Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 223 Slaying Di Qinglin and Killing Ling Yufeng (Long Chapter, Seeking Monthly Tickets)
Practice room.

Li Zhaoting and Di Qinglin sat facing each other.

There is no tea, because there is no need for tea.

Li Zhaoting said calmly, "There have been many cases in Jinan Prefecture recently: the Ziyan murder case, the fight between the Zhusha Gang and the Tianxing Gang, the murder of a Shaolin monk, the murder of a Shenshui Palace disciple, the assassination of Ying Wuwu, and the theft of 1.8 million taels of silver. It's all in complete chaos."

"What advice does Young Master Li have for this?"

"You think I'm here to investigate a case? I'm not a detective from the Six Doors, so I don't need to find out the details of the case. I only know one thing: you killed Ying Wuwu, and the 1.8 million taels of silver are hidden in the Marquis's warehouse."

"Sent by the Azure Dragon Society!"

"Was the silver dart framed for you by the Azure Dragon Society, and was the corpse in the secret chamber beneath the Vermilion Bird Bridge also a frame-up?"

"When did you find out?"

"When passing by the Zhuque Bridge."

Why didn't you kill me last night?

"Because last night I was thinking about solving the case and analyzing the clues. When I woke up this morning, I realized that there was no need to bother solving the case."

The purpose of life is to live it to the fullest!

I am neither a constable nor the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

I am a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person from the martial arts world).

People in the martial arts world value having a clear and open mind.

I am very angry right now.

I like to draw my sword when I'm angry.

Di Qinglin, are you prepared for death?
You will be utterly disgraced and die!

Everything you cherish will be destroyed, your hidden darkness will be exposed to the world, and your filthy, fragile self-esteem will be trampled on by millions.

This is your end.

The ending I wrote for you with my own hands.

Li Zhaoting's anger grew stronger, but his aura became increasingly ethereal and gentle, like a spring breeze and rain, silently enveloping the training room, covering every inch of it.

Di Qinglin said, "Don't you want to know the truth? I can tell you that the woman who died was not a disciple of the Divine Water Palace at all, but a prostitute from a brothel!"

"I'm not here to investigate a case. I'm here to seek justice for the dead. Whether they're disciples of the Divine Water Palace or prostitutes from brothels, it makes no difference to me."

"It seems we are destined to fight each other."

"You can still say one last thing."

"Li Zhaoting, you are too arrogant. Arrogance is your greatest flaw. You will die by my sword!"

A soft sword popped out from Di Qinglin's waist.

"The sword is named Spirit Dragon, and it is three feet and seven inches long."

The Purple Rose Soft Sword sprang from Li Zhaoting's waist, tracing a graceful arc before landing in his palm.

"Di Qinglin, prepare to die!"

Before he finished speaking, the sword light shot out with a whoosh.

From the moment he entered the Marquis's residence, Li Zhaoting had been gathering his strength every moment. Li Zhaoting was not lying; he had indeed wanted to investigate the case last night, and he had figured it out this morning.

The quickest way to solve a problem is to draw your sword.

It's not a pointless slaughter, nor a reckless, mindless charge. It's about eliminating some prominent figures so that those in the shadows can emerge. Di Qinglin is too conspicuous; countless forces are hidden by his brilliance. Di Qinglin must be eliminated.

The purple sword light pierced towards Di Qinglin.

The Purple Rose Soft Sword roared with extreme excitement, like a divine sword that punishes evil encountering a high-ranking enemy.

The sword light multiplied from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand. In an instant, the entire training room was enveloped in the purplish-red sword light. The Purple Rose Soft Sword transformed into a blue dragon, and with a dragon's roar, it soared straight into the heavens, drawing strength from the wind.

"boom!"

The boundless and endless sword light bombarded Di Qinglin. The bronze-cast and iron-cast training room was like paper in front of the Purple Star Soft Sword, and it exploded with a bang.

The maids and servants of the Di family witnessed the most magnificent and tragic scene: amidst the ruins and dust, a crimson lotus flower bloomed, and within its petals was a purple divine dragon. Streams of sword light shot out in all directions, and their omnipotent lord was being chased like a wolf.

According to Ying Wuwu, Di Qinglin's foundation in soft swordsmanship is no less than that of Li Zhaoting. However, Li Zhaoting only uses the Ziwei soft sword as a weapon, and his main martial arts practice is not soft swordsmanship. In fact, it is completely contrary to soft swordsmanship. The Ziwei soft sword has been reforged and is a sword that upholds righteousness and defends the Way.

This was a sword intent that Di Qinglin could not comprehend.

In Di Qinglin's perception, a blazing, purplish-red sun rose before him, illuminating his dark and filthy heart and exposing his venomous nature to the sunlight.

Di Qinglin was internally devastated!
It has nothing to do with martial arts foundation or swordsmanship level.

This is a clash between two sword hearts.

This is Li Zhaoting's... psychological warfare tactic!

Di Qinglin fled frantically, running towards the Vermilion Bird Bridge and then towards the secret chamber beneath it.

That was Di Qinglin's "territory".

That place records Di Qinglin's most profound darkness.

Li Zhaoting made no attempt to conceal his true intentions.

The martial arts practitioners in Jinan Prefecture sensed the sword intent and rushed towards the Marquis's residence at top speed. They then witnessed Li Zhaoting chasing and slashing Di Qinglin. Di Qinglin had lost all perception of the outside world and only wanted to find his shell again, to hide his dirty and fragile heart once more.

"boom!"

Di Qinglin blasted open the door to the secret chamber.

Wax figures were exposed to the sunlight.

The wax figures are so lifelike, they look just like real people.

This is a real person.

Every woman who had ever been with Di Qinglin was killed by him and made into wax figures, which were then stored in a secret room under the Vermilion Bird Bridge. When Di Qinglin had nothing to do, he would hide in the secret room and admire his "great achievements".

To avoid attracting too much attention, Di Qinglin only hired women who had been released from prostitution. He paid for the hairdressing, and the brothel madam received the money. At the same time, she dared not offend the Marquis's mansion, so she could only announce to the outside world that the women had been redeemed and returned to prostitution.

Such things cannot be hidden forever.

Di Qinglin used his power and money to cover it all up until he met Li Zhaoting.

Money and power mean nothing to Li Zhaoting.

Li Zhaoting wanted to kill Di Qinglin, to expose Di Qinglin's true nature, to ruin his reputation, and to let him die in despair amidst the contemptuous gazes of countless people.

Seeing the ghostly figures in the secret room, a scene even more terrifying than the underworld, some martial arts practitioners couldn't help but vomit. Vomiting is contagious, and once this feeling occurs, one will vomit until they are dizzy and disoriented.

Even Ling Yufeng, who came to watch the spectacle, felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Di Qinglin's "collection." He was glad that he had practiced martial arts diligently over the years and hadn't given Di Qinglin a chance to launch a sneak attack, otherwise he would have been one of them.

Looking at the dozens or even hundreds of wax figures, Di Qinglin, like a turtle wearing a shell, regained some confidence. Just as he was about to swing his sword to retaliate, he suddenly discovered that Li Zhaoting's sword light was getting stronger and stronger, at least five times stronger than before.

—Surround three sides, leaving one spot unfilled; invite the enemy into the trap!
If Di Qinglin were killed directly, he would have a chance to salvage his reputation. Li Zhaoting deliberately held back, interfering with Di Qinglin's perception and forcing him to open the secret chamber.

Next comes... the hunt!

"laugh!"

A cut appeared on Di Qinglin's body, slowing his speed. Pain shot through his left arm, then his right, followed by his legs, chest, and abdomen...

Streaks of sword energy flashed past Di Qinglin.

Pieces of flesh were sliced ​​off by the sword's edge.

The sword energy was like a long river at sunset, like ten thousand horses galloping, and like a raging flood, overwhelming and devastating.

One wave after another.

Di Qinglin fought desperately, but Li Zhaoting's sword energy was endless. No matter how Di Qinglin dodged, it always managed to precisely slice through flesh and blood.

"Buzz!"

The Purple Rose Soft Sword returned to its scabbard on the belt.

"It was Di Qinglin who killed Ying Wuwu!"

After leaving a message, Li Zhaoting turned and left.

When the onlookers came to their senses, they looked closely and found that Di Qinglin was nowhere to be seen. There was only a cloud of blood mist that had been blasted apart by the sword light, and a sharp short knife.

The sun rises.

Sunlight shines on the wax figures in the enclosed room.

The wax figure slowly melted.

A wisp of flame flashed by, igniting a raging inferno.

This hellish secret chamber was completely destroyed in the flames. Ling Yufeng led his men to search the Marquis's mansion and quickly found the replaced silver in the warehouse.

Seeing this, Ling Yufeng laughed loudly.

"Di Qinglin, you've lost! You've lost!"

"I'm the one who'll have the last laugh!"

"I am the Divine Constable, and you are a thief! A thief! A thief! You will never be able to rise again, hahahahaha..."

Ling Yufeng worked through the night to organize the case files.

It should be clear that Di Qinglin killed Ying Wuwu.

The silver dart was replaced by Di Qinglin.

The disciples of Shenshui Palace were also killed by Di Qinglin.

The evidence is Di Qinglin's dagger. Anyone with a basic understanding of martial arts can see the correct answer upon seeing this dagger: Ling Yufeng did not frame Di Qinglin. The silver escort case is debatable, but these murder cases are irrefutable.

Di Qinglin has committed numerous crimes over the years, including the indiscriminate killing of hundreds of innocent people and the creation of wax figures of them. His crimes are unforgivable. Li Zhaoting's efforts to punish evil and uphold justice deserve commendation.

Ling Yufeng handled the case with great enthusiasm.

Ling Yufeng's old rival, with whom he had fought for more than a decade, was finally disgraced and died without a complete corpse. He had to compile the case file and send it to the headquarters of the Six Doors as soon as possible.

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

With Di Qinglin's death, many of the scheming and despicable people who had been hiding in his shadow were exposed, and both Li Sheng and Chu Liuxiang gained a lot.

Li Zhaoting, however, remained completely still, spending his days either traveling and enjoying nature with Li Shengnan or practicing martial arts in seclusion, seemingly having been injured in his battle with Di Qinglin.

That day, Ling Yufeng received an invitation.

Li Nanhong's invitation.

Li Nanhong voluntarily entered the world of prostitution, but she did not serve customers in brothels. Instead, she hosted tea parties at home, and those who wished to become her lovers could bring generous gifts to her home.

Upon seeing the name on the invitation, Ling Yufeng threw his head back and burst into wild laughter, ordering someone to prepare a gift.

……

As is well known, auction prices are the highest.

The tea party is not about inviting just one person, but rather inviting several distinguished guests to bid together.

There were four participants in total.

Li Zhaoting needs no further introduction.

Ling Yufeng needs no further introduction.

Feng Baoge, a ginseng gatherer from beyond the Great Wall, had attended Di Qinglin's banquet. He was as burly as a bear.

Monk Yun, a former disciple of the Great Manjushri Monastery, is a notorious thief who is fond of women and skilled in the Great Manjushri Staff Technique.

Li Nanhong's personal bodyguard, Linghu Buxing, held a stack of gift lists and loudly recited each word.

"Feng Baoge, the betrothal gifts are four kinds: a pair of ginseng from Changbai Mountain, four fine sable fur coats, twelve pairs of official seals worth fifty taels of gold, and a jade pendant from Hetian."

As expected of a wealthy merchant from beyond the Great Wall, he is indeed very generous.

"Monk Yun, the betrothal gifts are of four colors: a Persian seven-colored gemstone inlaid jade crown, sixteen jade bracelets, an eight-treasure crystal mirror, and a pair of jade horses."

The gifts from this thieving monk were even more valuable than those from wealthy merchants outside the Great Wall. Feng Baoge narrowed his eyes. If Li Zhaoting hadn't been there, he would have beaten this thieving monk to death.

"Ling Yufeng, four boxes of betrothal gifts, one box of Songyuxuan candied fruit and sweet cakes, one box of Yulinxuan sweet fruit, one jar of two-jin Shaoxing wine, and one pair of one-liang silver ingots."

Ling Yufeng's gift was very meager, which was in line with the identity of a constable. After Di Qinglin's death, Ling Yufeng felt that he was a genuine constable of the Six Doors.

"Li Zhaoting, the betrothal gifts include four items: a dowry file, a couplet, a jar of wine, and a sword!"

Who would treat case files as "bride price"?
Given Li Zhaoting's wealth, these gifts seemed far too meager, especially the sword, which exuded a chilling murderous aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

Li Nanhong did not appear.

The courtyard was filled with a chilling murderous intent.

Linghu picked up the dossier and read it aloud.

Ling Yufeng clenched his fist.

This is the case file of the Bai family massacre in Suzhou.

The case file contains a detailed record of the murderer's circumstances.

For example: an ugly scar more than a foot long, extending from the ribs to the lower abdomen, shaped like a centipede.

After reading the case file, they continued reading the couplets.

The couplet has only eight characters.

—A life for a life, a debt for a debt!
Li Zhaoting said, "Six months ago, the entire Bai family of Suzhou was killed. The widow sacrificed her most cherished innocence in order to seek revenge. Officer Ling, how should the Six Doors handle such a horrific case?"

"Of course, it's to seek justice for the widow of the Bai family!"

“Well said! Well said indeed! Now, Officer Ling, please take off your clothes so everyone can see if you have any centipede scars on your ribs. If not, Officer Ling can prove your innocence. If you do, please go to the execution ground yourself so I don’t have to waste my energy.”

What makes you doubt me?

"You think I have no evidence? I guessed long ago that you were behind this case, and I also know about your dealings with Di Qinglin. I deliberately kept you around so that you could handle Di Qinglin's case, make you complacent, make you hot-blooded and lustful, so that you could vent your anger in a brothel, and then bribe the courtesans to confirm the wound on your ribs."

Can you trust a prostitute's words?

"Others' words may not be very credible, but Miss Sisi's words are very trustworthy. You hate Di Qinglin to the bone, and the courtesan you sought out the night before last happened to be Miss Sisi, who had accompanied Di Qinglin."

"Li Zhaoting, you are insulting me!"

"Don't worry, I'm always fair and just. You take off your clothes, and I'll take off my clothes too. If I have centipede scars on my side, I'll surrender immediately."

"Li Zhaoting, what's wrong with you? You dare to investigate me based on just a few words from a prostitute? Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is?"

"I'm a江湖人 (jianghu person, a member of the martial arts world), not a constable! I dare to kill a marquis like Di Qinglin, so of course I dare to kill you. You think you can reason with a江湖人 (jianghu person)? Have you lost your mind?"

Li Zhaoting raised his hand and shot out a sword beam.

Ling Yufeng instinctively dodged, and heard Li Zhaoting's piercing words in his ear: "Ling Yufeng, you can never beat Di Qinglin. When Di Qinglin faced death, he thought of resistance, not of using his power to oppress others. Regardless of his character, he at least has the pride of a martial artist. You actually used your father to scare me, it's utterly ridiculous!"

"Li! Zhao! Ting!"

Veins bulged on Ling Yufeng's face like earthworms.

Ling Yufeng could tolerate anything, but he couldn't stand anyone saying he was inferior to Di Qinglin. Just as Ling Yufeng was about to burst into anger and stop, Li Zhaoting flicked his finger and struck, shattering Ling Yufeng's belt buckle.

"puff!"

Ling Yufeng's robes were shattered by the sword light, revealing his bare upper body to everyone. An ugly scar, shaped like a centipede, stretched from his ribs to his lower abdomen, exactly the same as the murderer who wiped out the family recorded in the case file.

Immediately afterwards, footsteps could be heard outside.

Using the connections of the Beggars' Sect, the Vermilion Sand Sect, the Heavenly Star Sect, and the Long Family, Li Zhaoting invited hundreds of witnesses. When Ling Yufeng's clothes fell off, these people appeared under the leadership of Chu Liuxiang, staring intently at his wounds.

Ling Yufeng is finished!
People in the martial arts world commit murder, arson, robbery, and all sorts of evil deeds. As long as they are tough enough, they are considered "heroes" at least according to the rules of the martial arts world.

Ling Yufeng is not a hero, he's a clown.

He was the most despised womanizer.

He is a clown who cries out for mercy when facing death, trying to rely on his father's connections to buy a chance at survival.

A person in the martial arts world can be wicked, vicious, twisted, or perverted; they can be Di Qinglin, Gong Jiu, or a notorious bandit, but they can never be a clown.

Ling Yufeng's performance was that of a clown.

A rogue and scoundrel despised by both the legitimate and criminal worlds.

"Li Zhaoting, what grudge do I hold against you!"

What grudge do you hold against the Bai family?

"What does it have to do with you that I wiped out the entire Bai family?"

"I want to kill you, what's it to you!"

"Li Zhaoting, I'll fight you to the death!"

Ling Yufeng resembled a mad tiger, with a cunning glint in his eyes like a fox. He appeared to be charging towards Li Zhaoting, but in reality, he subtly shifted his feet and nimbly turned in mid-air.

The dragon soars through the clouds in three folds!

Kunlun School's lightness skill and movement techniques.

Ling Yufeng ran away into the distance.

Having witnessed Li Zhaoting's killing of Di Qinglin, even if Ling Yufeng had a thousand times the courage, he wouldn't dare to fight Li Zhaoting head-on; he would only want to seize the opportunity to escape.

Ling Yufeng's master is one of the Twelve Azure Dragons, and he has a bandit stronghold outside the city, which he can rely on.

In order to become a divine constable, Ling Yufeng practiced a superb lightness skill, making him extremely fast at running. Just as he was about to rush out of the mansion, a figure blocked his way.

With dark skin and an honest face, he wore a faded constable's uniform and carried a curved hook on his back. He looked at Ling Yufeng with a simple and honest expression, his right hand gripping the hook tightly.

Ling Yufeng swung his sword at his opponent.

He recognized the constable; he knew that the constable in front of him was the one who had defeated Master Ni's subordinate and retrieved the silver, and his name was something like Yang Zheng.

Ling Yufeng had never heard of this name and had never taken Yang Zheng seriously. In his memory, all the masters of the martial arts world who used curved hooks had long since died out.

What's so great about a hook?

A hook is nothing special.

Unless this hook is called the Parting Hook.

A parting hook is nothing special.

Unless the owner of the parting hook is named Yang Zheng.

If Ling Yufeng had read the detailed case file, he would know that Yang Zheng and Li Zhaoting were the same kind of people, both of whom transformed the most vicious and evil demonic weapons into divine weapons that upheld righteousness and protected the Way.

The Parting Hook was extremely fierce and malevolent, but from the moment Yang Zheng grasped it, it ceased to be for separation, but for reunion, for the reunion of more people, and for the righteous path of the world.

A flash of dark light appeared.

The farewell hook, wrapped in rags, struck Ling Yufeng between his fourth and seventh ribs on his right chest. Ling Yufeng screamed and staggered back, a sharp pain shooting through his chest.

Looking back, Li Nanhong and Yuanyuan were holding a two-handed greatsword, which they plunged into his back.

The sword was a gift from Li Zhaoting.

Just came in handy.

(End of this chapter)