Martial Arts Crossover: My Wife is the Top Scholar

Chapter 438 The Nine-Move Agreement: Yue Maiden Sword VS Green Bamboo Sword

"They ganged up on us because they outnumbered us, did they even ask us?"

Two beautiful figures blocked Su Penghai and Tie Haitang's path. They were Bai Yunfei and Gongsun Lan. One rode a crane, while the other wielded two swords together, displaying a chivalrous air.

This was predictable.

Everyone knows that Li Zhaoting is by no means a lone wolf; he has a group of tigresses by his side.

Recently, rumors have been circulating in the teahouses and taverns of Jinzhou City about the harmonious relationship between Li Zhaoting and Bai Yunfei, a story that even a three-year-old child has heard several times.

"Yiyangzi" is Li Zhaoting in disguise, and the beautiful woman pretending to be his Daoist partner is obviously Li Zhaoting's bedmate.

Everyone thought it was Feng Suzhen or Wang Shenglan, but it turned out to be Gongsun Da Niang, the master of the red shoes. This made Cao Xiong tremble with fear. Li Zhaoting was really good at hiding his true identity!

Since the start of the war, countless experts have emerged. Under such perilous circumstances, Li Zhaoting must have at least two experts hidden around him, ready to launch a surprise attack at any time.

Although the Qing court had some trump cards, it dared not use them casually, lest Wang Shenglan break through them.

Dealing with Li Zhaoting, this utterly eccentric individual, the numerical advantage is practically nonexistent. If Li Zhaoting brings his confidante along, the numerical advantage will turn into a disadvantage.

Feng Suzhen, Lan Xiaodie, and Bai Yunfei are all skilled in musical instruments and adept at large-scale group attacks. With Wang Shenglan's Overlord Spear in hand, who can stop their advance?

Poisoning him, but more poisonous than the Five Poisons Cult Leader?

The Qimen sect, the Xiaoyao school, has as many as eight members.

Li Zhaoting's sword pierced through the defense.

An attack cannot withstand the subtle, veiled attacks.

Cao Xiong's preparations were far from insufficient. He mobilized half of his elite troops from the Sticky Rod Office and even contacted the Mongol Yuan Dynasty to borrow several experts to form a massive pocket formation.

The only definite result of the fierce battle so far is that Jin Chenying's guard, Wanyan Zhuo, was killed. Wanyan Honglie is alive and well, and under the protection of Tuomu San, he is commanding the Tianren Sect disciples to charge head-on against the Eight Banners cavalry.

For Emperor Qianlong, martial arts masters who died in battle could be recruited again, and the Sticky Pole Office could be reorganized, but the loss of the Eight Banners cavalry was a real blow.

Wanyan Honglie was skilled in diplomacy and strategy, and according to the classification of the Hundred Schools of Thought, he belonged to the School of Diplomacy. However, he had little skill in leading troops and his methods were very crude.

However, in the current situation, unless a general is a legendary figure like Han Xin or Bai Qi, or an invincible warrior like Xiang Yu, it is difficult for a general to provide encouragement to his soldiers; he only needs to maintain morale.

All military formations, tactical changes, and improvisation become meaningless. Wanyan Honglie couldn't do it, and neither could Senggelinqin; they could only mechanically counterattack.

Thousands of people were crammed together in a chaotic mess. The cavalry's advantage was completely lost, the musketeers dared not fire indiscriminately, and the Shenwu cannon was overturned by Li Zhaoting. It looked like the two armies were fighting to the death on the battlefield, but in reality, it was just a pointless brawl!

Wanyan Honglie had only one order: Even if you are about to be hacked to death, kill as many as you can!
Normal soldiers would not be so obedient. If the casualties reached 20-30%, a rout would be inevitable. Fortunately, Wanyan Honglie established the Tianren Sect to deceive people.

The meticulously trained "defenders of the faith" shouted incoherent slogans and hypnotized themselves with the mind-control techniques of the White Lotus Sect and the Divine Dragon Sect, fighting to the death without retreating.

"May the Heavenly Ninja Sect Master enjoy eternal bliss and live as long as the heavens! May the Heavenly Ninja Sect live on forever! Charge!"

"With the Master's sacred teachings always in mind, the disciples of Tianren are indestructible, invincible, and unstoppable!"

The "Divine Dragon Immortal Incantation" of the Divine Dragon Cult has reappeared in the world after sixty years. This method sounds powerful, but it is actually hypnosis. It makes people ignore pain, stimulates the body's potential, and enhances combat power in a short period of time. However, it causes great damage to the body and can only be used for desperate fighting.

It is said that if one practices the "Divine Dragon Immortal Mantra" to its peak, one can invite a god to possess one's body, greatly increasing one's power while minimizing damage. It is Hong Antong's strongest trump card.

Unfortunately, Hong Antong was tricked to death by Wei Xiaobao, and the Divine Dragon Sect's legacy was reduced to only a rudimentary version of the Bewitching Divine Strike.

The warriors who protected the faith were extremely fanatical towards Wanyan Honglie, recklessly unleashing their potential to fight the iron cavalry and the sticky pole, thus affecting the elite of the Wanyan clan.

These elite troops were meticulously trained by Wanyan Changzhi and were used as bargaining chips in negotiations with the Mongol Yuan dynasty. They were all elite soldiers who originally intended to protect themselves, but under the influence of the fervent atmosphere and the bloodlust of the battlefield, they unleashed their ferocity as warriors.

Wanyan Changzhi was furious and on the verge of madness.

Going crazy is pointless.

If Wanyan Changzhi hadn't intervened, Cao Yu could have pretended not to see it. In fact, the relationship between the Manchus and the Mongols was very close. Many concubines came from the Mongol Yuan dynasty, and many important officials had Mongol Yuan blood, including military commanders.

Wanyan Changzhi's desire to submit to the Mongol Yuan dynasty was a good thing for the Manchus. Given the Mongol Yuan's strength, Wanyan Changzhi was at most an added bonus. However, if the Wanyan clan lost Wanyan Changzhi, their strength would inevitably be greatly diminished.

The Wanyan clan, which has been causing trouble for decades, is long past its end, and we must not show any mercy.

This was an order from Emperor Qianlong to Cao Yu.

Wanyan Honglie, kill him!

If Wanyan Changzhi doesn't make a move, he can be let go; but once he does, if they join forces to attack, they will be killed without mercy.

Peng Lianhu, Sha Tongtian, Hou Tonghai, Lingzhi Shangren and other masters should be captured alive if possible, and killed if not. No one should be let go.

In this martial arts tournament in Northeast China, all members of the Wanyan clan who participate in the battles must remain!

Complete the task and you'll be richly rewarded.

If anyone is let off the hook, they will be punished.

Faced with Cao Yu's Golden Leopard Palm, Wanyan Changzhi dared not be careless in the slightest and could only watch helplessly as Wanyan Honglie gave away the money he had painstakingly accumulated for his coffin.

As the saying goes, "A son sells his father's land without a second thought!"
Before a man dies, all his money must be spent! Not a single copper coin should be left to the enemy. Since Qianlong wanted so many masters to perish together, he might as well go all out.

A blood-red mist filled the air.

This is a drug that stimulates the nerves and makes people feel energetic. It requires blood as a catalyst and will continuously burn blood and energy until the body is completely exhausted.

This item, of course, still comes from the Divine Dragon Cult!

This is a medicine that Hong Antong painstakingly researched before he was tricked to death. It must be said that Hong Antong was quite accomplished in pharmacology, especially in enhancing qi and blood.

The reason is simple: Hong Antong's lifelong wish is to enjoy immortality and live as long as the heavens. Most of the poisons of the Divine Dragon Sect are byproducts of research on tonics. The Leopard Fetus Tendon-Changing Pill is not a poison, but is essentially a tonic.

Whether it's reversing aging or achieving immortality, both primarily focus on the internal organs, qi and blood, and muscles. The byproducts generated during the research of related drugs all act on the human body's blood and flesh, and most of them have a nourishing effect.

Throughout history, without exception.

The Limitless Immortal Pill, which enhances one's cultivation level over sixty years, and the Heavenly Mantle, which can transform a person into Captain America within three days, are both byproducts of alchemy; they were originally elixirs of immortality.

Crimson mist filled the bay. Due to the disruption of the natural energy, Grandmasters dared not achieve oneness with the heavens and could only rely on their own true energy to fight. In order to improve their endurance, they had to take deep breaths and inevitably absorbed the mist.

More and more martial artists are falling into fanaticism.

Nobody knows who did this.

It could be Wanyan Honglie, it could be Cao Xiong, or it could be both of them; neither of them is a good person.

If we're talking about "utmost sincerity," the most sincere person present is none other than Abbot Kuzhu. He himself is nearing the end of his life, and he came down from the mountain for his disciple and to find a worthy opponent.

Li Zhaoting was the opponent she had been looking forward to. He made the old, withered, and skeletal Master of Kuzhu Temple burst out with the youthful vitality of a man in his twenties or thirties. Everyone knew that this was the Master of Kuzhu Temple's last burst of energy before death, and he would surely die after ten moves.

Su Penghai and Tie Haitang wanted to join the attack, but were blocked by Bai Yunfei and Gongsun Lan. Li Zhaoting used the Qing Suo Sword to perform the Bamboo Sword Technique and attacked them head-on.

"Young man, what exquisite swordsmanship!"

"I have long admired your mastery of the Yue Goddess Sword and the exquisite Bamboo Shadow Sword Technique, which rivals the Thirteen Styles of Gentle Breeze. I have long admired it and would like to ask you to instruct me in nine moves."

"Alas~ I am grateful for your mercy, which allows me to have nine moves left. If I am defeated in this battle, please spare my life. I will leave my life-long skills inside the sword hilt as a token of my gratitude to you."

The words of the Abbot of Kuzhu Hermitage were by no means modesty.

Her health was too poor. If Li Zhaoting used powerful moves such as Tathagata's Divine Light, Eight Swords Flying Together, and Vertical and Horizontal Alliance to counter her, she could only last for three moves at most.

Nine moves are the limit of the Master of Kuzhu Hermitage, the limit of fighting move with move. If they were to clash head-on, the Master of Kuzhu Hermitage would not be afraid of death. It is just a pity that he cannot use up all of his sword techniques.

The Abbess of Kuzhu Temple moved with incredible speed, a speed that was definitely not what an old woman who had been seriously ill for thirty years should have, nor was it the kind of movement a frail old woman should possess.

The body of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple is probably even worse than that of Wuqing and Su Mengzhen. However, when she holds the sword, she is a swordswoman of unparalleled skill. The Yue Goddess Sword, which transcends a thousand years, is revealed to everyone, and its beauty is intoxicating.

It's hard to imagine that an old nun, as thin as a skeleton, with hands like chicken claws and wrinkles so deep they could trap flies, could unleash sword techniques even more exquisite than Gongsun's sword dance.

Taking a step forward, there is a slight hesitation, which is the effect of physical aging. Birth, aging, sickness and death are a cycle, an inescapable suffering, an inevitable part of life, and even saints and immortals are no exception.

Humans are born, grow old, get sick, and die; gods experience the five signs of decay.

The head of Kuzhuan Temple has been practicing Buddhism for over eighty years, integrating Buddhist teachings into her swordsmanship. Her movements are extremely clumsy, yet they possess a carefree and transcendent quality, like "the sun is high in the mountain temple and the monks have not yet risen." When she takes another step, her figure has already blended into the sea breeze.

Three steps, the sword moves swiftly like the wind, leaving no trace.

The sword tip pierced Li Zhaoting's shoulder.

—The Yue Maiden Sword, the White Ape Strike! The Yue Maiden Sword Technique is a divine gift, the most spiritual sword technique in the world. People in the martial arts world have too many complicated and chaotic thoughts, pursuing fame, fortune, money and beauty. Their hearts have long been blinded by the mortal world, and they can only crudely imitate sword moves.

The virtuous monks, the enlightened masters, and the learned scholars certainly possessed sufficient spiritual qualities, but they had experienced too much in their lives. While they had a transcendent state of mind, they lacked the innocence of children.

Only naive, youthful, and exceptionally talented young men and women can comprehend swordsmanship.

The sword techniques used by the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple are a modified version, more suitable for sect inheritance, supplementing the mental cultivation method with Buddhist teachings.

If it were the original Yue Goddess Sword, there would be no more than a handful of exceptionally talented swordsmen throughout history who would meet the requirements for cultivation. Even sword geniuses like Dugu Qiubai and Zhang Danfeng would be far from enough!
The sword of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple is like a gentle breeze, like willow leaves, like a vast expanse of green bamboo, like the setting sun, bursting forth with vigorous vitality amidst the poignant beauty of the sunset.

The bamboo sword of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple represents Buddhist teachings.

What is Li Zhaoting's bamboo sword?
It is the unwavering determination to hold fast to one's goals;
It is the steadfastness of Li Genyuan amidst the broken rocks;
It is a tenacious spirit that remains steadfast despite countless trials and tribulations;
It is the heroic spirit to defy the winds from all directions;
The sword of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple is a vast bamboo forest, an endless mountain range; Li Zhaoting's sword is a bamboo pole that reaches the heavens and the earth, with the sky above and the ground beneath, growing section by section until it becomes the tallest in the bamboo forest.

Study hard, and you will rise to the highest ranks of officialdom, becoming a general or prime minister.

Practicing martial arts, drawing the sword to cleave the heavens and shatter the void.

This is not arrogance, but vigor, the ambition of youth, the intoxication of three thousand guests amidst a hall full of flowers, the chilling cold of a sword across fourteen provinces, the sudden rise of thunder and lightning that cleaves the vast ocean, the roar of a dragon that echoes through ten thousand valleys, the excitement of picking up a sword, the feeling that one's body has long been forged in the sharp edge of a sword, why bother asking about the edge of the martial world!

The two swords suddenly clashed.

One is as lofty as mountains and as vast as the sea; the other is as vigorous as youth.

A sunset glow, a vibrant energy.

One encompasses everything, the other soars upwards.

One hand gathers one into ten thousand, one hand gathers ten thousand into a thousand.

A glint flashed in the eyes of the Abbess of Kuzhu Temple. She had never met Li Zhaoting, but had only heard stories about him from her disciple, and hadn't paid much attention to them.

There's nothing to care about when someone is about to die!
Until the two swords clashed.

Without uttering a word, everything was already clear.

Li Zhaoting's moves may seem provocative, like a young and vigorous swordsman challenging an aging senior, but in reality, he holds back in every strike, demonstrating his pursuit of the Dao.

The abbot of Kuzhu Temple remained silent, then brandished his sword and advanced again.

This sword strike is no longer simply about speed.

As the sword was swung, it stirred up the blue waves of the sea, and the surrounding air seemed to turn into a bamboo forest, with bamboo leaves everywhere wrapping around, whipping, and stabbing from all directions.

Bamboo Shadow Sword Technique!

The pinnacle of the Bamboo Shadow Sword Technique.

Li Zhaoting swung his sword at the wrist of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple, moving with lightning speed, arriving in an instant.

No one would have imagined that on the battlefield of bloody slaughter and mountains of corpses, a young swordsman and a weathered old woman were fighting desperately with all their might while developing sword intent. The area within dozens of feet was like a tranquil bamboo forest, and all blood and violence were isolated by the sword intent.

This is not the strongest sword technique in the world, but it is certainly the most agile, the most beautiful, the most poetic and picturesque, and the most expansive sword technique. Like a sudden awakening, all the complicated thoughts in one's mind vanish in an instant.

In his final moments, the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple strives to make his last battle as perfect as possible, incorporating his life's experience into nine sword techniques—a contest of swordsmanship and a legacy passed down through generations.

Li Zhaoting was completely absorbed in the moment, and suddenly realized the essence of swordsmanship. He eagerly absorbed the concepts of swordsmanship and demonstrated them time and time again in battle. His new swordsmanship was still immature. Only after experiencing trials and tribulations, injuries and bleeding, could his swordsmanship mature and grow into a towering bamboo.

Eight sword moves passed in an instant.

The abbot of Kuzhu Temple was panting heavily, showing no signs of life, and looked like a clay sculpture.

Li Zhaoting was stabbed in the shoulder, and blood trickled down his face. His brocade robe, jade belt, feathered robe, and tall crown were all pierced by the sword's energy, making him look quite disheveled.

"One last move! With this move, my life will come to an end, and I cannot show any mercy."

"Senior, please give me some advice!"

"Li Zhaoting, prepare to be challenged!"

The Abbot of Kuzhu Temple uttered six words softly, and the aura of impending death around him suddenly disappeared.

She slowly raised the sword, her movements deliberate yet conveying an indescribable sincerity and solemnity.

At this moment, she was no longer a decaying old woman, a dying old woman, or a clay puppet that had completely lost its vitality, but rather she had become one with this world, with the blue waves of the sea, and with the thousands of green bamboos.

There were no elaborate sword techniques, only a light thrust.

It appears to be wide open and without any force, yet it seems to contain all the tranquility and storm of the bamboo forest.

No matter how Li Zhaoting attacks or responds, he will suffer this fatal blow.

Li Zhaoting's eyes widened, his blood and qi surged like a rainbow, his thoughts suddenly became clear, and his Green Bamboo Sword Intent grew like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, visibly growing into a verdant bamboo grove.

"Snapped!"

The sound of bubbles bursting could be heard in the air.

The sword in the hands of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple shattered inch by inch, leaving only the hilt. Li Zhaoting was injured in the left shoulder, and even though acupressure was applied to stop the bleeding in time, he still felt pain.

Li Zhaoting reached out and snatched the sword hilt of the Abbot of Kuzhu Temple into his sleeve. Although Li Zhaoting had learned all of the Abbot's sword intent, having the complete manual was better than copying it himself, and it was still a considerable gain.

Li Zhaoting stared intently at Tie Haitang: "For the sake of Abbess Kuzhu, if you leave immediately, I can spare your life. Otherwise, I only agreed to leave the Kuzhu Nunnery with its legacy, not that Abbess Kuzhu's disciples would not become widows. You should think it over carefully."

"Master Li, your skills are truly superb! You defeated three senior monks—Dajue Monk, Huogong Toutuo, and Kuzhu Hermitage Master—in half an hour. Your title as the leader of the Heavenly Gang is truly well-deserved. But I have a question..."

A fellow who bore an eighty or ninety percent resemblance to Cao Xiong, but with an even more frivolous air, walked over step by step: "I wonder how many moves Master Li can still make in his current state?"

Li Zhaoting laughed and said, "Yang Xiao?"

"A mere, lowly name is not worth mentioning!"

Where is Fan Yao?

"Am I not worthy to duel with Master Li? Although I gained an advantage by using the 'sneak attack' tactic, it is perfectly reasonable for Master Li to do so!"

"If Yang Dingtian were still alive, I would be interested in trying the Qiankun Great Shift. You, Yang Xiao? Even if you have mastered the Yangshi Qijing to its peak, you still can't withstand three of my sword strikes. Without Fan Yao, you would surely be defeated!"

The Ming Cult's ancestral divine skills consist of two methods.

One of the techniques is the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, which can maximize the body's potential but requires an extremely high level of internal strength.

One of them is the "Sun and Moon Divine Mirror," created by Long Xiaotian, the most powerful martial arts master in the history of the Ming Cult. It is divided into Yin and Yang parts and was passed down to the left and right envoys.

The Left Envoy of Light cultivates the "Strange Scripture of the Yang World," a mental cultivation method divided into thirteen heavens. It does not cultivate the eight meridians but focuses on the twelve regular meridians, with each chapter corresponding to a section of the meridian. The final heaven is about gathering Yang and returning to oneness; the slightest mistake will result in being engulfed in flames.

The Right Envoy of Light cultivates the "Strange Scripture of the Underworld," using seven major acupoints on the back of the human body as energy storage points. The method of cultivation is inverted and reversed, ultimately focusing on the Jade Pillow acupoint in the brain's central nervous system. If one is not careful during cultivation, one will suffer eternal damnation. This method is more suitable for women to cultivate.

When men cultivate the "Yin Shi Qi Jing" (Underworld Wonders Scripture), the excessive Yin energy in their bodies may affect certain abilities, thereby impacting their rationality and causing them to descend into madness. At crucial stages, they are very likely to suffer from qi deviation and demonic possession.

When the two mental techniques are combined and used together, they form the Yin-Yang cycle of the "Sun and Moon Divine Mirror." If only Yang Xiao makes a move, Li Zhaoting will not be afraid at all. However, if Yang Xiao and Fan Yao make a move at the same time, it may be somewhat of a hindrance.

Of course, it's not a big hindrance.

Even if Long Xiaotian were to be reincarnated, Li Zhaoting would still dare to draw his sword and kill him, let alone the two immortals of Xiaoyao!

Yang Xiao, arrogant and self-important, flew into a rage upon hearing this: "Li Zhaoting, you've been too careless! Given the current situation, you're doomed to die today!"

Li Zhaoting sneered: "Yang Xiao, you should know that I am proficient in the Longevity Technique and have an extremely fast energy recovery speed. If you argue with me a few more times, my true energy can be restored by 80%. Do you want to try the Tathagata Divine Light?"

The tactic of adding fuel to the fire is a major taboo in military strategy.

Cao Xiong wanted to swarm and kill Li Zhaoting, but Li Zhaoting's fearsome reputation was too great. Which intelligent and skilled person would dare to deal with Li Zhaoting? They would all choose to protect themselves.

The only way is to first let the mad beasts like the Great Enlightenment Monk and the Fire-Worker Monk take action to deplete Li Zhaoting's true energy and blood, then let the Abbot of the Dry Bamboo Hermitage take action to seriously injure Li Zhaoting, and finally let the experts finish him off.

Everyone knows that a siege yields the greatest benefits.

However, if during the siege, Li Zhaoting were to beat someone up, bombard them with Tathagata's divine light, or fight to the death with the Five Steps Kill technique, someone would definitely die. Who would want to be the "target"?
Anyone with a brain would definitely not agree.

Those without brains cannot form a defensive formation to launch a pincer attack.

This scene was already Cao Xiong's limit.

(End of this chapter)