Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 372 Gambling Battle
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the people of Wanjie Valley set off in different directions.

Shuangjiang and Bailu led a group of experts from the Thirty-Six Caves to the Tianshan Mountains to subdue martial artists from various regions who were controlled by the Life and Death Talisman, thus accumulating strength for future battles against the Western Xia.

Chen Zhan, accompanied by Gu Yu, embarked on the journey to the capital of Dali.

The two traveled north and passed the Lancang River again.

The river surged and roared, its waves crashing against the cliffs on both banks, splashing water several meters high. The air was filled with water vapor, carrying a chilling cold.

As you walk along the ancient road by the river, the outline of Dali's capital gradually becomes clear, but a hidden sense of tension quietly descends.

People still thronged the streets, and the market was filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares, creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony.

Chen Zhan and Gu Yu are both top-notch experts. They can keenly sense that the number of city guards has increased several times compared to usual, and there are warriors with refined auras hiding in the corners of the streets and alleys. Even the direction of the Dali Prince's Mansion is filled with a faint sense of vigilance.

Clearly, the Dali royal family had noticed the unusual activity, but did not want to disturb the people, so they secretly set up defenses.

Without lingering, the two quietly passed through the capital and headed straight north.

The Diancang Mountains stretch out outside the city, shrouded in mist and clouds, with the Tianlong Temple hidden among the verdant peaks at the northern foot of the Zhongyue Peak.

This temple was originally named Chongsheng Temple. Because it was the family temple and royal temple of the Duan family of Dali, it was popularly known as Tianlong Temple by the people. Backed by Cangshan Mountain and facing Erhai Lake, it enjoys a superior geographical location.

At the foot of the mountain stood two squads of royal guards, their armor gleaming, their swords and spears drawn, their defenses impeccable.

But these precautions were useless to Chen Zhan and Gu Yu. The two moved swiftly, like a breeze passing through the forest, their toes not touching the ground, using the shadows of the ancient trees to traverse the landscape.

The guards didn't even catch a glimpse of the hem of their clothes, remaining motionless in their posts.

The two abandoned the main path and climbed straight up from the bottom of the peak, their movements as agile as monkeys.

In no time at all, we reached the top, where a vast temple complex came into view. Three towering pagodas stood majestically, pointing straight to the sky; these were the iconic Three Pagodas of Tenryu-ji Temple.

The mountain gate is topped with bright yellow glazed tiles and paired with dark red brick walls. Surprisingly, there are watchtowers on both sides, which is extremely rare among temples in the Central Plains.

The courtyard is spacious and flat, with a winding path paved with bluestone slabs. Ancient pines and cypresses on both sides have gnarled and strong branches that block out the sun, exuding the serene atmosphere of a centuries-old temple.

The entire temple complex is grand in scale, with three pavilions, seven towers, nine halls, and a hundred buildings arranged in a well-organized and exquisite manner.

Even Buddhist holy sites in the Central Plains such as Wutai Mountain and Putuo Mountain have few that can rival it.

The three ancient pagodas in front of the temple are the most eye-catching, built during the Zhenguan period of the early Tang Dynasty.

The largest tower is over 200 feet tall and has 16 levels. The iron inscription on the top of the tower is clearly visible, with the words "Made by Yuchi Jingde during the Zhenguan period of the Great Tang Dynasty". It is the first of the "Five Treasures" of Tianlong Temple.

Ancient trees reach for the sky, the morning mist has not yet dissipated, and the melodious sound of bells comes from inside the temple.

"In the Central Plains, only Putuo Temple can barely compare to the scale of Tianlong Temple, right?" Gu Yu stopped and gazed at it, smiling softly, her eyes full of admiration.

"Ah."

Chen Zhan nodded in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the temple's surroundings. "Although this place is located in the southwestern border region, it has a long history. In addition, the entire population of Dali is Buddhist, from the royal family and nobles to ordinary farmers. They are all devout believers, and the temple's prosperity is in no way inferior to famous temples in the Central Plains."

Just after dawn, the temple bells, which had been playing softly, suddenly changed their tone.

The sound was rapid and heavy, six times in a row, piercing through the clouds and echoing among the mountains.

This is the warning bell of Tenryu-ji Temple. Six rings signify a critical situation and that something big is about to happen in the temple.

The bell tolled from the direction of the backyard. Chen Zhan and Gu Yu exchanged a glance, then instantly concealed their presence, stealthily moving like two wisps of smoke towards the backyard along the shadows of the pillars.

After passing through numerous halls and palaces, a secluded Zen temple came into view.

This is the Kurong Zen Monastery, a core forbidden area of ​​Tianlong Temple, where monks rarely come and go.

The interior of the Zen temple is minimalist in its furnishings, dimly lit, and the atmosphere is so solemn it's almost suffocating.

In front of the east wall, an old monk sat cross-legged facing the wall, his body as thin as a rake. He was none other than Elder Kurong, the most senior monk in Tianlong Temple.

In the center of the meditation room were only four futons, on which sat four eminent monks: Benyin, Benguan, Benxiang, and Bencan, their expressions solemn.

In the center of the meditation room stood a monk dressed in a brocade robe, the fabric of which was luxurious and embroidered with Sanskrit in gold thread, which was out of place with the plain robes of the other monks at Tianlong Temple.

At his feet lay an unconscious young man, dressed in fine clothes; it was none other than Duan Yu.

Outside the temple gate, brothers Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun stood side by side.

The four high-ranking officials of Dali followed him, all looking tense, but they dared not step into the meditation room rashly. They could only stand outside the door, keeping a close eye on the movements inside.

There was no fluctuation of internal energy in the room, nor any sign of physical combat. The two sides were engaged in a fierce verbal battle, discussing Buddhist principles.

Originally, the four of them took turns speaking, quoting classics and historical texts, but they gradually fell into a disadvantageous position, and their expressions became increasingly solemn.

The monk in the brocade robe remained calm, offering only one argument, his tone carrying a hint of compassion yet concealing an undeniable authority:
"Buddhism emphasizes cause and effect, the equality of all beings, and the importance of giving up. Only by letting go of attachments can one escape the sea of ​​suffering. Yet you masters cling to your prejudices, treating your martial arts as private property, preferring to let your exquisite skills be lost with the passage of time rather than revealing even a fraction of them to outsiders. Is this the magnanimity a Buddhist disciple should possess?"

Master Benyin clasped his hands together and retorted in a deep voice, "The Imperial Preceptor is mistaken. Martial arts have nothing to do with Buddhist principles; they are techniques for self-defense and defense. Even the Buddha said that the Dharma should not be lightly passed on. The martial arts of Tianlong Temple have an orderly lineage and must be taught to those with upright hearts and excellent aptitude. It is by no means something we keep to ourselves. If it is rashly passed on to outsiders, it will fall into the hands of villains and only bring disaster to the martial arts world, which would be contrary to the compassionate heart of Buddhism."

"The law should not be lightly transmitted, not that it should not be transmitted."

The monk in brocade robes chuckled, his gaze sweeping over Elder Kurong, who was facing the wall. "Master Kurong has been meditating for decades; he must know that martial arts can also be a means of helping people. Tianlong Temple monopolizes martial arts, watching helplessly as martial arts in the martial world gradually declines. Isn't that a kind of obsession?"

Ku Rong practiced silent meditation and did not answer.

Master Benguan frowned and interjected, "The Imperial Preceptor is confusing right and wrong. The level of martial arts depends on the practitioner's own comprehension and character, and has nothing to do with whether it is passed down or not. Today, you have trespassed into the forbidden area of ​​Tianlong Temple and taken your nephew hostage. It is not to discuss Buddhist principles. I'm afraid you have other intentions."

The monk in brocade robes bent down and gently patted the cheek of the young man at his feet. His fingertips controlled the force with exquisite precision, neither harming the man nor threatening him.

Changing the subject, he glanced at the four senior monks of the Ben generation and offered them bait:
"Master, you are wise. This humble monk only wishes to have a proper 'discussion' with Tianlong Temple."

"All martial arts under heaven originated from Shaolin. This humble monk is willing to exchange the essence of Shaolin's Seventy-Two Ultimate Skills for the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual. What do you say?"

He only said half of what he meant; the unconscious Duan Yu at his feet was also one of his bargaining chips.

With Duan Yu in hand, the high monks of Tianlong Temple dared not attack him as a group.

Moreover, as the national preceptor of Tibet, and with Dali being weaker than Tibet, Dali would never dare to easily start a war with Tibet. This position made him even more fearless.

When Kumārajīva revealed his true purpose, the temperature in the meditation room plummeted.

Benyin, Benguan, and the other three's expressions changed slightly, the speed at which they turned their prayer beads slowed, and their gazes all turned to Elder Kurong, who was facing the wall.

Duan Zhengming, standing outside the door, frowned and could only shake his head helplessly.

"The Imperial Advisor is too late; the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual has long been lost."

A deep, resonant voice broke the silence. Elder Kurong, who had been practicing silent meditation for thirteen years, finally spoke. His figure remained motionless, facing the wall, but his voice penetrated every corner of the meditation room.

"hehe."

"The Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual is lost? Master, please don't deceive me. My patience is limited. If this drags on any longer, I may not be able to guarantee the safety of this Young Master Duan."

Kumārajīva chuckled softly. He leaned down and pressed down on the back of Duan Yu's neck, releasing a slight burst of internal energy from his fingertips. The unconscious Duan Yu's brows furrowed suddenly, as if he were enduring excruciating pain.

"Please be at ease, benefactor."

Ku Rong spoke calmly, with a hint of barely concealed guilt, “About thirteen years ago, a man broke into Tianlong Temple, specifically seeking the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual. At that time, my senior brother was still alive. That man wagered three martial arts techniques on us, inviting my brother and me to fight.” “He stated that if we won, the three techniques would belong to Tianlong Temple; if we lost, the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual would have to be handed over to him.”

Ku Rong paused, his voice tinged with regret, "My senior brother and I were initially reluctant to agree, but when we caught a glimpse of the fragments of those three cultivation techniques, we became greedy and ultimately accepted the bet."

"The two of us joined forces and activated our Zen skills with all our might, but we couldn't even last ten moves against that person..."

"The sword manual naturally fell into his hands. My senior brother knew that he had lost the ancestral sword technique because of greed. He was filled with remorse and was also injured by that person's residual force. He passed away ten years ago. I punished myself by practicing silent meditation, and I sat there for thirteen years."

"Even now, thinking back on it still makes me shudder. That person's martial arts skills were completely different from all the masters in the martial arts world today."

The story was told in a very concise manner. A look of surprise flashed in Kumārajīva's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and asked, "What's different?"

Ku Rong slowly said, "He doesn't use true qi."

"Heh, not using true qi?"

"Master, you're probably making a fuss over nothing. Perhaps you just didn't notice the unusual kind of internal energy that they're cultivating. In the martial world, there's no way to defeat an enemy without using internal energy."

Kumārajīva scoffed. He had traveled throughout the martial arts world and found that all the masters he encountered relied on their inner energy to power their martial arts, so he did not believe it at all.

Ku Rong offered no further explanation, closed his eyes slightly, and fell silent once more, his Zen-like aura growing stronger, as if he were unwilling to mention the matter again.

The atmosphere in the meditation room froze instantly. Kumārajīva stood there, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the edge of his robe.

He also knew that a high-ranking monk of Kurong's generation would never lie about such a matter, and for a moment he didn't know how to end the situation.

After a moment's thought, he asked again, "What kind of technique did that person use to move Master and your senior brother so much?"

"The Three Martial Arts of the Free and Unfettered Sect".

"The Northern Darkness Divine Art, the Lingbo Steps, and the White Rainbow Palm Technique," Ku Rong stated bluntly.

These words shocked everyone inside and outside the meditation room.

Some of the older monks in the temple vaguely knew about what happened back then, but had never learned the details of the technique. Now, upon hearing that it was a unique skill of the Xiaoyao Sect, they were all shocked.

The Xiaoyao Sect has been in seclusion for many years. Its martial arts are exquisite and unparalleled. It is said that the Beiming Divine Skill can absorb people's internal energy, and the Lingbo Weibu is the number one lightness skill in the world, enough to tempt any martial artist.

"Hehe, it really is the Free and Unfettered Martial Arts, it's the Free and Unfettered Martial Arts again."

Kumārajīva muttered to himself, a burning light flashing in his eyes, before he fell into deep thought again.

With the sword manual lost, the significance of holding Duan Yu hostage was greatly reduced, but he was still unwilling to return empty-handed.

"Since the Imperial Advisor is here, how about we have a duel?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Chen Zhan leading Gu Yu into the meditation room, his expression calm and his steps light.

When Kumārajīva saw who it was, his pupils contracted sharply, his inner energy became chaotic, and he couldn't help but take a half step back. He instinctively tried to turn around and run away.

The scene on Taihu Lake is still vivid in my mind. Chen Zhan's martial arts skills were strange and terrifying, far exceeding anything I had ever seen in my life.

Ding Chunqiu and Murong Bo are both masters who are no weaker than him.

Dante Chunqiu couldn't last three moves against him!
But as soon as he took a step, he realized that his retreat was blocked by an invisible aura.

Looking outside the door, Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun were already on guard, with ambushes in front and pursuers behind.

Kumārajīva's eyes hardened, and he grabbed Duan Yu's neck with his backhand, shielding him in front of him. He gathered his true energy at his fingertips and shouted sharply, "You've also come to rescue Young Master Duan? So you're from the Duan family!"

Chen Zhan chuckled softly, his gaze sweeping over Duan Yu's pale face. "Does Duan Yu still need saving? The cold poison in his body is accumulating, and he doesn't have many days left."

He paused, then added, "I am not a member of the Duan family either."

These words struck like a thunderbolt. Duan Zhengchun staggered, ignoring any attempts to stop him, and tried to rush into the meditation room: "What did you say? My son's cold poison..."

"Zhengchun!"

Duan Zhengming reached out and grabbed his arm tightly, his grip heavy and forceful. "Don't be impulsive!"

“Kumārajīva’s fingertips still contain condensed true energy. If you rush in like this, he only needs to release his true energy, and Duan Yu will die immediately.”

Chen Zhan turned to look at Kumārajīva: "Grand Preceptor, there's no need to be nervous. Why don't you hear my terms first? Regardless of the outcome of the duel, I promise I will not harm your life. What do you say?"

The wariness in Kumārajīva's eyes lessened slightly.

Top martial arts masters are known for keeping their promises and rarely breaking them. Since Chen Zhan has said this, he probably won't go back on his word.

He slowly withdrew the true energy from his fingertips and said in a deep voice, "Please speak, sir."

"Let's make a bet, limited to three moves."

"If the Imperial Preceptor can withstand three moves without being defeated, I will give you the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual and the remaining martial arts of the Free and Unfettered Sect. You can take them all. How about it?" Chen Zhan said confidently.

Kumārajīva narrowed his eyes slightly: "Does Your Excellency mean that the Six Meridians Divine Sword Manual is currently on your person?"

Whether it counts as my responsibility depends on whether the Imperial Advisor has the ability to claim it.

Chen Zhan smiled and turned to Gu Yu, instructing, "Gu Yu, go to the side hall and draw the sword manual. Use these two techniques as a deposit to show the Imperial Preceptor your sincerity."

After saying that, he turned his hand and took out two thread-bound secret manuals from his bosom.

These two books, "Bei Ming Divine Skill" and "Ling Bo Wei Bu", were found in the back mountain of Wuliang during the Frostfall period.

With a flick of his wrist, the two books flew towards Kumārajīva in two arcs.

Kumārajīva slightly turned his body and steadily caught the manual, his fingertips touching the pages with a bit more caution.

He opened the first page of "The Northern Darkness Divine Art" with some skepticism, and his pupils contracted slightly after just a glance.

The methods of circulating qi and the acupoint diagrams recorded in the manual were exquisite and could not be faked. He flipped through two more pages of "Lingbo Weibu" and became more and more shocked as he read.

What if I lose?

Kumārajīva closed the manual, his tone much more serious than before. With such a great benefit in front of him, he dared not be careless.

"If the Imperial Advisor loses, these two secret manuals will be yours."

Chen Zhan said calmly, "You just need to do something for me when I return to Tibet."

"What's the matter?"

"The various Tibetan tribes have launched an attack on Western Xia." Chen Zhan spoke each word clearly and distinctly, reaching the ears of everyone present.

"Um???"

Upon hearing this, the meditation room fell into a deathly silence.

Duan Zhengming froze, his brows furrowed, and his eyes widened in astonishment. He had originally thought it was just a martial arts duel between the martial world, but it had actually involved a war between two countries, which was far beyond the scope of martial arts matters.

(End of this chapter)