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

Chen Zhan originally intended to find an inn to stay in and then secretly investigate Wu Xingyun's whereabouts, since the people from Lingjiu Palace might not make a big fuss about infiltrating Xingqing Prefecture.

But as soon as they stepped into the southern neighborhood of the city, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted.

"boom!!!"

The loud noise came from the direction of Chengtian Temple, and flames shot into the sky instantly, dyeing half of the night sky red.

The sounds of bricks shattering and soldiers shouting in alarm followed one after another, plunging the once tranquil capital into chaos.

The patrolling soldiers turned around and ran towards the fire, the sounds of armor rubbing together, horses' hooves clattering, and shouts mingling in the air.

“It was Wu Xingyun.” Chen Zhan’s eyes narrowed, and he knew without a doubt who was behind it.

Apart from this Lingjiu Palace Master, no one dared to be so blatant in the heart of the Western Xia capital. She must have found traces of Li Qiushui or Yipintang and couldn't help but make the first move.

She will certainly not stay still in Western Xia, and this is not the first time she has come to Western Xia to look for Li Qiushui; she has come several times without success.

But this time is different. Before, she had to deal with all the experts of Western Xia by herself, but this time she has Chen Zhan as a powerful ally.

Gu Yu tensed up, ready to act: "Master, shall we go take a look?"

The two figures moved swiftly, stealthily moving under the shadows of the houses, avoiding the fleeing soldiers, and sped towards Chengtian Temple.

Chengtian Temple held a similar status to Tianlong Temple in the Western Xia Dynasty. The difference was that one was built on Diancang Mountain and stayed away from worldly affairs, while the other was near the imperial palace and belonged to the royal forbidden area.

The common people rushed out, and the soldiers rushed in, their movements hurried.

Under the cover of darkness, the two walked on the rooftops, unnoticed by anyone.

Soon we arrived at Chengtian Temple, where collapsed temples and scattered bricks and stones could be seen along the way.

In the firelight, a blue figure could be vaguely seen darting about, his palm strikes sharp and fierce, causing Western Xia soldiers to fall wherever he went; it was Wu Xingyun.

Her inner energy surged, her green robe fluttered, and the palm technique in her hand was the White Rainbow Palm Force of the Free and Unfettered Sect. Her inner energy twisted and turned as she pleased, avoiding the siege of the experts from the First-Class Hall and heading straight for the main hall of Chengtian Temple.

Outside the Chengtian Temple, several Western Xia monks dressed in robes stood side by side, their palms swirling with power, forming an encirclement with the surrounding men in black, trapping a petite figure in the middle.

The figure looked to be no more than ten years old, with her hair styled in two buns and her face as tender as a little girl's. It was none other than Wu Xingyun, who had rejuvenated herself.

"This is the third time! We absolutely cannot let her get away this time!"

A man in black robes, wielding a crescent-shaped blade, shouted and cursed, his blade flashing with a cold light as he slashed towards Wu Xingyun's face. His moves were ruthless and each strike was deadly.

Wu Xingyun sneered. His figure appeared slender, but his palm strikes were incredibly powerful. With a flick of his wrist, he forcefully shattered the blade energy.

The true energy at his fingertips was like needles, striking the opponent's vital point in the heart. Upon contact, the black-robed man's body was torn to pieces, and blood splattered everywhere.

"Where is that bitch Li Qiushui hiding? Tell her to come out and see me!"

Her hatred for Li Qiushui ran deep, and she traveled even faster than Chen Zhan, sneaking into Xingqing Prefecture several days earlier.

For three consecutive nights, she wreaked havoc wherever she went, targeting temples and strongholds controlled by the Western Xia royal family, all in an effort to force Li Qiushui to show herself.

However, Li Qiushui had long resided in the deep palace of Western Xia, holding a prestigious position, and would not easily show herself because of a few shouts.

Before the cursing had even subsided, more men in black and monks poured out of the temple, surrounding Wu Xingyun in layers, making it impossible for him to get through.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound came from above, and a large golden net, filled with barbs, swooped down with a sharp force. It was clearly a trap that had been set in advance, just waiting for Wu Xingyun to take the bait.

Seeing this, Gu Yu gathered her true energy at her fingertips and was about to step forward to help, but Chen Zhan raised his hand and pressed her down.

"Not urgent."

Chen Zhan said calmly, "Wu Xingyun has been able to roam the martial world for decades and build the Lingjiu Palace. How could she be so easy to capture? Li Qiushui knows the weaknesses of her techniques well. She couldn't control her even with the previous two attempts at rejuvenation. Today's methods are not enough."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a large golden net was already covering his head.

With a light touch of her toes, Wu Xingyun unleashed the unpredictable Lingbo Weibu (a martial arts technique), her steps tracing the nine palaces and eight trigrams, her figure like a butterfly flitting among flowers. In an instant, she broke free from the net's coverage and silently slipped into the shadows.

The four men in black, who were lying in ambush at the four corners and controlling the golden wire mesh, were all taken aback, and their faces relaxed.

The same thing happened to Wu Xingyun the previous two nights. He slaughtered a group of Xixia experts, and when he saw that Li Qiushui did not show up, he did not linger in the fight and turned to leave.

They assumed that the same mistake would happen again this time.

"what--!"

A piercing scream suddenly rang out from the southeast corner, followed by three more cries of pain.

Each of the four men in black was struck in the palm of his hand, and their bodies flew out from the corner like kites with broken strings, crashing heavily at the entrance of Chengtian Hall. Their breaths stopped instantly, and they didn't even have time to struggle.

"Watch out! She's still here!"

The leading old monk at the entrance of Chengtian Hall chanted a Buddhist prayer in a low voice, clasped his hands together, and pushed forward. The powerful palm force transformed into a wave of air, slamming into the night sky.

Wu Xingyun's figure suddenly appeared in the night sky, his palms meeting the old monk's palm strike.

A muffled thud.

The old monk staggered back more than ten steps, falling into the hall. His face kept changing color, from white to red, then from red to green. Finally, a mouthful of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, staining his monk's robe.

"It's the Six Yang Palms of Tianshan!"

The old monk, panting heavily, exclaimed in horror, "She has mastered this palm technique to perfection; a single strike can unleash six layers of force!"

Before he finished speaking, Wu Xingyun had already leaped into the crowd.

Dozens of Western Xia experts surrounded a little girl who looked to be only ten years old. It looked impressive, but in reality, it was a one-sided massacre.

Her palms flew, switching freely between the fierce power of the Tianshan Six Yang Palms and the agility of the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand. No matter whether the opponent parried with weapons or resisted with fists and feet, as long as they were touched by her fingertips, they would either die or be crippled, their weapons and bones would be broken.

In just a short while, the entrance to Chengtian Hall was filled with corpses, blood flowing through the cracks in the bluestone slabs, and a strong stench of blood permeated the air.

Upon seeing this, the Western Xia soldiers surrounding the perimeter all showed fear, yet dared not retreat.

The commanding general gritted his teeth and growled, "Fire the arrows!"

Arrows rained down on Wu Xingyun with a sharp whistling sound.

She sneered, her figure advancing instead of retreating, her feet moving with light, graceful steps, her toes brushing against the arrows' sharp edges, dodging and weaving through the rain of arrows, and in an instant she reached the entrance of Chengtian Palace.

Wu Xingyun lightly touched the threshold with his toes and stepped into the hall. With a sweep of his palm, the hall door creaked shut, effectively shutting out the rain of arrows.

The remaining experts inside the hall were already timid, and upon seeing this, they scrambled to squeeze deeper into the hall, fearing they would be caught in the crossfire.

But seeing the palace doors about to close, the group was unwilling to give up and slammed their palms down—"Bang!"

The wooden door shattered with a crash, sending splinters flying. The crowd seized the opportunity to rush into the hall, but dared not approach Wu Xingyun rashly.

Gu Yu on the roof whispered, "Wu Xingyun's palm technique is becoming increasingly fierce. If Li Qiushui continues to hide, these experts from Xixia won't be able to hold out for long." Chen Zhan's gaze fell on the eaves of Chengtian Hall, his tone calm yet precise: "Li Qiushui is hard to say, but Xixia shouldn't only have this many experts."

He paused, glancing at the mess inside the hall, "This Chengtian Temple is the royal temple of the Western Xia Dynasty. Wu Xingyun's destruction of this place is a slap in the face to the Western Xia royal family."

As he predicted, things turned out just as he had expected.

Inside the hall, Wu Xingyun continued his rampage, his palms flying, shattering the bronze body of the Buddha statue, splitting the offering table, scattering bricks and tiles all over the ground, and filling the air with the stench of blood mixed with the fragrance of incense.

While Chen Zhan and his apprentice were secretly observing, steady footsteps came from the backyard of Chengtian Temple. They seemed slow, but they arrived at the entrance of the main hall in just a few steps.

The visitor was an old monk with lowered eyebrows and downcast eyes. His hair and beard were all white, and his body was hunched over. He looked like he was nearing seventy and about to die.

He stood at the entrance of the hall and murmured a Buddhist chant: "Amitabha. Your martial arts skills look familiar. Hmm, are you that girl from back then? What a coincidence. We have no enmity with the Free and Unfettered Sect, so why are you so angry and destroying the temple?"

The Buddhist chants, imbued with profound spiritual energy, resonated in the ears of everyone in the hall, creating a buzzing sound.

The previously boiling killing intent was suppressed by this serene aura, and everyone felt inexplicably at peace.

Wu Xingyun was also slightly affected; his palm strike paused slightly, and he turned to look at the old monk.

The old monk stood in the light and shadow, his aura as clear as a stream, truly possessing the demeanor of a high-ranking Buddhist monk untouched by worldly dust.

With a light, swift movement, she shrugged off the people around her like a ghost and instantly stood in front of the old monk.

As the pursuers were about to close in, the old monk raised his hand and waved it lightly: "Stop."

An invisible field quietly spread out, and the monks and the black-robed man behind them seemed to be stuck in a quagmire. Their steps faltered, and no matter how hard they tried, they could not get any closer to Wu Xingyun. Their faces were full of horror.

"Benefactor, may we talk?" The old monk's tone was calm, without a trace of hostility.

Wu Xingyun stared at the old monk, feeling a sense of familiarity in his features, but he couldn't recall where he had seen him before.

The old monk saw through her confusion and slowly said, "I saw you back then. You were less than ten years old and were learning martial arts from Xiaoyaozi at Xiaoyao Temple. Nearly a hundred years have passed since then. The world has changed so much that it's normal that you don't remember me."

Upon hearing the words "Xiaoyao Temple," Wu Xingyun's expression changed drastically.

This name comes from the private Taoist temple where Xiaoyaozi taught his skills back then. Very few people in the world know about it, and even Li Qiushui may not remember it.

Li Qiushui was even younger back then.

"Stop playing tricks on me!"

Wu Xingyun gathered true energy in his palm and said sharply, "If you really knew my master, you should have turned to dust long ago!"

She then realized something was wrong. More than eighty years had passed; even if she had been a young adult back then, there was no way she would have survived to this day. The age simply didn't match.

"Amitabha."

The old monk lowered his eyes and sighed softly, his tone frank, "This humble monk is indeed nearing the end of his life, unable to break through to the next realm, and his remaining days are numbered. In terms of age, I am now exactly one hundred and thirty years old."

He seemed to be able to see into people's hearts, and he answered all the questions that Wu Xingyun had not yet asked.

Wu Xingyun's heart trembled, but the true energy at his fingertips did not dissipate. He said in a deep voice, "So you mean that you really have a past relationship with my master, Xiaoyaozi?"

"Yes."

The old monk nodded, his tone tinged with shame. “Nearly a hundred years ago, I debated the two schools of Buddhism and Taoism with Master Xiaoyaozi, and ultimately lost to him. But even so, it was merely a debate on the Tao, not an enmity. Your actions of destroying my Chengtian Temple and massacring the monks are truly unnecessary.”

Gu Yu asked in surprise and doubt, "Is it really possible for someone to live to be 130 years old?"

Chen Zhan nodded: "It's not difficult to live to 130, but it's difficult to maintain one's vitality and martial arts skills after 100. There are only a handful of martial arts techniques in the world, such as the Withering and Flourishing Zen Technique and the Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Supreme Technique."

"Another possibility is that it's an evil practice."

Gu Yu nodded in agreement: "Would Wu Xingyun give his master face and temporarily stop?"

Chen Zhan remained silent, but Wu Xingyun said, "Heh, let's discuss the Dao. My grudge with Li Qiushui is none of your business, nor is it any of Chengtian Temple's business. Make her come out, or I will demolish all the temples in this Western Xia today!"

The old monk frowned slightly, his aura gradually becoming more profound, and the originally clear Buddhist light gained a touch of majesty:
“Your obsession is too deep. Li Qiushui is indeed in the deep palace, but at this time she is the Empress Dowager of Western Xia, and this old monk cannot command her.”

"Then knowing my master won't help! Don't blame me for being impolite!"

Wu Xingyun sneered, his palms flying, and the scorching power of the Tianshan Six Yang Palm suddenly burst forth, with six layers of energy stacked upon each other, directly striking the old monk's face.

The old monk chanted a Buddhist prayer in a low voice, clasped his hands together in greeting, and a faint golden Buddhist light emanated from his body. He actually took the thunderous blow head-on with his own body.

With a muffled "bang!", a shockwave swept through the entire hall, sending fragments of the remaining Buddha statues, bricks, and tiles flying into the air.

The old monk stood motionless, while Wu Xingyun was knocked back three steps by the force of the impact, his toes scraping deep marks on the bluestone slab, his chest heaving with blood and qi.

"Hehe, the old monk's skill is indeed profound. Let's try again!"

Wu Xingyun's eyes blazed with fighting spirit. He unleashed both palms simultaneously. One was the Tianshan Six Yang Palm, fierce and unparalleled, while the other was the Tianshan Plum Blossom Hand, agile and cunning. The combination of strength and gentleness aimed directly at the old monk's vital points.

The old monk chanted the Buddha's name again, and his body shone with golden light. His profound true energy spread out and surged into every corner of the hall like a tide.

"Thump—! Thump—!"

Two muffled thuds, like the striking of a bell, made everyone's eardrums ache.

Wu Xingyun staggered back several steps before barely managing to steady himself, his qi and blood already in disarray.

The old monk immediately withdrew his domain, and the monks and black-robed men around him swarmed forward, brandishing their swords and blades to attack Wu Xingyun.

Her gaze sharpened, and her inner energy surged forth without reservation, unleashing all the power she had cultivated over ninety years. With a deafening boom, a shockwave erupted, sending everyone nearby flying and crashing heavily against the palace walls, instantly losing consciousness.

Only a shadowy figure, using the shockwave as cover, darted like a ghost to Wu Xingyun's side, moving so fast that no one except Chen Zhan noticed it.

A slender, jade-like hand, brimming with fine, wispy inner energy, broke through Wu Xingyun's chaotic protective aura and gently touched her back.

"puff--!"

Wu Xingyun spat out a mouthful of blood, which flew several meters away. His body flew dozens of meters like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the broken Buddha statue and stirring up a cloud of dust.

"Hehehe, senior sister, you're getting more and more careless."

A soft, teasing laugh rang out, its silvery sound piercing through the mess in the hall.

Li Qiushui slowly stepped out of the shadows, dressed in black, indistinguishable from the warriors of the Western Xia First-Class Hall. She had already blended into the crowd, waiting for this opportune moment to launch a sneak attack.

Wu Xingyun struggled in the ruins for a long time before slowly getting up, supporting himself on the broken arm of the Buddha statue.

Strands of hair clung to his blood-stained cheeks, his clothes were torn, and a bloody hole had been pierced from his back to his chest by his inner energy, blood gushing out and staining most of his clothes red. Yet he still stared intently at Li Qiushui, his eyes almost overflowing with hatred.

"Senior sister has been looking for me for so long, here I am." (End of Chapter)