Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 186 How can we compete for the Dragon Slayer Sword while living among these insects?

"Li Zhaoting, who do you think will die?"

Lu Xiaofeng mysteriously pulled Li Zhaoting aside, pointed at He Taichong, the Five Elders of Kongtong, and others: "I just made a bet with Tang Zhuquan about who would be killed first."

Li Zhaoting looked at Lu Xiaofeng with disdain, without saying a word; his eyes said it all.

Although he lacked the Golden Eyes of the Sun and Moon and the Aura of an Emperor, Li Zhaoting was righteous and imposing, using his burning gaze to force Lu Xiaofeng to retreat.

How dare you ask me this question?
Aren't you also destined to die wherever you go?

Have you encountered fewer cases than I have?

You're just laughing at someone who's a hundred times worse; we're like the Black and White Impermanence judging the judges of the underworld—we're both the same kind of ghost.

Lu Xiaofeng debuted earlier and encountered more cases. Theoretically speaking, Lu Xiaofeng is at most 100 steps, while Li Zhaoting is at most 80 steps.

The pot calling the kettle black is rather shameless.

Lu Xiaofeng retreated sheepishly.

Tang Zhuquan shouted to liven up the atmosphere.

The atmosphere was quite oppressive, with everyone waiting for the Shaolin monk to take the lead. Since the Shaolin monk did not come, the people of Kunlun and Kongtong did not dare to question Zhang Cuishan.

At least, the Five Elders of Kongtong wouldn't dare.

The five elderly men, all over seventy years old, certainly knew how fiery this lovable, chubby old man had been in his youth, and how many demons and monsters he had killed.

From east to west, from south to north, Zhang Junbao became Zhang Sanfeng, and from Zhang Sanfeng became Zhang Zhenren, Zhang Lata, Zhenwu Linfan, and Ludi Shenxian.

Aside from matters of the heart, no one can make him suffer!

The older one gets in the martial arts world, the more timid one becomes. The Five Elders of Kongtong, who lived to an average age of eighty, were by no means reckless.

Li Zhaoting looked at the Five Elders of Kongtong with curiosity.

I remember someone discussing on a forum in my past life what the most idiotic martial art in the martial arts world was. The highest-ranked one was Gongsun Zhi's Acupoint Closing Skill. It doesn't require any calculation. Just make him anxious, angry, or have his gums bleed, or add a few drops of blood to his food or tea, and the skill can be broken.

The Five Poisons Sect's practice of cutting off hands to exchange for iron hooks and the Kongtong Sect's Seven Injury Fist are also on the list. Of course, there are also those bizarre martial arts of the Wen School, but they are relatively less well-known.

Later, some people tried to defend the Seven Injury Fist, saying that the so-called setting should be taken with a grain of salt, and that the Seven Injury Fist does not have such high requirements for foundation. Are the Five Elders of Kongtong really that strong?

Despite being severely injured, the White-browed Eagle King easily crippled one of them. Analyzing their actual battle records, the foundation of the Five Elders of Kongtong is far inferior to that of the Four Dharma Kings.

However, the Five Elders of Kongtong lived to be over eighty years old without illness or disaster, and the internal injury backlash that Zhang Wuji mentioned would not erupt for at least five to ten years.

This is not an internal injury caused by practicing martial arts!
This is a disease of old age!
This is an irresistible force of time!

Xie Xun drove himself mad, firstly because he lacked the foundation of Kongtong internal energy, and secondly because he was impatient for quick success.

Based on the ages of the Five Elders of Kongtong, the Seven Injury Fist is by no means a useless martial art. Internally, it can strengthen the internal organs and prolong life, while externally, it can kill enemies with a single punch.

The foundation required doesn't need to reach Zhang Wuji's level. As long as it's slightly higher than the Five Elders of Kongtong, roughly at the level of Song Yuanqiao, Yu Lianzhou, or Abbess Miejue, and you don't rush for quick success, you can master the Seven Injury Fist.

To reiterate, if you tell an octogenarian that his illness will flare up in ten years and he will die from it fifteen years later, he will feel that you are blessing him.

Those who live a long life in the martial arts world are extremely rare.

Zhang Sanfeng was an anomaly among anomalies.

For most sects, the Five Elders of Kongtong are like mascots. If Li Zhaoting were the leader of the Kongtong Sect, he would definitely worship them, then promote the name of the Kongtong Immortal Mountain, have the Five Elders of Kongtong teach health preservation techniques, and take a high-level approach to attract many famous families.

Why did the Wudang Sect expand so rapidly?

Because a healthy, sprightly centenarian personally endorses Tai Chi.

The wealthier a family is, the more they value health preservation.

They haven't had enough of the riches, fame, fortune, and worldly pleasures yet, how could they bear to go to the underworld?

Following Li Zhaoting's line of thought, one would find the five elders of Kongtong increasingly pleasing to the eye.

Unfortunately, the Kongtong Sect did not do that.

The Kongtong Sect is more like a hidden immortal sect. It is nominally a famous and prestigious sect, but most people cannot think of any famous masters in the Kongtong Sect.

The simplest question: Who is the leader of the Kongtong Sect?
The martial arts practitioners who came to offer their birthday wishes numbered about two or three thousand, but no more than five hundred of them could name the leader of the Kongtong Sect.

The leader of the Kongtong Sect is named "Gongye Shouchang".

Another long-lived old monster.

What a waste of natural resources!

What's the point of so many long-lived old men vying for the Dragon-Slaying Saber? They should go teach health preservation to wealthy and powerful families, then try to piggyback on Guang Chengzi's reputation and strive for the position of Imperial Preceptor.

Uh……

Let's abandon the second one for now!

Being the Grand Preceptor of the Song Dynasty was an extremely dangerous profession.

They would either be tricked to death by Zhuge Zhengwo, or be secretly killed by Yuan Shisanxian, or be casually killed by Liu E, or be escorted to the Eastern Depot by Cao Zhengchun and Mi Cangqiong.

Li Zhaoting's mind wandered.

The five elders of Kongtong felt a chill run down their spines. Looking around, they found Li Zhaoting staring at them with an enigmatic smile on his lips, giving them a creepy feeling.

"May I ask what advice Young Master Li has for me?"

"I have long admired the Seven Injury Fist of the Kongtong School and would like to ask you some questions. Also, I have heard that the Kongtong School inherits the Daoist tradition of the ancient sage Guang Chengzi. I wonder what the Kongtong School's understanding of the longevity formula left by Guang Chengzi is? I have also heard that the Kongtong School is skilled in health preservation and has many octogenarians..."

"Heh! Just gossip! Young Master Li is only twenty years old this year, and he has at least thirty years of prime of life ahead of him. Why be so obsessed with health preservation? Those are all just charlatans."

"I see, thank you for your guidance."

Li Zhaoting was polite and refined. The Five Elders of Kongtong thought to themselves that before Li Zhaoting grew old, that is, in the next forty or fifty years, all the martial arts sects would tremble in fear under his tyranny. For no reason, the Five Elders of Kongtong were very much looking forward to Li Zhaoting breaking through the void!

Ideally, one should be able to shatter the void before the age of thirty!
We ask for nothing more than to live out our old age in peace.

Guan Neng, the eldest of the Five Elders of Kongtong, heard a voice transmission in his ear: "Senior Guan, I have some connection with the Kongtong Sect and would like to borrow the Seven Injury Fist Manual to take a look. I promise not to pass it on to anyone else. I am willing to exchange it for the Longevity Manual."

Guan Neng was surprised and secretly transmitted his voice: "Young Master Li, do you think I am a child? The Longevity Scripture has been around for thousands of years, and only Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling have mastered it. If you want to get something for nothing, you are underestimating me too much."

"This junior only wanted to test whether the Kongtong Sect truly inherited the lineage of Guang Chengzi. Please forgive me, senior. If you don't want the Longevity Formula, how about exchanging it for sword techniques?"

"Young Master Li is focused on swordsmanship and has no interest in martial arts. Why do you want to learn the Seven Injury Fist? I don't think the Seven Injury Fist is worth Young Master Li asking for. Please enlighten me, Young Master Li."

"Because I have the secret manual for achieving immortality."

"Young Master Li, aren't you afraid I'll reveal this?"

"If you are willing to help, I would be more than happy to do so. I would love for someone to come and snatch it from me."

"The Seven Injury Fist is a secret technique passed down directly from the Kongtong Sect. Young Master Li's offer is certainly tempting, but I dare not make a decision lightly. Please give me two or three days."

"Until the end of the birthday banquet."

"why?"

"I'm worried something might happen after the birthday banquet."

“Young Master Li, this…” Guan Neng suddenly remembered that Li Zhaoting had a nickname he hadn’t used in a long time: the Divine Physician in Plain Clothes. Li Zhaoting said that something bad would happen after the birthday banquet, and then something bad would definitely happen.

hiss~~
Guan Neng gasped in shock.

The temperature inside the main hall rose a few degrees again.

The already stifling atmosphere became like a steamer, and even the gossipy Tang Zhuquan and the restless phoenix Lu Xiaofeng were all exhausted by the heat.

The five elders of Kongtong quickly exchanged glances.

After a while, Guan Neng transmitted his voice: "I heard that Young Hero Li has a sword technique that can be performed with green bamboo and willow branches. How about exchanging this sword technique for it? We agree in advance that we can pass on the sword technique as a unique skill of the Kongtong Sect, but Young Hero Li cannot pass on the Seven Injury Fist. What do you think?"

"make a deal!"

"Young Master Li, is there really an enemy?"

"I'm just guessing. Look over there, Lu Xiaofeng is panting heavily from the heat. Wherever Lu Xiaofeng is, a case is bound to happen. Please be prepared."

"What preparation?"

"Prepare to be ambushed and killed, and then framed for it by another renowned master. For example, someone might kill you with lightning-fast swordsmanship and then pin the blame on me."

"Hehe~ Hehe~ Young master is joking!"

Guan Neng lost all interest in anything else. The Five Elders of Kongtong were preoccupied with their own thoughts, exchanging glances and trying to figure out if Li Zhaoting was threatening them or offering a friendly reminder. They also felt that Li Zhaoting was neither threatening nor reminding them, but rather just lying to intimidate and deceive them out of boredom.

Why would Li Zhaoting try to fool them?

Is it fun to bully the elderly?
I've never heard of Li Zhaoting having this kind of hobby!

Some people enjoy watching a good show and aren't afraid of things getting worse. Tang Zhuquan was one of those people. Seeing the atmosphere getting increasingly tense, he rubbed his big, fat belly and yelled out.

Lu Xiaofeng took the initiative to play the straight man.

"Tang Zhuquan, let me ask you something. Of these heroes of the martial world, how many came to offer birthday wishes, how many were after the Dragon-Slaying Saber, and how many are masters of swordsmanship?"

“This is easy to judge. Li Zhaoting and I discussed this matter when we were drinking last night. Li Zhaoting told me that some people are born both greedy and stupid.”

He could see right through these people before they even opened their mouths.

They arrived at Wudang Mountain ahead of time to celebrate a birthday!

The purpose of carefully preparing birthday gifts is to celebrate the birthday.

Those who have marriage ties with Wudang are doing so to celebrate a birthday.

Most of those who came today are after the Dragon Slayer Saber.

People who casually buy longevity buns and noodles as birthday gifts are actually after the Dragon Slayer Sword. These are the most annoying people. They can't even pretend to be something they're not; they're greedy and stingy.

Just use this standard to make the judgment.

It's unlikely to make any mistakes.

As the saying goes, it's hard to hit a smiling face.

If I wanted to provoke the Wudang Sect, I would definitely first be courteous and ask an acquaintance from Wudang to mediate, so as not to anger Master Zhang and have him slap me to death.

Look at those mediocre people. They came here for the Dragon-Slaying Saber, discussed it for a long time at the foot of the mountain, but they couldn't even spare a birthday gift. They thought they were hiding it well, but in reality, they were just going around in circles, making a fool of themselves!
Without Shaolin's intervention, no one dared to speak up.

They were afraid of being the first to act and benefiting others, and they were also afraid that Li Zhaoting would cause trouble and kill them with his evil energy.

When undertaking great tasks, one should cherish one's life; when faced with petty gains, one should disregard one's life.

If I were their master's ancestor, I would be furious to see such unfilial descendants.

What the hell is all this garbage!

Tang Zhuquan started cursing at the top of his lungs.

Tang Zhuquan is straightforward and honest, and he despises underhanded tactics and schemes. The atmosphere was so oppressive that Tang Zhuquan suddenly exploded.

The Five Elders of Kongtong lowered their heads in shame.

He Taichong lowered his head and gave an awkward, bitter smile.

The Emei disciples stood tall and proud, praising their wise master for sending juniors to offer birthday wishes. No matter what happened, they could always use their youth and ignorance as an excuse to cover things up.

The Emei Sect's idea is very simple.

—Openly competing while secretly helping each other, and befriending Wudang!

Yue Buqun was somewhat relieved. Although Huashan had a huge financial deficit, he managed to save some money from his meager savings to send a decent birthday gift.

At least he wouldn't be directly regarded as an enemy, nor would he be ridiculed. Tang Zhuquan's voice was so loud that everyone outside could hear it. In three or four days at most, those sect leaders and elders who prepared longevity buns and noodles, as well as those high-ranking members of major sects who arrived on time, would be utterly humiliated.

The martial arts world is never short of third-rate characters. These people are not skilled in martial arts, they mingle in the streets, and they are best at making up rumors and bragging. After a month or two of spreading, no one can predict how things will turn out. All that is known is that these people will lose face as a result.

Live it!

Upright people have their own dignity.

Putting aside Zhang Sanfeng's unparalleled martial arts skills and the Wudang Sect's status in the martial arts world, even if it were an ordinary family celebrating the birthday of a centenarian, as a respected elder of a sect, it would be absolutely inappropriate for the centenarian to give a casually bought longevity bun or noodles as a birthday gift, regardless of where the etiquette is used!

They've completely abandoned any semblance of dignity.

This is a slap in the face to the Wudang Sect.

He Taichong shouted, "Tang Zhuquan, the affairs of the Wudang Sect have nothing to do with the Tang family. Why meddle in other people's business? You're saying so much, do you also want the Dragon-Slaying Saber?"

Tang Zhuquan sneered: "Dragon-Slaying Saber? Our family has no inherited saber techniques, what would I do with this thing? I would like to remind Sect Leader He that Kunlun is the ancestor of all mountains, a place where dragon veins converge. The name Dragon-Slaying Saber is incompatible with the destiny of Kunlun. Do you want to sever the dragon veins?"

The concept of dragon veins is vague and unfounded.

However, the Kunlun Sect has developed to the point where it has attracted many old monsters to cultivate in seclusion in Kunlun, relying on its reputation as the ancestor of all mountains and the ancestor of dragon veins. These old monsters are willing to do anything to break through the void, and their thinking is mostly very stubborn.

The name "Dragon Slayer Saber" is indeed somewhat incompatible with Kunlun and would displease the old monster.

Thinking of this, He Taichong lowered his head and pondered.

Kunlun martial arts focus on lightness skills and swordsmanship, excelling at forming formations for encirclement attacks, but they have little knowledge of knife techniques.

Tang Zhuquan continued, "Don't look at me! I don't need the Dragon Slayer Saber, and neither does my brother-in-law. Long Chengbi has the Snow and Wind Saber, and the Dragon Slayer Saber's name clashes with Long Chengbi's. Even if it were given to him for free, he wouldn't want it."

Tang Zhuquan's brother-in-law, Long Chengbi, is one of the most qualified swordsmen to challenge the Sword Master. His swordsmanship is divine. However, Long Chengbi's surname is Long, so how could he possibly use the Dragon-Slaying Saber?

The world is a dangerous place; safety comes first.

People in the martial arts world like to say auspicious words.

Names like Purple-Robed Dragon King, Dragon City Wall, and Dragon Vein all more or less fear the Dragon-Slaying Saber.

It makes me feel... disgusted!
Just like Li Zhaoting and prisons, and the imperial examination system!
Just as Tang Zhuquan was disrupting the atmosphere, a deep voice came from halfway up the mountain: "Abbot Kongwen of Shaolin Bodhi Academy, along with his junior brothers Kongzhi and Kongxing, and all his disciples, respectfully wish Master Zhang a long and happy life, good health and longevity."

His voice was booming, clearly indicating that he was proficient in the Lion's Roar technique.

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(End of this chapter)