uneasy glances, both sighing in frustration.

Chen Ang continued calmly, "In today's medical dialectic, it's the time for great expansion. The world inclines towards learning medicine. Physicians are eager to exchange knowledge. New renowned doctors are emerging. Let's not mention others; Mr. Dong Shi, Li Shizhen, are exemplary doctors. They refer to ancient medical texts; for instance, 'Compendium of Materia Medica,' summarizing global medicinal herbs. I highly admire that!"

"Is there a martial artist today who embodies such dedication as Mr. Li does in medicine? My 'Surgical' epitomizes laborious effort and, once published, will propel medical advancements. With this book, countless eminent doctors will emerge, surpassing martial arts," Chen Ang asserted.

"In martial arts, there's no hero! They battle for power, their strategies are base, mere guard dogs, desiring authority even if it means getting their hands dirty!" Qu Feiyan slammed the table, venting her anger.

Outside the restaurant, seven or eight armed men heard her outburst. One middle-aged man among them snorted, "You little girl, talking nonsense?"

Qu Feiyan shot him a cold glance, snorted, and remarked, "You're nothing but a superficial fighter."

Infuriated, the man was about to retaliate against her teenage appearance but restrained himself. Instead, he sneered at Chen Ang's indifferent demeanor and brandished a knife, shooting an admiring gaze at Blue Phoenix. "Hey, girl, you're good-looking. Come have a drink with me!"

Blue Phoenix cast a cold glance at him, swiftly moved her right hand, and touched his neck with a quick strike, leaving the man blue-faced and collapsed.

Qu Feiyan mockingly extended her hand, offering peanuts. As she grabbed a handful, these seemingly harmless small nuts hit the men's faces with the force of stones, causing them immense pain, leaving them groaning and incapacitated.

"Excellent martial arts, even on a rainy day!" A booming laughter echoed from downstairs, proclaiming martial prowess. Suddenly, from beneath the floor, a tall, well-groomed old man emerged through the window. Chen Ang scrutinized him, sensing his internal force, and observed a faint injury near the Surging Spring Hole.

The Surging Spring Hole is rarely hurt unless impacted by internal forces. Hearing Blue Phoenix's whispers, Chen Ang remained calm, deciphering that the man had some tricks up his sleeve, but the local laws were likely to contain them. The man's martial arts might be slightly inferior to the Surging Spring Founder, but he was not to be underestimated.

"To Mr. Over here, I may require your assistance. Could you lend a hand?" Chen Ang toasted, all the while maintaining a composed demeanor, yet internally cautious.

To inquire about the first ambition of Tianping, it is to join me in ruling over the Sun Moon Divine Cult! Upon arriving here, Tianping heard of Chen Ang's ability to lift the three corpse brains and sought aid against the undefeated in the East. It was ideal to seek assistance from someone who could lift the three corpse brain god pill. Chen Ang, possessing this skill, undoubtedly became a thorn in the side of Sun Moon Divine Cult. Both parties shared common interests, and had they been ordinary individuals, they wouldn't have rejected such an advantageous partnership.

However, Chen Ang was anything but ordinary. He disregarded the three corpse brain gods and their demonic nature, focusing on searching for ancient and rare texts, practicing third-rate martial arts. He neither esteemed Sun Moon Divine Cult nor considered the unbeaten in the East as his adversaries. Seeking alliances with adversaries of his adversaries was a philosophy he seemed hesitant to subscribe to.

"Brother Chen defeated the Five Sacred Mountains and stood up against demons. I truly admire him. I've heard Brother Chen discussing heroes upstairs. I am here to inquire: in today's martial arts world, who does Brother Chen consider a hero?" asked Tianping, maintaining a calm and confident demeanor.

"Oh? Is the nobleman vying for the title of a hero?" Chen Ang replied with a faint smile.

Upon hearing this, Tianping pretended to be modest: "Not at all! I lack exceptional martial arts talent and the feelings of a hero. Those who dare claim themselves heroes often end up being self-centered. I've heard that the Left Sect Master of Lushan has great ambitions, striving to organize a grand event within five miles! He discourages unethical martial arts practices. Do you think he could be a hero?"

"Left Cold Zen Eagle has a noble ambition, but his methods are deceptive and crafty. He's more akin to a true villain than a hero," Chen Ang responded nonchalantly.

Tianping was pleased with Chen Ang's scorn for Zuo Lengchan. He then asked, "The unbeaten in the East. As a leader of the Demonic Cult, his martial arts skills are unmatched, and his aura envelops the world. Can he be considered a hero?"

"Although the East's unbeaten martial prowess is formidable, he has no aspirations in Jiang Hu; he only seeks a peaceful life, which is incompatible with the hero's image," Chen Ang commented, looking upwards.

Tianping continued his attempts to gauge Chen Ang's opinions. He inquired about the Rushing and the Founder, two individuals who maintained martial arts order, presiding over Jiang Hu, and the Shaolin Wudang masters acclaimed as heroes.

"Would even the corpses' ghosts dare claim to be heroes?" Chen Ang, without any hint of politeness, despite acknowledging the virtues of the Rushing and the Founder, believed their methods still echoed those of power-centric individuals. While their presence might be acceptable within the confines of their respective sects, within the broader martial arts realm, Chen Ang held them in extreme disdain, considering himself a better teaching sect master. He found Qiao Feng a hundred times more commendable than them.

"What about the Grandmaster Ding Yi or Dao Priest Tian Men? Could they be considered heroes?" inquired Tianping, seeking Chen Ang's judgment.

Chen Ang chuckled, "Oh, the matter of heroes? Only Yue Buqun seems somewhat astute, but his methods are despicable; he's merely a hypocrite!"

"An excellent hypocrite!" remarked Tianping in agreement, praising Yue Buqun's cunning nature.

Tianping lowered his voice, revealing a deeper insight, "In my opinion, the world's heroes consist only of the Lord and Brother Chen!"

"Hahaha!" Chen Ang burst into laughter, wiping away tears of amusement. He pointed at Tianping, jesting, "Me, a hero? That's quite a stretch!"

Rising to his feet, Chen Ang deftly grasped a longsword, saying amidst laughter, "For a person like me, engaging in significant endeavors, struggling to manage trivial matters, is an exhausting feat. Calling him [referring to himself] a hero is far too generous, but he's indispensable in dealing with those who take no action against the undefeated in the East, yet dare to speak audaciously!"

At this, Tianping's countenance turned cold and harsh. His hands clenched, revealing blue veins, as he retorted icily, "And what about the one in your heart?"

Disdainfully, Chen Ang remarked, "A hypocrite who masquerades as a genuine individual, feigning loyalty and trust while harboring deceitful intentions. He's adept at pretending, just like Yue Buqun, nothing more. In my view, he's a mere actor, skilled in deception and manipulation."

"Good! Good! Then I shall challenge Brother Chen to a duel." Tianping, unable to contain his emotions, fiercely swung his sleeves, his eyes fixed with a glare of challenge. In a flash, his gaze swept across the room, assessing high and low, resembling an eagle's piercing vision, signaling his readiness to engage in combat.