Knife splashing

Chapter 711 Hua Guang's Martial Arts are Fierce, Divine Weapons Cause Chaos in the Capital

Wu Family Village, Wu Family Martial Arts Training Ground.

The time from the end of Chou to the beginning of Yin (4 a.m.) is precisely the time when Yin transforms into Yang.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, pitch black, and the morning breeze carried a faint, fishy smell before a thunderstorm.

Wu Ba bared his upper body, his muscles bulging, and his legs slightly squatted in a horse stance, assuming the Bajiquan posture.

With his physique, his stance was almost identical to that of the guardian Vajra.

However, at this moment, he was trembling all over, and the hair on his body stood on end.

"What are you afraid of?!"

Upon seeing this, Takezuka, who was standing nearby, immediately let out a furious curse, his bushy white beard standing on end.

"'Five Thunder Strikes' is Huaguang's strongest martial art. If you can't learn it, what's the point of talking about passing it down!"

"Come, perform the ritual steps, form the incantation, and recite it with me!"

"The Five Thunder Masters in Heaven, the Five Thunder Generals on Earth... I am here by order of Patriarch Huaguang to destroy evil and annihilate malevolent forces! So be it!"

As he spoke, Takezuka performed a series of hand gestures and incantations.

Unlike a sorcerer casting spells, he simply made a hand seal with one hand while simultaneously assuming a mountain-crushing stance.

Rumble~
As the incantation was cast, a muffled rumble of thunder suddenly echoed in the air.

Upon hearing this, Wu Ba trembled and looked up at the sky, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

zizi~
At the same time, arcs of electricity appeared on Takezuka's arm.

He turned around and slashed with his palm towards the left side.

With a deafening roar, the rammed earth wall collapsed, its power comparable to that of a fire lance.

"it is good…"

Shalifei wanted to applaud, but fearing he might disturb the conversation, he swallowed back half a word.

Li Yan, however, remained solemn.

The thunder in the sky was certainly not summoned by Takezuka.

Such a large-scale ritual requires a large altar and favorable timing, location, and human factors; even the most accomplished practitioner cannot accomplish it alone.

The reason for choosing this weather was to allow Wuba to better sense the weather.

But clearly, something was wrong with Wu Ba.

"Come!"

After the demonstration ended, Takezuka turned around and shouted.

Wu Ba gritted his teeth, his eyes turning bloodshot, and forced himself to perform the ritualistic steps, making hand seals and chanting incantations:

"The Five Thunder Masters of Heaven..."

puff!
As soon as he uttered the word "thunder" in "Five Thunder Masters of Heaven," he coughed up black blood and the ground beneath his feet cracked and exploded.

At the same time, a cracking sound came from the sky, and lightning struck down directly.

Fortunately, Li Yan was prepared. The moment he sensed the thunderous energy, the Soul-Hooking Thunder Rope roared out.

The falling lightning was immediately absorbed by Lei Suo.

To those around him, all they saw was Li Yan suddenly raise his hand, and a bolt of lightning more than twenty meters long condensed and then quickly dissipated.

Since absorbing the Thunder Qi and being able to slowly condense lightning, Li Yan hasn't specifically sought out thunderstorms to replenish his energy.

By sheer coincidence, the Thunderous Aura was completely replenished.

But to others, it's a different story.

Takezuka was initially shocked, then became somewhat annoyed, and said in a deep voice, "If you're so capable, then you teach me!"

Clearly, he thought Li Yan was deliberately showing off and trying to overpower him with lightning magic.

"Senior misunderstood."

Li Yan shook his head and stepped forward with a solemn expression, "It was not I who summoned the thunder."

He took out a healing pill from his pocket and stuffed it directly into Wu Ba's mouth, saying, "Don't push yourself too hard, or you'll damage your internal organs."

Wuzuka also noticed Wuba's condition and frowned, saying, "You were injured right after casting a lightning spell?"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized and shook his head, sighing, "I misunderstood. I'm afraid your bloodline is not suited for thunder magic."

Everyone understood the meaning behind his words.

Wu Ba is a human-demon, born from the abduction of women by mountain demons.

Since the human-like demons cannot reproduce, after the Xuanmen sect wiped out the mountain demons in Shennongjia, they were left to fend for themselves.

Even if nothing unexpected happens later, this species will not escape the fate of extinction.

It can be said that Wu Ba's presence here is entirely due to chance.

He possesses innate superhuman strength, derived from the bloodline of the mountain demon within him, but being a "monster," he is naturally restrained by lightning.

Forcing yourself to cultivate will only result in injury.

If you accidentally attract lightning, you'll probably be reduced to ashes.

"Forget it!"

Upon hearing this, Shalifei immediately exclaimed, "We don't need to learn this lightning technique anymore; those two moves are enough!"

Unexpectedly, Takezuka was not angry after hearing this. Instead, he pondered for a moment and said, "Fine, let me practice the 'Secret Strike' and 'Counter-Strike' again."

"Yes!"

Wu Ba's injury was not serious to begin with, and after taking the pills made from the spiritual herbs, he had already recovered. Upon hearing this, he immediately got up.

He once again performed the ritual steps and chanted: "I wash my body with the sun and refine my true nature with the moon... I banish all evil and filth, cleansing myself with water, so be it!"

After chanting the incantation, he clenched his fists and pressed down hard, causing his muscles to bulge.

Li Yan could smell a surge of powerful energy flowing around him, like an iron-clad warrior in a temple.

Bang!
Before he could say anything more, Takezuka suddenly struck out, slapping him in the chest.

A muffled sound rang out, but Wu Ba remained completely still.

"it is good!"

Takezuka nodded in approval, then turned to the side, lowered into a horse stance, and suddenly raised his elbow.

With a muffled thud, Wu Ba's massive body flew out and crashed directly into the mud wall.

Amidst the dust and smoke, Wu Ba emerged, covered in soot and dirt, looking disheveled but unharmed.

"good."

Takezuka finally smiled with satisfaction. "The way of heaven has its own balance. You are born with divine strength, and this 'secret strike' technique is stronger than others."

The "secret fighting" method is also an important part of the Huaguang Sect's martial arts, focusing on defense.

It's somewhat like hard qigong; once unleashed, it can empower the body with qi, making it impervious to swords and spears.

Hearing the encouragement, Wu Ba finally revealed a simple, honest smile, and then once again performed the ritualistic steps, making hand seals and chanting incantations:
"Heavenly thunder spirits, earthly Yama gods, the generals shall march forth together... to fight the traitors and injure yourselves, so be it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his body was filled with a surge of malevolent energy.

Without saying a word, Takezuka attacked again, his fist moving with effortless ease.

After all, he was once someone who pursued the pinnacle, and even with his power suppressed, he was still at the peak of internal strength.

However, the moment the force struck Wu Ba, his body was filled with a surge of powerful energy, his muscles trembled, and he deflected the force back.

The ground beneath Takezuka's feet suddenly trembled, dust flying everywhere, easily dissipating the force.

"it is good!"

Li Yan finally couldn't help but praise him.

This is the "counter-attack" technique of Huaguang martial arts.

It's somewhat similar to his Undying Seal Technique, but it's achieved through magical techniques.

It lacks flexibility, but in critical moments, it can be a lifesaver.

Even Wu Ba showed a hint of surprise on his face.

The process of spreading the Dharma was not quick; they were delayed for four full days.

Even so, this was the first successful "counterattack".

"really."

Takezuka was not surprised, and shook his head with some disappointment. "Your talent is better suited to 'secret strikes' and 'counterattacks,' but you'll probably have little progress in 'Five Thunder Strike' and 'Shadow Strike,' as well as 'Summoning the Four Spirits' and 'Immobilization Technique.'"

Wu Ba smiled憨厚ly, "That's enough, that's enough."

“Not enough!” Wuzuka shook his head, went back into the house, took out a booklet and said in a deep voice, “What Heaven takes away, it also gives away. With your talent, if you can cultivate the ‘Secret Strike’ and ‘Counter-Strike’ to a very deep level and integrate them, then you will have the opportunity to learn this ‘Counter-Closed Strike’.”

"This technique excels at breaking and countering other techniques. If one can master it, one can roam the world freely!"

He sighed and said, "That brat is obsessed with mastering this technique. If you can succeed, you will have inherited his mantle."

Upon hearing this, Wu Ba's expression immediately turned serious. He respectfully accepted the booklet, knelt down, and kowtowed three times.

Takezuka then looked at Li Yan, "Young Brother Li, I also have something to advise you on."

Li Yan quickly cupped his hands in greeting, "Please speak, senior."

Takezuka said in a deep voice, "That brat mentioned it many times before he died, saying that you have the potential to become a Grandmaster."

"But the land is vast, with hidden tigers in the deep mountains and dragons in the secluded pools. There are many masters whose names we do not know. Now that humanity is changing, the ten grandmasters of the previous generation are either old or dead, so a new selection is necessary."

"The battle for the title of Grandmaster is not only about fame and fortune, but also about the future. If you can't reach the top, you have no hope for the rest of your life, so you can't be soft-hearted."

"Thank you, senior."

Li Yan solemnly bowed and expressed his gratitude.

He knew that Takezuka was right.

There are simply too many things involved behind a grandmaster.

Just like the Cheng family in Sichuan and the Dong family of the Bagua School, they prospered for fifty years because of their grandmasters.

Furthermore, the battle between grandmasters also involves a spiritual struggle.

If Takezuka narrowly loses, he will forever be overshadowed by others, only able to watch them go further and further away.

If Takezuka had become a grandmaster back then, Kong Hui would have had to think twice before harming Wu Qu.

As they spoke, the sky in the distance brightened, but it was still covered with dark clouds.

Rumble~
Accompanied by thunder, raindrops began to fall in a drizzling sound.

"Let's go."

Takezuka waved his hand, "It will be muddy later, and the road will be difficult to walk on."

"Take care, senior!"

Li Yan and the others were already prepared and immediately took their leave.

Dark clouds surged and thunder roared as the group rode away on horseback, gradually disappearing into the rain.

Watching their departing figures, Takezuka's eyes were somewhat dazed.

He seemed to see himself leaving home to roam the martial world, then transforming into Wu Qu, arguing with himself, and secretly riding away in the night. His lips moved slightly as he murmured, "Deep in the pine forest, a dragon lurks, swallowing its prey; remnant thunder startles half a lifetime in darkness. Even if the martial world is filled with a thousand-foot wave, new thunder will break the old order... Alas, I'm getting old."

"grandfather."

Just then, a timid voice sounded from the side.

It was Wu Qu's only son who was carefully clutching his clothes.

"Anji".

Wuzuka bent down, patted the child's head, shook his head and smiled, "I've been busy these past few days and have forgotten about my dear grandson. But don't worry, Old Man Dong spoke well of Wan Shengying and left a way out for his descendants. Grandpa has also left you a backup plan."

"Let's go, let's see if you've neglected your martial arts skills these days..."

After saying that, he took the child and returned to the courtyard.

The once-renowned "Iron Lion" is now no different from an ordinary old man...

…………

There is a lot of rain during the transition from spring to summer.

Li Yan and his entourage returned from Cangzhou, their journey marked by frequent stops and starts, and even upon arriving in the capital, the rain continued to fall in a light drizzle.

They timed it perfectly, and before dusk, when the city gates were still open, they finally returned to the capital.

But as they passed through the city gate passageway, they discovered something was amiss.

Even before nightfall, many places were already brightly lit with candles, and the guards at the nine gates had already removed the iron chains that had imposed the night curfew.

This is not surprising.

As they left, Zhao Qing feigned death to escape, plotting to seize the treasures of Qiankun Academy.

The imperial court clearly heeded the advice and, in doing as the plan suggested, lifted the curfew.

However, instead of the usual bustling flow of goods at the open city gate, groups of porters and tea drinkers crowded in front of the notice board, whispering among themselves. The guards kept chasing them away, and their faces showed a strange excitement.

In conversation, one can often hear words like "Qiankun Academy" and "divine artifact".

Li Yan frowned slightly. "Don't rush back to the inn. Let's inquire first."

In fact, they didn't even need to ask.

Upon entering the teahouse, the waiters, carrying copper kettles, moved about, and when they encountered regular customers, they would chatter on and on: "Have you heard, sir? The academy's magical artifact can summon wind and rain!"

"You actually believe this kind of nonsense?"

Some people dismissed the argument, while others chimed in.

"Don't you believe me? You know Chen the Cripple from the rice shop in the south of the city, right? His second uncle worked for the academy and personally witnessed the magical artifact 'hum' and knock down half a wall!"

"What does that divine artifact look like?"

"How would I know? I only heard that it transformed into a beam of auspicious light that illuminated the sky, and that very night, all the flowers in the palace bloomed!"

"Change the world? Bah!"

In the dilapidated tavern, a young man sneered, "I think it's a demonic weapon!"

"Yesterday, Old Liu, a fisherman on the Yongding River, swore that he saw a red light shoot up from the academy and the river instantly freeze over with three feet of ice!"

Even the beggar huddled against the wall was shouting while holding up his broken bowl:

"Give me a coin! I'll tell you how the academy's treasures ensure everyone in the world has enough to eat!"

After hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, and Li Yan also narrowed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.

These people's words were naturally all rumors. The steam engine was important, but it was not some kind of magical treasure.

"Tsk tsk..."

Shalifei shook his head and said in a low voice, "It seems someone leaked the information and is trying to take advantage of the chaos."

"Ah."

Li Yan looked into the distance and said in a deep voice, "Don't go back to the post station yet, go ask the Priest Xuan."

With the curfew over, the chaos that had gripped the capital recently seemed to have vanished as well.

Li Yan and his group arrived at the Xuanji Temple without any obstacles.

After sending a message, he was led to the back hall by the Taoist priest on duty.

Luo Mingzi was already waiting in the side hall, his face ashen as he dismissed those around him.

"The information has been leaked!"

"Now, even the youngest children in the capital are gossiping!"

Li Yan asked in a deep voice, "What exactly happened?"

Luo Mingzi sighed, "After you left, Jiao Wanbao sent word from the palace that he had personally locked it."

"The Ministry of Justice, the Military Commandery, and the Priestly Administration—anyone who heard the interrogation has been put on gag order. But yesterday morning, hundreds of posters suddenly appeared in the Xizhimen market, depicting a 'box covered in red light' hidden in the Academy's secret pavilion, with the title 'He who obtains this item will rule the world!'"

"His Majesty was furious and summoned Lord Pei and Jiao Wanbao to the palace, berating them for half an hour..."

"This morning, the atmosphere in the imperial court was somewhat strange. Many ministers were trying to steer the conversation towards the Qiankun Academy. Some even suggested that since the celestial phenomena were changing and the people were panicking, His Majesty should publicly display the divine artifact to calm the public's mind..."

"Later, His Majesty lost his temper and silenced the officials. But after the court session, many were still talking amongst themselves..."

"Now everyone wants to know what kind of divine artifact Qiankun Academy is hiding. Even Yan Jiuling has been forced into hiding..."

Li Yan said coldly, "Isn't this obviously Zhao Qingxu's doing?"

"The imperial court's plan to lure him into a trap has most likely been leaked, so he simply released the information to muddy the waters."

"It's not that simple."

Luo Mingzi shook his head and said, "We caught the people who printed the posters. According to their confession, the people who paid for them were a group of Hu people."

"Furthermore, Mr. Kong has already found out Zhao Qingxu's background."

"Oh?"

Li Yan became interested. "What's his background?"

Luo Mingzi glanced out the window, then whispered, "He's a demon god who escaped from the Celestial Master's Mansion!"

(End of this chapter)