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

The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Song Dynasty and the martial arts world in just a few days. Everyone knew about it.

This is too shocking, too astonishing.

Shaolin is the foremost of the three major Buddhist sects and the pinnacle of the martial arts world, and it has long been known as "the origin of all martial arts under heaven."

With its immense power and deep-rooted foundation, no one had ever dared to so openly slaughter Shaolin in the past thousand years, nor had anyone been able to completely destroy Shaolin.

But now, Shaolin is gone.

All the eminent monks of the Xuan generation died tragically, and the back mountain became a living hell.

This news, like a thunderclap, exploded in both the martial arts world and the imperial court, shocking everyone who was still reeling from it.

But this catastrophe did not end there.

Three days later, Guangyuan Temple, one of the three major Buddhist sects, was broken into by the Demon Lord Xuanyang alone. All the high monks in the temple were slaughtered, the halls were burned, and Guangyuan Temple was completely destroyed.

Seven days later, the last of the three major schools of Buddhism, the Huayan school, met the same fate.

The Demon Lord Xuanyang went alone as before, and his actions were ruthless. He slaughtered eminent monks, destroyed temples, and the Huayan Sect was wiped out.

Thus, all three major schools of Buddhism were destroyed.

The temple was destroyed, its masters were slaughtered, and its thousand-year-old foundation was wiped out in an instant.

Of course, some monks were lucky enough to escape and survive this catastrophe.

But these monks who escaped were ultimately just lucky. Very few of them were true disciples or high-ranking monks of the sect. Most of them were outer disciples, junior monks, or ordinary monks who had not committed any evil deeds.

Even if they escape, they will never be able to rebuild the three major schools of Buddhism.

Buddhism exists in name only.

After this battle, Buddhism was completely destroyed and could no longer rely on its power to act recklessly and exploit the people within the Song Dynasty.

The influence of Buddhism has completely dissipated in both the martial arts world and the imperial court.

All of this commotion was caused by the Demon Lord Xuanyang.

Before each massacre, he would send a simple visiting card with only a few words on it.

Xuan Yang, persecuted Buddhism.

Over time, the name "Xuanyang Demon Lord" spread throughout the world, becoming the most terrifying existence in the hearts of martial arts practitioners.

But who exactly is the Demon Lord Xuanyang?

Why were they so determined to destroy Buddhism? No one can say for sure.

Some say he is the reincarnation of an ancient ferocious beast, some say he is a reclusive martial arts master, and some say he is an assassin sent by the imperial court.

There are many different opinions, but there is still no definitive answer.

Such a momentous event could not possibly go unnoticed by the imperial court.

In the capital city, in the imperial court.

The civil and military officials were discussing the matter animatedly, their expressions solemn.

Many officials who had colluded with or received favors from Buddhism submitted memorials requesting Emperor Zhao Xu to dispatch the Dragon God Guards to suppress the Xuan Yang Demon Lord and restore justice to Buddhism.

Some even went so far as to request that Zhao Qingtan personally take action to capture and kill this wicked demon.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingtan, standing at the head of all the officials, smiled faintly, his laughter cool and detached.
"Capture and kill?"

"Hehehe..."

She chuckled lightly, her gaze sweeping over the assembled civil and military officials. Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Do you, my lords, know what the Demon Lord Xuanyang has been doing all these years, having destroyed Shaolin, Guangyuan Temple, and Huayan Sect?"

Upon hearing this, the officials fell silent, their expressions varied.

Those officials who colluded with the Buddhist sect showed some panic on their faces and dared not meet Zhao Qingtan's gaze.

Zhao Qingtan had naturally discussed this matter with the young emperor Zhao Xu long ago.

The reason why the imperial court has not taken control of Buddhism in the past year or two, allowing it to exert influence in the court and exploit the people, is not because it is powerless to control it, but because Zhao Qingtan deliberately did so.

She wanted to drive Buddhism to utter madness before its destruction, exposing all its evil deeds and collecting all the evidence of its crimes.

Only in this way can the suppression of Buddhism be justified, silence public opinion, and completely eliminate the influence of Buddhism in the court and among the people.

Then, Zhao Qingtan waved her hand, and the guards behind her placed stacks of evidence that had been collected beforehand in front of the officials.

There are slave contracts, land deeds, and head deeds forcing people to sign by Shaolin Temple to seize land; there are accounts of the three major Buddhist sects exploiting the people and making huge profits; there is evidence of their collusion with corrupt officials and tax evasion...

Faced with this overwhelming evidence, none of the officials dared to speak.

Emperor Zhao Xu sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze majestic as he swept over the officials and said in a deep voice: "The three Buddhist sects have committed numerous evils, exploited the people, harmed the innocent, colluded with corrupt officials, and evaded taxes. They deserve to die a thousand deaths."

"Although the methods used by the Demon Lord Xuanyang to destroy Buddhism were ruthless, they could be considered as acting on behalf of Heaven and eliminating harm for the people."

As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately issued an order: "Issue my decree that the court shall fully cooperate with the suppression of Buddhism, order the destruction of all Buddhist temples in the country, and order all monks to return to secular life, return to the common people, and pass on their family traditions of farming and studying."

"All land, property, land deeds, and deeds for persons under the name of Buddhism shall be confiscated and returned to the people, so that those oppressed people may regain their freedom and their land."

"According to the order!"

All the civil and military officials accepted the decree in unison, and no one dared to object.

The imperial edict caused a sensation throughout the land.

Officials in various regions acted on imperial orders, destroying Buddhist temples, forcing monks to return to secular life, and restoring land and personal freedom to the people.

A campaign to suppress Buddhism, spearheaded by the imperial court, unfolded across the Song Dynasty.

Chen Zhan, who instigated this catastrophe, has now returned to Zhongnan Mountain.

On Zhongnan Mountain, Huang Tingjiao stood.

The characters “Huang Ting” are homophones of “Huang Ting”.

Martial arts sects have always avoided using the names of the imperial family, fearing it would bring them death, but Chen Zhan didn't care at all.

He founded the Huangting Sect himself, and had no intention of relying on the court or currying favor with the royal family. Naturally, he did not need to humiliate himself for a mere title.

Chen Zhan stayed in the sect for several years, never getting involved in the conflicts of the martial world again, and lived a peaceful and tranquil life.

On ordinary days, he would occasionally guide his disciples in practicing martial arts, correct their deviations in moves, and impart the essence of his own martial arts techniques to them without reservation.

In his spare time, he would go down the mountain to wander around. When he saw any displaced orphans at the foot of the mountain, he would bring them back to the sect one by one, provide them with food and clothing, teach them to read and practice martial arts, and treat them all equally.

Huang Tingjiao's reputation gradually began to show its prowess in the martial arts world.

It wasn't because of Chen Zhan's reputation, but because of the team that had once been part of the Twenty-Four Towers.

Shuangjiang, Guyu, and others traveled the world, helping the needy and punishing the wicked, making a name for themselves.

They acted discreetly, specializing in eliminating scoundrels, bullies, and treacherous officials in the martial arts world. Over time, the name "Huangting Sect" gained some fame.

When a whale falls, all things are born.

The destruction of the three major Buddhist sects was like the fall of a giant whale, and the profound martial arts techniques that were once monopolized by Buddhism gradually flowed into the martial arts world.

There are scattered Buddhist martial arts manuals that have been obtained by people in the martial arts world.

The true essence of martial arts found in Taoist scriptures has been diligently studied by people.

Even some of the Murong family's martial arts techniques were leaked and circulated in the martial arts world.

Various martial arts techniques circulated and merged among different schools. Martial artists compared the techniques they learned with those of their own schools, learning from each other's strengths and compensating for their weaknesses, thus improving their martial arts skills. The major schools, once suppressed by Buddhism, finally saw their day of reckoning.

The Beggars' Sect remains the largest sect in the martial arts world, with immense power and disciples all over the land.

Many sects, such as Emei, Huashan, Taishan, and Qingcheng, have emerged, recruiting disciples, expanding their influence, and studying martial arts, creating a situation of diverse schools of thought contending.

Everyone remembers that when Buddhism was at its peak, almost only the Beggars' Sect could rival Buddhism and make a faint voice in the entire Central Plains martial arts world.

The other sects were all suppressed by Buddhism, making no impact whatsoever, and their lineages were almost lost.

Meanwhile, the Xingxiu Sect in Xingxiu Sea and the Lingjiu Palace in Tianshan, among other unorthodox sects, took advantage of the gaps to seize the main voice in the martial arts world, committing numerous evils and harming the people.

Ultimately, it all boils down to advanced martial arts skills, which are concentrated in the hands of the three major Buddhist sects, a few major schools, and large families.

Small sects lack proper martial arts traditions. If they want to establish themselves in the martial arts world and forge their own path, they must produce exceptionally talented disciples who can independently study and create their own martial arts.

Otherwise, they can only survive in the cracks.

If Chen Zhan hadn't intervened to break this monopoly...

Perhaps the martial arts world of the Central Plains will remain silent for several more decades before it can truly be reborn.

That is indeed the case, according to the original historical trajectory.

Decades later, Emperor Huizong ordered the compilation of the "Wanshou Daozang" (Taoist Canon for Longevity), and appointed the civil official Huang Shang to be responsible for proofreading and printing the book.

During the years that Huang Shang spent organizing Taoist classics, he devoted himself to studying them and comprehended the true essence of martial arts from the Taoist scriptures. He then practiced on his own and became a master of martial arts.

He eventually wrote a legendary book that shocked the martial arts world – the Nine Yin Manual.

After Huang Shang had lived in seclusion for decades, another martial arts prodigy emerged in the martial arts world.

He roamed the martial world for over thirty years, slaying all his enemies and defeating all heroes, leaving no one in the land who could stand against him.

Ultimately, feeling lonely and helpless, he could only retreat to a deep valley, befriending eagles and calling himself Dugu Qiubai (meaning "the one who seeks defeat").

But these are all stories from the following century.

Now, only five years have passed since Chen Zhan persecuted Buddhism.

In the past five years, the martial arts world in the Central Plains has undergone earth-shattering changes.

Various sects, large and small, were established one after another. Extraordinary people emerged in the martial arts world, creating a vibrant and dynamic scene.

Besides the major righteous sects, there are also many wandering knights who are not affiliated with any sect. They accidentally obtain martial arts opportunities, learn excellent martial arts skills, roam the world, enjoy their grudges and make a name for themselves.

As the martial arts world develops rapidly, conflicts and battles are inevitable.

But unlike in the past, there have been no more large-scale massacres.

Under the rules set by the imperial court, the Dragon Guards oversee the entire realm. Zhao Qingtan's authority permeates the court and the martial world, deterring anyone from acting recklessly or openly provoking large-scale conflicts within the martial world and disturbing the peace of the realm.

Of course, feuds and killings among martial arts practitioners are inevitable. These are grudges between martial arts practitioners. As long as they do not affect the common people or harm the interests of the Song Dynasty, the imperial court will not intervene and will let them settle their own scores.

However, if anyone dares to take advantage of the conflicts in the martial arts world to collude with foreign enemies and damage the territory and interests of the Song Dynasty, then they are making an enemy of the imperial court.

Their only fate will be to die without a burial place.

A year ago, a sect harbored wicked intentions and secretly colluded with Tibetan monks from the Western Regions.

The Tibetan monks, though seemingly practitioners from the Western Regions, actually had intricate connections with the former Tibetan tribes.

They secretly provided this sect with martial arts techniques and financial support, attempting to use the sect's name to gradually enter the Central Plains and secretly develop their power.

This matter was quickly discovered by the Dragon God Guards.

Zhao Qingtan ordered the entire Dragon God Guard to be mobilized to arrest everyone in the sect and imprison them.

Within the sect, all those who knew the truth, and all the disciples who colluded with the Tibetan monks, were executed on the spot, without exception.

This incident caused a huge shock in the martial arts world and served as a warning to all martial arts practitioners.

Anyone who dares to collude with foreign enemies and harm the Song Dynasty will suffer this fate.

Time flies.

Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

During these five years, the power of the Song Dynasty grew stronger day by day, and its territory expanded once again. The surrounding tribes were all intimidated by the power of the Song Dynasty and bowed down to pay tribute and worship, daring not to make the slightest move.

The world is at peace, the people live and work in contentment, the court is efficient and just, and the world is orderly—a scene of great prosperity.

At the summit of Zhongnan Mountain, the snow is pristine white, and the cold wind howls. The entire mountain is covered in pure white snow, resembling a fairyland.

Chen Zhan has already handed over the position of the next leader of the Huangting Sect to Shuangjiang.

Frostfall is calm, steady, thorough, courageous, resourceful, and not impulsive or impatient, making him the most suitable person to lead the Yellow Court Teachings.

He also left the two relics to Huang Tingjiao's disciples.

The relics contain the life force and cultivation of many Shaolin monks, including Xuan Nan, Xuan Ci, and the Sweeper Monk. If the disciples can study them diligently and utilize the power within the relics, they can more quickly improve their martial arts skills and solidify the foundation of the Huangting Sect.

He also wrote down all his martial arts skills and knowledge, compiling them into a martial arts manual, which he entrusted to the sect for safekeeping, so that future generations of disciples could pass it down from generation to generation.

Now I have no more worries in my heart.

The only regret is that I was unable to find the Valley of Immortality that Xiaoyaozi mentioned.

Over the years, following the clues left by Xiaoyaozi, he went to the legendary Valley of Immortality several times, but he never found its exact location.

With his current skill level, since he couldn't find it, he could almost certainly conclude that the Valley of Immortality was no ordinary place.

Rather, they are the blessed lands and grotto-heavens mentioned in the Taoist canon, which possess the great power of heaven and earth. Whether one can encounter them depends entirely on fate.

However, Chen Zhan did not insist.

He wasn't particularly interested in cultivating immortality, and his search for the Valley of Immortality was mostly out of curiosity.

He stood atop Zhongnan Mountain, gazing at the snow-covered peaks and the distant horizon, his expression serene, his mind clear, and his aura calm and peaceful.

A virtual panel suddenly appeared before his eyes.

On the panel, only one line of clear text shone brightly—【Transcendental - Selectable!】

He focused his mind on the panel, and the next moment, three options for crossing realms appeared on the panel:

The chaotic period at the end of the Sui Dynasty

【The World of Storms】

[Late Qing Dynasty, 1895]

The cold wind still howled atop Zhongnan Mountain, and the white snow still danced in the air.

Chen Zhan stood quietly in the snow, somewhat disappointed.

There's no way to go back.

We can't go back to the Republic of China era.

After thinking for a moment, I chose the last one.

From 1895 onwards, it was also an era of great upheaval and change.

Moreover, there are very familiar people among them. (End of Chapter)