Knife splashing

Chapter 350 Zhang Family Banquet
"I've met senior."

Li Yan smiled and clasped his hands together.

He and this Ezhou underworld boss are close friends regardless of age difference.

On the Guishan arena, thanks to the guidance of this senior and the battle with Cangzhou Wu Qu, he was able to fully master the martial arts.

Although this old man has a bad temper and speaks foul language, Li Yan still feels comfortable getting along with him.

At least if this old man hates you, he will scold you to your face. He is not the kind of person who says one thing to your face and another behind your back.

Li Yan turned his head to look at Gu Hanzi again, shook his head and smiled: "No wonder you didn't mention it on the way, this should be Zhangjia Village."

Gu Hanzi's face turned pale, and he smiled and nodded, "I know you are going to the mountain, and Uncle Zhang has already instructed that you must be brought to Zhangjia Village as a guest first. Now the weather is just right..."

"What nonsense!"

Zhang Xiaoshan said impatiently, "Come on, come on, the welcoming banquet has been set up. Let's eat first. And you, Taoist Master Wang Jingxiu is resting in my house. It's a good opportunity for him to heal your injuries."

"Uncle Wang is here too?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Hanzi showed a hint of surprise on his face.

Seeing this, Li Yan hurriedly asked, "Which lineage does this Taoist priest Wang Jingxiu belong to?"

Gu Hanzi is an inner disciple of Wudang Zhenwu Palace. It is the first time that Li Yan has seen him in such a state, so naturally he has to ask clearly.

"He is the son of the Golden Toad Patriarch."

Gu Hanzi replied with a look of admiration on his face.

"I see."

Li Yan understood immediately after hearing this.

He was going to Wudang Mountain and also to help the Tuo Master with the matchmaking, so naturally he had to find out the situation clearly so as not to offend anyone unintentionally.

Wudang Mountain has a long history and is ranked ninth among the “Seventy-two Blessed Places” of Taoism. At the end of the Han Dynasty, some Taoists had been practicing in seclusion here.

During the Zhenguan period of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered Yao Jian, the Wudang Jiedushi, to go to Wudang Mountain to pray for rain. In response, he ordered the construction of the "Five Dragon Temple", but it was later destroyed due to the turmoil of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

It was not until the appearance of Sanfeng Zhenren that Wudang flourished.

But Zhenren Sanfeng is like a wild crane or a mysterious dragon that can only be seen from the head but not the tail. He is known as the "hidden immortal" in the world, so he naturally would not stay in the mountains all year round.

During the Daxing period of the previous dynasty, due to the confrontation between the north and the south, Ezhou became a place of numerous battles. The Five Dragons, Nanyan and Zixiao Palaces on Mount Wudang were all destroyed in the war.

Zhenren Sanfeng then led his disciples to remove the brambles and rubble, and built a thatched hut to live in, which was named Zhenwu Palace.

At that time, Zhenren Sanfeng had several famous disciples, including Qiu Yuanjing, Sun Biyun, Li Xuanzong, Wang Daozong... In addition, there were other Taoist hermits who together formed the foundation of Zhenwu Palace.

Later, another person named Qiu Xuanqing came to the mountain and was appreciated by Master Sanfeng. He was accepted as a disciple and became the headmaster of Zhenwu Palace. Master Sanfeng took the opportunity to leave and travel around the world.

This Qiu Xuanqing was a ruthless man. Emperor Gaozong of Daxuan admired him very much and appointed him as the national teacher to preside over national sacrifices.

Not only that, he also gave her two peerless beauties as gifts.

Who would have thought that this Qiu Xuanqing, like the former Quanzhen master Qiu Chuji, castrated himself in order to concentrate on his pursuit of the truth and stay away from women.

The time he chose was also very particular, it was the 19th day of the first lunar month.

This day is the birthday of Qiu Chuji, the head of Quanzhen Sect, also known as "Yan Jiu". Since then, the "Yan Jiu Festival" has become very popular. Not only will the people celebrate it, but even the newly recruited eunuchs in the palace will choose this day to castrate themselves.

To put it simply, it is the Chicken Cutting Festival.

Of course, this is all idle talk, but it also illustrates the characteristics of Wudang Mountain. Although it is famous for its martial arts, it is relatively new and has absorbed the teachings of the Zhengyi, Quanzhen, and Shangqing sects.

This is the characteristic of Taoism.

Although there seem to be many schools, they are not clearly divided. Many people practice several schools at the same time, and some sects even worship the same ancestor.

This was also the basis for the merger of Taoist sects to form Taixuan Orthodox Sect.

The "Golden Toad Ancestor" mentioned by Gu Hanzi is named Wang Daozong, a disciple of Zhenren Sanfeng. Although he is over a hundred years old, he is still alive and is highly respected in Zhenwu Palace.

As for Zhang Xiaoshan's lineage, it originated from Zhang Songxi. Although he only inherited secular martial arts, all his disciples who awakened their supernatural powers were sent to Wudang Mountain from an early age.

As time goes by, you will have a lot of say.

Li Yan went up the mountain this time not only to practice, but also to broker the matter of the Crocodile Master. Not only the treasure, but also the support of the Zhenwu Palace.

After all, the Han River is close to Mount Wudang, and without the support of the orthodox Xuanmen, even if the King of Wuchang speaks up, Master Tuo will not be able to sit on the position of water god for long.

The more powerful the crocodile master is, the stronger Lu San's ability will be.

This is the method of "Shan Hai Ling Ying Jing".

Zhangjia Village is not small in size. Like many villages in Ezhou, it is centered around the family ancestral hall and is constantly expanding and absorbing people from other families.

But the difference is that there are martial arts training grounds everywhere, with rammed earth. There are also plum blossom piles and stone locks in No. 4 Middle School, which are used for martial arts practice and for drying rice.

There is also an ancestral hall in the village, which is also a small Taoist temple, dedicated to the Great Emperor Zhenwu, Sanfeng Zhenren and Zhang Songxi.

The Zhang family mansion is quite large.

Unlike the mansions of wealthy merchants in Wuchang, the brick and wood carvings in the Zhang family's mansion are mostly related to Taoist legends. It has three entrances, front and back, and a total of nine courtyards, all with small martial arts arenas.

By this time it was already dark, and the courtyard was filled with red lanterns, which looked very impressive from a distance. Even the disciples guarding outside the door were all dressed in black, looking full of energy and spirit.

Li Yan was not surprised to see this.

Don't be fooled by this old man's sloppy appearance, like an old farmer. However, his disciples run escort agencies and martial arts schools all over Ezhou, and he is a real rich man.

"Everyone, please!"

Old Man Zhang led everyone in and immediately ordered, "Take the distinguished guest to the arranged room."

Then he turned around and said, "Everyone, just wash up. I have prepared a banquet in Mingxin Hall to welcome you."

"You're too polite, Senior Zhang."

Li Yan smiled and bowed, then, led by Zhang's disciples, went to a courtyard on the left.

The yard was quite large, with more than a dozen side rooms. In addition to them, Gu Hanzi and others were also arranged to live in this yard.

As soon as he entered the door, Sharifei laughed softly and said, "Brother Yan, something is wrong. Senior Zhang is too generous."

He was right. Given Zhang Xiaoshan's status and the fact that he was in the other party's territory, there was no need for him to go out to greet him. It was only in accordance with the rules that Li Yan should send a letter of visit.

Li Yan shook his head slightly, "Don't worry, you'll know soon."

After putting their things down and washing up briefly, they prepared to go out.

Lu San didn't like dealing with outsiders, but after hesitating for a while, he let the little fox and the rat Rat Er stay in the room, and he took Wu Ba to the banquet.

After all, since it concerns the Tu Shi, he can't just leave it all to Li Yan. Some things need to be explained in person.

As soon as they went out, they saw an old Taoist walking outside the yard.

The old Taoist has white hair and beard, is tall, has a kind face, and ruddy skin. He walks in a square step with his sleeves fluttering, and he looks like an immortal.

"Meet Uncle Wang."

Gu Hanzi and others have already gone to meet them.

"what?"

But the old Taoist didn't rush to talk. Instead, he frowned, looked at Wu Ba, and said in a deep voice: "Human Xiao? How dare you come to Wudang Mountain?"

Li Yan knew that this was Taoist Master Wang Jingxiu.

Without waiting for his reply, Gu Hanzi hurriedly explained: "Uncle Master, there is another hidden story behind this matter. This person is Li Yan, the Taoist friend who destroyed the Ghost Cult's plan."

"Oh."

The old Taoist stroked his beard and looked at the room behind Li Yan, "There is a demonic aura in there... Who is Lu San?"

"It's me." Lu San responded in a muffled voice, his eyes full of vigilance.

No matter whether it was the little white fox, the demon gourd, the little rat Rat Two, or Wu Ba, although they did not cause any harm to anyone after following him, they were still aliens after all. It would be troublesome if they were hunted down and killed by the people in this important place of Xuanmen.

Who would have thought that after hearing this, the old Taoist smiled and stroked his beard, saying, "Not bad, not bad, you are indeed a talented person from the Xuan Sect. I will talk to you about something later."

After saying that, he followed several Law Enforcement Hall disciples into the room.

Gu Hanzi said, "Friend Li, I need to heal my wounds, so I can only eat light food. You can just go to the banquet."

Li Yan didn't say much. He just bowed and led his men away.

As soon as he left the hospital, Sharifei laughed softly and said, "Brother Yan, I was right, Brother Lu San is our treasure."

How could they not see my sophisticated behavior just now?

Li Yan laughed dumbly, "Brother Lu San can understand the language of birds and animals. There are many people who fight and kill, but this rare magical power is rare. But it's good. If we can get the help of this old Taoist, most of the things will be successful..."

As he was speaking, a man came quickly and bowed respectfully, saying, "Young Master Li, please follow me."

When he saw the person coming, Li Yan was stunned for a moment.

The person who came was none other than Zhang Xiaoshan's grandson Zhang Yufu, whose Taoist name was Yang Chongzi. He was bewitched by a witch in Hanyang City and peeped into the Tian family mansion, but was knocked down by him with three punches and two kicks.

The boy was now wearing ordinary warrior clothes, and his Taoist bun had been replaced with a turban, looking like a lay disciple.

Li Yan smiled slightly, "It's Brother Yufu, I offended you before."

"Don't laugh at me, Mr. Li."

Zhang Yufu blushed, "I have been expelled from the mountain by my master. From now on, I will stay at home and follow the escort masters to escort everywhere. Please don't mention this matter again."

At the beginning, they were tricked and bewitched by a woman named Yun Niang. After investigation, they found out that "Yun Niang" was actually "Liu Niang".

When Zhang Yufu found out that the person he was obsessed with was actually an old witch from a ghost cult, this incident would probably become a psychological trauma for his whole life.

Li Yan laughed in silence and said nothing more.

This is understandable. Zhang Yufu has been practicing in the mountains since he was a child. He is just a rookie and has little contact with women. When he meets the old witch from Fengyue Sect, he is naturally easily controlled.

As they were talking, everyone had already arrived at the front yard.

The main hall of the Zhang family mansion is named "Mingxin Hall", which means that even if you are wandering in the world, you must be clear about your true heart.

After all, they are a wealthy family in the underworld, and they have to receive friends from all over the world on weekdays, so the main hall is built quite large.

The hall was brightly lit with several large butter lanterns hanging in it. The original two rows of chairs had been removed and two tables for banquets had been set up.

Zhang Xiaoshan sat at one table with two old men, while at another table sat a dozen young disciples, both male and female, all of whom had straight postures and were full of energy.

When they saw Li Yan come in, everyone looked over there.

"Hahaha…"

Zhang Xiaoshan laughed, stood up and said, "Little Brother Li, come and sit over here."

"And you guys, what are you standing there for?!"

Upon hearing this, all the young disciples stood up, clasped their fists and said:

"Hello, Young Master Li!"

There was curiosity, confusion, and more of dissatisfaction in their eyes.

Li Yan's eyes twitched, and he clasped his fists and said, "Hello everyone."

After saying that, he went to another table.

Zhang Xiaoshan introduced with a smile: "This is my second brother, Zhang Xiaochen, and this is my senior brother, Yu Fenghai."

"Hello, two seniors."

After the greetings, Li Yan sat down and finally couldn't help whispering, "Senior Zhang, your welcoming banquet is not delicious."

"Humph!"

Zhang Xiaoshan raised his eyebrows and glanced at Lu San, "Didn't you say in your letter that you wanted me to speak for you on this trip up the mountain?"

"Back in Guishan, I just asked you to kill someone, but you used me as a grindstone for a few days."

"Now it's tit for tat, and no one will suffer any loss!"

Li Yan: “…”

Zhang Xiaochen beside him stroked his beard and shook his head, smiling and said, "Young Master Li, don't listen to my elder brother. This is how he speaks."

"We are people of the martial arts world, and we don't have those polite words. We finally met a young talent like Li Shaoxia, so how can we not teach these guys a lesson and let them know that there are always people better than you and mountains higher than you."

"Suffer a little loss now, so as not to suffer great misfortune in the future..."

"Humph!"

Zhang Xiaoshan snorted and couldn't help but look across.

At the table opposite, Zhang Yufu immediately shrank his head.

Yu Fenghai on the other side tried to smooth things over, "Eat first, eat first, Junior Brother, you are so anxious, how can you treat guests in such a way?"

Zhang Xiaoshan waved his hand and said, "Those rules are for outsiders to see. I treat this kid as one of my own, so there is no need to be so particular."

"Come on, come on, drink!"

Li Yan laughed dumbly and said, "Okay, I will pay my respects to the three seniors."

He finally figured out the reason.

Wudang is famous throughout the world. Although these Zhang family disciples are outstanding and come from a famous family, they are all very arrogant because of this.

He has made a name for himself in Ezhou.

These kids clearly know it, but still refuse to obey. You can imagine how difficult it is to discipline them on a daily basis.

Zhang Xiaoshan wanted to use him to curb the arrogance of the young men.

People are like this. No matter how much their elders teach them, they just turn a deaf ear to them. It is not as good as a scolding from outsiders.

Thinking of this, Li Yan didn't care. He followed Zhang Xiaoshan in toasting and eating and drinking, completely ignoring the looks from the opposite side.

After eating and drinking, he stood up and walked to the front of the hall, rolled up his sleeves, shook his head and said, "Who goes first?"

"I come!"

Immediately, a young man rushed out, clasped his fists and said, "Zhang Yingqiong, I appreciate your great skills."

After saying that, he made a starting move, which was the Longhua Fist.

He stepped on the ground and rushed out suddenly. His body was almost tilted, and there was wind under his feet. His body was like a dragon. He used the move of Green Dragon Coming Out of the Sea and grabbed Li Yan's chest with one claw.

It’s no wonder these people are dissatisfied. They are also considered talented younger generations of the Zhang family, but Li Yan is younger than them.

At such a young age, he has already made such a great reputation and even Zhang Xiaoshan treats him with courtesy. This is beyond their understanding.

At the opposite table, seeing Zhang Yingqiong use this trick, Zhang Yufu directly covered his eyes, turned his head to the side, and whispered: "Fool!"

Sure enough, just as Zhang Yingqiong pounced forward and her hand was about to touch Li Yan's face, there was suddenly an empty space in front of her.

He was startled, and before he could react, he felt a pain in his ankle, and he flew into the air and out of the main hall.

Li Yan then retracted his foot and shook his head, saying, "When you fight in the martial arts world, life and death depend on a thread. No matter how good the fight is, if you only care about your head and not your butt, it's useless."

"Next!"

(End of this chapter)