Knife splashing

Chapter 707 Battle of the Grandmasters
Kong Hui was truly audacious!
This is not in those remote, mountainous prefectures or counties where the emperor is far away.

The dragon vein had been tampered with, enraging Emperor Xiao Qixuan, who mobilized almost the entire elite force, from the Taoist sects to the court.

This power is enough to overthrow any orthodox religious lineage.

Moreover, even the three grandmasters have been mobilized.

Even earth immortals have to temporarily avoid his sharp edge, but he dares to mingle in the crowd and watch the excitement.

Where does this person get his confidence?
With a roar, Li Yan stomped his feet, collapsing the wall with a thud, and shot out like an arrow.

Unbeknownst to him, Kong Hui was also secretly lamenting his bad luck.

This old ghost was once the tutor of the Song Dynasty emperor. He was well-read and learned many strange and secret techniques, including construction and disguise.

The previous "Driving a Living Stake" came from the Lu Ban method, the "Yin Body Well" came from the Great Song Ghost Cult, and the "Cat Ghost Tomb" came from the Jiangzuo Heretical Path...

It was because he provided the secret method that the plan in the capital was able to be implemented.

He had not yet met Zhao Qingxu, so he knew nothing about what happened last night.

Seeing that the imperial court had mobilized in large numbers, he disguised himself and came to investigate.

All of this was predicated on Li Yan and his team destroying the "Peach Banquet" and the Iron Anchor Society's traitorous branch, which led to the disruption of intelligence communication.

Kong Hui possessed the sacred artifact for state sacrifices and thought he was in complete control, but little did he know that Li Yan's edict was equally extraordinary.

It could be said that by a twist of fate,
It can also be said that everything is predetermined!

Seeing Li Yan approaching, Kong Hui no longer concealed himself.

He gave a cold laugh, then suddenly flung his straw hat off his head.

boom!
The straw hat exploded with a loud bang, and pink smoke and dust instantly scattered, filling the entire street.

The onlookers who had gathered to watch the spectacle were immediately caught in the crossfire.

The smoke and dust are not very toxic, but they can cause runny nose and tears, and persistent coughing.

The people were in complete chaos, covering their eyes and coughing, jostling and bumping into each other, inevitably resulting in stampedes, and screams and wails filled the air.

The chaotic streets further hindered the soldiers' encirclement.

Normally, the imperial army would have no way to deal with this, but this time it was a joint operation with the Enforcement Hall.

"Drive away the wind!"

Luo Mingzi roared angrily, and together with several Taoists, they brandished their magic swords, performed the ritual of stepping on the Big Dipper, and lit the yellow talisman.

"When Heaven's Way is in harmony with virtue, and the sun and moon shine in unison... one becomes a true being, commanding the wind, and swiftly descending like clouds!"

"The wind blows from the northeast corner, the earth gate is arrayed with troops... A fierce wind howls ahead in the southeast!"

This is the "Wind-Driving General Technique," a esoteric art of summoning wind, specifically designed to counteract poisonous smoke.

As the incantation was chanted, everyone's magic swords pointed simultaneously at the Xun position.

call--!
Suddenly, a strong wind swept through the street, directly dispersing the toxic smoke.

At the same time, Li Yan also landed on the street.

All around, screams could be heard incessantly. Some people were clutching their chests and coughing violently, while others were clutching their broken legs and wailing.

Looking around, there was no sign of Kong Hui!

He hurriedly activated the Yang Technique, but couldn't smell the other person's scent at all, and even the Hook Die didn't respond.

Li Yan couldn't help but feel remorse.

I was so happy just now that I forgot that Kong Hui was a master with extremely strange and superb movement techniques.

Without much thought, Li Yan leaped up with his knife, lightly tapped the wall, and landed on the roof of the inn.

From this vantage point, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the surrounding streets.

Looking around, soldiers were gathered in every street, and experts from the Commandery were leaping onto the roof beams with muskets. Taoist priests and monks from the Enforcement Hall were using their magic to investigate. It could be said that not even a mosquito could fly out.

"What about people?"

"Quickly, release the spirit hounds!"

"Search from house to house!"

Luo Mingzi's eyes were sharp as he loudly ordered the arrangements to be made.

The defenses of the capital were indeed unmatched by any other place.

However, Kong Hui was never seen.

Boom!
Just then, a muffled thud sounded in the distance.

Li Yan looked up and saw that outside the encirclement, the roof of a warehouse near Chaoyang Gate had collapsed with a loud crash.

"Leave!"

A cold and authoritative voice rang out, followed by another loud crash, and the inn's walls collapsed.

The wind howled, and the dust in the air formed a huge fist.

His powerful internal energy is outwardly displayed, indicating he is a grandmaster!

Li Yan already had a guess in his mind, and without saying a word, he jumped up.

He stepped on the roof tiles and used his speed-enhancing technique, leaping through the air a few times before arriving near the inn.

The inn was half collapsed, with only the beams and pillars supporting the other wall, teetering on the verge of collapse.

There were many injured people groaning in pain around them.

On the street, amidst the still-dusty dust, two figures faced each other.

One of them, dressed in a black Confucian robe, with eyes that gleamed slightly red, was none other than the scholar Kong Hui, also known as the Master of the Lazy Books.

Opposite him stood a towering figure with his hands behind his back.

Just by standing there, he exuded an aura of thunder and lightning, blocking Kong Hui's only escape route.

He was none other than Huo Yin, one of the Ten Great Masters of China and the President of the Great Xuan Divine Fist Association!
Li Yan had already grasped the warrant, but suddenly felt a pang of fear and looked around.

On the left rooftop, an old man appeared, wearing a black jacket and a slender figure, his robes fluttering gently in the breeze.

The old man was very old, with white hair, but his eyes were unusually deep and his aura was imperceptible, as if he had become one with the surrounding air.

He stood there with his hands behind his back, his figure seemingly ethereal and uncertain.

Dong Changxing of the Bagua Sect!

Li Yan instantly guessed the person's identity and felt a chill run down his spine.

The only grandmaster he had ever met was Cheng Jianxian from Sichuan.

Unfortunately, the opponent had severed his own path to godhood and was already a flickering candle in the wind. It was only when he finally blocked Lu Sheng that he revealed his sword immortal prowess.

Only now have I truly witnessed the power of a grandmaster.

Huo Yin, the Divine Fist Master, was as imposing as a mountain, his presence profound and unyielding. An invisible pressure emanated from him, as if a palace wall were blocking his path.

Dong Changxing gives people the feeling of being carefree and detached, like a gentle breeze carrying away clouds.

On the high wall to the right, there was also a person standing.

His features were sharp, his temples were gray, he was dressed in white like snow, and he held a large spear. He stood proudly like an ancient pine tree, with a tall and upright posture.

His blood and qi surged, and Li Yan could even smell the scorching heat of the air.

Needless to say, it must be the Grandmaster Wan Shengying, the head of the escort agencies of the thirteen provinces!

The three men, though of very different temperaments, cooperated seamlessly, completely cutting off Kong Hui's chance to escape.

In this short period of time, the Imperial Guards, the Commandery, and the Enforcement Hall experts arrived one after another, forming an impenetrable encirclement.

Even Shalifei squatted on the roof and raised his fire lance.

Seeing this, Li Yan narrowed his eyes and released the warrant.

While summoning the soldiers of the underworld could indeed send Kong Hui to the netherworld, he did not intend to use it.

The mastermind behind the "Jianmu" organization is very likely from the Great Luo Dharma Realm.

Being banished to the underworld might not be a safe bet.

Therefore, whether it was Lu Sheng in Shu or Wang Xuanmo in Luoyang, he chose to forgo the reward and beat them to a pulp.

The Divine Guardian is indeed very important, but if these old ghosts escape and return to life, they will surely become a major threat in the future.

If a grandmaster were to kill him, it would save him the trouble...

……

Before the dilapidated warehouse, dust had not yet settled, but a deathly silence already enveloped the long street.

Kong Hui stood amidst the ruins, his eyes flashing red light, like a trapped beast, staring intently at Huo Yin ahead.

Just then, Pei Zongti rode up on horseback and shouted, "Gentlemen, spare their lives!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yan frowned slightly but did not stop him.

It would indeed be inappropriate to kill him like that.

This is the first time they've managed to trap a master of the "Jianmu" formation; they might be able to extract some intelligence from him.

Faced with this dead end, Kong Hui remained calm, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "The hounds have all come out of their nest; quite a show of force."

As he spoke, he suddenly exclaimed, "Unfortunately, there is still one oversight. There are poison sacs in Dragon Beard Ditch. If I do not have the antidote, they will erupt within half an hour. At that time, the capital will be in an uproar, with every household hanging white silk and no drinking water for decades!"

"what?!"

"Go check it out quickly!"

Pei Zongti's face darkened, and he immediately gave the order.

Longxugou, located southeast of the capital city, connects the Haihe River, a tributary of the North Canal, a tributary of the Tonghui River, and the South Moat. It flows through many parts of the city and finally empties into the moat outside Yongdingmen, making it an important waterway in the capital.

If something goes wrong, you can imagine what it will look like.

Huo Yin's gaze was like an ancient, icy pool as he coldly said, "Today, you will definitely not be able to leave."

Kong Hui chuckled, then solemnly clasped his hands and said, "What I seek is only a fair and square duel between grandmasters!"

"Outsiders are not allowed to participate! If I am defeated, I will surrender! Let's see if you dare to take this chance."

A clash of masters?

Many people nearby heard this and immediately began to whisper among themselves.

The title of "Grandmaster" represents both a high level of attainment and an honor.

There are many masters in China, but there have always been only ten who have achieved the title of Grandmaster.

This is not flattery from outsiders, but a real record, and the final decision will be a duel between grandmasters.

Kong Hui was one of the ten great masters of the Song Dynasty, and it is no exaggeration to say that he was a master of his craft.

This shameless blackmail caused all three grandmasters to frown.

"Gentlemen, we must not let him go!" Pei Zongti ordered in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

However, the three masters completely ignored him.

Dong Changxing shook his head slightly, stroked his beard, and said, "I am old and afraid that my horse may stumble. Please make yourselves at home."

Before Huo Yin could speak, Wan Shengying said coldly, "This is a senior grandmaster? Nothing more than a petty scoundrel. I, Wan, will test his mettle first!"

Before he finished speaking, Wan Shengying's burly body suddenly swelled up, and his bones and muscles crackled like popping beans.

"hold head high--!"

As the dragon roared, Wan Shengying's spear instantly transformed into a dragon and fell to the ground.

There is often not such harmony among masters.

Wan Shengying was a powerful figure in the martial arts world, while Huo Yin was a master at suppressing the imperial fortune.

The two sides already disliked each other, so Wan Shengying naturally didn't want Huo Yin to steal the spotlight anymore.

The red tassel of the spear drew a beautiful arc in the air, then transformed into a giant dragon, opening its fangs and jaws, and swooping down from the sky.

Such power is simply like that of a god or demon.

Kong Hui, however, remained completely still, merely glancing up at the scene.

The red light in its pupils intensified, and the spear dragon instantly turned into smoke and dissipated.

Looking at Wan Shengying above, he hadn't moved an inch, and his spear was held horizontally behind him.

It seems that the attack just now was just an illusion.

The crowd on the street stared in disbelief.

This power is completely beyond their comprehension.

Li Yan also frowned slightly, seemingly lost in thought.

He recalled Cheng Jianxian, who could kill people from a distance with just his sword intent and stir up the Qi of Qi.

Wan Shengying's attack was also a spear strike, which even stirred up the evil energy, creating an illusion-like effect.

As far as he knew, Wan Shengying was simply a martial artist, not a sorcerer.

To achieve such results, it seems that after reaching the limits of physical strength, martial artists then focus on cultivating their mental and spiritual aspects.

Regardless of what he was thinking, the situation on the field changed again.

"This little trick can't do anything to me."

Kong Hui glanced at him indifferently and gave a hoarse, cold laugh.

As he spoke, his left hand, hidden in his sleeve, had already formed a strange hand seal.

"as you wish!"

Wan Shengying stopped testing them and instead stuck the spear into the wall.

As he took a deep breath, his muscles bulged violently, and his white clothes rattled loudly.

Swish!
The figure vanished and instantly appeared above Kong Hui, his right arm lashing out like a broken bow, crashing down fiercely.

A vortex of qi was hidden in front of the fist, which stirred up a strong wind in the street and tore the cloth banners of the vendors on both sides to shreds!
What a winning punch!
Upon seeing this, Li Yan couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Wanshengquan was created by Wan Shengying.

Originally, he was not well-known in the martial arts world, but his reputation spread rapidly due to his large number of disciples and his status as a grandmaster.

Li Yan had also sparred with Wanshengquan disciples and knew quite a bit about this technique.

Wanshengquan is an internal martial art, simple and elegant, with continuous movements, and each move emphasizes "whole-body power".

All the moves are divided into many combined movements that are linked together, combining speed and slowness, and hardness and softness. They can be used in combination or separately.

It emphasizes that every punch must land and every hand must return empty-handed. The moves are a series of interconnected strikes, where each strike inevitably leads to the next.

It places great emphasis on practical application, which is why it has spread widely.

Wan Shengying himself has undoubtedly reached a higher level.

With a single move, the Iron Chain Blocks the River, striking straight at the central palace. Moreover, the fist's energy stirred up the evil qi, as if a great river had sprung up out of thin air.

The internal energy and the fist techniques complement each other, blending together so beautifully.

In a short time, Li Yan also had new inspiration for the fusion of his martial arts and magic.

Sure enough, watching a grandmaster make a move always yields some insights.

"Humph!"

Below, Kong Hui let out a cold laugh, his figure shifting strangely as he floated three feet to the side like a funeral paper figure.

At the same time, he continued to make hand seals with his left hand hidden in his sleeve, while extending his right hand, pointing his fingers like a brush, as if splashing ink and wielding a brush, making a light stroke.

His movements were incredibly fast, appearing to everyone as if he were teleporting.

It's not surprising that Kong Hui became a grandmaster back then because he was famous for his body techniques.

However, his martial arts techniques are extremely strange.

Wherever his fingers touched, black mist suddenly appeared, accompanied by a mournful howl, as if ink were being splashed in the air.

Is this the "Historical Record: The Heart-Piercing Sword"?
Kong Shangzhao knew about Kong Huigen's martial arts style and had explained it to them before.

The opponent was originally skilled in Confucian martial arts, but after becoming a demon, he abandoned the righteous spirit of Confucianism and reversed "preserving heavenly principles and eliminating human desires" to "planting human desires and eroding heavenly principles". He used the eight sufferings such as resentment and separation from loved ones as the basis, and absorbed the resentment of mortals to create another set of evil martial arts called "Yinwen Bagu".

The names of the moves are also related to Confucian classics, namely "The Book of Rites: Funeral Hands", "The Book of Documents: Pan Geng's Yin Whip", and "The Spring and Autumn Annals: The Historical Pen Piercing Heart Sword"... Each has its own characteristics and is applicable to palm techniques, fist techniques, and finger techniques.

The finger pointing at the present moment is most likely the "Spring and Autumn Annals: The Sword Piercing the Heart with Historian's Pen".

Kong Hui flicked his fingers like splashing ink, his fingers exuding a sinister and resentful aura, like an invisible sharp cone, aimed straight at Wan Shengying's vital acupoints.

This move, launched after the opponent's attack, struck first. Wan Shengying felt as if his fist had struck a thousand-year-old ice, and the powerful force of his punch was eroded and breached.

"interesting!"

Wan Shengying also seemed to be attracted by this unprecedented martial arts technique, showing no panic and even becoming interested.

He smiled calmly, and his fist suddenly changed from hard to soft.

As he turned his body to the side, his left fist shot out like a snake from its hole, the veins on the back of his fist bulging, the surrounding air condensing, like a heavy hammer, and smashed towards Kong Hui's wrist.

The move he used was called "Spirit Turtle Shaking its Armor," which Li Yan had also seen.

This method of changing tactics is precisely the essence of the "continuous moves" of Wanshengquan.

Every punch lands, every hand returns empty-handed; a single move, once deflected, instantly becomes a killing blow.

The two powerful forces clashed violently!

"Bang—Sizzle!"

The point where fists and palms collided produced a metallic clang!

Wan Shengying's fist was as fierce as the blazing sun, while Kong Hui's fingertips were filled with resentful energy like boiling ink, showing signs of being defeated.

really…

Upon seeing this, Li Yan already had a guess in his mind.

Although Kong Hui was once a grandmaster, he had reincarnated several times, and his physical body was no longer at its peak.

Like a screw and a cap, each soul can only reach its full potential when it is in the right physical body.

Kong Hui's body was taken from another body and was already old, so his power was slightly inferior to Wan Shengying's.

This battle should be fine...

But something surprising happened to Li Yan.

Kong Hui's fingers suddenly withdrew, and his entire arm trembled like a whip, ignoring the fist's force and rolling upwards along with it.

Not only that, but his eyes also shone with a blood-red light.

In an instant, Wan Shengying was suddenly filled with hallucinations:

He saw inside the Song Dynasty examination hall, a failed scholar smashing his head against a pillar, his brains mixed with ink splashing onto the sky.

This is the suffering of unfulfilled desires...

He saw the bride kneeling behind an empty curtain, her wedding dress transforming into countless paper money fluttering in the air.

This is the pain of separation from loved ones…

He witnessed a senior Hanlin scholar being beaten to death with a court rod, his white bones stained crimson with vermilion ink.

This is the suffering of being with those you hate...

All sorts of illusions, like human suffering, shock the mind and spirit.

Wan Shengying's punching motion suddenly froze.

"Roar!" In a flash, Wan Shengying roared and changed his punching style again.

With a single, powerful leap, he somersaulted in mid-air, his left leg sweeping across like a steel whip, unleashing the move "Kui Xing Kicks the Dipper."

As Kong Hui dodged, Wan Shengying's right palm transformed into a mountain-splitting axe, aiming straight for Kong Hui's head.

This is precisely the triple deadly strike: cleave, drill, and collapse!

The force of the punch created a fierce tornado, and the stone mortar beside the road was pulverized by the aftershock!

However, Kong Hui seemed to have anticipated this.

He stepped into the Nine Palaces Step, his figure flashing seven times in a small space.

Wan Shengying's series of deadly moves seemed to pass right through his body, but they only touched his shadow.

not good!

Upon seeing this, Li Yan realized something was amiss.

They had seen this move before; it was the "mourning carriage step."

By following the direction of the funeral procession and stepping in the Nine Palaces, the three changes of "starting the funeral, guiding the soul, and burying" are used to confuse the opponent.

They could even dodge firearms back then, which was truly terrifying.

Using his agility to gain the upper hand, Kong Hui pressed his advantage relentlessly. His black robe billowed like a funeral banner, while his left hand's five fingers curled into hooks, and black mist in his palm condensed into the incised character "礼" (li, meaning propriety) in seal script. He then pressed down on Wan Shengying's waist from mid-air!

"Pfft!"

Wan Shengying's clothes ripped apart around her waist, and a single ink stain quickly spread into a dark, round spot.

The chilling, bone-deep coldness seeped into my meridians like a venomous snake, and half of my body suddenly felt numb!
He was startled, and with a slight tap of his toes, he quickly retreated.

Amidst the smoke and dust, Kong Hui did not pursue, but merely smiled mockingly: "The Ten Grandmasters?"

"It seems that people today are not as good as those in ancient times..."

(End of this chapter)