Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 390 Reconnaissance and Rescue, Who Will Guide Us on the Great Path?
"Do you know why I'm called the Desolate Grave? Because I don't need a grave; I'd rather my body lie exposed in the wilderness!"

"Iron Hand! If you don't want to die, come at me with your strongest fist! I won't hold back. I'll kill you without hesitation, destroy your body, and kill Ruthless, Life Chaser, and Cold-Blooded with your head in tow!"

"Life is the fairest thing in the world! Everyone only has one, whether you're the Emperor of Heaven or a beggar on the street! Everyone only has one life!"

"Death is not scary! Death is the end of a journey, the decay of the body and the liberation of the soul. Only ordinary people fear the arrival of death!"

"Let me show you the fist techniques I've learned from death and liberation, Iron Hand! Come at me with all your might! If you hesitate even for a moment, I will surely annihilate you!"

Sima Huangfen's face was like that of a madman, his fists were covered with death energy that had solidified into a tangible form. From the perspective of ordinary people, Sima Huangfen was a madman, but from his own perspective, Sima Huangfen felt that he had comprehended the mystery of life and death.

With just the action of "clenching a fist," and in the blink of an eye, all the killing intent, malevolent energy, and death energy are concentrated in the right hand, transforming into a supreme killing fist.

Three Deadly Strikes - Rest in Peace!
With a single, focused thought, Iron Hand possesses boundless power.

A consistent and divine skill!
As long as we hold firm to our beliefs, even if there are flash floods and the sky and earth collapse, we can still generate endless fighting spirit and unleash the power of human determination to overcome nature and burn with our inner universe.

The Four Great Constables are all "state-based"!
Ruthlessness requires traps, cold-bloodedness requires risking one's life, and pursuit of life requires an open environment and alcohol. What kind of state does Iron Hand need? How to unleash the body's potential?
The answer is... to protect!
Behind him were thousands of homes lit up with lights and ordinary people. Iron Hands could embrace the copper wall and jump into the raging flood, enduring the impact of the flood until all the people were out of danger.

With his senior and junior brothers and close friends behind him, Tie Shou could go head-to-head with Ling Luoshi, withstand Ling Luoshi's three Jiazi of internal energy, and make Ling Luoshi suffer the consequences of his own actions.

When Sima Huangfen revealed his beliefs, that he was the leader of the thirteen villains, and that the mastermind behind the scenes had the intention of rebellion and war, Tie Shou became completely convinced of his beliefs, and his power surged forth continuously.

Bare-handed Fierce Fist - Ten Miles of Thunder!

Iron Hand unleashed a powerful punch, meeting Sima Huangfen's attack head-on without any fancy moves. It was a hard-hitting clash, fist against fist, internal energy against internal energy. The force overturned the area within several feet, and the ground was leveled by more than a foot.

A short man dressed in streamlined steel armor and resembling a pangolin was shaken out.

"Tu Xingsun" Sun Bugong.

The most despicable disciple of the Nine Nether Gods!
The notorious flower thief.

Ordinary flower thieves are skilled at scaling walls and leaping across rooftops, possessing profound lightness skills, such as Tian Boguang and Yun Zhonghe. However, Sun Bugong is an exception; this guy is adept at the art of burrowing underground.

Sun Bugong was skilled at using the art of earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of magic used in Chinese folklore) to sneak into the boudoirs of young ladies from both noble and humble families. After succeeding, he would escape by earth-遁. He was repeatedly surrounded and captured, but he always managed to escape using the earth-遁 technique.

Picking flowers is a hobby; my real job is being an assassin!
It was Sun Bugong who plotted against Tie Shou earlier.

Iron Hand recognized Sun Bugong at a glance and, using the recoil from their previous exchange, threw a punch at Sun Bugong.

Bare-handed, ferocious fists—burning the heavens and splitting the earth!

Sun Bugong felt a dark cloud descend upon him, half the sky enveloped by the force of the fist. He hurriedly dug into the ground, relying on his pair of steel claws and pangolin-shaped armor to leap underground.

"boom!"

Iron Hand's fist slammed heavily into the ground.

Sun Bugong felt his internal organs dislocated as he was squeezed by the sand and mud. He felt it was worth it. Tie Shou's move was too forceful and would inevitably reveal a flaw. Sima Huangfen would not give up the opportunity to kill Tie Shou.

Sima Huangfen certainly wouldn't let the opportunity slip by.

He is very angry now.

Only bloodshed, only death, which he regarded as his faith, could bring Sima Huangfen back to his senses. It wasn't anger at the poor results of the fight, but rather the feeling that Tie Shou looked down on him and dared to abandon him to fight others.

This is something that Sima Huangfen cannot tolerate.

"boom!"

A heavy punch landed on Iron Hand's lower back.

How could Iron Hand overlook Sima Huangfen? He prepared before making his move, throwing a backhand punch with his left hand.

Bare-handed, ferocious fists; an impenetrable wall of iron and bronze!

The force of his fist condensed into a tangible wall of energy, blocking Sima Huangfen's fist. Using the force, he took two steps back, touched the ground with his toes, and lightly turned his body, like a tiger hunting its prey, leaping towards Sima Huangfen!
Sima Huangfen laughed wildly, looking up at the sky: "That's right! This is the Iron Hand I've been waiting for! This is the Four Great Constables! Let me see how hard your fists are! Take this punch!"

Two burly men clashed head-on.

Sima Huangfen was a madman who only attacked and never defended. When he was hit by a fist, he not only did not feel pain, but felt very comfortable. The more he was hit, the more excited he became.

If Iron Hand blasted him into dust, even more pulverized than Zhao Wuji, he would be ecstatic beyond measure.

With unwavering conviction and a unified mind and body, Tie Shou continuously unleashed his physical potential, increasing his strength by two or three points with each punch. Even when his momentum was temporarily suppressed by Sima Huangfen's madness, he could still counterattack at top speed.

Victory can only be achieved by breaking Iron Hand's will or by launching a massive attack with ten or a hundred times the power. Ling Luoshi and Tao Tao Shuihong have demonstrated the consequences of a protracted war with Iron Hand; no one can defeat willpower.

The two exchanged more than a dozen punches, each suffering serious injuries. Sima Huangfen was starting to lose ground. Just as Tie Shou was about to intensify his attack, a flash of light suddenly appeared from behind, and thousands of ghostly figures appeared around them.

At the same time, Sun Bugong launched a sneak attack from underground, his sharp claws stabbing at the soles of Tie Shou's shoes. Tie Shou was caught off guard and his ankle was grabbed by Sun Bugong, leaving him with no choice but to gather his energy and endure the attack.

"boom!"

The sky is full of smoke and dust!

Sima Huangfen roared like a wild beast.

Sun Bugong, who was hiding underground, and Mo Sangege, the Miao swordsman who launched the sneak attack, had faces as black as iron. Their combined attack was undeniably powerful. Unexpectedly, Tie Shou's skill was so profound that he managed to forcefully escape the encirclement.

Sima Huangfen roared, "Who gave you two permission to interfere with my battle! Do you two want to die?"

Sun Bugong was afraid of Sima Huangfen, and Mo Sange had no liking for this madman. He sneered, "This is the prince's order. Go and explain to the prince!"

"What do I need to explain?"

"Our mission is to kill Iron Hand. If we proceed according to plan and ambush Iron Hand, even if he has three heads and six arms, he will be torn to pieces!"

You wanted to be a hero, pretending to face Iron Hand head-on. When I ambushed Iron Hand, why didn't you stop? Why did you kick me when I was down?

Because you know you're not as good as Iron Hand!
You can't beat Iron Hand without our help!
Sima Huangfen, this failed assassination attempt on Tie Shou is entirely your responsibility. It is your hypocrisy and pretentiousness, your attempt to gain fame and fortune. If you continue to do as you please, I will suggest to the Prince that you be removed from your current position.

You are not worthy to be the leader of the Thirteen Thugs!

Others may fear you, but I don't!

A beast without reason!

I've seen too much of that in Miao areas!

Mo Sange was not a eloquent person. He was usually taciturn, aloof and eccentric. He had just spoken more than he had in a month. These words were not Mo Sange's opinions, but the opinions of all the villains who had opinions about Sima Huangfen. They had joined forces to force him to abdicate.

Sima Huangfen's martial arts skills are indeed very high, firmly holding the position of the leader of the Thirteen Villains. However, if Du Lian, Mo Sangege, and other experts join forces to launch a sneak attack and assassinate him, even if it costs two or three people to be injured, they can definitely eliminate Sima Huangfen.

The opinion of the Left King Wu... is unimportant!

The thirteen villains were not a fixed number; some were silenced after completing their crimes, some died suddenly during the operation, and some were added later. They were not particularly loyal to King Zuo Wu.

What does Zuo Wu Wang's grand ambition have to do with Mo San Ge Ge? He's just here to get benefits. He treats the Thirteen Fiends as an assassin organization. You give me benefits, I'll help you kill people. It's a fair trade, no cheating.

Assassins need to be highly skilled in martial arts, and the king of assassins cannot be a brute with high martial arts skills. Mo Sange deeply hates Sima Huangfen. This guy talks about the philosophy of life and death all day long, but I've never seen him actively seek death.

If you like death so much, go find Li Zhaoting!
Li Zhaoting will blast you to smithereens!

Mo Sangege glared at Sima Huangfen, who clenched his fists and roared, "Mo Sangege, are you trying to rebel? Believe me or not, I'll crush you!"

"Sima Huangfen, I may not be able to defeat you, but I can inflict permanent damage on you before I die. If it weren't for the trust the lord placed in you, what would you be!"

"I'll be your father!"

Sima Huangfen threw a punch at Mo Sangege.

Mo Sange is a master of feuds, and he is not afraid of feuds at all. He wielded his sword and clashed with Sima Huangfen. This time, he only provoked the conflicts that had accumulated over the years and did not want to fight to the death. He just dodged and weaved.

Of course, Mo San's allies mostly stick together for mutual support, but when disaster strikes, they will all go their separate ways.

In the original storyline, facing the fierce attacks of Zhui Ming, Zhang Xu'ao desperately used his iron umbrella to protect Mo Sangege, but Zhui Ming kicked him and broke his leg. When Mo Sangege counterattacked Zhui Ming, he misjudged the direction and a quick knife pierced through the gap in the umbrella leaves, blinding Zhang Xu'ao in one eye. He then abandoned the seriously injured Zhang Xu'ao and chased after Zhui Ming, acting with extreme ruthlessness.

The top expert among the thirteen villains was no less skilled than the Four Great Constables. The main reason for their defeat was internal strife, which allowed the Four Great Constables to seize the opportunity.

This is normal.

The thirteen thugs were all assassins and bandits.

You can pay them to do things, but don't expect them to be loyal or united; that's wishful thinking!

Sun Bugong sneered, "Stop fighting! Hunting down Tie Shou is the most important thing. We've arranged a series of interconnected assassination plans. Tie Shou won't get far!"

The two exchanged a glance and simultaneously stopped fighting.

Where will Iron Hand run to?

Sima Huangfen looked down at Sun Bugong.

Sun Bugong said, "Ten miles from here is Young Master Ximen's manor. Young Master Ximen is a fellow martial artist; given Iron Hand's character, he might go there to seek help." ...

Iron Hand fled along the path.

Iron Hand wasn't cold-blooded or a life-chaser; his survival skills in the wild were slightly lacking, and he wasn't good at escaping through the jungle. He thought to himself that there was a Ximen Manor ten miles away, where martial arts practitioners lived. Out of respect for Mr. Zhuge and the Four Great Constables, he figured it wouldn't be a problem to ask Young Master Ximen for some wound medicine.

Martial arts practitioners usually carry medicine for injuries when they go out, but Iron Hand's belongings were on horseback, and his medicine was shattered by the force of his punch, so he could only ask his fellow martial arts practitioners for help.

With this thought in mind, Tie Shou rushed to Ximen Manor.

Young Master Ximen, whose surname is Ximen and given name is Young Master.

This name violated Ximen Chuixue's taboo.

It's not that Ximen Chuixue is domineering, but rather that the name "Young Master Ximen" is too arrogant. Wouldn't that make all men with the surname Ximen bow down to him?
It's one thing that his name is taboo, but Young Master Ximen's actions are a mixed bag. He has done a few good deeds and a lot of bad ones, which angered Ximen Chuixue. Young Master Ximen dared not confront Ximen Chuixue and was so frightened that he moved to the north overnight, eventually ending up in the Liao Kingdom.

Another point is that Young Master Ximen is not a young and handsome nobleman; he is in his fifties, but he takes good care of himself and looks like he is in his thirties.

Iron Hand thought of Young Master Ximen's files and decided that he would rest for a while and then leave, which should be fine.

Ten miles wasn't a long distance, and Tie Shou quickly arrived at Ximen Manor. He knocked on the gate, and the gatekeeper asked, "Who are you? What brings you to Ximen Manor?"

Tie Shou quickly said, "Tie Shou, a disciple of Master Zhuge, would like to rest here for the night!"

Upon hearing this, the gatekeeper hurriedly went back to report.

Before long, the young master Ximen, dressed in fine clothes, arrived with two servants and said with a light laugh, "What wind has blown Master Tie here? It is truly my honor!"

Iron Hand smiled wryly: "I was out on a case when I was ambushed by a powerful enemy. I need some medicine to heal my wounds. I will leave after a short rest and will definitely not involve you all."

Young Master Ximen waved his hand: "Second Master Tie, that's a bit too formal! My Ximen Manor isn't as grand as Wanmei Manor, but it's not a place where evil spirits can come and go as they please. Second Master Tie, you can stay here with peace of mind and see who dares to cause trouble at Ximen Manor!"

Young Master Ximen directed his subordinates: "A-Shou, go get the wound medicine and gauze. A-Fu, take Master Tie to Bimei Pavilion. A-Lu, prepare some wine and food!"

The northern region is mountainous and sparsely populated.

Ximen Villa is built against the mountain and covers a very large area. Inside, there are four small gardens: plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. The plum garden is located inside the villa and is used to entertain distinguished guests!
The only problem is that the area around the Plum Blossom Pavilion is surrounded by thick stone walls, making it more suitable as a training ground.

Iron Hand did not inquire about this matter.

The "plum" in "Bi Mei" refers to Ximen Chuixue of Wanmei Villa, which is likely a psychological trauma.

The two men took their seats as host and guest, and Young Master Ximen had a maid bring over wound medicine and clean clothes: "Second Master Tie, you are tall and we don't have any suitable clothes here. These are my clothes, please make do with them for now!"

"Thank you for your hospitality, Young Master Ximen!"

Iron Hand was the most shrewd and adept at making friends among the Four Great Constables. In just a few words, he got on good terms with Young Master Ximen. After chatting for a while, the steward announced that a distinguished guest had come to see him. Young Master Ximen said, "Second Master Iron, we have a guest. Please excuse me for a moment."

The guest follows the host's lead, and Iron Hand naturally agreed.

Just as the two figures crossed paths, Young Master Ximen suddenly used his folding fan to strike Tie Shou's vitals. Tie Shou reached out and grabbed the steward, using him as a shield to block in front of him.

"laugh!"

A plume of poisonous smoke was emitted from the folding fan.

The butler's face turned bluish-purple, and blood was flowing from his seven orifices.

Iron Hand sneered: "Young Master Ximen, you are one of the thirteen villains, am I right?"

Young Master Ximen sneered, "I never thought that the four famous constables would be captured by bandits today. It must be very unpleasant to be caught like a turtle in a jar!"

Just then, three people walked in from outside.

Sun Bugong, Sima Huangfen, Mo Sangege.

Mo San said sternly, "Iron Hand, you have no way to escape today. Surrender and I will spare your life. Otherwise, I will cut you into pieces and throw you into the mountains to feed the wolves."

Iron Hand, though startled, remained calm and smiled, saying, "Having walked right into this trap, it seems I am destined to die today!"

Young Master Ximen said, "He will surely die!"

Iron Hand raised his fist: "I'd love to know which two people my desperate strike will take down!"

A desperate strike is a good tactic to sow discord.

The thirteen thugs were all selfish, treacherous, and despicable people; none of them wanted to be cannon fodder.

Unfortunately, there is a Sima Huang tomb here.

While others fear death like a tiger, Sima Huangfen embraces it with relish, declaring, "Give me your final, desperate strike! I'm ready to face death!"

"Well said! I'll grant your wish!"

A chilling voice came from outside.

If Young Master Ximen had listened to the steward a little more, he would have known that the distinguished guest was not Sima Huangfen, but Li Zhaoting, who was riding at breakneck speed. He had obtained the clues he wanted from Zhang Xu'ao and Guan Haiming, and the group was traveling through the night.

Li Zhaoting went to rescue Tie Shou.

Feng Suzhen went to help Wuqing.

Chase after Leng Xue to his aid.

Mei Zhu led four prisoners to Youzhou.

The situation on the other two routes is unknown.

Li Zhaoting spared the lives of his men along the way.

"who are you?"

Young Master Ximen unfolded his folding fan, a meticulously crafted weapon called the Yin-Yang Fan. The front read "Those who obey me prosper," while the back read "Those who oppose me perish."

"Am I really that unrecognizable? Even if you haven't seen me in person, you've at least seen my portrait, right?"

Li Zhaoting rubbed his handsome face in frustration.

As I said before, there is no standard for "handsome".

There are too many young and handsome swordsmen.

Li Zhaoting is far less recognizable than Lu Xiaofeng, Tang Zhuquan, and Chu Liuxiang. You can recognize them by their beards, wine jars, and nose-rubbing gestures.

Sun Bugong exclaimed in surprise: "Li Zhaoting!"

Before he finished speaking, he immediately tried to dig a hole and run away.

Unfortunately, this is the Plum Blossom Chamber, the prison of Ximen Manor. It looks like a reception room, but it is actually a place to deliberately deceive guests and take the opportunity to kill and rob them of their money.

Upon hearing "go to Bimei Chamber," the servants knew that Young Master Ximen intended to kill someone, so they prepared sleeping potion.

To prevent the target from escaping, the area around Pimei Lane was surrounded by huge rocks. Sun Bugong dug seven or eight times but only managed to dig a small hole. Li Zhaoting formed a hand seal, and a divine light from the Tathagata descended from the sky, striking Sun Bugong on the head.

The Buddha's divine light moves mountains and rivers!

Looking at the sword light as thick as a load-bearing pillar, Sun Bugong thought to himself, "What have I done to deserve Li Zhaoting bombarding me with the Tathagata's divine light? Should I feel honored?"

A flash of golden light appeared.

Sun Bugong was blasted into dust.

Only a bloodstain remained on the ground.

Mo San shouted sternly, "Fight for your lives! Only by risking your life can you escape. I'll take care of Iron Hand!"

Sima Huangfei said, "Li Zhaoting! Everyone says your swordsmanship is unparalleled. Can you kill me?"

"You want to die?"

"I love the thrill of dying!"

"Since that's the case, then die!"

Li Zhaoting raised his hand, and two beams of divine light emanated from him.

The Buddha's Divine Light - The First Appearance of Buddha's Light!

Sima Huangfen laughed arrogantly: "This is the powerful move I've been dreaming of. If you have the guts, kill me!"

Three Deadly Strikes – Great Liberation!
Unlike the technique of "Little Rest," this move is Sima Huangfen's "philosophy," which is no longer about blasting someone into dust with a single punch, but about making people feel relieved!

—Death is liberation!
(End of this chapter)